5-2 Infantry (5th Stryker Brigade) Counter Guerrilla Embroidered Tab (Tab Only) – 2nd Infantry Division – OEF – 2009

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5-2 Infantry (5th Stryker Brigade) Counter Guerrilla Embroidered Tab (Tab Only) – 2nd Infantry Division – OEF – 2009

The “Strike and Destroy” brigade began operations in Kandahar Province and quickly found itself in combat against a determined, lethal enemy. Thirty-seven 5th Bde. warriors died in combat during the deployment, and 239 suffered wounds. Of those, 95 returned last week to take part in the ceremony. In a moving moment, the wounded warriors complied with Tunnell’s order to rejoin their units, some limping and others steering wheel chairs into company formations.

“Our casualties at first were due to the fact we went into places that had not seen large formation of (American Soldiers),” Tunnell said, “places that were infested with Taliban. They used direct fire and (improvised explosive devices) primarily. As time went on we developed better understanding of the environment and were able to share that much more effectively with intelligence. We clearly had the upper hand.”

The brigade learned quickly through the late summer, seizing the initiative wherever they went.

Tunnell said his Stryker Soldiers led the assault on Marjah, searched and attacked Taliban in the Arghandab River Valley, repelled enemy fighters in Shah Wali Kot, cleared routes to Uruzgan, helped secure President Karzai in Daykundi, opened lines of communication in Maiwand and Zhari, saturated Zabul, endured dust storms in Helmand and secured the highway from Spin Boldak.

Gaining control of the security situation, they formed relationships that allowed progress with governance and reconstruction assistance, restoring hope for an Afghan future free of Taliban intimidation. The 5th Bde., 2nd Inf. Div. made an immediate impact on the fight in Afghanistan, but its contribution to a lasting resolution might not be realized for a long time. The future of the country is still at issue, but it is clear that the brigade arrived at a crucial time, restoring order to a chaotic and devolving southern part of the country.

“When future historians write about your Afghanistan experience and gain the perspective that only time allows,” Johnson said, “it is likely they will recognize the surge of 2009 and 5-2’s contributions as a tipping point, pivotal in Operation Enduring Freedom.”

Tunnell shared a simple wish for the legacy of the Destroyer Brigade.

“What I hope the citizens of the United States will remember about us is that 5th Bde., 2nd Div., Stryker Bde. Combat Team deployed as part of Operation Enduring Freedom 9-11, so fitting a designation for a team conceived under the aegis of Mars,” he said. “I hope they will remember that we lived up to our commitment to the American people by honorably performing our duty in combat.”