Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Wendy Ledbetter

Terrorists Strike Prescott

By Wendy Ledbetter

Prescott residents turned out in force to support their local troops, a fact that wasnt lost on the Guardsmen who were involved in a hostage retrieval drill Saturday, April 1. The event took place on the grounds of the old Prescott Hospital. Military personnel participating were given intelligence and information similar to that they would have expected had they been involved in a real terrorist situation. In fact, military intelligence indicates that the operation was designed to simulate raids many of these young men faced in Baghdad.

Heres the situation. A cell of insurgents has holed up in a small building with two men who are known to have provided significant financial funding for the terrorist group. A problem during a transaction between these money men and the terrorist cell resulted in a conflict. The group hid out in a nearby building (the old health department building on the hospital grounds), grabbing an American correspondent who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The men of Alpha Company began to gather early Saturday morning. By shortly after 1 p.m., the helicopters dedicated to the mission were touching down at the Tom B. Lee Jr. Arkansas National Guard Armory in Prescott.

The days training began with intelligence. Staff Sgt. Curtis Haines of Hope said the men were given the story as part of their op orders. The intelligence included a basic layout of the buildings design - information they may not have had in a real life event. Using that intelligence, the members of the company created a model of the area to determine their best line of attack and a ground model of the building to actually practice their strategy once they were inside.

Sgt. Jeff Melton said there were some limits on the amount of intelligence the raiding units were given.

They dont know how many are inside, he said. Their intelligence is that there are two high-priority targets and one American correspondent. Theyre to kill the insurgents, take the targets and return the correspondent to safety.

The goal of the exercise, according to Haines, was twofold. Practice was one of the objectives, but Haines said it was also a chance to give the community a brief look at the training and skills these men have.

When we were deployed (to Iraq), the community was behind us 100 percent, Haines said. They sent us a lot of stuff, had some community events.

Haines said that support was vital to the men who were stationed far from home in dangerous situations.

It meant a lot to us, he said. Now we want to show them what we can do.

Haines has been in the military for 19 years. He said he and many of the men who participated in Saturdays exercise have done a tour of duty in Iraq.

That includes Prescott native Mark Jones. Jones is an E-5 Sgt. and he said he comes from a long line of military. School benefits was one of the biggest draws into the military, Jones said, but he said the bonding of the military family has been vital.

Especially when we went to Iraq, Jones said. When I joined the unit, I already knew a lot of people. They took me in and showed me the ropes.

Jones said the thing that he remembers most vividly about his trip to Iraq is the people.

The homelessness, he said. While he said hes seen homeless people before, the desperation of some residents there was incredible. He said his company would distribute water only to find the recipients selling it in order to buy other necessities.

It was a culture shock, agreed Spec. E-4 Travis Ursery of Arkadelphia. And it was hot.

The desire to be involved in the military began when he was very small, Ursery said.

I always wanted to join, he said. I grew up playing Army.

Ursery said one of his favorite duties was to gather the mail, and he recalled what a morale booster the process was.

Ursery said the most frightening thing about being stationed in Iraq was the sheer unpredictability.

Some car would drive by and send mortars into the base, he said. You didnt know when it was coming, where it would land or what would happen next.

The mortar fire was scary, Jones said. Youd just be walking along and youd hear it coming.

Tommy Otwell, an E-4 Corporal from Gurdon, said hed joined largely for the benefits being offered. He described Iraq as bing Like nothing Id ever seen before. He said hed seen television shots of places like Iraq. And Id think, I hope I never go over there. Otwell spent a year in Iraq as a weapons maintenance specialist.

His enlistment period will end this fall and Otwell said he has no plans to reenlist.

Despite the harsh climate, culture shock and worry about mortar fire, Otwell said the worst part of the event was simply being away from family. He is married and has two children, ages 7 and 13.

Saturdays practice went off well with only one or two minor problems. As helicopters flew over, one insurgent emerged to take a look and was promptly gunned down. Another made the mistake of showing himself and was taken out by snipers hiding across the highway. The remaining two were killed inside the building. Both money men were taken with only a minor struggle and the correspondent was returned to safety.