Soldiers in Iraq: Local men use technology to protect convoys

   “When people hear our title, they think of the little furry bears from the Star Wars Movies,” said Capt. Thomas Mesloh.  “But those are Ewoks; we are EWOs.”

   EWO stands for Electronic Warfare Officer. Mesloh and Sgt. 1st Class Charles Corley, Bossier and Shreveport, La., natives respectively,  are the EWOs with the Louisiana National Guard 2nd Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment, 224th Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary).

  While deployed in support of Operation New Dawn, the 2nd Squardron., 108th Calvary Regiment’s primary mission is to provide convoy escort security for the reduction of U.S. troops and equipment in Iraq.

   It’s the law of averages, said Corley. “We have a heavy op-tempo [operational tempo]. Our squadron has had over 500 convoys, and we have traveled over a million miles in Iraq. Sooner or later, the enemy is going to try to hit us with an improvised explosive device. We have to be ready. We have to provide our Soldiers the tools to jam the enemy signal before it can trigger their IED”.ť

   Mesloh also emphasized being ready. The enemy is well suited to adapting their technology, he said. “Over and over they have changed their tactics to combat our countermeasures. When we defeat their triggers, they try something new. We have to always be on our game.”ť

   The EWOs play an imperative role in the unit operations in Iraq, said Maj. Keith Robinson, operations officer with the 2nd Sqdn., 108th CAV Regt., and a Baton Rouge, La. native. “Improvised explosive devices are the biggest threat to coalition and Iraqi forces. The work that the EWOs are doing is saving the lives of our soldiers.”ť