Task Force 38 Soldiers visit religious historical site

By Sgt. Elizabeth GorencMay 3, 2010

TALIL, Iraq - Four Task Force 38 Soldiers toured the historical Ziggurat of Ur near Contingency Operating Base Adder in Talil, Iraq, during their Operation Iraqi Freedom deployments.

During their tour Soldiers walked through the area that has been revered as a religious and historical landmark by biblical references and archeologists. Although only five percent of the archeological site has been excavated, it produced artifacts supporting biblical stories such as Noah and the flood, and Abraham and the birth of monotheism.

"It was a great visit," said Indiana Army National Guard Maj. Robb Barlow, Task Force 38 chaplain. "There was an amazing amount of history not only from the kings that built the ziggurat, but also Abraham."

The tour of Ur, an ancient Mesopotamian city, also showed evidence of being the birthplace of the wheel and contained one of the earliest forms of writing.

"I have had the privilege of touring Israel, and this site was as historical and impressive as many of the archeological digs there," said Barlow, Shelbyville, Ind., resident.

Since the ziggurat was located outside COB Adder, Soldiers convoyed to the site in Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles. Army Reserve Command Sgt. Maj. Glenn Bowens, Task Force Double Eagle command sergeant major, said since he worked in Army aviation, this trip was the first chance he had to ride in an MRAP in his career. It gave him a perspective of what other Soldiers in ground units did during their day-to-day operations.

"One of my favorite parts of the trip was riding in the MRAP vehicle because it gave a peek at what other Soldiers in the Army do every day outside the wire," said Bowens, of Dothan, Ala. "I got to see what was going on inside the truck with the drivers and door gunner all working together."

Bowens said along with his first time to Ur and his first time in an MRAP, the trip was his first full day away from the office he had since beginning the deployment in summer 2009.

"I've seen pictures of the ziggurat online, and the opportunity was right there to go, so I decided to go see something new," said Bowens, of Dothan, Ala. "I enjoyed having the chance to get away from the ins and outs of the workplace environment."

Even though he wasn't with Soldiers from his immediate unit, Bowens said he still felt he was with family and a part of the team during the trip.

"We are all one team," he said. "I didn't make the distinction between going with Task Force 38 or Task Force Double Eagle. I was there with family."

Indiana Army National Guard Sgt. Andrew Schnieders, Task Force 38 command group assistant, agreed with Bowens and said the group of Soldiers who went on the trip made the experience more enjoyable.

"The group I went with eased the discomforts of traveling and made the trip that much better by being carefree and making the best of everything," said Schnieders, who coordinated the trip.

Schnieders, Mooresville, Ind., said despite the burdens of traveling to a new place for the first time with little guidance or knowledge of what to expect, the adventure was something he would appreciate and remember for the rest of his life.

"Once you got to the top of the ziggurat, you could see out across all of the ruins and it put the whole landscape into perspective," he said. "I learned to appreciate what the region has to offer to everyone; not just the local culture, but the whole world. There are so many important historical events that occurred here no matter what your religious background is."

Along with touring the ziggurat, Soldiers were able to walk through the remains of the royal palace, sacrifice houses, ancient burial tombs, and Abraham's house.

Indiana Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Jesse Bradbury, Task Force 38 chaplain assistant, said visiting Ur during his deployment to Iraq was important in both religious and historical aspects.

"It was a very humbling experience for me to stand in the place where Abraham the 'Father of the Faithful' once lived" he said. "It was a complete blessing to have the opportunity to see all of the history that was surrounding me, and be there with my friends."

Bradbury, Columbus, Ind., resident, said he also used the trip as a learning experience to set up connections and obtain information to lead future trips.

"I would like to give the opportunity that I had to others," said Bradbury. "This could possibly be the area where the Garden of Eden was and where the beginning of monotheism began. There is so much rich history. This is a once in a life time opportunity, and to be able to see and be there is totally incredible."

To share the experiences Task Force 38 Soldiers were able to enjoy during the first visit to the ziggurat, Bradbury plans to lead trips to Talil and the Ziggurat of Ur during the remainder of his time in Iraq.