2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division began Operation Striker Hurricane on May 1, 2004. The brigade chose to design the operation to round up insurgents and other anti-coalition parties, based on intelligence provided by the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force and using help from its sister brigade, 1st Brigade Combat Team. Striker Hurricane was the response to the deaths -- by a vehicle borne improvised explosive device attack April 29 -- of eight soldiers from 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery, one of 2nd BCT?s units.

Striker Hurricane encompassed the 2nd BCT area of operations and netted eight of the targeted insurgents. Additionally, 61 enemy prisoners of war, who weren't on the list but were identified during the operation, were also captured.

The ground elements of the operation, including Soldiers from 1st BCT, 4-27 FA, and 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry, applied sound search practices to try to minimize the inconvenience to the citizens of the community.

Information operations cells sent out flyers to prepare the populace telling the residents that the 2nd BCT's operation was necessary to ensure the safety of the neighborhoods, according to Rice.

One of 2nd BCT's overall mission goals was to maintain lines of communication -- such as roadways, railways and communications networks -- keeping up the flow of information about Mujahadeen, anti-Coalition and foreign fighter activities is always relevant to preventing attacks and punishing those responsible for the attacks that do occur.

This intelligence-gathering coup brought about by Striker Hurricane should not be the last of the information-gathering successes of the brigade. The 2nd BCT intelligence section is maneuvering as a well-oiled machine thanks to the experience it has gained over the past year.