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120th Engineer Battalion waits for time to come home

Table of Contents

  1. Mission in Afghanistan
  2. Route Clearance Operations
  3. The Human Cost of a Long War
  4. Looking Ahead: Preparing for Return

By Jerry Wofford, Tulsa World

When the 120th Engineer Battalion deployed to Iraq, the United States had been at war there for less than a year, and at war in Afghanistan for about two. Since then, U.S. combat troops have left Iraq and are now preparing to leave Afghanistan, and the roughly 200 members of the 120th Engineer Battalion are helping with that drawdown — at least for a couple of months.

The soldiers are near the end of the deployment and are due to return to Oklahoma in mid-spring. As soldiers with the battalion near the end of their deployment, the excitement grows while keeping a sharp focus on the mission, the unit commander said.

“They’re getting excited about going home, they’re getting excited about their replacements being here,” said Lt. Col. Jackie Ritter, commander of the 120th Engineer Battalion Task Force Outlaw, in a phone interview from Afghanistan.

Mission in Afghanistan

The members of the Broken Arrow-based battalion have been in southern Afghanistan since about August. Their focus has been on route clearance operations in the southern region, which includes the major city and province of Kandahar. The 120th is providing command and control for about 10 engineer route clearance companies and are trained to provide support for forward combat elements.

“We’re not clearing as many routes as we were when we first got here just because of the movements of units and infantry are scaling back on their operations as we transition into retrograde,” said Ritter, who works as a corporal in Tulsa Police Department’s Gilcrease Division in his civilian job.

Route Clearance Operations

Since the 120th arrived in country, the units have traveled more than 150,000 miles through sometimes hostile territory on muddy, crowded roads. Ritter said Task Force Outlaw is the only “combat effects battalion” in Afghanistan right now, meaning they are specially trained to deal with hostile situations on route clearance operations while other engineer companies have more of a construction element.

The 1220th Engineer Company of Muskogee recently left Oklahoma to complete training at Fort Bliss, Texas, before heading to Afghanistan later in the year. The roughly 150 soldiers in the engineer company will focus primarily on the deconstruction of forward operating bases in eastern Afghanistan.

But Ritter said their unit’s mission hasn’t changed, just the direction. “They’re starting to pull that back to the larger forward operating bases and we’re supporting a lot of that as opposed to when we originally got here, they were actively moving out and hunting and seeking the Taliban,” Ritter said.

The Human Cost of a Long War

Their mission in Iraq in 2004 was on the other side of the war — going into places that had recently been affected by conflict. That week marked the 10th anniversary of American involvement in Iraq, which ended in late 2011. It saw the first Oklahoma National Guard casualties of both Iraq and Afghanistan. Spc. Kyle Adam Brinlee, 21, of the 120th Engineer Battalion, died May 11, 2004, when the vehicle in which he was riding hit an improvised explosive device.

Ritter said that after such long conflicts, the soldiers are driven by the support they receive from back home.

“It’s incredible to feel and see this kind of support especially after this war, 12 years into it,” Ritter said. “I’m just amazed at the support from the citizens of Oklahoma.”

Looking Ahead: Preparing for Return

Of course, they’re also driven by how close they are to returning home. “We can see the light at the end of the tunnel and they’re getting excited about it,” Ritter said.

The battalion’s service in Afghanistan represents one chapter in a long history of Oklahoma National Guard deployments stretching back more than a decade. As the mission transitions from combat to retrograde, the soldiers of the 120th are focused on finishing strong — maintaining the standard of excellence that has defined their deployment, and that has earned the admiration of their commanders, their families, and their fellow Oklahomans.

When they finally step off the plane onto Oklahoma soil, they will carry with them the experiences of 150,000 miles of hostile terrain, the memory of fallen comrades, and the pride of a mission accomplished.

This story was originally published by the Tulsa World. Outside news agency content is labeled and included to provide comprehensive coverage of Oklahoma National Guard activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the mission of the 120th Engineer Battalion in Afghanistan?

The 120th Engineer Battalion, Task Force Outlaw, was deployed to southern Afghanistan in 2014 to provide command and control for approximately 10 engineer route clearance companies. Their primary mission was to keep supply routes safe and navigable for coalition forces operating in the Kandahar region.

As the largest U.S. combat operations wound down, the battalion's role shifted toward supporting the retrograde — the systematic drawdown of military equipment and personnel — rather than the offensive operations that had characterized earlier years of the conflict.

How far did the 120th Engineer Battalion travel during their deployment?

Since arriving in Afghanistan, units under the 120th Engineer Battalion's command traveled more than 150,000 miles through sometimes hostile territory on muddy, crowded roads. This staggering distance reflects the scale of route clearance operations required to keep supply lines open.

Lt. Col. Jackie Ritter, commander of Task Force Outlaw, described the 120th as the only 'combat effects battalion' in Afghanistan at the time — units specially trained to handle hostile situations on route clearance missions.

What is route clearance and why is it important?

Route clearance is the process of systematically searching a road or convoy route for improvised explosive devices (IEDs), obstacles, and other threats before troops or supply convoys travel that route. Engineer units with specialized training and equipment lead these missions to protect the personnel and cargo that follow.

In Afghanistan, IEDs were the leading cause of coalition casualties throughout the war. Route clearance companies using mine-resistant vehicles and advanced detection equipment significantly reduced the toll these devices took on military personnel.

Where was the 120th Engineer Battalion based?

The 120th Engineer Battalion is based in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, a suburb of Tulsa. The unit's commander, Lt. Col. Jackie Ritter, also served as a corporal in the Tulsa Police Department's Gilcrease Division in his civilian life — a common duality among National Guard members who balance military service with civilian careers.

The battalion mobilized in late June and deployed to Afghanistan in the fall, spending the majority of their deployment in the southern region of the country, including Kandahar province.

What was the significance of the 10th anniversary of the Iraq war for this unit?

During the 120th's Afghanistan deployment, the United States marked the 10th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq — a conflict the 120th had also participated in during 2004. That earlier deployment saw the battalion's first casualty, Spc. Kyle Adam Brinlee, 21, who was killed on May 11, 2004, when his vehicle struck an IED.

Lt. Col. Ritter reflected on how much had changed across 12 years of war, yet emphasized the undiminished support the unit received from Oklahoma's civilian community: 'I'm just amazed at the support from the citizens of Oklahoma.'

What was the 1220th Engineer Company doing during this period?

While the 120th Engineer Battalion Task Force Outlaw was finishing its deployment, the 1220th Engineer Company of Muskogee, Oklahoma was completing training at Fort Bliss, Texas, preparing to deploy to Afghanistan later in 2014. The approximately 150 soldiers in this company were focused on the deconstruction of forward operating bases in eastern Afghanistan.

This handoff illustrated the ongoing nature of the drawdown — as some units departed, others continued the work of methodically closing and dismantling the infrastructure built over more than a decade of combat operations.