Posted on 08/22/2006 4:03:19 PM PDT by Gucho
Multi-National Division – Baghdad soldiers delivered five tons of humanitarian- assistance supplies to a southwestern Baghdad neighborhood.
Capt. Franklin Scherra, the commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Comapany, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, helps unload blankets at the Ameriyah Neighborhood Advisory Council building in southwest Baghdad. The supplies were a part of a humanitarian-assistance package intended to help families that have been displaced during recent sectarian violence in the city. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class David Dockett)
By 2nd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office, 1st Armored Division
BAGHDAD, Aug. 22, 2006 — Soldiers from Company B, 47th Forward Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team (BCT), 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, delivered five tons of humanitarian-assistance supplies to the Neighborhood Advisory Council building in the southwestern Baghdad neighborhood of Ameriyah Aug. 15.
The soldiers have been performing operations in this southwest section of Baghdad since Aug. 13. Vehicle traffic has been temporarily halted, and the area was closed off so 6,000 buildings could be searched for weapons and terrorist suspects.
Another key area during the operation is helping provide for the needs of the local residents.
“The supplies are meant to aid families displaced by sectarian violence in Baghdad,” said Capt. Stacy Bear, Company A, 412th Civil Affairs Battalion, attached to the 2nd BCT. The Neighborhood Advisory Committee (NAC) in Ameriyah, a local leaders group for the area, estimate that 500 families in the area have arrived from other places in Baghdad with little more than the possessions they could carry. Many local residents have accepted the displaced people into their homes and neighborhoods and voiced concern about getting the necessary items to help sustain them until they are able to return to their homes.
The supplies the NAC will be distributing include canned meats, dried pasta, rice, flour, baby food, cheese, instant milk, blankets and large bags of dried peas and beans. Blankets, pots, and kitchen utensils were also available.
“It’s good to help out the Iraqi people this way, delivering food and supplies to the (Neighborhood Advisory Council) so they can distribute it to those who need it.” said Capt. Franklin Scherra, commander, 2nd BCT, 1st Armored Division.
It was hard work for soldiers unloading the supplies in 115 degree heat, but soldiers said the cause was worthwhile.
“It’s a lot of work to unload everything, but it’s a great thing to do for the Iraqi people.” said Spc. Timothy O’Connor, a unit supply specialist.
Sunday, 20 August 2006
BAGHDAD — Iraqi and Coalition forces this week began witnessing the positive results of their efforts to secure Baghdad and improve quality of life here.
Since Amaliya Ma’an ila Al-Amam or Operation Together Forward began July 9, combined forces have killed 97 and detained 501 terrorists associated with death squads, and seized more than 59 weapons and munitions caches in the process.
A combined force of more than 30,000 security personnel have completed more than 49,564 combat patrols in response to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s directive to immediately secure the Baghdad area.
Additionally, Soldiers from 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team detained two suspected terrorists and seized a large weapons cache during a search of Nur and Ghazalyia Saturday.
The weapons and munitions seized included more than 580 mortar rounds, about 39,000 rounds of small-arms ammunition, more than 100 rocket-propelled grenades, more than 270 rockets, and various other munitions.
Also on the security front, according to Multi-National Corps - Iraq report, the government of Iraq is committed to providing a coherent and integrated security strategy for the Shia Festival of Musa Saturday.
MNC-I officials said the Iraqi government will deploy its security forces to provide safe, guided passage for the pilgrims while providing resources aimed at anticipating and defending against potential terrorist or criminal actions during the ceremony.
The Iraq Ministry of Interior will exercise control over the event in coordination with the Ministry of Defense while liaising closely with clearly organized pilgrim groups, said MNC-I officials.
“Iraqi security forces have developed a detailed plan for security during the observance and have heightened their presence in the region in order to provide a safe atmosphere so that pilgrims can exercise religious freedom.”
According to the MNC-I statement, the Iraqi government is committed to providing the conditions by which religious freedom can be practiced without fear of persecution or attack.
MNC-I officials said the Iraqi government is working toward creating the conditions in which the Iraqi people are free to take part in the 7th Imam pilgrimage. The responsibility for the security and protection of the worshippers falls to the security forces of the government of Iraq, who will be exercising a robust coordination plan for command and control within the area of interest. Coalition forces will only assist if requested by the government of Iraq.
As security in Baghdad continues to show signs of improvement, quality of life also moved forward this week in the capital city with the completion of the Baghdad fire station.
Iraqi Col. Laith, director for the Iraqi Civil Defense Headquarters and Control Center, has overseen the building of the Baghdad Fire Department. While the Soldiers of 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment provided materials and expertise; Laith provided the motivation and the men.
The result is a headquarters much like the American 911 system. Firefighters respond to a number of emergencies, including fires, explosions and terrorists’ attacks. The firefighters also take on extra responsibilities in a combat zone, responding to discoveries of unexploded ordnance.
The fire department building has been renovated, with new living space for firefighters and a well system to maintain water. A pit for unexploded mortars has been built outside the station.
The ICDC will be protecting the residents of Baghdad from both the forces of nature and the forces of terrorism for years to come, said Lt. Col. Kevin Milton, commander, 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment.
In addition to saving houses, these Iraqis provide benefits that are harder to put a price on. Their service has brought confidence, strength and unity to the community, said Namar.
By containing fires that may have otherwise spread across the city, their efforts have prevented millions of dollars in damage. Local citizens, including families whose houses have been saved from destruction are praising the firemen for their courage.
By Donna Miles - American Forces Press Service
SAN DIEGO, Aug. 22, 2006 – An opportunity to get an education, to see parts of the world they’d only heard about or serve their country attracted 16 passengers here last evening aboard American Airlines Flight 1961, and ultimately, to 13 weeks of boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
Devin Chambers (from left), Ben McCorkle and Pacheco Perez, new Marine recruits departing for basic training, pose for a photo. (Photo by Cherie Thurlby)
The 16 Marine Corps recruits, most from Texas, displayed the expected range of emotions as they boarded their flight at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, leaving behind civilian life to become Marines. Nervous laughter rippled through the group as the airline attendant called out their boarding sections, although most tried to retain a level of nonchalance as though they were taking a bus ride to the local mall.
Nineteen-year-old Devin Chambers, from Marietta, Okla., sat in seat 32B and explained that he’s always wanted to be a Marine. After a year at Murray State College, an endeavor he said he didn’t really enjoy, he felt ready to give his dream a shot.
“It doesn’t really scare me,” Chambers said of the prospect of deploying to Iraq after he’s finished his training as a Marine Corps engineer. “The odds (of getting hurt) are about the same as driving in a car.”
For Ben McCorkle, 18, from Wichita Falls, Texas, the opportunity to serve in Iraq was actually the big drawing card that led him to enlist immediately after high school. “I want to go,” he said from his seat in the last row of the plane. “That’s why I chose infantry.”
McCorkle said he figures he’ll go to college after serving in the Marines, tapping into the educational benefits he’ll earn through his military service. “I’ll do college later in life,” he said. “For right now, I need the discipline and structure first.”
Twenty-one-year-old Pacheco Perez, McCorkle’s seatmate and one of the oldest members of the group, said he, too, was attracted to the Marines because he wants to go on to college to study either computers or medicine.
Born in Queretaro, Mexico, and now a legal resident of the United States living in Dallas, Perez said he hopes to smooth the path toward U.S. citizenship, too. He said he chose the Marines because he’s heard it’s the toughest of the military services. “I want to prove to myself that I can do it,” he said. “I know it will be hard, but it will help me grow.”
Perez expressed more trepidation about his mastery of the English language than anything the Marines might throw at him in basic training. “I’m a little nervous about it, but I’ll do okay,” he said.
Like his fellow recruits, Perez said he’s not overly concerned that he’s likely to end up deploying to Iraq in the not-too-distant future. “I’m not really nervous because I know they’re going to train me for that,” he said, adding that he’s also putting a lot of stock in his faith. “God will take care of me,” he said. “I’m sure of that.”
Still sporting the long blond hair he knows will get buzzed off minutes after arriving at the recruit depot, McCorkle acknowledged that a bit of old-fashioned patriotism also attracted him to the military. “Freedom isn’t free,” he said. “And if I can have it, then everyone else should, too, right?”
It’s the same patriotism McCorkle said he felt when his entire high school class and their guests gave him a standing ovation at his high school graduation ceremony. “My friends are all supportive,” he said. “They think it’s awesome.”
McCorkle admitted that his mother is “extremely nervous” about his decision and his father also has some misgivings but is “proud to have a son who’s a Marine.”
Chambers said his family is “a little sad” that he’s leaving, “but happy too, and proud of me.”
Perez said his mother is sad to see him shipping off to basic training but pleased at the doors the Marine Corps will open to him. “She’s sad about the separation, but recognizes that it’s a good thing for me,” he said.
Like his fellow recruits, Chambers said he found strong support among his friends, many who already serve in the Marine Corps. They’ve shared stories about what he will soon encounter in basic training, but Chambers said he’s not worried. “I’ve heard a lot,” he said. “But I’ve been playing football since third grade, so I’m used to getting yelled at.” He said he’s looking forward to seeing how he performs during “the Crucible,” the last, difficult rite of passage that recruits must endure before graduating from basic training.
As the group arrived in San Diego, they had directions to call a phone number and to gather together and await their bus ride to boot camp and their new lives as Marines.
“All of us are pretty excited,” McCorkle said. “I think we’re ready.”
Related Sites:
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Karzai says world not doing enough on Afghan drugs
Aug 22, 2006
NATO troops take positions near the site of a suicide bombing in Kandahar, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2006. A suicide bomber drove his explosives-laden car into a Canadian military patrol in southern Afghanistan, wounding four soldiers as British troops killed nine suspected insurgents in the latest bout of violence to hit southern Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Allahuddin Khan)
By 2nd BCT PAO, 1st Arm. Div.
Aug 21, 2006
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Brig. Gen. Abdul Jaleel Kahlaiaf, commander, 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, along with Col. Robert Scurlock Jr., commander of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, discussed operations in support of Operation Together Forward in the southwestern Baghdad neighborhood of Ameriyah Wednesday.
Operation Together Forward began Sunday for the brigade and continues to improve the lives of Iraqis in the Baghdad area.
Jaleel said he was optimistic of the recent successes of the Iraqi army in Baghdad resulting in the reduction of violence.
“Together, we have reduced the number of acts of terrorism which … is a victory for all Iraqi people,” said Jaleel, through an interpreter.
He also emphasized the importance of the Iraqi citizens working together with Coalition Forces to bring those responsible for violence to justice because the operation is “symbolic in Iraq’s fight against terrorism.”
Scurlock emphasized the importance of the combined partnership with the 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division.
“As a result of the increased violence in Iraq,” he said, “the government of Iraq requested additional forces to come to Baghdad to help stem the violence … we’ve had the honor to work with the 1st brigade, 6th Division, as well as the 3rd Brigade, 6th Division.”
Iraqi and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers searched every building in Ameriyah, totaling about 6,000 structures, with the focus on clearing the area of weapons and interacting with the local population.
Operation Together Forward also served to clean the debris and trash, and to demonstrate to the people of Ameriyah that they can have a better life.
“Additionally,” said Col. Scurlock, “we took surveys, did a census, registered weapons and registered cars.”
The combined forces are working closely with the citizens of Ameriyah and local government officials to identify and resource local needs and set conditions for future growth.
“With unity and security, (the people of Ameriyah) can have prosperity,” added Scurlock.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
BAGHDAD – Brig. Gen. Abdul Jaleel Kahlaiaf, the commander of 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, discusses ongoing security operations in support of Operation Together Forward Wednesday at the Ameriyah Neighborhood Advisory Council in Baghdad. (U.S. Army photo by Master Sgt. Eric Lobsinger, 4th Inf. Div. PAO)
BAGHDAD – A Soldier from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, stands guard and keeps an eye on the surrounding community in front of the Ameriyah Neighborhood Advisory Council building Wednesday as Brig. Gen. Abdul Jaleel Kahlaiaf, the commander of 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, and Col. Robert Scurlock Jr., the commander of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, discuss ongoing security operations in support of Operation Together Forward in Baghdad. (U.S. Army photo by Master Sgt. Eric Lobsinger, 4th Inf. Div. PAO)
BAGHDAD – Local residents in the Ameriyah neighborhood resume their normal routines Wednesday following efforts by Soldiers from 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, and 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, who conducted searches throughout the area in an effort to remove terrorists and weapons and safeguard the residents. (U.S. Army photo by Master Sgt. Eric Lobsinger, 4th Inf. Div. PAO)
BAGHDAD –Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, keep an eye on the surrounding community in front of the Ameriyah Neighborhood Advisory Council building Wednesday as Brig. Gen. Abdul Jaleel Kahlaiaf, the commander of 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, and Col. Robert Scurlock Jr., the commander of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, discuss ongoing security operations in support of Operation Together Forward in Baghdad. (U.S. Army photo by Master Sgt. Eric Lobsinger, 4th Inf. Div. PAO)
BAGHDAD – A Soldier from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, stands guard and keeps an eye on the surrounding community from the roof of the Ameriyah Neighborhood Advisory Council building Wednesday as Brig. Gen. Abdul Jaleel Kahlaiaf, the commander of 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, and Col. Robert Scurlock Jr., the commander of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, discuss ongoing security operations in support of Operation Together Forward in Baghdad. (U.S. Army photo by Master Sgt. Eric Lobsinger, 4th Inf. Div. PAO)
By Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
Aug 20, 2006
By Gerry J. Gilmore - American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 22, 2006 – Iraq is experiencing some localized sectarian strife, but it’s not embroiled in a full-blown civil war as reported by some news media, a senior coalition officer said here today.
“In my judgment, we are not in a situation of civil war,” said British Royal Marine Lt. Gen. Robert Fry, deputy commander of Multinational Force Iraq and the senior British military representative in Iraq. He spoke to Pentagon reporters via a satellite connection from his Baghdad headquarters.
Fry acknowledged a “very intense sectarian conflict” in Iraq and said violence is mostly occurring in an area that includes Baghdad and its environs and reaches 40 miles or so north to Baqubah.
He said a collapse of central government and large-scale population migrations are hallmarks of civil wars. So Iraq is not in a civil war because the Iraqi government is intact and functioning, Fry said. Also, there’s no mass movement of Iraqis milling about the land or leaving the country, he added.
Iraq’s elected leaders are in control and are busily addressing pressing national issues, he said.
Most of Iraq is stable, Fry pointed out, noting 14 of the country’s 18 provinces experience little or no violence. He also cited the Iraqi police takeover of security duties in Muthanna province at the end of July as another positive step. Japanese military engineers that had worked in that province have been sent home.
Fry said he gives credit to the Iraqi government for its efforts to unify the country’s Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish citizens. He praised Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s reconciliation policy that reaches out to all elements of Iraqi society, regardless of sectarian background.
Yet, insurgent attacks on religious shrines, such as the Feb. 22 bombing of a Shiite mosque in Samarra, have stoked animosity between Iraq’s Shiite and Sunni citizens, causing the current sectarian violence.
A majority of Iraq’s citizens are Shiite, and they were persecuted for years by Saddam Hussein’s pro-Sunni regime. Al Qaeda, the likely culprit of the Samarra bombing, has been transparent in its desire to start a Shiite-vs.-Sunni civil war –- at first to fend off elections, and then, having failed in that aim, to bring down Iraq’s democratically elected government.
Other forces also would like to incite violence between Iraq’s Shiite and Sunni population. Fry called out the Shiite Iranian government for stirring up trouble in Iraq. He said Iran is sending money, weapons and personnel into Iraq to assist pro-Shiite insurgents.
“I think that we can see a very clear Iranian role in stoking up violence inside Iraq,” Fry said, citing continuing anti-Iraqi government rhetoric voiced by senior Iranian officials. Some anti-terrorist military operations in Iraq are aimed at interdicting Iranian-sourced weaponry and training cadre, he said.
Fry said statements from Maliki and other senior Iraqi officials, who have vigorously denounced Iranian meddling in Iraqi affairs, encourage him. Such outspokenness by Iraqi officials demonstrates Iranians aren’t pulling the strings of a “puppet” Iraqi government, he said.
The future of Iraq won’t be settled by military force alone, Fry said. U.S., British and other coalition forces are providing stability until the new Iraqi government and its security forces achieve traction.
After violence in Iraq subsides, there will “need to be a certain process of settlement as people find their level in political terms and economic terms, and indeed, in terms of just the social and cultural accommodation of living together,” Fry said.
That process is already under way, the British general said.
“And, I think the government is making every attempt that it possibly can to accelerate that process,” he added. “Our function here is to provide the framework to permit that to happen.”
By Lance Cpl. Andrew M. Kalwitz - MCAS New River
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. (Aug. 22, 2006) -- Marines from 1st Battalion. 2nd Marine Regiment loaded Internally Transportable Vehicles onto an MV-22 “Osprey” and a CH-53E during test and evaluation exercises Aug. 10 and 11.
This vehicle is designed to provide a deployed Marine Air/Ground Task Force with a ground vehicle that is transportable in the MV-22.
Marine Tiltrotor Test and Evaluation Squadron 22 provided the “Osprey” for the exercises. The CH-53E was provided by Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadrons 461 and 464. Both squadrons made one of their helicopters available on separate days of the exercises.
“This is the first time we’ve been able to match the vehicle up with Marines and operational aircraft,” said John M. Garner, Expeditionary Fire Support System program manager. “It’s an absolutely critical part of the development phase.”
The ITV has been tested for more than a year. The exercises gave Marines an opportunity to gain familiarity with the ITV, which is intended to be convenient for deployed Marines.
“Instead of just using the aircraft to carry in lightly armed infantrymen who are foot-mobile and can only go in with what they carry on their backs, now you can take in some vehicles so they have greater mobility and also take greater fire power,” said Garner. “It just significantly increases their combat capabilities.”
The exercises provided an opportunity for evaluation that may lead to changes according to the needs of Marine Corps aircraft, particularly the MV-22.
“I do not think this changes our mission at all, but adds another capability,” said Capt. Dennis R. Powers, VMX-22 S-1 officer. “Our job is to support the Marines on the ground. If they are walking or riding in a vehicle, we are going to do everything we can to assist them with the mission.”
Different variations of the ITV include a high-mobility weapons platform and communications variants, providing ground units with greater fire power, mobility, and command and control.
“When the Marine Corps gets the ITV, I think recon will love it,” said Sgt. Matthew P. Hall, VMMT-204 crew chief instructor. “Since the V-22 can deliver Marines and their equipment to the objective over greater distances and greater numbers, mission accomplishment will be safe and time efficient.”
Lance Cpl. David R. Reichner, 1st Bn. 2nd Marine Reg. Charlie Co. rifleman, backs an ITV into a CH-53E “Sea Knight.” (Photo by: Lance Cpl. Andrew M. Kalwitz)
By Lance Cpl. Brandon L. Roach - 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
AL ASAD, Iraq (Aug. 21, 2006) -- Colds and broken bones take up many hours of each day while deployed for Navy Lt. Stacey R. Black, flight surgeon, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16 (Reinforced), 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
For someone who has been driven her entire life, deploying to Iraq has been another stepping stone for her future plans.
"I think it's important to think about what's ahead of me while I am in Iraq, because even though I am out here, life still goes on back in the states," said Black. "When we deploy, it seems like we enter a time bubble, where everything stops, but it really doesn't. I always remember that I have goals to reach and things I still want to do."
Black has already done a lot in her life, but wanting to accomplish more keeps her motivated to expand her seemingly already impressive life.
"I have been flying since I was 16-years-old, and I have had my fixed-wing license since I was 17," said the Huntsville, Texas, native. "I have a long family military history, so that gave me the inspiration to join."
Black's father was an Air Force pilot during Vietnam and her grandfather was a Marine pilot during World War II. Her grandmother also served during World War II with the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service.
"My family did not expect me to join the military, but it was encouraged," said the University of Texas graduate. "I just felt the need to serve my country and with the Health Professions Scholarship Program, provided by the Navy, I had the opportunity to combine two things I really enjoy; flying and medicine."
Pursuing her first career path in college, Black focused on engineering, but after some time, she realized that it just wasn't for her. She remembered getting a few orthopedic procedures done during her youth and decided to look into the medical profession.
"After seeing a few surgeries and following patients during their physical therapy, I saw the end results," said the petite pilot. "The personal gratification that the surgeons got from their job had me immediately hooked."
After graduating medical school from the University of Texas Medical Branch in May of 2004, she went to the Naval Medical Center in San Diego and completed her orthopedic surgery internship.
"During my internship I applied to be a flight surgeon," said the 27-year-old Texan. "I had to go through extensive physicals and a selection board, because not everybody can be a flight surgeon."
Once the internship was complete, she went to the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute in Pensacola, Fla., for aircraft water survival training, familiarization flights in several types of aircraft and ground training in addition to all the medical training involved.
"I loved flying the helicopters because it was so different from everything else I have flown," said Black. "My dad has a (T-36 training jet) so I was used to flying those already."
Black was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 16, based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., upon her completion of the six-month training in January of 2006.
"I was then assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 as their acting flight surgeon," said Black. "Within six months of arriving, we were deployed to Al Asad, Iraq for seven months."
While deployed, Black and three Navy corpsmen ensure the heath and well-being of the pilots, aircrew, maintainers and support staff within the squadron.
"I am the primary care provider for the pilots and aircrew," she said. "I have had special training in order to take care of them so they are flight ready."
Besides spending most of her time making sure that the Marines in the squadron are healthy, she reads, goes to the gym, occasionally flies different missions with the squadron and also spends time making sure that life back home is ready for her return.
"My time here lets me plan my future a little better," she said. "I know that I have a normal life to go home to and things to look forward too. That makes this deployment much easier."
For a woman who never seems to have enough challenges in her life, she makes sure that she will have full schedule and busy life upon her return.
"I don't know if I see myself in a military career," said Black. "Having fewer doctors joining the services each year means more deployments. That would take away from time near family and friends."
Although Black is more than 7,000 miles away from life in the United States, she continues to keep a positive outlook by working to fulfill her dreams.
"I want to be a doctor back in Texas as well as own my own ranch," she said. "I ride horses competitively, and I enjoy the hard work and challenges that come with owning a ranch."
With another deployment in sight, Black continues to pursue everything that she wants with confidence and motivation while doing her part to serve her country and support the people that need the help of the U.S. military.
Navy Lt. Stacey R. Black sits on the back of a CH-53E Super Stallion watching aircraft leave the flight line before her flight Aug. 20, at Al Asad, Iraq. Black is a flight surgeon for Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16 (Reinforced), 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and a native of Huntsville, Texas. (Photo by: Lance Cpl. Brandon L. Roach)
Navy Lt. Stacey R. Black stands against a CH-53E Super Stallion after prepping it for flight Aug. 20, at Al Asad, Iraq. Black is a flight surgeon for Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16 (Reinforced), 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and a native of Huntsville, Texas. (Photo by: Lance Cpl. Brandon L. Roach)
By Lance Cpl. Ray Lewis - 1st Marine Division
SADIQUIYAH, Iraq (Aug. 17, 2006) -- Marines here don’t care if it’s a Mercedes or a beat-up Opel. The “Bastards” are kicking the tires and checking under the hood.
The “Betio Bastards” of I Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment set up vehicle checkpoints to protect Iraqis from insurgents who transport weapons in cars.
“VCPs are important out here because it lets the insurgents know that we’re checking everything,” said Cpl. David M. Frank, a team leader assigned to the company.
The 27-year-old squad leader from Hillsborough, N.J., said the VCPs are saving lives.
They’re also having a noticeable effect. The battalion has been on the ground a little more than a month and is already seeing their efforts put a dent in insurgent activity.
“We quit getting potshots and mortar attacks in the city,” said Lance Cpl. Dirck H. Moize, a 21-year-old rifleman from Berton, S.C. He added the local Iraqis are cooperative with Marines at the checkpoints.
They often comply with Marines’ request even before they direct them. They open up the cars and step away so Marines can carry out their duties.
“We don’t have to say nothing to them,” said Cpl. Brandon D. Shreves, a 22-year-old from Harrison, W.Va.
“They know to open their doors, trunk, hood, or whatever so they can go about their day,” Shreves said. “They put up with it because they know that we’re trying to help them out.”
The VCPs put insurgents on the run. They no longer have free and open access through the village streets. If they try to move through the area, they risk being caught, which has disrupted their actives.
“With VCPs they think twice,” Frank said.
It’s because the Marines check two, three times if needed. The checks are proving fruitful. Large cache finds hidden in vehicles are now rare. The insurgents have to resort to other means to move their bombs to avoid detection.
“They know we’re out there so it’s harder for them to move from point ‘A’ to ‘B,’” Frank explained.
Marines gain an edge every time Marines make insurgents adjust their tactics. They expose themselves to other risks. They do not gain rest and must turn to more complicated and exhaustive measure to avoid capture.
Still, Marines don’t stop with just checkpoints.
They patrolled Iraq’s rocky roads from dusk till dawn. They work the back roads and alleys in the villages and the highways cutting through the region.
The results, so far, can be measure in more than just weapons confiscated and insurgents captured. The mood of the locals in the region is changing. They know there is safety from intimidation with Marines out in force.
“Now kids and adults have been talking to us,” Moize said. “They don’t ask for anything because they’re always being watched.”
Moize said one Iraqi woman ventured forward to speak to Marines, an act that would have been rare in the past. Now, it’s more common and her comments are being heard more often.
“She did say that she was glad we were here, setting up these VCP’s through the city,” Moize said. “It makes them feel safe.”
Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class John S. Cope, a 27-year-old hospital corpsman from Westerville,Ohio, watches an Iraqi shephard through a vehicle checkpoint in Sadiquiyah, Iraq, Aug. 17. Cope and Marines of I Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment set up VCPs to deter insurgents from transporting weapons in vehicles. Cope is currently serving a seven-month deployment in the Habbaniyah area under Regimental Combat Team 5. (Photo by: Lance Cpl. Ray Lewis)
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Monday, 21 August 2006
BAGHDAD — Efforts this week to quell violence in the capital city are showing signs of progress, but Coalition leaders say the battle is far from over.
“Abating the extremists in the capital will neither be easy nor rapid,” Multi-National Force - Iraq spokesman Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV said this week of progress in the capital city. “Challenges will ensue, but efforts will march forward block by block.”
U.S. and Iraqi forces have been conducting combined missions in Baghdad as part of Operation Together Forward, an Iraqi-led campaign to reduce violence in the capital, while at the same time promoting economic incentives, civic action projects and the control of illegal weapons.
This past week, Iraqi and Coalition forces concentrated on four major Baghdad hot spots – mostly in the western part of the city – in an effort to reduce the number of murders, kidnappings, assassinations and car bombs in those areas. Operations in the al-Doura neighborhood of southern Baghdad continued to build on the improved security established over the past two weeks.
The operations in western Baghdad are led by the Soldiers from the 6th Iraqi Army Division and policemen from the 2nd Iraqi National Police Division, supported by Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team and 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
Approximately 6,000 additional Iraqi Security Forces were sent to the Multi-National Division - Baghdad area of operations in support of Operation Together Forward, as well as approximately 3,500 Soldiers of 172nd SBCT, and 2,000 Soldiers from the 2nd BCT.
According to the Coalition commander responsible for operations in Baghdad, the concept essentially calls on Coalition and Iraqi forces to cordon off an area and search each street, house by house.
Maj. Gen. James Thurman, commander of Multi-National Division - Baghdad, this week said he is optimistic about what he has seen since operations to quell sectarian violence started.
“Security in Baghdad is the top priority for everyone working in Operation Together Forward,” added Col. Robert Scurlock, commander of the 1st Armored Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team. “Iraqi security forces and Coalition forces are working side by side every day to increase security in Baghdad and help the Iraqi people return to a more normal domestic life.”
Operations in the capital city have not only been successful in the security arena, but also in terms of developing relationships between the Iraqi people and Iraqi security forces, added Col. Michael Beech, commander of 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.
Caldwell added that the most significant developments are less easily measured.
“What really matters is the number of businesses that reopened and will remain open, the refurbished stalls … in the marketplace there,” said the general. “The drainage has improved. The rubbish is removed. And of course, like we’d all like to see, the number of children that you can see during their summer break out riding their bikes and playing in the streets.”
Caldwell said operations look beyond short-term security concerns. The mantra is “clear, hold, rebuild.” Iraqi and Coalition forces clear neighborhoods and hold them so terrorists cannot come back, and they invest in rebuilding essential services and stimulating economic growth.
“The military forces, the Iraqi security forces, the Coalition support can help set the stage for peace to occur, but they cannot achieve peace,” he said. “It’s going to take all the other factors. It’s going to take the economics; it’s going to take the governance; and, most importantly, it’s going to take the will of the Iraqi people to make this both work and sustain itself. But they’ve absolutely got the commitment.”
In Ameriya -- a key neighborhood in western Baghdad -- more than 50 percent of the shops in the market were re-opened after Iraqi and Coalition forces joined this week to squelch the violence in that neighborhood, Iraqi Army Brig. Gen. Abdul Jaleel said during a press conference Aug. 16.
Jaleel is the commander of 1st Brigade, 6th Iraq Army Division, the unit that took the lead during recent security efforts in the town with support from the U.S. 2nd Brigade Combat Team.
Iraqi and Coalition forces searched about 6,000 houses and buildings in the Ameriya neighborhood, including the market area.
During the joint press conference, Jaleel and Scurlock said they see reclaiming the market as a way to repair a neighborhood that was torn apart by violence.
“We want to get the stores open and get people back to a normal life,” said Scurlock. “With unity and security, there will be prosperity.”
Although combined Coalition and Iraqi operations here have done much to reduce violence and bring stability to the area, the ultimate solution depends on the Iraqi people’s willingness to reject violence and cooperate with Iraqi security forces, according to Beech.
“The security situation confronting the capital is a complex one, and the solution must be long-term,” he said. “The Iraqi government, Coalition forces and Iraqi security forces are dedicated to establishing peace in Baghdad.”
Along with providing essential services, he said the current security plan makes provisions for long-term stability within this area.
“To ensure the population (that) is living in these neighborhoods knows who's responsible for securing them, we have worked to establish habitual relationships between particular Iraqi security forces, U.S. forces with a particular neighborhood.”
Neighborhoods within Baghdad are being paired with a particular Iraqi Police company and a U.S. military company.
“This is in an effort to establish true community-based policing and security and build trust and confidence in the national police and the people that they protect,” added the colonel.
One indicator that the Iraqi people trust their security forces more is the increase in communication between the people and the Iraqi Police, explained Beech. He said the Iraqi brigade commander in his area has been receiving more and more phone calls from concerned citizens with tips, and imams of the local mosques are talking to him more readily.
As the security plan for Baghdad moves forward, and Iraqi citizens gain trust in their security forces, operations are beginning to see tangible results.
In addition to large munitions cache discoveries, this week Iraqi and Coalition forces thwarted a number of kidnapping attempts, captured several key insurgent leaders and numerous terrorist suspects, and sponsored several civic and humanitarian-assistance projects to help provide for the needs of Baghdad residents.
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