Democracy takes root in Arab Jabour
By Sgt. David Turner, 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div., PAO
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – “Democracy is a new thing in Iraq,” said Sadi Kalif, the newly elected chairman of the South Rasheed Community Council. “When Saddam was in power, there were no elections. They just pointed to a person and said ‘You are in charge’.”
After years of war and terrorist activity from insurgents and al-Qaeda in Iraq, the citizens of this area south of Baghdad are learning to trust the path of democracy. They are also discovering the process begins not at the top, but in their own neighborhoods.
Members of the South Rasheed Community Council met in Bejiya May 14, where they elected their new chairman and met with Coalition and Iraqi forces. Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, responsible for the area for the past year, introduced the council to the incoming Iraqi Army commander.
Leaders on all sides acknowledged that progress in the area is only possible while strong security forces are in place.
“Al-Qaeda occupied this area for three years,” Kalif said. “It was like the Dark Ages … We had two previous elections, but nobody showed up because of al-Qaeda. If someone participated in the elections, they might get killed.”
This all began to change last year, Kalif said. Citizens in South Rasheed took notice of community councils formed by neighbors to the north in al-Buaytha. These councils worked with Coalition forces, in large part, to obtain basic services.
“Nobody from the Iraqi government came to us to find out what was going on,” Kalif said. The Rasheed nahia, the local governing body, was similarly uninterested, he said.
“When we defeated and expelled al-Qaeda, we were almost at square one,” said Capt. Neil Hollenbeck, commander of Company A, 1-30th Inf. Regt. Because of the infiltration of terrorists in the area, he said, government officials were either unwilling or unable to provide basic services.
With the void left in their government, some citizens resorted to illegally tapping water from pumping stations and electricity from power lines. The community councils were formed as a way for citizens to receive those basic services, as well as health care and economic help, Hollenbeck said. First, however, citizens had to make their neighborhoods safe. “Security is the baseline,” Hollenbeck said.
The main reason that Coalition forces were able to operate successfully in the area was the Sons of Iraq, a volunteer security force which keeps the roads in the region safe and discourages terrorists from returning.
“We know al-Qaeda left because of the Sons of Iraq,” said Lt. Col. Kenneth Adgie, 1-30th Inf. Regt. commander.
Appropriately, the site of the May 14 meeting was the headquarters of the local SoI, which Kalif also leads.
After meeting with the council members, the incoming commander of the 6th Battalion, 25th Brigade, 6th IA Division, Lt. Col. Thaer Jaued, toured several SoI checkpoints in the area with Adgie and Kalif. Hollenbeck said he hoped the IA forces would have a similar relationship with the SoI as Coalition forces enjoyed.
“The first thing [Jaued] did was listen to everyone,” Hollenbeck said. “He emphasized that the SoI will remain a security force and will work with the IA the same way as they work with Coalition forces. Based on what I saw at the meeting, I have great hope that they will work together very closely.”
Kalif said the area’s citizens have been wary of Iraqi Security Forces in the past because Iraqi Police have arrested and detained people for possible ties to terrorism.
“We need to rebuild the trust between the people and the Iraqi Army,” he said.
Kalif, a former IA officer himself, was encouraged by his meeting with Jaued.
“I told him that he should start by building trust with the people as the [Coalition forces] have done in this area,” Kalif said. “When the [Coalition forces] came, people were scared. But then they found the American Soldiers to be good people. Now any Soldier is welcome in any house in the area. I want Iraqi officers to do the same.”
Until connections to the Government of Iraq are fully restored, Kalif said, the IA will have a vital role to play in the region.
“One day the [Coalition forces] will leave and we need the Iraqi government to support us,” he said.
Hollenbeck said IA will succeed in the area as long as they find creative ways to solve problems which persist in the community.“These are connections we’re trying to build with the Iraqi government, and maybe those Iraqi Army officers can do that more efficiently than we can,” Hollenbeck said.
Hollenbeck was optimistic about the council’s chances for success.
“It’s going better than I ever expected it to,” he said. “After what I saw today, there’s a much greater chance for the council to grow as a governing body.”
As the new council chairman, Kalif has many challenges, but he is armed with ideas to address them. In addition to repairing infrastructure and encouraging business growth, he wants to secure funding for a new soccer field to provide youths will an alternative to violence. “Now I have many things on my shoulders,” he said.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Locals snag 12 Iranian rockets
Local tip leads to 12 rocket launchers
MND-C PAO Shop
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces found 12 rocket launchers south of Baghdad, following a tip from a local resident, April 23.
The rocket launchers, designed for 107 mm Iranian rockets, were hidden near a reported launch site used for attacks against Forward Operating Base Falcon.
Initiation wire attached to the launchers was marked “Made in Iran,” and is the same type of wire found at previous launch sites.
The rocket launchers were recovered by Coalition forces.
MND-C PAO Shop
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces found 12 rocket launchers south of Baghdad, following a tip from a local resident, April 23.
The rocket launchers, designed for 107 mm Iranian rockets, were hidden near a reported launch site used for attacks against Forward Operating Base Falcon.
Initiation wire attached to the launchers was marked “Made in Iran,” and is the same type of wire found at previous launch sites.
The rocket launchers were recovered by Coalition forces.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Daughters of Iraq !
Iron Rakkasans welcome Daughters of Iraq
By Capt. Mike Starz, 3rd BCT, 101st Abn. Div. (AASLT)
YUSIFIYAH, Iraq – The organization known as Sons of Iraq, which has brought peace to much of Iraq, is taking a bold step in its evolution with the addition of Daughters of Iraq (DoI).
On April 17, Col. Aman, commander of 4th Battalion, 25th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division met with leaders from Company C, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) to discuss the creation of the first DoI program. These women would be able to search other females at security checkpoints, expanding the capabilities of the SoI currently manning the checkpoints.
Steve Martinez, a law enforcement professional attached to 3-187th Inf. Regt., said integrating women into security roles was necessitated by insurgents utilizing females to carry out suicide attacks against Iraqis and Coalition forces. Employing women, Martinez said, would “provide a complete and thorough search of suspect females with the utmost respect for the individual and local customs without compromising the safety of others.”
The DoI will search other women in and around Yusifiyah to help prevent trafficking of weapons, explosives and dangerous materials.
In addition to the significant security gains that these women will bring to the checkpoints, there are other advantages.
“The Daughters of Iraq will facilitate female empowerment and the creation of the group represents a significant step towards a properly functioning democratic society,” said Sgt. Jason G. George, Company C intelligence noncommissioned officer. “While the group may face criticism from traditionalists, ultimately, their success will demonstrate their value to the populace.”
Another benefit of the creation of DoI is the opportunity for some of the more disadvantaged women to receive benefits, most of whom have been specifically targeted to join the program.
“We have been working to assist the impoverished women and, particularly, the widows in the area. There are limited employment opportunities for women widowed by insurgent violence and burdened with supporting their children,” said 1st Lt. Chris Hafner, Company C intelligence officer. “This program is ideal for these women.”
The details for DoI contracts are being finalized and will start with 30 women.
“Integrating patriotic Iraqi women into the Daughters of Iraq is a huge step in the right direction of freedom for the Iraqi people,” said Staff Sgt. Thai A. Starkovich, military transition team noncommissioned officer in charge. “With the cooperation of the Iraqi Army and the Sons and Daughters of Iraq, the safety of Iraqis is a goal that is now visible on the horizon.”
By Capt. Mike Starz, 3rd BCT, 101st Abn. Div. (AASLT)
YUSIFIYAH, Iraq – The organization known as Sons of Iraq, which has brought peace to much of Iraq, is taking a bold step in its evolution with the addition of Daughters of Iraq (DoI).
On April 17, Col. Aman, commander of 4th Battalion, 25th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division met with leaders from Company C, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) to discuss the creation of the first DoI program. These women would be able to search other females at security checkpoints, expanding the capabilities of the SoI currently manning the checkpoints.
Steve Martinez, a law enforcement professional attached to 3-187th Inf. Regt., said integrating women into security roles was necessitated by insurgents utilizing females to carry out suicide attacks against Iraqis and Coalition forces. Employing women, Martinez said, would “provide a complete and thorough search of suspect females with the utmost respect for the individual and local customs without compromising the safety of others.”
The DoI will search other women in and around Yusifiyah to help prevent trafficking of weapons, explosives and dangerous materials.
In addition to the significant security gains that these women will bring to the checkpoints, there are other advantages.
“The Daughters of Iraq will facilitate female empowerment and the creation of the group represents a significant step towards a properly functioning democratic society,” said Sgt. Jason G. George, Company C intelligence noncommissioned officer. “While the group may face criticism from traditionalists, ultimately, their success will demonstrate their value to the populace.”
Another benefit of the creation of DoI is the opportunity for some of the more disadvantaged women to receive benefits, most of whom have been specifically targeted to join the program.
“We have been working to assist the impoverished women and, particularly, the widows in the area. There are limited employment opportunities for women widowed by insurgent violence and burdened with supporting their children,” said 1st Lt. Chris Hafner, Company C intelligence officer. “This program is ideal for these women.”
The details for DoI contracts are being finalized and will start with 30 women.
“Integrating patriotic Iraqi women into the Daughters of Iraq is a huge step in the right direction of freedom for the Iraqi people,” said Staff Sgt. Thai A. Starkovich, military transition team noncommissioned officer in charge. “With the cooperation of the Iraqi Army and the Sons and Daughters of Iraq, the safety of Iraqis is a goal that is now visible on the horizon.”
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
MND - Central launches major Infrastructure Op
MND-C launches major capacity-building operation
From clean water to cell phone towers, Coalition to help Iraqis make sweeping improvements
By Sgt. Michael Connors, MND-C PAO
CAMP VICTORY, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Center kicked off the main phase of its first major operation devoted primarily to capacity building – expanding governance, economics and infrastructure – April 15 in communities south of Baghdad in the Baghdad Province.
Operation Marne Piledriver is taking place in the area of operations of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). While the focus of the operation is on capacity building, Iraqi Security Forces will simultaneously target remaining insurgent pockets with the help of Coalition forces.
Patrol Base Yates, which will house Iraqi and Coalition forces, is currently under construction as a base of operations to bring the fight to the insurgent holdouts. It is named in honor of Cpl. Nyle Yates III, who died in combat in Bayji, Iraq, in 2006 while serving in Company B, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd BCT, 101st Abn. Div. (AASLT).
“Marne Piledriver will not only display Iraqi Security Forces-led operations, but also the establishment of a Joint Security Station at Yusifiyah, the development of Iraqi-run radio stations, the injection of funding by the Government of Iraq to refurbish two major water treatment plants and the infusion of funds and expertise into the poultry and agricultural industries,” said Col. Dominic J. Caraccilo, commander of 3rd BCT, 101st Abn. Div. (AASLT).
Providing training to Government of Iraq officials in the area is another key component of the operation. They will learn how to navigate a democratic, free-market economy after decades of a state-run system under Saddam Hussein. The U.S. Agency for International Development is providing the training.
Maj. T.J. Johnson, one of the main MND-C planners of Marne Piledriver, emphasized the synergy created from the U.S. military and USAID working together.
“It’s a great way of illustrating how our government and our military have to work hand in hand,” he said. “We have to identify what’s important together so that we can go ahead and find a way forward.”
Governance, however, will go beyond the classroom during Marne Piledriver. Local GoI officials will lead the establishment of a major water pipeline into Mahmudiyah, which has seen a shortage in potable water, said Johnson. The contract will be put out to bid in the Iraqi economy, with local leaders overseeing the process and construction.
“If you can bring fresh water into Mahmudiyah – potable water – you eliminate sanitation problems,” Johnson said. “That would be a huge win for the Government of Iraq because then everybody in Mahmudiyah is going to know, ‘Hey, the government made this thing happen.’”
Another major project is the revitalization of the poultry industry. Poultry farms in the area will receive 35,000 eggs. The chickens will be raised and processed for consumption. It is estimated that poultry industry revitalization alone will create 1,000 jobs, said Johnson.
Marne Piledriver is a comprehensive operation spanning several months. Other improvements include improving the Yusifiyah market; renovating fish farms; and erecting cell phone towers and billboards.
When all is said and done, Johnson hopes this operation will serve as a blueprint for what’s possible in Iraq moving forward.
“This is really a test-bed for how successful capacity-building operations can be,” he said. “After spending a lot of the tour focused on lethal operations, the conditions are such that we can really begin to say, ‘OK what do the people need that we can impact in a real positive manner.’”
From clean water to cell phone towers, Coalition to help Iraqis make sweeping improvements
By Sgt. Michael Connors, MND-C PAO
CAMP VICTORY, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Center kicked off the main phase of its first major operation devoted primarily to capacity building – expanding governance, economics and infrastructure – April 15 in communities south of Baghdad in the Baghdad Province.
Operation Marne Piledriver is taking place in the area of operations of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). While the focus of the operation is on capacity building, Iraqi Security Forces will simultaneously target remaining insurgent pockets with the help of Coalition forces.
Patrol Base Yates, which will house Iraqi and Coalition forces, is currently under construction as a base of operations to bring the fight to the insurgent holdouts. It is named in honor of Cpl. Nyle Yates III, who died in combat in Bayji, Iraq, in 2006 while serving in Company B, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd BCT, 101st Abn. Div. (AASLT).
“Marne Piledriver will not only display Iraqi Security Forces-led operations, but also the establishment of a Joint Security Station at Yusifiyah, the development of Iraqi-run radio stations, the injection of funding by the Government of Iraq to refurbish two major water treatment plants and the infusion of funds and expertise into the poultry and agricultural industries,” said Col. Dominic J. Caraccilo, commander of 3rd BCT, 101st Abn. Div. (AASLT).
Providing training to Government of Iraq officials in the area is another key component of the operation. They will learn how to navigate a democratic, free-market economy after decades of a state-run system under Saddam Hussein. The U.S. Agency for International Development is providing the training.
Maj. T.J. Johnson, one of the main MND-C planners of Marne Piledriver, emphasized the synergy created from the U.S. military and USAID working together.
“It’s a great way of illustrating how our government and our military have to work hand in hand,” he said. “We have to identify what’s important together so that we can go ahead and find a way forward.”
Governance, however, will go beyond the classroom during Marne Piledriver. Local GoI officials will lead the establishment of a major water pipeline into Mahmudiyah, which has seen a shortage in potable water, said Johnson. The contract will be put out to bid in the Iraqi economy, with local leaders overseeing the process and construction.
“If you can bring fresh water into Mahmudiyah – potable water – you eliminate sanitation problems,” Johnson said. “That would be a huge win for the Government of Iraq because then everybody in Mahmudiyah is going to know, ‘Hey, the government made this thing happen.’”
Another major project is the revitalization of the poultry industry. Poultry farms in the area will receive 35,000 eggs. The chickens will be raised and processed for consumption. It is estimated that poultry industry revitalization alone will create 1,000 jobs, said Johnson.
Marne Piledriver is a comprehensive operation spanning several months. Other improvements include improving the Yusifiyah market; renovating fish farms; and erecting cell phone towers and billboards.
When all is said and done, Johnson hopes this operation will serve as a blueprint for what’s possible in Iraq moving forward.
“This is really a test-bed for how successful capacity-building operations can be,” he said. “After spending a lot of the tour focused on lethal operations, the conditions are such that we can really begin to say, ‘OK what do the people need that we can impact in a real positive manner.’”
Monday, April 14, 2008
IP's seize large weapons cache
National Police seize cache southeast of Baghdad
By Maj. Joe Sowers, 3rd HBCT, 3rd Inf. Div. PAO
FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Policemen from the 3rd Brigade, 1st National Police Division seized a large weapons cache yesterday.
The 3/1 NP Brigade works in partnership with the 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, in the city of Jisr Diyala, southeast of Baghdad across the Diyala River.
Lt. Col. John Kolasheski, from Louden, Tenn., commander of 3-1st Cav. Regt., said the NPs received a tip from a local citizen that munitions were being transported through the area. Policemen quickly identified an abandoned truck stacked with hay that matched the description from the informant. Soldiers from Troop C, 3-1st Cav.
Regt. moved to the scene to help secure the munitions and facilitate proper disposal.
The cache consisted of 541 anti-tank mines, 100 rocket fuses, 29 120 mm mortars, seven 107 mm rockets and five rocket-propelled grenades. Explosive ordnance disposal Soldiers determined the cache was too big to safely dispose of on site. Troop C Soldiers subsequently secured the cache and moved the munitions to Combat Outpost Cashe nearby.“We believe the cache was moved up the al-Kut highway to be broken down into smaller packages for movement into Baghdad,” Kolasheski said.
Kolasheski added that pressuring extremist networks and partnering closely with the Iraqi Security Forces contributed to local residents forwarding the information that led to the munitions seizure.“We believe the pressure we’ve put on Shia extremists in the Village 10 and Besmaya region (communities southeast of Baghdad) facilitated the tip coming to the NP,” Kolasheski said. “We’ve been working our partnership with the 3-1 National Police since July of 2007. We believe that setting that as a priority early on is bearing fruit.”
Kolasheski said that both the confidence of the NPs and the trust of local citizens in the brigade have increased during the past year. When violence increased in Jisr Diyala in late March, Kolasheski said intelligence tips to the NPs from both Sunni and Shia citizens “went through the roof.” According to Kolasheski, Sons of Iraq groups volunteered to assist the NP brigade in clearing criminals from the area during the week-long period of increased violence.
Within the last week, the 3/1 NP Brigade detained one brigade-level and one squadron-level high value individuals and assisted the 3-1st Cav. Regt. in the detention of a Multi-National Division - Center HVI. All three are suspected of murder and attacks against ISF and Coalition forces. “Success breeds success, and in this case, they (the NPs) have increased confidence and leaders that care,” Kolasheski said. “What we wanted to do was build trust in the Shia and Sunni communities, so local residents see the National Police as a national force and not an instrument of sectarian violence.”
The 3-1st Cav. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed to Iraq since March 2007.
By Maj. Joe Sowers, 3rd HBCT, 3rd Inf. Div. PAO
FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Policemen from the 3rd Brigade, 1st National Police Division seized a large weapons cache yesterday.
The 3/1 NP Brigade works in partnership with the 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, in the city of Jisr Diyala, southeast of Baghdad across the Diyala River.
Lt. Col. John Kolasheski, from Louden, Tenn., commander of 3-1st Cav. Regt., said the NPs received a tip from a local citizen that munitions were being transported through the area. Policemen quickly identified an abandoned truck stacked with hay that matched the description from the informant. Soldiers from Troop C, 3-1st Cav.
Regt. moved to the scene to help secure the munitions and facilitate proper disposal.
The cache consisted of 541 anti-tank mines, 100 rocket fuses, 29 120 mm mortars, seven 107 mm rockets and five rocket-propelled grenades. Explosive ordnance disposal Soldiers determined the cache was too big to safely dispose of on site. Troop C Soldiers subsequently secured the cache and moved the munitions to Combat Outpost Cashe nearby.“We believe the cache was moved up the al-Kut highway to be broken down into smaller packages for movement into Baghdad,” Kolasheski said.
Kolasheski added that pressuring extremist networks and partnering closely with the Iraqi Security Forces contributed to local residents forwarding the information that led to the munitions seizure.“We believe the pressure we’ve put on Shia extremists in the Village 10 and Besmaya region (communities southeast of Baghdad) facilitated the tip coming to the NP,” Kolasheski said. “We’ve been working our partnership with the 3-1 National Police since July of 2007. We believe that setting that as a priority early on is bearing fruit.”
Kolasheski said that both the confidence of the NPs and the trust of local citizens in the brigade have increased during the past year. When violence increased in Jisr Diyala in late March, Kolasheski said intelligence tips to the NPs from both Sunni and Shia citizens “went through the roof.” According to Kolasheski, Sons of Iraq groups volunteered to assist the NP brigade in clearing criminals from the area during the week-long period of increased violence.
Within the last week, the 3/1 NP Brigade detained one brigade-level and one squadron-level high value individuals and assisted the 3-1st Cav. Regt. in the detention of a Multi-National Division - Center HVI. All three are suspected of murder and attacks against ISF and Coalition forces. “Success breeds success, and in this case, they (the NPs) have increased confidence and leaders that care,” Kolasheski said. “What we wanted to do was build trust in the Shia and Sunni communities, so local residents see the National Police as a national force and not an instrument of sectarian violence.”
The 3-1st Cav. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed to Iraq since March 2007.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Sons of Iraq attempt to join Iraqi Security Forces
Sons of Iraq screened for Iraqi Security Forces
Spc. Amanda McBride, 4th BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. PAO
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Sons of Iraq eager to join the Iraqi Security Forces participated in an initial screening April 7 in Muellha, Iraq.
Iraqi Security Forces, Coalition forces and local leadership held the screening, designed to gauge which SoI members are eligible to continue forward with the transition process into the ISF.
“We were doing a Sons of Iraq screening so we can transition the SoI into the Iraqi Security Forces,” said Capt. Kaiwan Walker, commander of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment. Leadership from 2-502nd Inf. Regt., attached to 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police leadership and the Mayor of Iskandariyah evaluated the applicants. “Prior to the screening, each SoI had to fill out an application that had his fingerprints and picture on it,” Walker said.
More than 300 SoI lined up outside the Muellha Agriculture Building where the event was held. Once inside, they waited to be called in one by one to be reviewed by the leadership.
After turning in their application to the mayor, Walker said, they took a literary test. Following the test of basic reading and writing skills, the applicants’ identification cards were verified. “The ID manager checked to make sure that they are of age and to check that they live in the region or city that they were filling in the application for,” Walker said.
After completing the process, Walker said all the commanders reviewed the packets to determine whether the SoI met the criteria to get into the ISF program. More than 60 percent of the SoI applicants were approved to move forward for further screening.
The 4th BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. area of operation has approximately 10,500 SoI members, all of whom will be screened, said Lt. Col. Michael Getchell, commander of 2-502nd Inf. Regt. Up to 5,000 of those packets will go to the Government of Iraq, which will screen and evaluate them during a 90-day period.
“There is a phenomenal interest in the ISF,” said Getchell, a native of Bridgewater, Mass. “Those who have been in the Sons of Iraq program are our priority over those who are not part of the Sons of Iraq program. They stepped forward to defend and protect their areas, so they’ve already shown the propensity to be part of the security process.”
Those who didn’t qualify during the screening will continue to work in the SoI program, Walker said.
Future SoI screenings are planned throughout the Babil province to continue their transition into the ISF
Spc. Amanda McBride, 4th BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. PAO
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Sons of Iraq eager to join the Iraqi Security Forces participated in an initial screening April 7 in Muellha, Iraq.
Iraqi Security Forces, Coalition forces and local leadership held the screening, designed to gauge which SoI members are eligible to continue forward with the transition process into the ISF.
“We were doing a Sons of Iraq screening so we can transition the SoI into the Iraqi Security Forces,” said Capt. Kaiwan Walker, commander of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment. Leadership from 2-502nd Inf. Regt., attached to 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police leadership and the Mayor of Iskandariyah evaluated the applicants. “Prior to the screening, each SoI had to fill out an application that had his fingerprints and picture on it,” Walker said.
More than 300 SoI lined up outside the Muellha Agriculture Building where the event was held. Once inside, they waited to be called in one by one to be reviewed by the leadership.
After turning in their application to the mayor, Walker said, they took a literary test. Following the test of basic reading and writing skills, the applicants’ identification cards were verified. “The ID manager checked to make sure that they are of age and to check that they live in the region or city that they were filling in the application for,” Walker said.
After completing the process, Walker said all the commanders reviewed the packets to determine whether the SoI met the criteria to get into the ISF program. More than 60 percent of the SoI applicants were approved to move forward for further screening.
The 4th BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. area of operation has approximately 10,500 SoI members, all of whom will be screened, said Lt. Col. Michael Getchell, commander of 2-502nd Inf. Regt. Up to 5,000 of those packets will go to the Government of Iraq, which will screen and evaluate them during a 90-day period.
“There is a phenomenal interest in the ISF,” said Getchell, a native of Bridgewater, Mass. “Those who have been in the Sons of Iraq program are our priority over those who are not part of the Sons of Iraq program. They stepped forward to defend and protect their areas, so they’ve already shown the propensity to be part of the security process.”
Those who didn’t qualify during the screening will continue to work in the SoI program, Walker said.
Future SoI screenings are planned throughout the Babil province to continue their transition into the ISF
Monday, April 7, 2008
ISF finds huge EFP cache
ISF find largest EFP cache to-date in MND-C
4th BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. PAO
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – A tip led Iraqi Security Forces to the largest explosively-formed penetrator cache found to date in Multi-National Division – Center’s area of operation, April 2. The munitions were discovered in a 6-ton truck in a garage in al Qasim.
The cache contained more than 1000 EFP components, more than 3000 pounds of explosives and 45 Katusha 107 mm rockets and stands. Also included in the cache were more than 10 devices used to detonate improvised explosive devices, 250 PKC rounds, 10 60 mm mortar shells and one 60 mm stand.
The rockets are believed to have been manufactured in Iran.
“The ISF continue to confiscate the lethal tools of the enemy, disrupt the enemy’s freedom of maneuver, and apprehend key members of the (criminal) leadership,” said Capt. Michael Ranado, battle captain for 31st Military Transition Team, 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division. “The IP (Iraqi Police) and IA (Iraqi Army) have successfully provided security for the people of the Babil province and continue vigilantly to do so.”
The cache was moved to the Joint Coordination Center in Hillah.
4th BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. PAO
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – A tip led Iraqi Security Forces to the largest explosively-formed penetrator cache found to date in Multi-National Division – Center’s area of operation, April 2. The munitions were discovered in a 6-ton truck in a garage in al Qasim.
The cache contained more than 1000 EFP components, more than 3000 pounds of explosives and 45 Katusha 107 mm rockets and stands. Also included in the cache were more than 10 devices used to detonate improvised explosive devices, 250 PKC rounds, 10 60 mm mortar shells and one 60 mm stand.
The rockets are believed to have been manufactured in Iran.
“The ISF continue to confiscate the lethal tools of the enemy, disrupt the enemy’s freedom of maneuver, and apprehend key members of the (criminal) leadership,” said Capt. Michael Ranado, battle captain for 31st Military Transition Team, 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division. “The IP (Iraqi Police) and IA (Iraqi Army) have successfully provided security for the people of the Babil province and continue vigilantly to do so.”
The cache was moved to the Joint Coordination Center in Hillah.
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