Another ally working alongside the new Iraqi Army.

Iraqi Army soldiers and Macedonian Rangers attached to Multi-National Division – Baghdad, uncovered weapons caches in Baghdad Sept. 9.

While on patrol the Macedonian Rangers discovered a cache north of Baghdad at approximately 2:30 p.m. The weapons included two inert 550 French-manufactured air-to-air missiles and a 185 mm high-explosive projectile.

At approximately 11:30 p.m. soldiers serving with 1st Battalion, 54th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, along with its attached MND – B Military Transition Team, found a cache while on a cordon and search mission in Baghdad’s Mansour district. The cache included five concussion grenades, an RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenade, multiple wireless radio communications and monitoring equipment and a Special Groups platoon roster.

“Our Coalition forces partners, the Macedonian Rangers and the Iraqi Army, continue to make a difference every day by removing these weapons from the streets of Baghdad,” said Maj. Mark Cheadle, spokesman, MND-B and the 4th Infantry Division. “Together, we are helping to make Baghdad a safer place by disrupting Special Groups and preventing their attacks on local citizens.”

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For more than a year, the former Ba’ath Party stronghold of Siniyah was without its main thoroughfare for trade and commerce, but that all changed as the city’s Mayor officially opened Market Street during a ribbon-cutting ceremony July 26.

More than 40 shops and small businesses were forced to close due to the lack of business when the restriction of the road was announced in July of 2007.

The Joint Security Station located near the market area was vulnerable to vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, causing Iraqi Security and Coalition forces to take measures ensuring the safety of the forces housed there.

Market Street was also closed due to the high levels of violence and the significant number of attacks the area was experiencing.

“Shop owners were anxious to reopen their shops,” said Capt. Aaron Billingsley, commander of U.S. forces in Siniyah.

The recent successes in Siniyah are directly contributed to the hard work of the joint efforts by the Iraqi Police, Iraqi Army, Sons of Iraq, City Council, Coalition forces and the people of Siniyah, Billingsley said. There is now an opportunity for them to improve the local economy in the city.

“There are micro-grants and micro-loans that will be offered to some of the shops,” said Billingsley. “This will help them expand their businesses and revitalize the economy.”

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Corporal Sam Weaver, from Fayetteville, N.C., an assistant team leader with Company B, 13th Psychological Operations Battalion, talks to residents of the city of Suwayrah in northern Wasit province. As part of a patrol with Soldiers of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment. Weaver spoke with citizens to learn about their views and concerns on several issues.

Walking down the busy streets of Suwayrah at sundown, the city’s residents met Soldiers with handshakes and friendly smiles. Children gathered everywhere the Soldiers stopped to talk to residents.

As the patrol of Soldiers from 1st Platoon, Company B, 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment continued on its way, the children followed, practicing their English and enjoying the early evening stroll.

“Wherever we roll, it’s like a parade,” said Sgt. Robert Delong, an infantryman from central Minnesota, whose previous deployment to Iraq was in Ramadi. This time around, he said, things are different.

Soldiers of Co. B, 2nd Bn., 6th Inf. Regt. conducted joint patrols with their Iraqi army counterparts in the northern Wasit province, July 10. The patrol was not only a way of showing their presence, but to gather information on local businesses and to hear local citizens’ concerns.

Soldiers of Co. B’s 1st Plt. began their day with an early morning patrol in Raminiyah, along the west bank of the Tigris River, visiting Sons of Iraq checkpoints and talking with local citizens and community leaders. In the rural parts of Co. B’s area, where there are few police, the SoI help keep the roads safe and prevent insurgents and weapons from coming into the area. It’s an around-the-clock task, and many of the checkpoints have tents or shelters nearby where SoI members rest between shifts.

The Soldiers of Co. B, attached to the 1st Bn., 76th Field Artillery Regt., 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, make sure the checkpoints are manned and the SoI have what they need as part of their patrols.

Later, they met up with IA Soldiers of the 3rd Bde., 2nd IA Div. in the city of Suwayrah. After pairing up with their IA “battle buddies,” the Soldiers conducted a joint patrol on foot, taking them through the city’s main streets.

“At this stage we try to get the population on our side,” Delong said. “We try to maintain their happiness and give them things that they need. Basically, we ask them what they need, and we take notes.”

“It’s been unusual for me, because I’m not used to working with the population. This deployment, it’s candy and sunshine every day. People come out of their houses to see you. It’s been difficult for a lot of us vets to get used to. It’s just like talking to friends back home.”

Another difference Delong noted is the quiet.

“When I go to sleep, I don’t hear bombs going off. I don’t hear gunfire,” he said.

In recent years, Suwayrah has been a relative island of peace in comparison to its neighbors to the north and west. Since Company B arrived here more than two months ago, there have been no attacks aimed at coalition forces, said Capt. Dustin Ornatowski, commander of Company B. With little insurgent or criminal activity in the area, his company’s main mission now is to help local citizens repair damaged infrastructure and build their economy, he said.

“Economics and infrastructure are the biggest problems in this area,” said Ornatowski, of Edwardsburg, Mich. “You’re always going to have leftover insurgency elements and criminal elements wherever you go. Right now, those elements are not actively fighting against us in this area,” he said.

Company B Soldiers are working to identify key leaders and find out what the communities in their area need the most. Currently, they hear mostly of the need for reliable electricity and water pumps to keep the region’s irrigation canals flowing, said Ornatowski. Many pumps are damaged or missing, and getting them running again is necessary to supply farmers in the area.

“The [citizens] are expecting us to come in here and help them get infrastructure working,” Ornatowski said. “That’s going to be the hardest thing.”

Gathering information on local businesses, schools and hospitals is a vital part of their patrols, said Ornatowski. Working with the IA helps them to get that information, as well as puts an Iraqi face on the mission, he said. Partnering his Soldiers with IA Soldiers also helps to foster mutual trust and cooperation. One thing Company B Soldiers took note of was the number of businesses owned by women, something they hope to encourage with micro-grants and working with community groups.

“Now that we’ve been working with them a little more, they’ve started to get to know my Soldiers and see how my Soldiers interact with the people, and they’re more willing to do joint projects,” said Ornatowski.

“They’re feeling us out as much as we’re feeling them out,” he said.

Though Company B is committed to helping residents in their area help with projects, Delong said establishing trust is the first priority.

“The IA absolutely love going out on missions. They tell us what buildings are what. They like working with us and we like working with them,” he said. “We don’t promise anything, but we always tell them we will do the best we can, and they appreciate everything we do,” he said.

Besides helping to get reconstruction projects going, Ornatowski said establishing trust has direct benefits for his Soldiers as well.

“That’s the best thing we can do,” he said. “Then, if criminal elements move into the area and attempt to fight us or take direct action against us, the populace will be the first ones to let us know about that.”

DVIDS
By Sgt. David Turner
4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

Iraqi Army soldiers working to secure the area in the Sadr City district of Baghdad uncovered weapons caches July 9.

At approximately 2 p.m., Iraqi Army soldiers seized four 120 mm mortars, an 82 mm mortar, a 60 mm mortar and four 30 mm rockets. The weapons were later turned in to Mulit-National Division Soldiers at a joint security station.

At approximately 7:15 p.m., soldiers with the 44th Brigade, 11th Iraqi Army Division, found 171 copper blocks. [ed. note - used for IEDs]

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Bill is still in Iraq, and in his latest post he describes the status of the Iraqi Army. As always, a well written and expert analysis from someone who is there.