Dear Interested Reader,
Special MiTTs are assisting and developing IP systems, and makes for most interesting reading, as well as the heart warming story of 2 children receiving wheel chairs, because of the compassion of our troops and some special civilians. Iraqi soldiers taking the lead in Bayji is a sure sign of progress. Huge weapon and munition caches are seized, and many criminals and terrorists are detained.
Joanna
_____________________________________
Aug. 18, 2008
Multi-National Corps - Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
Special Transition Teams Assist, Develop Iraqi Police Systems
Photo and story by Sgt. Daniel Blottenberger
Master Sgt. Kevin Emory, who serves with the 95th MP Bn’s ePTT, discusses fuel distribution ops with the cmdr. of the Rusafa Directorate Maintenance Facility.
BAGHDAD — In January 2008, MND – Baghdad’s 18th MP Bde developed a new method to further improve the surging IP force by implementing the enhanced Police Transition Teams to concentrate on supporting IP systems in Baghdad.
The ePTT is a group of Soldiers who have subject matter expertise in: personnel, communications and logistic ops and techniques in support of large orgs. Their mission is to assess the IP organization and provide assistance to better the organizational management of the IPs in these areas. Since then, the ePTTs have been embedding with the IP force at the directorate and provincial levels to help improve the IP systems management process.
“The IP leadership is taking advice from the ePTTs and taking responsibility for their stations while feeling more comfortable working with the recommendations made by the ePTT subject matter experts, who are improving the IP systems in Baghdad,” said Lt. Col. Thomas Lombardo, ops officer, 18th MP Bde., during a recent assessment visit of the ePTTs in Baghdad.
Prior to January, the CF and Int'l Police Advisors, who are civilian law enforcement officers from the U.S., hired by DynCorp, were both working on IP systems, but the partner trainers were not combining their efforts. Under the new ePTT, the 2 orgs. are now working together.
Several areas one team was working on during this particular week were fuel consumption, distribution and accountability in several facets. “We are trying to get a handle on the fuel corruption, issuing out of supplies and equipment, payroll issues, training new and previous IP and investigation techniques,” said Capt. Shannon Nowak.
Besides these specific areas, the main job of the ePTT is to partner side by side with the IP as they perform their daily jobs and provide assistance to improve the IP systems capabilities. “The team is at the directorate almost daily, working right alongside the IP to improve their systems,” said Nowak.
In contrast to the standard Police Transition Team, the PTT at the station levels around Baghdad are run by MP Soldiers. Their roles are to train the IP and teach them how to conduct community policing in the areas they are assigned.
Despite the challenges the ePTT face, the Soldiers are out there every day working with the IP at the directorate level to further improve the force in order for the IP to provide rule of law to the Iraqi people in Baghdad.
-30-
Military Police, Civilian Donate Wheelchairs to Iraqi Children
Story and photo by Amanda Tucker
Spc. Marisol Riley, a driver for the 164th MP Co, screws a part into place on a wheelchair for an Iraqi child, August 4, 2008.
JOINT BASE BALAD — MP sponsors, a chaplain and one huge-hearted civilian reached out to help the local community in Balad, by giving 2 handicapped Iraqi children wheelchairs recently.
Members of the 164th MP Co based out of Fort Richardson, Alaska, and currently commanded by 18th MP Bde; go in sector on a daily basis, patrolling surrounding areas and helping to improve the capabilities at IP checkpoints. However, the company does much more than that. The MP have become a part of the community and felt the need to help 2 children who cannot walk.
Capt. Matthew Norris, 18th MP Bde., started looking for a wheelchair after he discovered an IP chief’s son who had a hole in his heart, causing the 2-year-old boy to have muscle weakness. Once other Soldiers in the unit heard about the cmdr’s idea, they began to inquire about the need for a wheelchair for an 8-year-old Iraqi girl near another checkpoint in Balad.
According to Sgt. Keith Banks, MP team leader, his squad would go out to a checkpoint in Balad where the girl was at regularly. The little girl would always peak out of her house from her gate in curiosity at the MP. “At one point, I got a good look at her and saw that she was walking on her hands; so that brought concern to us,” said the Malvern.
Norris went to multiple orgs. trying to acquire the wheelchairs. He finally succeeded when he talked to Capt. Jay Clark, chaplain, 728th MP Bn. Clark was able to provide the wheelchairs with the help of Brad Blauser, a humanitarian volunteer, who started the Wheelchairs for Iraqi Children program. Clark and Blauser had initially met on a prior deployment, when Brad told the chaplain about the program ‘Wheelchairs for Iraqi Children.’ “We went through… ins and outs of trying to get it all connected but once we did, Brad was excited to take the project on and I was excited to be here for it,” said Clark.
Norris, Banks, Clark and Blauser delivered the wheelchairs on a hot Saturday afternoon. Blauser showed the parents of the children how to properly adjust the wheelchair to accommodate the child as they grew. Sweat dripped off of the civilian’s nose as he worked, but it was nothing in comparison to the smile that seemed to never fade as he put forth the effort.
According to Blauser, Iraq has the largest population of handicapped people in the world with 10 percent of Iraq’s population is disabled. Iraq has more than 28 million people, with roughly 3 million people disabled, and if just 5% of that 3 million are children, it’s 150,000 kids who need a wheelchair. Thanks to combined efforts of the MP, chaplain and a humanitarian volunteer, 2 children in Balad no longer have to wait for one.
-30-
Blackanthem Military News
Iraqis Take the Lead
Story and photo by Sgt. Rick Rzepka
Maj. Oscar Pintado speaks with his Iraqi counterpart during a mission to find weapons caches in the western desert near Bayji.
BAYJI - Iraqis taking care of Iraqis. This is the shape of things to come here. Garnering the trust and cooperation of the Iraqi people, IA bns near the oil rich town of Bayji, have made the turn. No longer is the burgeoning IA being coddled by their American counterparts. Rather, according to MiTT Soldiers of the 1st Bn, 327th Inf Regt, Iraq's defenders are confident, determined and capable of securing its citizens.
As violence tapers off across the country, Iraq's SF are increasingly taking responsibility for the security of the people. Seen as a critical component of success here, Iraq's Army has grown from a pocket-sized force in 2004, to a military monolith that has earned the trust of the people and the respect of its Coalition partners.
"In the last 11 months, they have made a 180 degree turnaround," said Maj. Oscar Pintado, who leads 1-327th's MiTT Team. "They are now conducting unilateral ops at the bn level throughout their area of ops with little or no Coalition support," he said.
The support they do receive comes from the Soldiers of Pintado's advisor team, who serve at teachers, trainers and mentors for the maturing army. "We operate as a bn staff, trainers and combat advisors," said Pintado whose 13-man team lives and works with their IA counterparts.
By design, MiTT teams encompass a wide range of military specialties and ranks, which offers the IA a well rounded training experience. The Soldiers, who range from the rank of Staff Sgt. to Major, are experts in specialties like supply, infantry, medical, intel and communications. They seek to broaden the IA's toolkit by providing them the skills they need to operate at a level necessary to win the peace.
According to Pintado the development of the IA has been a major factor in reducing violence in the province and demonstrates to the people that the IA is a legitimate and well disciplined force. "Their presence has allowed the people to feel more secure and has opened doors for more cooperation between the population and the IA in general," he said.
For the 1-327 MiTT, leading by example has paid dividends that will have long lasting effects. "They see you there sweating, operating, eating and training with them, and they will be more open to listen and learn from you, but most importantly, they will want to show you that they can do it and are as capable as you are," said Pintado.
Oscar Pintado shakes hands with an IA Soldier during a recent mission near Bayji. Pintado's MiTT Soldiers are responsible for training and advising 2 IA bns in the area.
-30-
IA, MND-C Soldiers locate large weapons cache
BAGHDAD - Near the border town of Amarah, Aug. 16, IA Soldiers accompanied by MND-C Soldiers, found 250 EFP plates, 125 107 mm rockets, 2 rocket launchers, 15 120 mm mortars, a mortar tube and 2 sniper rifles.
"As a police officer, it's going to be very successful to work with the [CF], and things will get better in our area," said 2nd Lt. Asaf of the Amarah IP.
The plates found can be used to create extremely dangerous armor-piercing projectiles, which pose a significant threat to ISF and CF. This cache contains the largest number of EFP components discovered in Maysan Province since 2007.
IA soldiers discovered a large weapons cache.
-30-
IA, MND-B Soldiers seize numerous weapons, munitions caches across Baghdad
BAGHDAD - Aug. 16, based on a tip from a local resident, Iraqi soldiers located a cache in Kadhamiyah, consisting of a RPG launcher, 2 SPG-9 rounds, 2 RPG propellants, 4 magazines for sniper rifles, a silencer, 2 license plates, a registration card and various bomb-making materials. While seizing the cache, soldiers from the same unit found a secondary cache in the same vicinity, consisting of 2 RPG-7 rounds, 4 anti-armor RPG-7 rounds, 2 blocks of TNT, 2 RPG propellants, 300 PKC rounds, an Egyptian grenade and various bomb-making and propaganda material.
IA soldiers also seized 10 EFPs and 3 electric blasting caps from the roof of the Ministry of Trade building in the Sadr City district of Baghdad.
Other IA soldiers seized IA and CF uniforms, 20 ID cards, 4 passports, a vehicle document and CF medical equipment in Kadhamiyah.
Approx. 2 hours later, Soldiers from the 1st Bn, 21st Inf Regt, serving with the 2nd Stryker BCT, 25th ID, based on a tip by a local resident, seized 3 57 mm rockets, an RPG, a 60 mm mortar, an AK-47 rifle with 200 rounds of ammo and 150 pounds of ammonium nitrate fuel mix northwest of Baghdad.
Approx. 15 minutes later, IA soldiers seized 32 AK-47 rifles, 5 SKS rifles, 3 body armor vests, a Russian gas mask and binoculars while conducting a search op in Kadhamiyah.
-30-
Marine Corps Leader Visits Camp Fallujah, Speaks About Progress
By Cpl. Chris T. Mann
CAMP FALLUJAH — Gen. James T. Conway, commandant of the Marine Corps, visited service members and toured the local battlefield shared by Marine units of Regimental Combat Team 1 on Aug. 16. During his visit, the commandant spoke with Col. Lewis A. Craparotta, comm. officer, RCT-1, and surveyed progress service members are making in Fallujah and the surrounding regions. “I don’t think anyone would have predicted that the al-Anbar province would become a model for elsewhere in the nation,” said Conway, during a town hall meeting aboard the camp.
Conway and Craparotta convoyed with a group of Marines from Camp Fallujah to Camp Blue Diamond in Ramadi, where he met with several commanders and other staff to discuss joint efforts between service members and IP and Army.
Following the meeting with IA officials, Conway returned to Camp Fallujah for a town hall meeting at the Chapel of Hope. Marines and other service members aboard Camp Fallujah packed tightly into the chapel to listen to what he and Sgt. Maj. Carlton W. Kent, the Sgt Major of the Marine Corps, had to say. The commandant delivered a message to Marines and other service members about developments in the region. “What you have today is a very likeable condition in the al-Anbar province, and again, that is good remarks for the rest of Iraq,” he said.
Conway also spoke to the crowd about repeated deployments to combat environments Marines are currently facing. He said he is pushing for longer periods of time for Marines to stay in the United States before deploying again to places like Iraq or Afghanistan.
-30-
MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ
PRESS DESK
BAGHDAD, Iraq
Coalition forces thwart al-Qaeda bombers, facilitators (Baghdad)
BAGHDAD – CF detained 8 suspected terrorists in central and northern Iraq August 17, while targeting AQI operatives who bring foreigners into Iraq and coordinate bombings.
CF disrupted an AQI bombing network in the Tigris River Valley during 2 related ops. In Tikrit, about 160 km north of Baghdad, the force used info from an op Jul. 9 to capture an alleged senior member of the bombing network and another suspect. The alleged senior member reportedly coordinates the movement of suicide bombers and foreign terrorists within the network. Farther up the valley in Bayji, CF detained another suspect believed to be tied to suicide bombings within the same network.
In Baghdad, CF captured a wanted man and an associate reportedly working for the AQI foreign terrorist facilitation network that has developed in the city. Two wanted men and an associate were detained in Bi’aj, about 130 km southwest of Mosul, for their suspected ties to the AQI foreign terrorist facilitation network operating in the Jazirah desert.
-30-
Colorful Kids
Young Iraqi girls hang out outside a security meeting with Mayor Dr. Mohammed at his residence after getting Gatorade drinks from U.S. Army Soldiers from 1st Sqdrn, 3rd ACR, in Jadellah Sofia, Aug. 4, 2008.
Photo by Pfc. Sarah De Boise
-30-