TROOP SCOOP:

Dear Interested Reader,
Iraqis continue to step up and report weapons caches. U.S. Soldiers partnering with Iraqi Soldiers conduct air assault and apprehend 4 criminals in Maysan. Iraqi SF leaders attend conference to discuss security issues. A success story is the Tikrit Industrial School graduating former Sons of Iraq, to become productive citizens, while our outdated humvees are being put to good use by the Iraqi Soldiers. IA and Silver Lions take part in humanitarian aid drop.
Joanna
____________________________________

Sept. 5, 2008

Blackanthem Military News

Silver Lions provide security in Adhamiyah district

Photos by Sgt. Philip Klein

Sgt. Devin Chouinard provides security during a humanitarian aid drop to the people of the Adhamiyah district of northern Baghdad, Aug. 25. Chouinard serves with Co A.

Staff Sgt. Jimmy Martinez provides security during a humanitarian aid drop to the people. Martinez is a section leader with Co A.

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Blackanthem Military News

IA, Silver Lions Soldiers provide aid

Story and photos by Sgt. Philip Klein

1st Lt. Rosita Rodriguez, the Alpha Civil Affairs Team Chief, speaks with an IA Div soldier as they coordinate the logistics of an aid drop to the people of the industrial zone in the Adhamiyah district of Baghdad, Soldiers with Co A, 1st CAB, 68th Armor Regt, 3rd BCT, 4th ID, provide security, Aug. 25.

BAGHDAD - The aid drop supplied 400 food packs, 200 backpacks, 200 soccer balls and 200 pencil and crayon sets to the children and Families in the area. "This was a pretty significant drop that we coordinated with IA CA team," said 1st Lt. Rosita Rodriguez, the Alpha Civil Affairs Team Chief. "CF have generally had no presence with these sorts of aid drops, but because of the size of this drop we stepped in to provide assistance and security," continued Rodriguez.
The aid drops are important for this area where essential services are virtually non-existent. Equally important is that CF facilitates the ops with the IA as they take the lead in revitalization efforts and community relations, said Rodriguez. For the Iraqis the aid drop is simply a greatly appreciated act that also coincides with the beginning of the new school year for this working class area.
"The backpacks and pencil sets are greatly needed for our children as they get ready to return to school for this term; the children also like the footballs," said an Iraqi man at the aid drop. "We are grateful that the IA and friendly forces have decided to give attention to our people and neighborhood and these events helped strengthen the ties between the people and the govt," he concluded.

Iraqi children wait for their turn during an aid drop to the people of the industrial zone.

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Blackanthem Military News

Cavalry troops, ISF patrol northwest Baghdad

Photos by Air Force Staff Sgt. Manuel Martinez

A MND - Baghdad Soldier is greeted by an Iraqi child on a street in the northwest Baghdad neighborhood of Adil, Aug. 27. Soldiers with Troop A, 4th Sqdrn, 10th Cav Regt, 1st BCT, 4th ID, currently attached to the 2nd BCT, 101st Abn Div (AASLT), patrol the area often with their Iraqi SF counterparts.

Sgt. 1st Class Jason Mortensen talks through his interpreter to an Iraqi Soldier. Mortensen serves with Troop A.

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Multi-National Corps - Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342

Tips from local residents lead to weapons caches in Baghdad

BAGHDAD - A tip from a local citizen led Iraqi NP to a cache in Baghdad's New Baghdad district at approx. 6:30 a.m., Sept. 2. The find included 5 EFPs, 3 of which were made to look like rocks or boulders, a can of PKC ammo, 3 RPGs with war heads, a sniper scope, 4 M4 magazines with ammo, 5 RPGs with rockets, 6 anti-personnel rockets, a hand held radio and a bag of command wire.
A local resident led Soldiers from Co B, 2nd Bn, 30th Inf. Regt, 4th BCT, 10th Mtn. Div., to a cache north of Baghdad, consisting of 3 RPG launchers, 10 RPG-7 rounds, 9 RPG Boosters, 3 sticks of plastic explosives, an assault rifle with magazine, a revolver, a pistol and 6,000 PKC rounds.
Soldiers serving with Co A, 1st Bn, 22nd Inf Regt, 1st BCT, 4th ID, found an IED and approximately 75 pounds of TNT, with help from an SOI leader, in the West Rashid district of Baghdad, at approx. 8:30 p.m.
Soldiers serving with Troop C, 7th Sqdrn, 10th Cav Regt, 1st BCT, 4th ID, received a tip over the phone just after midnight, Sept. 3 that led to a cache in the East Rashid district of Baghdad, consisting of 4 claymore mines and 9 RPG rounds, 2 of which were of Iranian-manufacture.

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IA, U.S. conduct air assault, apprehend criminals in Maysan

COB ADDER - IA soldiers conducted an air assault Aug. 30 to apprehend 4 criminals connected to attacks against Iraqi and CF in the Dhi Qar and Maysan provinces.
IA Soldiers conducted the mission with assistance from Soldiers assigned to Co A, 2nd Bn, 7th Cav Regt, 4th BCT, 1st Cav Div, Long Knife Bde in the southeastern Iraqi province of Maysan. The op included more than 100 Iraqi and U.S. Soldiers, multiple UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and several wheeled vehicles. "The use of CF' helicopters was a great help in the mission," said 1st Lt. Hussein, an Iraqi plt. leader. "I look forward to working with the CF more in the future."
The Iraqi soldiers currently have custody of the 4 criminals. "The fact that this complex air assault op was planned and executed by the IA demonstrates their progress in recent weeks," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 John Deming, tactical air ops officer for 4th BCT. Deming coordinated with the Iraqi unit to ensure all necessary elements were in place for the op. Iraqi Soldiers also seized various small arms and munitions at the scene.

IA troops and MND-C Soldiers stage for an air assault mission in the Maysan Province.
(Army photo by Spc. Lester Colley)

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ISF, CF meet to discuss security issues

FOB HAMMER - Aug. 28, Maj. Gen. Qassim, comm. gen. of the 9th IA Div., General Abdullah, cmdr. of the 9th IA Div., Brig. Gen. Emad, 3rd NP Bde cmdr., and other ISF leaders attended the conference, which focused on the security measures and strategy they plan to enact during the upcoming month.
The current concern is a potential movement of insurgents from the Diyala region, said Lt. Col. Matthew Eichburg, 2nd BCT, 1st Armored Div ops officer. The council discussed several partnering initiatives in response to security concerns. The ISF are taking on additional responsibility throughout the Mada'in Qada, especially with 2 new bns moving into the Qada.
Col. Pat White, cmdr of the 2nd BCT, 1st Armd. Div., listened to the plans and concerns of the Iraqi forces. White said it is important for CF to be working with the ISF to provide a safe and secure environment for Iraqis registering to vote. "Our role is to support and assist the Iraqi forces," said White.

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MND-B Soldiers detain suspected AQI in Baghdad

FOB FALCON - At approx. 9:30 p.m., Sept. 2, IA Soldiers handed a suspect affiliated with AQI, to Soldiers from Co C, 1st Bn, 22nd Inf Regt, 1st BCT, 4th ID, in the Jihad community. The individual is allegedly responsible for attacks against Iraqi citizens and CF.

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Sons of Iraq develop new skills for emerging Iraq economy

TIKRIT, Iraq - 238 former SoI graduated from Tikrit Industrial School, Aug. 31. "The purpose of this Tikrit Industrial School class is to give the SoI the opportunity to get technical, vocational skills so that they can get a job in the private sector," said Cpt. Ray Ades, Officer in Charge of the governance section, PRT.
As the security situation improves former SoI are finding it necessary to seek out new jobs in the emerging commercial sector of the Iraqi economy. The students are being re-trained in different vocations such as
carpentry, masonry, electronics, welding mechanics and car mechanics said Richard Bell Salah ad-Din province, PRT leader.
"I consider this pilot course to be very successful and I'm eager to see where it goes," said Ades.

Sgt. Michael Velasquez of the 426th BSB, 101st Abn Div, examines a display designed by a former SoI.
(Army photo by Spc. Ryan Elliott)

Richard Bell speaks with Dr. Mohmmed, director of the TIkrit Industrial School, about all the school has done to help former SoI learn new vocations they can use in the emerging Iraqi market.

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Iraqis Gain Humvee Protection

Photo and story by Staff Sgt. Michel Sauret

IA Soldiers using pickup trucks as gunner vehicles is becoming less common as Iraqi SF have begun receiving refurbished Humvees to assist their mission.

NUMANIYAH — An opportunity presented itself for Iraqi SF when U.S. servicemembers upgraded their armored vehicles. U.S. forces received the new mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles beginning in 2007, which provide improved protection against roadside bombs, and traded in thousands of still-serviceable Humvees in return.
The excess Humvees didn’t sit for long, as MN Security Transition Command – Iraq began transferring them over to the ISF. “Really, it’s going to give them more up-armored protection. This is going to give them much more capability to accomplish their mission,” said Lt. Col. Nick Mastrovito, a senior adviser for the Numaniyah RegionalTraining Center.
“It has a lot of maneuver, and it works in different territories. Plus, it’s already armored, which gives Soldiers more morale in the fight. It’s better than the old trucks IA used without armor,” said Col. Mohammed, cmdr. of 8th IA Div, which recently received 37 of the refurbished Humvees. “It’s better than a pickup truck with a [machine gun] in the back. That’s pretty much what their gun trucks looked like,” Mastrovito said.

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Reason to Smile