By Spc. Nathaniel Smith
4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division
BAGHDAD – With the ceremonial passing of a pistol, the 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 11th Iraqi Army Division assumed responsibility over northwest Rashid from the 2nd Bn., 1st Bde., 10th IA Div. in a transfer of authority ceremony at Joint Security Station Jihad, Jan. 18.
The 2nd Bde., 11th IA are comprised entirely of Iraqi soldiers from the Iraqi capital.
Lt. Col. Ed Rowe, the 2-11 IA Military Transition Team Chief from Gaithersburg, Md., said the arrival of a brigade where a battalion was operating was a large step forward for the region.
"This is significant for northwest Rashid because it puts all of northwest Rashid under one commander with two brand-new, well-equipped, well-trained units," Rowe said.
"They are coming to sustain security and bring improved security to the area – it's a great day for the Iraqi army and the people of Iraq."
Maj. Eric Overby, the acting commander of the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, which is the coalition unit that operates in the area, said the 2-1-10 IA have performed exemplarily in their duties.
"2-1-10 has fought with honor and has fought with courage," the Plentywood, Mont., native said. "From stopping vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices to resettling families, you have performed with action."
While the prior unit has executed their mission admirably, Overby said he looks forward to working with the new group of Iraqi soldiers.
"We look forward to working together and protecting the Iraqi population with 2-11 IA, and continuing to forge an everlasting peace within Iraq," he said.
Rowe felt confident the new unit will be more than capable to pick up where 2-1-10 left off due to their extensive training.
"The arrival of 2-11 IA is significant because they are a well-equipped unit, a unit coming out of the Besmaya training facility (east of Baghdad) that trained as a unit," he said. "They are one of first Iraqi army units to graduate in that manner."
The 2-11 IA is now responsible for the Jihad and Furat regions northwest Rashid, as the 2-1-10 IA move to the Hadar and Al Boetha neighborhoods of southeast Rashid.
| Date Taken: | 01.22.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 01.22.2008 16:21 |
| Story ID: | 15684 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 320 |
| Downloads: | 302 |
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