Photo By Staff Sgt. April Campbell | Dallas native Capt. Todd Looney, commander, Company C, 1st Combined Arms Battalion,...... read more read more
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By Pfc. April Campbell
3rd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office, 4th Infantry Division
RASHIDIYA, Iraq – Even in the glow of the early afternoon sunlight, the thick vegetation on the side of the road was nearly impossible to see through. But, the Soldiers knew it was necessary for them to step deeper into the greenery to find the object of their search.
Finding an opening in the brush, Capt. Todd Looney, commander, Company C, 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, directed his Soldiers off the road and into the orange grove beyond the shrubs.
With an acute awareness, the troops made their way in the direction they heard shots firing from the night before; they were looking for any sign of the shooters or their position.
Silver Lion Soldiers with both Company B and Company C, 1st CAB, 68th AR, 3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., conducted a foot patrol, Jan. 22, to search for the firing positions and escape routes used by extremists who shot at both the Soldiers and members of the Concerned Local Citizens group and the Iraqi army in Rashidiya, Iraq, an rural area 15 miles north of Baghdad.
The CLC members and the Iraqi army soldiers were fired at by suspected extremists as they manned neighboring checkpoints in the area. Both of the groups stayed their ground and returned fire, said Looney, a Dallas native.
The CLC checkpoint was the first to be engaged with small-arms fire, said Sgt. 1st Class Sean Rinder, platoon sergeant, 2nd Platoon, Co. C, 1st CAM, 68th AR.
"They showed determination by defending themselves and not backing down," said the Colorado Springs, Colo., native.
After notification of the shooting, Silver Lion Soldiers went to the CLC checkpoint. While there, Iraqi army soldiers at the checkpoint nearby were fired upon.
One group of Soldiers maneuvered on foot and with the aid of a Humvee to the Iraqi army checkpoint. While en route, those Soldiers were engaged from the same direction from which the CLCs and IAs received fire, said Rinder.
One of the Soldiers maneuvering on foot was Staff Sgt. Luis Hernandez, a section sergeant with the 2nd Platoon, Co. C, 1st CAB, 68th Armor Regt.
"The first couple of seconds after they began shooting at us seemed to go by in slow motion, but we responded quickly after the attack began," said the Chicago native.
The deployment training conducted at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Calif., and at Fort Carson, Colo., proved to be useful for the Soldiers.
While only three of the Soldiers who were attacked had been in a fire fight before, each Soldier reacted according to their training, Rinder said
"They used the Humvee for cover and returned fire," he said. "After it was over, I checked to make sure they had all put their weapons on safe. All of the Soldiers had already done so out of habit."
This event indicates the CLC and IA checkpoints are determined to rid this area of extremist attacks.
"The extremists attacked the checkpoints because they are denying freedom of movement throughout the area," said Looney.
One of the reasons the CLCs are able to do their job well is because they are from the areas they defend. They know the people in those areas and the people know them.
"The CLCs are doing a great job because they are taking ownership of their area," Looney said.
Iraqi citizens are also becoming an asset to coalition forces through these volunteer groups.
While these Silver Lion Soldiers were unable to find the exact routes or firing positions of the anti-Iraqi forces during their foot patrol the next day, they were able to become more familiar with the area landscape.
"We'll continue to maintain our presence in the area," said Looney.
| Date Taken: | 01.28.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 01.28.2008 09:01 |
| Story ID: | 15796 |
| Location: | IQ |
| Web Views: | 222 |
| Downloads: | 177 |
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