Courtesy Photo | Command Sgt. Maj. John Gioia (left), the senior enlisted leader for Multi-National...... read more read more
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By 1st Lt. Michael Moyers
4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq — Living and working in eastern Baghdad, Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers find success is measured in inches.
Counterinsurgency operations are not about military might and overwhelming force. They are subtle and challenging, often requiring exact balance of force and gentle persuasion. The leadership of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, is quickly proving themselves to be masters of this difficult, amorphous task.
Soldiers of Co. C arrived in eastern Baghdad early December and immediately understood the magnitude of the task before them. From their first patrol, they endeavored to place Iraqi security forces at the forefront of their operations. This helps legitimize ISF to the Iraqi people.
"Our mission here is to help them (Iraqis) take control of their own country. We show them techniques and procedures that work in certain situations but allow them to take the lead and find their own methods," explained Capt. Rick Oliver, who hails from Newport, R.I., and serves as the executive officer of Co. C. "We try to make sure there is an Iraqi face at the forefront of everything. We want the Iraqi people to understand that the successes here are not coalition successes but Iraqi successes."
To achieve this goal, Soldiers established a joint security station in their sector of Baghdad. While conducting their rotation at the JSS, the Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers are completely embedded with ISF. They live, eat and work in the same spaces. This gives MND-B Soldiers a unique opportunity to know their Iraqi counterparts and a greater appreciation for the dedication of ISF members.
ISF often works near their families, which exposes their loved ones to threats of kidnapping and violence. "These guys (ISF) know ... they are placing their ... families in danger. They are very dedicated to the safety and security of their country," said Oliver. "It is up to us to take that dedicated group and help shape it into an effective force capable of securing this nation.
"We know we may have to come back here again; but, if we train the ISF properly and give them the tools they need ... who knows (what they can accomplish)? You might be able to turn on the news next year and see the Iraqis in complete control. How awesome would that be?"
| Date Taken: | 03.31.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 04.01.2008 16:05 |
| Story ID: | 17972 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 201 |
| Downloads: | 165 |
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