Photo By Staff Sgt. James Hunter | An Iraqi army soldier searches an Iraqi man while operating at a tactical checkpoint...... read more read more
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By Sgt. James Hunter
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division
BAGHDAD – As early as 2 a.m., the sound of a rooster can be heard in the distance as cats and dogs rummage through trash on the streets of Baghdad looking for their morning meal. The sounds seem loud coming through the walls as it echoes around the room.
"Cock-a-doodle-doo," the annoying, yet recognizable rooster screams. Maybe it's time to wake up.
Soldiers awaken from their dreams – perhaps thinking of their families or driving along the coast – to begin their early morning guard shift.
It's just another day in the lives of the Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers from Company C "Cobra," 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, as they work side-by-side with the Iraqi army at Coalition Outpost 412 in northwest Baghdad.
It's a home away from home for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division Soldiers, with nothing all that interesting in their two-story building. There are only three couches, overhead lights and fans, and the surrounding Iraqi neighborhood that really catches anyone's attention.
The couches are somewhat comfortable; the fans keep it cool, and it's anyone's guess what may happen in the neighborhood. That can keep anyone on their toes.
However, it's the working relationship between Iraqi security and coalition forces that keeps it interesting. These are infantrymen from both the American and Iraqi Armies brought together to live as one entity under the same roof. They don't share the same language, but they still manage to laugh and joke with each other and trade stories of the past.
It's a working relationship these grunts share: a bond built over time as MND-B troops continue to mentor these men, said Sgt. Christopher Warnes, a native of Guilford, Conn.
"We have a good relationship with the IA. They work generally pretty hard, so we are generally happy," Warnes said. "They are our Iraqi counterparts. They are Iraqi infantry and we are American infantry.
"We are the same people – except for they are from Iraq. We joke around and eat together. We do everything together, short of personal hygiene," he said with laughter.
Initially it was an outpost – one of three different outposts – for the Iraqi army to push out into their area of operations. However, now it is used to man the tactical checkpoint, which secures the main supply route in the area and as a more direct way of mentoring and developing the Iraqi army.
Their position is critical to the security of the area, said Warnes.
"We monitor all the traffic going to Kadhamiyah, coming out of Hurriyah, Washash," he said. "Generally, if anybody wants to go anywhere on this end of Baghdad, they have to come down the route."
The outpost has matured more into higher-level leadership mentoring, said Warnes. It's graduated from TCP training to planning patrols and setting defensive postures.
"We coordinate with them where they want their barriers, what supplies they need to make their building more secure," Warnes said. "We started off with just the Soldiers; now, we are helping establish the (non-commissioned officer) corps."
Soon, two-thirds of Cobra's area of operations will be handed over to the Iraqi security forces. From the ongoing efforts in the area, due to the constant combined patrols, the area has stabilized, which will allow the ISF to take over in the near future, said Warnes, a team leader with 3rd Platoon, Co. C, 1-502nd Inf. Regt.
The Iraqi soldiers have shown obvious signs of improvement, especially with their relationship with the Iraqi people, said Warnes. They are generally pleased to see the MND-B and Iraqi troops patrol together.
"We do constant patrols with the Iraqi army," said Staff Sgt. Ramon Baca, the platoon sergeant for 1st Platoon, Co. C. "We go out with them and do knock and talks. A lot of the time they take point. They are getting a lot of face time with the Iraqi people."
However, it has taken time to get the Iraqi army to this point because they basically came from nothing to the point they are at now, said Warnes.
"I've only been in Iraq twice, but I can relate to my last tour. I was in a different part of Iraq, in the sunni triangle," he said. "However, in the last year I have seen basic soldiering get much better, a start of a non-commissioned officer corps and good weapons discipline."
When special groups criminals put up arms against the MND-B and Iraqi troops mere weeks ago, "the Iraqi army stood tall and manned their positions," said Warnes. "They wanted to fight. They are really are developing into a unit that one day will be able to handle the country themselves."
| Date Taken: | 04.26.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 04.28.2008 15:47 |
| Story ID: | 18857 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 447 |
| Downloads: | 430 |
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