Photo By Spc. William Addison | A local Iraqi worker poses with some rocket propelled grenade launch tubes that he is...... read more read more
By Sgt. Bill Addison
Joint Area Support Group - Central Public Affairs
BAGHDAD, Iraq - In an area of the world where U.S. and coalition forces are constantly fighting to remove weapons from the hands of their enemies, one member of the Joint Area Support Group - Central is making sure they don't get them back.
One of Sgt. 1st Class Michael Strawn's jobs is to collect and destroy illegal, unserviceable or unwanted weapons in the International Zone. A big part of that equation lies in the personal security companies that operate in the IZ.
Strawn, of the JASG-C Security Directorate, said he personally inspects the arms rooms of every private security company within the IZ to make sure weapons and ammunition are stored properly as well as to make sure the companies don't have any weapons they are not authorized to have.
"We don't want weapons out there that we don't know about," he said.
Keeping track of every weapon within the IZ is a major priority. It not only helps ensure authorized individuals have weapons, it also enforces proper storage of weapons and munitions, according to Strawn. "We don't want people coming in and having easy access to weapons that they could take, sell on the black market or take and use against us," he said.
Strawn then takes the weapons to Ronco, the company contracted with the Department of Defense to destroy the weapons within the IZ. But it's not a case of dropping them off, and forgetting about them. Strawn takes full ownership of the weapons from the time he picks them up to the moment they are destroyed.
"From beginning to end, I have to verify that that weapon went from one person's possession to my possession to destruction, and it didn't get into the wrong hands," he said. "I sign off that yes, that weapon, that serial number: I've personally seen that destroyed."
For Strawn, taking that level of ownership is just part and parcel with being a Soldier.
"To me, that's just your basic accountability. It's a big responsibility because I'm being entrusted by my superiors to ensure these weapons are being properly handled from beginning to end. I have to be very accountable for my actions in making sure the process is followed from one end to the other," he said.
The Easton, Pa., native said he has spent his career in the National Guard working in ammunition depots, keeping track of and issuing out weapons and ammunition.
"So I've been around ammunition and weapons ever since I came in. I have a pretty good handle on the different ammunition types and how to handle the ammunition and most of the weapons that we deal with," he said.
In the three months he's been working in the IZ, Strawn said he has personally overseen the destruction of more than 80 weapons, and has confiscated more than 100 others which are awaiting destruction pending the owner's ability to provide proper documentation for them.
"The whole point is that we're trying to make sure these private security companies aren't out there freelancing and going around like the Wild, Wild West, getting all kinds of weapons that in turn can be used against us," he said.
| Date Taken: | 12.20.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 12.20.2008 06:06 |
| Story ID: | 27933 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 172 |
| Downloads: | 164 |
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