Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Kristina Scott | Spc. Russell Ford, a native of North Richland Hills, Texas, assigned to Troop A, 1st...... read more read more
BAGHDAD —For U.S. Soldiers and Air Force military dog handlers working jointly with Iraqi federal police, the mission was clear: conduct a cordon and search of the Abid Allha ibn al-Khabib graveyard, near the town of Abu Roesh, east of Baghdad, Dec. 29, to either confirm or deny that some sort of cache was there.
It was rumored that in 2007, the same graveyard had been the site of a cache, which produced over two tons of dynamite and C4 explosives.
With the FP taking the lead, followed closely by the dog handlers and their dogs, Bak and Chukky, the search began. Zrbn Walking carefully across the densely crowded, dusty cemetery, the FP scoured the ground visually as Bak and Chukky ran off-leash, sniffing mounds of dirt, stone sarcophagi and simple gravestones. Each tomb and mound of dirt received a cursory inspection by the working dogs and FP. As the FP found areas they considered suspicious, they yelled to the dog handlers, who directed the dogs to search a specific area.
"We are here with the dogs to deny the enemy the advantage of using explosives against Iraqi civilians, security forces and U.S. forces," said Staff Sgt. Joshua Webster, of Fayetteville, N.C, assigned to the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron.
The search lasted approximately one hour, but no explosives or weapons were uncovered. However, American commanders consider the mission to be a good way for FP, U.S forces and military working dogs to train together in a real-world experience.
1st Lt. Jeff Johnson, a native of Shreveport, La, was tasked with working side by side with his Iraqi counter-parts, Iraqi Lieutenant's Hussein and Ihman, to jointly coordinate the mission.
"It was a great experience," said Johnson. "We showed them how to use their assets — we showed them what right looks like and how to use the working dogs"
Once the search of the graveyard was complete, the troops loaded back up into their humvees; the FP in brightly painted blue and white; U.S. troops in the traditional desert tan. The FP then led the convoy to a small housing compound in the area of Umm al-Abid. Dismounting from the vehicles, the FP took the lead, with the working dogs and U.S. Soldiers directly behind.
As the working dogs searched the palm grove in front of the compound and other areas, the FP engaged one of the male residents of the compound, as women and children looked on anxiously. The mood was serious, but not overly so, and as the U.S. Soldiers and FP returned to their vehicles after speaking with the resident for about 15 minutes, the women and children smiled, laughed and waved good-bye.
Nothing of consequence was found by the working dogs, at the compound, nor by any of the FP or U.S. Soldiers. However, overall, the mission was a success, said Capt. Steve Chadwick, commander for A Troop, 1st Battalion, 89th Cavalry Squadron.
"The FP did a good job of searching — they got experience with working dogs," said Chadwick. "They've already asked to use [the dogs] again.
| Date Taken: | 12.29.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 12.31.2009 02:19 |
| Story ID: | 43317 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 240 |
| Downloads: | 220 |
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