Iraqi Army, 1-37 search for weapons

Photo By Spc. Jessica Luhrs-Stabile | Soldiers of the 4th Battalion, 46th Iraqi Army Brigade, along with their partners from B Company, 1st Battalion, 37th Armor of the "Ready First" Combat Team out of Fort Bliss, Texas, during a patrol, Jan. 4, south of Rihad, Iraq, in search of weapons caches.  

KIRKUK, IRAQ

01.05.2010

Story by Spc. Jessica Luhrs-Stabile 

1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division

By Pfc. Jessica R. Luhrs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq— Col. Hammad, the commander of 4th Battalion, 46th Iraqi Army Brigade, led his soldiers along with their U.S. partners from B-Company, 1st Battalion, 37th Armor of the Ready First Combat Team out of Fort Bliss, Texas, during a patrol, Jan. 4, south of Rihad, Iraq, in search of weapons caches and insurgents.

This operation was fully led by the IA commander, Col. Hammad, after he received a tip about the location of a possible weapons cache in the area and then notified the U.S. Forces, according to Col. Hammad.

Upon the IA arrival to the area the soldiers pulled security while waiting for assistance from their U.S. Forces partners, according to Col. Hammad.

After the arrival of B-Co., 1st Batt., 37th Armor, the two patrolled the area with assistance from Military Working Dogs and metal detectors, according to Capt. Dennis Maher, an El Paso, Texas, native and the B-Co. 1st Batt., 37th Armor commander.

This operation is the foundation for the partnership between our Iraqi partners and the people of Iraq, according to Capt. Maher. Once they begin to make Iraq safer then the citizens will begin to put full trust into the IA.

Although we did not locate any weapons or insurgents, through our partnership we were able to disrupt the enemy operations in the area and we have also disrupted the movement of the insurgents, according to Capt. Maher.

By having patrols in the area the insurgents now know that the IA is onto them and will capture them and seize all weapons hidden in the area, according to Capt. Maher.

• Date Taken: 01.05.2010
• Date Posted: 01.11.2010 09:27
• Story ID: 43667
• Location: KIRKUK, IQ