Photo By Master Sgt. Duff E. Mcfadden | Master Sgt. Reginald Smith (left) and 2nd Lt. Glenn Ray, both of Phoenix, Ariz., are...... read more read more
Subscribe
FORWARD OPERATING BASE MAREZ, Iraq — As attention turned to Iraqi's national elections, Iraqi and U.S. security forces worked hand-in-hand to ensure a safe and secure environment for the thousands of Iraqi voters who casted ballots at the more than 50,000 polling stations.
As part of the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, the Arizona Army National Guard's 855th Military Police Company seemed to have their work cut out for them, with responsibility for 60 polling places spread out over 2,600 square miles in northern Iraq.
Of course, they weren't alone on this crucial mission. They worked alongside elements of the Iraqi police, Iraqi emergency response battalion and an Iraqi army commando unit, and of course, the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, of Fort Riley, Kan.
The "Desert Warriors," based out of Forward Operating Base Sykes in Tal Afar, Iraq, concentrated on three basic operations during the Iraqi elections — they provided a Quick Reaction Force, escorted Provincial Reconstruction Team officials and escorted the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq officials as they observed Iraqi polling sites.
The PRT and UNAMI observers witnessed whether the polling centers were properly set up, observed voter turnout and watched for evidence of fraud, or voting intimidation. Once the observers completed their scrutiny of polling places in the western Ninewa province, they were handed over to the 3rd Squadron, 73rd U.S. Cavalry as they observed centers in their area of operations.
"We could only get within 300 yards of a polling place," said 2nd Lt. Glenn Ray, a 21-year military veteran and former enlisted Soldier from Phoenix, Ariz. "The Iraqi army provided the cordon around the polling place. We drove the observers to the polling place, dropped them off and then waited for them. If anything went bad, we'd pick them up and get them out of there."
As the 855th MP Operations Officer-in-Charge and 2nd Platoon Leader, Ray wears many hats. However, as the elections rapidly approached, it was his S-2, Intelligence duties that demanded his attention.
Until then, the unit had supported the Iraqi security forces Continuing Education Center in providing police school training at FOB Sykes. However, everything took a back seat to the Iraqi elections.
Once their tasks were established, Ray went to work, as he compiled the unit's Operation Order. Poll locations, threat assessments, task operations, and ensured all 'what ifs' were addressed, so this Phoenix-based unit was ready for any contingency
"As MP's, most of our training deals with area security, Quick Reaction Forces, or Personal Security Detachment work. We know our sectors, we're familiar with the area, and if we had to respond, we'd be able to get there quickly," he said.
According to Master Sgt. Reginald Smith, of Phoenix, Ariz., the unit's senior leadership had a wealth of experience, as most of them still serve together following their last Operation Iraqi Freedom deployment.
"We had a really good plan in place. Anyone who's done QRF is told, 'Here's your grid coordinate' and a brief of what to do.' You're often lacking key information, or intelligence," said Smith. "Our QRF had more than enough to be successful. Each of our elements had information on each of the other sectors. Everybody had everyone else's information, as well as their own."
Thankfully, he said, we have very good relationships with all the local police stations. "If we had to respond to a situation, we just go to a district headquarters, or to the LPS, link up and go," Smith said.
After the squads received their warning orders, they began rehearsals with UNAMI and PRT officials. Each individual Soldier was briefed on talking points, as well as the basic knowledge of what was at stake in the elections and the thought process behind them.
"We wanted to make sure all the information got down to the lowest levels about what we were doing and why. We wanted our Soldiers to take pride in their mission and know exactly why they were doing what they did," said Smith.
Conducting drills may well be an understatement. The unit had conducted QRF-based training over the last year and a half, beginning with exercises at their home station and continued on at their Mobilization Station at Fort Dix, N.J.
"Rehearsals were in our blood. With three days notice, we already had completed reconnaissance," said Ray.
"I think we're in pretty good shape," said Smith. "We'd taken all the necessary precautions and ensured we had plenty of coverage in our sectors and our elements going out had backups.
"Our elements were very familiar with these areas. We'd done route reconnaissance and convoy security. We knew the best ways to egress and ingress into those areas," he said.
The Desert Warriors were no strangers to the world stage — they also provided security at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, and deployed last year in support of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. They last deployed overseas in 2003 - 2004 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, doing convoy security, detainee operations, QRF and joint operations. They were attached to the 82nd Airborne and 18th MP Brigade.
| Date Taken: | 03.08.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 04.07.2010 11:12 |
| Story ID: | 47805 |
| Location: | FORWARD OPERATING BASE MAREZ, IQ |
| Web Views: | 180 |
| Downloads: | 103 |
This work, Desert Warriors keep watchful eye during Iraqi elections, by MSG Duff E. Mcfadden, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
