Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Jon Cupp | Ontario, Calif. native Spc. Andrew Ramos (right), a field artilleryman for Battery B,...... read more read more
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By Staff Sgt. Jon Cupp
1st BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs
HUSAYNIYAH, Iraq - Iraqi security forces along with coalition forces set up a traffic control point, Feb. 14, to improve the security of the city by hindering insurgents from being able to transport weapons and improvised explosive device-making materials into the area via a major highway.
The control point was set up by Iraqis with the 5th Special Troops Company, 2nd Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division (Mechanized) with the help of Soldiers from Battery B, 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery.
During the joint operation, Iraqi security forces and the U.S. troops directed traffic and searched vehicles.
According to 2nd Lt. Rico Vargas, a platoon leader for Battery B, 1st Bn., 37th FA Regt., the traffic control point will improve the quality of life for the citizens of Husayniyah by helping to protect them.
"Most Iraqis just want to live their daily lives, going to work and doing the normal things that everyone does," said Vargas. "When they see the Iraqi security forces working with Americans, it makes them feel safe."
"It helps us to put a face on what we're doing here, showing the Iraqis that we're here to help them," he added.
Despite obvious language barriers, Soldiers said there was a sense of esprit de corps as they worked with the Iraqi troops.
"To a certain extent, there was a great amount of camaraderie," Vargas said. "We're Army and they're Army, so we do, in a sense, speak a common language. They're making great sacrifices to keep their people free, and we're making sacrifices too."
Smackover, Ark., native Spc. Willard Mays, a field artilleryman for Battery B, echoed Vargas' sentiments.
"We're doing a good thing here, and I actually like working with the Iraqi army soldiers," said Mays. "Most of the (Iraqi army troops) we work with are really great at doing their jobs."
Vargas said working with the Iraqis through operations such as the control point in Husayniyah places them a few steps closer towards transitioning to having full sovereignty over their own security forces and government.
"You can see how well they work toward solving their own problems, and in many ways we're just observing and mentoring them," said Vargas. "You can really see how well trained they are. They're trained to think through certain scenarios and come up with their own solutions—and that's exactly what they're doing on the job here."
| Date Taken: | 02.15.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 02.15.2007 13:41 |
| Story ID: | 9155 |
| Location: | IQ |
| Web Views: | 771 |
| Downloads: | 536 |
This work, Iraqi Security Forces Work With U.S. Troops at Traffic Control Point, by SFC Jon Cupp, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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