Habbaniyah Villagers Greeted And Get To Know Soldiers
The security situation in Iraq continues to improve, with patrols from house to house yielding less and less dangerous situations. Recently Marines on patrol encountered groups of children when they and Iraqi Police went through the Habbaniyah village region. As they went from house to house in the sturdy concrete construction, they were met with greetings and enthusiastic smiles from children and villagers.
Marines in the First Platoon, 1st Battalion, First Marine Regiment have been living successfully with a group of Iraqi Police. They occupy a secure structure and function as one team. “We are able to conduct operations and function in Joint Security operations easier because we really get to know each other,” said 1st Lieutenant Alistair E. Howard. Howard is 1st Platoon Commander.
The two squads live and patrol out of the Regiment Combat Team Six Joint Security Station. By living together with the Iraqi Soldiers, they are able to live and work as one team, and this allows training to be fast tracked. “There will come a time when we turn total security over to our Iraqi Security Station partners,” said Lieutenant Howard.
This approach has been working well, and going on for three weeks. “When we go out in the community on joint patrol, the people see us, and become more comfortable with us, with the Iraqi Police, and also with the total security situation at large,” said Lieutenant Howard.
Marines spoke to the villagers about how they viewed the joint Iraqi Police and Marine patrols, and met with favorable responses. “It helps the villagers and Iraqi people have a greater level of confidence, both in our presence and in their own police,” stated Howard.
