7th Infantry Regiment Meets With Sheikhs

Chasing Insurgents And Meeting Leaders All In A Days Effort

FOB Kalsu, Iraq- You never know what you may encounter when you go out on patrol in various parts of Iraq. Sometimes there may be calm for an extended period. Then suddenly there will be a battle or you will discover a terrorist cell, or a weapons cache.

But for the most part, increasingly it is calm. Coalition soldiers with 3rd Infantry, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion, Company C recently were riding in their Humvees on patrol near Abu Jassim, near the village of Musayyib, when a group of citizens, Sheikhs waved to them from a backyard close by the road.

The patrol stopped, and jumped out to visit with the Sheikhs. The Sheikhs wanted to talk about the possibility of some different rebuilding projects nearby.

“It can seem quiet and like everything is safe and sound, but it can change pretty quick,” said Sergeant First Class Christopher Williams. Williams is the Platoon Sergeant with Company C. After talking to the Sheikhs at some length, the patrol resumed, and everyone piled back in their Humvees. Such is the typical daily life of a unit in Iraq.

“A lot of the citizens and children use this road, so we focus a lot of our patrol efforts along here,” said First Lieutenant Josh Ray. Lieutenant Ray is the Platoon leader.

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“We like this road because it is hard pavement, less wear and tear on the vehicles, and it is a lot harder to dig into to place an IED explosive, also,” said Sgt. Williams. While talking to the Sheikhs several of them reported that there had been small arms fire along the road in the last several evenings.

Williams and Lieutenant Ray promised they would check it out, and set off to resume their patrol.