1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division Public Affairs

Story by Spc. Mike MacLeod

CAMP RAMADI, Iraq – The top U.S. general in Iraq visited the Army's first advise and assist brigade here Oct. 27 to discuss the way ahead for the U.S. mission of enabling Iraqi self sufficiency in the country's largest province.

Gen. Ray Odierno, commanding general of Multi-National Force-Iraq, told leaders of 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division (Advise and Assist Brigade), that by empowering Iraqi security forces and civil institutions throughout Al Anbar province and the rest of the country, U.S. forces have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a strategic partnership with a Middle Eastern country.

"The goal is to build strategic depth," said Odierno.

The "Devil Brigade," 1/82 AAB, is the first fully-developed advise and assist brigade to deploy to Iraq with the mission of security force assistance.

The Iraqis are at a place where they are ready to lead with assistance from U.S. forces. Unlike in years past that favored combat-oriented missions, the way ahead is through building capacity of Iraqi civil and military institutions, "a push instead of pull," said Odierno. Warriors training other warriors will help them accomplish their mission, he said.

"This is about showing people how adaptable the Army is, that we can accomplish our mission in many ways," he said.

Odierno emphasized to leaders of the Devil Brigade the necessity of finding and fighting the root causes of any instability in Iraq with specialized and targeted responses.

Col. Mark Stammer, commander of 1/82 AAB, told the general that the brigade had conducted a thorough analysis of Al Anbar province and had partnered with the best subject matter experts to ensure they are paying attention to the right environmental indicators of success.

Commanders of the brigade's eight battalions reported on the breadth and depth of current successful partnerships with Iraqis, from "turning wrenches together," to improving aid-station competencies, to engaging in combined arms maneuver live fire exercises.

An important indicator of Iraqis taking ownership for their own security has been the number of calls the general receives complaining of missteps by U.S. forces, which dropped from 3-4 calls per week prior to the security force agreement to almost none, said Odierno.

Odierno was the operational architect of the U.S. troop surge of 2007and is credited with implementing the counter-insurgency strategy that, along with the "Sunni Awakening" during which Sunni tribes realigned from al Qaida to U.S. forces, significantly reduced violence in Iraq.

An artilleryman by trade, Odierno has served as the commanding general of MNF-I since September 2008.

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