1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs

Story by Pfc. Adam Halleck

BAGHDAD – Its 3:00 a.m., as American and Iraqi soldiers rush to their trucks, trading the comforts of Joint Security Station Sheik Amir for the rugged farmland of al-Raood, a village north of Baghdad.

Troopers from Battery A, 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, partnered with Iraqi troops assigned to 2nd Battalion, 37th Iraqi Army Brigade, 9th IA Division, conducted a massive search for weapons caches and known criminals, Oct. 30.

"We compiled an inclusive list of known wrongdoers in the al-Raood area who had outstanding warrants," said Janesville, Wis. native, Pfc. Jacob Kruzel, an intelligence systems analyst. "The guys on the ground were given our target list so they could weed out the criminals who live among the people of al-Raood."

In the early morning darkness, U.S. and Iraqi soldiers converged on the village, creating a perimeter around the rural community. Teams of troops walked through farmland and palm groves looking for criminals and weapons caches, while others provided security from the surrounding roads, while at the same time searching each vehicle entering and leaving the village.

"It took us about forty five minutes to control the security of about eight square kilometers," explained Capt. Robert Reece. "At the same time we were in the process of searching al-Raood for weapons caches and high value targets who used the area as a hideout."

The troops executed the mission after local residents requested the area be swept for weapons caches and criminal activity in hopes to deter outsiders from using it as a safe haven, added Reece.

"The local residents were pretty receptive and hospitable to us as we cleared the farmland and houses," said Lakeland, Tenn. native, 1st Lt. Patrick Muldoon. "They even offered us food and chai."

The Soldiers did a good job and got a good idea about security and civil capacity issues concerning the residents of al-Raood, added Muldoon.

"We got more than we needed during the mission," said Muldoon. "We made our point very clear that this area is not a good place for criminals to hide."

Missions like these provide the residents of rural areas like al-Raood the opportunity to see their security forces at work with Iraqi troops in the lead.

"The Iraqi army soldiers were accomplishing some good things the more we got moving around the area," said Cairo, Ga. native, Sgt. 1st. Class Phillip Cole. "A lot of the local people wanted us around [U.S. and Iraqi soldiers] to patrol the area, they were very happy to see us out there."

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