'Grunts of the Air Force' Partnering with the Iraqi Police and the U.S. Army

Photo By 1st Lt. William Marquez | On Nov. 10 in Dijla, a town in a rural area on the outskirts of Baghdad, Iraq, a local...... read more read more

Photo By 1st Lt. William Marquez | On Nov. 10 in Dijla, a town in a rural area on the outskirts of Baghdad, Iraq, a local Iraqi policeman gives a stuffed animal to a student attending a local elementary school. Airmen from Detachment 2, 732nd Expeditionary Security Force Squadron supported the Iraqi police serving in Dijla as they executed this humanitarian mission.  see less | View Image Page

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

11.10.2009

Story by 1st Lt. William Marquez 

49th Military Police Brigade

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BAGHDAD, Iraq — On Nov. 10, in the town of Dijla, Iraq, members of the 2nd Detachment, 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, conducted a joint humanitarian mission with the local Iraqi police. At an elementary school in the small town located in a rural area on the outskirts of Baghdad, airmen and Iraqi police handed out toys, muffins and gifts to approximately 300 children, as Army helicopters very quietly provided overwatch.

According to the airmen of 2nd Detachment, there are two good reasons for performing a humanitarian mission with the Iraqi police. If successful, the operation will strengthen the credibility of the local police, and it will bring a rare pleasure to children who are not accustomed to receiving toys. "If the people of Dijla see the Iraqi police positively engaged with the town, then the citizens of Dijla will trust the police and will work with them when it comes to enforcing the law," said Tech. Sgt. Todd Rajek, Police Transition Team manager for 2nd Detachment. "It will also bring some joy to children who have grown up in poverty and conflict."

While a small team of airmen helped Iraqi policemen handout toys and treats to the children of Dijla's elementary school, a larger element of airmen secured the main road in front of the school and Dijla's perimeter. There were airmen on rooftops, in gun trucks and on foot; and during the entire operation, a team of airmen continually communicated with aviation support provided by an Army Stryker brigade. This mission had many facets and consisted of many moving parts. It was part civil affairs, information operations and public affairs, and the operation required close coordination between security elements on the ground and in the air.

In preparation for this school-drop mission, the airmen of 2nd Detachment conducted a key leader engagement with the Iraqi police leadership at the Dijla station. In this initial meeting, Air Force, Army and Iraqi police leadership discussed enemy activity in the region and the needs of the station, and discussed how they would positively engage the people of Dijla. During this key leader engagement, the Air Force and the Army leadership were very interested in finding ways to work together to help the Iraqi police and Iraqi army jointly secure the Dijla area.

"The Stryker Brigade normally works with the Iraqi army, and 2nd DET. normally works with the Iraqi police. One of the goals of the mission is to bring the Iraqi police and Iraqi army together by building a strong working relationship between us and the Stryker unit," said 1st Lt. Brian Mack, the flight commander of the airmen responsible for advising and assisting the Dijla police. Capt. Bernard Balsis of the Styrker Brigade reinforced the importance of the Iraqi army and Iraqi police working together, especially when it comes to important events, such as the upcoming national parliamentary elections. "We are interested in the Iraqi army and the Iraqi police conducting more joint patrols. With the elections coming up, we would like to see them securing polling sites together. Schools are often used as polling sites," said Balsis, the cavalry commander from the 4-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, who is responsible for advising and assisting the Iraqi army based in Dijla.

When it comes to the needs, interests, and capabilities of the Iraqi police, the airmen of 2nd Detachment have a lot to share with the soldiers of the Stryker unit. For the last 10 months, as the Iraqi police increased their responsibility for the security, and law and order of Iraq, the airmen of 2nd Detachment advised, trained and assisted the Iraqi police in Baghdad and its surrounding areas. Rare in the Air Force ranks, Security Force airmen who are part of a Police Transition Team mission must serve twelve consecutive months in a combat theater.

Another unique characteristic of the airmen in the 2nd Detachment is that they all volunteered for their PTT mission. "All of us doing PTT in Iraq volunteered to do it, and we didn't volunteer to sit at a desk for four, five or six months. We volunteered to go "outside the wire" for an entire year," said Sgt. Joseph Hilguero, team leader of Charlie team, 4th squad, 2nd Flight, 2nd Det., 732nd Squadron. "We have a lot in common with infantry and military police soldiers who go on patrols. When soldiers ask me to explain my job in the Air Force, I just tell them we're the grunts of the Air Force. They seem to understand," said Hilguero.