Photo By Sgt. Kenneth Bince | U.S. Army 1st Lt. Alicia M. Meinko (right), 3rd platoon leader, and Sgt. Jessica M....... read more read more
FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARHORSE, Iraq - As the squad of Soldiers entered the 100 feet by 50 feet courtyard of the Baquba police station, they were greeted by the police chief and a two platoon-sized formation of officers.
The two platoons wore two distinctly different types of uniforms, the first were wearing blue shirts, dark pants, black berets and tan load bearing equipment, whereas the second platoon were more suited for combat.
The second platoon wore green Kevlar helmets, blue digital camouflage uniforms, tan boots and load bearing equipment, both of the platoons grasped AK-47s.
These Iraqi police officers weren't regular street police; they were the quick reactionary force for the Baquba Provincial Joint Communications Center.
Even though this was just the second engagement with this particular police station, the first being the previous day, the squad of military policemen from the 66th Military Police Company were ready to start training with their new law enforcement partners.
Training Iraqi police is nothing new for Staff Sgt. Thomas Garrard, the 3rd platoon, 2nd squad leader, for the 66th Military Police Company; he has been to Iraq before. "My last deployment to Iraq was quite different, now, it's all about what the Iraqi police need," he said.
After a short key leader engagement or meeting with the police chief inside the station, Garrard, a native of Seattle, Wash., two of his MPs as well as the police chief, reentered the courtyard.
As a result of the quick discussion between the chief and the MPs, it is determined that the Police Transition Team would conduct advanced search and apprehension techniques training.
For the Fort Lewis, Wash., based 66th MP Company, planning and executing the Iraqi police security concept is a critical mission that contributes significantly to the stability of Iraq.
"[U.S. forces] perform in an advisory and assist role," said, 2nd Lt. Alicia M. Mienko, 66th MP Company, 3rd platoon leader. "The Iraqi police operate independently, and [U.S. forces] are no longer in the forefront of missions."
The Detroit, Mich., native, who initially joined the Army with the intent of becoming a health care administrator, currently has multiple ongoing missions in the Baquba area of operation.
"Along with the training for the Baquba QRF, my platoon is also responsible for secondary security for the PJCC," she said. "A mission that we took over from the 287th MP Company in January," she said.
"Third platoon MPs are basically providing over watch for the Iraqi security forces at the center," Meinko said.
"Entry control points, roof top observation points and foot patrols are a few of the missions the platoon supports, said Sgt. Crystal Arratia, a team leader for 2nd squad, 3rd platoon, 66th MP Company.
In addition to providing security, the platoon maintains connectivity to the center of Baquba provincial government. "The PJCC is a coordination center, the hub where local Iraqi government officials, Iraqi security forces and coalition forces integrate," said Meinko.
"The big picture of the whole province," she said. "Multiple agencies seeing the same operational view of the battle space."
While continuing to mentor Iraq security forces, members of the platoon must constantly make adjustments to the advisory plan. "My Soldiers constantly battle their supporting roles as advisors, said Meinko.
"At what point of assisting do you ultimately end up hurting what's already been accomplished, and are taking away from the training and support that have already been implemented?" she asked.
"There's a fine line my squads walks while assisting and advising," she said. "Sometimes you have to back off certain situations, and let the Iraqi security forces work though their issues between the different organizations."
The northern Iraqi city of Buquba was once a hotbed for insurgent activity. At the height of its turbulence in 2006, the current police chief described the conditions by saying, "When one of my officers were injured or killed in the streets, it would take hours to recover the injured or dead. We would have to fight our way in and out of the areas."
"It's not like that now. My officers freely move throughout the city," said the chief.
He attributed the stabilization of the city to the improved support and training from U.S. forces like the military policemen from the 66th MP, the Soldiers that routinely put themselves in harms way to foster and solidify the foundations for a self-sustaining and independent Iraq.
As the August deadline for troop reduction gets closer, the 66th MPs are prepared for flexible mission taskings. "As we will continue work and strengthen the partnership with head agencies in Bacquba, (the company's) focus will soon revert to a responsible reduction of forces," said Meinko.
"Most importantly, [U.S. forces] need to do the best that we can with the time we have left, to ensure that [security forces] have the right tools, so that when we leave Iraq everything that coalition forces have put into this country in the last eight years will not be in vain," she said.
| Date Taken: | 02.04.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 03.17.2010 19:00 |
| Story ID: | 46819 |
| Location: | FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARHORSE, IQ |
| Web Views: | 579 |
| Downloads: | 252 |
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