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    Vanguards Applaud Security Volunteers

    Vanguards Applaud Security Volunteers

    Photo By Lt. Col. Kirk Luedeke | Andrew Passen of the U.S. State Department, center, talks to Iraq security forces with...... read more read more

    By Sgt. 1st Class Robert Timmons
    4th BCT, 1st Inf. Div. Public Affairs

    BAGHDAD – A Multi-National Division-Baghdad battalion commander working directly with Iraqi security volunteers cited their efforts Oct. 19 as one of the major factors in the economic revival of the Saydiyah, a southern neighborhood in the Iraqi capital.

    Lt. Col. George Glaze, commander of the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, based in Schweinfurt, Germany, which is attached to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division from Fort Riley, Kan., is responsible for the security of a large part of west Rashid which includes Saydiyah and Radwiniyah.

    "When we put (the volunteers) in, there were six shops along the main commercial street, within two days there were 24 shops and two day(s) later there were 54. It seemed that every two days the number of shops doubled," he said "To me that is an indicator of security."

    Glaze said that with the added security, the economy has improved.

    "The economy began to immediately return once the ISVs were in sector," the Task Force 1-18 "Vanguards" commander said.

    Currently there are more than 300 Iraqis in the volunteer force with 30 of those being Shia, with more being hired everyday.

    The volunteers are a cornerstone of coalition and Iraqi efforts to bring stability to Baghdad by empowering citizens to protect their neighborhoods enabling security forces to concentrate of rebuilding the nation's infrastructure.

    Glaze said he felt prejudices have caused some to resort to violence out of fear. The only way to combat it was through communication, he added.

    He cited a recent example of dialogue when he broke fast during Ramadan outside the recently re-opened Saydiyah Mosque with local leaders and the ISV. The Sunni mosque had been closed for eight months but "immediately opened," when the ISV was started in the town.

    Glaze and Lt. Col. Jabar, the Iraqi army commander in Saydiyah sat down recently with members of the volunteer force, Iraqi security forces and Imams to talk about ways to move forward in area.

    The Vanguard commander said the level of violence since citizens began volunteering has dropped drastically in his area of operations.

    "In Radwiniyah as well as in Saydiyah it has gone down significantly. The numbers of murders, direct fires, and IEDs have reduced significantly. It went from everyday to every other day to once a week," he said.

    He added he believes the current strategy of getting the volunteers and ISF working together is the main reason for the revival of Saydiyah.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 10.21.2007
    Date Posted: 10.22.2007 11:24
    Story ID: 13177
    Location: BAGHDAD, IQ

    Web Views: 541
    Downloads: 518

    PUBLIC DOMAIN