101st Airborne Division start new operation 'Balls MEPS'

Courtesy Photo | Iraqi Army soldiers instruct members of the Sons of Iraq the details of the push-up...... read more read more

Courtesy Photo | Iraqi Army soldiers instruct members of the Sons of Iraq the details of the push-up event during the physical fitness portion of Operation Balls MEPS (Military Enlistment Processing Station) on February 26th, at Forward Operating Base O'Ryan, Iraq. The "Balls of the Eagle" 2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault),jointly planned and executed the operation with the Iraqi Government in hopes of transitioning the thousands of SoIs within their area of operations into the Iraqi security forces.  see less | View Image Page

BALAD, IRAQ

03.05.2008

Courtesy Story

1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AA) Public Affairs

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By 1st Lt. Jonathan J. Springer
1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division

Forward Operating Base O'Ryan, Iraq – Violence throughout Iraq has dramatically decreased thanks to the brave efforts of local citizens, both Shia and Sunni, who have bonded together and are committed, along with coalition forces and Iraqi security forces, to fight against al-Qaida extremists.

Many commanders will attribute the success of the security situation in Iraq to the Sons of Iraq. The SoI are formerly known as the Concerned Local Citizens, and before that, the Tribal Security Forces.

These Sons of Iraq are a maturing result of the 'tribal awakening' that blossomed throughout Iraq following General Petraeus' implementation of "the surge" and are made up of men who are committed to ridding their local villages of insurgents in order to protect their families and tribes.

Strategic-level leaders in Iraq recognized that the early Tribal Security Forces would only be a temporary fix to the security situation during "the surge" in 2007, but have since seen the SoI become a significant contributing factor to the stability enjoyed in enclaves around the country.

The leaders of these groups, tribal sheiks and elected community representatives, are now working with the Government of Iraq to get SoI members permanent employment within the Ministries of Interior and Defense as full-time Iraqi security force members.

One unit who has seen just how effective the Sons of Iraq are in their area of operations is 2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).

The battalion, to help facilitate the process of providing the local tribesman a permanent employment opportunity within the Iraq government, planned and executed a large-scale, non-kinetic, operation aimed at helping transition these SoI members into the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi police.

This operation, dubbed Operation Balls MEPS (Military Enlistment Processing Station), was executed February 25 at Forward Operating Base O'Ryan; this is the first of at least three operations to be conducted at different locations throughout the battalion's AO.

"We are implementing the process of identifying qualified individuals from the Sons of Iraq program who are willing to remain paid members of a security force and facilitating their matriculation into active service with either the Ministry of the Interior's Police Forces or the Ministry of Defense's Army Forces," said Maj. Timothy Frambes, operations officer for the "Balls of the Eagle" battalion.

Frambes said the battalion coined this operation "Balls MEPS" as homage to the majority of the U.S. Military member's first experience at Military Enlistment Processing Stations throughout the United States.

"Before we joined the military, we all had to endure military physicals, testing, and some sort of interview as we volunteered to serve our nation. During Operation Balls MEPS, we have a number of stations that are required for these SoI to go through," said Frambes.

Some of the stations that are required for Operation Balls MEPS include a physical fitness test, medical screening, and basic administration to process the large volume of paperwork that entailed with government service.

The operation was planned, coordinated and executed jointly with key-leaders from the 2-320th FAR, local Iraqi Police, and the 3rd and 4th Battalions, 4th Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division.

"The fact that our partnered Iraqi Army battalions and the local IP stations are jointly involved furthers our ability to cooperatively administer to some of the basic functions that will extend the security gains achieved by all of the programs and local volunteers in the recent past," added Frambes.

In just two days, nearly 500 SoI members and other prospective applicants arrived at the front gates of FOB O'Ryan, ready to apply and tackle the physical training events required to get the chance to become permanent ISF members. Frambes said that this first Balls MEPS operation has been a huge success for the battalion, the brigade, and coalition forces as a whole.

"Right now, we are the only battalion within the 1st BCT executing something like this; we are setting the example for other units to build on as they execute the same processes," noted Frambes.

Since the inception of the SoI program, one that was inherited by the 'Balls' battalion, enemy attacks in their area of operations reduced 20 percent since November 2007.

"I believe we as a battalion have been successful because of our operational tempo. Our guys are outside the wire conducting numerous combat operations. On top of that, we are getting a lot more cooperation from the local populace, the ISF, and the SoI concerning enemy activity in the area," said Staff Sgt. Christopher James Estes, an intelligence analyst with the 2-320th FAR.

Estes said that intelligence was critical to how the battalion plans and conducts kinetic and non-kinetic operations, and the support from the SoI has been crucial to the 2-320th FAR's success thus far.

"Intelligence drives our maneuver plan on the ground. With all the success we've had at taking high value individuals off the streets ... well, this in turn produces a safer and more secure Iraq," Estes said.

And continuing to improve the security situation in Iraq is exactly what Frambes hopes Operation Balls MEPS will.

"Many of the men on our SoI checkpoints are former members of the IAs or IPs, and what we have now is a hometown guard of sorts. This is a good system, which provides a service to the country by denying the extremists, and other unsavory characters, the ability to negatively influence the people through murder, mayhem, and intimidation on the same," said Frambes.

What Frambes hopes is that the members of these local tribal forces can continue to provide the same protection they have given to their own tribes, but now serving in Iraq's security forces.

"The enemy no longer has a refuge amongst the people here. The vast majority of Iraqis want progress and are tired of the ruthlessness of the insurgency. We are focused, along with the SoI and the ISF, and are aggressive in our pursuit for the insurgents," said Lt. Col. John Dunleavy, commander of the 2-320th FAR.

By remaining determined and focused in the fight against terrorism, Dunleavy said most Iraqis are finally starting to turn against the insurgency with the help of the Sons of Iraq and the improved ISF; the security situation has vastly improved. He also hopes that transitioning the Sons of Iraq members into the ISF will bring a permanent, and positive, change to this country.

"This is a long struggle and it is tough to define when it will end. I can only speak for our area of operations and our battalion, but what I know is we did not deploy with the mind set of trying to just improve things ... we are committed to win and we believe we are winning," said Dunleavy.

"This Sons of Iraq program is an impressive display of the Iraqi people's resolve, to end for good, the cycle of violence that was the hallmark of sectarian conflict that tore this country apart following the Golden Dome Mosque bombing in Samarra in February 2006. I believe that the population truly believes that they have a future; one without fear of continued violence," said Frambes.

With the numbers that 2-320th FAR have seen thus far, Operation Balls MEPS will provide the Iraqi Government the added personnel it needs to boost its security forces substantially. In turn, this operation will also provide these brave tribal security members permanent employment and the opportunity to continue to make improvements in the security situation here.