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By Capt. Seth Palmer
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – The Rakkasans conducted a joint security meeting with their partnered Iraqi army battalion and local citizens at Patrol Base Knight, about 15 kilometers southwest of Baghdad, April 29.
Soldiers from Troop A, 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and 3rd Battalion, 43rd Brigade, 11th IA Division met to interact with local residents to discuss various issues concerning the area, particularly security.
Security remains a major concern for all Iraqis. One desired outcome from the meeting is the building of trust between area citizens and the IA.
"Initially we saw hesitation from the locals to interact with the Iraqi Army; there just wasn't much trust between the two," said Staff Sgt. Adam McMurray, Troop A, 1-33rd Cav. Regt. "These meetings have been a great step towards building that trust."
One sign that trust in the IA is improving is the increase in tips from residents leading the IA to weapons cache sites. Originally, many of these tips went to U.S. forces, but in the past week there has been an increase of tips given to the IA.
The unit plans to continue these meetings on a regular basis to help maintain reconciliation efforts in the area.
| Date Taken: | 05.02.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 05.02.2008 16:35 |
| Story ID: | 19061 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 260 |
| Downloads: | 237 |
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