Assassin Troop improves citizens of Iraq's quality of life, security

Photo By Sgt. David Hodge | Capt. Todd Poindexter, the commander of Troop A, 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, listens to local Iraqi leaders discuss completed and future projects, July 13, at a joint security station in the Rashid District of Baghdad. Troop A Soldiers conduct full-spectrum operations throughout the five farms area with plans to turn it over to the Iraqi security forces and provide only tactical over watch, said Poindexter, who hails from Eden, N.C.  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

07.18.2008

Story by Sgt. David Hodge 

1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

By Spc. David Hodge
1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq – In the farmlands of southeastern Baghdad a joint security station sits nestled away from the hustle and bustle of the urbanized Baghdad area. The five farms area is the center of agriculture for many Iraqi citizens and the center of operations for some Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers.

The Soldiers of Troop A, 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, MND-B, take on the mission to further the development of local governances and transition the security in the area into tactical over watch by ensuring the Iraqi security forces are a capable fighting force.

"We focus mainly on projects, governance, and ISF partnership," said Capt. Todd Poindexter, the commander of Troop A, 7th Sqdn., 10th Cav. Regt., 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B. "My Soldiers have maintained security, lowered enemy activity and successfully mapped out the civilian population throughout our area in the few months we have been here."

"Assassin" Troop has been successful in eliminating the cultural barriers between the population, Soldiers and ISF so far in this deployment, said Poindexter.

"We have been to almost every house in our area," he said. "In a couple of months, we will have completed that. It has been a great help to our mission."

In some of the houses the Soldiers visit the homeowners say it is the first time they have met an American Soldier, added Poindexter.

With the decrease in violence in the Rashid District, Soldiers of Troop A work in conjunction with the Iraqi army to deter the criminal activity in the area and restore essential services to the Iraqi people every day, said Poindexter, who hails from Eden, N. C.

The Soldiers focus on population engagements and community projects, he added.

"We concentrate much of our efforts on population control, or keeping in touch with the people," explained Poindexter, a veteran of three combat tours to Iraq. "We may not bring in the big caches, or high-value individuals, but we do many projects for the residents. They see the forward momentum through the projects and services and tend to keep their neighborhood clean of criminals."

Poindexter attends meetings regularly with IA, local leaders and neighborhood council members to discuss contract information, the return of displaced families, and the status of future projects.

Both Assassin Troop, 7th Sqdn., 10th Cav. Regt., and their IA counterparts have completed many projects, which include the removal of road debris, route paving, canal dredging, and electrical transformer installation, said Poindexter.

Ongoing projects in their operating environments include the continuing effort to bring steady power to more places and introducing a processing facility for one of Iraq's popular exports, the fruit taken from the date palm tree.

"The things I deal with in the meetings are the issues my Soldiers deal with every day," Poindexter said. "They didn't go to basic training to learn that kind of stuff."

On the ground, inside a small portion of the urban community within the troop's area of operation, Soldiers from the mortar platoon, known as "Thunder," meet with Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 43rd Brigade, 11th Iraqi Army Division to conduct close encounter engagements during a combined patrol.

"We do combined patrols with the IA so they can get to know the local people," said Staff Sgt. Ricardo Chavez, an indirect fire infantryman and section sergeant for Thunder Plt., attached to Troop A, 7th Sqdn., 10th Cav. Regt., 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B.

"Together we conduct close encounter population engagements to ensure micro grants and contracts are being used in the correct capacity, and to check on the Sons of Iraq members," added Chavez, a native of Los Angeles.

The SoI are a volunteer-based Neighborhood Watch Program that maintains a 24-hour watch in the communities across Iraq.

At night, a dismounted patrol of Soldiers bounds along a road in darkness inspecting SoI checkpoints and talking with citizens.

"Operating like this makes our job easier because the enemy knows we may always be watching them," said Pfc. Dietrick Ramey, a combat medic assigned to 1st Plt., Troop A, 7th Sqdn., 10th Cav. Regt., 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B. "It's important for the safety of the people that we make sure there is no suspicious activity."

Criminals sometimes occupy vacant houses and use the locations to watch CF or ISF movements, he said.

"There are families that want to move back into those vacant houses in the area so it's vital to check them for squatters," said Ramey, who hails from Toledo, Ohio.

Dismounted patrols show the citizens in the area the Soldiers do care and want to make their presence as friendly as possible, he explained.

"I feel we have gained the people's trust," Ramey said. "It also shows the population we respect them as much as they respect us."

The Soldiers of the 7th Sqdn., 10th Cav. Regt., 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B, are currently deployed from their home station of Fort Hood, Texas and serving a 15-month-long tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

• Date Taken: 07.18.2008
• Date Posted: 07.18.2008 09:55
• Story ID: 21603
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ