Strykehorse Soldiers work with Iraqi Security Forces in Falahat

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Brian Addis | Sgt. Aaron Walters, a native of Wichita, Kan., uses the mine detecting system while searching for suspected weapons caches near Falahat, a village northwest of Baghdad, Oct. 14, 2008. Soldiers of Troop C, 2nd Squadron 14th Cavalry, Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team "Warrior," 25th Infantry Division, Multi-national Division – Baghdad, and 75 Sons of Iraq guard acted on a tip from a village elder and set out to locate possible caches in an area. Walters is a team leader for Troop C, 2nd Sqdn. 14th Cav. Regt., 2nd SBCT.  

TAJI, IRAQ

10.25.2008

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Brian Addis 

2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division

By Sgt. 1st Class Brian Addis
2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team "Warrior," 25th Infantry Division

CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Soldiers assigned to Troop C, 2nd Squadron 14th Cavalry Regiment, "Strykehorse," 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team "Warrior," 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad work to bring a sense of normalcy back to the Falahat area, the area in which they've lived for the past 10 months.

They help create jobs through projects but also give teenage children something to do as well. Through networking, they established trusting relationships with local leaders, Iraqi security forces and the people of Falahat, a village northwest of Baghdad.

Those close relationships enable the Soldiers' to locate weapons in the area.

On the morning of Oct. 14, 2008, Soldiers from Troop C and approximately 75 Sons of Iraq guards acted on a tip from a village elder.

"The Sons of Iraq have been, and continue to work hard at securing the area. They are always very anxious to do anything in support of keeping the area secure and safe," said 1st Lt. Daniel Yun, a native of Potomac, Md., and the Fire Support officer for 2nd Sqdn. 14th Cav. Regt.

The village elder led them to numerous farmhouses, farmlands and sites along the river bank in order to confirm or deny the location of possible sites where it was believed that al-Qaida in Iraq members were stashing weapons and explosives. After an extensive searching effort, no sign of any cache was found.

"The lack of caches in the objective area could be credited to the fact that the clearance was conducted two days after the raid." said Capt. Travis Shain, a native of Victoria, Texas, and Troop C commander. "However, this goes to show the dedication that the people of Falahat have, the tips, the allocation of resources, in wanting to rid the area of AQI and other Special Groups."

• Date Taken: 10.25.2008
• Date Posted: 10.25.2008 11:20
• Story ID: 25550
• Location: TAJI, IQ