Soldiers secure sites for Iraqi election

Photo By Master Sgt. Opal Vaughn | Soldiers with 1st Platoon, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Division, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, have a stare contest with two Iraqi girls while on patrol to secure possible election sites in Tahrir, located in Diyala, Iraq, Jan. 7.  

DIYALA PROVINCE, IRAQ

01.07.2009

Story by Spc. Opal Vaughn  

14th Public Affairs Detachment

By Spc. Opal Vaughn
14th Public Affairs Detachment

DIYALA, Iraq - With looming elections, Iraqi elections that is, security is imperative to ensure Iraq remains a safe environment during the weeks leading up to Election Day.

To enforce security measures, 1st Platoon, Bravo Co., 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, conducted a security patrol in Tahrir, located in Diyala, Iraq, to secure possible sites for the upcoming election, Jan. 7.

"We're out here assessing the security of possible election sites," said North Pole, Alaska native, Sgt. 1st Class John Knott, a squad leader with 1st Platoon, Bravo Co., 1-5 Inf., 1st SBCT, 25th Inf. Div. "We're working with the Tahrir IPs to make sure they have all the necessary security measures put in place and making sure they have a grasp or thorough understanding of what they need to do on the election day."

Knott continued, "The election is near the end of the month, so it may seem like we are jumping the gun kind of early. But we like to make sure that we are always prepared for anything," Knott stated. "The IAs and IPs tend to jump on things at the last minute so we want to instill in them good planning process and procedures. We will continue to check in on them until the day of the election by making sure they understand what their security responsibilities are."

Leading up to the election, several measures of securing the possible elections sites are taken to include assessing entrance and exit points, how many people the building may house and the surrounding environment, according to Knott. "Once the event kicks off, we want to ensure the IPs and IAs has a good grasp on the procedures needed in case of emergency," Knott stated. "Keeping accountability, counting ballots and transferring ballots, just the overall picture of the election needs to be taken into consideration."

"We've established a good working relationship with IPs in Tahrir, so we stop by on a regular basis to check up on them and just to sit and chat. Sometimes we talk about work, we talk about family, we drink chai tea and joke around; just basic relationship building," Knott smiled.

In order to keep an open relationship, the ongoing transition process of giving Iraq back to its people, is still a big part of relationship building with regards to Iraqi security forces and coalition forces.

"We have a general idea of how we would like the IPs to set up security for the election day but obviously, we want them to be able to do it on their own," said 1st Lt. Andrew Garwitz, 1st Platoon leader, Bravo Co., 1-5 Inf., 1st SBCT, 25th Inf. Div. "We're not going to tell them exactly how to do that because we are here to provide a general framework for them, to help them, to set up their security."

"We looked at several factors," Garwitz stated. "Basically, what type of defensive measures do they have in place, structure of each facility, entrances and exits and avenues of approach. We will continue to make regular visits to different possible elections sites up until the election."

Garwitz continued, "Even when the Election Day arrives, we will continue to assist with security. We will always provide a quick reaction force so if need be, we can roll in and assist our Iraqi counterparts. As for now, it will primarily consist of IP and IA running their own security. But we will be on standby, over watching the whole process."

• Date Taken: 01.07.2009
• Date Posted: 01.18.2009 10:18
• Story ID: 28988
• Location: DIYALA PROVINCE, IQ