Photo By Sgt. Matthew Clifton | Iraqi Policemen and Soldiers from the 108th Military Police Company, 16th MP Brigade,...... read more read more
Pfc. Matthew Clifton
MNC-I Public Affairs Office
November 25, 2005
BAGHDAD, Iraq " Soldiers from 1st Platoon, 108th Military Police Company, 16th MP Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C., have been working hand-in-hand with the Iraqi Police at the Bilat Alshuhadaa Station since September.
One thing the MPs do is try to establish good community relations between the IPs and the civilians they are there to protect. This involves reaching out to the locals by going into the neighborhood and visiting the local schoolhouse.
"Our mission today is to assist (the IPs) with delivering literature and supplies to the local schoolhouse," said Spc. Timothy Adams, gunner, 108th MP Co. "We will go to the station, walk them through the mission and support them while they go in and hand out the supplies."
The IPs will be handing out school supplies, Iraqi flags, T-shirts and magazines explaining how they are there to help them, Adams said.
The 108th MP Co. is finishing their second rotation in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and has directly contributed to the progress made by IPs in the country.
"We were in Mosul last year working with the IPs," said Sgt. John Olsen, vehicle commander, 108th MP Co. "We worked very hard with the IPs and they were extremely productive in learning their job."
The same thing can be said for the IPs in Baghdad, Olsen continued.
"When we first arrived in Mosul, the IPs were under our constant supervision. It was the very beginning of the learning process for them," Olsen said. "Now, almost two years later we are to the point where the IPs are taking the main role in the missions they conduct."
With this mission, the MPs and IPs will have to cordon off the streets around the school to establish a perimeter and make sure they protect the school from any possible threats. Two streets will be cordoned. One will be covered by the IPs and the other will be covered by the MPs, Adams said.
"We are only going to stay at the school for about 40 minutes, because we don't want to draw any resistance focused at us towards the school," Olsen said. "One we get the perimeter, we will go inside, hand out the supplies, talk with the teachers and children briefly and return to the station."
Back at the station, after the mission, Olsen and the other sergeants of the 108th MP Co. went through an after action review with the IPs.
"Basically, everything was great. The IPs performed professionally and helped establish a necessary connection with the local children," he said. "A lot of the information we get comes from children, so it is important that they know the IPs are there to keep them safe."
Every time the IPs successfully complete a mission their confidence and morale are boosted, and that will ultimately lead to their 100 percent individual effectiveness, Olsen said.
"The goal here is to make the IPs self-sufficient," Adams said. "We have been working with the IPs for a long time, and I know how dedicated they are to protecting their people."
Adams has seen nothing but improvement from the Iraqi Police at Bilat Alshuhadaa Station and is confident they are nearing their ultimate goal of taking complete control of their neighborhood.
| Date Taken: | 12.05.2005 |
| Date Posted: | 12.05.2005 16:50 |
| Story ID: | 3952 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 191 |
| Downloads: | 86 |
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