Iraqi, U.S. forces prepare security at polling sites

Photo By Sgt. Matthew Wester | Sgt. William Moon, a Houston, Texas, native and artilleryman for Service Battery, 4th Battalion, 1st Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, secures a concrete barrier on the back of an M977 cargo truck at Camp Taji on Dec. 11.  

TAJI, IRAQ

12.15.2005

Courtesy Story

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Sgt. Matthew Wester
3/1 AD PAO

CAMP TAJI, Iraq " Soldiers of 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division and Iraqi officials northwest of Baghdad spent the last week working toward a common goal: making polling sites as secure as possible.

The Soldiers transported concrete barriers and emplaced them at polling places to ensure that voters remain safe during the historic national elections on Dec. 15. The entire planning process was a collaborative effort between Coalition Forces, Iraqi officials, and the Iraqi Army. Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army will assume the primary role of polling site security on election day.

"During the election preparations, the Coalition and Iraqi Forces got together and decided what the best barrier package would be in order to increase the force protection for the local Iraqis at each of the polling sites, " said Capt. Eric Swenson, assistant brigade engineer for 3rd Bde, 1st AD. "With that information, we set out to assist in "hardening" polling sites and deny the enemy the ability to influence the elections (with attacks)."

Iraqi officials took the lead in planning election-site security and 3/1 AD troops assisted with logistics, said Maj. Scott Sill, civil military operations officer for the brigade.

"This is now an Iraqi plan," he said. "The coordination occurs with the host nation. It isn't being moderated or carried by U.S forces."

Sill said joint planning began right after the Constitutional Referendum vote in October. Everyone involved was able to refine and improve their December plans based on their experience from the first two elections.

The Iraqi Forces are building on what they achieved during the Referendum vote when they curbed attacks and ensured that citizens made it to the polls safely.




irelect, Iraqi elections

• Date Taken: 12.15.2005
• Date Posted: 12.15.2005 03:17
• Story ID: 4084
• Location: TAJI, IQ