Iraqi-led Coalition team deliver communications to Border Police

Photo By Master Sgt. Ryan Matson | A view of the streets of Mosul, Iraq, from the convoy as it passes through the city.  

TIKRIT, IRAQ

07.18.2006

Story by Staff Sgt. Ryan Matson 

101st Combat Aviation Brigade

By Sgt. Ryan Matson
101st Combat Aviation Brigade

COB SPEICHER, Iraq - For the past three months, a team of Marines stationed at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, has been working with members of the Iraqi Border Police to help strengthen Iraqi forces along the Syrian border. The small group of Marines -- the Marine Border Transition Team for Region Two, and their Iraqi counterparts - the Region Two Headquarters, Department of Border Enforcement, have worked together on this mission in Tikrit, Iraq since May 14.

On July 12, the Iraqi and Coalition forces combined for their first big mission " a convoy from Tikrit to Sinjar, Iraq, to distribute communications equipment to the Third Brigade, Region Two Iraqi Border Police units along the border.

"This was an important mission because the Iraqis had a chance to support their units on the border," Capt. Daniel Sanchez, Region Two Marines Headquarters Border Transition Team, said. "It was a big step in allowing them to demonstrate their capability to support their region. It's another step in the Iraqis assuming full responsibility for the security of Iraq."

Thirty-one pallets of communications equipment, including more than 300 antennas, hand held radios, vehicle-mounted radios, receivers and transmitters were delivered to the border on the convoy. The equipment will be distributed to more than 40 locations along the border, enabling greater communications capabilities amongst the border patrol locations.

"The equipment provides both short and long range communications ability," Capt. Perry Mauer, Region Two Marines Headquarters Border Transition Team, said.

Sanchez said the Iraqi Region Two Headquarters, Department of Border Enforcement, directed the distribution of the equipment.

"We got enough gear out to cover the entire region," Sanchez said. "We worked with the general and his staff. They decided the distribution plan, and we worked together to coordinate it. The Commandos provided the security piece along the convoy, but overall, the Iraqi Headquarters decided what went where and when it left. We provided the lift and advised them on security."

During the course of the eight-hour convoy to the border, the Iraqis and Marines also had plenty of support from the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, who the Marines are attached to at COB Speicher. The 96th Aviation Support Battalion provided five trucks for the convoy, including three flatbeds that carried the communications equipment. Sgt. Collin Crenshaw, a light-wheel mechanic, and scouts Spc. Jared Conklin and Pfc. Eric Vantyle, a team of Soldiers from 6th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade who have worked with the Marines since they came to COB Speicher, also were part of the mission. In the skies above, the brigade also lent its air assets, offering additional protection through the air support of Apache helicopters from 1st Battalion, 101st CAB which escorted the convoys through known hotspots along the route, such as in Mosul.

"We're a small team, so we couldn't accomplish our mission and support the Iraqis here without the support of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade," Sanchez said. "We're there to advise the Iraqis, and we can do that, but on any type of operations, the key to our success is going to be the brigade. They've been more than supportive. They take an active interest in what we're doing in the town with the Iraqis. They've really gone out of their way to get involved in the mission and ensure success."
The Marines and Iraqi Commandos train together on a daily basis in Tikrit. The Marines are the first Coalition support to the Iraqi unit training 60 to 70 Iraqi Border Police Commandos each day at their camp on security measures. They have worked together on how to conduct security checkpoints, how to search vehicles effectively, and how to treat detainees, among other things. The Marines have worked with the Iraqis identifying and improving areas of their camp. They installed a generator on the camp and added extra force protection elements such as Hesco Barriers. The Iraqis said together they are making a difference in the effectiveness of the Iraqi Border Police.

"Every time we have a problem, we cooperate to fix anything that needs to be fixed," Maj. Ghafori, Iraqi Region Two Headquarters, Department of Border Enforcement, said. "They treat our Soldiers well, they are great teachers, and we get a lot of good experience from them. In my personal opinion, if the Marines stay with us for a year, our Commandos will be perfect."

"We are happy to work with the Marines," Capt. Ziad, Region Two Headquarters, Department of Border Enforcement, said. "The Marines practice with our Iraqi Border Police officers."

One of the future goals Ziad said the Iraqi Border police have identified with the Marines is establishing a range on the camp.

"We are ready to work with the Marines on any mission," he said.

Prior to delivering the communications equipment, the Iraqis and Marines worked together to determine each other's roles in the convoy. They rehearsed staging the vehicles and also worked together in formulating plans to deal with threats such as traffic circles, where the Iraqi Border Police used their police trucks to seal off traffic and allow the convoy to pass safely through congested city streets.

"Unfortunately, right now some of the Iraqi resources are somewhat limited, and that's where we come in, to facilitate their mission and work together to solve problems. The gear we delivered gives the Iraqi Border Police extra capability to perform their mission," Sanchez said.

Sanchez said he was pleased with the way the Iraqis and Marines were able to work together on the mission.

"Overall, they displayed everything we've taught them and a little more," he said. "It couldn't have gone better. They had good command and control of their security elements, their tactics, techniques and procedures were solid, and you could tell the individual soldiers were really adept at providing that security, at everything from reporting threats to the mission planning aspects. We worked together to identify routes and threats and a lot of the things we did we decided on together. They did an awesome job."

• Date Taken: 07.18.2006
• Date Posted: 07.18.2006 13:26
• Story ID: 7230
• Location: TIKRIT, IQ