By Spc. Ricardo Branch
1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division
RAMADI, Iraq – The locals greeted the Iraqi soldiers in central Ramadi with handshakes and smiles. Those smiles are something new for the troops who've had to overcome years of violence from insurgents in their quest to secure the city.
The Iraqi Army soldiers patrolling the streets of Ramadi brought supplies to the people during humanitarian missions June 29 through July 1.
"The Iraqi army here may be from all backgrounds and provinces of Iraq, but that doesn't change how we feel about our country," said Col. Sabah Fadel, 1st Brigade, 7th Iraqi Army Division commander. "As Iraqi army soldiers, it's our job to protect and help the people, which is our goal with these missions."
Col. David Freeman, 1-7 brigade military transition team chief said the operations are an indicator of the Iraqi army's commitment to Ramadi.
About a month ago the Iraqi brigade commander approached the MiTT team to do a civil affairs mission, Freeman said. It was important to do the mission because months ago terrorists paraded down the streets, demonstrating their dominance of Ramadi but now the Iraqi army's in control.
During the three-day operation, called Operation Helping Hand, the troops visited the Al Hommerah, and Al Hoz districts of Ramadi, the Women and Children's Hospital and the Ramadi General Hospital in their effort to further strengthen relations with the Iraqi army and locals of the city.
"We chose those areas to show the people that the streets formerly held by insurgents are now held and patrolled by the Iraqi army," Fadal said. "This is to tell the people that we're here to help them."
The IA's helped the locals by bringing supplies such as food, fuel and medicine to help improve the peoples' lives.
"The people really need these supplies," Fadal said. "As Ramadi gets safer, we're able to go directly to the people and take care of their concerns because it's our job."
Throughout the operations, Iraqi soldiers were smiling and waving to the people of Ramadi.
"If people want to know how we feel about the work we are doing they just need to look at Ramadi," Fadal said. "The efforts of the Iraqi soldiers here have done much for the city. The hospitals are receiving medical supplies, people are beginning to get fuel more often and life is gradually improving for the people of Ramadi – this makes us happy."
Although this was just one humanitarian mission for the Iraqi soldiers, everyone participating from the colonel to the private sees hope as Ramadi moves forward from violence to prosperity, and a brighter future for all.
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