Soldiers overwatch IP checkpoint

Courtesy Photo | Pfc. Addison Garcia, a 20-year-old, San Antonio native searches an Iraqi vehicle at a checkpoint, July 25, in Hit, Iraq. Garcia is with Company E, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry, providing overwatch to the Iraqi police in Hit.  

HIT, IRAQ

07.25.2007

Story by Spc. Ricardo Branch 

1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

By Spc. Ricardo Branch
1st BCT Public Affairs

HIT, Iraq (July 25, 2007) – The sounds of Brad Paisley carry through the air as Staff Sgt. Michael Musser and his team of two Bradleys scan the roads around checkpoint Strawberry-Bronze. They move their turrets and occasionally raise a flag signaling Iraqi vehicles to stop. Often their mission is to work with the local security forces. Today is different; the Iraqi police are taking the lead.

The team made up of Soldiers from Company E, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry provided overwatch for the police force July 25 at Hit.

"We're at the point where we're just watching the Iraqi police to ensure they are doing the right procedures," Musser said. "We used to have to go out there with them and make sure they searched vehicles the right way."

He said they spend long periods of time watching, waiting and remaining alert in case the Iraqi police need help from his team.

Unlike other maneuver units consisting of combat arms Soldiers, his team is comprised of combat engineers and various other combat support specialties.

Musser, 25, of Orlando, Fla., said that their current tasks of infantry missions are a direct follow-up of what his company was conducting in the last deployment.

"The Army's changing. A Soldier's job specialty is really secondary these days," he said. "Last time we were in Iraq, we did a lot of security and force protection during the Iraqi elections in 2005, so we're experienced in this type of work and have trained on it last year as well."

During the mission, the Soldiers instructed the Iraqi police on procedures to ensure all vehicles were being thoroughly searched. After the instruction, the Soldiers moved to their Bradleys where they remained vigilant for any problems.

"This is a step in the right direction of giving more responsibility to the local security force," Musser said. "They are thoroughly searching the vehicles and following what we taught them."

Although the Iraqi police are doing the majority of the work these days at the checkpoint, the Soldiers are now dealing with other issues, such as ensuring the relief for the IPs arrives on time and making small improvements to the checkpoints.

"Right now this is only a temporary mission for us," said Spc. Jeremy Davis, a combat engineer with 2-7 Inf. "We just handed our old area to another company but that doesn't stop us from helping the IPs out in this area."

Davis, 22, of Orangeburg, S.C., said that they are moving newly constructed guard shacks to the various checkpoints and keeping in touch with the IPs higher command to better facilitate the personnel running the checkpoints.

"On average we see about 100 vehicles come through the area," Davis said. "There's always talk of a suspected push by insurgents to re-enter Hit, so we have to constantly stay on guard."

The city of Hit was cleared by coalition operations earlier this year. It has seen little to no violence from insurgents thanks to the efforts of joint security forces manning and searching the nearby areas. The checkpoints are just one of the keys to that victory.

"We're doing good work here," Davis said. "These (checkpoints) are ensuring our success to making sure insurgents don't traffic weapons back in the city. With us and the IPs here, no vehicles go unchecked, so hopefully they can make this a better place so we can go home."

• Date Taken: 07.25.2007
• Date Posted: 07.31.2007 14:04
• Story ID: 11554
• Location: HIT, IQ