'Wolfhounds' break new territory - MND-B Soldiers reach out to citizens of Abu Assif

Photo By Staff Sgt. Jerome Bishop | First Lt. Devon McRainey, a Cincinnati, Ohio, native who serves as a platoon leader with Company A, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 'Warrior', 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, snaps a picture of the village of Abu Assif from the top of a Sons of Iraq (Abna al Iraq) check point, March 13, during a village assessment mission.  

IRAQ

03.13.2008

Story by Sgt. Jerome Bishop 

2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division

By Sgt. Jerome Bishop
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division

ABU ASSIF, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers took to the streets to conduct Operation Gunslinger New York Island – a village assessment of Abu Assif, northwest of Baghdad, March 13.

Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, "Warrior," 25th Inf. Division, MND-B, walked and talked with the villagers to get a better idea of their day-to-day lives.

"Our major focus is to secure and protect the population. To effectively do that we need to see who's around," said Lt. Col. Richard "Flip" Wilson, a Brooklyn, N.Y., native who serves as the battalion commander of the 1st Bn. 27th Inf. Regt.

"The men from Co. A continue clearance operations north and west (of Baghdad) and take a look at villages in our area that we haven't been able to touch before," he said.

While the Sons of Iraq (Abna al Iraq) checkpoints were both the first and last stops made by the foot patrol through the muddy streets of the village, the operation as a whole held a much larger purpose.

When entering a new village in an unit's area of responsibility, getting eyes on the conditions of essential services, security issues and the maintenance of facilities is an important step in making contact with the locals, said 1st. Lt. Devon McRainey, a Cincinnati, Ohio, native who serves as a platoon leader with Co, A 1st Bn. 27th Inf. Regt.

"Next time a unit comes up there they'll know exactly where things are," he added.

The Soldiers of Co. A wasted no time in getting to work on assessing and gathering the information needed, which is always made easier with the help of the residents.

"My main focus is the school," said McRainey "because it's (the assessment) the easiest to do and it'll see the most benefit for the children.

Assessing the village in terms of gathering information required to provide better assistance for the locals was successful, however, the condition of the village itself left much room for improvement, giving the Soldiers of the 1st Bn., 27th Inf. Regt. future missions to accomplish to help their neighbors.

"This area is very challenged with water," said Wilson. "The biggest challenge for them right now is to get good water for them to grow crops and drink."

With the government of Iraq expanding its sphere of influence among its citizens, getting representatives to assist in the improvement of Abu Assif is also a future goal to benefit the village, he added.

Not long after the meet and greet with the locals started, the Soldiers of Co. A loaded up in the vehicles with a better understanding of the condition of the village, as well as numerous ideas and plans to improve the standard of life of the villagers.

• Date Taken: 03.13.2008
• Date Posted: 03.19.2008 11:22
• Story ID: 17536
• Location: IQ