Photo By 1st Sgt. Brent Williams | An Iraqi army soldier from the 1st Battalion, 53rd Battalion, 14th Iraqi Army Division...... read more read more
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By Capt. Jeffrey Tounge
1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq — The Abna al-Iraq, or Sons of Iraq, a program involving concerned local citizens providing security for their neighborhoods and communities, have been commended for their service and assistance working with Iraqi security forces in the past. Now, they are receiving attention for a different reason.
The West Rashid Sons of Iraq, a Multi-National Division – Baghdad funded program established more than a year ago, have been successfully transferred to the oversight of Iraqi security forces, Sept. 18, 2008.
The "Regulars" Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, who assisted in the process, were proud of the approximately 1,500 hundred SoIs who showed up in the Jihad and Aamel communities of the Rashid District in southern Baghdad to register as official Government of Iraq security elements.
"The Iraqi army leadership did a tremendous amount of work to systematically enroll the Sons of Iraq from Jihad," stated 1st Lt. Casey Staker, Company E, 1st Bn., 22nd Inf. Regt., 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div. "The Iraqi army and national police in our area are taking the lead on security and are showing their capabilities daily."
The Sons of Iraq have had difficulty integrating with the ISF in the past, but the recent transition is an indicator that all tenants of security are united and capable of working together, he explained.
After a four-day administrative process, the SoI were officially enrolled as employees of the Government of Iraq. The in-processing was conducted by the 2nd Battalion, 5th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, and the 1st Battalion, 53rd Brigade, 14th Iraqi Army Division, operating from joint security stations in western Rashid.
The intent of the transfer operations was to adjust oversight of all SoI to the Iraqi security forces and consolidate all security forces under the Iraqi government's control.
Sheik Jabar Abedalnabi Jabar, SoI manager of a muhallahs in Hayy Jihad, arrived at a joint security station with a smile and an optimistic approach to the long day's work of transitioning his employees to ISF control.
"I am proud to be here and to help make this a successful operation," stated Jabar, who worked closely with 1st Lt. Kader of the 1st Bn., 53rd Bde., 14th IA Div., during the transition.
Kader was responsible for checking all paperwork and identification to ensure all SoI were accounted for and properly transitioned.
At the day's end, Sheik Jabar and Kader shook hands and parted ways.
The next day would open a new chapter in the SoI program, a chapter that involved Iraqi security forces, the Government of Iraq, and further progress in security.
| Date Taken: | 09.18.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 09.20.2008 09:34 |
| Story ID: | 23920 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 72 |
| Downloads: | 67 |
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