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By Sgt. Grant Okubo
4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq – National policeman and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers took to the streets to remove concertina wire in the 9 Nissan District of eastern Baghdad, Sept. 18, 2008.
A combined effort of National policeman from 8th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, and Soldiers from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, MND-B, traveled through various areas in Beladiyat and took the prickly eyesores off the streets.
The combined forces sheared their way through the unwanted concertina wire with wire cutters, collected it and loaded it on to waiting trucks.
One of the primary reasons the combined patrol removed the concertina wire is because it led to a large trash buildup, explained Iraqi Command Sgt. Maj. Ali Mahdi Muhammad, assigned the 8th Bde., 2nd NP Div. In addition to collecting trash, the wire provided areas for militant criminals to plant improvised explosive devices, he said.
A lot of the wire sections are remnants previous units left behind, commented Staff Sgt. Stuart Sword, platoon sergeant for Co. C, 2nd Bn., 30th Inf. Regt. Taking away the wire improves the overall appearance of the Beladiyat area, added the Virginia Beach, Va., native.
Feedback from area residents on the removal of the wire has been positive. "The people are really happy about it," said Muhammad. "It's a sign of progress for the people."
Seeing the wire come down has brought a level of reassurance to the people in the community that things are getting better, explained Muhammad. It helps make the people feel safer, he added.
Muhammad expressed his gratitude to the 2nd Bn., 30th Inf. Regt. Soldiers for their help in taking down the wire. Coalition forces are always in Beladiyat and asking what needs to be done and helping the national police, he said. Likewise, Sword had positive words for the work of their Iraqi partners.
"The National police are doing an outstanding job," said Sword.
Gaining the trust of the Iraqi people, he added, is one of the reasons for their success, and their efforts in removing the concertina wire shows they care about the people in the local communities.
| Date Taken: | 09.24.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 09.24.2008 07:13 |
| Story ID: | 24067 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 244 |
| Downloads: | 211 |
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