By Sgt. Rodney Foliente
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
CAMP ECHO, Iraq – Iraqi army and coalition soldiers conducted registration for the Sons of Iraq in Qadisiya province at the 8th IA headquarters, Oct. 21-23 and 25-27, 2008.
More than 2,000 SoI members showed up to register with soldiers from the 8th Iraqi Army Division and the 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. Many said they were eager to further formalize the program.
"This shows that the people of Iraq are stepping forward and they want progress and want to do it for themselves," said 1st Lt. John Mullany, platoon leader, Company B, 2-8th Inf. Regt., from Gainesville, Va.
"They have the opportunity to have a job and do something for their community and their people," said Sgt. 1st Class Michael McKinney, platoon sergeant, Co. B, 2-8th Inf. Regt. "The Sons of Iraq are the local watchdog, the local neighborhood watch."
They are a part of the very community they are protecting, continued McKinney, who comes from Newark, Del. They are known local citizens with an interest in protecting their neighbors and families.
One of the main purposes of the registration was to establish a database of the SoI personnel. The program was originally created by coalition forces to help establish stability by placing more security responsibility upon the Iraqi populace and providing employment opportunities for citizens.
The stability and lack of attacks in Qadisiya province can be largely attributed to an active, aggressive patrol schedule by joint security teams of CF and Iraqi security forces and the participation of concerned citizens in the SoI program, said Capt. Cash Freeman, Co. B, 2-8th Inf. Regt. commander.
"We have a very firm partnership that we have been able to establish with the 8th IA in a short period of time since arriving here. They have capable leaders who are able to manage this program effectively," said Freeman, who comes from Lacey, Wash.
The joint patrols conduct visits to SoI checkpoints to build a working relationship, ensure effective participation of its members and assist where needed, although most of the responsibility falls upon the sheikhs of each area, said Freeman.
Each sheikh participating in the program is in charge of his individual section. The SoI are armed, manning checkpoints or providing roving guard for security.
"The Sons of Iraq program provides economic development by providing jobs for individuals. The second largest employer, after the Iraqi security forces, in Qadisiya is the Sons of Iraq program. If you remove the second largest employer, with roughly over 2,000 participants, that's a huge impact on the economic development of the province," said Freeman.
He said the program overall employs approximately 96,000 participants throughout Iraq and that there was a coinciding drop in attacks when the program began.
"In Qadisiya, [the program] also allows us to provide and increase security for rural areas. It's a win-win situation for everybody," he said, but warns that "it's not the final answer. Ultimately, what we'd like to do is transition a portion of these individuals from the Sons of Iraq program into the Iraqi security forces; both the Iraqi army and Iraqi police."
When that time comes, plans are considered to provide vocational training for those who do not join the ISF, said Freeman.
"It is a good program," said Razak, an SoI member. "I am here to protect the country and the people."
The program benefits the community by bringing more security and placing that responsibility on the citizens, added Ra'ad, another SoI member.
"We are part of the community; we know it and the people. We are for the people. We would not be here otherwise," said Ra'ad.
He added that the job security also helps the SoI and their families as well, and their stability adds to the overall prosperity of the area.
"The program is very important and adds to better security in the province," said Haniy, an 8th IA Soldier. He said the province has improved a great deal, and attributes a good part of that to the local population's desire for and commitment to stability.
Discussing a group encompassing the Sons of Iraq, ISF, local civilians and the government, he said Iraqis want the situation to improve even more.
"Now it is better than before and by God, it will be better in the future," said Haniy.
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