Photo By Staff Sgt. Jody Metzger | Col. Wilton Gorske (left), a native of Austin, Texas, who serves as chief of...... read more read more
By Staff Sgt. Jody Metzger
Multi-National Division - Baghdad
BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers monitored the first day of Iraqi provincial elections from a distance with satellite signals, radio frequencies, live-streaming video feeds and internet Jan. 28.
The first day of voting ended with no reported attacks or other hostilities, and those who voted were able to do so in general peace and security.
The Government of Iraq planned two days of voting throughout the city of Baghdad and the outlying province. Polling stations were opened up to Iraqi security forces, hospital patients and detainees Jan. 28. The second day of voting is scheduled for Jan. 31, when the general Iraqi population will be able to cast their votes.
Watching the historical event from the Command Press Information Center in Baghdad's International Zone, key leaders and Soldiers sat hunched over monitors, avidly focused on event calendars and media news reports regarding the polling. The room was a convergence of wires and several computer systems, all engineered and set up for one purpose: to monitor election-day security.
The task of assembling the operations center was given to the Soldiers who work in the Help Desk of the communications and signal section, 4th Infantry Division, MND-B. Since arriving at the CPIC, the 10 computer specialists have worked to create the workspace that would allow monitoring of classified and unclassified internet and telecommunications as well as live video throughout Baghdad's voting sites.
Staff Sgt. Kenneth Heise, a native of Fort Hood, Texas, who serves as a network and satellite non-commissioned officer in-charge, communications and signal section, 4th Inf. Div., participated in the setup. His primary mission at the CPIC was setting up internet connectivity and his expertise has been a valuable asset throughout the operation.
The signal that supports and runs the CPIC is the key for coalition forces' communication throughout the Baghdad area of operation and for international media to be able to monitor the elections, even though – given the circumstances – a minor issue arose with the connection's speed.
"Because we are talking about satellite in the digital world, it takes 700 milliseconds for [data] to complete its round trip, which is a long time in satellite world. The normal time is about 5 milliseconds, but because it has to travel about 40,000 miles round trip – up to the satellite and back – it just takes a long time," said Heise.
The dynamic networking of satellite and radio communications systems allows U.S. forces to monitor the elections proceedings throughout the MND-B area of operations without having to interfere in the ISF's operations on the ground.
The coalition forces' role of observation and outer-cordon security in such a large undertaking as provincial elections allows the Iraqi government and the ISF the opportunity to step forward and demonstrate their competence and confidence in assuming an ever-increasing role in the security and continued progress of their nation.
"This election is completely run and led by the Iraqi's while the coalition forces are observing in support of the Government of Iraq proceedings," said Maj. Peter Dargle, a native of Tampa, Fla., who serves as the officer in-charge of the ISF cell, division operations section, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B.
Dargle has monitored the ISF for nearly 14 months and said that the ISF have come a long way in that time, particularly in their enthusiasm and ability to independently orchestrate such an event.
"They have gone through the planning and decision-making process, executed rehearsals. Some of the units have been more elaborate, going as far as creating a mock polling site," said Dargle.
"[One Iraqi army] division set up a mock polling site with a building and barriers. They even got some of their females from their organization to represent female search teams as well as female voters. They basically did a dress rehearsal on the site. It is far from what we have ever really seen them do before.
"If we had done this six months ago, you would probably see them looking at us for guidance. At this point, they have really shown that they are ready and willing to take the lead."
With one day of elections down and another to go, the coalition forces Soldiers who are monitoring the elections from a "back seat" role are confident that the ISF will be able to pull off another safe day for the rest of the Iraqi populace to cast their votes.
| Date Taken: | 01.30.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 01.30.2009 09:43 |
| Story ID: | 29460 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 592 |
| Downloads: | 559 |
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