Soldier's socialization leads to work being done

Photo By Sgt. Cassandra Groce | Iraqi army soldier shows US forces weapons found in a cache. 152 mm South Africa artillery rounds, mortars, a 20 mm rocket and a diffused IED were turned over to the "Rakkasan" Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 2/7th Infantry Regiment.  

BAYJI, IRAQ

12.09.2005

Courtesy Story

133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

PFC Cassandra Groce
133rd MPAD

BAYJI, Iraq (November 28, 2005)--"Meenakh," says Gino Del Marko, translator for the 1st Battalion, 2/7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, currently supporting the 3rd Brigade Combat Team "Rakkasans."

"I know a city called Meena," says Pvt. 1st Class Thomas Delford, a driver for the unit.

"I know a girl named Mina," says another Soldier helpfully.

"No, no. meenakhâ?¦it's like," says Del Marko struggling for the essence of the word, hoping to convey the meaning without giving it away.

"Weather," says Capt. Jay Yancey, Bravo Company commander of the 2/7th.

"Yes!" says Del Marko excitedly. "You've been studying, sir," he adds proudly.

Brushing up on their Arabic is a typical way for the Soldiers of Bravo Company, 2/7th to kill time in their pursuit of cultural awareness over the past 11 months.

Cultural respect for this country is leading troops to successful recoveries of weapon caches and insurgents.

The Iraqi culture is much slower and simpler than the American's are accustomed. Even before the sun is up, the air is filled with baying dogs, crowing roosters and the much more familiar sound of car alarms.

Soldiers calling out "Slamalikwam" which means hello, to Iraqi villagers is another sound frequently heard. Soldiers go through the town talking to villagers, as well as documenting the people that live in each home.

"We're there once every couple of days," says 1st Lt. Paul Fleming, the headquarters platoon leader.

Welcomed into rooms covered in colorful rugs, heavy decorative drapes and pillows, one woman tells the troops her son is saying he loves America. One Soldier stoops down, gravely looking at the boy and shakes his hand. "We love you, too," he says.

Each house smells of spices and bread, and more than once a woman invites the troops in for breakfast.

"We just don't have time right now," says Fleming,

Interpreter Gino Del Marko spends time at each house conversing with the families, ruffling younger children's hair and inspecting English primers.

At one home, a man rushes out to greet the troops as he tells them that insurgents killed his son and uncle. He hands a pink construction paper card with pictures of his family members to one of the Soldiers who inspects the paper somberly.

Later troops have a meeting with a local civilian and an Iraqi Army soldier who have found a weapons cache.

In addition to 152mm South African artillery rounds, mortars, a 22mm rocket and a diffused IED, breakfast is also brought to the troops. Pita-like bread, cooked beef, scrambled eggs mixed with potatoes, and fresh vegetables are offered.

Intermingled with the discussion of weapons cache locations and enemy activity are jokes not much different from Americans.

"My wife, she feeds me morning, evening and night," said the cache informant in careful English.

"We can see that!" says Yancey, patting the man's stomach. Both men share a laugh.

Eating with the locals, cracking jokes, and learning Arabic is typical behavior for Yancey.

"The commander will stay, drink tea and talk to the people often," says Capt. Derek Hernandez, the company's Executive Officer. "He tries to get a feel for the town."

The careful relationship that the Soldiers of the 2/7th have been cultivating over the months is perhaps what led to the delivery of the weapons cache, as well as the location of another cache.

"You have to talk to the people," says Del Marko, who is originally from Iraq. "It builds their trust."

• Date Taken: 12.09.2005
• Date Posted: 12.09.2005 09:42
• Story ID: 4006
• Location: BAYJI, IQ