By Staff Sgt. Jon Cupp
1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs
AL QUADRIA, Iraq -- Hours before the sun came up, Soldiers from the 1st Squadron, 7th "Garryowen" Cavalry Regiment along with their counterparts from the 2nd Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division (Mechanized) were out in force taking down extremists and searching for weapons caches as well as gathering information leading to the capture of terrorists.
Combining their efforts, within just two hours the Garryowen and Iraqi Army troops had captured 15 detainees suspected of terrorist activities in the Taji region and had searched ten houses for weapons caches during an Iraqi-led cordon and search May 28 here.
"Today we're conducting operations within our entire area of operations to disrupt terrorist cells and this has been a great opportunity to disrupt Al Qaeda in Iraq who are operating within our area," said San Antonio native Maj. Carl Michaud, operations officer for 1-7th Cavalry. "We're also helping the Iraqi soldiers to protect citizens in the Baghdad security belt and disrupt the enemy's lines of communications and to help build up stability in that area."
Throughout the operation, Soldiers from the squadron and Iraqi soldiers weaved a net to capture the suspected terrorists. During one part of the operation, Soldiers from Troop C brought in four detainees, who had been carrying weapons through a field, but fled when U.S. troops moved in on them.
"We confiscated three AK-47 rifles and a pistol which were dropped in a field as the suspects ran from us, but we had both mounted and dismounted support and a plan in place to prevent them from getting away," said Melrose, Fla. native 1st Sgt. Donel Washington, top non-commissioned officer for Troop C.
"Any day when we're out and have successes like this one, it's a good day," said Mulberry, Ind. native Spc. Aaron Allmandinger, a scout with Troop C who assisted in bringing in captured detainees and helping Iraqi Army troops as they placed detainees on Iraqi Army trucks.
Working with the Iraqi Army troops to help them take terrorists off the streets has definitely been a worthwhile experience, according to Michaud.
"They are definitely professional soldiers, understand their missions and perform the routine without a flaw," said Michaud.
Yet, the day's operation was not the first time that Garryowen troops have worked with their Iraqi counterparts. Each week the squadron meets with the 2nd Bde., 9th IA Div. (Mech.) during partnership meetings and to coordinate joint missions together.
As recently as the past few weeks, the partnership has yielded many successes, said Michaud, to include two large squadron missions in support of the Iraqi mechanized troops in which multiple caches were found near Al Quadria.
One of the things that Michaud believes will prove to be a great asset in the fight against terrorists in the Taji area and during future joint operations with Iraqi Security Forces is Garryowen's newly established Combat Outpost X-ray near Taji.
"It allows us to project our forces easier into the area to better facilitate clearing the insurgents out," said Michaud.
According to Michaud, the ultimate goal of working with Iraqi Security Forces is to help them take over their own areas and control of their nation's security. Michaud added the troops in the 2nd Bde., 9th IA Div. (Mech.) are making progress toward that goal.
"A great part of the unit is capable of independent operations with or without Coalition Forces," said Michaud. "They are well on the way to transitioning control of the area to themselves."
Other Soldiers who assisted in the day's operation said they had their own thoughts on what working with the Iraqi troops meant to them.
"We're helping them so they can stand on their own, without having to rely on anyone else," said Westchester, Pa. native Pfc. Derrick Densmore, a forward observer with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1-7th Cavalry, who said he enjoys going outside the wire and performing missions with Iraqi troops. "Eventually, they are ready for the day when we're not here."
"I believe we really are doing some good here," said Pfc. Dwayne Baldridge of Darkhorse Forward Support Troop, 1-7th Cavalry who hails from Saratoga, Texas. "I like getting the opportunity to help and it gives me a lot of experience and I'll definitely have a lot more maturity once I get home from this deployment."