Story by Pfc. Adrian Muehe
In direct response to a series of attacks against U.S. forces in Jalula, Iraq, the Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police in the area started Operation Jalula Peacemaker, a series of clearing operations in specific neighborhoods.
Assisting and advising the 8th ERF and the 3rd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division are Soldiers from Mortar Platoon, Crazyhorse Troop, 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, who accompanied them on their fourth mission of the operation, June 20.
While conducting searches of specific areas of the city, the IA and ERF speak with community members, asking for their assistance in finding people of interest, said Mahmood.
“People are scared,” said Mahmood. “They are afraid of these terrorists and it is comforting for them to see us doing these missions.”
As the IA, IP and ERF searched houses, the Soldiers of Mortar Platoon established an outer cordon with their Stryker vehicles to choke off the selected neighborhoods from the main roads. They only dismounted their vehicles if their Iraqi counterparts requested.
“This was all their idea, their plan,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy Hare, who hails from Spokane, Wash., and is the mortar platoon sergeant. “Our role is to mainly advise and assist and provide a quick reaction force in case they need us.”
So far, the ISF have not requested for the Crazyhorse Troop Soldiers to dismount and physically help them search the buildings of the city. It has become routine for Iraqis to take the lead as U.S. forces throughout the country transition into advise and assist roles, said Staff Sgt. Kevin Perkins, of Dothan, Ala., and a squad leader for Mortar Platoon.
“We really don’t do patrols with them anymore,” said Perkins. “We don’t do anything unless they request us to.”
The partnership has significantly evolved during the past four months. The Soldiers of 1/14th Cav. initially started this relationship as trainers and have watched their progress mature to a point where they now serve as advisors and provide assistance when requested, said Hare.
“Before [four months ago] they didn’t come to us with many ideas, and we had to kind of plant ideas in their heads on what they should do,” said Hare. “Now they’re coming up with more ideas, and we just help advise their plan.”
The Soldiers of 1/14th Cav. will soon be leaving Iraq with the rest of 3rd SBCT, 2nd ID, to be replaced by elements of 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, an advise and assist brigade.
“What we are doing here is to prepare them for their next partners [2nd SBCT, 25th ID],” said 2nd Lt. Jan Dudzinski, of Hightstown, N.J., and the mortar platoon leader. “They will be working with them once a week as opposed to every day like we have.”
As the Soldiers of Crazyhorse Troop wind down their deployment with this QRF role in Operation Jalula Peacemaker, they can look back at their deployment and feel pleased with the progress they have observed from their ISF partners.
“I have no complaints,” said Hare. “They are doing a lot better than they used to. So far there haven’t been any issues that I’ve seen.”