3/1 Marines, ISF patrol Fallujah to remove weapons
Marine Corps News
Story Identification #: 2004121361051
Story by Cpl. Randy L. Bernard
FALLUJAH, Iraq (Dec. 11, 2004) -- With the city of Fallujah standing in relative calm compared to major offensives weeks before, the Marines of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, with the help of the Iraqi Security Forces work to cleaning up the city, removing any remaining weapon caches.
Now working on a much smaller scale, the Marines and Iraqis scour the city house by house, in hopes of making the city once again safe for its residents. The Marines were surprised that the Iraqis are as eager to get the job done as they are.
“(The Iraqis) we are working with now are awesome,” said Cpl. Garrett R. Slawatycki, a squad leader with Company I, 3/1. “They want to help fight and they have been waiting to come out here and do this just like we have.”
Many of the Marines have worked with the ISF before, but these patrols have served as a way for the two groups to work better as a team.
“I think they want to better themselves and better their country,” said Lance Cpl. Jeff Bartlett, 19, a native of Sacramento, Calif. and a fire team leader. “So we let them do as much as they can on their own and get a little experience on their own. Just give them a little time to get their feet wet.”
Not only were the Iraqis getting their feet wet, but they were eager to dive into the mission.
“Sometimes they would even go in front of us,” said Lance Cpl. Christopher J. Haucom, a machine gunner. “I was surprised at how they were working, they were real go-getters.”
The Marines watched as the Iraqis cleared the houses all materials of use to insurgents; including weapons, ammunition, food and water. The Iraqis often were a step ahead, showing off their skills to the Marines.
“They were in the houses, and they were searching the houses,” said Bartlett. “If we needed someone on the rooftop, they were already there. They were making sure they were doing the right thing and look back at me, and I’d give them the thumbs up. They were doing their job, and as long as we show we appreciate what they are doing, they will keep working hard for us.”
Having the Iraqis along for these patrols has served the Marines well, often times offering a fresh eye to the tedious searches.
“When they clear houses it was really impressive,” said Slawatycki, 21, a native of Attica, N.Y. “They would jump in and look and search very thoroughly, and they know these people and where to look.”
On this particular patrol, the Marines and Iraqis found rocket propelled grenades and launchers, unexploded hand grenades, ammunition, an anti-aircraft gun, and other small arms.
Working with the Iraqis has been a learning process for the Marines. Even with the communication barrier, the two teams working together will help build a more fluid force.
“They were totally open to any advice we had,” said Haucom, 21, a native of San Diego. “Even with the communication barrier, they still understand things like ‘yes, no, stop and let’s go’.”
Sometimes, the best way to teach someone is to show them.
“I would just say, watch me, I’ll go first,” said Bartlett. “That really ups their attitude and lets them know that we are in this together.”
After this initial patrol, the Marines are eager to get back into the streets and teach their Iraqi counterparts.
“Today is really the first time we worked with the ISF, and for our first time, they did a really good job,” said Haucom. “We look forward to working with them again in the future.”
The Iraqis have been training with Marines before they ever set foot into the city, reinforcing their skills of close-quarters-combat, clearing houses, and foot patrols. Now, the task lies in making sure the Iraqis are prepared to handle the city on their own.
“I think the Iraqis need to learn every little detail from us,” said Haucom. “They need to pay attention because once we leave they are going to be the ones left in the city doing this by themselves.”
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
