Release A051001f

Task Force Liberty supports Iraqi referendum rehearsal exercise

Multi-National Force-Iraq

TIKRIT, Iraq – Officials in Salah Ad Din Province prepared for the Oct. 15 constitutional referendum with a large scale rehearsal Sept. 26 through Sept. 28. The mission readiness exercise (MRX) was held at the Salah Ad Din Provincial Joint Coordination Center in Tikrit, Iraq.

The training exercise included representatives from the provincial Iraqi government, the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI), Iraqi Army, Police, emergency services and Soldiers of Task Force Liberty’s 1st Brigade Combat Team.

The MRX rehearsed Iraqi Security forces response to various emergencies that could arise during the referendum. This scenario included response to terrorist activity such as improvised explosive devices (IEDs), suicide car bombs, fires, traffic accidents and demonstrations among other emergency situations.

A large part of the exercise was devoted to communications to ensure that all the Iraqi organizations could send information throughout all areas of the province. The signal plan also included redundancy so that all forms of communication had back-up equipment in place.

Provincial government officials who participated included Governor Hammed Hamood Shukti, Provincial Joint Coordination Center (PJCC) Director, Brig. Gen. Eissa Abid Mohammed and the commander of the 1st Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division Brig. Gen. Abdul Jabar Salih.

The MRX was the first of its kind to integrate the operations of these three officials, and gave them all the opportunity to refine the operations of their agencies, and to build teamwork among their government and military agencies.

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For more information, please contact the 42ND Infantry Division Public Affairs Office 42 ID PAO at fortysecond.id.pao@us.army.MIL.