BAGHDAD, Iraq (May 27, 2006) – Security in Iraq continues to mature as both the Iraqi Army and Iraqi police make advances in their capabilities.

The soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, conducted their first company-level air assault operation May 15 resulting in four detainees, one small-arms fire fight and no casualties.

The Iraqi soldiers arrived at Forward Operating Base Mahmudiyah for training on entering and exiting a helicopter before embarking on their six kilometer search and attack mission in an area suspected of terrorist activity.

“The importance of this mission was that it showed that the 2nd Iraqi Battalion could conduct a company-level operation while maneuvering three different platoons simultaneously,” said Capt. Ryan Hartwig, commander, Military Transition Team. “That was the basis of what we were looking at as far as evaluating and seeing if these Iraqi soldiers were competent at the company level.”

Throwing in the variables of an air-assault mission and a nighttime operation tested the Iraqi soldiers, said Hartwig.

“Ninety-five percent of their missions are daytime missions,” he said. “Also, pushing the limit of lack of sleep, no food and just enough water to sustain, testing them under those conditions was the most important thing.”

Some Iraqi soldiers will have to work to be stronger, according to Col. Fowzi, 2nd Battalion commander.

“I want strong soldiers,” he said. “This mission was long and difficult; it tested our Soldier’s strength and will to strive. Many soldiers were sick from the heat, and tired from the long distance, so I will improve on their strength so that they may move long distances for a long period of time.”

Even with the intense Iraqi sun beating down on the troops’ shoulders, the Soldiers worked hard to reach their goals for the operation, and in doing so, detained four terrorist suspects, one of whom is a suspected assassin.

“Conducting a mission of this magnitude has held the Iraqi Army to a greater standard. Now they know that the two- or three-hour patrols the U.S. Soldiers take is nothing compared to a 16k movement patrol at night, where it is hard to know where you are,” Hartwig said. “Basically, I think this operation is just raising the bar, so now the little three- or four-hour patrols become nothing to them.”

This was the largest air-assault mission the Iraqi Army has undertaken to date in conjunction with U. S. forces. The operation proved to the transition team elements that their hard work and dedication is making a difference.

“The U. S. forces have worked very hard to help make the [Iraqi Army] stronger and more proficient,” Fowzi said. “All this work is seen through operations like this one.”

Iraqi Police numbers continue to grow

While the Iraqi Army was experiencing success, approximately 55 Iraqi Police candidates were screened and selected to become future Iraqi Police officers during a recent screening process held in Ramadi, Iraq; a former insurgent stronghold.

The qualified Iraqi Police candidates are now eligible to attend a training class at the Jordan International Police Training Center or the Baghdad Police Basic Training Academy.

“I know that it’s a dangerous job, but I need to make a difference,” said a local Iraqi Police candidate. “I will go wherever I have to go, to get the training I need, to provide security for my neighbor hood.”

Known as the “Sons of Al Anbar,” these Iraqi Police candidates completed the necessary screening process to secure their futures and help establish a strong police presence in Ramadi.

Iraqi Police officers who had gone through the same process in earlier months now provided the security for the Iraqi Police screening center.

“I feel very confident and I’m very proud to be a police officer for Ramadi,” said a local Ramadi Iraqi Police officer as he conducted a security search on another police candidate. “We are here to stay, and we are here to challenge and put an end to the insurgents.”

The dedicated efforts made by local Ramadi community leaders, government officials, Iraqi security forces, and Coalition forces have resulted in successfully obtaining the large number of Iraqi Police recruits needed to secure the streets of Ramadi.

When Col. John L. Gronski, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 28 Brigade Combat Team was asked to comment on the success of the Iraqi Police program in Ramadi, he said, “While we are getting stronger, the insurgents are getting weaker.”

(Compiled from Defense Department sources)