Aid From Iraqis Vital For 1-15

Tips help soldiers seize weapons caches, detain insurgents
BY MICK WALSH

While home on leave just a week ago, Lt. Col. Jack Marr, commander of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, stressed the importance of maintaining strong ties with civilians.

"Tips from concerned citizens have helped us do our job," Marr said, "which is primarily to kill or apprehend the enemy and intercept the flow of weapons."

Such a tip Wednesday enabled soldiers from Marr's Company D to bag a large weapons cache east of Baghdad.

Seized were 49 mortar rounds, 200 7.62 mm rounds, four propellant tubes and various military paraphernalia. One individual was detained as a result of the operation.

"They know their neighborhoods the best," said Maj. Rhett Griner, effects coordinator for the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, when talking about his "neighbors." "They have a vested interest in eradicating thugs and criminals from their communities," he said.

Tips from the local communities have led brigade soldiers to eight caches, which included 11 improvised explosive devices. They also resulted in 90 detentions since early July.

The 1-15's Company B has also been on the lookout for weapons caches in the al-Jarra area.

"Operation Chickamagua" led to the discovery and destruction of a rocket-propelled grenade warhead. The unit cleared six structures while searching for possible cache sites and called for an indirect fire attack that destroyed a building insurgents used as cover. After finding the warhead, soldiers from the 789th Ordnance Company destroyed the munitions.

"Third platoon conducted operations in an efficient, professional manner," said 1st Lt. Matthew Barwick, fire support officer for Company B. "We are pleased with how well the operation went."

While much of the 1-15 has been busy on the war front, it has also found time to help refurbish a dilapidated school in the Mada'in Qada area.

Iraqi children began school at the Al-Eslah School in Al-Wehda, east of Baghdad, on Monday.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the completion of a joint two-month project between the 1-15 and Iraqi construction workers.

Prior to the refurbishment, the school was virtually falling apart, said Capt. Matthew K. Givens, a Hardaway High graduate who grew up in Columbus. He is the battalion's civil-military operations officer.

The project employed 87 citizens during the two-month period. Workers provided electrical and plumbing upgrades as well as installing new doors and windows. Structural and cosmetic improvements to the school were also made.

"This project will affect the local populace in many ways," Givens said. "The largest impact will be that the children of Al-Wehda have an appropriate facility which is conducive to learning."

Security measures were taken into account during the construction process for three full-time security guards. A rest house for the guards was added to the school grounds as part of the refurbishment. Workers heightened and expanded a security wall as well.

"The council was thoroughly pleased with the contractor's work, as were we," Givens said. "This facility has been completely refurbished from its original condition. The contractor's attention to detail and genuine care for the project is evident and the people responded to his hard work."

After the ribbon was cut to open the school, students were thrilled with their new facility and ran room-to-room looking at the entire school.