Concerned Citizens Help Soldiers to Decrease IED Threat

Lt. Col. Jack Marr, from Minneapolis, Minn., commander of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, talks with volunteers from the Al-Jaara Concerned Citizens Program prior to a meeting with a local sheik Oct. 17 in Al-Jaara. The 1-15th Inf. Regt. has seen a dramatic drop in roadside bombs since the inception of the “grass roots” effort by local citizens to decrease violence southeast of Baghdad. (Photo by 1-15th Inf. Reg.)

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Lt. Col. Jack Marr, from Minneapolis, Minn., commander of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, met with Sheik Nouri in Al-Jaara Oct. 17 to show his appreciation of the Sheik’s cooperation. The two leaders discussed potential operations to further decrease violence in the area, and projects to assist the local government with essential services.

Sheik Nouri leads the Al-Jaara Concerned Citizen Program that has provided assistance to the 1-15th Inf. Regt. over the last two months to greatly reduce the roadside bomb threat along the dangerous stretch in the battalion’s area of operations, according to Maj. John Cushing, from Rochester, Mich., 1-15th Inf. Regt. operations officer.

“Route Wild, prior to Sheik Nouri’s commitment to cooperate, was the most dangerous road in our area of operations,” said Cushing. “The probability of hitting an IED was very high. We were hitting at least one a day.”

Soldiers from Company B, 1-15th Inf. Regt. have been working with Sheik Nouri’s volunteers for approximately two months and the security situation in Al-Jaara has improved drastically. Cushing explained that while the battalion recently encountered an IED, it was the first along the formerly treacherous road way in a two-month period.

“We are still building this Concerned Citizens group,” said Steven Hemmann, from Des Peres, Miss., the Company B executive officer. “Even though they are not anywhere near their full potential, they’re already disrupting insurgents and having a huge impact.”

Concerned citizen tips have led to numerous cache seizures and extremist detentions in the 3rd HBCT area of operations since their inception in July.

“Insurgents can’t come into a neighborhood, like they used to, take over a house and do whatever they want from it,” said Hemmann. “They now have to be cognizant of the fact that their neighbors will report their activities to Coalition Forces.”

Hemmann is confident that the Al-Jaara volunteers will aid his Soldiers in their efforts to decrease violence and stabilize the community.

“I think when it’s all said and done, they are going to be an integral part in securing our company’s area of operations,” said Hemmann.

The 1-15 Inf. Regt., is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, out of Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March.