1-15th Inf. Regt. Soldiers Conduct Operation, Detain One Insurgent

Sgt. John Harris, from Cheyenne, Wyo., Company A, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, guides the M88 Wrecker operator to place a jersey barrier at a Concerned Local Citizen checkpoint, Nov. 15, in Al Bawi, Iraq.

1st Sgt. Troy Moore, from Bronx, N.Y., Company A, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, talks on the radio that Pfc. Jeff Bailey, from Virginia Beach, Va., Co. A, is holding, Nov. 15, in Al Bawi, Iraq.

By Sgt. Natalie Rostek, 3rd BCT Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq - Soldiers of Company A, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment conducted a two-day operation to construct checkpoints for Concerned Local Citizens, Nov. 15, in Al Bawi, resulting in the detention of one suspected insurgent.

With the help of Iraqi security forces and concerned citizens from Al Bawi, Co. A Soldiers constructed four checkpoints by emplacing jersey barriers, Hesso baskets, and concertina wire at the checkpoints for defensive positions in case of an attack.

"The checkpoints are more obstacles put in place to help eliminate extremist traffic throughout the area," said 1st Sgt. Troy Moore, from Bronx, N.Y., Co. A, 1-15th Inf. Regt.

According to Moore, Al Bawi is one of the latest areas to start a Concerned Local Citizens program. He says it is due to the high level of enemy contact in the area. Moore said Co. A's area of operation, consisting of Al Bawi and Salman Pak, has the highest rate of enemy contact in the entire 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division's area of operation known as the Mada'in Qada.

"With the concerned citizens and the Iraqi security forces in the area, we are stopping the infiltration of extremists crossing the Tigris River," Moore said. "We are slowing the traffic of improvised explosive devices, explosively formed penetrator devices, and bomb-making materials into Baghdad."

The mission began as Company E, 1-15th Inf. Regt., an engineer unit, and Co. A, followed the concerned citizens down a route the checkpoints were to be emplaced. This route is heavily traveled by U.S. and Iraqi security forces. Engineers worked with CLCs to clear the route of IEDs and any other suspicious material.

After the route was cleared, Co. A and members of the ISF in Al Bawi emplaced jersey barriers, creating the checkpoints.
During the operation, Co. A, the CLCs and ISF took small arms fire, indirect fire, and heavy machinegun fire. Company E also found one IED during route clearance.

Members of the CLCs also located an Iraqi man thought to be involved in an IED incident which killed three Company A Soldiers early November.

The 1-15th Inf. Regt. Soldiers brought the insurgent to Combat Outpost Cahill for questioning.

The 1-15th Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga. and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom V since March.