Concerned Local Citizens Uncover Large Cache In Tuwaitha

A Concerned Local Citizen in Tuwaitha and a Soldier in the 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment examine part of a large cache discovered by CLCs Jan. 1 at Combat Outpost Cashe. (Photo courtesy of 3-1 Cav. Regt.)

Members of the Concerned Local Citizens in Tuwaitha display part of the large weapons cache they delivered to the 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment Jan. 1 at Combat Outpost Cashe. (Photo courtesy of 3-1 Cav. Regt.)


Concerned Local Citizens in Tuwaitha, a village southeast of Baghdad, display part of the large weapons cache they delivered to the 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment Jan. 1 at Combat Outpost Cashe. (Photo courtesy of 3-1 Cav. Regt.)

By Spc. Ben Hutto, 3rd HBCT Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq - On Jan. 1 Concerned Local Citizens in Tuwaitha, a village southeast of Baghdad, discovered one of the largest weapons caches since the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team deployed to the Mada'in Qada nine months ago.

The cache consisted of two five-gallon jugs of homemade explosives, seven 85 mm rockets, one 73mm rocket, 10 82 mm mortar rounds, two 57mm mortar rounds, two 60mm mortar rounds, two rocket-propelled grenade launchers and two 40 mm explosive projectiles.

"Every time a Concerned Local Citizen brings in ordnance it saves Soldiers' lives," said Maj. Desmond Bailey, from Wetumpka, Ala., the operations officer for 3-1st Cav. Regt. "This demonstrates that more Iraqis are on the side of peace."

Last fall, Company D conducted Operation Tuwaitha Sunrise, which partnered the unit with CLCs in an effort to drive insurgents from the area.

"The Concerned Local Citizens program is highly successful, which is clearly evident based on the amount of ordnance discovered by the Tuwaitha CLCs," said 1st Lt. Timothy Eng, from San Jose, Calif., an engineer in Headquarters Troop, 3-1st Cav. Regt.

The 3-1st Cav. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007.