10th Mountain Soldiers Witness Historic Vote, Work With Iraqi Army

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2005 – Since soldiers of 1st Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, took over operations in the Khadamiyah district in western Baghdad Sept. 10, they've been conducting patrols every day, contributing to the security of Iraq. Oct. 15 was not much different from any other day except that these 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, soldiers had an opportunity to witness a historic event - Iraqis voting in a democratic constitutional referendum.

"It was great to see the Iraqis get the chance to express their opinions," said Army Pfc. Francesco Borsellino, of B Troop, 1/71 Cav. "The Iraqi army and Iraqi police displayed themselves professionally and were well disciplined. Their performance was excellent."

Army Pfc. Warren Lewis, also of B Troop, attributed the performance of the Iraqi security forces to "all their hard work and dedication." He said Oct. 15 was "a memorable time" in his life and could be "a turning point" in history.

"It feels great to see the Iraqi people get the freedoms they have been denied for so many years," Borsellino said as he came off of a security patrol the evening of the voting. "Any step toward democracy is a step in the right direction."

"We take these freedoms for granted in the U.S.," B Troop's Sgt. Andrew Kisz said. "And it is uplifting to see that a regular practice to us, such as voting, brings the Iraqi people so much enjoyment.

"The performance of the Iraqi security forces was no different than my previous encounters with them," he added. "Today, they were setting up a perimeter around the polling sites. They were disciplined and focused on the mission at hand."

Iraqi security forces took the lead in securing polling sites while coalition forces played a backup role, assisting with outer perimeter security, officials said. "Seeing all the Iraqi forces coming together for a common goal was a good indication of how well they are coming along," Kisz said. "It is very rewarding to see democracy in action in a country that has been denied such freedoms for such a long time."

"A lot of things went right," Army 2nd Lt. David Strickler of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, said. "The Iraqi army did an excellent job, and I was impressed."

"I totally believe in what we are doing here," Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Dennison, of Company C, 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, said. "We worked hard in preparation for the referendum. It has been awesome conducting operations with the Iraqi army."

Iraqi citizens want the Iraqi security forces to take over, Dennison said. "We need to let the people and the Iraqi army take on greater responsibility," he said. "The more people see the Iraqi army and the Iraqi police taking on greater responsibility, the more confident they will be in them."

"All the effort over the last several weeks to prepare for the election was way more exciting than working in a factory at home," Army Pvt. Devin Hamilton, of Company C, 1/87th Inf., said. "Hopefully, this election will be a good step in getting Iraq squared away."

The brigade combat team "has done a great job integrating with the Iraqi army," Strickler said. "They have come a long way since we started working with them only six weeks ago."

If I may. It is a bit hard to think that the quarter million or more Iraqi army and security police forces are not going to forget what we have done for them. We took them as new recruits. We sent them through basic training. Then we took them through more rigorous advanced infantry and special SASO type operations training, others getting special police training, etc.....blah blah we all know the story at this point. Now we hear some of them call our guys buddies and brothers as they and our Army and Marines do endless well prepared joint patrols. Their now independent Bn's or nearly full independent work at the command level with our troops. There is a comradery thus formed. They know when they go into harms way our guys got their six covered. And they now fight with the training our forces provided them. Are these guys going to want to bad mouth the USA, Brits, Australians, Italians, and other coalition forces that are making them into a Esprit de Corps? I think not. I sense when we leave, many an Iraqi enlisted, NCO and officer are going to miss the comradery and purpose all have worked hard to achive. Like many of their more responsible political leadership, they are going to see we came as friends to remove a common enemy. Someone who had the distinct potential to do great harm to America as well as one that did such great harm to some 20 million plus people for over twenty years. Unlike the conscripts of old that had no say, and had to often hurt fellow Iraqi's for no reason other then they apposed a true tyrant, now they are gaining back their pride. They can see how Americans operate. And more and more will like what they see, as time moves on. It is hard for me to understand how those in close contact with our military will not miss us once our guys leave their land. And they will tell their children and grandchildren how they fought alongside the Americana to free their country from a horrible tyrant. A man that allowed for little babies to be dropped from choppers as parents watched, or people being put into shredders, ears, eyes, tongues cut out etc.. Somehow I think the Iraqi of the future will not think America is Satan, but look inward and see where Satan really resides.

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