Posted on 08/12/2007 12:02:59 PM PDT by SandRat
BAGHDAD — From the markets of Al Doura to the streets of Al Rashid to the neighborhoods of the Karkh District, troops from the 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment have found themselves in some of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the Iraqi capital.
After more than a year patrolling and surviving the mean streets, the squadron finds itself on the downhill slope toward their home at Fort Lewis, Wash. Although many of the Soldiers are counting down the last remaining days, they still patrol the streets of Karkh.
Patterson, N.J., native 2nd Lt. Michael Patti has only been with the troop for about six months. When he heard who he was going to be attached to, he expected a less-than-friendly welcome from troops who had been moved several times, fought through many battles and had just gotten word of an extension.
To his surprise, he fell into the platoon seamlessly. He could hardly believe the troops had so much discipline and morale still left in them after months of hard fighting.
"I thought I was going to walk into a unit that was beaten down, tired and angry about getting extended," he said. "I haven't seen anything like what I expected. Leaders do a great job keeping the Soldiers heads in the fight even this late in the game. Fourteen months into this and they're still a force to be reckoned with."
Patti credits leaders in general, but he extends a special thanks to those in his platoon. He said that leaders like Sgt. Brandon Bashore make all the difference while they're out in the streets.
Bashore, a Kokomo, Ind., native said he understands that going home is something they all think of, but knows complacency has no place while out on the streets.
"There's a big difference between being comfortable and being complacent," Bashore said. "We're comfortable in what we do because we've been doing it for so long, but being complacent would mean that we wouldn't care. You have to take things seriously out here. No matter what happens out here, we all have to make it back together."
Bashore said that recently he's been able to focus on his troops a little more thanks to improvements made by the Iraqi army (IA) company they patrol with.
"I'm able to keep better control of my Soldiers because the IA has really stepped up lately," he said. "They've become quite an asset to us and the community."
Patti also noticed a big change in the Iraqi soldiers since he arrived to the unit and began the joint patrols. He said what was once an unmotivated unit has turned into something the people can be proud of.
"There were a lot of problems with the IA when I first arrived in April," he said. "We would show up to the outpost the IA would be manning and have to wait for them for an hour before they'd be ready to go out on a patrol. Sometimes there'd be only six of them in one truck that would come out with us."
Now, when the “Death Stalkers” arrive to the outpost, dozens of Iraqi troops stand up, ready to go, in full uniform. Since the Iraqi soldiers began improving, so has the relationship between the two forces.
Patti said that their relationship has almost grown into a friendship, but it doesn’t end there. Traffic control points are improved, search techniques have been passed on and etiquette are just a few more things that Patti and Bashore have noticed improvements in.
"When you treat people with respect like the IA have been doing lately, word gets around and people start to work with us a little more," Bashore said.
The platoon recently wrapped up an ongoing operation aimed at cataloging all the military-age males in the area. Spc. Jacob Campbell said that having good relations makes the job much faster and easier.
Campbell, a Newton, N.C., native who was trained on the identification system, noticed that people welcome the troops into their homes now, whereas in times past the people wouldn't want to be seen talking to American or Iraqi troops.
Joint patrols, clearing operations and building good relations has proved to be a "triple edged" sword, according to Patti. While he and his troops hope to leave a lasting impression on the Iraqi soldiers they worked with, and the community they helped secure, he said the level of professionalism and discipline would remain where it is until the day they step on the plane headed to Fort Lewis.
Pfc. Roger Montague, a Ramah, N.M., native with Troop A, 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, attached to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, hangs out with a new buddy during a recent joint patrol in Baghdad's Karkh District. Photo by Spc. Alexis Harrison, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs.
FR WAR NEWS! Being an alumni of the 14th Cav — and if I remember rightly it was exactly 40 years ago, August, 1967 I joined the regiment in Fulda, Germany after my first tour in Nam.
I had heard that they were part of the Stryker brigade and going to deploy to Iraq this year.
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