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Blackanthem Military News
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Last Updated:
Feb 8, 2012 - 5:19:58 PM |
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| Spc. Jonathan Harris, a scout from the Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, based out of Fort Carson, Colo., logs personal information of a local worker into a database June 19 in eastern Baghdad. Harris added information for security reasons to protect local civilians in fear insurgents may try to extort local workers or claim they work at the business. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Sean Ryan 2nd IBCT, 2nd Inf. Div. Public Affairs Officer) |
Blackanthem Military News, FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq - Most of the time, you won't see Soldiers of the Special Troops Battalion working because nearly all of their missions are at night or early morning escorting convoys, providing route clearance on dangerous roads, or helping secure the area for both the Soldiers of 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division and local civilians.
Their latest mission on June 19, in eastern Baghdad, was to search and cordon off a local gas station that may have been subject to illegal insurgent activity.
Fuel is a target for insurgents to extort since supplies are sometimes short and some people will bypass waiting in long lines to buy black market fuel.
However, this doesn't exclude local gas stations from extortion either and the Fort Carson, Colo., based unit commanded by Lt. Col. James Wolak was primed not to let the local populace fall prey to an unsafe environment and the gas station workers to be manipulated.
Using a new biometric system that allows an individual's information to be stored and accessed quickly, Soldiers were able to log valuable information in the system regarding workers that not only legitimizes their job, but can corroborate if an insurgent claims they work at the business.
"Gaining information and getting an idea of who the workers are and keeping track in the database is important in case insurgents to try to manipulate them," said Spc. Jonathan Harris, a scout by military occupational specialty and native of Portland, Ore., said.
The local civilians will sometimes sleep outside gas stations to get in line for fuel, but in many areas, they are putting themselves at risk for extortion.
"The goal is security for the civilians," said 1st Lt. Martin Leopard, a Military Police platoon leader for Headquarters and Headquarters Company. The Spotsylvania, Pa., native said, "The threats for (vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices) and (other improvised explosive devices) are still present for large crowds and the security checks are there to help the civilians. We have to look at how the enemy views things and adapt our tactics."
ADDITIONAL PHOTO:
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| An Iraqi policeman lines up individuals to purchase fuel without worrying about insurgents extorting them while they wait. Soldiers from the Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Inf. Div. based out of Fort Carson, Colo., were on hand to log personal information of local workers into a database June 19 in eastern Baghdad. Information was added for security reasons to protect local civilians in fear insurgents may try to extort local workers or claim they work at the business. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Sean Ryan 2nd IBCT, 2nd Inf. Div. Public Affairs Officer) |
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