We knew that this time would arrive and while we are excited to return home, we must thank each and every one of you for your support over the past year. A very special "THANK YOU!!" to the guys and gals at VOX for assisting us during the initial stages and we definitely could not have done it without them! When we first started this blog, they understood the complications of our internet connectivity here and kept in touch with us to ensure that everything was running smooth.
We hope that this site brought some newsworthy information, but if you want to keep up with the news here in Fallujah, Regimental Combat Team 1 has started their own VOX blog. They have already posted a few articles and we encourage you to give them a look and once in a while, give them a shout.
We decided to post a picture of the crew that has brought you the Fightin' 6th blog.
Pfc. Brian Jones just returned from the city and brings us the State of Fallujah Address where city officials tell you about what has taken place over the past year to strengthen their home:
FALLUJAH, Iraq —City officials and leaders gathered at the newly developed Fallujah television station to deliver a live broadcast of the state of Fallujah address to the people recently.
Sheik Hamid Ahmed, the chairman of the Fallujah city council, and Col. Faisal Ismail Husayn, the chief of police, spoke on behalf of the city recounting their history and announcing the current state of affairs.
Both Ahmed and Husayn thanked the service members and commanding officers with Regimental Combat Team 6 and Multi National Force-West for their support in security, reconstruction efforts and taking interest in the future of the city.
“The real picture of Fallujah is what you see today,” said Ahmed, translated by an interpreter. “It is living in security and reconstruction because the leadership of the city was put in the hands of the good people.”
Currently, the local tribal sheik council and city muktars are diligently working in accordance with the mayor and city council elected by the citizens of Fallujah in guiding the city’s future as Coalition Forces remain in a supporting role as advisors and security.
“When we united the city council, the mayor and the muktars of the city, the situation of the city turned for the better,” said Husayn. “Everybody knows that the security situation in Fallujah before 2006 was killing in the streets, destruction and no one could say any righteous word anywhere. Today the situation is special, very secure and peaceful. That is not our own evaluation, but it is the citizens of Fallujah who have evaluated the situation and have told us the status of the city.”
Husayn said that as security improved within the city all other efforts in rebuilding the city became a success and due to the city’s new leadership the city is moving in the direction of progress and stability.
All this was not possible without the help of the Coalition Forces and their help with the reconstruction efforts that work side by side with the security efforts in the city, said Husayn.
As security drastically improved the people of Fallujah received nearly 1,000 government jobs granted by the central government of Iraq, opened new and old businesses and have managed public services. Special efforts have also been made in supporting the students and youth of Fallujah, from school supplies to recreational sports.
The Fallujah Business Development Center has opened to manage reconstruction efforts for the district and is also used as the central foundation to inviting Arab and other investment companies into the city.
“Fallujah is ready for major investment,” said Ahmed. “From this place, we call on all the investors from the Arab nations and international nations to come and invest in the district of Fallujah.”
Ahmed attributed the reason for investing in the city is because of the city’s location on the Euphrates River that is an intersection for all the international roads and also, the city contains all the main ingredients necessary for development, such as human and construction resources and the availability of the experience and expertise.
Husayn addressed government representatives and brothers from the Arab nations around Iraq in his speech asking that they come and visit the city that sacrificed more than many other cities in Iraq and deserves that the people stand by its side and provide the services that it needs for support.
“I want them to come and see the reality of Fallujah today,” said Husayn. “They will see that Fallujah is very secure and that the citizens of Fallujah are very generous and very brave and are here to welcome anybody that comes to Fallujah.”
“All want the peace and are looking forward to building good relations and friendships with all the peoples’ nations,” said Ahmed. “We will turn the page of the past and will open a new page with the grace of God. We swore to ourselves that we will keep our city as a star shining among the stars of the other cities of Iraq.”
This morning, we arose to a treat from the sky. For some of us, it seemed as though we were hallucinating, but for those of us that have slung a snowball or even sledded down a hill at death-defying speeds, we recognized the flaky precipitation. While rare, it does snow in this region and we were witness to such unusual weather. The photos are from Pfc. Brian Jones.
A team from NBC News recently embedded with us to obtain footage of Fallujah and the turnaround that has taken place with the people and the way of life. This segment aired last night and the possibility exists of another piece next week. The Marines of the "Darkhorse Battalion" hosted the crew and provided them a tour of the City of Mosques...
Pfc. Brian Jones made his way out recently to hang with the Marines of "America's Battalion" for a few days. During his trip, he covered some of the Iraqi Police training offered by the Marines. In today's world, you will find several forms of discrimination and it is no different in the greater Fallujah area. The difference in tribes can often bring feuding and this is an example of how these Iraqis put that to the side and use teamwork towards a common goal...
ZAIDON, Iraq—“I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong.”
These are famous words by Frederick Douglas speaking about overcoming struggles in the progress for human liberty. More than a century later, these words may express the sensitivity of how Iraqis feel toward their struggle for a better future.
Iraqi Police students waited for their instructor’s commands to be translated by the interpreter. The instructions were to work as a team and depend on the cohesion of one another’s strength and cooperation to execute a physical exercise. This was a challenge set forth for the students to help them rise above their past of ill feelings toward one another that separated them, keeping them from working together to achieve a common goal.
“They’re civilians that have been guarding checkpoints for months and are looking for some recognition,” said 1st Lt. Todd Richardson, a platoon commander with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6. “They’re looking for some actual authority as opposed to just being civilian watch and they’re finally getting their chance.”
Marines with Weapons Co. graduated 59 newly trained Iraqi policemen in Zaidon, Iraq, Dec. 20, after they reconciled tribal differences among their students.
Early on in the training, the Marines realized they would have to put forth an extra effort in building camaraderie among the class. They needed their Iraqi students to overcome their social differences that were causing disruptions. They relied on teamwork building exercises that required their students to set aside their differences.
Arguments interrupted the first day of instruction, almost leading the instructors to immediately fail students, a loss neither the Marines nor the police force wanted.
“I don’t understand Arabic, but I understand complaining,” said 26-year-old Ocala, Fla., native, Sgt. David R. Dahl, a chief instructor.
“It started out with a few hitches in the beginning,” said Dahl. “There were tribal differences and things of that nature. They were put into situations where they were forced to be next to people they didn’t like. Either they were going to be a team or they weren’t going to be apart of this.”
“You’re still a member of your tribe and you’re still a member of your community, but you’re not going to worry about your tribe and community as much as you’re going to worry about the country as a whole,” Dahl told his students.
Throughout a period of six training days the Marines taught their students a wide range of professional security force skills from marksmanship and detainee handling to human rights and medical aid.
All the Marines agreed there were moments their blood pressure rose, but they were glad to be teaching the students things they may not get a chance to learn anywhere else.
“Training was condensed into long hours leaving them little free time, which was good because it kept them focused on what they were doing,” said Dahl. “They were physically training, studying or sleeping. They weren’t given anytime to think about anything else.”
Discipline was on display from the Marines. Proficient execution of technique was shown. The Marines hoped the Iraqis would pull together and emulate their actions.
“The Marines actually came together really well on it and worked hard,” said Dahl. “Every Marine was very professional on how they gave their class and they were very hands on with them. When it was their time to go in front of the Iraqis they were experts on what they were talking about.”
As Dahl taught a class in detainee handling, he showed the class techniques to use to take down a resisting detainee. One student challenged him saying the moves wouldn’t work on him. Dahl offered him the chance to stand before the class and demonstrate his resistance to what Dahl had shown them. In a short few seconds, the student found himself on the ground restrained with a surprised look on his face to be proven wrong. The whole class sat there, admiring the skills of their instructor.
Dahl said he and other instructors would sit the students down after a long day of classes and speak with them to make sure the students appreciated the magnitude of their situation and the new responsibilities the students would take on upon graduating as police.
“I had a lot of talks with them about the importance of what they’re training for and the responsibilities that come along with the job,” said Dahl. “The change in their life they will have to make now and how their going to have to set examples for their community. They’re going to have to hold themselves above everyone else and do what is right for everyone, not just for themselves and their family.”
Dahl said they seemed to fully understand what he was stressing. He wanted them to know that this job meant more than just a paycheck to support their families, it was a chance to unite as a stronger force for the protection that would serve a greater and less selfish cause.
Dahl admitted he didn’t really believe it was going to work at first because of how argumentative the students were among each other, but in the end he said he was satisfied with the result.
“We have seen a difference in them,” said Dahl. “They’re working together and they’re trying to accomplish everything without any arguments. I think it was good for them and they learned a whole lot from it. It gave them such a focused look at it that I think they’ve made a dramatic change.”
After completing the course, the students graduated as the newest addition to Zaidon’s police force. With diplomas in hand, they each extended heart felt congratulations to one another and thanked their instructors.
FALLUJAH, Iraq—Fallujah citizens gathered in large numbers to kick off the “Fallujah Cup” soccer tournament here
recently.
Soccer, a favorite sport among Iraqis, was chosen as the first organized sporting event the city would embrace as a result of improved security in the area.
“This is kind of a microcosm of everything that is going well right here in Fallujah, and this is a culminating event,” said 2nd Lt. Gregory Collins, the platoon commander of 2nd Platoon, Company K, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6.
Collins initiated the request to bring the community together through the sport. He helped facilitate the organization of the tournament and helped obtain uniforms that were donated to the participating teams.
The amateur league welcomed soccer players of all ages to try out for the teams. Soccer players throughout the city signed up and were organized into 21 teams to compete. Each team represented one of the 10 districts of Fallujah.
The event began with an opening ceremony presenting all 21 teams to the field and an exhibition of Fallujah’s tae kwon do martial arts program.
Competition began with two of the best teams facing off for an entertaining game opener.
More than 70 invitations were handed out to special guests for seating in the VIP tent for the event. Among those invited were commanding officers and Marines with 3rd Bn.,5th Marines. Also invited were the city mayor, police chiefs and the sheiks, muktars and Imams from the surrounding areas.
“They wanted us here just to be able to see how well things are progressing here in Fallujah,” said Collins. “They’re very proud of everything they’ve accomplished because of the security increase. Everything that is going on is all built through the Iraqi police and through the local leadership taking hold of the city.”
Preparations for the tournament began with local contractors who brought in heavy equipment to remove all extra rubble to clear the fields and locals were paid to help rid the fields of the trash.
A town hall meeting was held a week prior to the event to bring the teams together to collect official rosters and coordinate on the FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) rules the tournament would follow.
For the remainder of the month, the 21 teams will play it out for the championship of Fallujah.
There are already plans to add a 12-20 youth soccer league. Volleyball, handball and bicycle tournaments are also hopeful additions to the range of sports events for the city.
It is not uncommon to find a Marine with more than one tour in Iraq. There are several over here that are on their second, third, fourth, and even fifth trip. Cpl. Bryce Muhlenberg provides us such an example of a Marine that has fought here and will miss the Iraqi people that he has come to know over the past few months.
HABBANIYAH, Iraq – Sgt. John E. Mejia was walking between two mud and brick houses here when he explained the key to counterinsurgency operations in Iraq.
“You’ve got to be face-to-face with these people to see if a difference has been made,” said the 37-year-old Monterey Park, Calif., native and section leader with Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6.
The bulk of day-to-day work for the Marines of Weapons Company consists of counterinsurgency operations here. This includes operations that bring medical and educational assistance to the locals as well as presence patrols and plain old neighborly conversation.
“Today we are conducting COIN operations by way of presence patrols in the local area,” said Mejia. “We are going out and reassuring the people they can depend on the Iraqi Police now in the area and they can still depend on us.”
Mejia, and the other Marines of the platoon, made their way across an open dirt patch toward a dingy looking house right on the outskirts of a nearby neighborhood. Climbing up a small embankment and toward the front entrance of the house, Mejia explained that the Weapons Marines have recently moved out of Combat Outpost Red, approximately two weeks ago, due to the increasing reliability of the Iraqi Security Forces and the stability they have brought to the area. But, this move was only possible after the patrol bases in the area were built and the Marines had established their face-to-face relationship in the community.
As he explained this, the Marines were surrounded by small children and women. A Marine began speaking to the lead wife of the household, who was watching over the estate while her husband was out in the fields tending to the sheep. She held a small boy, no more than two years old, who she hummed to, trying to calm him.
“Is your child feeling well?” asked Petty Officer 3rd Class, Charles L. Scott, a Navy Corpsmen with Weapons Company, while an interpreter translated.
The women spoke to the interpreter, explaining that her child was teething and was in a great deal of pain. Scott produced a small bag of pain medicine, which he gave to the mother, along with verbal instruction.
This sight isn’t uncommon for the Marines, said Mejia.
“We spent a lot of time with our neighbors,” he said, talking about his time at “red” While there, the Marines lived and worked right next door to the people and in the community itself, similar to the way Iraqi Police do now.
“We ask them how they are doing with food, water and electricity,” said Mejia. “Do the kids go to school, does anybody need medical attention? Providing medical attention was big and our corpsman does a really good job of helping out. We obviously don’t have a drugstore, but ‘doc’ tries to provide relief. Stuff like this really displayed our concern for them. Now we encourage our Iraqi counterparts to do the same things.”
Scott, known as “doc” to his brothers-in-arms, said that this is an important step that has been taken by the Iraqi Security Forces in his area.
“The overall goal is to transition responsibility from coalition forces to the Iraqis, so they can handle their own problems,” said the 22-year-old. “By us performing the constant COIN operations here in this area, we have provided a steady platform for them. It’s important for these men to handle their own country.”
To the Salem, Ore., native and 2003 North Salem High School graduate, this process, although sometimes monotonous, he said, is going well and makes sense for the long term goal.
Scott is part of a team who has accomplished something greater than themselves, and as the battalion is soon approaching the later portion of their deployment, it is something they will remember, said Mejia.
“Of course we are excited to be heading home soon…this is my fourth time over here and away from home,” Mejia admitted. “To be honest, I’m also going to miss some of the Iraqi friends I’ve made out here with the locals and the Iraqi Police, but we are going to be able to go home on a positive note, with the Iraqis on their feet. We will know that we have done our part to significantly improve the lives of these people.”
Recently, a market opened in the city of Garma (sometimes referred to as Karmah), located between Fallujah and Baghdad. This step in progress was covered by Pfc. Brian Jones. Just a few months ago, you were guaranteed to be shot at while transiting this region and we considered it "The Badlands."
GARMA, Iraq—Residents here celebrated a success for their livelihoods recently, with the grand reopening of a marketplace central to the city’s economy.
Marines with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, and other Coalition Forces joined Garma citizens and local dignitaries in the celebration of the market reopening, marking progress toward economic growth for the community.
“It’s a sign of progress and hope for a new tomorrow,” said Capt. Quintin D. Jones, commanding officer with Company L. “The mayor and I wanted to make an immediate impact in the area by making goods readily available, helping improve commerce. Now, the market can work as a crossroad for Garma to tie back into other cities.”
Sheik Mishen, a prominent tribal leader in the area, was the honorary speaker at the ceremony. He thanked Jones and other servicemembers for their dedicated work to helping the community.
The “Lollipop Market,” named after it took the shape of what resembles a lollipop during reconstruction, was once a battleground between insurgents and Coalition Forces, and had suffered collateral damage during ground fighting.
“Six or seven months ago there were still gun battles being fought here,” said Jones. “This shows how far we’ve come here.”
The market was proposed as an essential investment for the city. In agreement, an embedded provincial reconstruction team, staffed by Defense and State Department officials, financially supported the reconstruction to promote growth in the community through increased revenue.
Once the project had been approved, local contractors were awarded contracts for reconstruction.
Workers first repaired the roads
filling in craters from improvised explosive device detonations.Street curbs
were
repaired, painted and a center roadway circle was added. Doors were
replaced and new awnings were hung on the individual shop spaces. Workers
removed dirt and rubble from the area. The planting of some grass and trees for
the market were also managed into the budget.
An added benefit was revealed to the public during the ceremony. The main route leading into and out of the market, which is currently only used for military traffic, will be opened to public traffic as the main avenue of travel from north to south through the city. The opening of the road will remove much of the overhead costs associated with shipping goods for local merchants.
The reconstruction of the market was coordinated through the efforts over six weeks. Though there were few shops opened for business the day of the ceremony, all were optimistic, believing merchants would soon occupy the majority of the shops. Ending the ceremony, both locals and Provincial Security Forces joined in a circle and danced to the beat of a solo drum as they celebrated the event.
In the story below it tells about Marines with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, visiting people in their homes in Fallujah, Iraq. This is an introduction written by Pfc. Brian Jones about the some of the circumstances of Iraqi culture that Marines have discovered for themselves and have curiously questioned.
As violence subsides in Fallujah, “the city of mosques”, Marines find time to indulge in investigating their cultural curiosities of the Iraqi people who surround them. Marines communicate, work and in some cases live with them offering ample amounts of opportunity to get to know them.
The Arab populace of Fallujah is dominantly made up of Muslims and religion is central part of the Iraqis’ daily life. Proverbs from the Quran can be seen written on walls everywhere. Daily prayers can be heard all over the city from the loudspeakers atop of mosques drowning out the noise below of an active neighborhood.
The social makeup of the communities is made of closely tied tribal and extended family relations. It’s the mold of their society. Iraqis’ family honor is very important. Insults and criticism are taken very seriously. Marines have learned to associate people with others who are apart of the same tribe. One can think of it as almost a “if you mess with one you mess with the whole trailer park” approach.
Commonly, children ask Marines how many wives and children they have back home in the States. The children’s curiosity is sprung from a value system of a man’s worth or success by the size of the family he supports. Marines have jokingly told them they have five wives and eighteen children just to see the surprised and impressed look on their faces.
Marines inquire about an Iraqis’ marriage, or marriages in some cases, with those they meet. To our fascination,
arranged marriages are still practiced here by some families, but the couples usually have some say in the match making. The greatest concern in these arranged marriages is the man’s capability to provide for the woman and children in the future. The husband is expected to provide the house, food and clothes for his family.
Depending on a man’s financial wealth he may marry multiple wives and raise children with all of them, provided he financially supports the many homes they all live in.
Many of the Marines here have responded to the sound of
gunfire only to find out that it is a common practice among Arabs to fire
weapons into the air during weddings and celebration of other things, such as
an big win for a favorite Iraqi soccer team.
As Marines stop and knock at doors and enter a home they usually find an entire extended family living closely
together under one roof. Large families are the norm. In a single household there may be the father, wife or wives, unmarried sons and daughters, their married sons and their families, the father’s mother and unmarried sisters. Children typically don’t leave the home until they are married.
Large families have more economic benefits for a family as a whole by providing the family with more hands to supply income. A large family also provides the father with the prestige of virility with the signs of responsibility, wealth and success.
Sons are generally preferred because a son will take the responsibility to care for his parents in their elderly years. Some children may attend school, but in poorer and more rural areas children may spend their days working, if the work can be found, to help support the family.
In Iraqi society gender roles are clearly defined. Throughout the Arab culture, authority is generally related to older men. Wisdom and experience is associated with age. Women have a protected role in society with respect for their privacy. Men and women are segregated much of the time, especially when business is involved. Women are expected to be quiet and modest around men, especially outside the home.
As an example, women are seen in the city with men and they
may stop to get something to eat. The women may
have to sit facing the wall to
protect her privacy as she eats so that she is not seen by the passerby. In their culture the women are considered
respected as opposed to being oppressed as westerners might see it as.
Within the home women hold authority over their children and household affairs. The man’s mother takes the role as the overall authority.
Marines experience the politeness and generosity of Iraqis everyday. Marines are offered to share tea and meals with them almost with certainty on many visits. Iraqis seem to have a passion for talking a lot and speak loudly full of emotion and gestures. Their dress is governed by their concerns for modesty. Their approach to time is more relaxed than in western culture. They’re very affection people. It’s a common sight to see men greet one another with a kiss on the cheek and hold hands as they walk and speak with one another. However, public affection between men and women is discouraged.
Their loyalties lie with the immediate family and then the tribe, but Coalition Forces are trying to spread a greater
sense of national unity among the Iraqi people to encourage them to pull together as a stronger nation rather than subdividing themselves.
When Marines patrol through the city streets of Fallujah
they are typically greeted, swarmed, followed and sometimes
even chased by
children. These Iraqi children who eagerly compete for our Marines’ attention
are the future of Iraq
and if Coalition Forces have had any success at winning the hearts and minds
and having a positive influence on anyone, it’s those children.
Marines stopped and knocked at a courtyard gate in Fallujah's Andaloos district. A little girl answered the door with an anxious look on her face.
“Is the man of the house in?” asked Sgt. Ysac M. Perez, a squad leader with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6.
As if on cue, a little seven-year-old boy appeared and owned up to the title. The Marines greeted him with smiles and laughter. This scenario is not unusual, however, said Perez.
“This is actually pretty common while the father is gone,” said Perez, a Whittier, Calif., native. “He was considered the man of the house since his dad was gone, which trips me out because back in the States, a seven year old wouldn’t even be allowed to answer the door, and here he is, the one in charge.”
The days of kicking in doors and forcibly searching buildings and homes are long over for the Marines in the city of Fallujah as it transitions bac
k to a peaceful community. Instead, Marines knock at the doors and greet the people with a professional and sociable demeanor with cultural courtesies in mind. It is a job many of these Marines never imagined they would be tasked with in a city known for its history as a violent epicenter of Anbar Province.
Perez and his Marines with 4th platoon, Co. K, patrolled their neighborhood and gathered census information to develop a clearer insight into the area, its people and their concerns.
Along the way, during the patrol, Perez chose the upscale home to stop and visit. He wanted to speak with the
residents to check on how things were going, as a friendly neighbor would do.
The boy said his father was away at prayer and the mother was out tending to daily errands. For Perez this was a sign the family felt secure enough to attend local mosques and shop in a now-bustling market place.
Perez asked the boy for permission for his Marines to go to the rooftop to overlook the area from above. The boy took a look around at the Marines and their weapons, and with a smile, decided to allow them in.
As the Marines slowly walked through, they subtly scanned the rooms as an informal search while they made their way to the rooftop. Perez ensured his Marines were careful not to encroach on the family’s privacy.
“My Marines know what rooms not to go into and stay out of, like the prayer rooms with mats and the rooms the females are in,” Perez said.
Perez, having children of his own, wondered what the Iraqi children hope for in the future.
“Personally, I like to try to see what their outlook is toward us and what their dreams are compared to the children in America, who dream of being crazy things like rock stars and all,” Perez said. “From what I have got so far, they aim pretty high. A lot of them want to be doctors, physicians and engineers. Some of them may get the chance.”
When Perez asked the child how big the family was, and all the children’s ages, he came to the realization the family had been growing at a rate of roughly one child every year.
As the Marines started to descend the three-story house to leave, the father returned home from prayer.
When asked if he minded the Marines being there, he responded by saying they were more than welcome to be in his house. He thanked the Marines for being there and commented on how well the Iraqi Police are coming along.
To the Marines’ cultural interest, the father kept up two families. At the household the Marines were currently visiting, he had a wife and seven children. In his other household in a neighborhood not far away, he had his second wife, four children, mother and mother-in-law. He supported the family by selling fish in the market.
“He seemed like a real upkept guy,” Perez said. “He was a very family-oriented man. He didn’t care about what was going on in the outside world. All he worried about was his own family.”
What was unique about this man to Perez was the man was wealthy by Fallujah standards, yet remained more focused on the smaller issues within his family than trying to have any influence on the developing world around him.
“Fallujah is very good. I don’t worry about the poverty. I don’t care about the war and insurgents. I care about providing food and shelter for my family,” the man told Perez.
During the fighting for the city, the man said he had left the city, but had not traveled far to live in a small town outside of Fallujah. He returned home and found his property had been damaged. Two of his bedrooms had been completely burned.
He didn’t know who was responsible, and did not seem interested in finding out. Since his return, the highways had become safe enough for commercial trucks to travel from Baghdad to deliver his fish to the market. The man made enough money from his business to go on with his life and make the necessary repairs to his homes with his own money.
For the man it was a normal visit. He said he speaks with the Marines frequently and continually understands more about what is going on. His only complaint was about the unreliable power sources in the city. He said he rather see money be spent on correcting the power failure problems than anything else. The Marines reassured him the problem was being worked on.
It was a brief visit for the Marines with a family they will now know a little better. The Marines will continue communicating with the locals, getting to know them better and, ultimately, ensuring the people’s safety and their own through the means of pleasant, everyday interactions.