From MNF-I, Concerned Local Citizens Work to Rid Their Areas of IEDs.
FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER — Concerned Local Citizens in Sabbah Nissan, a village southeast of Baghdad, led Soldiers from Battery A, 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery to a weapons cache near the group’s headquarters last week.
Soldiers from the 789th Ordnance Company (EOD), from Ft. Benning, Ga., were called out to destroy the munitions along with remnants of an earlier cache turned in by the CLCs.
Since last November, CLCs have frequently taken the lead in uncovering extremist caches in the areas around FOB Hammer.
“It’s great to see the citizens of Iraq stepping up and taking charge,” said 1st Sgt. Michael Parker, from Geriee, Ind., first sergeant of Battery A.
The effectiveness of the CLCs in Sabbah Nissan has allowed Battery A more opportunities to provide water, food and school supplies to the 11 villages that the group represents and protects.
The cooperation between CLCs and Battery A is one of the reasons the area around FOB Hammer is secure, said Capt. Chas Cannon, from Moultrie, Ga., commander of Battery A.
“The Concerned Local Citizens provide us the ability to rid the roads of IEDs,” Cannon said. “They have expert knowledge on their neighborhoods and have prevented munitions from falling into the hands of extremist.”
The 1-10th FA is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007.
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