FOB LOYALTY — Government of Iraq (GOI) officials and Coalition Soldiers recently gathered at Forward Operating Base Volunteer in the Rusafa district of eastern Baghdad to transfer responsibility of the ‘Sons of Iraq’ (SOI) over to the GOI.
Iraqi officials, Iraqi security forces (ISF) and members of the Sons of Iraq invited Soldiers from 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad to the Iraqi Army headquarters in order to officially sign over responsibility of the Sons of Iraq to the GOI.
Col. Craig Collier, squadron commander for 3rd Sqdn., 89th Cav. Regt. signed responsibility of the SOI in Rusafa over to the GOI. Representing the GOI in the signing was Brig. Gen. Haitham Al Awani, 43rd Brigade, 11th Iraqi Army Div.
Coalition forces originally handled SOI payments. However, the signing now transfers that responsibility over to the GOI.
During the ceremony, Al’aa Dagher, the Rusafa District council chairman spoke about the importance of the SOI and their role in the security of Rusafa. Dagher likened the SOI to a “pure seed,” which has spread throughout all of Iraq and has helped stabilize the country by partnering with U.S. and ISF to establish security.
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