TALL AFAR, Iraq — Approximately 700 paratroopers from the 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, arrived here Sept. 11 and immediately began combat operation in the evacuated city.
The paratroopers, working with the 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment, are attempting to bring the troubled city under control before the upcoming constitutional referendum in October and the national elections in December.
The unit has been conducting patrols and searching homes in the nearly deserted city, as well as questioning the few local residents who failed to leave. The city was emptied of people prior to the operation.
The paratroopers arrived in the city ready to fight, but opposition was far less than what the newly-arrived Soldiers had expected.
“It was less resistance than we had anticipated from the [intelligence] reports we received,” said 2nd Lt. Steve S. Taylor, fire suppression officer for Company B.
Even with the lack of opposition at the onset of the mission, the paratroopers are prepared to face any upcoming challenges when the local populace returns to their homes.
“Once these people start moving in, we’re going to have a lot more responsibilities, and we’re going to have to keep our guard up … not all of these people coming back are the good guys,” Taylor said. “We just have to keep our guard up, make sure we get out there and conduct patrols.”
As temporary residents of the city, the “White Falcons” will strive to build friendly relations with the people of the war-damaged city, Taylor said.
The 2/325 hopes the future relationships it builds will help identify any remaining insurgents, he added.
To help build those relationships, making repairs and cleaning up the city will be some of the mission focuses for the paratroopers during their stay here.
“There is a lot of damage to the city and their homes. Now we have to help rebuild it,” Taylor said.
The White Falcons already completed a portion of their mission here — they made the city safer.
“We did the best we can on getting rid of all the bad guys, cleaning up the [improvised explosive devices] and the booby traps,” Taylor said.
In the first four days of the operation, the 2/325 found seven IEDs, said Capt. Jonathan Norman, the battalion intelligence officer.
Several elements of the battalion also found weapons caches and extremist propaganda, Taylor said.
The length of the paratroopers’ mission here is undetermined. They will stay in the city as long as the situation calls for but are able to relocate to other parts of the country
The paratroopers, working with the 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment, are attempting to bring the troubled city under control before the upcoming constitutional referendum in October and the national elections in December.
The unit has been conducting patrols and searching homes in the nearly deserted city, as well as questioning the few local residents who failed to leave. The city was emptied of people prior to the operation.
The paratroopers arrived in the city ready to fight, but opposition was far less than what the newly-arrived Soldiers had expected.
“It was less resistance than we had anticipated from the [intelligence] reports we received,” said 2nd Lt. Steve S. Taylor, fire suppression officer for Company B.
Even with the lack of opposition at the onset of the mission, the paratroopers are prepared to face any upcoming challenges when the local populace returns to their homes.
“Once these people start moving in, we’re going to have a lot more responsibilities, and we’re going to have to keep our guard up … not all of these people coming back are the good guys,” Taylor said. “We just have to keep our guard up, make sure we get out there and conduct patrols.”
As temporary residents of the city, the “White Falcons” will strive to build friendly relations with the people of the war-damaged city, Taylor said.
The 2/325 hopes the future relationships it builds will help identify any remaining insurgents, he added.
To help build those relationships, making repairs and cleaning up the city will be some of the mission focuses for the paratroopers during their stay here.
“There is a lot of damage to the city and their homes. Now we have to help rebuild it,” Taylor said.
The White Falcons already completed a portion of their mission here — they made the city safer.
“We did the best we can on getting rid of all the bad guys, cleaning up the [improvised explosive devices] and the booby traps,” Taylor said.
In the first four days of the operation, the 2/325 found seven IEDs, said Capt. Jonathan Norman, the battalion intelligence officer.
Several elements of the battalion also found weapons caches and extremist propaganda, Taylor said.
The length of the paratroopers’ mission here is undetermined. They will stay in the city as long as the situation calls for but are able to relocate to other parts of the country
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