First Cavalry troops mount up to patrol Sadr City

BAGHDAD - With the implementation of a Security Agreement between Coalition forces and the Government of Iraq in January, CF began their plans to move out of Iraq's cities. However before this happens, CF troops will continue their work patrolling the streets to assist with security and lessen threats from improvised explosive devices and terrorists.

In an effort to quell the potential violence of IEDs and terrorist threats, Soldiers of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Division, Multi-National Division-Baghdad mount their vehicles on patrols through Sadr City.

"Every day Co. E Soldiers put their lives at risk patrolling the streets looking for IEDs in an effort to keep harm away from the innocent people of Iraq," said 1st Lt. Pavlo Valerin, a native of Los Angeles, who is a platoon leader in Co. E. "We mostly conduct mounted patrols but we are not afraid to dismount."

The dismounted patrol is a good way to build relationships with the citizens of the local community. However, it is much more difficult to build relationships during mounted patrols because Soldiers are mostly in vehicles trying to find IEDs, Valerin explained.

"Finding IEDs during our route clearing missions before they can be detonated is crucial to saving the lives of the local Iraqi citizens and CF who travel along the dangerous routes," he added.

The 1st Cav. Div. Soldiers that conduct route clearance missions slowly ride through the streets in vehicles equipped to investigate possible IEDs, according to Valerin.

"The job is tedious and we don't mind doing it because we know that our job could make the difference of a smile on a child's face or tears flowing from a child's eyes," said Staff Sgt. Sergio Lopez, a combat engineer assigned to Co. E. "It makes me feel good to see children wave and smile at us as we drive down the streets," said the Houston native.

According to Valerin, 98 percent of the people in Sadr City are good, hard working people; it is that two percent that tries to disturb the peace in the community.

Because of the small percentage of people that are trying to disrupt the peace that has been established by the Iraqi Security Forces and CF, 1st Cavalry Soldiers are once again conducting vigorous mounted patrols in Sadr City. With stepping up their mounted patrols, the Soldiers here continue keeping the streets safe for the Iraqi people.