CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE MAREZ, Iraq " As Operation New Dawn continues, service members throughout Iraq now shift into security overwatch roles as they transition military bases to Iraqi control.
Soldiers assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, oversaw the transfer of Joint Security Station Iraqi Media Network from U.S. control to the government of Iraq, July 15.
“This base transfer will help the Iraqi Security Forces, because it gives them an additional base to work out of and more area to house their soldiers in better conditions,” said Lt. Col. Paul Reese, deputy commander, 4th AAB.
Since deploying last fall to U.S. Division " North, Soldiers of Company B, 2nd Bn., 7th Cav. Regt., stationed at JSS IMN worked to support the neighboring patrol bases and checkpoints east of Mosul.
In addition to providing logistical support to nearby bases, U.S. Soldiers also advised and trained their Iraqi counterparts who resided on the base with them.
The transfer of JSS IMN is a symbol of the Iraqi Security Forces’ ability to handle security in this section of eastern Mosul, said Reese.
“(It shows the Iraqi people that) U.S. forces are no longer needed to train the ISF,” said Reese, a native of St. Louis. “So U.S. forces are going to withdraw and turn one more piece of security over to the Iraqi forces.”
During the past 10 months, 4th AAB Soldiers assisted in transferring multiple military bases and facilities to the Iraqi government in support of Operation New Dawn.
“The Soldiers at JSS IMN did a fantastic job training the ISF soldiers and providing logistical support to nearby bases,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Henry Griffith, the senior enlisted advisor of the 2nd Bn., 7th Cav. Regt.
“We have trained the ISF and transferred facilities over to the Iraqi government, and we will continue to assist them as we transition to an overwatch role while they conduct their security operations,” said Griffith, a native of Washington, D.C.
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