New bridge opens pathway for IA in Kirkuk province

By Pfc. Justin Naylor, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public AffairsSeptember 25, 2009

(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq-A rural area in Kirkuk province which had lost a bridge to insurgents now has a new one to reconnect their communities.

Insurgents had detonated explosives on a vital bridge connecting two Iraqi Army units on either side of a ravine in the town of al Awashra only a short time after the troops set up outposts there.

Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division emplaced a portable bridge, Sept. 22, to replace the damaged one and once again allow the IA easy access to al Awashra.

"It's an hour-and-a-half to bypass that bridge," said 1st Sgt. Brent Saxton, a Raymah, N.M., native with 4th Squadron, 9th Cav. Regiment.

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According to Saxton, small vehicles had been able to cross the bridge briefly after it had been damaged, but it deteriorated so much that they eventually could no longer use it at all for vehicle traffic.

Not only did the damaged bridge cripple the IA's access to al Awashra, it also impeded the movement of U.S. military in the area.

"It really saves us a lot of heartache and grief, and it improves the IA's ability to move around," said Saxton about the new bridge. "It enables them to patrol a lot more effectively in the area."

But IA and U.S. Soldiers aren't going to be the only ones benefiting from the new bridge - it will also ease the movement of civilian traffic in and out of the city.

This bridge will allow residents of the village to access larger nearby cities that until recently took a very long time to reach, according to 1st Lt. Christopher Minter, the executive officer of Troop C, 4th Sqdn., 9th Cav. Regt.

"It will allow them to get to market a lot faster, and get where they need to go," said Minter. "It may improve, in the long term, the local economy."

The bridge also has the benefit of now being secured on either side by the IA, who, according to Minter, will prevent insurgents from using it.

With the bridge in place, IA and U.S. Soldiers will again be able to easily patrol the al Awashra valley and provide security to the residents there, explained Saxton.

With both military and civilians now able to cross the bridge again, Saxton said a message has been sent to the insurgents who destroyed it in the first place.

"It sends the message we are going to be there and do what it takes to patrol with our partners," said Saxton.