1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Oversees SOI Payday

Raider Soldiers oversee Hayys Jihad and Furat Sons of Iraq’s first payday under GoI

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq — Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment,
1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, joined their Iraqi counterparts
at various locations across western Rashid to assist Iraqi Security Forces issuing the first payday to the Sons of Iraq
Nov. 10-13. The long-awaited payday activities are a critical step in uniting the Iraqi people for the future of Iraq,
said Staff Col. Ali Abood Thamer, commander of the 1st Battalion, 53rd Brigade, 14th Iraqi Army Division.
“What is happening here, in my opinion, is extremely important because we are training them, putting tools in their hands,
and what is the most important thing, taking them away from terrorism,” Ali said. “We are going to give them money;
we are going to give them jobs; we are going to give them goals for their future lives.”

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq — Staff Col. Ali Abood Thamir (left), commander of the 1st Battalion,
53rd Brigade, 14th Iraqi Army Division, over sees payday activities for Abna al-Iraq, Sons of Iraq security volunteers
at the Hayy Jihad and Hayy Furat Support Council Building Nov. 11 in the West Rashid district of southern Baghdad.
Soldiers of Company C, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division,
Multi-National Division – Baghdad, assisted the Iraqi Security Forces to facilitate the first payment of a month's salary
since the Sons of Iraq security program transitioned to the control of the Government of Iraq Oct. 1.

(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Brent Williams, 1st BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B)

Ali said that he took responsibility for supervising and paying the more than 1,000 West Rashid SoI
in the Hayy Furat and Hayy Jihad communities after the Government of Iraq assumed control
of the citizens-led security program Oct. 1. “We are bringing all these people into the IA and the National Police,”
said Ali. “They are extremely important because we can train them, and they will be our eyes in the muhallahs.
They will keep us better informed on the overall situation.”

Initially beginning in early 2007, Coalition Forces sponsored the Sons of Iraq program, an Iraqi initiative
employing local citizens as security guards for their neighborhoods and communities.
The program, which grew stronger with the recognition and support of the Iraqi people, multiplied the presence
of the ISF and increased security in the area, said Capt. Christopher Watkins, commander, Company C,
1st Bn., 22nd Inf. Regt., 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div. “The concern with the SoI program
transitioning into the ISF was that the Government of Iraq would not buy into it,” said Watkins,
who hails from New Orleans. “The added security measure was virtually on the verge of disappearing.”
In light of the growing concern by the SoI members that the Iraqi government would disband the program,
the ISF have, in fact, embraced it, said Watkins.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq — Capt. Christopher Watkins, commander of Company C,
1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad,
supervises payday activities for Banaat al-Iraq (Daughters of Iraq) at the Jihad Neighborhood Advisory Council Nov. 11
in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad. Watkins, who hails from New Orleans, and his company of Soldiers provided over watch
and security for the first payday activities Nov. 10-14 since the Government of Iraq and Iraqi Security Forces
assumed control of the citizen-led security program in October.

(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Brent Williams, 1st BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B)

“They have allowed the supervisors to maintain their roles and will hold the Sons of Iraq accountable
in the same way that Coalition Forces have always done,” he explained. “My guess is because it is yet another step
in the right direction for Iraq — another step toward the Iraqi people securing their country for themselves.”
The payday activities are currently one of Multi-National Division – Baghdad’s top priorities as the SoI transition
into the control of the GoI, said Watkins. “This is a critical step that has to be completed,” he said.
“We have to work those kinks out before we can move out. We are just making sure that the Iraqis are getting paid.”
Coalition Forces currently are responsible for overseeing the first payday for the SoI, providing advice
and ensuring that the interests of both sides are served during this critical transition of the SoI into the GoI control,
said Watkins, an armor officer with more than 11 years in the U.S. Army.
“We still need to keep in touch with the SoI as well as the ISF,” Watkins explained.
“(SoI) must maintain their relationship with CF.”

The Soldiers of “Copperhead” Company, an armor company in a combined arms battalion
deployed to the Rashid district in southern Baghdad, also secured the multiple sights for the SoI payday activities
and assisted the IA soldiers in maintaining order during the day-long events, said 1st Lt. Jonathan Muir,
an infantry officer from Pittsburgh, assigned to Co. C, 1st Bn., 22nd Inf. Regt.
Platoons increased their presence in the muhallahs and surrounding areas to disrupt any potential enemy activity
and to ensure that there were no interruptions to the pay-out process, said Muir.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq — 1st Lt. Nolan Maxwell, a fire support officer from Santa Maria, Calif.,
assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division,
Multi-National Division – Baghdad, cross checks names of Sons of Iraq receiving their first payment from the Government of Iraq
Nov. 11 at the Hayy Jihad and Hayy Furat Support Council Building in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad.
Soldiers of "Copperhead" Company facilitated the payment made by leaders of the 1st Battalion, 53rd Brigade, 14th Iraqi Army Division,
after the SoI security program transferred Oct. 1 to the control of the Government of Iraq and Iraqi Security Forces.

(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Brent Williams, 1st BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B)

The SoI in the Hayy Jihad and Hayy Furat communities will continue to man checkpoints and provide local security
working in support of the Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police in the area, said 1st Lt. Nolan Maxwell, fires support officer
assigned to Co. C, 1st Bn., 22nd Inf. Regt. Coalition Forces are preparing for the eventual transition
of the SoI to the GoI and ISF’s control since early 2008, and the Soldiers of Co. C began facilitating the process,
registering members and creating personnel packets in mid-September, said Maxwell, a native of Santa Maria, Calif.
“This is the first payday under ISF control,” Maxwell explained. “We’re watching over, monitoring the payday activities,
to make sure all the Iraqis we are tracking are the same guys the ISF are tracking, but it’s not 100 percent accurate yet.”
Working with ISF and local community leaders from the joint security station in Jihad,
the Jihad Neighborhood Advisory Council, and the Jihad and Furat Support Council Office, a reconciliation council,
Maxwell said that Coalition Forces are comparing their master list to the ISF list of names
to ensure that there are no discrepancies, and the SoI are paid their due wages.

“Our ISF counterparts are in direct contact with us, and so far there has been no problem,” he said.
“They are doing a great job so far.” In the past, the SoI have faced difficulties validating their organization
to the ISF, but both sides seem to realize that this is the next step in uniting Iraq and are working together
toward a solution, said Maxwell.

“I think it is pretty important we are employing a lot of the young adults in our area of operations,” said Maxwell,
a 2006 graduate of the Virginia Military Institute. “The more of them who have jobs, the less likely they will fall in
with the gangs and begin conducting criminal activity with the special groups and terrorists.”
Coalition Forces will continue to oversee ISF and SoI activities for the foreseeable future to ensure
that the transition occurs without any issues as ISF increasingly take the lead in providing security
for the citizens of Iraq, he said.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq — Iraqi Army leaders of the 1st Battalion, 53rd Brigade, 14th Iraqi Army Division,
fingerprint an Abna al-Iraq (Sons of Iraq) security guard Nov. 10, cross-checking ledgers and recording the first payment
at a joint security station in the Hayy Jihad located in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad. Soldiers of Company C,
1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad,
supervised the event to assist Iraqi Security Forces issuing the first payday since the transition of the SoI to the Government of Iraq's control.

(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Brent Williams, 1st BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B)

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq — Command Sergeant Major Muataraf, command sergeant major
of the 1st Battalion, 53rd Brigade, 14th Iraqi Army Division, pays a Banaat al-Iraq (Daughter of Iraq) at the
Jihad Neighborhood Advisory Council Nov. 11 in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad. Iraqi Security Forces across the Rashid district
are charged with the responsibility to facilitate the first payments to the registered members of the Sons and Daughters of Iraq program.
Soldiers from Company C, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division,
Multi-National Division – Baghdad, assisted the IA leaders to distribute the first payment
since the SoI transitioned to the control of the Government of Iraq.

(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Brent Williams, 1st BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B)

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq —
An Abna al-Iraq (Sons of Iraq)
security guard counts $351,900 Iraqi dinar ($300 U.S.) after receiving
his first payment Nov. 11 from Iraqi Army Soldiers of the 1st Battalion,
53rd Brigade, 14th Iraqi Army Division.
Sons of Iraq lined up outside joint security stations and local community
leadership buildings in West Rashid to receive their salary
after their first month of service for the Government of Iraq.
Soldiers of Company C, 1st Bn., 22nd Infantry Regiment,
1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division
– Baghdad, helped facilitate the event
providing over watch for both the Iraqi Security Forces and the SoI.

(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Brent Williams,
1st BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B)

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq —
Command Sergeant Major Muataraf, 1st Battalion, 53rd Brigade,
14th Iraqi Army Division, pays an Abna al-Iraq (Sons of Iraq) member
at the Hayy Jihad and Hayy Furat Support Council Nov. 11 in the Rashid
district of southern Baghdad. Iraqi Security Forces across the Rashid district
are charged with the responsibility to facilitate the first payments to the
registered members of the Sons and Daughters of Iraq program. Soldiers from
Company C, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team,
4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, assisted the IA leaders
to distribute the first payment after the SoI transitioned to the control
of the Government of Iraq Oct. 1.

(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Brent Williams,
1st BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B)