CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq
4/1/2008 4:03 PM, Sgt. Nathaniel C. LeBlanc
A Mine Resistant and Ambush Protected “Buffalo” vehicle from Reaper platoon, Company A, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 1 creeps down a rural road with its flood lights revealing the ground below, allowing combat engineers to observe for any suspicious objects in their path during a route clearance mission. The Reapers have successfully cleared nearly 9,000 miles of roads throughout the area of operations at a crawling pace of 10 miles per hour, and discovered six improvised explosive devices during their seven month deployment.

Labels: 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, Buffalo, Camp Fallujah, Iraq, military vehicles, MRAP, photos, Regimental Combat Team 1

FALLUJAH, IRAQ -- Sgt. Natalie Cespuglio, a Sisters of Fallujah trainer with Regimental Combat Team-1, assists an Iraqi women in firing an M9 pistol on the firing range here, April 21. The Sisters of Fallujah undergo several days of security training to certify and work alongside Iraqi Police at entry control points (ECP) throughout Fallujah. (OFFICIAL U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Chris Lyttle)


Story by Cpl. Chris Lyttle

FALLUJAH, Iraq – Entry control points (ECP) throughout Fallujah are designed to protect the city from harm and prevent people from transporting illegal contraband such as weapons and explosive materials. Coalition forces discovered the enemy exploiting the cultural sensitivity precluding the search of females by having females carry contraband into the city.

Coalition forces then employed female search teams from units such as Combat Logistics Battalion-1 to alleviate the threat of women being used to sneak contraband such as electrical devices, wires, and other bomb making material. This still posed a problem as the female Marines could only be pulled away from their primary duties for short periods.

To rebalance the shift in Coalition manpower and further transition the role of security from Coalition forces to Iraqi Police, last year 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment began the Sisters of Fallujah, a program designed to train local Iraqi women in security operations to search other Iraqi women entering the city through ECPs. The trained Iraqi women were employed throughout the city and have proven themselves to be an effective security element in the prevention of dangerous items entering the city.

3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment returned to Iraq this year as part of Regimental Combat Team-1 and continued the program with the help of female Marines from CLB-1 and instructors from the International Police Advisors (IPA) as they recently graduated several new recruits to work at ECPs throughout the city.

“Their main goal is to check the females, check bags and search the children as well,” said Anna Bailey, an IPA who is leading the sisters’ program for her first time. “In (Iraqi culture), the men are not allowed to touch the women (in routine searches). There’s a safety issue there that needs to be addressed, and that’s when the community chose to step up”

Fallujah follows cities such as Baghdad and Ramadi in the societal changes allowing women to serve a law enforcement role. Although the Sisters of Fallujah solely perform their duties at ECPs, the training to become a member covers an array of relevant topics. The women participated in lectures on police ethics, human rights, torture, women’s issues, working in a terrorist environment, small-arms training and first aid.

Bailey said the IPA’s and Marines do not intend to make the women IPs, but to give them the training for their current duties and prepare them if the city were to one day promote women with more responsibilities.

The new sisters came from areas in and away from the city to take part in this program and they are doing their part to restore the security of Iraq.

29-year-old ‘Ruby,’ a newly graduated Sister of Fallujah, said she moved from Baghdad to work here after her mother, who is a fellow sister, told her about this job opportunity.

“She said she was willing to work with Coalition forces after she realized they were not the enemy,” Ruby said through an interpreter. “Her feelings before are opposite from now. She said she feels closer (to Marines), she is very serious about her job and she feels stronger.”

The Marines and IPAs reinforced their new sense of empowerment when the sisters fired AK-47 rifles and pistols on the firing range during training day three. It was weapons training that they may not use at ECPs at the moment, but it instilled a higher level of confidence within the women.

Most of the sisters admitted they had never handled a weapon before. That was evident when they stepped up to the firing line at 25 yards. With hands trembling, and reluctant to be the first to pull the trigger on the line, the sisters each paired up with CLB-1 Marines to ensure the weapons were handled properly and the rounds were landing on the targets, or at least safely in the right direction. Nearing the end of the shoot, the nervousness disappeared along with the rounds as the Marines and Iraqi women opened up and became more at ease with each other.

“I’m scared the first time, but after I feel better,” Ruby said.” “I feel better about everything, the searches and the shooting, everything. I feel different. I’m happy about this job because I feel like I’m important with the people when I search them. I feel important to my family now because I have this job. This is good for me.”

After the shooting, the Iraqi women were tasked with performing on-the-job training at the ECPs. This gave the women the opportunity to see what their duties will entail, to include personal searches, item searches and effective questioning.

Sgt. Natalie Cespuglio, an on-the-job trainer from CLB-1, has worked with the sisters in-classroom and at ECPs for three months and explained why the success of the sisters’ program is not only important for the security of Iraq, but for the women who are standing up in a security role here for the first time.

“We can’t give up on them because if we give up on them, they’ll give up on themselves,” Cespuglio said. “They really do look up to us. They want to know everything about us. They want to know how we live and what we do. They tell us their situations or problems they have at home with their spouse or their kids and ask us for advice. We try to point them in the right direction and tell them the different options that they have and we compare. They say yeah we can do this, we can’t do that. Even though they’re older than us, we’re like their older sisters.”

Cespuglio said the sisters expressed a positive attitude in that they are doing their jobs for a greater cause.

“They’re very happy. They feel like they’re serving their country- they’re very patriotic,” Cespuglio said. “They feel like they’re making a difference because they want to catch the ‘bad people’ too.”

At the end of the training, the new Sisters of Fallujah were honored through a graduation ceremony and given certificates for their training. Lt. Col. James Zientek, the battalion commander of 3rd Bn. 6th Marines, addressed the sisters and thanked them for their willingness to take part in the program.

“I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for your participation in this program and for doing your part to ensure a safe and secure Fallujah,” Zientek said to the new Sisters of Fallujah. “I speak for my Marines and I know (Faisal Isma’il Husayn a L-Zobai, Fallujah chief of police) Colonel Faisal’s police all look forward to working with you for the greater security (of Fallujah).”

Bailey described the overall challenge of teaching through cultural barriers and how, after her first class, the benefit for Iraqi women comes through employing them beyond their conventional occupations.

“The training through an (interpreter) is kind of difficult, but once the concepts were understood it was good,” Bailey said. “Also to see the females open up with the hands-on training, it was good for them get involved and know that they can do the job. This is the beginning, so this is all history in the making. Hopefully over time, the men of the area will catch on and realize that these women are needed for their safety and for the families of this community and hopefully they’ll realize that they can do other jobs as well.”


More Photos

Labels: Camp Fallujah, Good News, Iraq, photos, Sisters of Fallujah

Dec. 28, 2007
Story ID#: 200712281387

By Pfc. Brian D. Jones, 2nd Marine Division (FWD)

ZAIDON, Iraq (Dec. 28, 2007) -- “I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong.”

These are famous words by Frederick Douglas speaking about overcoming struggles in the progress for human liberty. More than a century later, these words may express the sensitivity of how Iraqis feel toward their struggle for a better future.

Iraqi Police students waited for their instructor’s commands to be translated by the interpreter. The instructions were to work as a team and depend on the cohesion of one another’s strength and cooperation to execute a physical exercise. This was a challenge set forth for the students to help them rise above their past of ill feelings toward one another that separated them, keeping them from working together to achieve a common goal.

“They’re civilians that have been guarding checkpoints for months and are looking for some recognition,” said 1st Lt. Todd Richardson, a platoon commander with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6. “They’re looking for some actual authority as opposed to just being civilian watch and they’re finally getting their chance.”

Marines with Weapons Co. graduated 59 newly trained Iraqi policemen in Zaidon, Iraq, Dec. 20, after they reconciled tribal differences among their students.

Early on in the training, the Marines realized they would have to put forth an extra effort in building camaraderie among the class. They needed their Iraqi students to overcome their social differences that were causing disruptions. They relied on teamwork building exercises that required their students to set aside their differences.

Arguments interrupted the first day of instruction, almost leading the instructors to immediately fail students, a loss neither the Marines nor the police force wanted.

“I don’t understand Arabic, but I understand complaining,” said 26-year-old Ocala, Fla., native, Sgt. David R. Dahl, a chief instructor.

“It started out with a few hitches in the beginning,” said Dahl. “There were tribal differences and things of that nature. They were put into situations where they were forced to be next to people they didn’t like. Either they were going to be a team or they weren’t going to be apart of this.”

“You’re still a member of your tribe and you’re still a member of your community, but you’re not going to worry about your tribe and community as much as you’re going to worry about the country as a whole,” Dahl told his students.

Throughout a period of six training days the Marines taught their students a wide range of professional security force skills from marksmanship and detainee handling to human rights and medical aid.

All the Marines agreed there were moments their blood pressure rose, but they were glad to be teaching the students things they may not get a chance to learn anywhere else.

“Training was condensed into long hours leaving them little free time, which was good because it kept them focused on what they were doing,” said Dahl. “They were physically training, studying or sleeping. They weren’t given anytime to think about anything else.”

Discipline was on display from the Marines. Proficient execution of technique was shown. The Marines hoped the Iraqis would pull together and emulate their actions.

“The Marines actually came together really well on it and worked hard,” said Dahl. “Every Marine was very professional on how they gave their class and they were very hands on with them. When it was their time to go in front of the Iraqis they were experts on what they were talking about.”

As Dahl taught a class in detainee handling, he showed the class techniques to use to take down a resisting detainee. One student challenged him saying the moves wouldn’t work on him. Dahl offered him the chance to stand before the class and demonstrate his resistance to what Dahl had shown them. In a short few seconds, the student found himself on the ground restrained with a surprised look on his face to be proven wrong. The whole class sat there, admiring the skills of their instructor.

Dahl said he and other instructors would sit the students down after a long day of classes and speak with them to make sure the students appreciated the magnitude of their situation and the new responsibilities the students would take on upon graduating as police.

“I had a lot of talks with them about the importance of what they’re training for and the responsibilities that come along with the job,” said Dahl. “The change in their life they will have to make now and how their going to have to set examples for their community. They’re going to have to hold themselves above everyone else and do what is right for everyone, not just for themselves and their family.”

Dahl said they seemed to fully understand what he was stressing. He wanted them to know that this job meant more than just a paycheck to support their families, it was a chance to unite as a stronger force for the protection that would serve a greater and less selfish cause.

Dahl admitted he didn’t really believe it was going to work at first because of how argumentative the students were among each other, but in the end he said he was satisfied with the result.

“We have seen a difference in them,” said Dahl. “They’re working together and they’re trying to accomplish everything without any arguments. I think it was good for them and they learned a whole lot from it. It gave them such a focused look at it that I think they’ve made a dramatic change.”

After completing the course, the students graduated as the newest addition to Zaidon’s police force. With diplomas in hand, they each extended heart felt congratulations to one another and thanked their instructors.


Iraqi police students march in their graduation ceremony in Zaidon, Iraq, Dec. 20. Marines with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, instructed the students. Over a period of six training days the Marines taught their students a wide range of professional security force skills from marksmanship and detainee handling to human rights and medical aid.


Iraqi police students line up for range exercises in weapons handling on a rifle range aboard Camp Fallujah, Dec. 18. Over a period of six training days the Marines with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, taught their students a wide range of professional security force skills from marksmanship and detainee handling to human rights and medical aid. After completing the course, the students graduated as the newest addition to the Zaidon’s police force.


Iraqi police students work together in a teamwork building exercise called squad pushups during training, Dec. 20. The instructions were to work as a team and depend on the cohesion of one another’s strength and cooperation to execute a physical exercise. This was a challenge set forth for the students to help them rise above their past of ill feelings toward one another that separated them, keeping them from working together to achieve a common goal.


Iraqi police students help one another prepare their rifles before going to a rifle range Dec. 18. Over a period of six training days the Marines with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, taught their students a wide range of professional security force skills from marksmanship and detainee handling to human rights and medical aid. All the Marines agreed there were moments their blood pressure rose, but they were glad to be teaching the students things they may not get a chance to learn anywhere else.


Iraqi police students take aim on their targets and fire a few rounds on a rifle range aboard Camp Fallujah, Dec. 18. Over a period of six training days the Marines with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, taught their students a wide range of professional security force skills from marksmanship and detainee handling to human rights and medical aid. All the Marines agreed there were moments their blood pressure rose, but they were glad to be teaching the students things they may not get a chance to learn anywhere else.


An Iraqi police student aims in on his target and fire a few rounds on a rifle range aboard Camp Fallujah, Dec. 18. Over a period of six training days the Marines with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, taught their students a wide range of professional security force skills from marksmanship and detainee handling to human rights and medical aid. All the Marines agreed there were moments their blood pressure rose, but they were glad to be teaching the students things they may not get a chance to learn anywhere else.


Iraqi police students intently listen to instructions before taking their weapons on a rifle range on Camp Fallujah, Dec. 18. “They’re civilians that have been guarding checkpoints for months and are looking for some recognition,” said 1st Lt. Todd Richardson, a platoon commander with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6. “They’re looking for some actual authority as opposed to just being civilian watch and they’re finally getting their chance.”

Labels: 3/3 Marine Regiment, Camp Fallujah, Good News, Iraq, Iraqi Police, photos, Regimental Combat Team 6, USMC

KINDERGARTEN CARDS - Marines and sailors hold up Thanksgiving cards at Camp Fallujah, Iraq, Nov. 22, 2007. The cards were made by a kindergarten class from Island Creek Elementary School in Alexandria, Va., and delivered to the service members as a way of saying thanks for serving in Iraq. Defense Dept. photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Adam M. Stump

Labels: Camp Fallujah, Iraq, photos, Supporting the troops, USMC, USN

MARINES ON PATROL — Marines with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, stationed at Camp Fallujah, patrol through a small village north of Karmah, Iraq, Sept. 10. The Marines aided the Iraqi locals in establishing an Iraqi Community Watch. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Brian Jones - Story

Labels: 3-3 Marines, Camp Fallujah, Iraq, Iraqi Community Watch, Karmah, Regimental Combat Team 6, USMC