Saturday, December 17
GRUNTS INSURE IRAQI VOTING RIGHTS
| December 15, 2005 CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Soldiers of 3rd Brigade,1st Armored Division and Iraqi officials northwest of Baghdad spent the last week working toward a common goal: making polling sites as secure as possible. The Soldiers transported concrete barriers and emplaced them at polling places to ensure that voters remain safe during the historic national elections on Dec. 15. The entire planning process was a collaborative effort between Coalition Forces, Iraqi officials, and the Iraqi Army. Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army will assume the primary role of polling site security on election day. Iraqi officials took the lead in planning election-site security and 3/1 AD troops assisted with logistics, said Maj. Scott Sill, civil military operations officer for the brigade. Joint planning began right after the Constitutional Referendum vote in October. Everyone involved was able to refine and improve their December plans based on their experience from the first two elections. The Iraqi Forces are building on what they achieved during the Referendum vote when they curbed attacks and ensured that citizens made it to the polls safely. |
