BATTALION SHIFTS FOCUS TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES

By 2nd Lt. Ryan Wood 2nd Bn., 16th Inf. Regt.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq - In an effort to adapt to the ever-changing battlefield in the heart of Iraq, the "Rangers" of the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, attached to the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, are on the move. With a recent drop in sectarian violence in the Ranger area and the increased need for services, the battalion has been able to shift its focus to helping to provide essential services to eastern Baghdad residents.

"Our initial task when we arrived in Baghdad was threefold," said Ranger Commander Lt. Col. Ralph Kauzlarich. "We were to reduce sectarian violence, assist in the development of Iraqi security forces and assist in providing essential services to the people. Our efforts up until now
have decreased the violence level significantly, and now we are reorganizing to better achieve our remaining objectives."

Before August, the Rangers were responsible for five sections in eastern Baghdad that comprised 32 neighborhoods. With the new distribution of forces, Task Force Ranger will now only be responsible for four areas with a population of approximately 350,000 people.

According to Kauzlarich, this change will allow a greater concentration of forces and better align the Ranger's boundaries with the Iraqis with whom they work. This change from clearance to control operations won't cause major changes in the daily actions of the companies operating in the area, said Maj. Brent Cummings, the battalion executive officer. It will allow an evolution to operations that are less intrusive on the general population.

"The companies will continue to conduct combat patrols and dominate the terrain," Cummings said. "What will change is a shift to more intelligence-driven, pinpoint raids instead of clearance operations, allowing us to control the zone better." The boundary shift also has aligned 2nd Bn., 16th Inf. Regt. with a single National Police battalion instead of the two the Rangers were working with in the past. This will allow much better communication, coordination and training opportunities, Kauzlarich said.

The increased security and drop in violence also has allowed a more concentrated effort to provide essential services to the people. With many Iraqis in the area living with no power, water or sewage removal, the efforts of the Rangers and the local Iraqi security forces are their only links to these needs.

"Our guys are involved in building essential services every day," Cumming said. "They will help ISF provide security for essential services projects and work with the ISF to bring new projects into the neighborhoods so that the people can see and benefit from the results of the security that Task Force Ranger is providing."

Dozens of projects are being worked throughout the Ranger area, with many nearing completion. Sewage projects, water treatment, power generation and transmission, and school rehabilitation projects all are in progress.

In one much-needed project, the battalion is providing 40,000 gallons of water per week to local neighborhoods and increasing that amount to 94,500 gallons per week by the end of the month.

Yeah, I know, I'm just an uncritical shill for the government. Just like those news outlets that uncritically publish the work of al-AP stringers are uncritical shills for jihadis.