WEBVTT 00:06.240 --> 00:10.210 coming up on Freedom Journal Iraq 00:10.220 --> 00:12.320 MNF soldiers experienced the first 00:12.320 --> 00:14.500 convoy positive trends and vehicle 00:14.500 --> 00:16.970 safety and one marines chance to learn 00:16.980 --> 00:19.147 firsthand for his senator is doing for 00:19.147 --> 00:21.202 him back in Washington D . C . Those 00:21.202 --> 00:24.240 stories and more . Next welcome to this 00:24.240 --> 00:26.351 edition of Freedom Journal Iraq . I'm 00:26.351 --> 00:28.240 army sergeant Melissa Rowland and 00:28.240 --> 00:30.240 here's a look at events shaping the 00:30.240 --> 00:31.684 region . Al Qaeda claimed 00:31.684 --> 00:33.907 responsibility for an April two raid on 00:33.907 --> 00:36.240 Abu Ghraib prison that wounded 44 U . S . 00:36.240 --> 00:38.240 soldiers . According to an Internet 00:38.240 --> 00:40.351 statement and said more attacks would 00:40.351 --> 00:42.573 follow . Military officials said dozens 00:42.573 --> 00:44.629 of terrorists carried out Saturday's 00:44.629 --> 00:44.500 attack , detonating two suicide car 00:44.500 --> 00:46.389 bombs and firing market propelled 00:46.389 --> 00:48.333 grenades that us forces before the 00:48.333 --> 00:50.860 assault was repelled . Besides the 44 00:50.860 --> 00:53.027 U.S . troops wounded 12 detainees were 00:53.027 --> 00:55.110 hurt one seriously and at least one 00:55.110 --> 00:57.332 terrorist was killed . It's believed to 00:57.332 --> 00:59.277 be the largest and most determined 00:59.277 --> 01:01.800 attack on abu Ghraib , improvised 01:01.810 --> 01:03.810 explosive attacks on convoys is the 01:03.810 --> 01:06.143 number one killer of all U . S . Troops . 01:06.143 --> 01:08.310 But then in mind , travel through Iraq 01:08.310 --> 01:10.477 can be a scary experience for even the 01:10.477 --> 01:12.770 most experienced soldier officials call 01:12.770 --> 01:14.937 evil spoke with a few personnel facing 01:14.937 --> 01:16.659 their first convoy trip ever , 01:16.659 --> 01:20.240 a star kuwait 01:20.750 --> 01:22.694 is the last chance stop for anyone 01:22.694 --> 01:24.917 heading out of the small middle eastern 01:24.917 --> 01:27.210 country up north to Iraq , thousands of 01:27.210 --> 01:29.266 vehicles passed through this forward 01:29.266 --> 01:32.000 operating base every day to get a final 01:32.000 --> 01:34.167 fuel before the treacherous road ahead 01:34.167 --> 01:37.200 of his convoy north is the first time 01:37.200 --> 01:39.367 many soldiers will enter into a combat 01:39.367 --> 01:41.478 situation . Well , today we're convoy 01:41.478 --> 01:44.270 going up north uh Camp Anaconda . 01:44.280 --> 01:46.940 Uh , so this is our first convoy . We 01:46.940 --> 01:49.670 just got in country probably about two 01:49.670 --> 01:52.580 weeks ago and started out this morning 01:52.580 --> 01:54.580 on this convoy . Most soldiers have 01:54.580 --> 01:56.802 been spent in training on how to handle 01:56.802 --> 01:59.140 deadly situations . We've been prepared 01:59.140 --> 02:02.420 for I E D . S uh small arm fire 02:02.430 --> 02:04.870 vehicle born IEDs . 02:04.880 --> 02:08.860 Um basically everything just what 02:08.860 --> 02:11.840 to look out for the different types of 02:11.850 --> 02:15.310 land mines , I E D s and so forth . 02:15.320 --> 02:17.376 Not all the soldiers in the convoy . 02:17.376 --> 02:19.340 Our needs to the procedure . A 02:19.350 --> 02:21.760 Tennessee National Guard units main job 02:22.820 --> 02:26.070 were part of the gun tom cruise run 02:26.080 --> 02:29.060 convoy security for the state company . 02:29.070 --> 02:31.290 These soldiers are very experienced in 02:31.290 --> 02:33.410 their job and keep a good attitude 02:33.410 --> 02:36.270 while doing it . It's pretty easy uh 02:36.280 --> 02:38.447 taken from point A to point B you have 02:38.447 --> 02:40.650 any enemy contact , we'll engage the 02:40.650 --> 02:42.810 enemy and break contact the gun crews 02:42.810 --> 02:44.800 with jobs and working together for 02:44.800 --> 02:46.910 about eight months running the gun 02:46.910 --> 02:48.577 truck and experience . That's 02:48.577 --> 02:50.632 encouraging soldiers heading north . 02:50.632 --> 02:53.260 Specialist level and the news 02:53.270 --> 02:57.170 away . Recently , 02:57.180 --> 02:59.124 Iraqi lawmakers , elected Industry 02:59.124 --> 03:01.290 minister , Hajim Al Hassani a Sunni 03:01.290 --> 03:03.500 Arab as prominent speaker ending days 03:03.500 --> 03:05.820 of deadlock , former nuclear scientists 03:05.820 --> 03:08.380 who signed ASHA rastani a Shiite and 03:08.380 --> 03:10.380 kurdish leader , Horace Tabor were 03:10.380 --> 03:12.700 elected at Al Hassani's deputy . The 03:12.700 --> 03:14.922 decision came two months after historic 03:14.922 --> 03:17.400 election coming up on Freedom Journal 03:17.400 --> 03:20.250 Iraq lawmakers visit MnF troops on 03:20.250 --> 03:22.417 easter sunday and US troops . Attorney 03:22.417 --> 03:24.361 Iraqi soldiers into riflemen . But 03:24.370 --> 03:26.600 first on that camera takes us on a one 03:26.600 --> 03:28.711 minute tour around the region . While 03:28.711 --> 03:30.850 we're here , I'm therefore Sergeant 03:30.850 --> 03:33.060 Melissa Allen and this is why we're 03:33.060 --> 03:36.660 here . A marine machine gunner fires 03:36.660 --> 03:38.870 his £50 machine gun during a daily 03:38.870 --> 03:42.020 weapons shack near Alva Cottam while a 03:42.020 --> 03:44.020 fellow marine makes repairs on some 03:44.020 --> 03:47.140 equipment , the military police began 03:47.150 --> 03:49.220 interviewing prisoners at the Iraqi 03:49.220 --> 03:51.164 Police provisional headquarters in 03:51.164 --> 03:53.460 Diwaniyah . The interviews are 03:53.460 --> 03:55.610 conducted to evaluate the progress of 03:55.610 --> 03:59.320 the Iraqi police in the city . An army 03:59.320 --> 04:01.840 chaplain hugs a young Iraqi boy during 04:01.840 --> 04:03.840 an adopted school visit near camp , 04:03.840 --> 04:07.400 calcium . Different units at the camp 04:07.400 --> 04:09.760 deliver school supply to local schools 04:09.760 --> 04:11.900 and interact with local families and 04:11.900 --> 04:15.580 Children . While an Iraqi woman takes 04:15.580 --> 04:18.070 advantage of so shape and washing 04:18.080 --> 04:22.070 troops in the town and that's why 04:22.070 --> 04:24.160 we're here . Thanks to Joint combat 04:24.160 --> 04:26.382 camera in rock for the photos . I'm Air 04:26.382 --> 04:28.460 Force Sergeant Melissa Alan . Yeah . 04:29.940 --> 04:32.051 According to multinational Force Iraq 04:32.051 --> 04:34.218 safety reports , the number of vehicle 04:34.218 --> 04:36.384 related accidents and fatalities is on 04:36.384 --> 04:38.551 a very positive downward trend . David 04:38.551 --> 04:40.607 martin of the Safety office said the 04:40.607 --> 04:42.718 numbers have steadily decreased since 04:42.718 --> 04:44.940 february and attributes the improvement 04:44.940 --> 04:47.107 to the institution of the safety stand 04:47.107 --> 04:49.107 down program martin said the safety 04:49.107 --> 04:51.107 stand down reinforces the basics of 04:51.107 --> 04:52.884 vehicle safety and awareness by 04:52.884 --> 04:54.940 practicing rehearsals such as convoy 04:54.940 --> 04:57.540 briefs and rollover drill martin added 04:57.540 --> 04:59.651 that units are becoming more aware of 04:59.651 --> 05:01.540 the safety benefits of conducting 05:01.540 --> 05:03.318 standard safety checks of their 05:03.318 --> 05:05.429 vehicles . Prior to each mission , he 05:05.429 --> 05:07.373 said , the checks are as simple as 05:07.373 --> 05:09.429 checking fire extinguishers , safety 05:09.429 --> 05:11.262 bills and doors ensuring all are 05:11.262 --> 05:13.151 working properly according to the 05:13.151 --> 05:15.096 safety office . Research conducted 05:15.096 --> 05:16.707 through troop interviews has 05:16.707 --> 05:18.762 demonstrated that units are learning 05:18.762 --> 05:20.651 from past mistakes and conducting 05:20.651 --> 05:22.596 drills to ensure they don't happen 05:22.596 --> 05:24.818 again . Easter break back in the states 05:24.818 --> 05:26.984 brings the easter bunny and family get 05:26.984 --> 05:29.096 togethers . Our elected officials are 05:29.096 --> 05:31.318 no different as most spent the time off 05:31.318 --> 05:33.484 with loved ones . Some however , chose 05:33.484 --> 05:35.707 the holiday to visit Iraq bringing with 05:35.707 --> 05:35.660 them words of encouragement from home 05:36.040 --> 05:37.984 army Sergeant Voight Shellenberger 05:37.984 --> 05:40.210 reports that were some NFS personnel 05:40.220 --> 05:42.387 feedback from policymakers made for an 05:42.387 --> 05:45.060 interesting easter camp Fallujah and 05:45.060 --> 05:47.171 can't dagger to print with the latest 05:47.171 --> 05:49.171 stops for a tour of Iraq by santa's 05:49.171 --> 05:51.740 James Inhofe of Oklahoma , Mike Enzi of 05:51.740 --> 05:53.907 Wyoming and congressman john bolton of 05:53.907 --> 05:56.330 Arkansas . The delegation spent time 05:56.330 --> 05:58.497 with the marines of the second and the 05:58.497 --> 06:00.497 F and the soldiers of the 42nd idea 06:00.497 --> 06:02.860 can't dagger . They also found time for 06:02.860 --> 06:05.082 meetings and sit down heels for some of 06:05.082 --> 06:07.460 their own constituents and old friends . 06:07.470 --> 06:10.980 Uh , I met , I met with my congressman 06:10.990 --> 06:14.950 john bozeman from three in Arkansas . 06:14.960 --> 06:17.071 He's actually a friend of my family , 06:17.071 --> 06:19.410 his brother grew up with my father . 06:19.410 --> 06:21.466 And so that's how we know each other 06:21.466 --> 06:23.577 lived in the same hometown and when I 06:23.577 --> 06:25.854 found out that he was going to be here , 06:25.854 --> 06:27.854 I started asking some questions and 06:27.854 --> 06:27.830 sure enough they invited me to have 06:27.830 --> 06:30.880 lunch with FN also had a chance to 06:30.880 --> 06:33.213 catch up with the congressman ourselves . 06:33.213 --> 06:35.213 And we asked him why he was here in 06:35.213 --> 06:37.213 Iraq over easter break with so many 06:37.213 --> 06:39.380 other capitol hill politicians were at 06:39.380 --> 06:41.602 home with their families . First of all 06:41.602 --> 06:43.713 we want to pat the guys and gals that 06:43.713 --> 06:45.936 are over here that we're so very , very 06:45.936 --> 06:47.991 proud of telling that we're proud of 06:47.991 --> 06:50.213 him and tell him how much we appreciate 06:50.213 --> 06:52.213 it . And in my case at the state of 06:52.213 --> 06:52.170 Arkansas and the country hadn't forgot 06:52.170 --> 06:54.226 about him . After an impromptu photo 06:54.226 --> 06:56.281 session in the courtyard of the Camp 06:56.281 --> 06:58.114 dagger administrative Palace and 06:58.114 --> 07:00.226 sometimes spent in the mess hall . It 07:00.226 --> 07:02.170 was clear that congressman Bozeman 07:02.170 --> 07:04.281 meant what he said as soon as you get 07:04.281 --> 07:06.448 here , you're ready to do your service 07:06.448 --> 07:08.559 and you're ready to do what's right , 07:08.559 --> 07:10.726 are you ready to go home as well ? And 07:10.726 --> 07:12.948 uh they remind you of those things that 07:12.948 --> 07:15.170 remind you of your family . They remind 07:15.170 --> 07:14.770 you of the things that you've been away 07:14.770 --> 07:17.600 from . You don't have contact to give 07:17.600 --> 07:20.320 you updates on what's going on in your , 07:20.330 --> 07:22.830 in your state with your sports teams uh 07:22.840 --> 07:24.770 with your home . And uh so that 07:24.770 --> 07:27.420 definitely lose morale is an integral 07:27.420 --> 07:29.420 part of any command mission and the 07:29.420 --> 07:31.642 support of the elected officials brings 07:31.642 --> 07:33.587 back to the service members on the 07:33.587 --> 07:35.420 front line Army . Sergeant Lloyd 07:35.420 --> 07:37.476 Shellenberger half and news to chris 07:38.740 --> 07:40.851 one of the main missions of coalition 07:40.851 --> 07:42.907 forces in Iraq is to train the Iraqi 07:42.907 --> 07:44.684 army to defend the country from 07:44.684 --> 07:46.629 terrorists . Soldiers from the 116 07:46.629 --> 07:48.684 brigade combat team , they think her 07:48.684 --> 07:50.518 cook are teaching the Iraqi Army 07:50.518 --> 07:52.407 definer points of soldering . The 07:52.407 --> 07:54.573 training comes in several stages . The 07:54.573 --> 07:56.796 first is the most important basic rifle 07:56.796 --> 07:58.796 marksmanship . The U . S . Soldiers 07:58.796 --> 08:00.851 teach Iraqis birth control , trigger 08:00.851 --> 08:02.962 squeeze and fight pictures . A day at 08:02.962 --> 08:05.129 the range begins with a familiar scene 08:05.129 --> 08:07.410 zeroing the weapon U . S . Soldiers 08:07.410 --> 08:09.880 coach Iraqis on an individual basis and 08:09.880 --> 08:11.769 ensure their weapons are zeroed . 08:11.769 --> 08:13.436 Anyone needing extra help get 08:13.436 --> 08:15.610 additional instructions . Once 08:15.610 --> 08:17.832 adjustments have been made , The Iraqis 08:17.832 --> 08:19.721 qualify with their work and learn 08:19.721 --> 08:21.777 advanced skills like the tune battle 08:21.777 --> 08:23.832 Gilles , cordon and search exercises 08:23.832 --> 08:25.888 and race . The US soldiers expect to 08:25.888 --> 08:28.330 have over 500 Iraqis completely trained 08:28.330 --> 08:31.840 on July finally today , more evidence 08:31.840 --> 08:33.951 that Iraqi security forces are taking 08:33.951 --> 08:36.062 the lead on stamping out terrorism in 08:36.062 --> 08:38.118 their country with the assistance of 08:38.118 --> 08:40.340 multinational forces from First Brigade 08:40.340 --> 08:42.396 25th Infantry Division and I FF team 08:42.396 --> 08:44.618 detained 24 suspected terrorists during 08:44.618 --> 08:46.860 operations in Northern Iraq april 2nd 08:46.860 --> 08:49.250 and third suspects are in custody with 08:49.250 --> 08:52.630 no coalition injuries reported . Also 08:52.640 --> 08:54.807 based on the civilian tip task force , 08:54.807 --> 08:56.862 Liberty soldiers detained five Iraqi 08:56.862 --> 08:59.210 civilians with RPGS RPG launchers and 08:59.210 --> 09:01.321 improvised explosive device materials 09:01.321 --> 09:03.543 during the raid Nearby G sunday morning 09:03.840 --> 09:05.790 one detainee tested positive for 09:05.790 --> 09:07.900 explosive residue . Region wide 09:07.900 --> 09:09.844 improvements in security have been 09:09.844 --> 09:11.733 attributed to the coordination of 09:11.733 --> 09:13.678 efforts between MnF Iraqi security 09:13.678 --> 09:15.678 forces and an increase in tips from 09:15.678 --> 09:18.000 concerned Iraqi citizens . That's it 09:18.010 --> 09:20.010 for this edition of Freedom Journal 09:20.010 --> 09:21.954 Iraq Army Sergeant Melissa Milan , 09:21.954 --> 09:24.066 Thanks for being with us today . From 09:24.066 --> 09:26.066 all of us here have a great day and 09:26.066 --> 09:26.350 keep safe .