Answering the call

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Basra, Iraq (April 1) - After travelling for three days over hundreds of miles, the 1st Iraqi Army Quick Reaction Force headquarters and their military transition team counterparts arrvied at Shaibah airfield ready to bring peace and security back to the people of Basra.

     The al-Anbar based 1st IA (QRF) has been deployed by the Government of Iraq to assist local Iraqi Army and police units in breaking the influence of militias and other criminal elements over the citizens of Basra.

     The 1st IA (QRF), previously the 1st Iraqi Army Division was renamed in February because it has been frequently called on to assist the Iraqi Security Forces in responding to crises in other areas of the country on short notice.

     In January of this year, the 1st IA Division deployed a full brigade, in only three days, to Diyala province to fight al-Qaeda in Iraq and other terrorist groups in that province, dramatically improving the security situation in their assigned battlespace.

     Now again, the 1st IA (QRF) has lived up to the name quick reaction force by deploying not only a brigade, Quick Reaction Force 1, and all three of its battalions and support equipment, but also sending down a full division sized staff complete with sustainment and gear for a ninety day deployment with minimal assistance from the Marine advisers on the military transition team embedded with them. 

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 And they did it all in three days.

     Newly arrived in Basra, the QRF is already linking up with forward elements of QRF 1 and establishing cordons and operating within the city itself to provide the local citizens the peace and security they deserve.