Sunday, June 29, 2003

AND SCARY.
A group of 1st Armored Division soldiers, who stopped on a Baghdad street yesterday to buy air conditioning units for a military office under construction, said they have come under regular fire while traveling around Baghdad and are convinced that the attacks are being coordinated at some level.

Fuel convoys in particular are being targeted, apparently in an effort to cut off supplies, they said, and attackers appear to have tracked the movements and schedules of military vehicles, especially those along the highway from Baghdad's main airport.

"I don't know how, but they've got their stuff together," said Staff Sgt. Aaron Williams, 32, who was involved in a 35-minute gunbattle with attackers several weeks ago.

U.S. troops said they are responding to the heightened risk of ambush by increasing briefings and drills, and by trying not to let their concentration lapse while on patrol.

"You have to look mean and tough going down the road. Every soldier in the convoy knows exactly how to react to fire and ambushes," said 1st Sgt. Jeff Holsather, 36, part of a 1st Armored Division engineering unit, who was in Baghdad yesterday to buy supplies.

I hate that part about the fuel convoys. Many of CPT Patti's soldiers do just that as their military occupational specialty.

Read more here.

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