European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 27, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pages stars and stripes tuesday March 272007 making the Best of a spartan situation troops say Treyve seen Progress in Baghdad now if they could just get internet Access by Monte mown stars and stripes Baghdad with the push to secure Iraq capital entering its second month us soldiers Are enduring longer Days and fewer Crea Ture comforts As they venture from their Forward operating bases and take up positions alongside iraqi soldiers and police throughout Baghdad hot Chow mattresses Western toilets running water telephones and the internet Are a few of the luxuries us troops Are shedding As Gen David h Petraeus implements a new Baghdad Security plan the third such attempt in a years time to quell sectarian Vio Lence Here the hardships Are most heavily Felt by those battalions now paired with iraqi army units under the military new counterinsurgency doctrine instead of staging raids and patrols from Large us Camps these troops Are joining up with iraqi soldiers and conducting operations and patrols from Small com Bat outposts government centers and joint Security stations through out me City for Days at a time while soldiers in areas like Bagh dads Karada Security District say the strategy appears to be work ing some voiced frustration Over the drop in their Standard of living Hows the Chow sir one sol Dier grumbled As his humvee braked for a staff officer outside a Fob mess Hall the humvee was part of a platoon heading for a three Day stint at a joint Security station for the next several Days the platoons meals would consist mostly of meals ready to eat among those us battalions paired with iraqi army forces in Baghdad is the 2nd battalion 17th Field artillery regiment part of the fort Carso based 2nd Bri Gade 2nd infantry division for roughly two months Battal Ion soldiers have been rolling out into sector for three or five Days at a stretch conducting a variety of patrol Quick reaction and guard duties alongside iraqi army sol Diers and police in the Karada Security District a predominantly shiite area in Bagh dads Southeast the strategy appears to be effective incidents of mortar rocket and Roadside bomb attacks As Well As execution style murders have fallen drastically it seems to be working said 1st it Jonathan Martin 25 of Independence to Fps explosively formed projectiles seem to be non existent Here now said the Leader of 1st platoon Battery b Ive got ten a lot of Gray hairs worrying about those things Martins platoon spent the last several Days responding to a Vari Ety of incidents rolling through the streets of the Zafar Aniyah neighbourhood and bedding Down on Dusty cots at the Zafar Aniyah government Center and joint Security station in most cases outposts like these come with none of the Ameni ties found at Garrison like Forward operating bases commanders say the change is toughest on Young sol Diers who pack their ipod and Lap top for War and Are rarely separated from the internet for More than a couple Days at a time for those soldiers who served during the initial invasion or the first Gulf War the experience is like a blast from the past during desert storm we spent 11 months sitting in the desert with nothing said staff sgt David Earp 38 of san Diego so this is nothing still it would be Nice to be Able to Wash officers say they Are working on making the joint Security stations and combat outposts More liable were trying to increase the Standard of living trying to make it More like Home said capt Chris Tian Schleider the battalions sup ply officer Schleider who puts in time at the Zafar Aniyah ass As a Battle Captain said plans were in the works to bring showers inter net and gym equipment to the spar Tan station there talking about putting the internet in Here and thais Cool but Ive been around the Block a couple times Earp said if it happens that Fine but if it Doest thais Fine too email Monte Morin at 8 pm Frk Tey 30 2007 Lloyl Banks