Election Day in Iraq: We Were the QRF for Trouble Spots

by Greg Chabot

I was taking MRE coffee and putting it between my cheek and gums to stay alert: an exhausting mission when elections were held in Iraq for the first time in two years.

Election day started off very early for us. A nation-wide curfew was declared, and buses were being used to take Iraqis to the polling sites. No private vehicles were allowed on the roads. Drivers caught could face arrest or worse if they resisted. The U.S. forces were instructed to patrol but keep a distance from polling sites, and allow ING and local Police do force protection. American forces would be QRF for any trouble spots. The AQI and their allies vowed to disrupt the elections and kill anyone who voted. We intended not to let that happen, and were more than happy to help insurgents attain martyrdom.

My squad was patrolling downtown Baqubah. It was surreal to see no one out and about in the bazaar. At the polling station bus stop, I was impressed by the amount of people waiting to go to the polls. I found it ironic that I’m thousands of miles from home risking my ass to give people the right to vote. But my countrymen couldn’t get off their lazy asses to vote, and took their God given right for granted. 

READ MORE from Greg Chabot: Inside the Circle of Death, We Got Hit by An IED – And Garrison Bullshit From ‘Old Stinkeye’

Reports of a mortar attack on a polling site came over the net. The 1-6 FA fired counter battery missions with their Paladins that took out the mortar crew. We were constantly on the move throughout the city enforcing the curfew. We conducted hasty checkpoints and stopped and detained anyone who was not going to the polls on the buses, and instructed them on where they could go to vote.

We were then tasked with escorting a news crew to a polling site. I admired the bravery of the news crew as they stayed there for the whole day knowing they could be in danger as westerners. And sadly, these folks don’t get the credit they deserve as they are the ones taking the risk to get the story. Unlike the clown on TV who sits in the hotel bar all day and puts on dirty clothes for the evening news to convince folks he was outside the wire. Remember that next time you see a big-name reporter on TV in a war zone. 

Iraqis coming out of the polling sites proudly held up their fingers marked with dye to show they voted. It was a moment of pride knowing I was helping to make a difference in the world.

Besides the one mortar attack it was quiet. We knew that wasn’t going to last. 

Around 1100 hours, reports came in of troops in contact in lovely Buhriz. Buhriz was a trouble spot throughout the deployment, and we were briefed things would kick off there eventually. We could hear the Bradleys laying hate on the enemy. And the crumps of RPGs exploding as AQI returned fire.  We were tasked to do CASEVAC of troops that had been wounded in the fighting.

I was the gunner for my vehicle. As we rolled towards Buhriz the sounds of fighting got louder, and my adrenaline was pumping. We took some harassing small arms fire from a small palm grove. I returned fire at the muzzle flashes with a M240B to suppress it, hopefully killing some of the savages. 

As we rolled up to the polling site, I witnessed an impressive site. Even with the incoming and outgoing small arms and RPG fire, people were calmly standing in line waiting for their turn to vote. It made me very proud to see civilians braving that danger to elect their leaders. The Iraqi forces stood their ground and were laying on the hate, which was a change from earlier battles, as they had proven to be not very dependable under fire. The attackers were driven off, and the wounded were evacuated to FOB Warhorse for treatment. While waiting for the wounded we dismounted and set a perimeter.

At this stage of the deployment, we were severely short-handed due to combat injuries and desertions. We pulled mechanics and other support soldiers to augment our teams. I remember this one mechanic who was a nice kid. He was scared shitless, and I took him under my wing after fixing his weapon that was full of dirt and grime and wouldn’t function during a test fire. I took the time to direct him and make sure he knew where to go etc.

He says to me later in the day: “The safest place in Iraq is behind you. And thanks for keeping me alive.” That comment meant a lot to me. It felt good to know I earned his respect and hopefully taught him to be a better soldier. 

More troops were sent into Buhriz as a deterrent. And the violence died down as voting continued and insurgents were killed. My unit resumed patrolling the downtown area after escorting the CASEVAC to Warhorse. We took a quick detour to pick up the news crew from the polling site and drop them at the police HQ.

Once the polls closed the mission tempo picked up. We received a FRAGO to pick up ballots and bring them to the Police HQ then bring them to FOB Warhorse.

As we were readying to leave the wire, Cpt. Dip Shit reports contact, and OP 1 engages enemy that were displaying weapons across the street in Tahrir, which the news crew filmed. The enemy ran off, and we conducted a foot patrol to attempt to draw them out to fight. We conducted a quick search of two suspected safe houses. After we completed that mission, we prepared to pick up ballot boxes.

Captain Dip Shit joins us on this mission, and the ballots are picked up for transport. We had only one minor incident between ING and IPs fighting amongst themselves over who was responsible for the ballots. We broke them up, made sure the ballot boxes were not tampered with, and sent everyone back to their respective areas of responsibility.

Fatigue was starting to set in. I was taking MRE coffee and putting it between my cheek and gums to stay alert. I would have preferred some modafinil. We had been going non-stop since zero dark thirty with no breaks. The stress of operations was taking a toll. Guys were getting short with each other. One dude fell asleep at the wheel and hit a HESCO. I dozed off in the turret, only waking up when I fell off the turret strap! 

We dropped the ballots off to folks from the State Department at Warhorse. We refueled, ate MRE’s, and headed out to do some night patrolling before the curfew was lifted at dawn. We stopped one vehicle that was driving around and acting suspicious with its lights off. I had the driver open the trunk to search for contraband. A careless IP had an ND (negligent discharge) with his AK. I felt the concussion on my lower back, as he was right up my ass. Thankfully no one was injured by his stupidity.  The driver, scared out of his wits, confessed he has artillery fuses in the trunk. 

The driver is arrested, and his vehicle impounded. Captain Dip Shit then confiscated the careless IP’s AK for the safety of others and gives it to his captain. The IP captain then punches the idiot in the face and yells at him and apologizes to us. Continuing the patrol, we would detain other curfew violators and release them with instructions to return to their homes. We ended up giving one fella a ride home as he was drunk and could barely walk!  

We took some minor harassing fire which was suppressed with no friendly or enemy casualties. It was basically someone popping a few rounds off and running away. The day finished out quietly with the elections being a success and AQI failing to disrupt them.

After conducting an AAR, I went to rack out. I ended up falling asleep in my kit. That’s how tired I was. It was one of the longest and most dangerous days in my life.

On a positive note, it was very inspirational to see people voting for the first time and the smiles on their faces as they held up their dyed fingers with pride.

After the elections I made a vow to never take voting for granted, and get off my ass and go to the polls no matter what. 

Greg Chabot served in Iraq 2004-2005. He is a freelance writer living in New Hampshire. He frequently contributes to Soldier of Fortune.