Courtesy of 116th BCT PAO

5/17/05, FOB WARRIOR, IRAQ - A mixed group of 116th Brigade Combat Team soldiers played a soccer match against a team of Iraqi Police Services policemen at the sports field on Forward Operating Base Warrior May 10.

The game was organized by coalition and Iraqi police leadership to promote sportsmanship and camaraderie between the soldiers and policemen. The 116th BCT team went down to defeat 11 goals to zero in the two-hour competition.

"The IPS Team is what we would consider a semi-professional soccer team that practices as a team and plays as a team competitively in the nation of Iraq's very popular sport of soccer.," said CPT Edgar Tuttle, 116th Brigade Combat Team Iraqi police liaison officer. "The 116 BCT played very well considering they are not an official team but rather, a mix of talented young soldiers doing their best to promote sportsmanship with IPS policemen."

It soon became obvious the 116th BCT players were outmatched, as the IPS team quickly began netting goals. The game was followed by a post-game celebration.

The 116th BCT took over responsibility for the training of Iraqi Police Services in February preparing them to take over the primary role for police security in the area. The unit is accomplishing a four-fold mission that includes developing Iraqi security forces, supporting Iraq's elected leaders, helping jump-start economic development and assisting Iraqis to better communicate with the populace.

Made up of component units from the states of North Dakota, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Utah, New Jersey and Maryland, the 116th BCT is one of several Army National Guard units deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III.