Camarillo High grad sends insights on command in Iraq
By Daniel Wolowicz camarillo@theacorn.com

Lt. Col. Scott Shuster

The Iraqi city of Al Qaim lines the banks of the great Euphrates River at the western edge of the Al Anbar Province just miles from the Syrian border.

The city is nearly 200 miles northwest of Baghdad and is home to about 230,000 Sunni Muslims. Last November, American troops took back control of the city that had been overrun by insurgents.

Now back in the hands of a local government, its residents are working toward rebuilding their war-torn city. The security of Al Qaim's reconstruction efforts is due in large part to the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines-an infantry battalion made up of about 1,100 Marines. Their commander, Lt. Col. Scott Shuster, a graduate of Adolfo Camarillo High School, oversees a task force that includes his troops, as well as 1,900 additional Iraqi police and soldiers.

The 40-year-old Marine was commissioned as an officer in 1988 shortly after graduating from the University of California at Los Angeles with a degree in political science.

Shuster took command of his battalion in May and said he will probably hand over his post in the spring of 2008.

Corresponding by e-mail, Shuster explains his battalion's goals and describes the U.S. military presence in Iraq as a partnership, not an occupying force.

Now an Oceanside, Calif. resident, the father of a teenage son and daughter provides a glimpse into the daily challenges his command faces in Iraq:

Why did you join the Marines? Was there someone in your family who also had served in the Marines?

I am the first member of my family to join the Marines. I chose the Marines for the challenge.

What do you find most fulfilling about serving as a Marine?

There are several things that I find fulfilling about serving as a Marine. Through my service I contribute to the preservation of our way of life. There is never a dull moment and I get to work with Marines. President Reagan once said, "Some people go through life wondering if they made a difference; Marines don't have that problem."

Is it true you helped lead the Marines' invasion of Fallujah? That has been called the largest urban assault in the history of the Marines.

I did not lead Marines in the assault on Fallujah in November 2004. There were over 10,000 U.S. troops directly involved in the assault, and it was in fact the largest in Marine Corps history. It was not the largest in U.S. military history.

I was the G-3 plans officer for the 1st Marine Division in Al Anbar Province at that time. I led the planning teams that developed the division's scheme of maneuver and determined what possible enemy courses of action must be addressed in order to have a successful assault. Then I was responsible for writing the operations order for the division's assault. During the assault I assisted . . . with rapid response planning to address issues and situations that arose.

Who is your commanding officer?

My direct commanding officer is Col. W.B. Crowe. He commands Regimental Combat Team7 headquartered in Al Asad, Iraq.

What is your battalion's objective in Al Qaim?

Our ultimate objective is to train Iraqi police and Iraqi army units to conduct independent operations, enabling them to provide a secure and stable environment for the people of Iraq.

To accomplish that objective, what types of missions or patrols are your Marines conducting?

We conduct combined counterinsurgency operations with our Iraqi security force partners. That means that we conduct mounted and dismounted patrols in urban and rural areas sidebyside with the Iraqis.

The purposes of the patrols vary depending on the area and what intelligence tells us. Our patrols have several general purposes: census patrols--who lives or works here? Presence patrols- -think "beat cop." Security patrols--think "crime prevention."

In addition to the counterinsurgency operations, we conduct training and mentoring with the Iraqis.

All of my units have Iraqis living with them and training with them in their positions. My unit commanders spend time on a daily basis partnered with their counterparts in the Iraqi police and in the Iraqi army to help them develop their units' capabilities.

U.S. troop deaths in Iraq reached 100 during October, the highest monthly toll in the past year. Are your troops conducting their patrols or missions differently than they were earlier this year, or is Al Qaim in general quieter than Fallujah and Baghdad?

We have been in Al Qaim since early September . . . I cannot say how we would be doing things differently from earlier in the year.

A better answer is to tell you that we are constantly evaluating what we do and what we have observed of insurgent tactics techniques and procedures and adjust accordingly.

We adjust from week to week, and in some cases from day to day. Counterinsurgency operations are fluid and everchanging.

Would it be fair to say the overall mission of the Marines in Al Qaim has changed in the past year from that of an invading force to that of an occupying force?

Last year, during November, Lt. Col. Julian Alford's battalion did in fact conduct a clearing operation designed to rid the area of insurgents and terrorists who had become entrenched. The people of Al Qaim refer to that operation as the "liberation of Al Qaim."

The mayor of Al Qaim, Mayor Farhan T. Farhan, and the Regional Council just thanked me the other day for one year of growth and prosperity since their liberation. The Iraqis have their own sovereign government and function in those capacities.

I spend a lot of my time meeting with local civic leadership and discussing economic and security issues. I also spend time with the chief of police and the Iraqi army leadership in my area.

I would not describe us as an occupying force. I believe that we are a partnered force. Over 25 percent of the patrols and other security functions performed in my area of operations are conducted independently by the Iraqi security forces.

How much control do insurgents have in Al Qaim?

Insurgents do not have control in Al Qaim.

Are the Iraqi police working with your troops, or is it true that many of the local police are corrupt and aligned with insurgents?

There are a few clandestine cells that attempt to disrupt security and stability using terrorist tactics.

What is an "insurgent" in Al Qaim?

There are several different groups here, as is true throughout Iraq. For security reasons I cannot identify them for you; however, I can describe them.

Insurgents in Al Qaim fall into four general groups: foreign fighters, former regime elements, extremists and criminals.

None of them have a "vision" for the future of Iraq. They all are "against" something. Criminals are against order, former regime elements and extremists are against democracy, and foreign fighters and extremists are against anything involving Americans.

There's been considerable talk stateside about troop numbers in Iraq. Many high-ranking military officials have voiced frustration with the Department of Defense for not putting more troops on the ground to help stop the increasing sectarian violence. Do you believe there are enough troops to do an effective job?

I have what I need to train Iraqi security forces. I could not execute my security mission without the Iraqi security forces that are in my area of operations. The sectarian violence that you refer to is largely not present in my area of operations . . . I really cannot comment on that part of your question.

Do you see Iraq moving toward civil war? If so, what do you think it will take to keep Sunnis and Shiites from dividing the country?

I do not have any Shiites in my area. My population is 100 percent Sunni . . . therefore, I really cannot comment on this question.

Is there anything you'd like to say that we didn't ask?

The Iraqis that I deal with on a daily basis are good people who want a stable, independent, free Iraq. They are open and friendly; they are concerned for their families and their future.

We are all extremely grateful for all the letters of support that we receive from Americans all over the United States. Your Marines and sailors are genuinely moved by the generosity of the American people. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them.

Shuster lives in Oceanside, Calif. He and his wife, Corinne, have been married for 18 years. They have two children, Erin, 17, and Matt, 13.