“Well, I’m pretty sure that dirt’s been here a couple thousand years.”

Said Staff Sgt. Matthew Lafata, answering a question over the radio. Someone wanted to know if the pile of dirt next to the road looked like old dirt or new dirt. Just another day in Tal Afar for the soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Division. Doing more foot patrols than their predecessors, the soldiers get to know the locals.

Unit commanders say that the foot patrols have several benefits — the first one being that many city streets are too small for armor to fit through. The streets that are large enough have suffered heavy damage from continuous tank traffic, and some intersections bear jagged troughs several feet deep — pivot points for tanks and Bradleys.

Commanders also say that foot patrols are much more familiar with the city’s neighborhoods and residents, and are capable of spotting new and potential troublemakers to a neighborhood, as well as signs of roadside bombs.

Interpreters accompany patrols, allowing soldiers to speak with residents and gather information. In some cases, locals have warned soldiers of bombs lying in their path.

Read the whole thing. Via Stars and Stripes.