Story and photos by Lance Cpl. Robert C. Medina
Sisters of Fallujah program came together in December 2007, to help stop the smuggling of contraband into the city. In the past, women and children have been used to transport forbidden items that can be used to make improvised explosive devices, as well as other items that are not allowed into the city for the safety of the citizens who live there. The program was started to have females search other females. In Islamic tradition, a man touching a woman not his wife is considered offensive.
“I wanted to help the people be safe in their own city,” said Sawsen N. Husain, a Sister of Fallujah.
“It is our job to put forth the effort to stop bad people from bringing in contraband,” said Husain, who has been with the group for four months.
Some days are busier than others.
“Today is Otlah, a holiday for Iraqi people or the weekend,” said Suhair H. Muhammed, a Sister of Fallujah. “Today, we searched a little more than 2,000 people at this checkpoint.”
Marines help the Iraqi women on these busy days with the daunting task of searching all the women and children that go into the city.
“We are out here to make sure that the searches are done correctly,” said Lance Cpl. Corina J. Hernandez, basic water support technician and FST member with Combat Logistics Battalion 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group. “They do a really good job and they care about what they do.”
The Sisters of Fallujah risk their own lives each day to help fight terrorism.
“They are more concerned about other people’s safety than their own,” said Hernandez, from Dededo, Guam.
“Before, we did all the searching ourselves,” said Cpl. Rebekah D. Hall, combat engineer and FST member with CLB-1, 1st MLG. “Now, we work together and supervise the search techniques that have been taught to the Sisters of Fallujah.”
Hall, from San Diego, said being a part of the FST gives her a sense of accomplishment here in Fallujah. She added that the female Marines also provided security for the Sisters of Fallujah.
“This is how we can help out the infantry guys,” said Hall.
This was the first time Lance Cpl. Amanda M. Molina, basic water support technician and FST member with CLB-1, 1st MLG, working with the Sisters of Fallujah.
“It was interesting to see a different culture,” said Molina, a native of Fullerton, Calif. “I feel like I am needed. It was a good experience to be able to work with the Sisters of Fallujah.”
