Reporting from Iraq Neighborhood watch

MOSUL, Iraq—The going rate for a duck in this northern town is about $5.

That’s what Sgt. 1st Class Michael Steffey and his platoon found out while patrolling the neighborhood of Al Ahmil on Friday.

As Steffey walked the street with the 2nd platoon, Alpha Co. of the 1st Battalion, 17th Regiment, asking about the safety of the neighborhood, a woman came out of a gate and said a Stryker vehicle had run over one of her ducks recently.

Steffey didn’t argue or press the point, but asked how much it was worth. The woman said $5. Steffey only had 20-dollar bills, but Pfc. John Follman passed over five singles.

“That one was on me,” Follman said.

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Reporting from Iraq � Blog Archive � Neighborhood watch