Shindand Air Base is under construction. It is slated to be the primary training site for the Afghan Air Force, as well as a key base for regional Afghan security forces.

An Afghan worker throws a rock into a well to test for water in a collapsed karez on Shindand Air Base in Herat province that provides water to a thousand families in a nearby village on March 7, 2010. Coalition forces hired workers from the village to dig out the karez to provide work for the families in addition to the restoration of their water supply. Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Stephen Hickok

Coalition forces and local Afghan villagers worked together to reconnect access to an underground karez that supplies water for over 1000 families in a village just outside of Shindand Air Base in Herat province on March 7, 2011.

The 300-year-old karez, an underground aqueduct, runs through the air base and collapsed after heavy rains flooded the area in February.

U.S. Navy Cmdr. Steve King, deputy commander for the 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group at Shindand Air Base, says that the accessibility of Commander’s Emergency Response funds has financed the hiring of Afghans from the village to work on the Karez.

“Through the CERP funds, we were able to hire those villagers to come in and fix the situation,” King said. “It was a win-win situation. We were able to get their drinking water and the water for their crops and fields back flowing again, and at the same time being able to offer them work, so the counterinsurgency [COIN] effect is huge.”

Afghan workers dig out the dirt with their bare hands. The process isn’t how coalition forces usually do this kind of work but it is the traditional way for Afghans who have been maintaining the karez for generations.

Afghan workers hoist up a worker from a collapsed karez on Shindand Air Base in Herat province that provides water to a thousand families in a nearby village on March 7, 2010. Coalition forces hired the workers from the village to repair the karez in order to provide work for the families in addition to the restoration of their water supply. Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Stephen Hickok

“We would never consider being lowered into a karez hole via a manual wheel where it is actually perfect for this environment and the work that needs to be done,” said King.

Safety is a main concern for all involved in the project.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Robert Hilker, 838th AEAG fire department assistant chief of operations, heads up the effort to keep everyone involved in the repair project safe.

“Because the operations that are going on are between 25 and 35 feet below the ground, there is a high probability for collapse,” Hilker said. “We are on point to provide immediate entry to pull out Afghans in the event of an emergency.”

Supplies and safety equipment are also being provided.

“We have provided them with hard hats, flashlights, better rope than they had, D-rings and carabiners, anything that we had that would make what they do safer,” said Hilker.

The reconstruction effort and employment of Afghans has had a mutual benefit.

“We are learning as much from them as they are from us.” King said. “It has dramatically increased the goodwill amongst ISAF, the Afghan air force and the local villagers.”

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Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Stephen Hickok

An Iraqi girl sings a song to Lt. Col. Gregg Athey of 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, before a ceremony to open the Babil Museum Sunday. The museum was renovated as part of a project implemented under the U.S.-Iraqi Strategic Framework Agreement to bolster tourism in the region. The project was supported by the Babil Provincial Reconstruction team, as well as the 3rd ACR. Photo by Staff Sgt. Garrett Ralston

The Babil Provincial Reconstruction Team, with support from 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, officially opened the doors of the historic Babylon Museum Sunday.

The restoration of this historic landmark is a reflection of the U.S. Government’s commitment to implementing the Strategic Framework Agreement between the U.S. and Iraq, and these efforts will assist Iraq in preserving its heritage.

“I have been so privileged to participate in events such as these,” said Dr. Rick Roberts, of the Babil PRT. “This is the most important one of all to me. The city of Babylon is a treasure not just for the people of Iraq, but for the whole world.”

The newly renovated museum sits among the old Babylon ruins, a nearby palace, and other outbuildings that date back to the 3rd century B.C. Projects such as these are intended to preserve Iraq’s rich history and tradition for future generations.

The U.S. supported project cost nearly $300,000 and features a replica of the famous Ishtar Gate, several beautiful outdoor color murals, and architecturally appropriate front and side gates. The inside of the museum has many exhibits that bring the past to life. Some of these include a portion of a brick wall with the Lion of Babylon emblazoned on it, many backlit pictures of historical Babylon, and a model of the old layout of the city.

The efforts in Babil are intended to bolster a new basis for tourism and opportunities for the outside world to see firsthand the wonders of Iraq, both past and present.

Members of the 3rd ACR have worked with the PRT consistently to ensure the successful completion of this and many other local projects over several months.

Completion of the museum will bring new potential for Iraq’s history to reach new audiences and provide a way for its own citizens to access their heritage.

“A rehabilitated and protected Babylon site will create sustainable tourism development for the people of Babil province and ultimately, the world,” said Bob Wong, Public Diplomacy Officer for the Babil PRT.

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Story by Staff Sgt. Garrett Ralston

First Lt. Matthew Dean from Richmond, Ohio, 1st Lt. Di’Anna Newton from Hallettsville, Texas, and 1st Lt. Theresa Ockrassa from Austin, Texas, explore the tomb of King Shulgi, the king of Ur who originally built the Ziggurat of Ur. The Ziggurat is one of Iraq’s many historical sites and is located just north of Camp Adder near Nasiriyah. All three soldiers are assigned to Company G, 3rd Bn., 29th FA Reg., 3rd AAB, 4th Inf. Div. (Army photo/1st Lt. Theresa Ockrassa)

The soldiers of Maintenance Platoon, Company G, visit the historical Ziggurat of Ur. The Ziggurat is one of Iraq’s many historical sites and is located just north of Camp Adder near Nasiriyah. Company G is assigned to 3rd Bn., 29th FA Reg., 3rd AAB, 4th Inf. Div. (Army photo/1st Lt. Theresa Ockrassa)

The soldiers of Company G, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Division took a break from their support operations to experience some of the culture and history of Iraq.

The Ziggurat of Ur stands proudly outside Camp Adder and is believed to be 4,000 years old. While originally a temple to the moon god, it has become a symbol of honor for Iraqi ingenuity and culture, as well as being the birth place of the prophet Abraham.

Over the course of three weeks, the entire Company ventured out to the Ziggurat and met with the local tour guide Dhiaf Mahsen, who willingly shared his knowledge of Iraq as well as the historical site. The trip started with a trek to the top of the Ziggurat where Dhiaf discussed the history of the people of Ur, the significance of the Ziggurat and the temple that used to stand on top of it.

“It was really cool to stand on top of the Ziggurat and see the whole area we have been working in for months. It gave me a new perspective,” said Pvt. Dante Tate, of St. Louis, Mo.

While learning about the historical city of Ur, as well as the structural specifications of the Ziggurat, Soldiers also learned a few interesting bits of trivia from Dhiaf. They learned that the city of Ur had the first written law under king Ur-namu and that it predated the Code of Hammurabi by almost 300 years. Dhiaf shared that the first wheel had been built in the area and that despite its lasting impact on human society and technology, it was originally designed as a child’s toy.

“The wealth of knowledge we got from our guide was amazing. This guy knows his history,” said Spc. Dorian Johnson of Stoudsburg, Pa.

After the view from the top of the Ziggurat, the Ghost Riders headed down into the ruins of the Ur-namu Shugli Palace near the base. Despite being over 4000 years old, the Ghost Riders were able to see the original foundations and got to walk into the excavated royal tombs.

Within the tombs, many of the ancient technology fascinated the Ghost Riders. The door hinges made of wood tied to a door in a stone base and the ancient written language of cuneiform were particular favorites.

“It was amazing to be around all the old artifacts and structures,” said Spc. Cody Bryan of Dayton, Ohio. “The most interesting part was the three original bricks still engraved with cuneiform.”

The Ziggurat stands by the remains of the biblical prophet Abraham’s birth home and many soldiers were excited to see this portion of religious history in person. The house had fallen to its foundations over time, but was rebuilt in 1999.

“Actually seeing Abraham’s house and knowing an actual prophet lived there was really awesome and a once in a lifetime experience,” said Spc. David Adkins of Harker Heights, Texas.

The time at the Ziggurat and the surrounding historical sites was beneficial for the Ghost Riders and helped them understand a portion of Iraq’s history in a way they had not understood before.

“It was interesting to see something from so long ago still standing and show the ingenuity and progress of mankind,” said Johnson. “The trip was enlightening.”

The soldiers returned from their adventures feeling inspired and more connected to the history of the country they have been working to support.

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By 1st Lt. Theresa Ockrassa

The Ziggurat of Ur, sometimes called the 'Great Ziggurat of Ur' is a Neo-Sumerian ziggurat which is located in the city of Ur near Nasiriyah. Photo by Spc. Chastity Boykin

Among all of the construction that has been undertaken to rebuild the economy of Iraq, one project that was started over 4,000 years ago may hold the keys to the financial future as the site is reframed as a tourist attraction.

In the desert sands outside of Nasiriyah in Dhi Qar province, the ancient Ziggurat of Ur stands as a testament to the craftsmanship and hard work of its builders.

“To think of the amount of effort required to build the temple over four-thousand years ago and the sense of community and spirituality required to organize a project of this magnitude is overwhelming,” said Maj. Brian North

North, who is the executive officer of the 3rd BSTB, 3rd Advise and Assist Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, said that the architecture and the sheer size of the monument is something that the people of Dhi Qar take pride in as part of their continued legacy stretching from millennia ago to the present day.

“Those ties to the past are important,” said North.

The Ziggurat is made of a three-layered, solid mass of mud and brick with no chambers, said Mike Francis Dhaif Muhsen, Ziggurat curator and tour guide.

“The lower layer is from the original construction by Ur Nammu, while the two upper layers were restored during the Neo-Babylonia era,” said Muhsen, who hails from nearby Tallil, Iraq.

Also found at the site are examples of cuneiform, one of the earliest forms of writing. The markings can still be seen on bricks that lay among the ruins of the city of Ur, along with one of the oldest surviving archways. Still more archeological treasures are thought to lie just beneath the surface as only 20 percent of the complex is believed to have been excavated.

The possibility of even more discoveries there has led to the site being seen as a major tourist attraction in the region, with the potential to bring in tourist dollars to the area.

But after weathering thousands of summers in the hostile environment of Mesopotamia, a new hazard threatens to rain destruction upon what remains of the site.

Insurgent rocket attacks launched against nearby Camp Adder have come dangerously close to damaging the Ziggurat along with the other structures that stand nearby. The recent explosions and impacts in the surrounding area may have already done irreparable harm to what had yet to be uncovered.

Furthermore, the continued threat of attacks has harmed the local economy by keep visitors, and their cash, away.

How the locals handle the security situation in the region will undoubtedly affect whether or not the region will see a rebirth in their fortunes, economic or otherwise. Bringing peace to the area after years of conflict would be another monumental achievement in the long and resilient legacy of Iraqi people’s ability to rebuild.

“Walking through the ruins,” said North, “you can clearly get a sense of the pride Iraqis have in their history.”

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Story by Spc. Chastity Boykin

A 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment soldier peers into a courtyard at the Babylon Ruins site. The soldier is part of a team surveying the site for a renovation project in the Babil province of Iraq. Photo by Staff Sgt. Mark Albright

What’s old will become renewed as the Babylon Historic Ruins Museum undergoes a facelift. Local contractors have begun the renovations under the coordinating efforts of museum officials and the Babil Provincial Reconstruction Team.

“We are working hand-in-hand with the Provincial Governor and we are just doing one step at a time,” said Lou Simonetti, Infrastructure Essential Services Team Lead Engineer of the Babil PRT.

The project focuses on the renovation and restoration of the museum, the exhibits, archeological artifacts, and upgrading security at the gates. Once complete, the project will benefit the economy of the province by boosting tourism there, said Simonetti.

The project will also provide a benefit to students of all age groups as they come to visit the ruins and learn about its history, said Lt. Col Brian Radliff, Regimental Deputy Commanding Officer, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment

The project is scheduled for completion in three months at the cost of just over $200,000. The site contains Nebuchadnezzar’s Palace, Alexander the Great’s Palace, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and several other temples.

“Our current focus in the last stage of our operation here is to continue to develop the Iraqi economic infrastructure within the local communities,” said Radliff. “Improving tourism, and specifically, ecotourism, with projects like the Babylon Ruin Museum will have economic benefits.”

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Story by Staff Sgt. Mark Albright

Juan Alsace (right), an embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team leader, examines a piece of clay pottery found at the Sobbar Abu Habba historical site near Mahmudiyah, Nov. 4. Alsace joined Soldiers of the 120th Combined Arms Battalion, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, and officials from the Iraq Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism to survey ancient historical sites to build protective fences to discourage looters. Photo by Sgt. Jon Soles

What may look like large, weathered mounds of dirt in rural farmland near Mahmudiyah are actually artifact-filled ruins of an ancient civilization.

Soldiers of the North Carolina National Guard’s 120th Combined Arms Battalion, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, surveyed the sites, here, recently, with officials from the Government of Iraq’s Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism to examine ways to preserve and protect two ancient Sumerian sites from looters.

The complexes of dirt mounds — Tal Aldair and Sobbar Abu Habba — were once Sumerian city walls outside of what is today Mahmudiyah, south of Baghdad. Pottery and clay tablets with the world’s first form of writing, Cuneiform, are known to be in the mounds. The Sumerian culture is the oldest civilization in the world, dating back to the 6th century B.C.

“It’s for the world and not just Iraq to preserve these world heritage sites because a lot of folks know it as the cradle of civilization,” said Morrison. “These [Sumerians] were the first people we know of in history to be able to write and keep records and those are the kinds of artifacts that are here today.”

The sites have already seen looting, and the GoI officials and archaeologists want to prevent more plundering by erecting security fences and a guard shack at the mounds.

“It has been identified as one of those sites that have been an easy target for looters over the years because of close proximity to Baghdad and because of turbulence in Iraq’s history,” said Maj. Charles Morrison, executive officer for the 120th CAB. “We’re working with the Ministry to secure the site for preservation and future excavation. It’s important for the Iraqi people, especially to preserve their heritage.”

Morrison, an infantry officer from Nashville, N.C., is taking a lead in the project. A self-described history buff, Morrison formerly worked for the North Carolina of Archives and History. He said he is particularly interested in helping the Iraqis preserve a site that is 4,000 years old.

Nouri Obeyd Kathem, an archaeologist with the Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism, led Morrison over the mounds. Thousands of years of erosion have worn down the once city walls and temple structures, exposing countless pieces of clay pottery and other artifacts. Many more are still buried in the centuries-old mounds.

“They have been with us today to make sure we don’t damage any of the archaeological sites when we emplace the fence and scope of work,” said Morrison. “We’re trying to work hand in hand with the government to make sure we do what they want in terms of preserving the site.”

The plans call for security fences and possibly guard shacks to protect the sites. Signs would also be erected to let Iraqis know about the historical significance of the sites.

One of the legacies American Soldiers can leave behind in Iraq as the troop drawdown continues is a fence that will help preserve an ancient site that will continue to be a symbol of the nation’s ancient history and culture.

Story by Sgt. Jon Soles
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A chaplain's assistant reads while Soldiers tour St. Elijah's Monastery, June 11, at Contingency Operating Base Marez, Iraq. Photo by Sgt. Chad Menegay

The abandoned, sixth century St. Elijah’s Monastery of Ninawa province, Iraq, once a center for the regional Christian community, served the Army chaplain community, June 11, and brought two old friends back together in study and prayer.

Seven years prior, 1st. Lt. Brandt Klawitter, chaplain with the 14th Transportation Battalion, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) and a Hermann, Mo., native, and Capt. Matthew Christensen, chaplain with the 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment and a Kalispell, Mont., native, studied biblical archaeology together, but never imagined that one day they would walk within the deteriorating walls of a possible archeological cache and pray at its altar.

It seemingly happened by chance.

As Klawitter scanned his ID card at the entrance to the dining facility at Contingency Operating Base Diamonback, Iraq, he looked up to see his friend, Christensen, wandering around looking for coffee.

The two had no idea one another was visiting troops at COB Diamondback at the same time. Klawitter’s office of operations is at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, and Christensen’s at Contingency Operating Base Taji, Iraq.

They caught up over breakfast.

Capt. Matthew Christensen -from left-, chaplain with the 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, and a Kalispell, Mont., native; 1st Lt. Brandt Klawitter, Chaplain with the 14th Transportation Battalion, 13th Sustainment Command -Expeditionary- and a Hermann, Mo., native; and 1st Lt. Geoffrey Whitaker, garrison chaplain with Regimental Fires Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, 13th ESC and a Murphy, N.C., native, enjoy a tour of St. Elijah's monastery, June 11, at Contingency Operating Base Marez, Iraq. Photo by Sgt. Chad Menegay

Klawitter and Christensen met during postgraduate work in 2001 at Concordia University in Seward, Neb. They had Greek and Hebrew classes together. They continued studies at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis.

They also started Chaplain Basic Officer Leadership Course together.

“We were friends so we signed up for the same summer,” Klawitter said. “We rode down together in his minivan to Fort Jackson, S.C. I babysat his kids before. His Family came out to my Family’s house. He helped my dad and I put in a rail fence.”

Klawitter described Christensen, who was previously a diesel mechanic in the Army, as accomplished and squared away.

“He grew up in the mountains of Montana,” Klawitter said. “His dad runs mules and horses up at Glacier National Park.”

Christensen described Klawitter as both a people person and an intellectual.

“If you have any kind of issue, he’s one of the guys you could call at anytime,” Christensen said.

Klawitter said it is a real blessing to have a good friend in Iraq.

“He’s one of those friends you trust in, you depend on, you’ve been through different life experiences with,” Klawitter said. “I give him a call every once in a while just to say ‘hi.’ When we get together, we compare notes about what’s worked and what’s not.”

Of course, this time around the chaplains did more than just catch up; they visited a 1,500 to 1,700-year-old building together, the oldest, still standing Assyrian monastery in Iraq.

1st Lt. Geoffrey Whitaker, garrison chaplain for Regimental Fires Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) and a Murphy, N.C., native, leads weekly St. Elijah’s monastery tours at the southwest corner of COB Marez, a base connected to COB Diamondback.

He put together a VIP tour for Klawitter, Christensen and their chaplain assistants.

“The tours boost interest in spirituality,” Whitaker said.

Whitaker has been working to build interest in stabilizing the monastery to preserve the building and the Christian heritage it holds.

Recently, the RFS mayor’s cell’s coordination with Iraqi and U.S. agencies has paid off, as St. Elijah’s has made an Iraqi government list of sites to be preserved.

“The Iraqi facilities engineering team is working on a full blown plan with diagrams, a timeline and cost of materials,” Whitaker said.

Whitaker said the monastery is Iraqi history. As such, the Iraqis should lead the process of preservation, with Americans only helping.

1st Lt. Brandt Klawitter, chaplain with the 14th Transportation Battalion, 13th Sustainment Command -Expeditionary- and a Hermann, Mo., native, listens to a lecture during a tour at St. Elijah's Monastery, June 11, at Contingency Operating Base Marez, Iraq. Photo by Sgt. Chad Menegay

“In this day and age you don’t think of Iraq as having much to do with Christianity,” Klawitter said, “but there actually is a history over here, just like in Turkey there is a ton of Christian history.”

Klawitter said St. Elijah’s was something adventurous to check out.

“A lot of Soldiers now don’t go outside the wire and see much of the Iraqi culture and history,” he said. “To see something of cultural value, of religious significance, it reminds you of another side of this land that doesn’t have to do with the present war.”

Klawitter and Christensen said during the visit they felt tied historically to the Christians who came before them to the monastery.

They said they thought back to their biblical archaeology class and wondered what they might dig up if they actually had the chance to excavate.

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Story by Sgt. Chad Menegay

Maj. Wolfgang Von Aspe, a KC-130 pilot with the VMGR-234 detachment here, admires a ceramic mosaic during a visit to an artisan village with his Marines. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Maj. Paul Greenberg. Click on pic for a larger image.

Marines deployed here for exercise African Lion stepped outside their comfort zone May 29 to travel several hundred kilometers by bus to visit the historic Moroccan city of Fes and indulge in the local culture.

A detachment of Marines and sailors from Marine Aerial Refueling Squadron 234, a Marine Forces Reserve unit based in Fort Worth, Texas, is here on a two-week reserve summer deployment in support of this theater security cooperation exercise.

Over the course of about 17 days in country, the Marines are conducting both day and night operations in their KC-130 aircraft with the Royal Moroccan Air Force, performing their primary mission of refueling the Moroccan F-5 jet fighters while in mid-air.

In addition, the squadron is a key logistical arm of the Task Force, moving hundreds of troops around and out of the country.

However, all work and no culture can make a deployment a drab experience to quickly forget.

“This is good for the Marines to learn something about Moroccan history and culture,” said Sgt. Khalid Tament, a Moroccan Gendarme who accompanied the Marines on the tour.

Tament, who is fluent in English, French and Arabic, formed friendships with the Marines in the squadron while working on the Royal Air Base here. He assisted the tour guide and gave the Marines advice on bargaining for the best price for artisan goods in the shops.

“Today, they don’t have to worry about missions,” said Tament. “Today they can relax and be tourists and experience the real Morocco.”

The Marines and sailors spent most of their day in the Fes el Bali Medina, which is one of the oldest in the country. It was constructed in its current configuration in the 9th Century, and remains both a world-renowned tourist attraction and a routine place of commerce for locals.

“When you hear the word ‘Balak!’ that means get out of the way,” instructed Mohammed, the troops’ tour guide. “When you hear that, it means that a donkey cart will be coming through.”

Although the narrow walkways of the medina are off-limits to all vehicle and bicycle traffic, donkeys laden with produce and other goods clopped along the pavement behind their masters.

The Marines heeded the instruction of their guide, and backed against the walls or jumped into doorways to stay out of the way of the animals.

While in the Medina, the Marines had the chance to visit a traditional leather tannery which dates back to the 13th Century. The guide explained the leather tanning process in detail, and handed each of them a sprig of mint. He instructed them to shove the mint into their nostrils to ward off the strong stench of the tanning dyes, which are made primarily from pigeon excrement, limestone and salt.

Next to the tanning vats was a multi-tiered store with a maze of narrow doorways and stairwells. The walls of each room were lined with leather goods. One floor had jackets; another pants; an entire room was filled with handbags and backpacks of indeterminate age and endless variety of design. One Marine described the store as “a scene out of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”

Despite the aroma, which ranged from mild to noxious depending on the room’s proximity to the tanning vats, the Marines bargained with the vendors and bought leather jackets, backpacks and various other items.

Staff Sgt. Kevin Powell, a KC-130 power lines mechanic with VMGR-234, shops for ceramic pottery during a tour of an artisan village here May 29. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Maj. Paul Greenberg. Click on the pic for a larger image.

“It was really interesting,” said Staff Sgt. Seth Cavarretta, a squadron maintenance controller and airframes mechanic. “I really liked walking through the medina, seeing all the windy passages, artisans at work in the shops, the garments, and the spices.”

After several hours of touring the Medina, the troops were overdue for lunch. Their guide took them to a traditional Moroccan restaurant in the medina. They had their choice of couscous, tajine or pastilla.

“Too often, Marines go to foreign countries and only focus on the mission. They get stuck in their workspaces and don’t get out to really experience the culture. This is an important part of their deployment. They only get four days off out of the 25 days that we’re on this mission, and I wanted to make sure they got to see this,” said Maj. Mike Quirk, the VMGR-234 detachment commander.

“This is especially good for the maintenance Marines, who don’t get to deploy a lot,” said Quirk. “They spend most of their time back on the flight line in Fort Worth. So it’s really important that they get out and can experience this type of thing.”

After lunch, the group departed Fes, driving on a country road through lush rolling hills and fields of hay, vegetables, grazing livestock, vineyards and pungent olive groves.

“This looks just like central California,” commented Sgt. David Goldblatt, one of the squadron’s KC-130 loadmasters, who hails from the Golden State.

They passed through the city of Meknes and back into the country again, arriving at the final stop on their tour.

The Marines got out of their mini-buses and entered the site of the ancient Roman city of Volubilis.

Marines from VMGR-234 take a sightseeing tour of the ancient Roman city of Volubilis here during a day-long trip through Fes and the surrounding region May 29. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Maj. Paul Greenberg. click on pic for a larger image.

These crumbling pillars, walls and columns represent the remains of a bustling city built by the Romans more than 2,100 years ago.

The troops hiked and climbed around the site with the European tourists there, taking photos and reading inscriptions.

“It was pretty amazing that this was the Romans’ western outpost at one time,” said Sgt. Alan McBride, an Active Reserve Marine from Yuma, Ariz., who works in the squadron’s flight operations department. This is McBride’s first overseas deployment in his six years in the Marine Corps.

“I didn’t realize that the Roman Empire stretched this far south,” commented McBride. “This has really been a great trip.”

The troops headed back to Kenitra as the sun set over the horizon.

Shortly after their return, U.S. Navy Capt. John Howard, the squadron’s reserve flight surgeon, explained the importance of this trip for unit cohesion and morale.

“It was terrific, a great opportunity to get away from work for a day to see more of the Moroccan people we’re working with. On the airfield and up in the air, you see a limited view of the country,” said Howard, who has a private family medical practice at home in Clarendon, Texas. “To see the people that the military represent in Morocco is great. You work hard and you relax on deployment. It’s important to have a good balance.”

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By Maj. Paul Greenberg

The ziggurat at Aqar Quf rises 180 feet above the desert west of Baghdad. Soldiers of the 16th Engineer Brigade's Survey and Design Team traveled to the ancient ziggurat in Aqar Quf, March 11, to assess and verify the electrical needs of two modern structures on the site. The U.S. Army 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, and Iraq's Ministry of Antiquities is seeking to restore the modern buildings around the site in an attempt to revitalize tourism in the area. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. David Robbins)

Soldiers from the 16th Engineer Brigade Survey and Design team conducted a site assessment on several buildings at an historic site in Aqar Quf, 20 miles west of Baghdad to assess and verify the electrical needs of renovating two modern structures at the base of an ancient ziggurat there.

The ziggurat, a stepped, temple tower, is the Mesopotamian equivalent of the Egyptian pyramids. Aqar Quf’s ziggurat, rising 180 feet above the desert floor, was considered to be built more than three and a half millennia ago.

Recently, the Iraqi Ministry of Antiquities approached 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, for help with restoring some modern structures at the temple in order to attract visitors to the site which would revitalize the economy and preserve the temple.

The modern structures at the base of the ziggurat, built in the 1960s, functioned as a museum and administrative building throughout the second half of the 20th century. However, after years of war, the site is not what it once was.

“The administrative buildings have been degraded and looted,” said Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Markel, from Chillicothe, Ohio, a member of the survey and design team.

According to Markel, the ziggurat and temple areas have suffered no damage but the modern buildings are in need of restoration work. The restoration, still in the planning stages, will eventually be completed by local Iraqi contractors.

“We came to the site to look at the electrical installation and to validate the existing scope of work for the electrical project,” said Markel.

“The museum had nothing electrical left in it; no lights, no switches, and wires have been literally pulled out of the walls,” said Spc. David Robbins from Cincinnati, Ohio, a member of the team, also sent to assess the site.

According to Robbins, even the electrical panels were removed from the museum and administrative buildings at some point, leaving holes in the walls.

“This was a functioning facility,” said Markel. “It’s now not functioning at all.”

Providing security, a member of the U.S. Army 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, looks down from the steps of the ziggurat at Aqar Quf, March 11, during a site visit by Soldiers of the 16th Engineer Brigade Survey and Design Team. The engineers traveled to the ancient ziggurat in Aqar Quf to assess and verify the electrical needs of renovating two modern structures on the site. The ziggurat, more than 3,500 years old, was once a popular tourist destination in Iraq. The site now lays dormant. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. David Robbins)

During their visit to Aqar Quf, Robbins and Markel had the opportunity to explore the ruins. They said the experience deepened their understanding of the significance of the museum and administrative buildings.

They were awe struck after exploring the ancient ruins.

“When I climbed the steps and was able to see the monument up close and the fine details about how it was constructed; it’s impressive to think that 3,500 years ago someone had constructed this,” said Markel. “It’s an engineering feat because it is still standing after all these years.”

Both Robbins and Markel said they hope their work will help reopen this historical site someday and bring tourists back to the area; including them.

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By Spc. Brian Johnson

Capt. Michael T. Lanigan, the chaplain with Task Force Atlas, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team out of Portland, Ore., and a Salem, Ore., native, explains the history and significance of Abraham's Oasis Jan. 4, during a tour of the oasis at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq. Photo by Spc. Lisa A. Cope

In the past 4,000 years the terrain in Iraq has changed drastically, but according to the oral tradition of the Bedouins, one of the resting places along the biblical journey of Abraham from Ur to Canaan is located at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq.

The oasis at Al Asad, commonly referred to as Abraham’s Oasis or Abraham’s Well, would have been critical to Abraham’s travels through the desert.

Capt. Michael T. Lanigan, the chaplain with Task Force Atlas, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team out of Portland, Ore., has studied the Bible and the history of the site.

“Abraham’s oasis was one of the few stopping points that … according to the oral tradition of the Bedouins, was where Abraham and his family stopped before going on to Canaan, which is Jerusalem, the promised land, where God had called him,” said Lanigan, a Salem, Ore., native.

Travel from Ur, now Contingency Operating Location Adder, Iraq, to Al Asad can be accomplished in a matter of hours in present times, but Lanigan said he estimates Abraham and his family would have spent at least 58 days traveling this 700 mile distance on foot.

Although there is no proof that Abraham stopped at this particular oasis, Lanigan said it would have made sense for Abraham to have followed a path through this area.

“[Abraham] definitely traveled north, instead of going all the way west,” he said. “That would be a deadly march because there really is not any fresh water. So he had to have moved along the Euphrates [River].”

1st Lt. Amaris A. Cervantes, the staff duty officer in charge with the 36th Special Troops Battalion out of Temple, Texas, visited Abraham’s oasis Jan. 4 with Lanigan and a small group of Soldiers.

Cervantes said, because the oasis is considered a holy site, the Soldiers were asked to secure their weapons in the truck, away from the sacred place.

Her visit to the oasis is one of the special experiences the Army has made possible for her, said Cervantes.

“Just being here [in Iraq] has been pretty exciting,” she said. “A lot of people pay a lot of money to come do stuff like this, to go [visit] this religious site. I get to do it for fun.”

Lanigan said he facilitates trips to the oasis on a monthly basis, but smaller groups are easier to accommodate.

This experience is a good way to educate service members about the history of the land they are in, as well as give them a much needed break, said Lanigan.

“It is something to kind of get their minds off of always rolling out on missions,” he said. “[It helps them] realize there is something bigger and more important, significant, in this land than just electronics and warfare.”

He said the history behind the oasis is what makes it so special.

“That is why it is a pretty cool thing, to have some geographical tie to something spiritual,” he said.

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Story by Spc. Lisa A. Cope

Nouri Obeyd Kathem -left-, an archaeologist with the Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism, explains the Sobbar Abu Habba site, Nov. 4, to Maj. Charles Morrison of Nashville, N.C., -center- and Capt. Ross Boyce of Chapel Hill, N.C. Photo by Sgt. Jon Soles

What may look like large, weathered mounds of dirt in rural farmland near Mahmudiyah are actually artifact-filled ruins of an ancient civilization.

Soldiers of the North Carolina National Guard’s 120th Combined Arms Battalion, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, surveyed the sites, here, recently, with officials from the Government of Iraq’s Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism to examine ways to preserve and protect two ancient Sumerian sites from looters.

The complexes of dirt mounds – Tal Aldair and Sobbar Abu Habba – were once Sumerian city walls outside of what is today Mahmudiyah, south of Baghdad. Pottery and clay tablets with the world’s first form of writing, Cuneiform, are known to be in the mounds. The Sumerian culture is the oldest civilization in the world, dating back to the 6th century B.C.

“It’s for the world and not just Iraq to preserve these world heritage sites because a lot of folks know it as the cradle of civilization,” said Morrison. “These [Sumerians] were the first people we know of in history to be able to write and keep records and those are the kinds of artifacts that are here today.”

The sites have already seen looting, and the GoI officials and archaeologists want to prevent more plundering by erecting security fences and a guard shack at the mounds.

“It has been identified as one of those sites that have been an easy target for looters over the years because of close proximity to Baghdad and because of turbulence in Iraq’s history,” said Maj. Charles Morrison, executive officer for the 120th CAB. “We’re working with the Ministry to secure the site for preservation and future excavation. It’s important for the Iraqi people, especially to preserve their heritage.”

Morrison, an infantry officer from Nashville, N.C., is taking a lead in the project. A self-described history buff, Morrison formerly worked for the North Carolina of Archives and History. He said he is particularly interested in helping the Iraqis preserve a site that is 4,000 years old.

Nouri Obeyd Kathem, an archaeologist with the Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism, led Morrison over the mounds. Thousands of years of erosion have worn down the once city walls and temple structures, exposing countless pieces of clay pottery and other artifacts. Many more are still buried in the centuries-old mounds.

“They have been with us today to make sure we don’t damage any of the archaeological sites when we emplace the fence and scope of work,” said Morrison. “We’re trying to work hand in hand with the government to make sure we do what they want in terms of preserving the site.”

The plans call for security fences and possibly guard shacks to protect the sites. Signs would also be erected to let Iraqis know about the historical significance of the sites.

One of the legacies American Soldiers can leave behind in Iraq as the troop drawdown continues is a fence that will help preserve an ancient site that will continue to be a symbol of the nation’s ancient history and culture.

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Story by Sgt. Jon Soles

While many Soldiers head home in the late hours of the second shift, Sgt. Ronald Peters sits at his desk scanning over imagery, maps and the Internet, sometimes as late as 5 a.m., looking for answers.

Peters, a geospatial analyst from Fort Lewis, Wash., with Multi-National Corps-Iraq C-7, is undertaking the largest mapping projects of his career. His work is helping to resolve a concern shared by both the U.S. military and the Iraqi government as troops have pulled out of cities and continue the drawdown.

“We try not to say we’re mapmakers, it’s more like being able to geographically depict a possible solution,” Peters said.

Peters said while most everything has been mapped, geospatial analysts extract certain features from one map and combine it with features from another map to make a new one. For example, a map showing structures and roads could be combined with a map showing different types of soil to plan an irrigation system for farmers.

“What we can do is take the data that creates all the available maps and pinpoint what a customer specifically wants to create a new map that fits their needs,” he said.

What was needed in this case was something that had never been done before, a complete mapping of all available information on archeological sites in Iraq.

“Back in June, one of the engineers working on future operations wanted to see all the archeological sites in Iraq,” Peters recalled. “Everybody knows this is the cradle of civilization.

There’s Babylon, Ur, some pretty famous archeological sites in Iraq.”

As bases were closed and troops withdrew from cities, the existing bases need to expand, without infringing on historical sites.

“We need the Iraqi government’s permission to expand a camp to house relocated troops,” Peters explained. “The government, for a number of reasons, might say no. One of those reasons might be the presence of archeological sites in the area.”

Peters volunteered for the job and began the difficult process of creating a list of archeological sites.

“I started asking around for input from different people,” he recalled. “The more I got into it the more I realized there’s a lot more than just Babylon and Ur.”

The process was pretty straight forward. Chief Warrant Officer Jason Davis and Peters scanned imagery to identify a mound that stands out from the rest of the terrain that could be an old city buried in the sand. Peters then examined the appropriate imagery to identify the geographical coordinates, searching online resources for references to ancient historical places in the area.

“It’s fun,” he said. “I love doing it; being a social science major, history and geography are two areas that have been two of my academic passions.”

Rogers used a digital copy of a 1961 map of Iraq created by the Iraq director of Antiquities and, through a process called rubber sheeting, assigned geographic coordinates to the map. There were 270 different rock monuments, cultural and historical sites.

Even though the map was a good starting point, Peters questioned the accuracy of the locations.
The 1961 map had Ctesiphon, a large site buried in history, located about 50 miles away from the location on Peters’ imagery.

“The mapping software we have is a lot more accurate than what they used 48 years ago,” he said. “So I can definitely compare two known spots, see its 50 miles off on the old map and adjust. But there are places out there from the older map that I have no idea where it’s at. There’s nothing anywhere near it on our maps.”

Peters confirmed the validity of about 100 sites using the Internet, but there were still more than 150 that left him puzzled.

When the project first started he spent half his day researching. At 250 sites, he cut back the hours, but continued working on tracking down sites on his own time from his trailer.

Then he came across an Arizona State University project claiming there were approximately 12,000 sites to be mapped and presented to the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage of Iraq. After a series of phone calls and emails, Rogers linked up with Diane Siebrandt, an archeologist and cultural heritage officer at the U.S. Embassy, Baghdad.

Siebrandt shared with him information from the State University of New York.

“They had a project of about 700 sites,” he said. “I compared that to the 300 sites I had and most of them were confirmed by the SUNY list and other research.”

After months of work, Peters has established a map of more than 800 sites throughout Iraq.

“It would be nice to get all 12,000 but there’s no possible way for us to do it, so right now what we’re mainly concerned about is anything within where we are going to be operating, doing the best that we can not to infringe on any sites,” he said.

Peter’s ongoing effort to preserve Iraq’s archeological sites now is a part of the military’s diligence in caring for the ancient sites and history of the Iraqi people as U.S. forces withdraw from the country.

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Story by Staff Sgt. Luke Koladish

The Ziggurat of Ur towers of Contingency Operating Base Adder during a flyover of Dhi Qar province in southern Iraq, Sept. 19. The flight in an AH-60 Blackhawk helicopter was scheduled to provide Iraqi reporters with an opportunity to get aerial shots of the province. Photo by Spc. Gavriel Bar-Tzur

Click on the photo for a larger image.

Capt. Kelly Calway, 25th Infantry Division analysis control element battle captain, takes part in the Yezidi culture during her visit to the Yezidi temple in Lalish, Iraq, Aug. 2. It's customary to make a wish while tying knots in satin fabric inside the temple. Photo by Spc. Daniel Nelson

Members from Command Post-North, Task Force Lightning, made visits to both the Yezidi temple in Lalish, Iraq, and the Hermos Christian Monastery in Al Qosh, Iraq, Aug. 2.

The group, led by Brig. Gen. Robert Brown, deputy commanding general (support), Multi-National Division-North, first went to the temple in Lalish where they met with Prince Tahsin Ali, prince to all Yezidis in the world.

Brown and the CP-North Soldiers gathered together with Prince Tahsin and his fellow Yezidi religious leaders in a meeting room to visit and share stories with one another. The Soldiers were told about Yezidi customs and rituals and shared in a meal of fruits from the area with the religious leaders.

With a calendar that dates back 6,756 years, Yezidism is claimed to be the oldest religion in the world.

“It was incredible to see such an ancient place with amazing rituals,” said Capt. Kelly Calway, 25th Infantry Division analysis control element battle captain. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Following their time spent sharing in their different cultures, the Soldiers were taken into the Yezidi temple with a guide who explained the Yezidi religion and answered questions from the group. Soldiers even took part in some of the customary Yezidi rituals such as making wishes while tying knots in a satin fabric and tossing a scarf onto a smooth-faced rock three times to have wishes granted.

The tour of the temple ended as some of the Soldiers were taken to Zemzem, a cold-water spring on the lowest level of the temple where the Yezidi people go for baptism and prayer.

“It was such an honor to be able to go there and see just a completely different religion, culture and way of living,” added Calway.

Soldiers from Command Post-North, Task Force Lightning, along with members of the Provincial Reconstruction Team for Ninewa province passed out Nainoa dolls and Beanie Babies to the children of Al Sayda Orphanage in Al Qosh, Iraq, Aug. 2. Photo by Spc. Daniel Nelson

The group left Lalish and headed to the Christian village of Al Qosh where they spent time at the Al Sayda Orphanage and toured the monastery.

While at the orphanage, Brown and the other Soldiers took time to play with the children of the orphanage and handed out Beanie Babies and Nainoa dolls. Brown had the story of the Nainoa doll translated to the priests and children of the orphanage, as it carries a sentimental history behind its existence.

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Nainoa Hoe, a native of Hawaii, was a platoon leader for 2nd Platoon, Company C, 3rd Battalion of the 21st Infantry Regiment who was shot and killed in January 2005 during his deployment to Mosul, Iraq.

Proud of his Hawaiian ancestry, Nainoa graduated from the University of Hawaii with a master’s degree in business administration.

“Hoe would hand out the dolls on missions, and the kids loved them,” said Brown. “The dolls are hand-made by women and young girls in Nainoa’s honor.”

Nainoa’s father and a civilian aide to the secretary of the Army, Allen Hoe, has continued to send the dolls to Iraq in his son’s honor.

Before sending the dolls to Iraq, they are blessed at St. Andrews Priory School in Honolulu where they are made.

The Beanie Babies that were being handed out were donated by Students from the First Presbyterian Weekday School in Granada Hills, Calif., where Brown’s aide-de-camp, Capt. Melissa Lewis’ mother teaches. Each student brought in one Beanie Baby during their last chapel of the year.

“A lot of the parents felt like it was a good lesson for the kids to share with the Iraqi children,” stated Lewis.

With smiles on their faces, the children at the orphanage gathered around Brown and the Soldiers to get their gifts.

“It was really cool to be able to hand out the beanie babies and dolls and see their faces light up,” said Calway. “It was nice to be able to bring some joy into their lives.”

The Soldiers enjoyed their time at the orphanage as they talked with the children, gave them high-fives, and even played ping-pong with some of them. Before leaving and heading to the monastery, the Soldiers gathered all the children together with their Nainoa dolls and Beanie Babies in hand to take a photo.

It’s an incredible honor to be able to continue the small, symbolic gesture in Nainoa’s honor, stated Brown.

Soldiers from Command Post-North, Task Force Lightning, along with members of the Provincial Reconstruction Team for Ninewa province, Iraq, visited Hermos Christian Monastery near Al Qosh, Iraq, Aug. 2. Crosses can be seen on mountain tops from the steps that lead up to the monastery. Photo by Spc. Daniel Nelson

After loading into vehicles, the group started their steep drive up a winding road that ended at Hermos Christian monastery, which is set near the peak of a close by mountain.

Like the temple in Lalish, Hermos monastery is built into the mountainside and opens up to many ancient underground caverns and tunnels, and the Soldiers spent time exploring and taking photos of the crosses that were etched into the rock.

“To see the cross up in Iraq was really cool because you don’t see that around here,” stated Calway.

Before departing back to Forward Operating Base Marez, in Mosul, Iraq, the mayor of Al Qosh invited the Soldiers to his house for a lunch. The presence of the Soldiers drew a gathering of people from the neighborhood as the people were curious to see what was going on.

The Soldiers met with the people and began handing out what was left of the Beanie Babies they had brought with them on their mission. Some of the Soldiers even took time to play soccer in the streets with the children.

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Story by Spc. Daniel Nelson

Staff Sgt. Justin Stein, of Billings, Mont., examines the damage time has done to a walkway under the ancient Taq-i-kisra- Arch. Stein is an infantryman assigned to Headquarters Brigade, 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division. The leftover ruins here have been converted into a temporary Iraqi army outpost. Photo by Pvt. Jared N. Gehmann

In an attempt to restore national pride and tourism to one of the oldest landmarks in Iraq, American Paratroopers and Iraqi army soldiers discussed plans for renovating the area surrounding the famous Arch of Ctesiphon in Salman Pak, Aug. 5.

The all-brick arch was built nearly 16 centuries ago and is one of the oldest free standing arches in the world. But years of neglect and war in the region have transformed the once popular attraction into an Iraqi army outpost surrounded by acres of trash and rubble.

However, as conditions in Iraq continue to improve, a new effort to renovate the area was discussed between U.S. and Iraqi army officials during a site assessment mission in the hopes to bring some heritage and stability back to the people of the greater Ma’dain region.

“About 25 years ago this area was very popular and people came from all over Iraq to trade at the marketplace that used to be here,” said Iraqi Capt. Abbas Kadhum, an Iraqi army officer who grew up in the region and currently oversees the outpost around the arch. “There was music playing all the time here, and the large fountain used to have running water that the kids would play in.”

“It was sad to see this place get torn apart in the 1990s when residents started taking ancient bricks from the arch to build their houses and walls,” added Kadhum.

Iraqi and U.S. forces discussed their hopes to start several projects at the arch site within the next few months.

“We want to start improving the area by working around the arch, I think that’s our quick fix,” said Capt. Dallas Cheatham, of Fayetteville N.C., the commanding officer of Company B, 1st Battalion, 505th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. “The first thing we are going to try and do is build a fence around this area and plant grass and trees, trying to make the area more beautiful and inviting.”

Cheatham said another goal for the project is to bring some tourism to the area that will display Iraq’s history and culture.

“The Iraqi people need a sense of pride and heritage for their country and few places in Iraq are as symbolic as the arch,” said Cheatham.

Cheatham also said once the surrounding area is complete, restoration of the surrounding buildings on the site will be looked into. These areas include the courtyard fountain, a nearby pool, visitors’ center, and the large panoramic building, which were all built in the 1980s to help bring more people to the ancient attraction.

“I’m really excited about the reconstruction and I hope it all goes well,” said Kadhum.

Cheatham emphasized that the reconstruction of this area would also symbolize the overall reconstruction of the war-torn nation and would give many of the Iraqi people hope and encouragement for the country’s future.

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Story by Pvt. Jared N. Gehmann