Spc. Kathy Hysong, a Baker City, Ore., native, and a medic with 15th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, U.S. Division – North, manually provides oxygen to a simulated patient during an exercise conducted at the Troop Medical Clinic on Contingency Operating Base Warhorse, Iraq, June 6, 2011. Hysong serves as a healthcare specialist and is also a member of the evacuation platoon. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Tiara Walz)

Whether treating a soldier with a cold or helping save the life of a wounded warrior, there is always something to keep a medic busy while deployed.

A typical day for Spc. Kathy Hysong begins with patient care during sick call hours at the Troop Medical Clinic at Contingency Operating Base Warhorse, Iraq. The remainder of her day is dedicated to preparing for any medical evacuations.

Hysong, a healthcare specialist with Company C, 15th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, U.S. Division – North, plays a versatile role as a medic assigned to the evacuation platoon.

“We typically work in the clinic during sick call,” she said, “but we always have to be ready to do an evacuation if necessary.”

Staying active is important for the medics who evacuate patients.

An evacuation platoon soldier’s job often involves loading patients wearing full combat gear into vehicles and providing patient care while en route to a larger facility.

En route care is the most important part of an evacuation medic’s job, said Hysong, a native of Baker City, Ore.

“I am responsible for keeping the patient [stabilized] from our level of care to the next,” she said.

“Patient care during evacuations is just as important as the treatment they receive in the clinic,” said Staff Sgt. Shirlee Burton, evacuation platoon non-commissioned officer in charge. “Without that en route care, the patient may die.”

Hysong spends a large portion of her day with her fellow evacuation platoon members preparing for evacuation emergencies.

Training for combat is very important, said Burton. “If you haven’t trained to standard and if you make a mistake, people’s lives are in danger.”

Burton has already noticed improvements in Hysong’s performance because of the training.

“She has improved tremendously,” said Burton. “Actually doing real-life medical evacuations has made her realize the importance of her job and the training that is required.”

Although being part of an evacuation platoon is a large responsibility for a young medic, Hysong said her job helps keep soldiers alive.

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2nd Lt. Alyson Randall
2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, U.S. Division-North

Sgt. James Quatro -left-, a military policeman assigned to 105th Military Police Company, guides Cpl. Patrick West during a demonstration of proper stance for firing an AK-47 rifle during training at the Provincial Directorate of Police Headquarters in Mosul, Iraq, June 29, 2011.

Sgt. James Quatro enlisted in the 105th Military Police Company, New York Army National Guard, to be a part of something greater than himself.

Answering the call of duty, the military policeman recently deployed to Iraq, attached to Task Force Shield, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, in support of Operation New Dawn.

His mission involves advising and training Iraqi Security Forces in U.S. Division – North, helping to make the ISF a sustainable force for their country.

“Since I was little, I always wanted to be a soldier,” said Quatro, a native of Rochester, N.Y. “My grandfather served in Korea, and I wanted to honor him.”

Quatro trains his Iraqi counterparts on tactics to increase their overall proficiency as policemen, including counter-improvised explosive device procedures and rifle fundamentals.

“Weapons have always been my strong point, and I enjoy teaching,” said Quatro, who said he is knowledgeable on a wide variety of weapon systems.

Sgt. James Quatro -right-, a military policeman assigned to 105th Military Police Company, Task Force Shield, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, instructs Iraqi Police assigned to the 2nd and 4th Emergency Response Battalions, how to stand properly when firing their AK-47 rifles. Quatro, a native of Rochester, N.Y., also trained the policemen on how to assemble and disassemble the weapon, and basic rifle marksmanship. Photo by Spc. Angel Turner

Since arriving in Iraq, Quatro conducted two iterations of AK-47 training to help Iraqi emergency response battalions become proficient on their rifles.

“We build our relationship with ISF through this training,” said 1st Lt. Joshua Bode, a platoon leader assigned to 105th MP Company.

Serving as a team leader, Quatro is the primary instructor in his squad and is an asset to the squad and company, Bode added.

“Sgt. Quatro is an outstanding soldier and a well-disciplined [non-commissioned officer],” said Bode, a native of Buffalo, N.Y. “It’s great to be able to watch how well [Iraqi policemen] respond to his training, and you can see how well they implement what he trains when they conduct their range.”

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Spc. Angel West, a signal support specialist assigned to Company B, 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, troubleshoots a computer with network connectivity issues at Contingency Operating Site Marez, Iraq, July 5. West, a native of Liberty, Ky., works at the Brigade Signal Support Help Desk, troubleshooting signal support equipment for her fellow Soldiers and civilians.

Installing, maintaining and troubleshooting signal support systems and terminal devices are primary tasks for all U.S. Army signal support soldiers.

Spc. Angel West, a signal support specialist assigned to Company B, 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, recently earned recognition as “Long Knife Strong” Soldier of the Week for doing an outstanding job accomplishing these tasks.

“West is a great soldier. She comes to work every day and gives it her all, no matter what the task,” said Staff Sgt. Nick Kraus, non-commissioned officer responsible for the Brigade Signal Support Help Desk, and West’s supervisor.

“As signal soldiers, we assist the brigade in a major way,” said Kraus, a native of Cincinnati. “By ensuring automation and technical components are sustained and running properly, we enable the brigade to communicate efficiently throughout our deployment here.”

As a communications subject matter expert, West demonstrates her signal support proficiency daily by imaging, troubleshooting and installing computers and printers for her fellow 4th AAB soldiers at the help desk.

Prior to working at the help desk, West assisted in resolving communication and equipment issues while serving as one of the only signal support specialists at a remote installation near Sinjar, Iraq.

“It feels really good for my leadership to recognize me for all the hard work I’ve put in these past couple of months,” said West, a native of Liberty, Ky.

Leaving her children – D.J., Harley and Bryan – with family in Kentucky, West deployed to Iraq last fall in support of Operation New Dawn.

Since deploying with the brigade to U.S. Division – North, West traveled all across northern Iraq to multiple installations, assisting her fellow troopers by troubleshooting their communications equipment.

When West is not at the help desk assisting soldiers or conducting physical training at the gym, you can usually find her behind a computer webcam or writing home to her family.

“I wish I could be there with my family back in the states, but this is my mission here,” said West. “While I’m here, I just want to focus on being the best at what I do, because being a signal support specialist and maintaining [communication] operations is a vital part of the mission.”

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Cheyenne, Wyo., native Spc. Eric Brubaker, a tanker with the 2nd Battalion 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division saved the life of a civilian driver involved in an accident on Fort Hood, Texas, Sept. 20.

Twenty-year-old Army Spc. Eric Brubaker doesn’t want to hear the word hero used in conjunction with his name, he doesn’t want to feel a pat on his back or a hand shake followed by the words “good job;” truth be told Brubaker probably doesn’t want to see his name in print either.

However, when the tanker from the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division saved the life of a civilian driver Sept. 20 on Fort Hood, Texas all these accolades would become synonymous with the mere mention of his name.

“I just found out today that everyone knew, I wanted it to stay quiet,” said the former ranch-hand and Cheyenne, Wyo. native.

“I don’t like being in the spotlight, this isn’t something I felt should have been talked about and traveled all over post, something like this is part of our duty, we are trained to react,” Brubaker added.

The morning of the 20th started out just as many days do for Brubaker, as he was attending his sixth Combat Life Saver Course (Brubaker’s second refresher course this year) to brush up on his critical soldiering skills readying himself for another deployment sometime within the next year.

“I was pulling out of the parking lot leaving CLS and witnessed a vehicle that appeared out of control cross the median and strike another car,” said Brubaker. “Being on Fort Hood with these crazy drivers you see accidents every day, but when her SUV came across the median and hit the driver in front of me, I saw the expression on her face, I knew she was [having a seizure].”

Approaching the door Brubaker finds the female occupant of the SUV non-responsive with visible bleeding, and a noticeable wheezing and gurgling in her breathing, which Brubaker’s CLS certification told him was an obstructed airway.

“I knew from all my training and deployments that I had to help her get air, I had to open her airway back up. I ran to the trunk of my car and grabbed my IFAK (Improved First Aid Kit) and inserted my NPA (Nasopharyngeal Airway) into her.”

The NPA is a tube that is designed to be inserted into the nasal passageway to secure an open airway, and without it Brubaker knew the driver could have died.

“There were individuals checking under the car for leaking fluids keeping me informed of my surroundings, because the last thing I wanted to do was move her not knowing the extent of her injuries,” Brubaker said.

Keeping the driver stabilized for what seemed like a few seconds to Brubaker, until emergency medical personnel arrived on the scene and relieved him. The soldier now doted as a hero gives all praise to his Army training.

“This soldiers action is a testament to all of the soldiers in this battalion, I am very proud of not just this Soldier, but all of them,” said 2-5 Cav. Command Sgt. Maj. Ricky Linton, who hails from Apalachicola, Fla. “We train hard here, and this just proves how much they are buying into what the command is all about and that is an expectation of excellence.”

Lots of talk has circulated about what the commendation will be for Brubaker. Many have thrown around the words “Soldier’s Medal” since the incident, which is the highest peace time award a soldier can receive for their actions.

All of this is dismissed with a respectable smile and a shake of the head from a young man who enjoys blending in a formation rather than standing out in front of one.

Brubaker is always where he needs to be, doing what he needs to do, he is someone that the younger guys look to, and he is always putting everyone at ease when training goes a little long, or if his unit reports early for a 4 a.m. road march. He is the embodiment of a team player, said Brubaker’s first line supervisor, Spc. Randy Meeks, who is from Blooming Grove, Texas.

The unit and his peers are not surprised by the heroics Brubaker displayed that afternoon or that it was coincidence that he was there at the scene.

“Perfect example! Spc. Brubaker has horrible knees, just terrible and they will get him down from time to time, but rather than take a knee and go on profile he would just gut it out every day,” said Meeks. “Four miles, six miles, no matter still there in formation keeping pace, it finally got to the point that we had to escort him to the doc, make him take a profile, and if that wasn’t enough we had to guard him and our formation every morning just to keep him from sneaking in there for PT (physical training). He doesn’t quit, Spc. Brubaker doesn’t know how, that’s why we are not surprised in the least about any of this,” said Meeks.

“This soldier deserves the accolades, deserves the recognition, we are talking about a combat veteran that is used to reacting to tragedy, and that’s just what he did that day he saw something terrible and where most people would have set back and not known what to do, he knew how to react and did,” said Linton.

“He doesn’t realize what he has done, and that’s what you have got to love about this soldier,” he added. “Brubaker is what we should all want to be and that is a good soldier. He’s quiet, he does what he has to do, and he shines when he needs to shine.”

“This all comes down to training,” Brubaker says. “I found myself in a situation and directly applied what I have been taught during my career to save a life. It’s something we all can do; it is like riding a bike. When that switch flips and you see firsthand the benefits of your Army training, the rest is just muscle memory.”

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Story by Spc. Phillip Adam Turner

While carrying two machine guns, Spc. Bernice Garcia, a Houston native and Chinook door gunner with Company B, 3rd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, finally exits the Chinook after a long shift. Photo by Sgt. Samantha Beuterbaugh

Females are becoming more and more prevalent in military flight crews. Being a woman in a male-dominated field can be an intimidating obstacle for many to overcome. However, Staff Sgt. Katie Replogle and Spc. Bernice Garcia have managed to find a way to to fit in with their comrades on the flight line.

“I never thought I could do something like this, and I proved myself wrong,” said Garcia, a Houston native and Chinook door-gunner with Company B, 3rd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.

Door gunners have a physically demanding job; and the job makes Garcia feel strong and capable despite her small stature, she said.

When someone boards her aircraft, Garcia can be seen directing passengers, repacking and strapping down baggage, and ensuring the passengers are safely belted in for take off.

Before this deployment, Garcia was serving as a supply clerk. Her command asked for door-gunner volunteers and she immediately jumped at the opportunity. She admits that she had second thoughts once she was clued in to the labor-intensive job description of a Chinook door gunner, but decided to do it for the experience.

“I never took the Chinooks seriously,” Garcia said. “Now, I realize how big of a responsibility we have.”

A former member from Garcia’s chain of command, 1st Flight platoon crew chief, also with Company B, Staff Sgt. Christopher Suiters, said, “Honestly, I don’t look at her as a female. I ask everyone, ‘Can you do your job?’ Garcia does her job excellent.”

Spc. Bernice Garcia, a Houston native and Chinook door-gunner with Company B, 3rd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, tests her radio, Jan. 21, before taking her position in the window to scan her sector. Photo by Sgt. Samantha Beuterbaugh

Although she feels that being a door-gunner is a good experience, Garcia admits to missing her office job sometimes.

As a door-gunner, Garcia is responsible for ensuring the safety of those on the Chinook, including manning the 240B machine-gun. Replogle is responsible for actually maintaining her helicopter.

Replogle, a Richland Springs, Texas native and Blackhawk crew chief standardization instructor with Company C, 3rd Battalion, 227th Avn. Regt., grew up working on cars while living with her father. She has always been interested in vehicle maintenance, so coming into the aviation field as a helicopter maintainer suited her well.

“You have to be self-sufficient and can’t expect anyone to do your job,” Replogle said.

Although Replogle has advanced to crew chief instructor, she is still required to run missions and is expected to watch a sector as a gunner, while in flight.

Climbing in and out of the window to get to the gunner’s seat in a Blackhawk can be strenuous, so she has ramped up her physical training and now trains seven days per week.

“If I can’t lift something, I’ll never hear the end of it,” Replogle said. “So the gym is very important to me.”

Replogle said she can bench press more than her 1st Sgt. and out-leg presses every guy in the company.

“Sometimes, I think [the 1st Sgt.'s] sole purpose for going to the gym is so he can out-lift a girl,” she added, grinning.

While Replogle continuously works to build her physical strength, she hasn’t lost her femininity. The helmet she wears displays Toby Keith’s signature, in pink.

Both women agree that there is not a lot of room for sensitivity in the aviation field.

They also agree that they are up to the challenge.

Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others—Amelia Earhart.

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Story by Sgt. Samantha Beuterbaugh

Iraqi girls perform a skit for Iraqi officials and Soldiers during a re-opening ceremony at Yassamin School, Nov. 5. The project was a joint effort between Government of Iraq officials and U.S. forces. Photo by Sgt. Joshua Risner

Education is essential for a child growing up in the world today. That is no less true in Iraq, where schools are a building block for a child’s future.

Three schools were officially re-opened here, Nov. 5, thanks to Multi-National Division Baghdad Soldiers.

The Shab Female School, Yassamin School and Monte Tenaybo Schools were in shambles before they came to the attention of Army civil affairs Soldiers, according to Staff Sgt. Frank Halstead, from Brooklyn, N.Y.

“All three schools had to be completely redone because they were a mess,” he said. “They had to be painted and cleaned, the wiring had to be redone and the walls on the outside needed repair. Basically they were just the shells of buildings.”

So Halstead and his fellow civil affairs Soldiers took up the contracts and set to work. They arranged for the repairs to be made and periodically checked the work to make sure things were being done to their specifications.

“We had to make sure they were done up to standard,” said Halstead. “Finally it all came together and the people have schools now.”

On opening day, the students gathered to sing songs and perform skits for the Soldiers and officials who came to see the work come to fruition.

“It feels pretty good because today you actually get to see the kids’ reactions – it’s not just a bunch of older people standing around talking to each other,” said Halstead. “The kids were happy, they looked like they wanted to be in school, to me that’s a good thing.”

1st Lt. Lacey Rector (right), from Willoughby Hills, Ohio, talks with students and teachers at the reopening ceremony for the Shab Female School, Nov. 5. Photo by Sgt. Joshua Risner

For 1st Lt. Lacey Rector, from Willoughby Hills, Ohio, assigned 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, the girls at Shab Female School were a welcome sight.

“It’s nice to see females because you don’t see them very often over here,” she said. “It’s nice to see that they are being educated as well.”

The project is another example of the continued commitment of U.S. forces to helping the Iraqi people, according to Halstead.

“We’re there to help them not to hurt them,” he said. “They know if their children are being educated then that’s going to help them in the long run. They appreciate it.”

With three more schools operational in the Baghdad area, more children are getting the chance to better themselves and their communities by getting an education. It is one more thing that U.S. forces are doing to make Iraq a better place.

Col. Maria Zumwalt (left), a native of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, chats with students of the Shab Female School, Nov. 5. Zumwalt is the commander of Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. Photo by Sgt. Joshua Risner

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Story by Sgt. Joshua Risner

Lt. Col. Hugh R. McNeely, deputy commander of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, listens to Mr. Mutafa as he explains the capabilities of the Mullah Abdullah Power Plant and the areas that need improvement. Photo by Pfc. Jared Sollars

Improvement of essential services is just one of many areas that U.S. Forces focus on to bring stability to the Kirkuk province of Iraq.

Lt. Col. Hugh R. McNeely, deputy commander of the 2nd “Black Jack” Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, recently visited the Mulla Abdulah Power Plant to see how the plant would be affected by one of its suppliers of natural gas cutting back for a month to perform maintenance.

The visit was also an opportunity for McNeely to tour the facility and discuss the needs of the plant with the plant’s manager, assistant manager, chief of technical engineering and chief engineer.

When asked by McNeely if the North Gas Company’s reduction of gas production would affect the power plant’s production of electricity, Mr. Mansor, the plant manager, replied, “We see no problems because the North Gas Company is our backup now. As long as we can continue to use A’agil Oil Field with no problem, it would be fine.”

The area of concern was that a lack of fuel for the plant could cause electricity shortages in the nearest major city, Kirkuk.

“The Mulla Abdulah Power Plant is a key part of electrical power generation in Kirkuk and contributes to the Iraqi national power grid,” said McNeely.

The plant was built in the 1950s and would be capable of producing 402 megawatts of electricity per day were its equipment completely functional and operating at peak efficiency. It currently has 18 turbine units – six are 10-year-old models, and the remaining 12 are 28-year-old models. Due to the limited capabilities of the equipment, the plant is currently only producing an average of 220 megawatts per day.

“Their newer turbines are sound pieces of machinery, whereas the older turbines are not as reliable,” said Sgt. 1st Class Charles R. Bennett, the noncommissioned officer-in-charge of the provincial reconstruction team.

One of the plant’s newer turbines is down due to rotor damage and under repair at the Dibbis Power Plant. Two of the older turbines are down permanently and being used for parts to keep the other turbines running.

“The employees at the plant are being very innovative on the upkeep of their equipment,” said Bennett. “They’re tooling themselves for success.”

The plant employs approximately 300 people, but plant management has asked the Ministry of Oil and Electricity to allow them to employ more engineers. They have also asked for more equipment – a bucket truck, a crane and four pickup trucks – which have not yet been delivered.

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Story by Pfc. Jared Sollars

Al Hawd villagers work to clean up the streets for a trash cleanup project that started the week of Sept. 13. The project has employed 100 local residents to complete the cleanup. Photo by 1st Lt. Josh Swartsel, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment.

Citizens of the Hawd and Ijimissa villages here recently began a month-long cleanup effort to remove trash that has been accumulating in the streets for some time.

U.S. Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division are assisting in the effort.

The project was conceived by the Mayor of Qayyarah, Mayor Saleh, as part of a larger urban renewal effort by the district to improve the quality of life for citizens of the upper Tigris River valley.

“We pretty much take trash collection for granted [in the U.S.]. Al Hawd and Ijimissa don’t have the same kind of service level, and so it falls on these people to pick up the trash themselves,” said Staff Sgt. Kiel Carino, a section sergeant in Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Bn., 12th Cav. Regt.

The project was coordinated through local contractors who are providing trucks to take the trash to the local city dump, and basic tools to assist in clearing the roads of trash and debris.

Approximately 100 local residents have been employed for this project. The site managers are hiring workers to clean up areas where they live to create a sense of ownership in the neighborhoods.

“When I spoke to one of the site managers, he had a very detailed plan for how he was going to go about clearing the streets in an organized fashion,” said Carino. “You could tell that this was something he’d put a lot of thought and effort into.”

Headquarters Co. Soldiers then met with local leaders at the Qayyarah City Council. Mayor Saleh told the local leaders that, as civic leaders, it was up to them to ensure that their communities kept their streets clean and litter-free.

The workers have already started clearing trash in parts of the two villages and are making a significant impact on the area.

“There’s already an undeniable difference in the appearance of the streets in Al Hawd and Ijimissa,” said Capt. Lance Blount, Headquarters Co. commander. “Corners and ditches that used to be overflowing with waste are now completely clean. It’s a great improvement for the local community.”

The cleanup project is set to be complete by the end of September, ending in a ribbon-cutting ceremony that will give the local civic leaders an opportunity to showcase their clean streets as a model for the entire Qayyarah area.

“It is hard work like this that is going to make Qayyarah a real success story,” said Blount.

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By 1st Lt. Josh Swartsel
12th Infantry Regiment

One bomb emplacer was killed and another detained following an improvised explosive device detonation near a U.S. convoy north of Hawijah yesterday – September 17 2009.

A patrol consisting of Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, was struck by an IED while en route to the Mahus Police station to conduct a planned combined patrol. While U.S. forces were responding to the IED, two bomb emplacers attempted to flee the scene. The patrol repeatedly warned the two attackers to stop, fired warning shots and then engaged them. One was killed and the other is in the custody of the Iraqi Army.

On further investigation, additional bomb-making and other materiel that could be used in attacking vehicles was discovered near the spot where they were hiding.

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The once shattered windows of the Burhiema Primary School here are now intact, and through them, the children of Burhiema village can be seen smiling as they dig through bags of new school supplies.

The school — once abandoned because of its poor condition — is once again filled with life and optimism as children returned from their summer vacations, Sept. 2, to find their local Iraqi Police, assisted by Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, waiting to greet them with a few surprises.

The IP and Soldiers distributed 150 bags of school supplies to the students, and donated 5,000 pencils to the school.

“These school supplies are so important for the students,” said Basim Al Hoodba, the headmaster of the school.

Hoodba said he was concerned about his ability to teach this year because of a lack of school supplies

“Without these supplies, we couldn’t do classes with the students,” he said.

This is not the first time that U.S. Soldiers have helped this school. First Lt. Patrick Merriss, a platoon leader with 1st Bn., 8th Cav. Regt., assisted in the school supply delivery with the IP and was also here early last spring with his platoon during some structural renovations to the school.

The platoon helped replaced shattered windows, repaired damage to the roof, fixed desks and repainted portions of the school, explained Merriss.

“The situation before the renovation was very bad,” Hoodba said. “The school was abandoned; no students were coming because it was pretty much destroyed.”

But the renovations did more than just revive the school; they reminded the community that IP and U.S. Soldiers are here to help.

“It’s important to see us out in sector helping people,” said Merriss. “It reinforces that we are here to do good things, not bad.”

Merriss believes that outside influences like the media often report on the negative, but they are failing to see the whole scope of combined operations.

“We do a lot to help keep people in the area safe,” he said.

People in the community were glad to see that U.S. forces were accompanied by their Iraqi partners.

“It’s very necessary to see U.S. forces out and supporting our forces,” said Hoodba. “We like to see our forces going out on patrols and in the area with the U.S.”

“We do everything together, combined with the ISF,” said Merriss.

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Staff Sgt. Michael Montique, right, of Fayetteville, N.C., a civil affairs specialist with the 414th Civil Affairs Company, with the help of his interpreter, left, speaks with Ebrahem Aswad Ahmad about the new power lines that are being constructed in the village of Guddah, Iraq, during an assessment there Aug. 28. Guddah is one of the last villages in this area to receive power, and its residents are very excited at the prospect. Photo by Pfc. Justin Naylor

For the residents of the remote village of Guddah in the Kirkuk province of Iraq, it has been a long, hot summer. Although this village has a few air coolers, there is no electrical power source to plug them into. But this is about to change.

With the support of 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, local companies have begun constructing power lines in this village.

An initial assessment of the construction was done Aug. 28, when a civil affairs specialist from Forward Operating Base Warrior, Kirkuk, Iraq, traveled to Guddah to see how the project was progressing.

“This village is one of the last ones to get power in this area,” said Staff Sgt. Michael Montique, a Fayetteville, N.C., native with the 414th Civil Affairs Company.

“I am very excited,” said Ebrahem Aswad Ahmad, a resident of Guddah.

Although construction of these power lines is still in its early stages, the residents of this village expect it will be finished soon.

“Can you imagine life without electricity?” Ebrahem asked the Soldiers. “Life will be much better for my family. We will finally be able to use air coolers.”

Second Lt. Tyson Friar, a Phoenix native and a platoon leader with 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd HBCT, whose platoon works in this area, was very happy to see this project getting underway.

“It lets them know we are here to help them,” he said. “By doing this, we help them realize we have their best interests at heart.”

Often, Friar and his Soldiers travel to these villages and the residents will inform them of their different needs and the answer is always the same.

“We will see what we can do.” said Friar. “It’s nice to be able to accomplish something that helps them out.”

According to Montique, after the power lines are established, their maintenance and upkeep will be handled by the Iraqis.

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Story by Pfc. Justin Naylor

The high-pitched sound of children laughing and a rollercoaster’s rumble were heard at the Kirkuk Amusement Park on the outskirts of Kirkuk City, Aug. 18.

Iraqi Police (IP), their children, and U.S. Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, traveled in groups, wandering the park looking for the best rides.

Weeks of planning went into this event and many local IP enjoyed the opportunity to bring their families to the park and introduce them to the U.S. Soldiers they work with on a regular basis.

“This is the first chance I have had to bring my family to the amusement park,” said Capt. Louay Wahad Ali, an IP from the local area who brought his nephews along with him. “They really like it because they feel safe and can relax and have fun.”

“It is very fun to come here with my uncle,” exclaimed Ali ‘s 10-year-old nephew, Mustafa. “I love it!”

Besides giving the IP and their families a chance to get away from the city and take some much deserved time off, the event was also an opportunity for U.S. Soldiers to see the IP in a new light.

“It’s good to see the IP out and having fun,” said Spc. Jorge Huizar, a Paladin mechanic with Battery G, 3rd Bn., 82nd FA Regt. “We can have fun with them.”

For Huizar, going to an amusement park in Iraq was an unusual and welcomed surprise considering he is normally in the gunner’s seat and dismounts on missions in and around Kirkuk.

“I did not expect to go any place like this,” he said. “It’s good to feel this kind of atmosphere, especially in Iraq.”

Also present that evening was the Lion of Kirkuk, the official mascot of the Kirkuk Police, who introduced himself to the children with a resounding “Roar!”

After touring the park, the IP, children and Soldiers made their way to the rollercoaster, where they took turns riding together.

“I like the rollercoaster the most,” said Mustafa. “I’m not scared of it.”

This fearlessness will suit Mustafa well as he plans on following in his uncle’s footsteps by becoming an IP officer.

“I love seeing my uncle in his uniform; it makes me very proud,” he said. “I hope when I grow up I can wear the same thing.”

As the night came to a close, IP and Soldiers alike chatted about how much they would like to do this again soon, and plans were made for another amusement park visit in the near future.

“I would love to see this type of mission again,” said Huizar with a broad smile on his face.

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By Pfc. Justin Naylor
1st Cavalry Division

Life is beginning to return to normal on the streets of Taza, Iraq, after a car bomb devastated the primarily Turkish city in Kirkuk province, in late June.

Lt. Col. Hugh McNeely, the deputy commander of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, was welcomed by Taza city mayor, Talib, and street vendors alike Aug. 24, as he came to see how the city has continued its recovery.

According to Talib, the city has running water, electricity and functional sewers again. Many businesses have reopened their doors, and a large number of the people who were living in tents have moved out to stay with relatives.

Although things are going well, the mayor said residents of the city still need help.

“We need a lot of goods,” he said. “The city still needs to provide for the victims of the attack and it needs help to do it.”

After the attack, the city relied heavily on donations and support from the Government of Iraq, various non-government organizations and 2nd BCT but, recently, supplies have dwindled.

At one point soon after the attack, they actually had too much and were losing some perishable goods, said McNeely. Now, supply levels have dropped and the people need further assistance.

“As long as you have people in the tent city, and their houses aren’t rebuilt, there is a requirement to provide for them,” he continued.

One way the GoI has pledged to support the victims of the attack is through grants and payments to rebuild their homes, repair business and replace goods lost or destroyed.

Talib said he had recently submitted more than 400 applications to the GoI regarding these payments, and he expects that they will be paid fairly quickly.

“This will allow them to get back on their feet,” said McNeely.

After speaking with the Talib, McNeely visited several reopened businesses along the market street in Taza.

In recent weeks, 2nd BCT has delivered several micro-grants to businesses in the area to pay for damages and purchase new supplies.

“Obviously, many people lost a lot in the attack,” said McNeely. “This is an infusion of cash that helps them rebuild their businesses.”

Taza has also constructed a new burial site and monument to honor those who lost their lives during the attack.

“They [Taza residents] took a temporary grave site and made it into a very fitting monument,” said McNeely. “It’s very nice, very well done.”

Although there is much that still needs to be rebuilt, Taza is making progress, and McNeely and the others who visited were excited to see it.

“The city is functioning, the stores are open, and the people are going on with their lives,” said McNeely.

MNF-I

Kirkuk City, Iraq, has been considered by residents here to be one of the most beautiful and cleanest cities in Iraq. But, due to budget constraints, waste removal services around the city have been lacking and waste has been accumulating.

Thanks to efforts of the Kirkuk government and assistance from 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, a new project to remove waste in the city and help educate its residents on properly disposing of trash was celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony involving Iraqi children, singers, and a cake, Aug. 9.

The ceremony was attended by Kirkuk Gov. Abdul Rahman Mustafa and Lt. Col. Terry Cook, commander of 3rd Bn., 82nd FA, and other government officials.

According to Capt. Juan Cantu, a Houston native and civil military operations officer with 3rd Bn., 82nd FA, who worked on the project, the problem was initially brought to light by Kirkuk’s solid waste director and residents of the city. During community meetings, they voiced their concerns over the growing piles of trash around the city.

“Due to budget problems in the past several months, nearly 1,000 tons of trash normally removed by city services were not being picked up,” said Cantu. “This ceremony marks the beginning of a three-part waste collection effort to assist Kirkuk city to catch up on its trash removal services.”

Cantu said the project is actually comprised of three smaller projects and is scheduled to last two months and employ approximately 700 to 800 workers. The $1.3 million project will primarily be funded through the Commander’s Emergency Response Program.

The first phase of the project will run 30 days and involve 500 workers to remove garbage that has accumulated in neighborhoods. The phase will rapidly catch the city up so the daily trash removal services which are already in place will not be strained.

After the city is caught up, the next component involves educating residents on proper waste removal.

“We need to change the way Kirkuk’s residents feel about trash,” Cantu said. “70 workers will go door-to-door and distribute one million trash bags and pamphlets informing people how to properly dispose of trash and on which day their trash will be picked up.”

Cantu said the city will also place 1,500 metal trash cans around the city for people to put trash in as well.

The final phase of the project will involve heavy machinery to remove construction waste scattered around the city.

“All throughout the city you can see bricks and other debris from construction projects lying around,” Cantu said. “This final phase will remove all of that.”

While this project is scheduled to last two months, it does not mean the trash will not be picked up afterwards.

“Trash removal services still exist in the city,” Cantu said. “The budget problems have been addressed and the waste removal contracts have been resolved, so this project will catch the city up and daily removal will continue.”

Beautification is not the only goal of the project either. Disease and pest infestation is another risk to consider.

“It is important to keep Kirkuk clean for its residents, to make it a nice city,” explained Nawza Abdulla Karim, who works for Kirkuk’s municipal solid waste management. “But, it is vital for the health of the city’s residents because lots of diseases can accompany trash, especially during the summer months.”

“Kirkuk has long been known as one of the most beautiful and cleanest cities in Iraq,” Cantu said. “The local government wanted to meet the people’s needs here and to return that title to the city.”

DVIDS
Story by Staff Sgt. Jason Douglas