Soldiers assigned to 1st Cavalry Division partnered with national police officers and local Iraqi police officers to make repairs on a damaged home in the Adhamiyah district of Baghdad after it was struck by an improvised explosive device

When enemy forces missed targeting a Multi-National Division – Baghdad patrol in the Adhamiyah district of eastern Baghdad with an explosive formed projectile recently, a local Iraqi home paid the price.

Fortunately, the EFP blast injured no one in either the patrol or the home, but Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division focused their attention from themselves, to the house.

“Once I was certain that no one was hurt in the attack, my next thought was to help the innocent civilian whose home was damaged,” said Capt. Brennan Speakes, a native of Fort Myer, Va.

The Soldiers partnered with Iraqi national police officers assigned to 3rd Bn., 4th Bde., 1st NP Div., and local Iraqi police officers to provide materials and labor in order to make the necessary repairs to the residence.

After the repair was complete, the homeowner, who asked not to be named, said he was very happy with the repairs and thanked everyone who was involved in the project.

DVIDS
Story by 1st Lt. Scott Lewis

Dover Park, as it is known by Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers, sat abandoned for years; located in the Qahira neighborhood of the Adhamiyah District of Baghdad, its carnival rides were unusable and the land was overgrown with weeds.

“It was your typical abandoned park here in Iraq,” said 1st Lt. Rosita Rodriguez, a civil affairs team chief with Company C, 404th Civil Affairs Battalion, attached to 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, MND-B.

Two months later, the refurbished park was completed and handed over to the local neighborhood council Oct. 28.

“This is our first park in Qahira. We never had one before,” said Mohamed Madaloom, the Qahira Neighborhood Assistance Council chairman.

The park has a small pond with a generator-run fountain with a flock of geese as well as benches, solar lights, several swings, slides and seesaws. There is also a tiled path lined with flowers and new grass has been planted. A gardener and a security guard, he added, will be hired.

The park is intended to be self-sufficient, and seven small kiosks will be rented to vendors. The rent will provide an income stream to buy fuel for the generator, pay the salaries of the staff and any other expenses.

“Everybody admires the park. I know the families are so excited to get here,” said Madaloom, who, along with fellow local officials and Coalition forces leaders, gathered for the official hand over. Iraqi officials and Col. John Hort, commander of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, raised the Iraqi flag to symbolize the opening of the park as doves were released. Some families and their children couldn’t wait – they were already on the rides.

“I’m so pleased; our kids aren’t able to go many places because of the security situation. I am so pleased that we have such a park in our neighborhood,” said Aum Achmed, who was there with her daughter and a niece. “It’s important for every kid to have a place to go to.”

“It’s good. It used to be awful before. I wouldn’t even look at it before,” said Mostfa, a 3-year-old Iraqi child, before running off to a nearby slide.

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