Staff Sgt. Travers Brake, a cavalry scout platoon sergeant from Elkins, W. Va., assigned to 2nd Platoon, Troop C, 1st Battalion, 150th Armored Reconnaissance Squadron, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, points out the back of solar panels used to power a water-filtering pump as Sheikh Mohammed Shalal Syiar watches, Aug. 28. Photo by Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell

A series of intertwined, water-filled canals create a patchwork of green fields, abundant in crops near the section of al-Zooba, here, in Baghdad.

The intricate irrigation system provides essential water to the local farms but not to its inhabitants.

“Potable water makes the difference between getting disease. For us, it’s the difference between life and death,” said Spc. Stephen Palac, a combat medic, about the importance of available drinking water. “There are all kinds of bad organisms in that canal water which leads to lots of stomach problems.”

National Guard Soldiers of 2nd Platoon “Spartans,” 1st Battalion, 150th Armored Reconnaissance Squadron, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, visited one of five solar-powered water-purification pumps donated by U.S. Forces and Iraqi Security Forces to local Iraqis leaders in the area to fulfill the need for potable water.

“Before, the people got sick from the water,” explained Sheikh Mohammed Shalal Syiar, a local sons of Iraq leader, Aug. 28. “Then, we got our water from the pumping station, but it was difficult to get to and if the power was out, then no fresh water. The kids and young people need the water. Now, they come here by foot.”

The clean water from the local pumping station is their main source of water, when the electricity works. Since the neighborhood is at the end of the power grid, power failures are commonplace, said Staff Sgt. Travers Brake, a cavalry scout platoon sergeant from Elkins, W. Va., assigned to the Spartans. U.S. forces in the area recognized a need for portable water filters and filled that need.

“I have a schedule to run the pump,” said Mohammed. “Everybody in the area comes and gets water from here.”

According to Mohammed, about ten people come a day to get water and fill about 200 bottles.

“It’s a simple pump and a simple process,” explained Brake. “It’s very few moving parts and all solar powered. It’s got a battery bank and sucks power from the sun.”

Unfiltered water passes through a filter and out another tube, producing drinkable water.

“Security is number one and water number two,” said Mohammed.

Early in their deployment, the Spartan troops realized that taking care of the community and security are as intertwined as the canal system and the green fields.

“Specifically, this area is thankful to the U.S. forces,” said Mohammed. “They take care of the welfare of the families.”

“It shows we’re trying to help and not ask for anything in return,” said Palac. “It does help the security situation though. [The water pump] is a gift.”

In return, the Soldiers see increases in security gains and cooperation from the community.

“We’re real lucky in our area because the people are kind and respectful and we give that back to them and try to help out,” explained Brake. “They know we’re not here to harm them and we’re here to do good.”

Palac agreed, “It’s something that the kids see and think, ‘Hey, why don’t we try to improve this place too?’ But that’s up to them.”

The Spartans have done their part by bringing clean water to the community, providing security and building relationships. Now, as the young medic suggested, the rest is up to the people of Iraq.

MNF-I
Story by Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell

Route sanitation remains a vital piece in the war on terrorism. When piles of trash and debris are removed from the side of the roadway it eliminates places for terrorists to hide bombs and improvised explosive devices that would disrupt the lives of the neighborhood people. The Soldiers of the 277th Engineer Company work diligently with their combat arms brethren to ensure the main and alternate supply routes of Baghdad are clear of debris.

The 277th Eng. Co., an Army Reserve unit based mainly in San Antonio, but also deployed Soldiers from Washington and Missouri, attached to the 46th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy), continues to work through the night to make the streets of Baghdad a safer place for the local populace and coalition forces.

The 277th engineers work collaboratively with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division who provided the security for the route sanitation operation. They conduct route clearance (security) before the route sanitation (clearing) begins.

Many of the engineers were excited to work with the well-known “All-Americans” of the 82nd Airborne Division.

“The 82nd Soldiers were a fun group of people to work with and I always enjoyed hearing them respond back with “Airborne!” said Spc. Dalton Newell, 277th Eng. Co., a heavy equipment operator.

To prevent too much disruption of traffic, the sanitation team conducted their missions in the late hours of the night with a Husky route clearance piece of equipment. The Husky operator’s job is to inspect and investigate suspicious trash, dirt, or debris sitting on the roads. It is a very important and dangerous job.

After the site was cleared by the Husky operator and an “All Clear” was called, the 277th engineers went to work cleaning up the streets. They used a bucket loader to remove the trash and piles from the roads and then had two dump trucks to haul away the debris.

“It was a challenge moving the loader through the narrow streets,” said San Antonio native Sgt. Daniel Tapia, heavy equipment operator, 277th Eng. Co. “It was also a challenge picking up the rubble on uneven ground of curbs, medians, or alley ways.”

However, the engineers were able to maneuver through the streets to conduct the mission in a safe manner.

Many nights are spent driving up and down Baghdad roads in the heavy engineer equipment just to make sure the engineers do their part to defeat terrorism and help make Baghdad a safer place for everyone.

“It is a good feeling when we are doing a good deed for the local Iraqis as well as for our troops,” said Sgt. Darrin Frieburg.

MNF-I
By 1st Lt. Michael Bauman
225th Engineer Brigade

Col. Joseph Martin, commander, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, speaks with Mark Powell, team leader of the 2nd BCT's embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team, on the roof of the Dahkel Clinic in the Hurriyah neighborhood of northwest Baghdad. The clinic is now solar-powered, allowing services around the clock. Photo by Sgt. Dustin Roberts, 1st Infantry Division.

Another health clinic in northwest Baghdad was converted to a solar-powered facility, when the new and improved Dahkel Clinic was unveiled during a ceremony in the Hurriyah neighborhood of northwest Baghdad, June 17. As the main health center in the neighborhood, the clinic provides care to nearly 500,000 Iraqi citizens.

Before the solar panels were installed on the roof of the clinic, it could only be powered for about six hours per day.

Now it can run for up to 24 hours per day.

“By using solar power we have rejuvenated this clinic,” said Col. Joseph Martin, commander, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. “Now the Dahkel Clinic has the increased capacity to preserve medicine through the use of vaccine refrigerators, incubators for newborns and other medical devices.”

Because of frequent power outages while running on Iraq’s power grid, surgical procedures were interrupted, vaccines were ruined due to the lack of refrigeration, and the limited supply of fuel resulted in patients being turned away.

“The green energy power supply eliminates all need for generators,” said Mahdi Jonny, bilingual and bicultural adviser, 2nd BCT. “With this great accomplishment we will give services for generations to come.”

The idea for the project came after the success of the Ameriyah Clinic in northwest Baghdad, which reopened with solar-powered capabilities earlier this year.

The brigade has also worked with the Government of Iraq to install solar-powered street lights throughout northwest Baghdad and Abu Ghraib County, just west of the city.

“The improvements being highlighted here are an example of Coalition forces’ ongoing partnership with the local government to provide essential services, specifically the Ministry of Health, in order to improve local health care capacity in Hurriyah,” said Martin. “We want to continue to chose projects that we can work together with the Government of Iraq, the district councils and the local neighborhood councils to complete, which are beneficial to the people of Baghdad.”

MNF-I
By Sgt. Dustin Roberts
1st Infantry Division

An Iraqi civil project worker receives his monthly wages of $300 at a pay day event in Sadr City, May 28. Coalition forces paid 302 local national workers about $100,000 throughout the day. Photo by Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell

At an Iraqi army base in Sadr City, 302 civil project workers readied themselves and put on fresh clothes for their monthly pay day, May 28.

The project, funded by 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, paid out about $100,000 to the local national workers of the Jamilla neighborhood, here, said Sgt. 1st Class Kurt Blankenship, from San Antonio, Fla. Each CPW earns about $300 a month.

“It’s a win-win situation,” continued Blankenship, an infantryman and operations noncommissioned officer assigned to the battalion’s Joint Operations Cell. “We’re providing jobs for local nationals and we’re also having them clean up their own areas while at the same time, we’re getting tips and leads.”

The CPW clean up their neighborhoods and help out with security by functioning as a neighborhood watch, explained Sgt. 1st Class Marc Dixon, a tanker platoon sergeant, assigned to Company B, 2nd Bn., 5th Cav. Regt., 1st BCT, 1st Cav. Div.

“To help coalition forces, they man various checkpoints throughout their neighborhoods, or muhallas,” said Dixon, from Killeen, Texas. “As they man their checkpoints they are the eyes and ears for Coalition forces. When we conduct patrols throughout the day or night, we stop off at the checkpoints and they’ll inform us if there’s any suspicious activity and they’ll also let their local Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police know if there’s anything suspicious going on.”

According to Dixon, the CPW program has been a success and one of the main reasons there has been a drastic decrease in violence in the area.

“It keeps [the locals] doing something positive for their community, for themselves and for their families,” said Dixon as his B Co. Soldiers pulled security for the pay day event. “If we offer them good jobs, it keeps them off the streets, plus it lets them see us, as Americans, not being the bad guys. That we’re in their country trying to help them earn that respect and responsibility while we’re here.”

A table was set up and manned by a local sheik and Soldiers as the Iraqi workers queued up outside with their identification cards waiting to be paid for the month.

“We worked hard and earned the money by helping security and helping clean the community up,” said Shaykh Mohammed Ali Mutar, a contracting officer for the local CPW. The contracting officer supplies the CPW workers with food while on guard and other equipment they need to perform their duties, said Blankenship.

According to Mohammed, during the past month, the vigilant workers have reported on suspicious people, reported improvised explosive devices, found caches and reported on high-value targets.

“If they’re not watching out for the neighborhood, they’re cleaning up, picking up trash and making sure their area is squared away,” said a charismatic Dixon. He also commented on the large improvements his Soldiers have seen in the area regarding litter.

“It gives them responsibility,” continued Dixon. “Instead of carrying a weapon … the broom symbolizes that right now, it’s time to clean up their areas … to show their neighbors it’s time to pick up the community and raise ourselves back up to where we were.”

“I’m not saying that these guys are perfect,” explained Blankenship. “But I’ll tell you, the majority of them want to help, they want to be there to help you and they want to be right beside us on patrol if they could.”

However, these local nationals have opted to perform neighborhood security in a more peaceful capacity.

“Instead of carrying weapons,” said Blankenship. “They’re manned with brooms and shovels.”

But, those aren’t their only tools, these CPW workers are also armed with their eyes and ears and now, their pride.

DVIDS
Story by Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell

National police officers and spectators wave flags and cheer during a game a FC Unity soccer game at Shaab Stadium, May 23, in the Rusafa District of eastern Baghdad. Thirty-six soccer games, 32 community games and four combined U.S.-Iraqi forces games will be played during the tournament. FC Unity, a London-based organization, promotes the development of unity through soccer-based programs. Photo by Staff Sgt. James Selesnick

Cheers, music and fun filled the famed Shaab stadium during a two-day soccer tournament held, May 22 and 23, in eastern Baghdad’s Rusafa District.

The tournament symbolizes the success of a month-long effort between FC Unity, a London-based organization, and U.S. and Iraqi officials to provide the people of Iraq a platform for development and education through a series of soccer programs.

As a sense of normalcy continues to fill the Iraqi capital, Paratroopers of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Multi-National Division—Baghdad and Iraqi security forces, wanted to demonstrate the improved security is here to stay.

“It is a normality of life that we can all come out here and play, Americans and Iraqis together and also Iraqis of different backgrounds regardless of their religious, ethnic and social backgrounds can come together and play football,” said Yamam Nabeel, chief executive of FC Unity. “If people around the world can see how the U.S. military interacts with the Iraqi people, it shows a different picture to the world that the U.S. Army is here to help the Iraqis build a strong and viable society.”

“We are here to bring smiles to the faces of the young people,” he added. The tournament, which was open to the public, consisted of 32 community games and four games combining American Soldiers and Iraqis security forces.

Prior to the opening ceremony, Paratroopers handed out soccer jerseys and other equipment to many of the children who participated in the event.

“We want to give the Iraqi people its culture back and a big part of that culture is sports, and in Iraq, sports means soccer,” said Lt. Col. Michael Shinners in a television interview via satellite to the United States. Shinners, of Arlington, Va., serves as the deputy commander of the 3rd BCT, 82nd Abn. Div., based out of Fort Bragg, N.C.

For American Paratroopers participating in the event, playing soccer in a combat zone is something they could have never envisioned when they first deployed to Baghdad in late-2008.

“This is a huge step in what we are doing here,” said Spc. John MacMurray, an intelligence specialist assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd BCT, 82nd Abn. Div. “This event has really helped us earn the trust of the Iraqi citizens.”

During halftime, MacMurray took a break from the action and reenlisted in the middle of the field for an additional four years of military service. The Minerva, Ohio native, said the experience of reenlisted in front of so many people is something he will always treasure.

The spirit of the weekend will live on in the minds of all who participated for years to come.

“We had a lot of fun this weekend, and we built great friendships with the American Soldiers,” said one national police officer. “That was the point of this weekend, to have fun and have a great time.”

DVIDS
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Alex Licea