A medical provider at Ghazaliyah's recently-opened solar-powered clinic treats a child, Sept. 16, during the opening of the clinic. Photo by Pfc. Kimberly Hackbarth

The sun has been known to work overtime in Iraq by creating dry, hot summers and long, sun-drenched days.

In order to help the Iraqi Ministry of Health provide for the citizens of the Ghazaliyah neighborhood, located in northwest Baghdad, the 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team “Dagger,” 1st Infantry Division, Multi-National Division—Baghdad decided to take advantage of the sun’s rays.

The solar-powered New Iraqi clinic in northern Ghazaliyah, which provides for about 300 people a day, was reopened in a ceremony, Sept. 16.

The clinic, which used to receive an average of two hours of power per day because of the strain on the national power grid, gets its energy from the sun and receives power all day and all night.

“It’s important because this system that we’ve installed will power this clinic continuously whether or not the national grid is working,” said Bristol, Conn. native, Maj. Andrew Attar, joint project management officer, 2nd HBCT. “It gives the community here that utilizes this clinic healthcare 24/7.”

The clinic is the third and final solar-powered clinic project for the Dagger Brigade, which is scheduled to redeploy to Fort Riley, Kan. this month.

“It actually started well over a year ago when the brigade that preceded us ended up trying to put a power clinic in Ameriyah, a location that was isolated. It was a great clinic there but it needed consistent power,” said Col. Joseph Martin, commander of the Dagger Brigade. “From that we have learned and placed two separate systems in the Dahkel Clinic in Hurriyah and this one, the New Iraq Clinic in Ghazaliyah.”

Because the clinic is totally powered by the sun, vaccines can stay refrigerated and the air conditioner can take away some of the stress of the heat while patients are waiting to be treated.

“Even if it’s cloudy for the next three days, the system that we have emplaced here will still allow this clinic to have power 24 hours a day,” Martin said. “It allows the doctors to focus on their patients instead of focusing on what is supporting them in the system.”

Because the solar-powered clinics were well-received by the people, the Dagger Brigade placed solar-powered street lights in northwest Baghdad and Abu Ghraib to keep markets opened longer and are working on a solar-powered courthouse in Abu Ghraib.

Attar said there has been much success with the solar-powered streetlights.

“The street lights we’ve found to be extremely effective. It keeps families and people out at night shopping, socializing and it promotes safe neighborhoods,” he said. “When you have light at night the change is remarkable. People are out eating out at restaurants, they’re out shopping at night; kids are out playing in the streets. It makes the streets safer.”

As the government of Iraq continues to build a more efficient relationship with the people of Baghdad, solar-powered technology remains as an advantageous way to do business.

“The people of Baghdad have benefited greatly from our learning with this technology,” said Martin. “This allows them to have a continuous amount of power throughout the day or night.”

DVIDS
Story by Sgt. Dustin Roberts

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

That’s a lotta boom!

An Iraqi Army patrol southwest of Baghdad discovered an extremely large quantity of explosives Feb. 13.

At approximately 9 p.m., Iraqi soldiers with the 23rd Brigade, 17th IA Division, reported finding a cache containing four tons of homemade explosive. Multi-National Division—Baghdad Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, responded to assist their IA partners with securing the cache.

“Taking this vast amount of explosives off the battlefield is a great victory for the Iraqi citizens in our area of operations,” said Capt. Jonathan Boyle, fire support officer with1st Combined Arms Battalion, 63rd Armored Regiment. “This is just further evidence of the level of professionalism of our Iraqi Army partners to conduct counter-cache operations and a real sign of further progress.”

MNF-I

Members from the Jurf Nadaf community and Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment, Multi-National Division—Baghdad met Feb. 12 for a ribbon cutting celebration at the Al Ghasacena Primary School to celebrate completion of a major refurbishment to the school.

Teachers and staff of the Al Ghasacena School held the celebration to emphasize the reconstruction gains in the area. The newly refurbished school provides an improved educational environment for children in the area. With funding from the Commander’s Emergency Relief Program, the project included the addition of nine new classrooms and construction of a new restroom facility.

The ceremony included student performances and comments from Nahia Council members including Abdul Razzaq, Councilman and Education Committee Chairman for Jisr Diyala.

“Since the ’Iron Knights’ began their deployment in the Jisr Diyala Nahia in April 2008, they have worked hard to improve the quality of education received by the students in the area,” said Abdul. “In total they have completed over 16 education projects at a cost of over $2,500,000.”

During the celebration, students from each age group at the Al Ghasacena School performed short skits and dances.

“It is wonderful to receive appreciation from the populace for a job well done. This celebration was a very fun and entertaining gesture of that Iraqi appreciation,” said Capt. Andrew Besser, the civil military operations officer of Task Force 1-35 Armor.

The Al Ghasacena School located in Jurf Nadaf West is historically set on a sectarian fault line but now enjoys relative peace and cooperation.

“This project is successful because of the gains in security that have been accomplished over the past six months by [Coalition forces] and the National Police,” said Razzaq. “God willing, the peace will continue: We will continue to rebuild Iraq, and our children will enjoy a safe, prosperous future.”

MNF-I

Brightly colored Iraqi workers clean the streets of Jamilla Market, the economic hub of Sadr City on Jan. 28

Under the direction of Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Talley, commander, 926th Engineer Brigade, Multi-National Division–Baghdad, the last ten months brought significant engineering progress to Baghdad, specifically in Sadr City.

The creation of Task Force Gold and Gold Spike provided reconstruction projects aimed at employing the people of Baghdad and improving essential services.

“We bring employment back into the community,” said Master Sgt. Tracy Jackson, TF Gold Spike’s operations non-commissioned officer in charge. “And keep the projects equal on both sides; Sunni and Shia.”

The 926th Eng. Bde. is in the process of handing this reconstruction mission over to the incoming 225th Engineer Brigade, under the command of Col. Owen Monconduit, of Pineville, La.

Since arriving in Baghdad just over a week ago, the Col. Monconduit has toured construction projects throughout Baghdad with Col. Jared Olsen, TF Gold’s commander.

“The projects are impressive,” said Monconduit. “They were of good quality and very professional. The 225th Eng. Bde. will maintain work on a continuum of the same level of quality that has a direct impact on the local economy.”

Formed in September, 2008, TF Gold acted as a catalyst towards the successful reduction of violence in Sadr City, after achieving similar results in the Rusafa district of Baghdad. Jackson said the 926th engineers assembled a team to work closely with the local government and Iraqi contractors to enhance the quality.

Monconduit explained his Louisiana-based engineers will continue to build relationships in the community and with Iraqi leaders.

“We will work in partnership with the government of Iraq and provide a ‘can-do’, positive environment, a safe environment, that the community can self-sustain and really build themselves. It’s in the capacity of the community to provide that work.”

The al Fadhel district of Rusafa, once filled with standing pools of raw sewage and piles of trash to walk, now have cleared alley ways and streets, all signs of progress in the area. Freshly painted columns lining the main streets and areas slotted for solar lights are additional projects the commanders surveyed.

“Some of the main projects include trash, sewage, sidewalk repair, solar light installation and column repair,” said Staff Sgt. Christopher Rogers, pay agent for TF Gold Spike.

In Jamilla Market, the economic hub of Sadr City, delivery trucks lined the busy streets while the interior was packed with shoppers and goods for sale on the newly paved streets and sidewalks, a sign of the revitalization of the area that has improved dramatically over the last year.

“The combination of U.S. and Iraqi funds, coupled with the hard work of local Iraqis and coalition forces, have positively impacted the essential services and public infrastructure in both the Sadr City and Rusafa sectors of Baghdad,” Olsen. “These positive impacts contribute to sustained security and create a sense of hope for the citizens in these areas of Baghdad.”

DVIDS
By Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jennifer Keefer
926th Engineer Brigade Public Affairs Office