Sgt. Brian Curd, of Woodstock, Ill., and Spc. Nicholas Boxley, of Norfolk, Va., both combat engineers, Company E, 1st Bn., 68th Armor Reg., 3rd AAB, 4th Inf. Div., prepare the RQ-16A Tarantula Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle. Although the T-Hawk requires a great deal of maintenance, the capabilities it provides are well worth the time spent. Photo by 2nd Lt. Matthew Fumagalli

Thanks to improving technology, the soldiers of 1st Platoon, Company E, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Advise and Assist Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, have made improvements in route clearance in Basra.

The soldiers in 1st Platoon are taking advantage of relatively new technology, such as the RQ-16A Tarantula Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle.

The T-Hawk has the ability to launch remotely from the back of a truck, with soldiers only having to dismount from their vehicle for a few minutes. The T-Hawk gives the platoon the ability to observe surrounding areas and parallel routes, and provides a bird’s-eye-view of the convoy while it’s on the move.

“The T-Hawk is very easy to fly and is extremely stable in the air,” said Spc. Nicholas Boxley, combat engineer and T-Hawk pilot from Norfolk, Va.

Unlike some other models of UAVs, the T-Hawk can take off and land vertically, which makes it useful in areas with obstructions like buildings or mountains where other UAVs cannot operate. The ability to land vertically also allows the operators to land the T-Hawk within 15 feet of their location, limiting their exposure while on patrol.

When using the T-Hawk, the platoon is able to see a greater distance in any direction than before. This is a tremendous capability in the marshlands of Basra province.

During the rainy months of winter, many areas will become impassible to military vehicles. The T-Hawk’s ability to fly in nearly any weather will help ensure these areas remain free from insurgent activity.

Although the T-Hawk is relatively new, the engineers of Company E have learned how to put it to good use during their patrols. The T-Hawk allows them to sit far enough away that they can observe the area without being seen.

The buzzing in the sky also serves as a reminder that Company E is always watching.

DVIDS
By 2nd Lt. Matthew Fumagalli

Soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team have made a positive impact on security and quality of life in Iraq’s Basra province, their commander said during a briefing from Iraq today.

TRAINING THE IRAQIS
Their impact can be attributed, in part, to successful training programs, Army Col. Butch Kievenaar said.

“We started with an assessment of training proficiency for the Iraqi army, police and Department of Border Enforcement,” he said. “[That was] followed by a mutually agreed-upon training plan that focused on building sustainable capability.”

Sustainable capability refers to building basic and realistic systems for training and logistics in the Iraqi security forces, Kievenaar said. This includes establishing and maintaining effective control nodes and basic reporting systems that will allow the Iraqi forces to sustain security and stay ahead of the criminal elements operating in their areas.

At the soldier level, the brigade’s soldiers focused on teaching the Iraqi leadership how to train and certify their young noncommissioned officers and officers so they can continue to maintain unit proficiency after the brigade’s departure, Kievenaar said.

“This effort was the cornerstone of our campaign and a key contributor to the improvements in the security situation that was demonstrated during the provincial elections and enabled the successful transition of the security responsibility for the cities,” he said. “Iraqi security forces in Basra are very good, and they are providing the security for the people of the province.”

But the Iraqi forces aren’t completely on their own, Kievenaar stressed. The brigade equips the Iraqis with tools they don’t have yet, including reconnaissance platforms, intelligence and helicopters.

IMPLEMENTING THE SECURITY AGREEMENT
Since its April arrival in Basra, the brigade has returned control of four patrol bases to the Iraqis. Two more are scheduled to close before the brigade’s departure next month after a 12-month tour. The brigade arrived in Iraq in September.

Though the Iraqis officially assumed responsibility for the security of their city June 30 in accordance with the U.S.-Iraq security agreement, they asked a small number of U.S. forces to stay. Fewer than 200 U.S. soldiers are operating inside the city.

“These locations are predominantly with the Iraqi army,” Kievenaar said. “I want to emphasize we are only in the remaining locations because we’ve been asked to stay there to coordinate and conduct joint command-and-control training and provide enablers to Iraqi security forces.

“All vehicle movements and training events are coordinated daily with the Basra operations centers,” he continued. “Our daytime vehicle movements inside the city are supported with Iraqi security force escorts.”

While its primary mission was to train and enable Iraqi security forces, the brigade also has been heavily involved in assisting the government in providing essential services for Basra residents.

INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS
“The city has many challenges with its essential services such as electricity, water, sewage and trash,” Kievenaar said. “Together with the provincial reconstruction team, we have over 100 projects ongoing in the Basra province totaling just over $62 million.”

About $12 million will be used on improvements to electrical service, including building several substations and lines that will carry electricity to households throughout the province. Another estimated $10 million will be used for trash removal.

Basra has been plagued for years with large piles of scrap metal, mostly from previous wars: the Iran-Iraq war, the Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Kievenaar said. Many civilians believed the metal was contaminated. Testing proved otherwise, and so far more than 80 truckloads of scrap metal have been removed.

This will enable the municipalities to focus repairs on water and sewage infrastructure and provide usable real estate for the province to develop, he said.

“We’ve also spent about $8.2 million on water,” Kievenaar said. “As you know, Iraq is in the middle of a drought, and its effects are especially bad here in the south. We’re focused right now on getting the main water plant to increase water production and the flow of water throughout the city of Basra.”

The projects are designed to help improve the quality of life in Basra, an area coordinated, supervised and prioritized by the provincial government, he said.

“Our soldiers are making a huge difference for the people of Iraq,” Kievenaar said. “There remains a lot of work to be accomplished, but there’s a sense of hope and opportunity with the Iraqi people that did not exist here before.”

The brigade is scheduled to redeploy to Fort Carson, Colo., in August.

DoD
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Nearly 60,000 southern Iraq residents will have access to twice their normal amount of water thanks to a new U.S. funded reservoir that opened here Feb. 18.

The new tank will save residents money by reducing the amount of bottled water they need to purchase for home use other than drinking.

“As long as we are elected by the people, we will continue to work for the people,” said Basrah Provincial Councilman Khalof Alsharaa. “We appreciate this project and look forward to more in the future.”

In addition to Asharaa, the dedication was attended by Safwan Mayor Sabah Mohammad, members of Safwan’s town council, Iraqi Police and Coalition project managers.

Previously, the city and its outlying areas relied on two old water towers and well water to meet its residential and farming needs. One of the towers was destroyed in the war and the second will remain operational, supplementing the new tank.

The new facility cost $242,000 and will bring 900 cubic meters of “wash water” into the system, which will be loaded into trucks and delivered to people’s homes.

The water will be good for bathing, cooking, and drinking if treated, but is not potable by western standards. The plumbing systems in Safwan are substandard with leaks and rust, which can contaminate the water.

Outlying areas of the city will continue to use well water for farming and residential use.

The new tank is designed to last for about 25 years.

MNF-I