Children enjoy their new playground following an opening ceremony attended by the U.S. Soldiers, Iraqi government and police officials who spearheaded the project in Taba, near Kirkuk, Iraq, Aug. 17, 2010. Photo by Spc. J. Luhrs

U.S. Soldiers joined local government and police officials near here recently in the village of Taba to officially open a new playground for local children.

The $49,000 playground, which took less than a month to complete, is made up of three slides, a large play tower, monkey bars, a field for soccer and multiple picnic tables for the more than 100 families who live in the area.

The idea for the playground originated from multiple meetings between local Iraqi Security Forces and Fort Stewart, Ga., Soldiers with Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, according to Capt. John Cornthwaite, battalion engineer for 1/30th Inf., who coordinated the project with local contractors.

“We wanted to demonstrate our commitment to the citizens of Kirkuk and show them we do more than advise the police,” said the Savannah, Ga., native. “What better way than to build a playground for the community?”

Cornthwaite added that his unit and their Iraqi counterparts pushed for this project to better instill a sense of family in the area.

“Kirkuk’s culture is very family-oriented, so by providing a venue where families can come together allows them to embrace family-ties and associates us as an extended family,” he said.

The Iraqi contractor for the project feels they have made the community a better place.

“The playground is a place where children and adults can come together in hope for a better future,” he said. “This playground may seem like something small but it will make a very big impact on the community.”

U.S. Forces – Iraq
Written by Spc. Jessica Luhrs,
1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team,
1st Armored Division

I had to use the original title. Just look at the alliteration!

The Sultan Saqi Shrine, built in the 1960s in a part of the historic Tiseen neighborhood which is now on Kirkuk Regional Air Base, marks the burial place of Imam Sultan Saqi, as well as that of his sister. The Sultan's grave dates from approximately 600 A.D. Photo by Master Sgt. Martie Moore

The 506th Air Expeditionary Group and the Kirkuk Provincial Reconstruction Team of the U.S. Embassy in Iraq assisted approximately 30 members of the predominantly Turkmen Shi’a community of the Tiseen neighborhood of Kirkuk city to visit the Imam Sultan Saqi Shrine and its surrounding cemetery, which are historically and religiously important to the Turkmen Shi’a community, April 17.

Traditionally, the people of the Tiseen community in Kirkuk visit the shrine and the graves of the deceased of their own community buried in the cemetery surrounding the shrine on religious holidays and other special occasions.

Under the regime of Saddam Hussein, the land was confiscated for use as an airport and military base, and visitations and use of the cemetery were forbidden. The U.S. Air Force, who has managed the base since 2003, and the PRT recognized the importance of the site to the Tiseen community and initiated periodic visits for them.

“The U.S. Air Force believes that it’s important to be a good neighbor to the people of Kirkuk, and we are pleased to have been able to meet and assist some of our neighbors today,” said Col. Leonard Dick, 506th AEG commander.

Kirkuk Provincial Council members Tahseen Kahea and Qassim Hamza participated in the visit, along with representatives of the PRT and U.S. Air Force. During the event, Akbar Shokor Bahram gave a blessing and spoke of the importance of the site to the community.

DVIDS
Story by Master Sgt. Martie Moore

An officer with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division out of Fort Bliss, Texas, fights off one of her instructors during Sexual Assualt Unarmed Self Defense Awareness and Prevention class, held at Forward Operating Base Warrior. Photo by Pfc. Jessica Luhrs

A group of petite female Soldiers laugh as their instructors, four much larger non-commissioned officers wince in pain from self-defense techniques they just taught these female Soldiers that could ultimately save their lives.

These Soldiers, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division out of Fort Bliss, Texas, were the first to participate in a trail program that focuses on teaching the Soldiers self-defense so they can better defend themselves against an attacker, according to First Sgt. John Lucas, first sergeant of HHC, of the Ready First Combat Team.

This program is a proactive attempt by the leadership of the Ready First Combat Team to teach their Soldiers to protect themselves if attacked, when they are unarmed.

During the class a very curious crowd of male and female Soldiers gathered around to observe these females learning to immobilize their attacker so that they can have enough time to get away, the importance of preserving evidence and ways to prevent an attack from happening, according to Lucas.

The brigade’s sexual assault response coordinator had some advice for the Soldiers to prevent an attack.

“You must show confidence in yourself at all times,” said Sgt. 1st Class Gerald Meineke, the SARC. “Walk with your head high and you will not be looked at as a victim.”

The junior-enlisted Soldiers that participated in the program were also given a very lethal weapon that would scare off any attacker, according the Lucas.

This weapon was a flashlight and it is the new best friend of the Soldiers participating in the class.
With this the Soldiers can blind, hit and gather evidence, such as DNA or even identification, from their attacker.

Overall the instructors said they were very impressed with the Soldiers and that they were very quickly picking up on moves that gives them an advantage over an attacker that can be much larger than them.

The plan for this class is for it to be held more regularly and have it be mandatory for all females of the Ready First Combat Team, to show that sexual assault has no place at Forward Operating Base Warrior, Kirkuk, Iraq.

Until the classes are scheduled the instructors have urged their students to go out and teach other Soldiers what they had learned and to also practice the techniques often so they do not lose the skill.

DVIDS
Story by Pfc. Jessica Luhrs

Crew members of Black Gold Holding Company, a local contractor, build a new lift station on Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq, Feb. 24. Crew members of Black Gold Holding Company, a local contractor, build a new lift station on Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq, Feb. 24. Photo by Master Sgt. Martie Moore

Earning and learning are two concepts used to help the Iraqi people rebuild their nation with pride and dignity.

A joint project involving 506th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Readiness Management Support Engineers and a local contractor are making those basic livelihood necessities a reality.

The various civil engineers are all involved in upgrading the base sanitary sewer system with new or upgraded wastewater lift stations.

“The existing concrete tank was set up in an expeditionary manner,” said Master Sgt. Michael Wohlfert, Water & Fuels Systems Maintenance superintendent.

As part of the lift station project, the crews constructed three new pump stations and modified five others doubling the capacity of the overall system.

“The wastewater lift stations are facilities designed to move wastewater from lower to higher elevation through pipes,” said Wohlfert.

Key elements of lift stations include a wastewater receiving well (wet-well), often equipped with pumps and piping with associated valves, motors, a power supply system, and an equipment control and alarm system.

During the process of building the new lift stations, Iraqi men were learning or improving their trade as electricians and plumbers.

“The Air Force is here to see that the rules and regulations are followed by the contractor,” said Wohlfert. “Iraq does not have the same building codes as the U.S. The electricians and plumbers are learning new skills on this project. The quality of workmanship has grown in leaps and bounds.”

The project in turn benefits the community by using a local contractor, Sameh Saber owner of Black Gold Holding Company, was born and raised in Kirkuk.

“It’s very smooth because we are all on the same page and coordinating work,” said Mr. Saber.

In addition Mr. Saber sees this as an opportunity to improve the quality of work in Kirkuk.

“I talk to college friends who are engineers too,” he said. “We are learning more things here to transfer to our own local projects.”

As American forces drawdown the new lift station is one more positive sign Iraq has a bright future.

“Except for minor things, the reliability of the new sites has been great. The more successful this is the easier for those who come after us. This is nothing but a success,” said Wohlfert.

DVIDS
Story by Master Sgt. Martie Moore

Iraqi police and U.S. Soldiers carry a bag of book bags to a school in the Faylaq neighborhood during their combined humanitarian mission, Dec. 22. Photo by Pfc. Jessica Luhrs

Three hundred Iraqi schoolchildren in the village of Faylaq, near the Iraqi city of Kirkuk, Iraq, were treated to a surprise donation of school necessities Dec. 22.

In an effort to improve education in Kirkuk, Iraqi police and members of the Al-Atyah Women’s Organization, assisted by Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, attached to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, donated school supplies for children.

This humanitarian mission was a part of a larger mission to reach out to the people in this neighborhood, said Hanna Hasan Husein, a leader at Al-Atyah.

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Russell Raines, the 1st platoon leader for B-Company, 1st Batt., 30th Inf. Regt., whose platoon helped the IP’s and Women’s Organization members in delivering the supplies, believes these combined activities are important to stability in the region.

The progress the IP’s, AAWO and U.S. forces are making in the villages can already be seen, according to Husein. The children are talking to the IP’s and Soldiers, laughing, smiling and at one point the children were singing with the IP’s.

Humanitarian aid plays a huge part in the fight we are in now, said Husein. It allows the people to see the IP are here to also help them, not just conduct raids or combat patrols.

It is important for the Iraqi population to see the IP’s and U.S. forces conducting these types of operations which show that we are allies and not occupiers, according to Raines.

Raines also feels it is a welcome change of pace for him and his Soldiers to be able to help children.

For everyone involved it is a powerful experience, through partnership we were able to improve the lives of these students, Raines explained.

“The IP and U.S. forces mission here is the people of Iraq,” said Raines. “We want them to know we are all here to protect them and keep them safe.”

“Throughout their time here, 1st Batt., 30th Inf. Reg. plans on assisting the Iraqi police and AAWO,” said Raines.

According to Raines, U.S. forces, the IP’s and Women’s Organization will continue to deliver school supplies and other items not available to students.

“This helps the community build a relationship of trust with the IP’s and hopefully a better future,” said Raines.

DVIDS
Story by Pfc. Jessica Luhrs