Kirkuk Province recently celebrated the commencement of three new Civil Service Corps.

On Sept. 14, Hawijah celebrated the start of a new CSC and the next day, two started in Dibis.

“The CSCs are intended to provide the necessary training, education and skill that will allow the graduates to seek and attain good paying jobs and to begin the hard task of rebuilding Iraq village by village, city by city,” said Lt. Col. Kevin Hudie, commander, 3rd Battalion, 6th Artillery regiment, 10th Mountain Div, at the Dibis commencement ceremony.

The CSC program is patterned after a U.S. depression-era job program known as the Civilian Conservation Corps designed to put young men back to work. What makes the program unique is that all of the apprentices are former Sons of Iraq members who have been credited for the significant security gains in the Kirkuk Province.

The Hawijah ceremony was held at the Hawijah Farmer’s Union building and was attended by Lt. Col. Christopher Vanek, commander 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division as well as Abu Saddam, the district council chairman. The ribbon cutting ceremony was witnessed by some of the 105 CSC apprentices who will soon be taking on the task of learning the valuable skills needed in rebuilding their communities.

“This is a very important day for us…security and the economy is rising. This is a chance to start a new life. These men are learning for the future. We thank God for this opportunity. We are going to keep making Hawijah better, and better, and better,” said Abu Saddam.

This new contract will teach Iraqi men trades that will build infrastructure in Hawijah, according to Capt. Kurt Rudeselli, 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division. Trades taught will be electrical, plumbing, sanitation, and canal maintenance.

On the heels of the Hawijah ceremony was the Dibis CSC commencement ceremony, which represented two separate contracts that will employ 215 CSC apprentices.

“The Dibis CSC were designed from many discussions with the Dibis City Council, the electrical power plant and the Northern Oil Company to meet the future construction needs of both the electrical and oil industry that are major employers with the Dibis district,” said Hudie.

The former SOI members will receive training in carpentry, masonry and electrical work under the General Construction contract. Under the Industrial contract, the students will receive training in electrical motor-generator repairs, welding, electrical line repairs and industrial plumbing.

“We thank the American people for their investment in Iraq and in its people,” said Hadi Mustafa, the Dibis Mayor, during his address to guests.

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Maj. Peter Colt, 443rd Civil Affairs Battalion, plays with young Iraqi children in Gaydah village, which is in the Kirkuk province of northeastern Iraq. Colt, along with 2nd Battalion, 22nd Inf. Regt. Soldiers, met with the village leaders recently to discuss developments and projects that will benefit the area. Photo by Spc. Jason Jordan.

In the southern Rishad valley of Kirkuk province lies the remote village of Gaydah, located several miles off the nearest main road and even further from the nearest substantial city or district.

Already accustomed to seclusion, the village residents were surprised when Soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division showed up in their community in February. The residents were more surprised when they announced that they would set up operations there; living and working with the residents for the next two months.

Operating from within a schoolhouse in the area, the Soldiers spent the next several weeks meeting with the villagers, providing humanitarian aid, rebuilding infrastructures, and planning future civil service projects.

The mission complete, Soldiers left. But they returned Aug. 20, along with members of the 443rd Civil Affairs Battalion, to receive updates and determine plans of action.

“The people of this village have been wary of the Coalition forces for the past several years because they have seen units come and go, and promises made that were never fulfilled,” said Capt. Gregory Hotaling, commander, Company D, 2-22 Inf. Regt. “We wanted to assure them that we were different, and to help prove our resolve, we lived among them in their impoverished community; experiencing for a short time the life they have always known.”

The community welcomed their friends back with open arms, grateful to see the Soldiers had kept their promise.

Leaders with the two units spent several hours inside the village mayor’s home; discussing the current situation of the area and future projects – while other Soldiers spent time talking and playing with the children outside.

Among the key issues discussed was the plan for a complete transfer of authority regarding the Iraqi infrastructure and planned projects.

“One of our main goals at this point is to put control of all future developments into the hands of the Iraqi people,” said Maj. Peter Colt, 443rd Battalion. “We want Iraqi people in charge of Iraqi projects – using Iraqi money and Iraqi workers as soon as possible, which will further stabilize the country and allow our forces to withdraw. ”

Until recently, the U.S. government has provided American dollars for all projects, with the Coalition forces conducting the labor and Iraqi Security Forces following their lead. The focus is now being completely transformed, with the Iraqi people in charge of all future projects, while Coaliton forces step in the background, assisting only when necessary.

Relationships such as the one occurring between U.S. Forces and the village of Gaydah are emerging all over the country, signifying the kind of change the world hoped to see when operations first began here.

Such changes have been increasingly evident in the Kirkuk region, where Coaliton forces have witnessed security gains measured as a 67 percent reduction in total attacks across the province, according to military reports.

“No matter how big or small our operations might be, we remain dedicated in our efforts to help the Iraqi people gain a new life,” said Sgt. Kody Lunstrum, 2-22 Inf. Regt. “Despite the best of intentions, it is impossible to change the minds of everyone, but every little bit helps. Each new gesture that makes a difference is another step closer to permanent change.”

Lunstrum’s sentiment is echoed by his fellow Soldiers, who witness the positive changes that the rest of the world cannot see.

“When I talk to my family and friends back home, they want to know what it’s really like over here and if we are truly making a difference,” Hotaling said. “Each time, I have explained to them the kind of change they have not witnessed yet. Battles and lethal operations have long ago ceased to be priorities. Our focus now is a return to normalcy – living and working and interacting with the Iraqi people. Positive changes are happening every day. They might not be big or flashy, but they are making lasting improvements that have already put victory for the Iraqi people within their reach.”

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By Spc. Jason Jordan
1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division