Lt. Col. Hugh R. McNeely, deputy commander of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, listens to Mr. Mutafa as he explains the capabilities of the Mullah Abdullah Power Plant and the areas that need improvement. Photo by Pfc. Jared Sollars

Improvement of essential services is just one of many areas that U.S. Forces focus on to bring stability to the Kirkuk province of Iraq.

Lt. Col. Hugh R. McNeely, deputy commander of the 2nd “Black Jack” Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, recently visited the Mulla Abdulah Power Plant to see how the plant would be affected by one of its suppliers of natural gas cutting back for a month to perform maintenance.

The visit was also an opportunity for McNeely to tour the facility and discuss the needs of the plant with the plant’s manager, assistant manager, chief of technical engineering and chief engineer.

When asked by McNeely if the North Gas Company’s reduction of gas production would affect the power plant’s production of electricity, Mr. Mansor, the plant manager, replied, “We see no problems because the North Gas Company is our backup now. As long as we can continue to use A’agil Oil Field with no problem, it would be fine.”

The area of concern was that a lack of fuel for the plant could cause electricity shortages in the nearest major city, Kirkuk.

“The Mulla Abdulah Power Plant is a key part of electrical power generation in Kirkuk and contributes to the Iraqi national power grid,” said McNeely.

The plant was built in the 1950s and would be capable of producing 402 megawatts of electricity per day were its equipment completely functional and operating at peak efficiency. It currently has 18 turbine units – six are 10-year-old models, and the remaining 12 are 28-year-old models. Due to the limited capabilities of the equipment, the plant is currently only producing an average of 220 megawatts per day.

“Their newer turbines are sound pieces of machinery, whereas the older turbines are not as reliable,” said Sgt. 1st Class Charles R. Bennett, the noncommissioned officer-in-charge of the provincial reconstruction team.

One of the plant’s newer turbines is down due to rotor damage and under repair at the Dibbis Power Plant. Two of the older turbines are down permanently and being used for parts to keep the other turbines running.

“The employees at the plant are being very innovative on the upkeep of their equipment,” said Bennett. “They’re tooling themselves for success.”

The plant employs approximately 300 people, but plant management has asked the Ministry of Oil and Electricity to allow them to employ more engineers. They have also asked for more equipment – a bucket truck, a crane and four pickup trucks – which have not yet been delivered.

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Story by Pfc. Jared Sollars

Staff Sgt. Michael Montique, right, of Fayetteville, N.C., a civil affairs specialist with the 414th Civil Affairs Company, with the help of his interpreter, left, speaks with Ebrahem Aswad Ahmad about the new power lines that are being constructed in the village of Guddah, Iraq, during an assessment there Aug. 28. Guddah is one of the last villages in this area to receive power, and its residents are very excited at the prospect. Photo by Pfc. Justin Naylor

For the residents of the remote village of Guddah in the Kirkuk province of Iraq, it has been a long, hot summer. Although this village has a few air coolers, there is no electrical power source to plug them into. But this is about to change.

With the support of 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, local companies have begun constructing power lines in this village.

An initial assessment of the construction was done Aug. 28, when a civil affairs specialist from Forward Operating Base Warrior, Kirkuk, Iraq, traveled to Guddah to see how the project was progressing.

“This village is one of the last ones to get power in this area,” said Staff Sgt. Michael Montique, a Fayetteville, N.C., native with the 414th Civil Affairs Company.

“I am very excited,” said Ebrahem Aswad Ahmad, a resident of Guddah.

Although construction of these power lines is still in its early stages, the residents of this village expect it will be finished soon.

“Can you imagine life without electricity?” Ebrahem asked the Soldiers. “Life will be much better for my family. We will finally be able to use air coolers.”

Second Lt. Tyson Friar, a Phoenix native and a platoon leader with 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd HBCT, whose platoon works in this area, was very happy to see this project getting underway.

“It lets them know we are here to help them,” he said. “By doing this, we help them realize we have their best interests at heart.”

Often, Friar and his Soldiers travel to these villages and the residents will inform them of their different needs and the answer is always the same.

“We will see what we can do.” said Friar. “It’s nice to be able to accomplish something that helps them out.”

According to Montique, after the power lines are established, their maintenance and upkeep will be handled by the Iraqis.

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Story by Pfc. Justin Naylor

Life is beginning to return to normal on the streets of Taza, Iraq, after a car bomb devastated the primarily Turkish city in Kirkuk province, in late June.

Lt. Col. Hugh McNeely, the deputy commander of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, was welcomed by Taza city mayor, Talib, and street vendors alike Aug. 24, as he came to see how the city has continued its recovery.

According to Talib, the city has running water, electricity and functional sewers again. Many businesses have reopened their doors, and a large number of the people who were living in tents have moved out to stay with relatives.

Although things are going well, the mayor said residents of the city still need help.

“We need a lot of goods,” he said. “The city still needs to provide for the victims of the attack and it needs help to do it.”

After the attack, the city relied heavily on donations and support from the Government of Iraq, various non-government organizations and 2nd BCT but, recently, supplies have dwindled.

At one point soon after the attack, they actually had too much and were losing some perishable goods, said McNeely. Now, supply levels have dropped and the people need further assistance.

“As long as you have people in the tent city, and their houses aren’t rebuilt, there is a requirement to provide for them,” he continued.

One way the GoI has pledged to support the victims of the attack is through grants and payments to rebuild their homes, repair business and replace goods lost or destroyed.

Talib said he had recently submitted more than 400 applications to the GoI regarding these payments, and he expects that they will be paid fairly quickly.

“This will allow them to get back on their feet,” said McNeely.

After speaking with the Talib, McNeely visited several reopened businesses along the market street in Taza.

In recent weeks, 2nd BCT has delivered several micro-grants to businesses in the area to pay for damages and purchase new supplies.

“Obviously, many people lost a lot in the attack,” said McNeely. “This is an infusion of cash that helps them rebuild their businesses.”

Taza has also constructed a new burial site and monument to honor those who lost their lives during the attack.

“They [Taza residents] took a temporary grave site and made it into a very fitting monument,” said McNeely. “It’s very nice, very well done.”

Although there is much that still needs to be rebuilt, Taza is making progress, and McNeely and the others who visited were excited to see it.

“The city is functioning, the stores are open, and the people are going on with their lives,” said McNeely.

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A vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated in the Iraqi city of Taza in Kirkuk province, killing at least 82 Iraqi civilians and wounding approximately 200, June 20.

Taza Police and Iraqi emergency services responded quickly by securing the area, beginning rescue efforts and transporting the wounded to a local hospital for medical care. Residents from several neighboring villages also arrived to assist in the rescue.

Mayor Talib, the mayor of Taza, arrived at the scene and began coordinating the humanitarian efforts by establishing a shelter for families of the victims inside the mosque grounds where the blankets and water were distributed. Many of the town’s residents, and others from neighboring towns, contributed to the relief efforts.

“Every neighboring village is lending a hand,” said Lt. Col. Andy Shoffner, the commander of 4th Sqdn. 9th Cav. Regt., who arrived on scene shortly after the attack and whose unit provided the assistance.
Soldiers from 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, assisted by providing humanitarian aid in the form of water and blankets; assisted in controlling traffic; coordinated for light sets to better allow relief workers in finding survivors; and U.S. scout helicopters provided air support.

According to Maj. Ian Palmer, the 4th Sqdn., 9th Cav. Regt. Operations officer, the target was believed to be the town’s mosque, but the bomber instead drove into a residential neighborhood less than one hundred yards from the mosque. The bomb struck shortly after midday prayers.

In compliance with the Security Agreement signed by Iraq and the United States on January 1, 2009, U.S. forces continue to transition to an enabling role in the security of Kirkuk province. .

To inform officials about suspicious behavior involving this or any incident of possible terrorism, call 104 or 345 on a cell phone, from a land-line the number is 650-034.

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Provincial leaders in Kirkuk can’t control the weather, but they are preparing for it as 2009 marks the fourth straight year the Northern Iraqi province of Kirkuk has received diminished rainfall, according to weather data from the U.S. Air Force. The anticipated drought is expected to hinder the agricultural economic market throughout the province.

Kirkuk has started a new construction project that will help the province more efficiently manage its agricultural production. The project was commemorated by a ground-breaking ceremony March 10 to expand the capability of the grain silo in Kirkuk city.

The renovations will drastically improve the capacity of the Kirkuk grain silo, which is expected to assist farmers in future droughts.

“Kirkuk is one of the major centers of the growth and production of grain,” said Jim Vancura, senior agricultural advisor for Forward Operating Base Warrior’s Provincial Reconstruction Team. “This silo really is a key node in agricultural production in Kirkuk province.”

The present production level at the silo is 35 metric tons of grain per hour.

“We are trying to bring (the production level) up to a 100 metric ton-per-hour capacity, which will enable them to process more grain over a shorter period of time,” Vancura said.

The grain silo was built in the early 1970s, but the equipment and technology it employs are much older, dating around the 1950s, said Ghassan A. Kadhim, a civil engineer assisting in the renovations.

“In order for Iraq to catch up with the rest of the world, we need to develop our agriculture,” said Khadim. “Under the old regime, we were unable to move forward, but we are catching up.”

Last year, a drought affected the ability of farmers to provide for their livestock. The Government of Iraq and Coalition forces sustained farmers with cheaper cattle feed during the hottest part of the summer, and at the same time, laid the groundwork for the silo project.

“Last year was a very serious drought, as it is this year,” explained Vancura. “As a short-term solution, we obtained some 3,700 metric tons of feed barley. We sold that at under-market prices to the farmers to help sustain and maintain the livestock through Kirkuk province. With the proceeds from that sale, we were able to do this renovation project.”

“Last year, the silo helped sustain some 25 percent of local farmers’ livestock,” said Akram A. Dewana, manager of General Company for Seeds Trading.

Dewana said the silo renovations will continue to cut the cost of grain, giving great opportunity to 1,945 farms in the area.

“The efficient operation of this silo will reduce the cost of grain for farmers and return money to their pockets,” said Dewana.

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