Leaders from the 55th Brigade, 17th Iraqi Army Division, local Sheiks and Task Force Thunder, 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad participated in a bridge reopening ceremony Jan. 18 in Mahmudiyah, south of Baghdad.

The improvement in security and reduction in sectarian violence made it possible to reopen the bridge which had separated a tribal community. The reopening also returns the area to a sense of normalcy.

Iraqi Col. Rasheed, commander of the 55th Brigade, 17th Iraqi Army Division, discussed how important the bridge over the Salty River is with local shaykhs and how its opening is another step to improving the Mahmudiyah region in Iraq.

“This is one of the good things we are doing in the area. There will be more coming, including water purification and road paving. This will alleviate the suffering of the people,” he said.

The Mamour tribe occupies much of the area on both sides of the bridge and was split when the bridge closed. Relatives had to drive many kilometers east or west of the bridge to find another way across. Now, a more direct route is available to visit their families. Children who traveled a long distance to receive their education now only have a short bridge to cross on school days.

“This is one of the biggest things we can do as Coalition Forces to get life back together for the Mamour Tribe,” said Capt. Gregory Martens, Company A, 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad executive officer.

The bridge was shut down for an extended period of time due to an insurgent attack on Coalition forces.

Rasheed and the shaykhs spoke of how the IA will be responsible for providing security for the bridge and of how improved security will benefit the Iraqis living on both sides of the Salty River. The IA intends to have a system where only those with badges will be authorized to cross over the bridge. Some who stand to benefit from the bridge’s reopening include those whose families are split by the Salty River, children going to school, and those requiring access to work on the other side of the river.

“The bridge opening today symbolizes the barriers we all work together to break down, each towards a brighter future for Iraq,” said Maj. Eric Savickas, 4th Bn., 27th FA Regt., 2nd BCT, 1st AD, MND-B, executive officer.

MNF-I

Local Mahmudiyah civic leaders, Sheiks, villagers and Multi-National Division- Baghdad Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 63rd Combined Arms Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division held a ceremony for the installation of two solar-powered water filters at Lutifiyah Nahia, Mahmudiyah Qada Dec. 16.

The $48,000 CERP water filters contract was awarded to the Ard Aleqa Contracting Company of Lutifiyah and will provide the 400 citizens of the community with potable water. Prior to the water filters this rural community did not have access to clean potable water and had no access to centrally distributed water.

“The people here get very little water, so it is good that we will be able to have clean water finally,” said Tah Hassim Fadha the Chaka 1 Leader, the equivalent of a town mayor.

Leaders from 1st Battalion, 63rd Combined Arms Battalion worked in partnership with the local government determine the best sites for the two water filters. One filter was placed near an Iraqi Army checkpoint in a rural area of with a population of 200. The other filter was located in another rural area, also with a population of 200.

The local sheik, Sheik Adnon Radhy, told the crowd he was pleased the community would now have access to clean water. After his speech the large crowd waited to taste the fresh water. One Iraqi was overheard saying that the people were so used to dirty water, that the clean water tastes bad and unfamiliar to the laughs of his fellow villagers.

“The rural areas are the heart of Mahmudiyah Qada and they are often overlooked by both the GoI and CF. It is great to be able to get out to these isolated communities and make a difference,” said 1st Lt. Robert Bowe, the civil military affairs officer for 1-63 CAB.

MNF-I

Iraqi Army Soldiers and Coalition forces provided security, food and water to Iraqis on a pilgrimage to Karbala, Aug. 11-18.

“The Iraqi Army is providing security with assistance from the coalition,” said Pvt. Esam Hussein Fleih, 1st Battalion, 23rd Brigade, 17th Iraqi Army Division. “People have been happy with the way we have been doing the security, and it shows with nothing bad happening during the pilgrimage.”

The pilgrims walked through Mahmudiyah on their way to the religious festival known as Shabaniyah, a celebration of the birthday of Shiite imam Mohammed al Mahdi.

“This year is very good; there are too many Soldiers out on the roads for anything dangerous to happen,” Fleih said. “It is a great combination from both Iraqi Soldiers and American Soldiers.”

In previous years, pilgrimages have been targets for criminal activity, but those threats are at a minimum with the established security in Mahmudiyah.

“The only vehicles allowed on the roads right now are coalition, Iraqi Security Forces and ambulances,” said Capt. Evan Perperis, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. “Our job is to back up the IA; they are the ones who planned out the security for the pilgrimage.”

The Soldiers are providing security over an approximately 25-kilometer stretch of road, starting in Baghdad.

“I think the IA is doing a very good job,” Perperis said. “So far we are incident free. Mahmudiyah has gone from being known as the ‘Triangle of Death’ to what it is today … I think that has a large part to do with the IA.”

MNF-I
By Pfc. Christopher McKenna
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division

A series of four greenhouses in Mahmudiyah officially opened in a ribbon cutting ceremony, June 28.

“The greenhouses are definitely a dominant feature in the area; there is nothing else around them, and they can be seen well into the distance,” said Capt. Benjamin Neusse, 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, Civil Military Operations officer. “Hopefully it gives people the impression that progress is being made along agricultural lines.”

The four greenhouses are more than 500 square meters each, and use agriculture refill plastic sheets on the outside. The sheets convert ultraviolet rays into heat to produce a more acclimated environment for plants to grow.

“The greenhouse is a pilot project through the local agriculture union for research and development of agriculture technology,” said Neusse, a native of Murfreesboro, Tenn. “The houses are on lease for one year to the union to educate local farmers on potential technology.”

There is a 60 cubic meter storage pond for the drip irrigation system. All of the houses have an independent valve, which means each can be individually selected for irrigation.

“The project started a year ago when the (embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team) came to me expressing a high level of interest in agriculture,” said Oded Abrahim Ghanthwan, owner of the greenhouse property. “It took so long to come together because, for a long time, the security in the area was not stable, but thanks to the coalition and Iraqi army, the security is better and these greenhouses can be opened.”

Ghanthwan was the first person in the area to use the individual row greenhouse systems, which are more subjective to a smaller radius of crop growth.

“People followed my footsteps before and they want to do the same with these greenhouses,” Ghanthwan said. “Many other farmers are going forward attempting to get contracts for greenhouses of their own already, even before production has begun here. They see the potential.”

The seeds will be planted outside of the greenhouses and brought in when the plants are sprouting. At this time, the planned crops are tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, melons and various other fruits and vegetables.

After one year, the agriculture union will hand the greenhouses over to Ghanthwan for full-time ownership.

MNF-I
By Pvt. Christopher McKenna
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division

Iraqi citizens celebrated the completion of construction at the Omah Moktar School for Girls in the Qadisiyah Apartment Complex in Mahmudiyah, about 20 kilometers south of Baghdad, May 8.

After nearly three months of construction, the Moktar School’s approximately 600 students can now enjoy new windows, gates and doors, as well as new auditorium furniture. Exterior improvements included raising the outer wall as an added security measure.

“The educational environment was greatly enhanced and helped to bolster pride in their school,” said 1st Lt. Jason Potter, Moktar School project manager, 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). “This project was significant in that it showed the residents of the neighborhood that the Coalition forces are really here to help.”

Mahmudiyah Qada Council chairman Abu Amar, Mahmudiyah Nahia Council president Talib Abbas and Dr. Qais al-Hanni from the Ministry of Education attended the ceremony.

Al-Hanni reminded attendees of education’s importance and maintaining an environment that encourages children to learn.

Students took the stage throughout the ceremony to give speeches, sing and recite poems. One group also performed a short skit reflecting on the successes of Iraqi Security Forces in improving security in the area, and cleaning up the neighborhood’s appearance.

At the end of the ceremony, Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 25th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division distributed school supplies to the students.

Task Force Marne
By Sgt. 1st Class Kerensa Hardy