Provincial officials and coalition force leaders gathered at the Anbar Agricultural College in Ramadi to celebrate the grand reopening of the education facility, Aug. 31, 2008.

The college, part of Al Anbar University, is made up of 18 buildings and can facilitate over 10,000 students.

The reopening of the college was just another sign of the city’s growth and redevelopment, according to Dr. Tariq Mohammed, the dean of the college.

The region, known as the “Breadbasket of Iraq” because of its heavy wheat production, has come long a long way from a couple of years ago, he said.

“Less than two years ago, this area was just rubbish,” said Saad Salman, one of the contractors for the project. “The buildings were nearly destroyed and the streets were torn apart. But now, this place is beautiful.”

The college was vacated due to insurgent attacks in June 2004 until coalition forces secured the area and used it as a combat outpost two years later.

In 2007, coalition forces completely demilitarized the campus and turned it over to the province, and in February funding was approved to renovate it back to its original condition.

The 4.7 million dollar project, funded by coalition forces, was considered to be one of the largest renovations in terms of size and a vital project because of the region’s dependence on agricultural production.

“Whenever I asked random local civilians what projects they thought would have the biggest impact on Ramadi, almost every response was the Agriculture College,” said 1st Lt. Adam Taylor, a 27-year-old from Atlanta, Ga. and the project’s manager with Team 1, Civil Affairs Detachment 2 attached to 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1.

The Marines with Team 1 put in a lot of work to ensure the project was completed, spending several hours with workers during each visit.

“Coalition forces played a significant role in the reopening of the college,” Taylor said. “My team spent countless hours coordinating with the project’s nine contractors, the dean of the college, and the governor’s advisor to guarantee the project and the grand opening went off without a hitch.”

The greatly anticipated reopening was mostly accredited to a significant decrease in attacks, improved security and increased professionalism amongst the Iraqi police in the region.

The growth of the Iraqi police force allowed the Marines from 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, to serve in an overwatch position for the reopening ceremony. The Iraqi police primarily conducted searches and security.

“This city was plagued with violence and intimidation … it was inconceivable to even think about rebuilding,” Mohammed said, “The Iraqi police, with the assistance of coalition forces, have really turned this city around—life is getting back to normal.”

The college will offer students numerous course options such as food industry, plant production, soil and water resources, agricultural machinery, and fruit production.

“With the wide variety of courses the school will provide, the students can actually focus on getting their degrees and establishing a future in a safe environment,” Taylor said.

During the intense fighting that overwhelmed the region for much of the last five years, most of the city’s educational facilities were destroyed or abandoned. But now that the city is much safer, the return of educational facilities in the region has been paramount in the coalition forces’ plan to return al Anbar to normalcy.

DVIDS
By Lance Cpl. Casey Jones
Regimental Combat Team 1

The Provincial Government Center for al Anbar, located in the heart of downtown Ramadi, was a vicious and violent battleground for much of the last five years.

But as the city emerges from the violence that has plagued it for so long, thanks in part to Iraqi and coalition forces’ security efforts, the center now stands as a as a symbol of peace and stability. Governmental leaders operate there daily, overseeing a variety of departments critical in continuing the region’s growth.

First Sergeant Patrick J. Dostal, the Headquarters and Service Company first sergeant with 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, is on his second tour in the city and is overwhelmed by the center’s development since his first tour in 2006.

“The government center now is a totally different place,” Dostal said. “Before, you couldn’t even see the actual building. You could tell there was some type of structure there, but that was it.”

Dostal said the government center was a key target for insurgents because of its strategic and symbolic importance. They often lurked on the outskirts of the building waging a constant battle, eager to disrupt government operations. The building was so heavily fortified, he said, it could not be seen from nearby streets and the surrounding area was a sea of ruins composed of collapsed buildings and piles of concrete.

“We received plenty of small arms fire, indirect fire, rocket-propelled grenade attacks and roadside bombs always popped up,” said Dostal.

In the last five years, the government center and the area around it has undergone many changes during efforts to secure the building. The concertina wire and large sandbag reinforcements surrounding the area have been removed.

One of the most notable changes resulted from Iraqi government and coalition forces officials’ decision to bulldoze approximately three blocks of rubble around the center.

“All of the abandoned shops, and a building we called the Rashid hotel in front of the [center], were bulldozed,” Dostal said. “The insurgents would shoot at us from those spots. Bulldozing around the government center gave us more room to protect [the center]. The attacks still happened, but not as often.”

The transformation the government center has undergone can also be attributed to the citizens’ revolt against al-Qaida in Iraq.

“The citizens stood up to al-Qaida and now Ramadi is pretty quiet,” said Cpl. Abdias Betancourth, a motor transportation operator with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, who also served in the city in 2006. “The people are determined to get back to a sense of normalcy.”

With the reduction in violence, increased cooperation between Iraqis and coalition forces, and a functioning provincial government operating safely inside the confines of the government center, the city of Ramadi has taken a turn for the better.

DVIDS
By Lance Cpl. Casey Jones
Regimental Combat Team 1

Lance Cpl. Tony Taylor, a rifleman with Mobile Assault Platoon 6, 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment Regimental Combat Team 1, interacts with young Iraqis during a census patrol in Ramadi, May 15. The citizens of Ramadi have embraced the presence of coalition forces and are working closely with the Marines to rid the region of insurgents.

Ramadi, a mostly Sunni city with about 500,000 residents, was considered to be one of the most violent cities in the world during the early part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Today, locals are out shopping at the city’s bustling marketplace, known as the souk. Children are playing soccer in fields, and students are walking mostly worry-free to and from the province’s local college, al Anbar University.

The signs of war have steadily declined as the city has embraced peace and the region is returning to normalcy, which is an unexpected but welcome change for Marines with 1st Battalion,9th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, returning to the region for consecutive tours.

“A lot of the action happened in Ramadi,” said Cpl. Abdias Betancourth Jr., a 23-year-old motor transportation operator from Toppenish, Wash., with 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1. “We had it all here—improvised explosive devices, small arms fire, rockets, almost every type of attack.”

The city of Ramadi endured some of the toughest fighting between 2004 and 2006, and the Marines expected intense combat while preparing for their deployments to the region.

“We had an idea of what we were going into just from all of the storylines and news coverage,” said 1st Sgt. Patrick J. Dostal, the Headquarters and Service Company first sergeant with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, who was previously deployed to Ramadi in 2006. “But still you just don’t know what to expect. We trained for (heavy combat), but its just one of those things you don’t (fully comprehend) until you’re there.”

The Insurgency:

“We would just wait for something to go wrong”

The relative calm in Ramadi, during the first few months of the invasion, quickly turned toward a violent insurgency in 2004. The Marines often encountered heavy small arms fire within seconds of leaving their base of operations, and intense skirmishes were fought almost daily in the city.

“It was kind of strange,” said Sgt. Matthew Jee, an intelligence specialist with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, currently on his second deployment to Ramadi. “As soon as we left the wire, we would always get amped up and ready for combat. We would just wait for something to go wrong. Not knowing what was around the corner or what was going to happen didn’t really bother me, it was just the waiting that bothered me.”

Dostal, who was the Company K first sergeant with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, during his first deployment to Ramadi, did whatever it took to avoid attacks on his Marines. They always remained alert and ready for an attack, which would often occur. Over time, Dostal said he became used to the feeling of uncertainty and always believed in his Marines’ abilities.

“I just grew accustomed to it,” Dostal said in reference to always being extremely watchful. “I always knew the Marines would do whatever they needed to do. But, there’s not a great deal you can control if you hit a big IED. So we tried to avoid any attack by always being aware of our surroundings.”

During the most severe fighting in the country, the average monthly number of attacks on infrastructures, civilians, and Iraqi and coalition forces topped 5,000, according to the Department of Defense. For the Marines, the nightly death totals reported on the local six o’clock evening news wasn’t just a number. The report could have been their fellow Marine brother or sister.

Devil Dogs, as Marines often call each other, are a tight-knit brotherhood. So the deaths of their counterparts, which every deployed battalion had to cope with at the time, affected Marines everywhere.

“The worst day for me was when I lost 3 Marines and a sailor on April 2, 2006,” Dostal said. “That was the first time I’ve ever lost a Marine or sailor. That was ultimately the worst day during my first deployment to Ramadi—the whole company was in shock. It happened only less than a month after we arrived.”

During that period of hardship, the Marines did what any individual would do in their situation: they turned to each other for comfort.

“I had a lot of good friends with me,” said Gunnery Sgt. Michael Meyer, a motor transportation chief with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, currently on his second deployment to Ramadi and his fourth to Iraq. “We kept each other busy by staying occupied. Having good friends made the circumstances a little better. We tried to keep our minds off of what was going on around us.”

Though the Marines found ways to keep their mind off the chaos surrounding them, they could not always escape the thought of becoming the next casualty.

“There were many times when I feared my own life. I would be lying if I said I didn’t,” Meyer said. “But, at the same time, I feared for my Marines’ lives more than I did mine.”

Although the Marines were always surrounded by threats, they managed to complete their assigned missions and stood firm while in the midst of adversity.

“There were quite a few times when I just thought, ‘What in the heck am I doing here?’” said Betancourth, who also deployed to Ramadi in 2006. “But, I volunteered to be a .50 caliber machine gunner and honestly sometimes I regretted it, but that was my spot. That’s where I belonged.”

Iraqis also seemed vary anxious, according to Jee.

“The vast majority of Iraqis were nervous, they knew we had guns and the willingness to use them to protect ourselves,” Jee said. “We weren’t out to punish or oppress the people but we were a walking, physical threat on their streets. They probably viewed the invasion as trading one threat for another.”

The professional conduct of the Marines, along with their operational successes and several blunders by the insurgents, soon changed the locals’ feelings toward coalition forces.

The Awakening:

“If somebody would’ve told me back then that the city would be this calm I would’ve said you’re crazy”

The sacrifices Marines and other coalition forces have made over the years to better security in Iraq have paid off. In May of 2008, the monthly total of deaths for coalition forces reached an all-time low of 19, the lowest in the five year war. According to a recent military report, roadside bombs in the country are down by nearly 90% from this time last year.

“Ramadi is quiet now,” Betancourth said. “If somebody would’ve told me back then that the city would be this calm I would’ve said you’re crazy.”

One of the major reasons behind the reduction in violence has been the sahawa al Anbar, or the Anbar awakening. The awakening began in 2006 with the murder of a highly revered sheikh. The killers, al Qaida in Iraq, insulted and disrespected the sheik’s family by hiding his body for three days so he could not be buried according to Islamic tradition. Their actions proved to be the breaking point for the locals, who were furious over the terrorist organization’s lack of respect for their culture and were exasperated with the endless violence. The local tribal leaders, led by Sheik Sattar abu Risha, declared themselves an enemy of al Qaida and formed the Awakening Council.

“Before the Awakening, it was very kinetic,” said Maj. Jeff McCormack, the operations officer with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, who was deployed to the province during the awakening. “We had IED attacks and firefights everyday. Within a week, we went from not being able to stand still for five minutes without being shot at to not having any attacks in the area.”

In addition to the Awakening, the surge of 30,000 U.S. troops to the region also proved to be pivotal in the turnaround. The surge allowed the troops to leave their safe areas, the forward operating bases and observation posts, and heavily engage locals who were now willing to cooperate with coalition forces. As the Marines were able to make more contact with the citizens, the people began to change their opinions toward coalition forces. They began to give the forces valuable information and tips.

“At the beginning of my deployment, we really didn’t have a whole lot of contact with the locals,” Dostal said. “Toward the end of the deployment, we began interacting with them more often and we noticed a big change. The people started to help us more vice ignoring us.”

The surge also allowed the Marines to turn their focus toward training Iraqi security forces. Still in progress, the training is meant to get Iraqi forces to an operational, self-sustaining level so they can take control of security in their city. Today, Iraqi police patrol the city’s streets daily while Marines only serve as mentors to the maturing force.

“There were just a few Iraqi policemen in 2006,” Dostal said. “As a matter of fact, I was shocked when I went into the city recently. I heard the city had changed, but I was still amazed to see the Iraqi police and people out and about. The Iraqi policemen are definitely out there controlling their city and they’re doing a heck of a job.”

The Rebuilding:

“The people have something to look forward to now”

Today the region is being rebuilt, the people are enjoying peace, and the concern of yesterday has been transformed into the anticipation of tomorrow.

“The people have a feeling of hope,” Jee said. “They are not scared anymore. They have something to look forward to now.”

“The people want some form of normalcy,” Dostal added. “You can see it from the houses being rebuilt and the buildings being reconstructed—the city is coming back.”

The gains in Iraq did not come without a loss. Thousands of servicemen have made the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of democracy and many Iraqis have given their lives in their fight for freedom. Without the selfless devotion of both the Marines and Iraqis, the region would not be where it is today.

“All of the units that have come here and the Iraqis have made great sacrifices,” Meyer said. “It’s sad to say that we’ve had to sacrifice so much, but it’s helped to change this region.”

DVIDS
By Lance Cpl. Casey Jones
Regimental Combat Team 1

A middle-aged Iraqi woman, widowed and a mother of two young children, walks into a cream-colored concrete classroom filled with women of all ages. The woman, draped in a black abaya, sits down in a wooden desk-chair and gazes at the instructor with a look of determination and conviction. She knows, along with the other women in the classroom, she must learn to read and write if she is going to continue to support and properly care for her two children. The woman has taken the initial steps in bettering her family and herself.

Women’s Literacy Program classes are held daily at four locations in the city of Ramadi, and are designed to teach illiterate women how to read and write Arabic, while also teaching more educated women the fundamentals of English.

The program is divided into three levels, said Falah Daud Suleiman, an Iraqi instructor at one of the programs. The first level is for people who don’t know how to read or write. The second level is for those who know how to read and write, but require additional teaching so they can become proficient. The third level is for those who are proficient in the Arabic language but desire to learn English.

The program, while mostly attended by older Iraqi women, is open to any female, regardless of age. Some of the young girls enrolled in the program have missed various amounts of school due to the violence that engulfed Ramadi for much of the last five years. The program allows them to catch up on any lost time. Nearly 400 women and young girls attend classes at the four locations in Ramadi.

While it focuses mainly on educating the women on the Arabic language, the program also has several other benefits that will boost the women’s opportunities, said 1st Lt. Emily Grant, the executive officer of Civil Affairs Detachment 2, 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1.

“(Instructors teach) the women how to read shop signs and how to add up prices,” said Grant, a 28-year-old from Brooklyn, N.Y. “Most of the women will earn their Educational Certificate, (which will help them to get jobs).”

The program allows women the opportunity to rise above their past misfortunes and allows them to take a more active role in their community and local government, while also stimulating the local economy.

“An increased female literacy rate empowers the women of Ramadi to participate in elections and the government process,” Grant said.

The empowered women of Ramadi are able to attend the popular and heavily promoted programs because of the increased security and stability in the city.

“If security in the region wasn’t as good as it is now, we wouldn’t be able to [provide this program],” Grant said. “Without security, the people, especially the females, would be too afraid to leave their homes and come to a course like this. It is a direct reflection of the security (gains here in Ramadi).”

Grant said it is amazing to see the region enjoying security and prosperity, and she takes pleasure in personally witnessing the citizens’ willingness to learn.

“It is wonderful to see such a desire for learning throughout the community,” Grant said. “As the home of al-Anbar University, the citizens of Ramadi have always valued education. The women and girls now have a great opportunity to increase their education.”

DVIDS
By Lance Cpl. Casey Jones
Regimental Combat Team 1

Ramadi, the Jewel of the Anbar province, bears along it streets and on the walls of the pockmarked buildings the scars of war. The faces of its citizens show the memory of a historic city brought to near destruction by the vicious battles that have taken place in its streets for almost half a decade.

However, with recent security developments and cooperation between the Iraqi government, Iraqi security forces and coalition forces, the city is returning to its proud status as the capital of al Anbar.

The Iraqi people continue to progress forward and take the lead in fighting terrorists and rebuilding Ramadi. They are patching up the bullet holes, repaving war-torn streets, and the citizens are walking proudly with the look of hope in their eyes; the city is theirs again.

“The mayor is working to improve the city, build schools for the children and rebuild key facilities like the waste water facility, the electrical
power plants, and a train station as well,” said 1st Lt. Marc B. Quesenberry, a 25-year-old combat engineer, from Floyd, Va., with Company C., 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, attached to 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1.

These infrastructure advances are possible because of the ever growing relationship between Iraqi and coalition forces. With the enhanced security and the renovations, Ramadi is quickly becoming a success story.

“The Iraqi police, the Iraqi highway patrol, and the provincial security forces have all played a very vital role in keeping the security inside and outside the city,” said Quesenberry.

With Iraqi forces manning the posts, actively patrolling the streets and engaging the locals, Marines are serving as advisors and can utilize the their time to aid in other projects in efforts to improve the city.

Marines with Company C., 2nd CEB, attached to 1st Bn., 9th Marines, are doing their part to help clean up the streets and return a sense of pride to the people of Ramadi by removing any unnecessary materials resembling signs of war throughout the city.

“We are taking down concrete barriers as well as concertina wire, a collapsible reusable form of barbed wire, and moving any unnecessary military objects to return Iraq back to normalcy,” said Quesenberry.

Clearing away the barriers and concertina wire, much like the fall of the Berlin Wall is not just the removal of signs of war, but the symbolism of demilitarizing a city that hosted some of the most brutal house to house fighting Marines have seen since Hue City in Vietnam.

“With the change of the enemy environment and the change of us pulling back and moving towards an over watch position we are taking away some of those military looking objects so people don’t feel like they are in a war zone anymore,” said Quesenberry.

The mission for Marines in Ramadi has changed drastically over the last few years and now they are able to accomplish tasks they never thought would be possible.

“Last time I was here, I would have never thought about jumping out of a truck to get rid of a barrier, I would have been too worried it was booby trapped,” said Cpl. Michael Robinson, a 22-year-old motor transport operator from Glenmore, Pa., with 2nd CEB, attached to 1st Battalion, 9th Marines.

For an outsider looking in, the time spent cleaning up Ramadi by many may seem tedious and not part of the mission for Marines in Iraq. However, many Marines look at it from a different standpoint and are proud of their accomplishments.

“It’s not about the hard feelings, it’s not about everything that happened in the past, it shows Marines didn’t give their lives for nothing, the city is improving and there is something to show for their hard work and sacrifice,” said Sgt. Robert L. Sullivan, a combat engineer with C Co., 2nd CEB, attached to 1st Battalion, 9th Marines.

The hard work by both the Iraqis and the Marines is paying off. Ramadi, as well as the entire Anbar province is getting closer and closer to restoring the full beauty to its cities.

DVIDS
By Cpl. Stephen McGinnis
Regimental Combat Team 1 Public Affairs Office