Coalition forces finish playground in Sadr City

Transcription

1 Multi-National Division Baghdad First Team...Team First Wednesday, June 3, 2009 Coalition forces finish playground in Sadr City By Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell BAGHDAD Children squeal and giggle with glee on freshly painted red, purple, orange and yellow swings as American Soldiers push them higher and higher into the air, June 1. This could be a park anywhere in the world, except it s not. It s a recently completed Coalition forces funded playground in Sadr City, here. This is a tangible way for people to see normalcy, said Master Sgt. Robert LaTour, a civil affairs team leader from Tacoma, Wash., assigned to Company B, 448th Civil Affairs Battalion, attached to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. To have a park next door that people see each and every day is a reminder that things are getting back to normal. The park, tentatively named Muhalla 518 Family Park, was built by Iraqi contractors and workers from the local community, said LaTour. The project cost $237,000 and took close collaboration between U.S. troops and local government officials to complete it in about a month and a half. This is one of the first projects that Coalition forces and local government got together and decided on the location and what it would look like, said LaTour. It was a really big step in a cooperative effort between the Iraqi Government and Coalition forces in Sadr City. According to Latour, these types of projects show that the GoI Photo by Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell, It helps kids when they see us building stuff for them, said Spc. Edward Suarez, a tanker from Phelan, Calif., assigned to Co. B, 2nd Bn., 5th Cav. Regt., 1st BCT, 1st Cav. Div., as he shares a smile with an Iraqi boy on a CF funded playground assessment in Sadr City, May 31. and CF really care about the community and the people of Iraq. It gives [Iraqi children] a safe place to play with secure gates so parents can let their kids run free inside without having to worry about them, said LaTour, as children ran from swings to slides to merry-go-rounds. It also shows that CF is working with their government, said LaTour. If [Iraqis] hear someone on the street bad-mouthing Coalition forces or the Iraqi Government, they have something tangible to see and might say, They don t seem that bad to me. The Coalition-funded park, right off a main thoroughfare, also brought money into the community, as the Iraqi contractor hired men from the local neighborhood; building a sense of ownership and community pride, added LaTour. If you own something, if you believe it s yours, you re going to treat it better, said LaTour. On projects like this in the community, the goal is for them to take ownership in the community and not let the extremists come in. Projects like this have a direct connection with the security situation here, added Staff Sgt. Matthew Bissell, a civil affairs team sergeant also assigned to Co. B, 448th CA Bn., 1st BCT, 1st Cav. Div. As security improves, [Iraqis] also want to see other things improve in their daily life, said Bissell, a native of Seattle, while children climb all over him as he kneels in the playground. The kids seem really happy because the park was unlocked and they could swing on their swings. According to Bissell, he gets a lot of satisfaction from his job and completing projects like these because he can possibly affect the future of Iraqis. I think the younger generation in Iraq is going to have a different view, added Bissell. The average American Soldier treats the kids with respect. They have fun with them and the kids like us. The official opening ceremony for this project will be sometime in early June when the Iraqis will name the park. As for the future of this playground, it lies in the hands of the local government maintaining it for generations to come.

2 PAGE 2 June 3, 2009 JSS Hurriyah transfers to Iraqi control By Staff Sgt. Peter Ford BAGHDAD A historic event took place here, May 30, when Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division transferred Joint Security Station Hurriyah to the Iraqi Army s 1st Battalion, 22nd Brigade, 6th Regiment. The transfer of JSS Hurriyah from Coalition forces to Iraqi Security Forces is one more step in the process of relinquishing control of security to the Government of Iraq, said Lt. Col. John Vermeesch, commander of 1st Bn. 18th Inf. Regt., a Roscommon, Mich. native. This event is symbolic of the increased security in the Hurriyah area. Hurriyah was once a spot perforated with sectarian violence, causing many families to leave. According to Vermeesch, ISF and U.S. troops working out of JSS Hurriyah have deterred area violence. We worked with the ISF to ensure security here, said Capt. Nathan Williams, a Raleigh, N.C., native and commander of Company A, 1st Bn., 18th Inf. Regt. We conducted both mounted and dismounted patrols and interacted with the people every day to minimize sectarian violence and improve living conditions. The people of Hurriyah now have better living conditions and a more improved infrastructure because of the joint efforts of the ISF and CF, Williams said. The improved conditions of Hurriya are due to the competence and professionalism of the ISF with the aid of the CF, said Vermeesch. It is now time for the CF to leave JSS Hurriyah to the GoI, in part because of the Security Agreement and partly because the ISF have proven they have the ability to provide security for the Iraqi people. Although the U.S. troops will no longer be at JSS Hurriyah, they will continue to support the ISF. The ISF will take greater roles in the security situation, to fill the void that will be left by Coalition forces. As of now we will continue to partner with the ISF to provide security to the people in northwest Baghdad, said Willaims. We will slowly fade away as conditions keep on improving, he added. U.S. Soldiers are relinquishing control of joint security stations back to the Iraqi government as conditions improve and to implement articles the Security Agreement that went into effect Jan. 1, GoI, ISF commit to SoI security members By Sgt. Shejal Pulivarti 1BCT, 1CD PAO BAGHDAD The 1st Ironhorse Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division held a Sons of Iraq (SoI) Conference at Joint Security Station (JSS) WarEagle, located in northeastern Baghdad, May 29. Senior leadership from the Ironhorse Brigade, 11th Iraqi Army Division, and 1st National Police Division met to inform the SoI leaders on the transition into Iraqi Security Forces and Iraqi civil ministries and reconfirm their support to the security members who have helped bring security back to the city. The significance of the conference is to actively demonstrate our commitment to the SoI, our gratitude to them for their service during a critical time in Iraq s history, and our concern for their transition as the SoI program comes to completion, said Maj. Dan Fuhr, the brigade s civil affairs officer, from North Potomac, Md. The SoI are members of the community, working with Government of Iraq, who are dedicated to improving the stability of the Iraqi people in their respective areas. The meeting covered several topics to include the density of the SoI population by neighborhoods, the Implementation and Follow Up Committee for National Reconciliation (IFCNR) concept and an overlay of enemy activity in the last 30 days in relation to SoI checkpoints. The leaders highlighted the success of the SoI groups and discussed the changes they are undergoing. According to the current GoI plan, 20 percent of the SoI members will transition into the Iraq Security Forces and the remainder will integrate into nine various civil ministries. The GoI led transition is being treated seriously and will occur in phases. The SoI responsibilities will continue as the transition occurs, said Iraqi Army Maj. Gen. Mizher, commander of the 11th IA Division. As the SoI program comes to an end, the challenge becomes placing the former SoI into gainful employment. Mizher explained this employment application process during the conference. The end of the SoI program opens up other options for the Photo by Sgt. Peter Ford, Lt. Col. John Vermeesch, a Roscommon, Mich., native and commander of 1st Bn., 18th Inf. Regt., 2nd BCT, 1st Inf. Div., prepares to sign transfer contracts with Samir Hadad, the secretary director for the prime minister, at JSS Hurriyah, May 30. members and provides Iraq a more stable ISF as well as more qualified personnel to work in the various Civil Ministries, said Maj. Carl Michaud, the deputy commander of the Ironhorse Brigade. Photo by Sgt. Shejal Pulivarti, 1BCT PAO Maj. Tim Martin, of Commerce, Ga., the information operations officer for the 1st BCT, 1st Cav. Div., greets a local leader of the Sons of Iraq.

3 PAGE 3 June 3, 2009 Orphaned equipment gets second chance By Spc. Phillip Adam Turner BAGHDAD The identification and redistribution of mission essential equipment and materials already in theater is at the forefront of a multi-service effort to lower tax payer cost, while keeping units combat effective with the spare parts and equipment they need to remain in the fight here in Iraq. Leading this endeavor is Mobile Redistribution Team 3. This group of Airmen and Soldiers dedicate their time around multiple bases in country opening freight container after container, logging millions of dollars in new and serviceable equipment into a federal database. What is happening here when a unit re-deploys is they are leaving behind an abundance of essential equipment that no one is in control of, said Air Force Capt. William Glenn, Redistribution Team 3 officer in charge, from Bozeman Mont. So it is our job to identify these containers and inventory them, putting the contents back in circulation. The team averages up to half a million dollars in brand new and serviceable equipment a day since cracking their first container nearly five months ago. With a wide array of materials, from vehicle parts to an infestation of Cav Round-Up radio newscast available BAGHDAD The Cav Round-Up is a three-minute radio newscast from Baghdad covering military units and events across Multi-National Division Baghdad. Today s Cav Round-Up # 80 was produced by SGT Lisa Heise, MND-B Public Affairs Office. The June 2 newscast includes the following stories: 1. Results are what matter. Military Police are stepping back and letting the Air Force Tech Sgt. Michael Lee Witherington Jr., an Elko, Ga. native, directs a fork lift as it loads a connex before it is shipped to Araf Jan Air base in Kuwait, where its contents will be redistributed to various units throughout Iraq. rats nesting in new tank systems, the team is confident that if your unit has a need, they have the means. We have our hands full, I literally had no idea what I was going to be getting myself into, said Tech Sgt. Michael L. Witherington Jr., the RDT3 yard non commissioned officer in charge, from Elko, Ga. We need commanders to realize the importance of this mission, because we have already seen such a wide variety of materials that have equaled a large amount of saved money for the Air Force and Army alike. One of the most important pieces of equipment this team is tracking down is an Air Force designed freight pallet that is no longer being produced, but still remains an essential piece of aircraft equipment. The 463L aircraft pallets are $1300 a piece, and there is a shortage at the moment. We are finding them being used as motor pool flooring, basketball courts and even just laying around the [forward operating base]. Our C- 17s and C-5s [aircraft] use these to transport freight from place to place. They are required mission equipment and the more we get back in to circulation the more Iraqi Police take control. MPs are taking the passenger seat, as their Iraqi counterparts take over the drive. IP are patrolling by themselves. The MPs hard work in training the IP is paying off as the IP are doing a great job. Overwatch is the main responsiblity for MPs at this point. SGT Ashley Anderson, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs, Multi-National Division-Baghdad. 2. Pennsylvania Soldiers of the 56th Stryker Brigade conduct the largest joint operation with their Iraqi counterparts money we are saving not just the Air Force but the tax payer as well, said Tech Sgt. Damon Pettaway, the RDT3 assistant facilities manager, from Mobile Ala. Once the contents of these containers are sorted out and logged, it is the Soldier, Airmen, Marine, and Sailor in theater who is reaping the benefits of the numerous hours that the RDT3 team puts in. All materials and containers are transported to Camp Arifjan Air Base, Kuwait, where new parts are immediately put back into circulation for distribution. Likewise, serviceable parts are given the proper attention needed to once again be mission ready. The amount of freight, some 50,000 pounds a day, is eclipsed only by its worth, and in these tight economic times even the military is finding a way to create those coupon clipper savings. This property is all open amnesty, there is no paper trail. We only have three guidelines, no [hazardous materials], no ammo, and no property book, said Glenn. We do not want to create a hassle for those who contact us to complete a turn-in. We are mission focused and our mission is to keep our fighters fighting and to save our tax payers money, and with every container we open we are finding thousands of different ways to do that. since arriving in Iraq, just north of Camp Taji. Iraqi Soldiers took the lead as forces looked for caches, bombs and people with warrants at the Nasra factory and a village two miles north of Taji. To hear the Cav Round-Up, click on the following links: NIPR LINK: Cav Round-Up SIPR LINK: Cav Round-Up Check out more news at the 1st Cavalry Division s homepage:

4 PAGE 4 June 3, 2009 On This Day In Military History In a televised speech, President Richard Nixon claims the Allied drive into Cambodia is the most successful operation of this long and difficult war, and that he is now able to resume the withdrawal of U.S. troops from South Vietnam. U.S. and South Vietnamese forces had launched a limited incursion into Cambodia on April 29. The campaign included 13 major ground operations to clear North Vietnamese sanctuaries 20 miles inside Cambodia. NIXON Some 50,000 South Vietnamese soldiers and 30,000 U.S. troops were involved, making it the largest operation of the war since Operation Junction City in The announcement of the Cambodian operation gave the antiwar movement in the United States a new rallying point. News of the incursion set off a wave of antiwar demonstrations, including one at Kent State University that resulted in the killing of four students by Army National Guard troops and another at Jackson State in Mississippi, resulting in the shooting of two students when police opened fire on a women s dormitory. In his speech, Nixon reaffirmed earlier pledges to bring the Cambodian operation to an end by June 30, with all our major military objectives achieved and reported that 17,000 of the 31,000 U.S. troops in Cambodia had already returned to South Vietnam. After June 30, said Nixon, all American air support for Allied troops in fighting in Cambodia would end, with the only remaining American activity being attacks on enemy troop movements and supplies threatening U.S. forces in South Vietnam. Nixon promised that 50,000 of the 150,000 troops, whose withdrawal from Vietnam he had announced April 20, would be out by October 15. Famous Feats of Chuck Norris Did you know? Einstein s original theory of relativity was; if Chuck Norris kicks you, your relatives will feel it. Picture of the day! Here s an invitation to play Wordplay! Find words inside of words. Today s word is: ROUNDS Proper nouns do not count, nor does the word shown. Words should be at least 4 letters long. Try to find 9 words. Good Luck! Iraq 3-Day Weather Report Last issue s wordplay: Artillery trailer, retrial, reality, tearily, literal, irately, literary Today 107 F 80 F Photo by Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell, It s a big re-enlistment, I can say I re-enlisted in Sadr City, said Staff Sgt. Martin Williams (right), of Portsmouth, Va. I think Sadr City itself will go down in history, so you know, I can actually talk about it to the grandkids or wife or whatever. Capt. James Guggenheim (left), gave the oath of re-enlistment to Williams, an intelligence analyst, both assigned to HHC, 2nd Bn., 5th Cav. Regt., 1st BCT, 1st Cav. Div., at JSS Sadr City, June 1. Tomorrow 113 F 80 F Friday 111 F 84 F

5 PAGE 5 June 3, 2009 Pvt. Murphy by Mark Baker Quote For Today The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty. James Madison, th President of the United States PEGASUS OASIS DFAC HOURS BREAKFAST 0530 TO 0830 LUNCH 1130 TO 1330 DINNER 1700 TO 2000 MIDNIGHT CHOW 2300 TO 0100 SUNDAY ONLY BRUNCH 0730 to 1330 DINNER 1700 to 2000 MIDNIGHT CHOW 2300 to 0100 Trigger s Teasers The objective of the game is to fill all the blank squares in a game with the correct numbers. There are three very simple constraints to follow: Every row of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order. Every column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order. Every 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all digits 1 through 9. Every Sudoku game begins with a number of squares already filled in, and the difficulty of each game is largely a function of how many squares are filled in. The more squares that are known, the easier it is to figure out which numbers go in the open squares. As you fill in squares correctly, options for the remaining squares are narrowed and it becomes easier to fill them in. Yesterday s Answers Multi-National Division - Baghdad Public Affairs Office Commanding General: Maj. Gen. Daniel Bolger Public Affairs Officer: Lt. Col. Philip Smith Public Affairs Chief: Master Sgt. Nicholas Conner Editor: Spc. Howard Alperin Staff Writers: Sgt. 1st Class Ron Burke Sgt. 1st Class Joel Quebec Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell Staff Sgt. Jon Cupp Staff Sgt. Peter Ford Sgt. Joshua Risner Sgt. Jon Soles Spc. Laura Johnson Spc. Phillip Adam Turner The Daily Charge is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. Army. Contents of The Daily Charge are not official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of the Army, or the 1st Cavalry Division. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of the Army, the 1st Cavalry, or The Daily Charge of the products and services advertised. All editorial content of The Daily Charge is prepared, edited, provided and approved by the Multi-National Division Baghdad Public Affairs Office. Do you have a story to share? The Daily Charge welcomes columns, commentaries, articles, letters and photos from readers. Submissions should be sent to the Public Affairs NCOIC nicholas.conner@mnd-b.army.mil and include author s name, rank, unit and contact information. The Daily Charge reserves the right to edit submissions selected for the paper. For further information on deadlines, questions, comments or a request to be on our distribution list, the Editor at jon. soles@mnd-b.army.mil

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