Dear Interested Reader,
Students from St. Andrews Priory School in Honolulu make rag dolls for Iraqi children. Iraqi SF are among the first of early voters and show purple fingers, while others are making final security coordinations. Iraqi businessmen held a grand opening for the new Oasis Market at COB Adder. In Afghanistan, school children receive clothing and supplies in Bagram; and a most interesting story on the National Military Academy, as it hosts its first graduation ceremony.
Joanna
_____________________________
Jan. 30, 2009
Multi-National Corps - Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
IP, MND-B Soldiers bring supplies, joy to students
Two girls receive donated rag dolls.
(Army photos by Spc. Christopher Long)
JSS HOR AL BOSH - At a primary school Halabsa, northwest of Baghdad, Jan. 25, IP partnered with Soldiers from Co B, 52nd Inf Regt, attached to 2nd Sqdrn, 14th Cav Regt, 2nd Stryker BCT, 25th ID, to bring much needed school supplies to Al-Arwa Ibna al-Ward school.
"Working with the IP is always a pleasure, and the local leaders in the area do a great job of helping us identify where we can help out," said 1st Lt. Ben Flores, plt leader, Co. B. "This school is very close to Sheik Khalid, and conducting this op jointly with the Iraqi SF helped bring smiles to the faces of everyone involved."
The group gave out pens, pencils, backpacks and toys. Along with the school supplies, the children were presented dolls made by students at the St. Andrews Priory School in Honolulu, much to the delight of those students who received them. The dolls have a historical as well as sentimental significance for the 2nd SBCT Soldiers, and especially for Lt. Col. Thomas Mackey, cmdr., 2nd Sqdn. The man responsible for starting the program, 1st Lt. Nainoa Hoe, lost his life in Mosul on Jan. 22, 2005. Hoe, then one of Mackey's plt leaders with 3rd Bn, 21st Inf. Reg., 1st SBCT, 25th ID, had hoped that the dolls would help bring happiness to the children of the war-torn country. "The delivery of these precious dolls to young girls here in Iraq always brings smiles," Mackey said. "The dolls brighten up the lives of these children, who are the future here. Nainoa was definitely onto something."
This year marks the second year in which the 2nd Sqdn. has conducted an op in which the rag dolls from the St. Andrews Priory School were handed out to the children of Iraq. Last year, students from the Falahat area received the gifts made with aloha. "It has been our honor to deliver these dolls to needy children in Iraq, and we thank everyone responsible," Mackey said. "Mr. Allen Hoe, Nainoa's father, played a huge role in connecting the dolls to our unit and, of course, to the volunteers at Saint Andrews, who made the dolls and gave of their time and effort for such a worthy cause - Thank you."
Specialist Derek Hannah, rifleman, Co B, 52nd Inf Regt, attached to 2nd Sqdrn, hands a rag doll to a young girl.
Sgt Adam Brown, infantryman, Co B, stacks pencils.
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Iraqi Security Forces: Ensuring the vote counts
Col. Philip Battaglia, 4th BCT, 1st Cav Div cmdr., greets bde cmdrs. from the 10th IA Div.
(Army photo by Pfc. Terence Ewings)
CAMP VICTORY - During the 2005 provincial Iraqi elections, voters had their fingers stained with election ink to prevent them from voting twice. Some held their fingers up in pride as they took part in democracy; others hid their faces from cameras, afraid of becoming victims of sectarian violence.
IA Soldiers, IP and other SF will vote a few days ahead of the rest of the population. On election day, they will stand guard to ensure those with stained fingers can vote without fear.
"I was here in 2005 when the first elections were held," said Maj. Troy Wayman an ISF coordinator with the 4th BCT, 1st Cav Div. "Everyone in the ISF was proud of their right to vote and expressed it by showing their painted finger to us over and over. Everyone was jubilant. This year, that same enthusiasm is prevalent."
"We have no hand whatsoever in the elections, said Maj. Ryan Foxworth, the ops advisor for the 10th IA Div., and member of the 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. "As enablers, we see their plans. We see their needs... We'll be standing by if they need us, but I don't foresee them needing us at all." Foxworth has been working with the IA, IP and reps from PRTs on election security plans. He said this election was one of the first ops he's seen IA and IP come together to serve the populace. Foxworth said the ISF are prepared for every possible attack, and they don't lack the confidence to do their job.
Foxworth has also seen a great relationship and trust grow between the Iraqi people and their Army. The people's confidence in their SF is warranted considering the amount of planning ISF have conducted the last few months. The security working groups have met 6 times to review election issues and other concerns. Once the election is behind them, these workgroups are where CF will have been the most involved.
"The Americans have been very good to us and we accept their help," said Chief Warrant Officer Ibraheem, Staff Maj. Gen. dep. "We look forward to the day when we need not their help, but only their friendship."
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Oasis Market opens doors in Dhi Qar
Lt. Col. Timothy Norton cuts the ribbon at the opening of the Oasis Market.
(Army photo by Spc. Michael Turner)
COB ADDER - Iraqi businessmen held a grand opening for the new Oasis Market, Jan. 23 as part of a program initiative to spark the local economy in Dhi Qar Province.
The market opening is part of the Iraqi-Based Industrial Zone program, which started in Oct. 2008 to help local businesses develop within the security of a military installation. Both military and civilian customers can purchase some of the latest electronic equipment at the market, to include televisions, DVDs and other entertainment products.
Yassir Ahmed, a salesperson working at the Oasis Market, said the I-BIZ program is an easy and successful way to run a small business catering to military personnel and civilian contractors. "The contract that we have with the Americans saves us money," said Yassir, who previously leased land from an Iraqi contractor. "We are now able to use the extra money to provide a better quality of product for the Soldiers that shop here."
The I-BIZ program also provides a means to directly impact the local economy through income, employment opportunities and training. Lt. Col. Timothy Norton, cmdr., 4th Special Troops Bn, 4th BCT, 1st Cav Div, attended the ceremony to show his support of the Iraqi contractors. "It helps the brigade to help these Iraqi businessmen gain economic stability," Norton explained. "Simple things like this will lead to the Iraqis providing sustainment for this base long after we have gone home."
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Iraqi Security Forces vote on special voting day
BAGHDAD -
An IP officer shows off his ink-stained finger after leaving a polling station, Jan. 28 in the New Baghdad district of eastern Baghdad. The GoI held a special election period to allow Iraqi SF to cast their vote in the Provincial Elections.
(Army photos by Staff Sgt. Alex Licea)
An IP officer gives a "peace" sign displaying his ink-stained finger.
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IP, MND-B Soldiers have plan for upcoming elections
ISTAQLAL -
SSgt. Jesus Robles, squad leader, HHC, 1st Bn, 27th Inf Regt, 2nd Stryker BCT, 25th ID, attached to 3rd BCT, 4th ID goes over a map, Jan. 23 with his NP counterpart during a combined patrol in the Istaqlal Qada, which was focused at securing this northeast Baghdad neighborhood prior to the upcoming provincial elections.
(Army photos by Sgt. Brad Willeford)
Capt. Brian Sweigart, cmdr., HHC, 1st Battalion, discusses the best plan of action for searching a Istaqlal Qada neighborhood with an Iraqi officer.
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Soldiers deliver security barriers to Washash election site
An Iraqi contractor guides an Alaska barrier into place in front of an election site.
(Army photo by Spc. Dustin Roberts)
BAGHDAD - Soldiers from the 299th BSB, 2nd HBCT, 1st Inf Div helped enhance security in an effort to ensure voters in northwest Baghdad will be safe on election day.
The 299th BSB Soldiers worked with their fellow MND-B Soldiers from 4th Sqdrn, 10th Cav Regt, attached to the 2nd HBCT, 1st ID, to deliver 200 concrete barriers and a 30-foot watch tower to the ballot holding facility and voting site in the Washash neighborhood of the Mansour district of northwest Baghdad, Jan. 24-25.
The barriers will provide additional protection for the Iraqi SF as its members continue to grow in their capabilities in securing the Iraqi population. "1st Lt. Ryan Snedegar, 4th Sqdn., 10th Cav. Regt. said, "We helped the ISF with the upgrades, but this security was planned and controlled by the ISF." The ISF took the lead in preparing for the big day while CF assisted in planning.
"We would like to see as many voters out as possible," said Snedegar. "The citizens need to feel comfortable to do what they know is right. I think they want to vote; they know they need to vote." The combined effort to emplace the barriers required a large element to provide the necessary security. The Soldiers also had the cover of darkness to conceal them as they worked, said Sgt. 1st Class David Spiker, convoy cmdr., Co B, 299th BSB.
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Salah ad-Din officials make final security coordinations for upcoming provincial elections
TIKRIT -
Col. Walter Piatt, cmdr., 3rd BCT, 25th ID, speaks with Abdullah Jabouri, the dep. gov. of Salah ad-Din Province at an elections security meeting chaired by Abdullah in Tikrit, Jan. 27. Reps from the Iraqi High Electoral Commission, the IP, IA, the U.S. Army, the U.S. State Dept, and the mayors from the major towns and cities in the province attended the meeting to make final security coordination for the upcoming Jan. 31 provincial elections.
(Army photos by Maj. Cathy Wilkinson)
Mr. Richard Bell (right), Salah ad-Din PRT leader speaks to Dr. Abdel-Hamid, the Salah ad-Din rep of the Iraqi High Electoral Commission, at an elections security conference.
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U.S. Forces - Afghanistan
Afghan school children receive clothing and supplies in Bagram
KABUL, Afghanistan – Soldiers from Combined Joint Special Ops TF-Afghanistan distributed more than 300 backpacks filled with clothes, shoes, school supplies and hygiene items to children at the Gulam Ali boys and girls high school in Bagram, Afghanistan, Jan. 22.
The items were donated by Americans from all over the U.S. through a program called Operation Backpack and shipped to Soldiers in Afghanistan to distribute to schoolchildren, most of whom live in extreme poverty.
A webpage asking for donations was posted online with a packing list and mailing address to ship the backpacks. Contributor’s were asked to fill each bag with a full set of clothing, tennis shoes, winter jacket, basic school supplies and hygiene items including toothpaste, a toothbrush and soap. The bags were labeled with the gender and age of the child who would receive it to make distribution easier. The donation drive kicked off Oct. 1st and in just six weeks more than 300 filled backpacks were sent to Afghanistan.
The program coordinator is a Green Beret officer currently stationed in Afghanistan. He said he came up with the idea, but it was a collaborative effort among him and several others in the unit. “To help alleviate human suffering, and demonstrate American goodwill to the children of Afghanistan,’ the officer said, was one of his motivations behind Operation Backpack. Winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people, he added, was another inspiration. “We want the Afghan people to see that the American people care about them.”
The officer’s tour in Afghanistan has come to an end and he said he will not be able to continue with the drive but urges others to give. “There are plenty of organizations out there if you want to help,” he said. The new unit has already committed to ongoing work with the school during its Afghanistan tour.
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U.S. Forces - Afghanistan
National Military Academy of Afghanistan hosts first graduation ceremony
KABUL, Afghanistan – National Military Academy of Afghanistan cadets participated in a graduation ceremony, Jan. 25, in Kabul. The 84 cadets who participated in the ceremony are members of the academy’s first class of graduates. More than 1,500 people attended the graduation, to include Afghan govt officials and Coalition officials.
Five years ago, the Ministry of Defense and the US Military Academy (USMA), West Point, N.Y., developed a concept plan for the National Military Academy (NMAA) of Afghanistan in an effort to produce more efficient, educated leaders within the Afghan National Army (ANA).
The keynote speaker was President Hamid Karzai. Others that participated in the ceremony included, Minister Wardak, Afghan Minister of Defense, General Khan, ANA Chief of the Gen. Staff; and Gen. David D. McKiernan, U.S. Forces Afghanistan Comm. Gen.
President Karzai explained that today’s cadets are the heartbeat of the entire nation and all are equal from all provinces throughout Afghanistan. “I am very proud to be a part of this ceremony, which is a very important and vital step toward a stable and self-sufficient country,” said Karzai. “Today you all are graduating because of the hope of the mothers who have lost their fathers, brothers and husbands while defending this country.”
Prepared under the authority of the Office of Military Cooperation-Afghanistan and the Afghan Ministry of Defense, a NMAA Concept Plan was signed in November 2003 by reps from Afghanistan, the U.S. and Turkey. Since the beginning of the Academy, West Point has sent staff and faculty to NMAA, and recently, the U.S. AF Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. has also contributed to this effort.
The NMAA is an extensive 4-year university level institution. The NMAA, often referred to as the crown jewel of the ANA, is designed to educate, train, and inspire the cadet bde so each graduate is a competent, courageous and honorable officer.
The concept plan also included a dynamic layout of ethnic distribution throughout the corps of cadets, and the staff and faculty to represent ethnicities from 33 of 34 provinces. And although the first graduating class consisted of all males, NMAA officials ensure female integration is soon to come.
Upon graduation each cadet, or officer in training, will have completed one of 4 majors to include: civil engineering, computer science, general engineering, sciences and legal studies, and will be commissioned as a 2nd lt, beginning their career according to a 10-year service agreement. During that time, each officer will serve in either infantry, artillery, armor, aviation, logistics or communication branches of the ANA. Leadership and Management, Military History and English majors will be available for future cadets.
Minister Wardak reiterated the importance of today’s graduation by stating that the graduates of NMAA will be recognized all around the world. “The ANA has written and will continue to write golden pages in the history of this country by serving and dying for this country,” said Wardak.
One graduate said this was the most defining moment in his life, and he will continue to pursue an even better education and more difficult training to ensure his soldiers are well taken care of.
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