Local Iraqi Security Finally Paid

Sons of Iraq receive pay, despite obstacles

Multi-National Division – North PAO - FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq – Several hundred Sons of Iraq came to receive payment during a SoI payday, July 23, at the headquarters of the 4th Battalion, 15th Iraqi Army Brigade, near Patrol Base Doria, Rashad, Iraq.

Local officials are working with the GoI to resolve the issue of payment delays since responsibilities for SoI payment transitioned to the Government of Iraq in Kirkuk in April. 

“This payment is for May,” said Lt. Col. Arifan, the 15th IA Bde’s training officer who was present to oversee the payments in July. “We [GOI] have to work on solutions to the pay problem.”

Maj. Ian Palmer, operations officer, 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, was present during the payday and said the SoI program is now under a centralized

cash-based system in Baghdad.  Until the transition, U.S. forces paid contractors who managed all of a region’s SoI electronically, who then paid each of the SoI in cash.

“One of the issues during the SoI transfer was getting the right list of names of SoI to the IA,” Palmer said.  During the April transition, many of the packets filled out by SoI were transliterated into Arabic, which led to minor discrepancies in the names.

Capt. Jesse Prince, A Troop, 4th Squadron. 9th Cavalry Regiment commander, operates out of PB Doria and is partnered with 4th Battalion, 15th IA Battalion., says this hasn’t disrupted SoI operations in his area.

“They [SoI] are always where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there,” Prince said.

Prince explained that the first few SoI payments resolved many problems, even if some continue to occasionally appear.  Prince’s Soldiers augmented IA security forces during the recent payment. 

“The IA rarely asks for anything, so I was happy to help,” Prince said. “We provided a small security detachment to augment IA security during the payment.”

All 8,801 SoI registered in Kirkuk are still under the SoI payment program; however, the GoI plans to transition 20 percent of SoI into the Iraqi Security forces like the army or police. 

“We must transfer them to the IA and Iraqi Police because they need jobs,” Arifan said. “Even though this transfer has begun, it will take time.”