‘Long Knife’, Iraqi Police celebrate district headquarters opening
Written by Spc. Terence Ewings, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade Public Affairs, 1st Cavalry Division, U.S. Division-North
Sunday, March 27, 2011 CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE MAREZ, Iraq - Soldiers assigned to 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division joined Iraqi policemen for the opening of al Nasir District Police headquarters, March 23.
Brig. Gen. Dawud, commander of al Nasir District Police headquarters, and Chris Henzel, leader of Ninewa Provincial Reconstruction Team, cut the ribbon at the opening of the new al Nasir District Headquarters, March 23, 2011. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Terence Ewings, 4th AAB PAO, 1st Cav. Div., USD-N)
The Nasir District headquarters building is one of ten headquarters built in Ninewa province, Iraq, collectively representing months of cooperation and an investment of more than $16 million, said Lt. Col. Paul Reese, deputy commanding officer, 4th AAB, 1st Cav. Div.
"While the new bricks and mortar will not secure the people of Mosul, these completed police stations are symbolic of the growing strength of the Iraqi Police force," said Reese, a native of St. Louis.
The Nasir District Police work in conjunction with Iraqi soldiers of 2nd Iraqi Army Division to secure local Iraqi citizens in northern Iraq.
U.S. Soldiers assigned to Task Force Shield, 4th AAB, are training the policemen to assume sole responsibility for securing the district without the aid of IA soldiers, allowing the 2nd IA Div. to focus on external security threats, said Lt. Col. James Wideman, Stability Transition Team chief for Task Force Shield.
"I'm glad that I was able to be here and assist the Iraqi Security Forces secure a better future for Iraq," said Wideman, a native of Wildwood, Fla.
Maj. Achim Biller, civil military operations officer, 4th AAB, assisted the Ninewa Provincial Reconstruction Team coordinating the construction of the district police headquarters.
Biller said using funds provided through the Commander's Emergency Response Program, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the district headquarters to facilitate the growing number of local Iraqi Police in the area.
"It's a good feeling to be able to put something like this together and hand over a better facility to the Iraqis," said Biller, a native of Burlingame, Calif.
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