‘Wolfhound’ Soldiers help bring water system to Iraqi community
Written by Sgt. Coltin Heller, 109th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, United States Division-North Public Affairs
Tuesday, April 12, 2011 CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – Iraqi families from al Alam Nahiya gathered to celebrate the opening of a refurbished water purification and distribution center in the Salah ad Din province of northern Iraq, April 3.
U.S. Division-North Soldiers assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, attended the ceremony to inspect the facility and interact with Iraqi community leaders, families and local children.
A failing pump, sputtering generator and ruined transformer rendered the station all but useless, producing a minimal amount of drinkable water to the village before completion of the project, said Khala Jassim, council chairman for al Alam Nahiya, during the opening.
"This is a great project, as it fixed the old station, to what you see here," said Jassim. "This facility will be able to deliver potable water to 4,000 families in the area."
Capt. Andrew Gardner, commander, Company A, 1st Bn., 27th Inf. Regt., and his Soldiers attended the ceremony at the invitation of council members.
"The project builds positive relationships between the U.S. forces and the Iraqi people, but shows them they can do things like this themselves" said Gardner, who calls Charlestown, R.I. home.
The project to refit the water station, a main concern for the village council members, took just under two months to complete.
"Thanks to our U.S. friends, the people can now have clean water to drink," said Jassim.
Jassim and other council members regularly toured the station during its stages of completion, ensuring quality in the work.
"I went several times and saw everything," he said. "The transformer, the pump, the generator all looks good."
In addition to receiving fresh water, the village also benefitted from the project as the contractor gave the old machines previously used in the station to the village to do with as they pleased.
"This was a generous act, as we are able to sell the old equipment and use the money to uplift the village," Jassim said.
Although pleased with the renovated station, Jassim expressed his concern for the pipes that feed the village.
The station is fixed and able to supply water, but the pipes in the water network are old, and there have been problems with them rusting through or breaking and needing repair, added Jassim.
The council hopes to have the pipe network repaired soon, Jassim added. Jassim and al Alam Nahiya council members received funding and guidance for the project from 1st. Bn. 27th Inf. Regt. "Wolfhound" Soldiers, a process which began in late summer 2010.
In the past, U.S. Soldiers provided the means for projects like the water station to be completed. With the onset of Operation New Dawn, U.S. forces endeavored to empower Iraqi leaders to take a greater degree of control of projects benefitting them.
"We began the project to improve Iraqi communities back in August," said Gardner. "We presented the local communities in Salad ah Din with a project presentation, and asked them what projects they wanted to do."
Wolfhound Soldiers also encouraged local Iraqi leaders to identify the projects, bid out and choose the contractors to complete the work, added Gardner.
Although U.S. Soldiers attended the ceremony, they played a minimal role, only advising their Iraqi partners during the project and assisting the council members with properly developing and implementing plans for various projects.
The Iraqi council independently handled the completion of the project as Wolfhound Soldiers attended the re-opening ceremony at the invitation of the council, said Gardner.
Although U.S. forces provided project funding, the inspiration and driving force behind the water system and other projects came from the Iraqi citizens, said Gardner.
"Instead of us saying, ‘We're building you a school because we think you need one,’ they found something they needed and improved it on their own,” Gardner said.
Gardner went on to say projects like this build not only the confidence of the Iraqi people, but also the confidence the U.S. Soldiers have in them to complete difficult projects and stand on their own.
Iraqi civilians, both adults and children alike, expressed their gratitude, lining up to shake hands with U.S. Soldiers and pose with them for photos to commemorate the moment.
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