Security and safety for the people of Maysan Province increases with completed border forts

Gulf Region Southern District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ^ | Suzanne M. Fournier

[SandRat]

Two newly trained Iraqi border police pose with their British trainer in front of their newly constructed border fort. (USACE Photo)

Base Camp Adder (Ali Base) Iraq – Protecting the border between rivaling countries of Iraq and Iran in rural Maysan Province is a daunting mission assignment. The US Army Corps of Engineers soon realized that endeavoring to build border forts to shelter and safe guard border police patrolling these remote borders presented extraordinary construction challenges as well.

The challenge was met in Maysan Province. Maysan is now more fortified than ever before, thanks to 22 new border forts constructed over 270 kilometers of mountainous, rugged, desolate, hilly and swampy border between Iran and Iraq. The final fort, Al Bjela Border Fort, located in a remote central area of the border, was turned over to the newly-trained Iraqi border police this week.

Although the construction design and floor plans for these castle-like border forts are fairly standard, the site preparation, security and movement of construction materials to the location is anything but standard, requiring innovative solutions.

The border terrain between the two countries gravitates from rugged, mountainous elevations in the Northeast, down to the swampy, below-sea-level marshland in the South. Many of the remote locations lacked hard surface roads and some endured regular sniper fire during construction, but the obstacles were met head on by Corps construction representatives, British security forces and the Iraqi contractors.

Getting to the location was the first challenge. Materials and constructions workers were transported cross country by all-terrain vehicles or British Warriors—the equivalent of a US Bradley Fighting Vehicle. The other solution was to go by air using a Merlin—a British helicopter. But it was never easy and each fort location required unique solutions.

In some cases where security threats were the primary concern, a 20-man construction crew physically moved to the construction site and lived with security guards, working continuously until the project was complete. Even when the threat of insurgency was less, because of the remoteness of the construction site, it made more sense for construction crews to live on site in camps until construction finished on the project.

These fortified, castle-like buildings are critical to the defense and security of the entire country of Iraq, but particularly for the two dozen border police who will work, live and conduct training here while they monitor and defend the border against insurgents and smugglers.

Each fort includes dormitory space, kitchen, armory, observation posts, perimeter security lighting, berms, offices and showers. Water, septic and electrical systems were installed, including a 50 kV generator and back-up generator. .

Together these 22 border forts significantly increase border patrol effectiveness and interdiction of unauthorized travel and supplies coming from Iran, thereby increasing the security and safety for the people of Maysan Province.

The border forts cost approximately $275,000 each and were constructed by the US Army Corps of Engineers using Iraq Relief and Reconstruction funds.

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Note: Suzanne Fournier is the Public Affairs Officer for the Gulf Region Southern District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Iraq. Requests for more information should be directed to Suzanne at 540-542-1531. Email requests can be sent to her at suzanne.m.fournier@tac01.usace.army.mil For more information on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Iraq, visit www.grd.usace.army.mil

[SandRat]

Old Movies come to mind like Beau Geste'

[TexasRepublic]

I wish we could beef up the security on our own borders!