| U.S. soldiers work to make a lasting impact on Iraqi communities. |
| By Spc. L.B. Edgar, 7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment Multi-National Division - Baghdad Public Affairs Office |
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MAKASIB, Iraq, April 23, 2007 — A warm welcome met the soldiers upon their arrival. Smiles have replaced once contemptuous stares. The typical silence gave way to a friendly dialogue. A customary hand to the heart followed every handshake. The soldiers were greeted, not as outsiders of the community, but the heroes of the now joyous school.
The day was special for the students of the Al Rasul Primary Elementary School here, a town west of Baghdad, April 17. This was the first day students enjoyed the fully refurbished learning facility made possible by the soldiers of 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Kentucky Army National Guard, assigned to 130th Field Artillery Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. However, the day was just as special for the soldiers as for the students, said Lt. Col. John Luttrell, the battalion commander, "You could see the smiles on their faces. For my soldiers that really means a lot for them. They truly get to see the fruits of their labors," said the native of Harlan, Ky. Just as Rome was not built in a day, the fruits of the soldiers labor were the culmination of seven months working in the Makasib community. Work that was as much patrols as it was relationship building, Luttrell said. "Every day we go out, we try to make some kind of difference," he said. "What makes me proudest is going out and talking to the communities and listening to the people say how much they appreciate you." The soldiers of the battalion are Army National Guardsmen from Kentucky who bring a plethora of professional experience, which aids in civil military operations and humanitarian assistance missions, as well as simple social interaction with the populace, said Maj. Chris Cline, the battalion civil military affairs operations officer. "One of the things that Kentucky boys are good at is talking. That one-on-one relationship with the local Iraqis (is) critical because you gain trust (with one another)" said the native of Hodgenville, Ky. "Our soldiers are really good about interacting with the students. Our soldiers are good role models. They saw a genuine concern and care for the students." The school project included the addition of classrooms, the remodeling of existing structures, a complete coat of fresh paint and the erection of living quarters for the groundskeeper, Luttrell said. In addition, the school's 600 students were happy to receive school supplies, including pencils, notepads and erasers, from the soldiers to mark the project's completion and assist their studies, he said. "It's very rewarding to see the progress that is being made," Luttrell explained. "If we can get the people to trust us, to respect us and to see that we have a true concern for them - we're just not out there to get information on targets, we have a concern about their wellbeing and their future - that brings stability to the entire area." |
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The school is just a small piece in the bigger puzzle. Ensuring stability for Makasib is the objective for the soldiers because their mission is force protection of Camp Slayer, which neighbors the town. Securing Makasib creates a blocking position to deter insurgent activity near the Baghdad International Airport, Cline said. "What we try to do, is not shoot for the moon. We try to start out small and build," Luttrell said. Working with the Makasib Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC), the first step was to clear the streets of sewerage and garbage, which brought vendors back to the market street to resume commerce. Next, the locally appointed NAC decided to improve education, which led to the school project. Now the NAC is turning its attention to bringing continuous power to the people. By next month every home in Makasib will have 20 amps of power, he said. Infrastructure is not the only improvement to Makasib. Security is much improved since locals started manning their own checkpoints since there are no local Iraqi Security Forces in the area, Luttrell said. "People are starting to take pride in their city and they're very pleased with themselves," he said. Now soldiers do not have to seek out intelligence, so much as process it. "If they have information, they will come forward and give that to you because they appreciate the good things that are happening to their town," Luttrell said. "They will help you police up their own area." The importance of local cooperation is increasingly important since the start of Operation Fardh Al Qanoon, commonly referred to as the Baghdad Security Plan (BSP). As Coalition Forces crack down on violence in Baghdad's capital, insurgents are increasingly regrouping in less populated areas, Luttrell said. "As the insurgents are pushed out of certain areas we do not want them to move into Makasib. Makasib does not want them," he said. Luttrell is hopeful his soldiers' success in Makasib will spread to Baghdad. He said Makasib is just one building block in the reconstruction of Iraq and his soldiers are just trying to leave it better than they found it. "If nothing else, those soldiers made a difference for that community," Luttrell said of Makasib. "We can only fix our little piece of the puzzle." |
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