Daily Afghan-Iraq Update/10-28
Photo by Capt. John Stamm
Panjshir PRT director, Mr. James DeHart, speaks at the grand opening of Khermensan Road, Anaba District, Panjshir prov., Oct. 8. (PRT cmdr, Lt. Col. Eric Hommel, far left). Mr. DeHart stressed the importance of teamwork and cooperation between the PRT and the Panjshir citizens in enabling projects in the prov.
A Soldier with TF Spartan interacts with the children in the village.
Soldiers from 710th BSB teamed up with ANP.
"We want to show the Iraqi people, through this flight demo, that we're linked together," said Lt. Col. Charles Dalcourt, cmdr, 1st ACB. "Our relationship is solid and the IqAF has emerged as a premier and pre-eminent force for movement of their troops."
Dalcourt said he established a relationship with 2nd Sqdrn on his last deployment to Iraq, which made the day a special one. "This day has evolved through a lot of work over the last 3 and 4 years," Dalcourt said. "To come to this point is not only a great sign of progress, but also a great sign of the mutual trust that has developed between the U.S. Army and the IqAF."
The American aviators took a step toward the background as the Iraqi pilots ran the mission briefing and took the lead on the flight itself, showing the ability of the IqAF to stand on its own, Dalcourt said. "They're very competent pilots and many of them have upwards of over 5,000 hours of flying," Dalcourt said. "They've fought in the Iraq-Iran war, and they've been fixed wing, as well as rotary wing aviators, so they're very capable."
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Frank Almeraz, the standardization pilot with the 1-227th, said although the Americans offered assistance, the Iraqi's briefed the bulk of the mission themselves. "We discussed the differences between the IqAF and Army, but we tend to be more similar in the way we do things than I thought," Almeraz said.
The joint mission was the first step in what Almeraz hoped would be a series of similar flights. After numerous deployments, Almeraz said this was the first time he had flown an Apache alongside a Huey. "This is my 4th trip to Iraq ... my 3rd at Taji, and we've never been able to do a joint mission together," Almeraz said. "Sometimes we would do stuff where they would come from one side and we'd come from another, but we wouldn't really mix. Today we will be part of the same formation."
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KIRKUK — "I like to see them in my village; they make me feel safe," said Huda Hussan, a 13-year-old 6th-grader, about the IA Soldiers he sees every day. In addition to safeguarding residents, the IA Soldiers are also trying to build trust and respect with the villagers they work so hard to protect.
This was one primary focus behind the “Junior Hero Program” in Arab Koy, Oct. 20, when IA Soldiers distributed backpacks and school supplies provided by the 2nd BCT, 1st Cav Div.
"The Junior Hero Program helps introduce them [children] to the IA and IP. It gives them a positive image of them at a young age," said Cpl. Adam DeArmitt, attached to the 4th Sqdrn, 9th Cav Regt, 2nd BCT. This helps the children not see members of the ISF as just another guy with a gun, but as someone who is here to help them, he explained.
"They're doing very well," said Huda about the IA. "I have 2 brothers in the IA, and I'm very proud of them."
Although the distribution of the backpacks was handled by the IA, U.S. Soldiers were there as well. "I think it's good for the kids to see us working together," said Thaer Saheb, a junior IA Soldier. "For many of the kids, this was the first time seeing the IA together with the Americans." According to Saheb, programs like this help improve the relationship between the IA and local communities, and encourage the children to follow the positive example set by the ISF. "I think they'll see this as a good thing, and maybe one day will want to join the IA, or even go further and become an engineer or a doctor," he said.
During the event, the children took a pledge to be loyal to their families and country; be obedient to their parents and treat them with respect; treat teachers and people in their community with respect; honor the Iraqi Soldiers and IP and report crimes to them; and to be a Junior Hero of Iraq.
"On a daily basis I come out and check what's going on with the electric side of the construction," said Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Jack Frierson, deployed with the Army's 32nd Bde. "We've a different way of viewing things, but I still feel like we're accomplishing a lot every day. Things that were hazardous and unsafe are getting repaired. It's a little different from being on a ship, but you can get acclimated pretty fast."
Robinson says that he hopes the work the Iraqis are doing on behalf of the U.S. forces will benefit the host nation long after the Americans redeploy. "We're reconstructing things they can use for a long period to come, and I'm hoping what I'm doing here will help the economy for a long time," he said.
Robinson feels the contractor's can-do-attitude will ensure that the structures and the Iraqi economy will once again be built on a strong foundation. "They like doing a good job, and they want to do a good job," Robinson said. "Being able to work with them, communicate with them, see where they've been and where they're going, is great. I think I had a big part of that -- helping them build their economy and putting them to work."
