Making roads whole again

ISKANDARIYAH, IRAQ

02.27.2008

Story by Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky 

2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs

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By Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky
2nd Brigade Combat Team
3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Five years of combat severely damaged many roads in the Arab Jabour, Bayjiya, Sayifiyah and Zambraniyah areas, making it difficult for local farmers to transport their goods to market in Baghdad.

To help revitalize the area's infrastructure, 1st Lt. Brian Turner, Baghdad-7 embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team road project manager, said action is underway to remedy the roads.

"What this does is it opens up the rural communities to markets in Baghdad," said Turner, from Laurel, Md.

The projects open up economic opportunities not only for farmers, but also for Iraqi construction companies. Although financed by coalition forces, the work is being performed by two Iraqi construction firms.

"They're very professional, reliable contractors. Both are very well-established and have no issue doing work anywhere," Turner said.

Although there is much to be accomplished, results are already apparent.

On Feb. 22, a major culvert repair was finished, linking the communities of Hawr Rajab and Adwaniyah.

Neil Hollenbeck, commander of Company A, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, said assessments are underway for a similar project in Arab Jabour on a road and canal damaged by a 500 pound bomb.

Hollenbeck, from Louisville, Ky., said the project will have multiple benefits; in addition to repairing the road, it will help restore water flow into the area.

In a region highly dependant on agriculture, the damaged canal pipe has been detrimental to farmers. On the west side of the road, farmers were forced to rely on their own pumps or smaller irrigation ditches to get water to crops. The repair to correct this problem will be performed by Iraqi contractors.

"Its going to be a big project, probably a week's worth of work," said Hollenbeck, whose soldiers are also conducting several other projects in the area.

To prevent damage to roads caused by insurgent attacks, Turner said newly repaired roads are monitored by Iraqi police and Sons of Iraq. The checkpoints also ensure a safe working environment should a road repair team need to make minor repairs.

As time goes on, the SoI manning these checkpoints may find themselves on the road again, as workers rather than security guards. With Iraqi security forces unable to provide jobs for all the SoI, coalition forces are working on transforming those not employed by the ISF into a public works labor division.

The first step in the transition process, known as disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, has already begun, Turner said. The plan is to take up to 30 local military aged males in the area and train them to perform general road repair tasks with a construction firm.

Similar to a vocational program in the United States, Turner said the program would teach the participants skills, such as heavy equipment operation, useful for a construction job. Part of the program would include on the job training, working with the two Iraqi contractors currently performing the major road repairs. Once trained, these individuals can continue to contribute to their community's well being, just in a different capacity.

Coalition forces are also working to bring the government of Iraq into the picture, Turner said. Turner said he is in contact with a GoI representative in to help get some of the Iraqi budget allocated to improving the area.

The GoI has already drafted plans to undertake their largest sponsored project in the 2nd BCT battle space since 2003. The project will pave several kilometers of road, helping facilitate commerce from areas encompassing the 2nd BCT's area of operation into Baghdad.