Doctor Mohammed's perseverance pays off

Courtesy Photo | Dr. Mohammed and a U.S. Army captain hold an Iraqi flag before the ribbon cutting to...... read more read more

Courtesy Photo | Dr. Mohammed and a U.S. Army captain hold an Iraqi flag before the ribbon cutting to open the Jedallah Sofia granary Dec. 28.  see less | View Image Page

QAYYARAH, IRAQ

12.31.2005

Courtesy Story

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SGT RACHEL BRUNE 101ST SUSTAINMENT BDE
28 DECEMBER 2005

Q-WEST BASE COMPLEX, Iraq - In late April, 2003, an elder from the small farming village of Jedallah Sofia appeared at the gates of Q-West Base Complex with a handwritten request.

Sent by Dr. Mohammed, the local physician, the note asked for help in stopping random shots landing in the village and solving a water shortage.

Maj. Frederick P. Wellman, at that time an operations officer with 6th Battalion, 101st Aviation, took a team out to the village to meet with Mohammed.

More than two years later, projects that grew from the relationship formed between the two men came to fruition Dec. 28 as Mohammed and Maj. Andy Ingalsbe, Company A, 401st Civil Affairs Battalion, cut the ribbon on a newly-opened chicken farm, granary and well.

"This is a great day for my village," said Mohammed.

Inside the chicken farm, which began through efforts of Wellman's team and the 101st Airborne Division, the birds rested fitfully as Dr. Mohammed explained how egg production increased after purchase of the chickens two months ago.

Walking across the village, Dr. Mohammed pointed out a small rubble-strewn lot. Pieces of plastic and other debris clung to broken bricks and mud.

"This used to be my house," said Dr. Mohammed.

Across the way, on the front porch of a neatly-kept, smooth brick house, a woman expertly tossed dough for Iraqi flatbread. Pounding and kneading the rising dough, she flattened it much like a pizza crust and put it into the top of a large metal stove.

This is Mohammed's new residence.

"[The coalition forces] are doing great things here," said Mohammed. He explained that people in his village still talk about improvements to the roads the British forces made when they occupied the country in World War I as part of the offensive against the Ottoman Empire.

For many generations, the people will talk about these projects as the actions of the coalition forces, said Mohammed.

Past the old foundation and across the road from a pen of bleating sheep, Mohammed and Maj. Daniel Jones, Military Transition Team 33 staff advisor, from Columbia, S.C., cut another ribbon to open a new granary, another project that began under the auspices of Wellman's team and has now come to fruition.

The villagers purchase bags of un-milled corn and grind it into two thicknesses " slightly coarse for animal feed, and finer for flour. Muslim Ali Hassen, who operates the mill, is "the poorest man in my village," said Mohammed.

With the income from his work grinding the flour, Muslim hopes to build a new house for his family.

The Soldiers, from various units on Q-West including 4th Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment, and the 101st Sustainment Brigade, watched as Muslim dipped into the open bags of grain to show the difference in the textures of the milled products.

A local mukhtar, or elected head of a village, Mohammed, from the neighboring village of al Safah, joined the tour as Dr. Mohammed opened the tap of a tall, blue well. Water poured from the high tap as Ingalsbe and Mohammed cut the ribbon together.

In the field next to the well, irrigation sprinklers sprayed out streams that glinted in the sun where the village is growing a crop of wheat. After the harvest, they will plant a crop of vegetables as an experiment with the water quality.

After opening the village projects, the Soldiers visited the school, which the village completed with the help of the Soldiers from Q-West.

Jones handed out packages of school supplies to the students. About 35 children attend the Jedallah Sofia school.

"From the beginning, [Mohammed] was working for all of the villages in the area," said Wellman via e-mail. Now a lieutenant colonel, Wellman, from Kirkwood, Mo., works as public affairs officer for the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq, in Baghdad.

"He always offered his advice and his reputation to introduce us to new folks," said Wellman. "With his help we ended up building about 23 schools, over 30 kilometers of road improvements [and] a clinic in his village."

When the clinic opened in 2003, about 35 sheiks attended along with then-Maj. Gen. David Petraeus, 101st Abn. Div. commander, and many others. Afterwards, Wellman sat with Mohammed on the steps.

At that time, Wellman told Mohammed he was going to have a party in Tennessee when he got home and that Mohammed should attend.

"He looked at me very sincerely and said, 'I will be there,'" said Wellman.

Six months before, Mohammed had said, he never would have believed that he would have a clinic in his village. Now, he believed anything might be possible.

"I will fill that promise someday," said Wellman.

Now, Mohammed conducted his guest around the clinic, showing them scrapbooks containing photos and clippings of his work with the 101st Abn. Div. In particular, he showed a framed clipping of the front page of the New York Times with a picture of him and Petraeus.

Mohammed paused at a picture of Wellman and pointed to it. He told a story how Wellman trusted him enough to travel alone with him to a village to which he had promised to return.

"From this time on, I consider him my brother," said Mohammed.

"I have placed my life in his hands a couple of times, and with that trust comes a certain bond," said Wellman.

When Wellman returned to Iraq as the MNSTC-I PAO, he was able to visit with Mohammed when he accepted an invitation to meet with the Iraqi Prime Minister to discuss the constitution. Wellman arranged for Mohammed to be invited to a private chat with the Prime Minister.

"We both sat kind of dumbfounded, because we started out in his dirt-floored meeting room with no water, and two years later, we were sitting in the Prime Minister's office chatting," said Wellman. "I had once told him that in a democracy even a doctor from a small farming village would matter, and I guess I was right."

After viewing the progress in the village, Mohammed invited the Soldiers to lunch. Sitting on the floor around plates filled high with rice and chicken, eating bread warm from the oven on porch, one Soldier asked why he did not sit and eat.

Mohammed explained, in Iraq and in many Middle Eastern countries, the host does not eat with his guests. Instead, he will enjoy their enjoyment of the meal.

After working with the coalition for several years now, Mohammed's English is almost perfect. He speaks with fondness of the coalition and of his hopes for the future.

Wellman credits Mohammed for his position today, he said. When the clinic was built, he started a project to raise medicine and supplies for it.

He ended up making television appearances and being interviewed for articles regarding the charity. From those appearances, Petraeus selected him for his public affairs job, he said.

"Now here I am, all because Mohammed had the courage to write a note asking for help," said Wellman. "He is an amazing man."