Photo By Master Sgt. Jerry Saslav | 1st Lt. David Holland, a native of Maben, Miss., serving as a Quality Assurance...... read more read more
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By Sgt. Jerry Saslav
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
BAGHDAD – There are never more than a handful of them in one area at a time; they need to rely on other Soldiers to accomplish their mission; and if their job is done right, you will see it and never know. In fact, all Multi-National Division – Baghdad-funded reconstruction projects in Sadr City cannot be completed without their agreement.
They are Quality Assurance/Quality Control engineers who work for Multi-National Division – Baghdad.
There are more than 200 MND-B-funded reconstruction and refurbishment projects alone in the section of Sadr City known as Operating Environment Gold. The projects have a list of tasks, known as a scope of work, which must be completed.
The QA/QC team is charged with checking the quality of more than 120 projects per week that are being spearheaded by Iraqi contractors and accomplished by the Iraqi workers they hire.
The engineers "make sure the quality of work that is being done, is being done to standards usually above the standards of work being done in Iraq. In other words, we're trying to bring their standards up to the U.S. [standards],"said 1st Lt. David Holland who serves as a QA/QC officer in charge for 890th Combat Engineer Battalion, 926th Engineer Brigade, MND-B.
The QA/QC team is usually escorted by Soldiers from Company B, 46th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy), Task Force Gold, 926th Eng. Bde., MND-B, who provide security and transportation for each mission.
Once the site is secured, the QA/QC team splits up to make its assessments. An non-commissioned officer talks with the foreman to go over a scope of work checklist.
"Most of them are up front, but they tend to overlook some small things. I try walking with the contractor throughout the entire building to see what he's done. He'll point out things to me, and I'll point out flaws like missing paint or paint in the wrong areas," said Sgt. Ross Maki, a native of Lake Linden, Mich., who serves as a QA/QC team member, Co. A, 46th ECB.
Holland, a photographer back in the United States, walks around the site taking pictures.
"As an engineer, I look for things they don't necessary look [for]. The contractor wants to show off what he has done – that is good," said Holland, a native of Maben, Miss. "Then we can use photos to verify the progress or the deficiencies for each project."
The photos help the Iraqi contractors, whose experience varies from minimal to several decades, see what areas need more work.
"There are some great contractors and some not as great contractors. Some are struggling contractors themselves, trying to get a business started, and they actually won the contract," said Holland.
It is the different levels of contractor experience that cause most of the issues.
A refurbished school classroom, for example, "means from the floor to the ceiling and everything in-between. For one contractor, it may mean painting the wall only. [For] another contractor, it may mean painting the walls, putting in new electrical and a new ceiling fan – and that's it, nothing for the floor," said Holland. "A more experienced contractor knows the better he does, the more contracts he can get later."
On this day, the team visited a park, a performing arts center and a few schools, all under various stages of construction in this northeastern Baghdad District.
At the school, there are specific items the teams checks before giving the scope of work a passing grade.
"We make sure they have fire extinguishers, computers and desks, some of the basic necessities for a school," said Holland.
After the day's visits, Holland offered praise for the progress.
"Overall, the schools look good," he said.
As the QA/QC team inspected Regular 6 Park in the Jamilla neighborhood of Sadr City, the team found some damage to work that had already been completed. This causes troubles for both the contractor and QA/QC team.
"One of the problems with a project such as a park or a clinic, or even a school, is that they are sometimes using the facilities while they are trying to fix the facilities," said Holland. "You don't always see the complete, perfect finished product before it's destroyed by other people."
The contractor said that even though the damage was being done at night by area children, he would have it fixed.
| Date Taken: | 09.14.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 09.14.2008 09:34 |
| Story ID: | 23635 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 299 |
| Downloads: | 249 |
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