Rebuilding of Basra continues with the Army Corps of Engineers

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Sheely | Lt. Cdr. Neil Underwood (in uniform) tours the interior of the Basra children's hospital as workers install electrical wiring to lighting fixtures May 2. The hospital is the first built to this level since the 1970s according to Underwood and will be run to western standards as a cancer treatment facility.  

BASRA, IRAQ

05.06.2008

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Sheely 

3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command

By Sgt. 1st Class C. J. Sheely

BASRA, Iraq – From founding and operating the United States Military Academy at West Point to flood control projects across America, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has played a major role in shaping the United States. George Washington appointed the first engineer officers on June 16, 1775. The Corps of Engineers was established as a permanent and separate branch March 16, 1802. From the very beginning the Corps has worked on major military construction and civil projects throughout the world.

The Gulf Region South Coast Corps of Engineers Basra Office is working over 40 projects around the area to help rebuild the infrastructure for the future of Iraq. Projects include a water treatment plant, a courthouse in Tannumah, the Sadr Teaching hospital, the Abo Al Khaseeb Votech Center and a brand new children's hospital that will operate primarily as a cancer treatment facility. The GSRC is working with various Iraqi construction companies on all their rebuilding efforts throughout the city.

"It helps the economy, it gives the Iraqis a nice product and puts money in the private sector so they can recuperate from the damages of war." Those are the words of Keith Adams, a construction representative with the Gulf Region South Coast Army Corps of Engineers, when asked about reconstruction efforts going on in Basra. "All of our sites are built with a majority of Iraqi employees doing the work" Adams said.

One of the largest projects the GRSC is involved with is the Basra Chidlren's Hospital. Nine Iraqi engineers and four Army Corps of Engineer civilian employees work together on building the hospital. "This is the first hospital built in Iraq of this level since the 70s" said Lt. Cdr Neil Underwood of the Corps of Engineers.

Recent military operations in Basra have cut into the workforce according to Underwood, the resident engineer for the project. "We went from 1,000 workers prior to military operations, to approximately 200 now" Underwood said. "A month after the operation started and we have a 5th of the workforce on site." Underwood does not expect major delays on finishing the project though, he does say the drop in workers affects scheduling for some of the work being done.

While some workers have returned to their homes in other cities during military operations, those who have stayed have some level of safety on the site. The Iraqi construction firms have hired an Iraqi private security company to keep a watchful eye on the surrounding area. In addition to the security group, the Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police are clearly visible on the streets around the Hospital.

When completed, the hospital will have 94 beds and state of the art cancer treatment equipment. There will also be an additional 32 rooms for doctors and nurses along with several support buildings on the site. The Basra Children's Hospital is projected to begin staffing of doctors, nurses and administrators in January, 2009 and be open for patients in February, 2009.

The Corps of Engineers is using over 200 years of experience in military and civil construction projects all over the world to help Iraq build for the future. From rebuilding water treatment facilities to the total construction of a Children's Hospital, engineers with the Gulf Region South Coast Corps of Engineers are continuing a long tradition in shaping the future by building the present.

• Date Taken: 05.06.2008
• Date Posted: 05.12.2008 14:38
• Story ID: 19344
• Location: BASRA, IQ