Thunder Horse improves Iraqi airwaves

Photo By Sgt. Rebekah Lampman | Lt. Col. Scott Kendrick, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division and Cpt. Matthew Guevara, Civil Military Operations officer for the Thunderhorse Battalion sit with Iraqi journalists at the an Nasr television and radio station, Feb. 11. The station underwent reconstruction using the Commander's Emergency Relief Program.  

TALLIL AIR BASE, IRAQ

02.11.2009

Story by Pfc. Rebekah Lampman 

4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs

By Spc. Rebekah Lampman
4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq – Building hospitals, improving schools and establishing water treatment plants are just a few of the civil and economic enhancement projects in the works in southern Iraq. Recently, the 1st Cavalry Division has added a radio station to that list.

The 4th Brigade Combat Team's 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment 'Thunder Horse' Soldiers put the finishing touches on the An-Nasr television and radio station in the Dhi Qar province, Feb 11.

"It was very good working with the [American Forces]; I can't believe how nice everyone was," said Naceem Naseer Hussaid, Engineer of the An-Nasr television and radio station. "I had other engineers visit this station, and they were very impressed with the equipment and improvements that were made to the station."

When the Thunder Horse Battalion assumed duty in Dhi Qar in July of 2008, the Soldiers visited the Iraqi media site to find a leaky roof and multiple electrical problems. The unit's leaders immediately started the process to enroll the station in the Commander's Emergency Relief Program.

"I think it's something positive for these people here in An-Nasr," said Capt. Matthew Guevara, the Civil Military Operations officer for the Thunder Horse Battalion. "Our guys have helped [local reporters] since we got here and we always invite them to our missions."

The An-Nasr station provides regional news from Baghdad to the Dhi Qar province, and also distributes daily local news to its Iraqi audience.

Guevara and Lt. Col. Scott Kendrick, commander of the 2nd Bn., 12th Cav. Regt., took note of how much the station had benefited from the CERP program during the final inspection of the building.

The employees moved their equipment into a refurbished room, which will help improve daily operations. According to Hussaid, the improvements will help the station deliver news more efficiently to the citizens of Dhi Qar.

• Date Taken: 02.11.2009
• Date Posted: 02.16.2009 10:39
• Story ID: 30078
• Location: TALLIL AIR BASE, IQ