Charger Battalion helps bring running water to rural areas outside Mosul

Photo By Sgt. Jared Sollars | Lt. Col. Michael Fadden, the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment commander, speaks with civilians hired to assist with the renovations of one of the water stations his civil affairs unit just finished renovating.  

MOSUL, IRAQ

07.07.2009

Story by Pfc. Jared Sollars 

145th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment   

MOSUL, Iraq - In the rural areas outside the city of Mosul, Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, are helping local villagers obtain running water by repairing and building water pumping stations in eight different locations of the Qayyarah Sub-District in Ninewa province. Four of the water stations were completed June 27 which included a ribbon cutting ceremony at each of those stations.

Lt. Col. Michael J. Fadden, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment commander, attended each of the ribbon cutting ceremonies with the mayor of Qayyarah who thanked Fadden and his Soldiers for their assistance and financial support.

"This is a happy day and I'm proud to work with coalition forces on this and all the projects," said Mayor Saleh Hassan Ali, the mayor of Qayyarah. "We appreciate all the work coalition forces did in working with the Qayyarah City Council to renovate these stations."

In these areas where the Charger Battalion is responsible for, villages have recently experienced droughts and water shortages due to an increase in population. The improved pumping stations have increased the volume capacity to deliver water throughout most of the villages now. Before the stations were fixed, only a limited number of people living near the water station could receive water. Those that lived farther away barely received a trickle and had to travel to the station to fill barrels of water.

"We want to continue to help the people of Qayyarah with their needs," said Fadden. "We plan to continue to do more projects as invited by the mayor."

These missions were also used to provide local economical stimulus by employing 115 local residents to fix and operate the water pumping stations. Projects like these show the Iraqi people that their government is stepping in to look out for them.

All of the completed projects have been thoroughly inspected by the Qayyarah water engineer to make sure each one is working to its full capacity.

The essential services have become an example of the local and provincial governments of Iraq working together with the U.S. military to expand and better the way of life of the people of these areas.

By teaming with the government of Iraq on these projects the Charger battalion has strengthened the bonds between the U.S. military and the people of Qayyarah. Projects like these affect not only the community's way of life, but also their relationship with their government and U.S. Forces.

• Date Taken: 07.07.2009
• Date Posted: 07.07.2009 14:24
• Story ID: 36082
• Location: MOSUL, IQ