Civil Affairs Soldiers make difference in Iraq

Courtesy Photo | Spc. Mead Lyons (left) and Staff Sgt. Michael Clemency pose with Iraqi children in Sunini after a key leader engagement.  

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, IRAQ

03.28.2010

Story by Spc. Michael Adams 

3rd Infantry Division

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq — Staff Sgt. Michael Clemency, will redeploy to the U.S. this spring. After he returns and in-processes, he'll arrive home just in time to be with his family for the birth of his niece.

He looks forward to re-uniting with his own family and sharing the stories of when he met and helped Iraqis and their families.

Clemency, of China Grove, N.C., is a civil affairs specialist with the 422nd Civil Affairs Battalion attached to Task Force Marne.

He spent his deployment meeting with village mayors throughout northern Iraq to see how his battalion could assist them with renovations and construction.

Clemency was on one of many Civil Affairs teams attached to the brigades assigned to TF Marne. His team worked in support of 1st Battalion, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. He worked primarily in the Sinjar area. The teams met with town mayors to determine what kind of amenities the city or town needed.

During a series of meetings the team members would determine how they were authorized to help under Iraqi law and guidance by the battalion commander. Clemency said no promises were ever made until the project met all legal and financial standards

Projects ranged from street repairs to hospital renovations, but most of the time in his area of operations, the mayor's requested improvements to water pipes. All projects were completed by Iraqi contractors Clemency said.

"One of Civil Affairs' motto is 'Win their hearts and minds,' and we did that," said Clemency. "I enjoyed talking to a lot of the people out there. I saw a lot of things. It's something I can take home and say I saw what was going on in Iraq."

Clemency also enjoyed getting to know the Iraqi people.

"I enjoyed talking to the kids, they were really smart, you could learn a lot from them," he said. "I liked seeing the people happy. It felt good knowing that U.S. forces were there and helped Iraqis."

Sgt. James King worked on two different CAT teams, with the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.

His team supervised more than 30 projects focused on rebuilding schools, wells, roadways, culverts and other infrastructure. The team covered areas all over northern Iraq including areas close to the Syrian border. One project he is particularly proud of is a market streetlight project in Ba'aj. The project will provide for lights in the main market area of Ba'aj for years to come. This not only provides an obvious increase in security during the evening hours but also improves the economy, thanks to the businesses being able to stay open later, he said of the project.

His missions were hard work that required long drives sometimes through sandstorms. But in the end he knew the mission was worth it.

"You can't help but like it," he said. "In the end, everybody likes to be a part of the rebuilding of an entire nation. At the end of this tour I'm looking back and going 'Yeah all those people have water because of what our team did' or 'Hey the next time somebody needs to be rushed to the hospital they have a road to travel on because of us.' But it's also the great feeling you get when the mayor of a local city or a sheik or a mukhtar shakes your hand and truly is thankful for the work we put in for his people."

Col. Rick Leonard commands the 422nd CA Bn. Lately he spends most of his time ensuring everything is in order for his unit to move back home.

He said he is proud of his battalion for the work they did for Task Force Marne. He added that his battalion worked with local community leaders, broke down cultural barriers, gathered critical information to combat terrorism, and re-built 159 schools in the Ninewa province.

Leonard said the Soldiers under his command did a great job, and they should be happy with how they were able to have an impact during their deployment.

"The Soldiers out there were able to affect the Iraqi communities out there in a positive way. I am proud to be a part of that," Leonard said.

The battalion conducted split operations based on the needs of United States Division-North. A number of Soldiers were attached to brigades, provincial reconstruction teams and the USD-N Headquarters.

Sgt. Alison Lancewicz, of Buffalo, N.Y., is a planning and coordination non-commissioned officer with the battalion attached to the Salah ad-Din Provincial Reconstruction Team.

At the PRT, she worked with Tikrit University students where she helped Iraqi university students learn English. Many of the Students want to learn English so they can pass an English language test that will allow them to transfer to a university in America.

"The best part was working with the students," said Lancewicz. "I made a couple of really good friends with a couple of students. When they come to school in America we plan on hanging out. That's the coolest part."

While she enjoyed her job, she also took pride in what she was doing as well.

"When I get home I can say I was a part of rebuilding Iraq," she said. "The country has seen a lot of destruction but I was a part of the construction."

Members of the battalion also played a crucial part the task force's support to the Iraqi elections.
Capt. Travis Montgomery, of Bethesda, Md., is the plans officer for TF Marne G-9. He played a role in the Iraqi elections, facilitating what the guys on the ground were doing with the Iraqi elections.

"I wanted to make sure that I was really arming them with the latest United States Forces — Iraq, United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq and the American embassy policy was," he said. "It was hard work. I was the go-to guy for anyone on the ground for the chief of staff or commanding general. To be that reliable, it feels good."

• Date Taken: 03.28.2010
• Date Posted: 03.28.2010 16:01
• Story ID: 47353
• Location: CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, IQ