Photo By Sgt. Zach Zuber | Spc. Matthew Robertson, a financial management technician, 368th Financial Management...... read more read more
Subscribe
IRAQ - Approximately 300 Iraqi citizens received reparatory claims payments for and leases over the course of three days starting Sept. 19 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.
Since 2006, there had not been money dispensed to landowners who control the property used for Forward Operating Base Paliwoda. The operation was created to provide the necessary lease payments.
“It’s important for us to make these payments because the U.S. government, in the new security agreement, made an agreement with the Iraqi government to pay for the land that we have used,” said Capt. Ewa Dabrowski, chief of client services with the 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) judge advocate, and a Chicago, Ill., native. “FOB Paliwoda had areas in it that belong to Iraqi citizens and this shows them we are keeping our agreements.”
The plan to provide a mass repayment was organized by the 3rd Infantry Division judge advocate office at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, but was brought to JBB because it is much closer for the claimants, said Dabrowski.
Landowners were anxious to participate, with many waiting outside the gates each morning before the claims room was even set up. The money will help them fix problems and take care of their families.
“I do not have any complaints, everything has been very easy so far,” said Athir Muhmmad Salman, a teacher from Dulaia, Iraq. “My car is junk, so the first thing I’m going to do is get a new car.”
The claimants had to deal with heat and a lengthy security process to ensure proper disbursal of funds. Everyone who came to JBB was happy with the process and results.
“I came here just to assist, because I knew this was a large mission and there would be a lot of people coming in over the three days,” said Capt. Daniel D’Isidoro, an administrative/operational law attorney with the 3rd ID judge advocate, and a Braintree, Mass., native. “It seems like when they left the pay office, and have finished the paperwork, they are in a good mood, and there hasn’t been anyone that has been turned [away].”
The sheer size of the mission has made it a significant pay-out, not just for the recipients, but for the Soldiers involved, as well.
“This was and probably will be the largest volume of land claimants that has ever been paid in OIF [Operation Iraqi Freedom] and New Dawn history because FOB Paliwoda represented about 50 percent of all outstanding claims,” said Capt. Todd Chard, chief of client services with the 3rd ID judge advocate, and a Hudson Falls, N.Y., native. “We want to compensate [Iraqi citizens] for some of the troubles they have had to deal with because of the war, to let them know that we are here to work with them and help them grow.”
Throughout the process, the 103rd ESC has provided great support in preparing for the unique needs of this mission, said Chard. Soldiers with the 368th Financial Management Company, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, 103rd ESC, provided the support necessary to pay out nearly $1 million in Iraqi dinar to the claimants.
“The finance guys did a great job with all they had to do, and without the help of Lt. Col. [Charmaine] Betty-Singleton [administrative law officer, 103rd ESC Judge Advocate, and a Brooklyn, N.Y., native], none of this would have been possible,” said Chard. “She provided us with all the contacts and was really the glue that brought this mission together.”
After completing the payments needed for FOB Paliwoda, most of the remaining claimants for land or other matters will be able to be handled during regular claims periods, said Dabrowski.
Providing this service to the citizens of Iraq has proven to be rewarding for the Soldiers, who put in countless hours of work to make this mission happen.
“It’s been an experience, and it has been interesting learning all the processes involved and getting all these agencies together,” said Chard. “It has been a long experience to do that, but it has definitely been worthwhile.”
| Date Taken: | 09.19.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 09.26.2010 03:31 |
| Story ID: | 56980 |
| Location: | IQ |
| Web Views: | 90 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Repayment sets good tone for exit, by SGT Zach Zuber, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT