Close quarter conversations

Photo By Spc. Leith Edgar | Staff Sgt. Erik Decker, civil affairs noncommissioned officer, civil affairs noncommissioned officer, Civil Affairs Team A, from CA Team C, 489th CA Battalion, talks with an Iraqi Policeman Dec. 5, near Camp Rustamiyah. The CA team was on a mission to meet with a local committee trying to improve its local government and improve local infrastructure.  

RUSTAMIYAH, IRAQ

12.05.2006

Courtesy Story

7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

By Spc. Leith Edgar
7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP RUSTAMIYAH, Iraq – These Soldiers do not attack the enemy with their M-16s, but rather their communication skills.

Though not combat-arms Soldiers, they are commonly found on dismounted patrols throughout the city of Baghdad interacting with its residents. They are civil affairs Soldiers serving on the frontlines of the Global War on Terrorism.

Civil Affairs Team C, 489th CA Battalion, is on a daily mission to assist the Iraqi people improve their infrastructure and local government.

This four-man team is attached to 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. Their mission takes them throughout Iraq, where they encounter the local population where they live, said Capt. Chris Boyer, the team leader.

"We're the guys who try to make the local populace less of a hindrance to the maneuver commander. We're the ones who work 'in' the people," said the native of Warren, Mich. "Maneuver commanders work in battle space, on terrain and (determining) how you defeat the enemy. We work more on how to gain the trust and confidence of the local populace; how do we make those people not a hindrance to the commander?"

Far from being gift-bearing Soldiers, as they are commonly portrayed, CA Soldiers work to empower people in the community to resolve their own problems, said Sgt. David Britton, another team member.

"The biggest misconception right now is that we're here just to give out stuff. That's really not what we're doing here," the native of Knoxville, Tenn., said. "(The Iraqi citizens) really, really want to rely on us for everything. It's just really, really hard to get across to them that we can't give them everything.
They need to do stuff on their own."

Historically, people are accustomed to receiving goods and services, said Staff Sgt. Erik Decker, another civil affairs noncommissioned officer with the team.

"We're trying to take 30 years of socialism and reintroduce them to democracy as we know it, but on their terms," said the native of Wolcott, N.Y. "CA, in general, is trying to support the local infrastructure and government. Whether it be the (local council), the (district council), all the way up to the federal government."

To help the Iraqi people, the CA team relies on the use of all coalition forces, Boyer said.

"We're only a four-man team working in a squadron of close to 500 Soldiers.

We would be fools to think we could do this on our own. There is no way," the resident of Natick, Mass., said. "So every Soldier down to the lowest E-1, who just got out of basic, is going to play a role in civil-military operations. That's simple stuff, like even smiling and saying 'Hi.'

"When you look at it from that perspective, everyone is a civil-military operator in this environment. We just try to advise (our military leaders) and tie together their programs," he added.

Though CA has six doctrinal activities, the last two are currently the primary focus: military civic action and supporting civil administration, Boyer said.

"We're in military civil action and supporting civil administration. Those end up being your biggest ones toward the end because those are the ones that go more toward transition. Iraq is a sovereign nation, now, so we're working on military civic action, which is generally projects and programs," Boyer said. "Military civic action is mitigating and developing-type projects."

Mitigating projects are those that must be addressed immediately; for example, providing a clean water supply.

Developmental projects are ongoing and include schools and hospitals, or projects as simple as creating a youth sports center. In short, developmental projects are anything that ties the people together and causes unity in the people's area, Boyer said.

The final doctrinal activity of CA is supporting civil administration. In this phase, CA works with the local government, Iraq's ministries and anyone with authority in the community, Boyer said.

Sheiks and Imams play a major role in supporting civil administration because that structure has been in place since the time of Muhammad, Boyer said.

These local leaders still hold a large amount of the power.

The task, Boyer said, is tying all of these groups together. CA identifies some of the deficiencies in coordination and finds a way to link the communication chains back up.

The key to helping Iraqis improve their country is pointing out the glaring deficiencies before figuring out how they may be addressed, Boyer said.

"When we roll into an area, the number one thing CA does is assess stuff. In terms of a city you're going to look at its water, sewage, trash, electricity, medical (services) and administration. You're going to look at all the major things, which run a city," Boyer said. "What it all comes down to is just making a better way of life that can stand on its own. So we can go home. That's the number one thing."

To achieve a democratic Iraq, CA Soldiers put their boots on the ground almost daily, which is something they find rewarding, Boyer said.

"The greatest thing about CA is you're constantly with Soldiers," Boyer said. "I'm out on patrol five or six days a week. You're out there seeing the great things Soldiers do."

• Date Taken: 12.05.2006
• Date Posted: 12.16.2006 14:06
• Story ID: 8585
• Location: RUSTAMIYAH, IQ