Engineers commit to Task Force Gold Spike

Photo By Sgt. James Hill | Brig. Gen. Jeffery Talley, native of South Bend (second from left), Ind.,commander, 926th Engineer Brigade, Multi-National Division-Baghdad, stands with members of the Rusafa District Advisory Council and Rusafa Beladiyah following a meeting discussing essential services needed by Rusafa residents. Task Force Gold Spike, comprised of the 926th Eng. Bde., will direct reconstruction projects in Rusafa.  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

10.21.2008

Courtesy Story

926th Engineer Brigade

By Ray McNulty
926th Engineer Brigade Public Affairs Office

BAGHDAD – Recently,Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, commanding general, Multi-National Division-Baghdad and 4th Infantry Division, issued FRAGO 211 creating Task Force Gold Spike, a unit of the 926th Engineer Brigade tasked with the reconstruction of the Rusafa district.

Task Force Gold Spike will assist the government of Iraq through reconstruction and restoration of essential services utilizing local national contractors within Rusafa. Their projects will be funded with Construction Emergency Resource Projects and Iraqi-Construction Emergency Resource Project funds. Col. Jared Olsen, deputy commander, 926th Engineer Brigade, commands both Task Force Gold and Task Force Gold Spike.

"Task Force Gold Spike will stimulate the government of Iraq to deliver essential services to the people of Rusafa necessary for their health and well being," Brig. Gen. Jeffery Talley, Commander, 926th Engineer Brigade said. "Our initial projects will concentrate on sewer, water, trash hauling/clearance and solar lighting. Modeled after Task Force Gold, Task Force Gold Spike will improve living conditions and the quality of life in Rusafa."

"The creation of Task Force Gold Spike is based on the unprecedented success of Task Force Gold, the 926th Engineer unit rebuilding OE Gold, located in the Thawra 1 and Thawra 2 sectors of Sadr City assigned to coalition forces," observed Olsen.

"Since the May 29, 2008, formation of Task Force Gold, the [operational environment] Gold sector of Sadr City has been transformed by new and improved infrastructure and services provided to the residents of Baghdad's most densely populated district by Task Force Gold and the engineers of the 926th Engineer Brigade," said Olsen.

In 120 days, 33 schools were renovated in OE Gold; seven public health clinics were upgraded and re-outfitted. Newly installed solar lighting on main thoroughfares brings safety and neighborhood security to a war-torn district. Multiple micro-generators bring dependable electricity to thousands of families in Sadr City who were previously deprived of regular power. Parks, playgrounds and recreation facilities, including soccer fields and a swimming pool were built throughout OE Gold.

Apart from the significant "quality of life" make over in OE Gold, Task Force Gold focused its efforts on route sanitation and regular trash hauling yielding breakthroughs in safety and sanitation, as well as sewer line maintenance. Priority for Task Force Gold Spike reconstruction will be in the northern Rusafa district neighborhoods.

Task Force Gold Spike working in partnership with the government of Iraq and the mayor of Baghdad will accomplish its work in three phases: Phase 1-Project Assessment and Prioritization of projects; Phase 2- Project Generation and Phase 3-Project Management to completion.

Projects at both Task Forces are fast tracked for the next four months. Activities of both units, Task Force Gold and Task Force Gold Spike, are scheduled for transition at the end of the 926th Engineer Brigade deployment in February, 2009.

• Date Taken: 10.21.2008
• Date Posted: 10.21.2008 04:47
• Story ID: 25293
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ