Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Meadows | A news camera man from al Iraqiyah television videos two of three new micro-power...... read more read more
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By Staff Sgt. Matt Meadows
4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq - As 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, deployment nears an end, leaders reflect upon the progress made during the past 14 months in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"Patriot Brigade Soldiers selflessly served in Iraq during a defining moment in their country's history," said Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, Multi-National Division - Baghdad commanding general from Hattiesburg, Miss. "They leave Baghdad and its people a much better place than when they arrived; and more importantly, they gave the city residents hope for a brighter future."
Patriot Brigade's operating environment in eastern Baghdad encompassed the three political districts of Rusafa, Karadah and 9 Nissan. When the brigade arrived in Baghdad in December 2007, training Iraqi security forces and maintaining security were their primary missions.
These missions remained at the forefront of all Patriot Brigade operations. In time; however, increased security enhanced the brigade's ability to foster a return to normalcy through conducting humanitarian-aid missions, providing improved essential services and promoting economic growth within its OE. In addition, Patriot Brigade Military Transition Teams and National Police Transition Teams responsible for training ISF representatives reverted to over watch roles as ISF took the lead in planning and conducting operations.
The Patriot Brigade witnessed a 50 percent reduction in attacks within its OE since last December. In contrast, ISF units became more robust in addition to becoming more proficient. Within the three districts of 4th BCT, 10th Mtn. Div.'s OE, there are nearly 15,000 IA soldiers, NPs and Iraqi policemen. The composition of the IA and NP forces include four brigades, 11 battalions and 44 companies.
In October, the Government of Iraq incorporated community protection forces called Sons of Iraq into ISF and other government positions to augment GoI security and stability.
Initially, about 1,300 SoI operated independently in neighborhoods within the Patriot OE. The GoI transitioned more than 400 SoI into IP service and recruited more than 300 more SoI members to begin IP training by the end of January 2009.
Working with their ISF partners, Patriot Brigade Soldiers assisted in 267 arrests and detained 641 suspects. They conducted combined clearance operations leading to the seizure of 155 weapons caches.
In addition, route-clearance teams actively kept eastern Baghdad streets safe for Iraqi residents and maneuver security forces alike. Task Force Patriot Soldiers conducted more than 2,000 route-clearance missions, finding a combination of more than 50 improvised explosive devices and explosively formed penetrators. These Soldiers performed in excess of 50,000 Soldier hours in protecting the people of eastern Baghdad, ISF and their comrades from enemy attacks.
While providing security and working hand in hand with their ISF counterparts, local governments and GoI partners, TF Patriot Soldiers and civilians assisted in bringing social and economic stability to eastern Baghdad. Since December 2007, Iraqi officials within the Patriot OE conducted numerous missions to bring medicine, food and hygiene items to some of eastern Baghdad's poorest communities. In addition, they opened 28 new schools; installed 19 micro-power generators, with nearly 40 more in progress; and completed five swimming pool renovation projects.
"The accomplishments of this team have been nothing short of remarkable," expressed Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Greca, brigade command sergeant major for 4th BCT, 10th Mtn. Div., from Grayslake, Ill.
"The men and women of this brigade have met each and every challenge head on and have accomplished their mission with a sense of professionalism I have rarely seen over the course of my 22-year career.
I could not be prouder than to be associated with this team and to be called a Patriot."
These accomplishments bring with them a renewed sense of a more normal life for citizens of eastern Baghdad. Along with a movement toward a return to normalcy comes the return of residents who left their homes because of safety concerns. This year more than 2,057 families from the Patriot OE registered with Iraq's Internally Displaced Persons Center, reclaiming their rights to resume their status as area residents and homeowners.
Additional signs of improved essential services and economic growth in eastern Baghdad were visible during Patriot Brigades OIF 07-09 deployment. These projects included reopening a water park, co-sponsoring trade shows, constructing water-distribution sites and issuing micro-grants.
The 4th BCT, 10th Mtn. Div., assisted Iraqi officials in establishing three water distribution sites in eastern Baghdad, one each in Baghdad Al Jadida, Shawra Wa Ra Um Jadir and Al Khansa. Dubbed Patriot H2O, the project provided sites for Baghdad Water Authority officials to fill trucks with purified water and distribute the potable water to eastern Baghdad residents in their own neighborhoods. Also, residents could fill small containers with purified water at these sites.
"When I came to this country in 2007, my first dream was to give people drinking water," said "Sam," project engineer and bilingual, bicultural advisor working for 4th BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. "If I give one person drinking water, (then) that is a big bonus. I'm giving [water to] a million and a half. [For these residents], it's a dream to have drinking water in the desert."
From purified water to playing with water, the Patriot Brigade helped eastern Baghdad families stay healthy and happy. In conjunction with "Karadah Day," Iraqi officials reopened a refurbished, 400,000 square meters Jadriya Lake Park complex. Before the park closed for the winter season, thousands of Iraqi citizens visited Jadriya Lake Park weekly to participate in recreational and social activities.
On the economic front, TF Patriot's Baghdad-2 embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team sponsored successful trade expositions and conferences in Rusafa, Karadah and New Baghdad. More than 260 businesses, government officials and non-government organizations participated in the trade shows and about 6,000 people visited the three economic events. The 240 business owners who exhibited their wares and explained their services at the trade exhibitions represented the fields of retail sales, construction, durable and industrial goods, engineering, import and export and others.
"Helping stimulate local business growth is one of our most important priorities. If we can help grow small and medium-sized businesses, we can help generate real economic growth," said Anthony Swalhah, Baghdad-2 e-PRT engineer and city planner advisor from Charleston S.C., after the Rusafa expo. "Economic growth will affect every citizen positively and help improve security and stability for all
Iraqis."
In addition to helping sponsor trade exhibitions to stimulate economic growth, Patriot Brigade units issued more than 565 micro-grants totaling nearly $2 million to business owners in eastern Baghdad during 2008.
As 4th BCT, 10th Mtn. Div., Soldiers prepare to head home to their Families and friends and hand over their responsibilities in eastern Baghdad to another brigade; they can look back with pride at the progress and sacrifices the Patriot Brigade made in eastern Baghdad.
"When these Soldiers of character and moral courage return home, they return to families who sacrificed and lent their Soldiers to their nation," said Hammond. "Take care of your Army families. They are one and all, true American heroes - Mission, Soldier, Family and Team."
A deployment, even a successful one, and the training leading up to it do not occur without the commitment, dedication and sacrifice of Soldiers and their Families. No one is more aware of this than Col. Mark Dewhurst, brigade commander, 4th BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. As his brigade, a brigade "Forged for War," prepares to return home, Dewhurst has message for the Patriot Brigade family.
"First and foremost, I want to say that I am proud of the Soldiers and their families. Thank you for the incredible challenges, sacrifices and hardships you endured in the service of our country," expressed Dewhurst. "I know many of you have endured frequent separations during training and deployment in support of our missions during your time in the Patriot Brigade and in the Army.
"As such, I am especially appreciative of those families within the Patriot Brigade who have had to face multiple separations," he continued. "I recognize that deployments have an impact on the entire family, so I am equally grateful to the spouses, children and Soldiers of each military family."
| Date Taken: | 12.22.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 12.22.2008 15:47 |
| Story ID: | 28035 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 327 |
| Downloads: | 214 |
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