Daughter's of Iraq support 12th Imam Pilgrimage

Photo By Staff Sgt. Ruth McClary | Capt. Walter Hatfield, of 150th Armored Reconnaissance Squadron, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, shows Entasar Yosif Yakoub, the manager of the Daughters of Iraq, where to sign to receive payment for work the female security detail completed at the start of the month, Aug. 11.  

YUSUFIYAH, IRAQ

08.10.2009

Story by Spc. Ruth McClary 

30th Armored Brigade Combat Team

YUSIFIYAH, Iraq — Forty female members of the Daughters of Iraq security detail provided support to the Iraqi army during the recent 12th Imam pilgrimage to Karbala.

Hired by the 150th Armored Reconnaissance Squadron, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, the women reduced the threat of female suicide bombers during the pilgrimage, which started, Aug. 1 and ended, Aug. 10.

Shiite Muslims take the annual pilgrimage to Karbala, 50 miles south of Baghdad, to commemorate the birth anniversary of the 12th Imam, Mohammed al-Mahdi.

"The order came down from the brigade commander, Col. Gregory Lusk, to contract the Daughters of Iraq so that [women] could be searched to help reduce violent attempts during the pilgrimage," said Capt. Walter Hatfield, one of the squadron's DOI liaison officers. "There were no incidents in our area of operations."

The DOI was formed in October 2008 to provide an extra layer of security at military checkpoints. It is against Iraqi cultural norms for men to search women, so DOI security members play a vital role for Iraqi and U.S. forces.

Most of the women are widows with children, and are the sole providers for their households; others have husbands who are unemployed or disabled.

The work was important to the women, as they haven't been paid for a contract earlier this year. The squadron is working to get other short-term contracts for the women as a stopgap until the pay issues are resolved and are working with the Government in Iraq to get the DOI further contracts.

"This was one way to get money into the women hands while back pay issues are being worked," said Hatfield, a Charleston, W. Va., native. "We made strides today in the right direction showing that we fulfilled our end of the bargain.

"The women were extremely elated to work those ten days and were proud to do their part as Iraqi citizens, keeping their communities safe from potential terrorists," he said.

"Receiving this money gives us a renewed hope that we will receive money that is owed to us," said Entasar Yosif Yakoub, the manager of the 56 DOI workers in the area. "Capt. Hatfield has been very helpful, working with us to get a new contract and the payments that are due."

• Date Taken: 08.10.2009
• Date Posted: 08.14.2009 02:10
• Story ID: 37476
• Location: YUSUFIYAH, IQ