Photo By Staff Sgt. Samantha Simmons | Sgt. Reginald Chreten, a native of Beaumont, Texas, and a team leader assigned to...... read more read more
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BAGHDAD – United States Division-Center Soldiers continued their support of a partnership between Iraqi educators and a provincial reconstruction team during an escort mission to Abu Ghraib May 20.
Military policemen with the military police platoon assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, escorted Chris Crowley, Iraq mission director, and Anne Aarnes, the senior deputy assistant administrator, both members of U.S. Agency of International Development, to the Abu Ghraib College of Agriculture. The meeting, coordinated by the PRT attached to 4-2 SBCT, allowed the USAID representatives to meet the school dean and discuss projects to promote Iraq's development.
"We provide security for the PRT while they conduct humanitarian aid and projects [to include classes] for the Abu Ghraib area," said Staff Sgt. Sandy Hosch, a native of Hesperia, Calif., and squad leader assigned to the MP platoon.
The MPs also escorted the representatives to a dairy food-processing plant at the college, where they manufacture and sell products with the help of not only their employees, but students as well, said Christine Sheckler, a USAID member assigned to the PRT.
"There is some interest in improving [the dairy plant's] setup, and we do want to look into the dairy sector," said Sheckler.
Sgt. Reginald Chreten, a native of Beaumont, Texas, and a team leader with the platoon, said he has been to several classes and demonstrations at the college as a security asset.
"There was irrigation training that was two weeks long and we had to sit through a lot of those classes," Chreten said. "I felt like I was going to school, like we should be getting a degree."
Despite his light-hearted attitude, military police work is serious business. The security they have provided has helped ensure Iraqis receive training in new skills that can generate income and improve the civil capacity of Iraq.
"It's nice to see that we're bringing these farmers into the 21st century so they can maximize their resources," said Hosch.
Since Hosch first arrived in Iraq, he said the bonds established between Iraqi communities and U.S. forces have continued to grow.
The U.S. forces have been working closely with USAID aid workers to bring hope for a safe and secure Iraq, a relationship Sheckler deems a success. She admits her work wouldn't be possible without them.
"The Soldiers take me out every day," Sheckler said. "Without the Soldiers, I don't go anywhere. If I don't have good Soldiers to take me out, that protect all of us, then none of us are around to see any success."
| Date Taken: | 05.20.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 05.29.2010 02:46 |
| Story ID: | 50477 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 178 |
| Downloads: | 106 |
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