Photo By Sgt. Mike MacLeod | A school administrator talks with 1st Lt. Thomas Dyer, a civil affairs officer, and...... read more read more
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CAMP RAMADI, Iraq – U.S. forces evaluated several schools in Ramadi, Iraq, for potential refurbishment May 27.
A platoon of paratroopers with Company D, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Advise and Assist Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, toured Warrar Elementary and Warrar Middle School in northern Ramadi to assess whether they were good candidates to recommend for capital improvements.
"We will take the information we've gathered and funnel it to [Al Anbar Provincial Reconstruction Team] representatives to see if they can help the people out there," said 1st Lt. Thomas Dyer, civil affairs officer for the company.
"[Because we are redeploying soon], our funds as a battalion are cut off, and we're just trying to make a smooth transition from our departure to the PRT taking over these projects and hopefully making a difference," he said.
While the company has been involved with several school refurbishments, they are scheduled to return to the United States with their mother unit, 1/82 AAB, later this summer, he said.
Dyer found the Warrar schools worthy to recommend to the PRT. With 600 students each, the schools were overcrowded, and lacked efficient restrooms, running water and reliable power, he said.
Additionally, lack of a secondary school nearby precludes education past primary school.
"If the students and teachers don't feel comfortable, they won't succeed," said Mugbil, headmaster of Warrar Middle School.
Mugbil said that in the six years of his tenure, money for improvements to the school has come from his own pockets and those of his teachers.
"The Americans came only once, long ago," he said. The schools currently receive no aid from the government of Iraq.
Dawood, school guard for Warrar Elementary said there have been no major improvements in the school's infrastructure in the five years he has worked there.
While the education facilities in Ramadi may not be ideal, at least they have students, said Col. Ahmed Hamid Sharqi, the first leader of Iraqi Security Forces resistance to al-Qaeda in Ramadi and the current head of Iraqi police in the northern City District.
The school assessment team visited Ahmed in his Ramadi office shortly after evaluating the schools.
"Three to four years ago, there were few students in the schools because of the insurgency," said Ahmed. "Now the situation is much different."
When the insurgency died down, Ahmed said that students had to be taught to respect teachers again, and he and his fellow officers lent a hand.
"I visited many schools and advised the students why they should start listening to the teachers," he said. "You advise the kids to stay in school. You don't use power."
According to Ahmed, who is credited with standing up the Iraqi police in Ramadi to fight al-Qaeda, coalition forces visited many schools in the beginning and brought clothes, books and other supplies.
However, a big part of filling the schools was making the city safe enough for the students to attend, he said.
"Coalition forces have helped the IP very well since 2006," he said. "That's why we are so strong. Most [Iraqi policemen] are using techniques they learned from [coalition forces] for foot patrols, convoys and clearing buildings. Now the [police] are really good fighters. They do everything – intelligence, traffic and military-like fighting.
"These schools were empty before. Now we visit and they are full of teachers and students. We are moving forward," he said.
Capt. Bryan Morgan, company commander and partner to Ahmed under the advise-and-assist role his brigade is playing in Al Anbar province, said that what Ahmed really gave the people of Ramadi – and by proxy, the education system – is the courage to fight back against terrorism and take control of their city.
"When I came here as a platoon leader in 2005, the people wouldn't even talk to us," said Morgan. "[Route] Michigan was a ghost town because it was full of [improvised explosive devices] and a lot of fighting, and now there are people in the streets and kids going to school."
"Back then, it was bounding from building to building [to move through the streets] because there were snipers everywhere, and a machine-gun ambush was an easy thing to wander into. It's drastically different now. It's a functioning city again."
Morgan's company will be returning to the U.S. in a few months. It will be his third time leaving Iraq since the 2003 invasion.
"We are genuinely leaving with a feeling of accomplishment this time," he said.
"It's not perfect, but the Iraqis are definitely taking the lead in their own country. They fought for it hard enough to where it is their own achievement as well, where it wasn't just handed to them by the U.S.
"They have sacrificed a lot as well – the ISF and the Iraqi leaders."
| Date Taken: | 05.29.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 05.29.2010 17:25 |
| Story ID: | 50527 |
| Location: | CAMP RAMADI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 224 |
| Downloads: | 170 |
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