Transition teams partner with Basrah authorities

Courtesy Photo | Members of the Stability Transition Team, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, visit the construction site for the al-Hussein Iraqi Police Station, one of the newest in the area.  

BASRA, IRAQ

03.29.2011

Courtesy Story

3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division

By Maj. William Mott

BASRAH, Iraq – Leaders with the Stability Transition Team, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, laid the groundwork for growth and strength within the agencies they partner with in southern Iraq using an Army quad chart for guidance.

The team identified key areas for improvement and developed the chart to mentor their Iraqi counterparts.

“We realized immediately the best way to quickly enhance the different [Iraqi Ministry of Interior] agencies was to develop a simple tool which enables directorate commanders to clearly see their organizations while planning moderate goals for improvements,” said Lt. Col. Gregory Stokes, the STT commander.

The team advises the Basrah MOI, which oversees the Provincial Department of Police, the National Iraq Intelligence Agency and the Provincial Joint Command Center. The STT designed the chart to mesh the agencies together for clear tasks and integrated missions.

The quad chart clearly identifies short term goals, resource needs, accomplishments and strengths. Agency commanders brief their requirements to subordinates and also require their subordinates to brief their updates to the commander.

Recently, Maj. Gen. Hassan, the Basrah Provincial chief of Police held a conference and gave his commander’s intent, standards and vision to the subordinate commanders within the police department using the chart.

He said he wanted to create an environment where every officer understands their duties and responsibilities, reports deficiencies and constantly tries to improve their organization.

“I have a clear vision to reinforce to the Iraqi police and want to focus on my junior officers because they are the future of the IP," said Hassan, through an interpreter.

By developing internal action plans that allow them to accomplish their goals with their own resources and limited help from U.S. forces other than solid advice, the different MOI agencies can achieve common goals.

The team has already identified goals for the coming year.

“Some of the key focus areas for the police department include reducing the number of checkpoints within Basra, improving checkpoint standards, improving basic officer proficiencies and improving officer integrity and reliability,” said Stokes.

These areas only represent a small number of improvements which are underway within Basra.

This partnership has only a short amount of time before it is resolved, but the relationships built now will last a lifetime, and the progress made today will endure many lifetimes.

• Date Taken: 03.29.2011
• Date Posted: 04.13.2011 12:15
• Story ID: 68681
• Location: BASRA, IQ