Photo By Spc. Cal Turner | An Iraqi engineer from the 4th engineer company, 4th Division, fills a hesco barrier...... read more read more
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By Sgt. Joshua R. Ford, Public Affairs Office, 3rd Brigade Combat Team,
82nd Airborne Division
SAMARRA, Iraq - Iraqi army engineers recently established a checkpoint at the intersection of Tharthar Road and Highway One on their own initiative.
Lt. Col. Kamal Nassif Jassim, commander, 4th Engineer Company, 4th Division, and his engineers drew the blueprint and designed the construction for the checkpoint.
"The only thing we provided was supplies and fuel. Everything else was Iraqi army-driven. It's been a real success because it was conceived, orchestrated and coordinated between the (2nd Battalion, 4th Division) and the (engineer) company with minimal coalition force involvement," said Maj. David Nehring, military transition team chief, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division.
This is the third checkpoint Jassim has worked on since 2003. He finds this his most significant project because his men built it themselves, said Jassim.
During mid-construction, the engineers came under an indirect fire attack. The engineers defended the checkpoint with no casualties or damage and continued building the same day.
"The attack tested the checkpoint. We must stay alert and careful and protect the people here," said Jassim.
Small farming communities surrounding the checkpoint have shown their support and are happy about the placement of the site, said Nehring.
"The people will greatly benefit from the position of the checkpoint because of the security it will provide them," added Jassim.
Overall the project took less than 12 days to complete. Jassim, a native from the Tikrit area, was on time with his men everyday to get the job done.
"Jassim is a very 'go-get-it' kind of guy, which makes him a good leader. Every time I went out there, (the engineers) were always moving, constructing or building something. He really went above and beyond the original plans he had, to include a trench and some other berms. He had guys there to do it, so he made it happen," said Nehring.
Besides the attack, no challenges were met during the construction, said Jassim. He pointed out three steps that will help the Iraqis complete projects in the future independently with no coalition forces involvement.
His steps included the recruitment of more engineers and providing them with proper training and then having access to all the equipment and fuel necessary to complete a project.
"I have good men. They love their jobs as engineers but I need more men like them. I also need equipment for construction," said Jassim.
Nehring's military transition team has been working with Iraqi soldiers teaching them what channels to go through to request recruits and equipment.
"Once we have this, Iraqis can do jobs without coalition assistance," said Jassim.
"I think this project has put fire in their bellies and will promote them to take more initiative in future," said Nehring. "It was coalition constructed, coalition manned and the Iraqi army took it over and began operations some point afterward. This one, from the get-go, was theirs."
| Date Taken: | 02.27.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 03.05.2007 11:32 |
| Story ID: | 9324 |
| Location: | SAMARRA, IQ |
| Web Views: | 121 |
| Downloads: | 50 |
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