BAGHDAD, Iraq- After almost four months of work, thousands of construction man hours, and many hours teaching and training, the Joint Operations Center at the al-Muthana Airfield, here, is nearly complete.
The airfield, currently home to the 6th IA Field Engineer Regiment, has been the site of a mammoth project undertaken by the 6th IA and U.S. engineers from the 16th Engineer Brigade. Soldiers from each of these units have been working side by side to build a first class joint facility.
This operations center for the 6th IA brings the command and control elements together under one roof resulting in more effective planning, coordination and facilitation of the IA's missions.
"This was a joint construction project that involved not only the Iraqi engineers, but Iraqi products: wood, plumbing materials, electrical materials and furniture," said Maj. Roger Lewis, from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, the brigade's partnership officer.
The goal of this joint construction project was to increase the Iraqi Engineer Soldiers' construction proficiency and ability to conduct their own independent operations as the U.S. forces conduct a responsible draw down.
Staff Sgt. Mark Green, of Petoskey, Mich., with the 1434th Engineer Company, explained that there were many trials and tribulations during the construction mission, but everything is now coming together nicely.
"At the start of the project, the communication gap between the Iraqi and U.S. Soldiers was a struggle; once it was overcome, everything started moving along," said Green. "This was a chance not only for our Soldiers to teach the Iraqi's, but the Iraqi soldiers to teach us."
Sgt. Mark Gosbeth, of Monroe, Mich., also with the 1434th Eng. Co., said that this project has been a learning experience for all involved.
"For the younger Iraqis, this is on the job training for them to increase their carpentry skills," said Gosbeth. "For the veteran Iraqi soldiers, this mission was a chance for them to fine tune their skills and leadership."
Gosbeth, who has been with the project since it began, said that the Iraqis are very hard working and eager to learn. Many of them have taken ownership of the project, to include site security.
One of these Iraqi soldiers, a sergeant with the 6th IA who is known simply as Joe, helped provide security on the site for the Soldiers while they work.
"All of the U.S. Soldiers that I have met have been very easy to get along with," said Joe. "They are all my friends. I will be sad to see them go."
"The experience of working with the Iraqi army has been very educating," said Pvt. Aaron Piggott, of Jackson, Mich. "We have been able to learn parts of their language, they have learned some of our language, and we have been able to help teach construction techniques."
This construction project brought together two distinct cultures, yet both managed to communicate and work well together regardless of the language barrier. Upon completion, both Iraqi and U.S. Forces will have a deepened relationship and a place to conduct operations that will work towards a safer and more peaceful Iraq.