by Spc. Rich Vogt
138 MPAD
NINEVAH PROVINCE, Iraq (September 23, 2006) – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, located on Forward Operating Base Diamondback, Mosul, Iraq, are currently working on several projects to help rebuild an Iraq infrastructure in Ninevah Province devastated from years of neglect.
The mission of USACE is to provide quality, responsive, full spectrum engineering services in Iraq in support of military and civil construction, and aggressively assist the Iraqi government to assume full responsibility for national reconstruction. These projects involve working with and training Iraqi's to manage and implement there own projects to rebuild Iraq.
"In Ninevah, an underground cable system was installed that will benefit 7000 residents," said Gregory Scott, project engineer.
The cable system will provide more reliable power to many neighborhoods for commercial, industrial, and residential use. It will also provide electricity for future growth. The project cost $1.22 million.
The second project replaces an old electricity substation to make way for a new substation at a cost of $1.48 million.
"The new substation will provide more reliable power to a high population area in Ninevah," said Antoine Jackson, project manager. "It will also reduce the load of the other substations and will allow for future growth of this part of the city."
Money for these infrastructure upgrades comes from the Iraqi Reconstruction & Relief Effort, which Congress authorized in 2003 to help restore Iraq. IRRF was passed to address the extensive requirements for Iraq reconstruction identified before the war and during the summer and fall of 2003.
With the assistance of IRRF, the Iraqi infrastructure is starting to take shape in Ninevah and citizens are starting to realize that Coalition Forces are here to assist them in helping them rebuild their country.
"We are making a big difference here in northern Iraq," said Lisa Lawson, project engineer, USACE, gulf region north, and resident of Tulsa, Okla. "We are helping to provide water, electricity, schools, police stations, and health clinics."