LATIFIYA, Iraq —With approximately

four months until Iraq’s national elections,

security’s a major topic.

Training and supervision of the Iraqi police

and highway patrol is currently underway

daily here, and now with the grand opening of

a new national IHP academy, police officers

will be able to receive quality instruction and

mentoring from some of the finest military

policemen around.

The 118th Military Police Company

(Airborne) out of Fort Bragg, N.C., along

with the IHP, held a grand opening for the

new interim National Iraqi Highway Patrol

Academy here Sept. 4.

“This is something we’ve been working on

for over a month now. The 118th MPs have

been working almost 12 hours a day, every

day, in getting this academy ready for completion,” said 1st Lt. Maurice A. McKinney,

an officer for the 118th MPs.

McKinney said that the buildings were

originally an old medical clinic, so the company had to convert it into a police academy.

“We had to thoroughly clean each building,

paint everything, provide furniture and airconditioning units and also wire the electricity for lighting,” said McKinney. “Lets just

say we had to do a serious police call.” 

McKinney went on to add that this academy will serve as one of the main training

Iraqi highway patrol

academy up and running

Doing their 

comic duty

WASHINGTON — More

than 90 percent of the Iraqi people support the efforts of U.S.

forces in their war-torn country, a

panel of Army and Marine field

commanders told the House

Armed Services Committee here

Sept. 8. 

All five officers based their

estimates on personal observation. 

Army Col. Michael

Linnington, who commanded a

101st Airborne Division brigade

in Iraq before assuming his current duties on the Joint Staff, told

the committee he found the Iraqi

people to be committed to the

same objectives as his Soldiers. 

“I spent a great deal of time my

last eight months in Iraq meeting

daily with Iraqi governmental

and ministerial leaders, tribal elders and border, customs and

security officials,” he said. “We

used all of these opportunities to

work together to identify issues,

come up with joint solutions and

work together for the betterment

of the people of Iraq. 

“In all of these interactions I

had, 99 percent of the Iraqis I met

with were happy for American

presence, concerned with

improving the quality of life for

their citizens and dedicated to the

future prosperity of their country.” 

Linnington acknowledged the

difference between Iraqis he

worked with and those he didn’t,

but said he still believes U.S.

forces do enjoy overwhelming

support in the country. 

“I’d say from my contacts,

being up north in Nineveh

province, it was about 99 percent

looking at us as liberators vs.

occupiers,” he said. “Of course,

those that saw us as occupiers

were usually trying to kill us, so I

didn’t see very much of them. I

would say if you took the Iraqi

people in whole, it had to be

greater than 90 percent saw us as

liberators. And they were routinely happy for our presence.” 

Maryland Rep. Roscoe G.

Bartlett asked the other officers

to provide their views on

Linnington’s estimate of Iraqi

support, based on their own

experiences. 

“I would say well above 95

percent,” said Marine Corps

Capt. Morgan Savage, who

served two tours in Iraq as a

company commander with the

3rd Battalion, 4th Marine

Regiment. “And if ever there was

a perceived indifference from the

Iraqi people, that can be (attributed) to a spike in anti-coalition

and anti-Iraqi force activity –

essentially, an element of coercion perhaps changing the perception of the Iraqi people. But

they understood why we were

there, and it was to help them,

and it was as liberators, not conquerors.” 

Savage said that since he

returned from Iraq on July 12,

media coverage he has seen has

depicted an Iraq quite unlike the

one he saw firsthand. “I haven’t

seen any good news stories about

what Soldiers, Marines, Airmen

and Sailors are doing,” he said. 

Vol. 2, No. 38 Baghdad, Iraq Sept. 17, 2004

SCIMITAR

Bloggin’

Soldiers tell stories 

from combat zone

Page 12

Officers cite overwhelming

Iraqi support for U.S. forces

By John D. Banusiewicz

American Forces 

Press Service 

See SUPPORT, Page 10

Pfc. Jonathan J. Springer

Page 16

Al Kut’s Al Kut’s

Tomahawk Tomahawk

Page 11

An Iraqi policemen scans the highways for any enemy activity near

Baghdad, Iraq, in late August. The 118th MP Company (Airbone),

with the help of the Iraqi Highway Patrol, opened the National Iraqi

Highway Patrol Academy located in Latifiya, Iraq, Sept. 4 after more

than a month of hard work.

Story and photo by 

Pfc. Jonathan J. Springer

16th Military Police Brigade 

Public Affairs

See HIGHWAY, Page 10
KIRKUK, Iraq — As part of their mission to improve economic growth and

development of the Kirkuk Province, 2nd

Brigade Combat Team’s Economic

Development Team reopened two banks

Aug. 29 after they were renovated with

Commander’s Emergency Relief Program

funds.

Devastated by fire and looting during the

war last year, the Baba Gurgur bank was

renovated with more than $29,000 for structural, plumbing and electrical repairs.

The Baba Gurgur bank offers eight banking services to approximately 15,000 banking individuals, government accounts and

private businesses in the area.

The second bank, EDT, facilitated funds

for was the Rafadain bank, which is the oldest bank in the city and was in need of serious repairs.

Due to faulty plumbing and inclement

weather, the Rafadain bank was suffering

from mildew and water damage. Also, the

vault which stored a weekly balance of 3.5

Billion Iraqi dinar and $800,000 U.S. was

secured by a broken gate.

More than $43,000 from CERP funds paid

for the renovations, plumbing and electrical

problems within the Rafadain bank. The

funds also covered the installation of air

conditioning units bought by the Coalition

Provincial Authority.

Bafreen Hana, who has worked at the

Rafadain bank for 23 years, said she is

pleased with the improvements to her workspace. 

“It is a very well [renovated] building,”

Hana said through an interpreter. “There is

good furniture, it is very clean and new

A/Cs, which makes the employees very

comfortable when they work.”

Hana went on to say she is grateful for the

assistance from the EDT and without them

the bank would be in bad condition. 

“If they didn’t do anything, we’d have big

problems and under these circumstances it

would be a horrible situation,” she said.

Following its improvements, the Rafadain 

BAYJI, Iraq — One of the latest

additions to Task Force 1-7’s capabilities is the Raven unmanned aerial vehicle.

Though not as large or capable as

some tactical UAVs, the Raven provides the task force with live-coverage capability previously available

only at higher levels of command.

UAV operations were not a part

of regular operations for TF 1-7

prior to deploying in support of

Operation Iraqi Freedom II. Trained

and equipped as a direct-support

field artillery battalion before this

deployment, the battalion transitioned to operating like the infantry,

in up-armored humvees as a

maneuver task force under the First

Infantry Division’s 2nd Brigade

Combat Team. Raven operators

were selected from within the task

force and sent to Kuwait for UAV

training.

UAV technology is not new to the

military inventory. However, since

they generally required long runways and skilled operators and

technicians, they were held and

managed at higher levels of command. While the intelligence

gleaned typically would make its

way down to the lower levels, they

did not offer the same responsiveness to the battalion task force.

Additionally, since the same UAVs

might have to support a number of

competing requirements, some

units might have to wait while other

requirements took priority.

With its own Raven, TF 1-7 has

the ability to perform almost immediate, on-demand overflights of

areas of concern for highly detailed,

real-time intelligence without risking Soldiers’ lives, greatly enhancing its situational awareness, task

force officials explained.

The Raven provides a number of

capabilities to TF 1-7, including

real-time, up-to-date, over-the-horizon views of trouble spots. Though

the Task Force is armed with a host

of modern imagery products, they

are unmatched by the live, detailed,

day or night coverage that the

Raven provides. It also allows TF

1-7 to conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance of danger

zones without committing Soldiers,

which also allows the task force to

monitor an area with a less obtrusive presence. “It’s a great asset to

help cover named areas of interest,”

said Capt. Tom LaFlash, the TF 1-7

intelligence officer.

Lt. Col. Kyle M. McClelland, the

TF 1-7 commander, said he is

impressed with the Raven.

In addition to proving invaluable

in the task force’s primary task of

supply-route security, the Raven

“also provides a perfect platform to

provide ISR of the critical Bayji

infrastructure, such as the oil refinery and thermal power plant,”

McClelland said.

With a moderate operational

range, the Raven provides up-to-the

minute intelligence over the target

area. Day and night, live video

capabilities let the Raven greatly

assist with the overall situation

awareness picture. The Raven can

fly automatically, navigating using

GPS technology and programmable

routes and target areas, or it can be

remotely flown by the operator

when necessary.

The Raven can be launched in 

Raven gives task force eye in the sky

Story and photo by 

Capt. Ryan M. Rooney

2nd Brigade Combat Team

Spc. Robert Everheart of Company A, 1-7 Infantry

launches a Raven unmanned aerial vehicle on an

early-morning reconnaissance mission.

Economic team funds

Iraqi bank renovations 

Iraqi Border Patrol

receives new weapons

MOSUL, Iraq — The Iraqi Border Patrol soldiers are better

equipped after receiving 550 new 9 mm handguns.

“The new weapons will allow the border patrol soldiers to

search cars easier,” said Lt. Col. Sabah-Aklawi.

According to Sabah-Aklawi, the 9 mm is more convenient for

the soldiers, but it will not replace the AK-47. Distribution of the

new handguns will start with the officers and then senior noncommissioned officers.

In addition to the new handguns and ammunition for them, the

soldiers received 650 holsters, 1,700 9 mm magazines and

30,000 AK-47 rounds.

“Each border patrol soldier will use this new equipment during their defense mission,” said Sabah-Aklawi.

See RAVEN, Page 10

Spc. Autumn Grimsley

EDT anticipates

banks will boost

economy of

Kirkuk Province

By Spc. Sean Kimmons

25th Infantry Division (Light) 

Public Affairs Office

See ECONOMIC, Page 10

Page 2 Scimitar Sept. 17, 2004
BASRAH, Iraq — After undergoing heart surgery in the United

Kingdom, Sagga Al Gazzey, the 7-

year -old daughter of a local tribal

chief, flew the last leg of her journey to her home here from Kuwait

in a Lynx helicopter. A team of

British Surgeons based at Shaibah

Field Hospital, Southern Iraq identified Sagga as requiring surgery.

The medical treatment was funded

from the Chain of Hope charity,

established in 1996 by Professor

Yacoub to help children from

developing countries

who suffered from

heart defects and who

could not afford to pay

for private treatment.

Earlier this year,

Sagga was diagnosed

as having a hole in her

heart. The operation,

undertaken at the

Royal Brompton

Hospital, Chelsea, was

a success. However,

Sagga she will return

to the UK with her

father in six months for

further treatment.

“The visit to Britain

was excellent,” said

Sagga’s father, Niam

Zeyan, who accompanied his daughter on

the trip. 

“The treatment was

excellent, and it was a

humanitarian service.” 

WASHINGTON — Some overseas service members have another way to vote in the

upcoming Nov. 2 elections, but they should

use it as a last resort, a senior Defense

Department official here said Sept. 1.

The alternative electronic voting method

would apply only to service members whose

local voting laws allow it, said Charles Abell,

the principal deputy undersecretary of

defense for personnel and readiness.

Service members stationed overseas who

want to vote in stateside elections should still

use the traditional absentee paper ballots sent

by mail, Abell said.

The electronic transmission service calls

for service members to first scan their

marked paper ballot into a computer primary

data file, Abell said. The file is attached to an

e-mail message that is sent stateside to

Pentagon contractors. The e-mailed ballot is

printed out by the contractors and is then

faxed to local voting officials for tallying.

Eligible service members are asked to use

the new system only as “a court of last

resort,” Abell said. Defense Department officials would prefer that overseas service

members mail their absentee ballots to local

officials, he said.

But electronically submitted balloting

remains an option for those who cannot mail

in their paper ballots because they have been

deployed or because their ballot is late catching up to them, Abell said.

Service members who elect to send their

votes in electronically will have to sign a

waiver acknowledging that the secrecy of

their ballot cannot be guaranteed. That is

why paper ballots remain “the most secure,

the most traditional means of getting their

vote in (and) getting it counted,” Abell said.

If troops serving overseas do not receive a

traditional paper absentee ballot from their

stateside voting jurisdiction, Abell said

another voting option is using a blank federal write-in ballot.

Overseas Voting Week, set for Oct. 11 to

15, reminds servicemembers that mailing

their ballots in that week, or earlier, should

help ensure that their votes get counted, he

said.

Service members overseas with questions

about how and when they should vote can

contact their local voting assistance officer.

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Nearly 200 Iraqi

and international construction contractors

heard Sept. 4 how reconstruction efforts

in the country’s southern region will soon

quicken, providing the southern region a

renewed infrastructure and additional

jobs.

The demands and opportunities that

come from the planned massive surge in

reconstructing the south served as the

keynote of the region’s first reconstruction forum at the Basrah International

Airport.

“This is a good opportunity for me and

my company to meet the people we hope

to be working with in rebuilding southern

Iraq,” said “Faiq”, a branch manager with

a Basrah-based general contracting and

engineering firm. “It is important for us to

get to know what kind of work is coming

and find business for general contracting

and engineering workers.”

The conference provided contractors an

overview of the $18.4 billion Iraqi

Reconstruction Relief Program, outlining

specific programs in each of the area’s

nine provinces and providing a point of

contact for each of the nearly 500 planned

projects for the region.

While major capital-improvement projects like railroads, upgraded port facilities

and additional road and bridge construction topped the list for bettering transportation across the desert south region,

small local projects also made the discussion during the afternoon conference.

“This is a two-prong effort; we have to

make the major capital improvements and

start many smaller local projects to show

visible progress as quickly as possible,”

said Col. Roger Gerber, the commander

of the Army Corps of Engineers Gulf

Region South District. “It is important

that power plants be renovated and water

treatment facilities be built to boost the

economy and quality of life for the Iraqi

people, but school and hospital renovations and water distribution systems are

also important steps in demonstrating

progress to the Iraqi people and putting

them back to work quickly. These smaller

projects are not as expensive but are just

as important.”

The more than 10 new medical clinics,

400 renovated schools and new police stations planned for the region are slated for

construction before the end of the year;

each aimed at improving the aging infrastructure of southern Iraq and adding

thousands of jobs across the region.

“We are proud of your presence today,

and I express my gratitude for your vision

and commitment to revitalizing Iraq,”

said Brig. Gen. Leonardo Dimarco, the

deputy commander of the Multi-National

Division South East. “We hope there will

be many more of these industry forums

with the aim of stimulating business in

southern Iraq.”

More than 100,000 Iraqi engineers and

laborers are currently employed across

Iraq, rebuilding the nation’s dilapidated

infrastructure.

“More projects are starting every day,

and more of Iraq will begin to see a difference as these projects come on line,” said

Brig. Gen Thomas Bostick, the commander of the USACE Gulf Region Division, a

predominantly civilian organization

charged with reconstructing Iraq. “Iraqi

and multinational firms began 285 new

projects during the first week of September

and more than a thousand are scheduled to

be started in the next 90 days.”

Sept. 17, 2004 Scimitar Page 3

Reconstruction firms hear plan

for rebuilding southern Iraq

By Bill Roberts

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf

Region Division Public Affairs

A British Army officer assists Sagga from

a Lynx helicopter at Basrah International

Airport. Sagga returned from the United

Kingdom where she underwent surgery

for a heart defect.

Iraqi child receives

medical aid in UK

Submitted by Multi-National

Division-South East Press

Information Center

Officials: Use electronic voting

from overseas as ‘last resort’

By Gerry J. Gilmore

American Forces Press Service

Basrah contractor forum aimed at bringing more jobs, work to region 

The place to access the latest MNF-I/MNC-I news 

and information is online. Check out 

www.mnf-iraq.com to stay informed.
WASHINGTON — The military is

bearing a large share of the global war on

terrorism and military personnel are handling the pressure “extraordinarily well,”

the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

said here Sept. 8. 

Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers said

during an interview that military members remember the events of Sept. 11,

2001, and that the sense of purpose they

felt in the days after the attacks in New

York and Washington is still fresh in

their minds. 

Myers said the service members

involved in the global war on terrorism

“clearly understand what the stakes are

and what this is all about.” 

The chairman said service members

also know that they brought hope to

more than 50 million people in

Afghanistan and Iraq. Myers also cited

American aid to the Philippines to defeat

Abu Sayyaf in Basilan Island and efforts

to secure the Horn of Africa with 1,400

U.S. troops based in Djibouti as other

examples of the missions American military members are doing. 

Military members and their families

know the United States is a nation at

war, Myers said. And they know the

coalition against terrorism is making

progress. Myers pointed out that in

Afghanistan, presidential elections will

be held Oct. 9. Under United Nations

supervision, more than 10 million

Afghans have registered to vote in the

first free elections in more than 30

years. What’s more, he said, about 42

percent of those registered are women. 

Under the Taliban, women couldn’t go

to school or receive medical care, let

alone vote. 

The chairman admitted that security

will remain a challenge and that he

expects violent factions in Afghanistan

to try to disrupt the elections and try to

stop progress. 

Contrasting Iraq today vs. Iraq in

March 2003 also is useful, the chairman

said. Before major combat, Saddam

Hussein used

brutal tactics to

keep the population under

control. U.N.

officials estimate that

Saddam and his

Baath Party

compatriots

killed outright

at least 500,000

people. Other

estimates put

the number

higher. 

Saddam had weapons of mass destruction and used them on his own people –

mostly the Kurds in the northern part of

the country – and against Iraq’s neighbors – against Iran during the 1980-1988

Iran-Iraq War, the chairman said. He

defied the United Nations resolutions put

in place after the first Gulf War and treated the oil-for-food program as his own

private bank. Saddam Hussein never

gave up the hope that the 19th province

in Iraq would be Kuwait, Myers said,

and he was shooting at coalition aircrews

every day as they enforced the northern

and southern no-fly zones. “And now

he’s in jail and will be on trial very shortly,” Myers said. 

The Iraqi interim government is “pretty much accepted as legitimate by the

Iraqi people,” the chairman said, and the

United Nations is shepherding the political process. Elections are scheduled for

January, with final elections set for

December next year. Schools and clinics

are open and working and the coalition is

working with

Iraqis to repair the

infrastructure

Saddam neglected.

“Iraq sent a soccer

team to the

Olympics,” Myers

said. The team did

well in the games

and “wasn’t beaten

for not winning a

medal,” as when

Saddam’s son ran

the country’s

sports program. 

The chairman

said that things are changing in Iraq, and

the troops who have contact with Iraqis

understand how much they appreciate

the changes. But Iraq “is still a very challenging environment and unfortunately

we still have a lot of tragedies over there

both for our troops and innocent Iraqi

citizens.” 

Myers said leaders understand that the

troops are fighting in tough nasty conditions. He said forces in Iraq fight in 120-

and 130-degree temperatures while

wearing full protective gear. Still, service members know it is “better to fight

extremists in Fallujah than it is to let

them fester there and fight them somewhere else,” Myers said. 

Myers thanked military members and

their families for their sacrifices. He said

Americans need to understand the sacrifices that American military members

and their families are making. “There are

parts of America that understand pretty

well,” Myers said. “There are others

probably where every day goes on and

it’s just another nice day in the United

States of America. They don’t have a

good appreciation for the sacrifices

made by others on their behalf.” 

But if those Americans think about it,

they will understand that what’s standing

between them and “perhaps the severest

threat our country has ever faced” is the

United States military. 

Myers said all Americans are counting

on service members. “Our children and

grandchildren are counting on them and

I’m very confident that they will do the

right thing,” he said. 

Myers said that when he travels in the

United States he always reminds

Americans that this is a nation at war. “I

think people need to be reminded,” he

said. “There are no Victory Gardens like

World War II. We’re not saving scrap

metal or rationing rubber and gasoline.

It’s pretty much business as usual for

most of the population. 

“On the other hand, the most important thing that we have when we go into

combat ... is the resolve of the American

people,” he continued. “With the

American people resolved, there’s no

issue at all.” 

Page 4 Scimitar Sept. 17, 2004

Editor in Chief

Staff Sgt. Christopher Land

Managing Editor

Sgt. Brian Stockhoff

Staff

Spc. Jeffrey Hillery 

Marine Sgt. Clinton Firstbrook

MNF-I Commanding General

Gen. George Casey

MNF-I PAO

Rear Adm. Gregory J. Slavonic

Command Information Chief

Maj. Patrick A. Swan 

The Scimitar is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Contents of this

paper are not necessarily the official views of or endorsed by the U.S. Government or Department of

Defense. The editorial content of this publication is the responsibility of the Public Affairs Office of

the Multi-National Force - Iraq. Stars and Stripes newspaper is not affiliated with MNF-I and acts only

as a distributing source for the Scimitar. Questions and comments should be directed to the editor at

cpiccmdinfo@baghdadforum.com.

The Scimitar welcomes columns, 

commentaries and letters from readers.

Send submissions to

cpiccmdinfo@baghdadforum.com.

We reserve the right to edit for propriety, clarity

and space.

The Scimitar can also 

be viewed on the Web at

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/

coalition-news/publications.htm

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service 

Joint Chiefs chairman says military handling

pressures of global war ‘extraordinarily well’

Make your vote count.

See your unit Voting Assistance 

Officer for more information.

“Better to fight extremists in Fallujah than it is to

let them fester there and

fight them somewhere

else.”

— Gen. Richard Myers

Joint Chiefs chairman
TIKRIT, Iraq — Task Force 1-18,

part of the 1st Infantry Division, held a

Partnership Day event at the “Birthday

Palace” at Forward Operating Base

Danger here Sept. 1. 

The partnership included the

Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 18th

Infantry Regiment; some members of

1st Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment;

the 201st Battalion, 30th Brigade Iraqi

National Guard and Iraqi police from

around the Tikrit area.

The participants competed in various events including the vehicle push,

buddy-aid litter carry, weapons assembly and disassembly relay and a soccer

tournament. Each team was made up

of American Soldiers and members

from the Iraqi security forces.

“Today is just a day to get together

and cut loose after all the hard training

and hard missions that we’ve been on

and just really to have a spirit of fellowship among those forces that work

real hard to make Tikrit a safe place,”

said Cpt. David M. Krzycki, the commander of Alpha Company, 1st

Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment.

The ING units with their respective

counter-parts competed for streamers

which where then placed on that company’s guidon.

“The most important thing out of

this is it helps build cohesion between

these units and fosters good relations,”

said Krzycki, a native of Sturgis,

Mich.

The event was the second

Partnership Day held here. 

WASHINGTON — Task Force

Uniform announced significant changes to

the Navy Uniform Regulations, which

were recently approved by Chief of Naval

Operations Adm. Vern Clark.

These changes are among the first initiatives being rolled out as a result of Task

Force Uniform. The uniform regulation

changes were made based on fleet input

from interviews with Sailors, command site

visits, comprehensive research and data

collected from a Navywide uniform survey.

The survey collected feedback from more

than 40,000 Sailors throughout the fleet.

The approved changes include women’s

skirts, identification badges, civilian bags,

women’s handbags, communication

devices and breast insignia. 

One of the changes effective immediately will be the authorized wear of civilian

bags while in uniform. This includes briefcases, gym bags, backpacks, suitcases and

garment bags. The specific guidance on

wear and appearance for each is outlined in

NAVADMIN 209/04. 

Another revision that is effective immediately is the wear of a wireless communication device, such as a cell phone, PDA or

pager for official business, while in uniform. The device cannot be visible from the

front and must be worn on the belt, aft of

the right or left elbow. Specific guidance

and further details on the proper wearing

and use of these devices is contained in

NAVADMIN 209/04. 

Female Sailors may now wear civilian

handbags while in uniform but must meet

the specific criteria and be worn in the manner prescribed in NAVADMIN 209/04.

Women’s uniform handbags are now an

optional uniform item and will no longer be

a prescribed seabag item or issued at recruit

training as of Oct. 1. 

In addition to the handbag, women’s

skirts will also be an optional uniform component as of Oct. 1. This applies to both

service and dress uniforms and may no

longer be prescribed. Female Sailors who

desire to wear a skirt will still be able to

purchase them through the Navy uniform

shop.

There is also new guidance regarding silver breast insignia and identification

badges. Specifications are outlined in the

NAVADMIN.

“In the fleetwide survey, we asked a lot

of detailed questions and received some

very detailed responses in return,” said

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy

(SS/AW) Terry Scott, who oversaw the

massive effort. “We were very pleased with

the level of participation in the survey and

the focus groups.”

These changes to the Uniform

Regulations are just the first in a number of

initiatives being produced by TFU. In addition to streamlining and simplifying the

uniform regulations, TFU is developing

concept uniforms for a working uniform

for E-1 through O-10 as well as a yearround service uniform for E-6 and below.

TFU plans to announce the uniform concepts in the coming weeks, and an

announcement about specifics of the wear

testing dates and areas to follow.

NAVADMIN 209/04 serves as the interim change to the Navy Uniform

Regulations. 

For related news, visit the MCPON’s

Navy NewsStand page at

www.news.navy.mil/local/mcpon.

FORWARD OPERATING

BASE DANGER, Iraq — For

Soldiers to fulfill their missions

in Iraq, they need to be culturally

aware.

While troops deploying to the

region in support of Operation

Iraqi Freedom II receive a short

briefing on what to expect when

interacting with the locals and

their environment, an in-depth

course has been designed at the

Peace Operation Training Center

in Zarka, Jordan.

National Guardsmen assigned

to the 1st Infantry Division in

support of Operation Iraqi

Freedom II received an opportunity during two five-day training

courses in late July.

About 100 Soldiers attached to

the 1st Infantry Division are slated to participate in the cultural

awareness course. Members of

the international military have

also attended the course. All

courses for the U.S. Soldiers are

taught in English. 

Col. Ali A. S. Almahasneh, the

commandant of the training center, said the facility in Jordan is

ideal for training because of its

proximity to Iraq. He said

Jordanians and Iraqis are culturally alike in many ways, from

religion to everyday customs. 

“Our main goal is to help

Soldiers have a better understanding of the Iraqi culture,” he

said. Course participants

immerse themselves in the culture with books, tapes and cassettes on the country. 

The cultural awareness program gives Soldiers a better

understanding of such topics as

the basic Arabic language, the

organization of Iraq’s society,

religion as well as the “do’s” and

“don’ts” when interacting with

the local people. During the

course, Soldiers are given the

opportunity to visit a village in

Jordan similar to those they will

find in Iraq. 

“They will be able to pass

through the local markets and

shops,” Almahasneh said. “Part

of the visit is recreational.”

Almahasneh said instructors

from the Peace Operation

Training Center have given

advice on cultural awareness

training for mobilizations. 

“We are the only regional

training facility in the Middle

East on peacekeeping issues,” he

said.

Almahasneh pointed out that

32,000 Soldiers from the

Jordanian army participated in

peacekeeping missions from

1989 to the present. 

Last fall more than 85 Soldiers

participated in three cultural

awareness courses at the training

center. From brigade commanders to noncommissioned officers,

those attending the course varied

in rank structure and responsibility.

Day one of training gave a cultural overview of Iraq to

Soldiers. Subsequent days saw

groups rotating through lanes

training to simulate what cultural

scenarios may arise while conducting everything from a checkpoint search to a convoy. Tactical

training procedures and cultural

awareness often go hand-in-hand,

Almahasneh said. 

Training for U.S. Soldiers was

initiated by Lt. Gen. David D.

McKiernan, the ommander of the

3rd United States Army.

“He discussed cultural awareness training for troops before

deployment to Iraq,” Almahasneh

said. “They found that this place

is the best place to train. We have

the appropriate training facility.”

An introduction to the POTC

course notes that while Soldiers

are trained to fight, “we train

them to make peace.”

Sept. 17, 2004 Scimitar Page 5

Cultural awareness crosses borders

By Spc. Sherree Casper

196th Mobile Public 

Affairs Detachment

Navy announces changes

in uniform regulations

Sgt. Winston O. Thomas of New Haven, Conn., dribbles the ball by

an Iraqi National Guard soldier during the Partnership Day soccer

tournament Sept. 1 in Tikrit. Thomas, a member of Alpha Company,

1st Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment, participated with Soldiers from

the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment; 201st ING Battalion and

local Iraqi police in the Partnership Day. 

By Task Force Uniform 

Public Affairs

ISF Partnership Day

Story and photo by 

Sgt. Roland G. Walters 

196th Mobile Public 

Affairs Detachment
MOSUL, Iraq — The University of Hawaii, with funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development,

is working with the University of Mosul and the University

of Dahuk to strengthen agricultural academic programs and

rebuild damaged learning facilities in northern Iraq.

Through the Hawaii-Iraq Partnership for Revitalizing

Agricultural Higher Education and Development, representatives from the University of Hawaii are in Dahuk and

Mosul working with the universities’ colleges of agriculture and forestry.

“Next to oil, agriculture is the second most important

thing for Iraq’s economy,” said Abduljabbar Salman, the

chief of party for the University of Hawaii who is working

on this project in Dahuk.

USAID gave a $3.8 million grant to improve higher education in Iraq. With this funding, the University of Hawaii

has helped to improve graduate degree training, establish

research fellowships, promote faculty development,

improve infrastructure, develop educational libraries and

provide electronic communications and internet access to

the universities.

Recently, the partnership hosted an agriculture workshopfor students and faculty from area universities. The

workshop focused on horticulture, food science, plant protection and agriculture economics. It provided an opportunity for students from different facilities to come together

and discuss ideas and learn. This workshop was the first of

its kind in northern Iraq.

The funding has also given students and faculty the

opportunity to study abroad. Students have had the chance

to complete graduate studies overseas, enabling them to

come back to Iraq as professors with knowledge of new

agricultural methods.

“The people of Iraq have been isolated for so long and

have not had the opportunity to get fresh ideas or learn

about new technology,” said Salman.

The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library, an electronic reference tool, providing access to more than 140

professional agricultural journals, is now available to students in Mosul and Dahuk. In addition to the electronic

library, computers with Internet access are now available to

the university students. 

Representatives from the University of Hawaii bought

modern farming equipment, soil testing and laboratory

equipment, chemicals and computer equipment for the universities. Animals were also purchased for learning purposes.

Although security has been a challenge for Salman and

those he works with, he said he still feels that the accomplishments made by the Hawaii-Iraq partnership are significant and will help to educate the future leaders of Iraq.

DALLAS — Many troops

serving in Iraq will soon receive

phone cards courtesy of

National Vision Inc. NVI, a

company that operates optical

stores at several AAFES

Exchanges, gave the Army &

Air Force Exchange Service’s

“Help Our Troops Call Home”

program a major boost with the

purchase of more than 1,000

Military Exchange Global

Prepaid Phone Cards. 

The total purchase of $40,000

was the result of a voluntary

collection by NVI associates

and independent eye doctors,

plus a match by NVI. NVI

recently presented the check for

the purchase to AAFES.

“We thought, gosh the ‘Help

Our Troops Call Home’ makes

it easier for everybody,” said

NVI CEO & President Reade

Fahs. “Phone cards are very tangible - they’re something the

troops need and they are easy

for us to provide. This is the

least we could do for people

who are serving our country.”

According to Fahs, response

from NVI Associates was

“instantaneous and huge.” In

total, more than 700 NVI associates and 40 doctors participated. 

The $40,000 worth of

Military Exchange Global

Prepaid Phone Cards will be

given by AAFES to the

American Red Cross for distribution to “any service member.”

Considering each $39 550-Unit

Military Exchange phone card

offers 139 minutes of calling

time between Iraq and the

United States, the $40,000 will

allow the American Red Cross

to supply more than 142,000

minutes of calls home. 

“As NVI found out, it’s really

easy to send support to

deployed troops with the ‘Help

Our Troops Call Home’ initiative,” said AAFES’ Commander

Maj. Gen. Kathryn Frost.

“Anyone can use the AAFES

program to send a phone card to

Iraq so that troops can call

mothers, fathers, husbands,

wives and children to say ‘I

love you, I’m safe, don’t

worry.’” Fifty-six AAFES call

centers throughout Operations

Iraqi and Enduring Freedom

have been critical in bridging

the gap between the front lines

and the home front. The

Military Exchange 550-Unit

Prepaid Phone Card offers the

best value for troops who enjoy

calls home from any of AAFES’

40 call centers in Iraq and

Afghanistan. Helping service

members stay in touch with

friends and family has never

been easier. Individuals, organizations and businesses can log

on to www.aafes.com and click

the “Help Our Troops Call

Home” link or call 1-800-527-

2345. Those wishing to pay for

troops to call home can send a

prepaid phone card to an individual at his or her deployed

address or to “any service member” deployed or hospitalized.

AAFES coordinates distribution

of donated cards addressed to

“any service member” via the

American Red Cross, USO, Air

Force Aid Society or the Fisher

House Foundation.

Page 6 Scimitar Sept. 17, 2004

National Vision Inc. teams with AAFES

and Red Cross to help troops call home

Submitted by AAFES

News Service

University of Hawaii-Iraq partnership

improves agriculture in Iraq

Abduljabbar Salman (third from right), the

chief of party, University of Hawaii, tours the

University of Dahuk college of agriculture with

multinational forces to see the work that has

been done to improve the facility through a

grant from the U.S. Agency for International

Development in cooperation with the

University of Hawaii.

Story and photo by Spc. Blair Larson

139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Worship is at 332nd Air Expeditionary

Wing Chapel, unless otherwise noted.

Catholic Daily Mass: Tuesday through Friday, 6

p.m.

Vigil Mass: Saturday, 6 p.m.

Confessions: 5-5:30 p.m. in the Blessed

Sacrament Room

Sunday Mass: 8 a.m.

POC: Chaplain Martin King at 459-0038

Protestant Traditional: Sunday, 9:30 a.m

Liturgical Communion: Sunday, 10:30

Gospel Service: Sunday, 11:45 p.m.

Contemporary Choir practice: Sunday, 6 p.m.

Contemporary Worship: Sunday, 7 p.m.

POC: Chaplain Michael Warner at 459-0038

Latter-Day Saints Lay-Led Service:

Friday, 8 p.m.

POC: Chapel staff, 459-0038

Jewish Lay-Led Service: Friday, 8 p.m.

POC: Chapel staff, 459-0038

Muslim (LSA Adder Chapel) Prayer:

12:30 p.m. and sunset daily

Bible Studies

Women’s: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. (chapel)

Men’s: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. 

(chapel annex)

Catholic: (RCIA) Thurs, 6:30 p.m. 

(chapel annex)

Catholic Sunday: 6:30 p.m.

(chapel annex) Men and Women

Thursday 7:30 p.m. 

(chapel annex)

LDS Study Thursday, 7:30 p.m. 

(chapel annex)

Tallil Air Base Religious Worship Services
WASHINGTON — The state

of readiness among today’s

reserve-component forces is

higher than it has been in the

nation’s history, the official

responsible for equipping and

training those forces said Sept.

9. 

Assistant Secretary of

Defense for Reserve Affairs

Thomas Hall said he believes the

high state of readiness among

National Guard and Reserve

troops is indicative of the goodness in the American people. 

“I believe the thing that has

been said about America and our

goodness is (that it) is not at all

in the science and not at all in

the equipment, but in all the people,” he said during an interview

with the Pentagon Channel and

American Forces Press Service. 

Hall said the Guard and

Reserve are representative of the

American people because they

are truly citizen-soldiers. He

added that he believes today’s

generation of young people has

the potential to be the next

“greatest generation.” 

“Sometimes we say the

younger generation is this or

that. I think what the younger

generation is today is patriotic,”

the secretary said. “And they are

answering the call to colors just

like their fathers, grandfathers

(and) grandmothers did throughout the past.” 

Today’s National Guard and

Reserve troops are deployed to

virtually every location and

every mission that requires

active-duty servicemembers.

“So when you look in the Sinai,

you look in Bosnia, Kosovo,

Afghanistan, Korea, Europe,

Iraq — almost anywhere in the

world — you’ll find guardsmen

and reservists alongside their

active-duty brethren,” Hall said.

“And in a totally integrated

force, that’s what you need.” 

Hall, a retired two-star Navy

admiral, said he believes recruiting and retention will be among

the greatest challenges facing

the reserve components in the

immediate future. With 400,000

guardsmen and reservists mobilized since Sept. 11, 2001, and

157,000 still activated today, he

said the war on terrorism has led

to the largest mobilization of

reserve-component troops since

the Korean War. 

Historically, Hall explained,

there has been a dip in retention

rates following major conflicts.

And, he added, there is no reason to believe this one should be

any different. “It’s a natural

thing,” he said. “When you’ve

been in a war or a combat situation and you come back from

that, you’re not always enthusiastic about immediately going

back to that. You need a decompression period. 

“So during that period of time,

some people will say this is just

not for me,” he added. 

So far, all the reserve components have met their retention

goals for fiscal 2004, which ends

Sept. 30. And all but one, the

Army National Guard, have met

their recruiting goals. Hall said

the Army Guard will end the fiscal year 2 percent below its endstrength goal due to a slight

recruiting shortfall, specifically

a shortage in recruiting priorservice troops. 

“Not as many people have

come out of the active Army to

join” the National Guard, he

said. 

The secretary noted recruiting

is always challenging, and it’s

vital “to ensure that we make

service in the Guard and Reserve

just as attractive as it always has

been.” 

Policymakers need to consider

what Hall called the “threelegged stool” — the individual,

the family members and the

employer. If all three are not

happy, chances are an individual

won’t re-enlist. “We have to

make sure that those three legs

are equal, (that) each one of

them agree or the stool will tumble over,” he said. 

In a message directly to the

reserve-component troops, Hall

urged them to thank their

employers, their families and

their communities. He said he’s

touched by how supportive

Americans are of their troops,

which is evident in heartfelt displays of support in towns and

cities across the country. 

“Once again,” he said, “it’s a

symbol (that) the strength and

the goodness of this country is in

our people and the way our people respond.” 

Sept. 17, 2004 Scimitar Page 7

Iraq in Brief

Soldiers provide medical supplies to Tal Afar Hospital

MOSUL, Iraq — Multi-National Forces from the 416th Civil

Affairs Battalion purchased additional medical supplies Sunday as

part of an ongoing effort to provide essential equipment for the Tal

Afar Hospital.

The Ninevah Directorate of Health analyzed the medical capabilities of the region and discovered Tal Afar to have the greatest

need of medical equipment.

Equipment included stomach tubes, gauze, bandages, gloves,

antiseptic, sutures and other surgical equipment. The Directorate of

Health has successfully delivered three supply trucks to the Tal Afar

Hospital thus far, totaling an estimated $14,000 worth of supplies

and equipment.

Multinational forces will continue to work closely with the

Directorate of Health to ascertain additional needs.

Multi-National Forces-Iraq renovates school

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A $99,960 Multi-National Forces-Iraq

school refurbishment project here will be complete by Oct. 20.

The school project is part of MNF-I's ongoing humanitarian and

reconstruction effort in the country.

The Ibn Al-Athir School, an elementary school in the city attended by 972 Baghdad students, will consist of 48 rooms and 40,000

square feet upon completion. Construction, which began Aug. 20,

includes work on interior and exterior projects, electricity, lighting,

sewer, window work, water storage, pumps, debris removal, painting and stripping, floor work and carpeting, general damage refurbishment and a water-proof projector and bell system.

The construction project is made possible through the

Commander's Emergency Response Program, otherwise known as

"CERP" funds, and is part of a larger effort aimed at giving commanders on the ground the power to fix important infrastructure

problems quickly.

To date, some 70 other schools have been renovated in the

Baghdad area under the program.

Civil Affairs efforts continued during fighting

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq — During combat operations in

Najaf, I Marine Expeditionary Force's 3rd Civil Affairs Group continued work on several projects that had been underway well before

militia forces triggered three weeks of fighting there.

Marines and Army civil affairs personnel are at various stages of

completion on projects that range from improving basic services to

those designed to provide residents with employment opportunities

and other options.

Construction of the Sadeer Canal in An Najaf and a new bridge

in Qadisiyah are almost complete. Repairs and reconstruction on

the An Najaf Teaching Hospital are ongoing. A flooding problem

has been stabilized and pipes and pumps are being brought in from

Baghdad to fix the problem.

Civil Affairs will help in the reconstruction of government buildings damaged in the fighting. New construction includes plans for

a building that will house the Provincial Council, which is currently collocated with the governor's office. 

Schools and mosques in both Najaf and Kufa will be refurbished,

repaired and, where necessary, rebuilt. A women's center for

Internet and newspaper access is under construction in Qadisiyah to

improve the flow of information to residents in the area.

Other projects include reconstruction of Misain and the Taha

Hussein School, Al Sahla Mosque in Kufa repairs, clean-up of the

Al Faris Al Arabi, Maarifa Nahil and Nabu Khuth Nasir Schools in

Najaf, and Qadisiyah Teachers Union construction.

IPS graduates 45 from Baghdad specialty courses

BAGHDAD, IRAQ — The Iraqi Police Service graduated 45

officers from two specialty courses at the Adnon Police Training

Facility here Sept. 9.

The courses are part of the Iraqi government's ongoing effort to

train its police forces in providing security in a free society.

The courses - a kidnap-negotiation class and drug-enforcementinvestigation class - represent two of eight distinct courses currently being conducted. The classes are intended to augment the standard eight-week basic training and three-week prior-service transition integration program courses all officers must complete before

entry into service.

Reserve component

readiness highest ever

By Kathleen T. Rhem

American Forces 

Press Service 

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. — For the

fourth year in a row, Air Force Reserve Command

recruiters exceeded the command goal.

They brought in 9,636 new recruits by the end of

August. Their goal was 9,600 by Sept. 30.

Besides making its goal early, the command had

its highest percentage of successful recruiters. Of

the 284 recruiters, more than 80 percent made their

goal.

Last year’s goal was 9,500 new recruits, and 79

percent of the recruiters made goal. The percentage of recruiters making goal has risen in recent

years – from 50 percent in 2001 and 60 percent in

2002.

“Most impressive was your push to access more

than 2,300 recruits during July and August alone,

demonstrating your urgency to man AFRC,” wrote

Lt. Gen. John Bradley, the AFRC commander, in a

message to the recruiters. “I know I can count on

your continued aggressive recruiting efforts. ...

You continue to lead the Department of Defense in

accessions per production recruiter.”

Col. Francis Mungavin, the AFRC Recruiting

Service commander, attributed the recruiters’ success to several factors and said no one individual

made it happen.

“It was a team effort; great recruiters, leadership, our training program, the support staff and

infrastructure behind the recruiters,” the colonel

said. 

Air Force Reserve Command has about 75,800

reservists who train and deploy regularly. The

command hires new recruits with no prior military

experience, as well as veterans.

Air Force recruiters exceed

goal for new recruits 

From Air Force Print News
CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq — In a

country which feels impossibly far

away, a letter or package can deliver a

little piece of home to the field. This

year, these special deliveries come to

Iraq faster.

During the first year of operations in

Iraq, mail could take more than two

months to finally reach a Marine in the

field. Now, it takes two weeks or less.

“It’s a 180-degree turn around from

last year,” said Staff Sgt. Ramon

Arredondo, 34, with the 1st Force

Service Support Group’s main post

office here.

Postal clerks in the Marine Corps

were overwhelmed by the amount of

mail being sent to Iraq last year. Some

units were assigned more clerks than

they needed, while others were left

lacking. As a whole, there was just too

much mail for the personnel to deal

with under the war time conditions,

said Arredondo.

Additionally, it was difficult for the

clerks to anticipate where the mail

would be able to catch up to the unit it

was intended for because the nature of

operations in Iraq last year kept many

Marines on the move, said Arredondo,

a native of Sanger, Calif.

In 2003, mail sent from the West

Coast was forwarded to the East Coast

before being sent overseas. This

increased both delivery time and shipping costs for the sender, said

Arredondo.

This year, mail is sent overseas from

both San Francisco and New York.

Instead of arriving in Kuwait, as it did

last year, mail is now flown directly to

the Baghdad International Airport and

then moved along by convoys and

cargo planes its final destination.

During the combat stages of

Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, convoys sent out of Kuwait were laden

with troops, food, water and ammunition. Mail was not the first priority, so

mountains of letters and packages piled

up waiting to be pushed forward into

Iraq, said Arredondo.

Increases in civilian and military

postal personnel, transportation

improvements, stationary bases of

operation and better equipment are the

major factors leading to this year’s

superior service.

The Military Postal Service Agency

in San Francisco has provided one of

the biggest improvements: a multimillion dollar machine that presorts the

mail by location and unit before sending it overseas, said Arredondo.

Additionally, civilian contractors with

KBR sort the mail even further when it

arrives in Iraq, which allows Marine

postal clerks to focus on getting bags

of mail — rather than individual letters

— to the correct unit.

Page 8 Scimitar Sept. 17, 2004

By Lance Cpl. Stephen Driscoll

1st Service Support Group 

Public Affairs

Postal improvements in Iraq

something to write home about

A postal clerk with the 1st Force Service Support Group carries boxes to a unit's mail bin Saturday at Camp Taqaddum, Iraq. Several postal improvements, including presorted mail, established bases and scanners that track shipments, are resulting in faster delivery to Marines in Iraq this year. In

2003, mail could take as long as two months to arrive in the hands of troops. Currently, mail sent from the United States takes approximately two

weeks to arrive. Since March, 1st FSSG postal Marines have shipped approximately 10 million pounds of mail in or out of Iraq. The 1st FSSG is responsible for the Marine Corps' mail delivery in Iraq.

See POSTAL, Page 9

Staff Sgt. Bill Lisbon
Mail was often sorted in cramped tents

last year, but now, Marines at Camp

Taqaddum sort the mail in a warehouse.

This allows room for large bins organized by location and unit, helping prevent mail from being misplaced, said

Arredondo. Mail is then either delivered

on base or sent on to other locations such

as Camps Fallujah, Al Asad and Blue

Diamond.

Accurate zip code assignments for

each base further increase speed. Also,

the Marines here are the first in Iraq to

use hand-held bar-code scanners to

track mail by scanning presorted boxes.

This ensures that the mail is moving

where and when it should be, said Chief

Warrant Officer Donald Darling, 41, the

I Marine Expeditionary Force’s postal

officer from Temecula, Calif.

Upon its arrival on a base, mail is

normally delivered within 24 hours.

In 2003, 135 congressional investigations were launched after service members and their families sent scores of

letters to Congress complaining about

the slow service. This year, not a single

investigation into military mail has yet

arisen, said Darling.

While mail can always go astray due

to incorrect addressing, letters and packages sent to Iraq also have to contend

with the possibility of attacks on transport convoys. Arredondo said that so far

only two truckloads have been lost to

rocket-propelled grenades in transit to

and from Camp Taqaddum. More than

9.4 million pounds of mail have moved

in and out of Taqaddum since March.

“The mail this year is as reliable as

the mail back home,” said Cpl. Daniel

Pertl, 23, a mechanic from Erie, Pa.,

currently serving his second deployment

in Iraq with 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine

Regiment’s Truck Detachment.

“It’s good to have a reliable mail

service in such an unreliable environment,” said Pertl.

Sept. 17, 2004 Scimitar Page 9

Above: Lance Cpl. Jose A. Vargas, a postal clerk with the 1st Force

Service Support Group, places a box in a unit’s mail bin Saturday, at

Camp Taqaddum, Iraq.

Below: Sgt. Jose A. Felix, a postal clerk with the 1st Force Service Support

Group, scans the bar code on the tag of a bag of mail Saturday, at Camp

Taqaddum, Iraq, to log its arrival there.

Lance Cpl. Jose A. Vargas, a postal clerk with the 1st Force Service

Support Group, carries a box to a unit’s mail bin Saturday, at Camp

Taqaddum, Iraq. 

POSTAL Continued from Page Eight

Staff Sgt. Bill Lisbon

Staff Sgt. Bill Lisbon

Staff Sgt. Bill Lisbon
Page 10 Scimitar Sept. 17, 2004

facilities for the IHP. 

“Standing up the IHP is one of the top priorities of the 16th Miliatry Police Brigade,” said

Master Sgt. Scott Dooley, the operations sergeant for the 118th MPs “This academy will

offer a vigorous four-week course that will

cover a broad range of law-and-order operations.”

Dooley commented that the month-long

course will cover first aid, advanced weapons

training, drivers training, ethics, convoy security, crime-scene investigation and survival

skills.

“We had a vision for this, and today we have

accomplished the first step of our goal with the

opening of this academy. This is something

that will really benefit the Iraqis and ourselves,” said Dooley.

McKinney added that Soldiers from the

118th will also be teaching the courses there,

and they will be using NCO-academy type

instruction as a foundation for their classes.

“We want to keep them motivated throughout the course and interested in class,” said

McKinney.

Along with instructing the IHP cadets,

Dooley said the 118th MPs will also be providing force protection for the training academy.

“This thing is going to make a huge difference for this country and its people. It has really inspired this company and it makes me feel

good to know we are doing 

something like this,” said Dooley.

IHP patrolmen commented that they have

become great friends with the 118th MPs and

working together to open the academy has fostered good relationships.

“We share much happiness with the

Americans, and they are doing a wonderful

job. There are so many good people here,” said

Majid Mhsen Mekan, an IHP sergeant, speaking through a translator.

Mekan said the facility is good news for the

Iraqi people and the policemen here.

“It’s good that I will be able to learn new

techniques that will better myself as a police

officer,” said Mekan. “I am very grateful for

the Americans help.”

“We are mainly focused on law-and-order

training. We want to give the tools needed to

survive out there,” said Capt. Jon P. Myers, the

commander for the 118th MPs.

Myers said that everyone involved is going

to set the academy and the police officers up

for success because this plays a key role in

providing a secure Iraq.

“By training these Iraqi police to keep the

highways safe, we are in essence teaching

these IHPs to take over our current mission of

convoy security, highway patrols and law-andorder operations,” said Myers.

bank becomes even more of a key

player in Kirkuk’s economy with

its 34,000 banking individuals,

government accounts and private

businesses who utilize its banking

services.

“We realize that these [renovated] banks are really to show the

locals how much of an impact the

banking system will have on the

local economy,” said Sgt. Carlos

Ustoy, the EDT noncommissioned

officer in charge. “These two projects alone affect many people who

collect salaries and pensions. It’s a

good way to reach out to the public.”

The banking system in this

province is still in its infancy stage.

The EDT is planning to do similar

renovations to the other 12 staterun banks in hopes of increasing

the economy throughout the

province, said Ustoy, who is also a

Soldier with Detachment D, 451st

Civil Affairs Battalion out of

Pasadena, TX.

But how can banks that are pleasing to the eye alter the economy of

a province one million people

strong? It secures the confidence of

local and international banking

customers, for one, Ustoy said. 

“Instead of seeing a substandard

bank where you wouldn’t want to

store the money you have just

earned, [bank customers] can go to

a bank that actually looks like a

bank,” Ustoy said.

An improved economy could

also safeguard multinational forces

and Iraqi people against forces that

use the weak economy as a recruiting tool, said Capt. Don Herzog, a

financial advisor with the EDT.

“The bottom line is that we help

create a stable economy here, and

by helping the economy in the

Kirkuk Province, it will have a

direct effect against anti-Iraqi

forces,” said Herzog, who also

commands Det. D, 106th Finance

Bn. from the 1st Infantry Division. 

“With a stable economy, the

majority of people in Iraq will have

productive and safe lives on a dayto-day basis; therefore, they’ll be

more likely to work against any

AIF efforts.”

Right now, only the second of

three phases in Kirkuk Province’s

banking system makeover is underway. The second phase is to renovate other banks throughout the

province, and the third phase will

be to connect the banks through the

Internet.

“It’s like any branch of your bank

in the states. If you do a transaction, that transaction will be sent

out to all the other banks so your

account will read the same,”

Herzog said.

HIGHWAY Continued from Page One ECONOMIC

Continued from Page Two

just minutes, by hand, into the air like

a model airplane. It lands itself by

auto-piloting to a near-hover and

dropping to the ground, without

requiring landing gear or carefully

prepared landing strips. Since it is

launched and recovered in this manner, it does not require elaborate support facilities and is suited to a forward-deployed unit like TF 1-7. Its

automated features and GPS technology also make it simple to operate,

requiring no specially skilled operators or in-depth flight training.

RAVEN Continued from Page Two

Army Capt. Patrick Costello, who commanded an air defense artillery battery in 

Iraq, agreed. “In the six months that I’ve

been back from Iraq, I find it very difficult

to watch the news, because I think it’s a

complete misrepresentation of what is

actually going on there on a day-to-day

basis,” he said. Having told the committee

he believes about 90 percent of Iraqis see

U.S. forces as liberators, he noted his belief

that media coverage in the United States

paints the opposite picture. “It makes it

seem like it’s 90 percent of the Iraqi people

don’t appreciate what has happened for

them, and see us as occupiers,” he said.

“Every experience that I had in Iraq was

completely to the contrary.” 

Army Lt. Col. Jeffrey Springman, who

commanded the 3rd Battalion in support of

the 4th Infantry Division in Iraq, served in

an area notorious for attacks against U.S.

forces. “I served in the Sunni Triangle,” he

said, “and even there I would agree with

the 90 percent figure seeing us as liberators

and as the best hope for the future, working

with us.” 

He concurred that the good news from

Iraq wasn’t being reported. “I also agree

that while I served there, I don’t think the

good news was being put out,” he told

Bartlett and the committee. “There was a

lot more good news than bad news, that’s

all. And I wish, you know, the news media

could have seen the towns that we went

into as we went into them, and then a year

later when we left to see how active business was and how secure they were compared to the time we moved in, sir.” 

Marine Corps Lt. Col. Bryan P. McCoy

commanded the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine

Regiment and served on two Iraq deployments. He acknowledged that the Iraqi

people, as any people would, wanted their

country back but said they understood that

U.S. forces were trying to make that happen. 

“I would say in excess of 90 percent saw

us as liberators, not occupiers,” he said.

“They very well saw what we were providing for them and were happy to have

us.” 

Savage recalled the Iraqi people’s reaction when they were first liberated from

Saddam Hussein’s regime. “At that time,

the Iraqi people, regardless of what they

had suffered for many years, were in a state

of euphoria,” he said. “This is demonstrated by the fact that as we patrolled the

streets of Baghdad, we would constantly

be met by Iraqis, be it vendors or families

coming out of their homes, to offer us

fresh-baked bread, sodas or artifacts from

their personal life – things from their personal life that told us a story. 

“And sometimes they didn’t even have

to offer us anything; we could look at them

and see perhaps that either through service

to their country or through torture what

some of their experiences had been,”

Savage continued. “As we operated in

Baghdad, the Iraqi people were also willing to help us locate enemy forces, which

demonstrated the fact that they understood

our intent and what we were trying to do,

and for the common Iraqi person, we were

there to help them.”

SUPPORT Continued from Page One

Do the

right thing.

Remember

General

Order

Number

One.
AL KUT, Iraq — When radical Shia

cleric Muqtada al Sadr’s militia were

wreaking havoc on the citizens of southern Iraq during the first weeks of

August, the militiamen did not expect a

visit from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry

Division (Stryker Brigade Combat

Team). 

On August 12, three companies –

Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry

Regiment; Company C, 1st Battalion,

23rd Infantry Regiment and Company

A, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment

– formed Task Force Tomahawk and

headed south to decrease enemy activity

in the Al Wasit Province. Before the

Stryker Soldiers traveled 500 kilometers

from their area of operations in the

Ninevah Province to Al Wasit, the antiIraqi forces launched several large-scale,

organized attacks against the Iraqi security forces and destroyed a slew of government buildings.

When the task force arrived in Al Kut,

Al Wasit, there were no enemy forces in

sight. 

“The anti-Iraqi forces have hid and

gone to ground,” said Brig. Gen.

Richard Formica, the commander of

Task Force Thunder, the command-andcontrol element for Tomahawk.

All that was left of the militia were al

Sadr propaganda posters hanging on

street corners and a few weapons

caches. However, officials said the

potential for civil unrest and violence to

spread was still high. The majority of

the Al Wasit population is Shia and

many support al Sadr. Despite no obvious enemy presence, Stryker Brigade

Soldiers continued to work with area

security forces to ensure peace. 

“As soon as we arrived, we hit the

militia’s headquarters and found a lot of

bomb-making materials and ordnance,”

said Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Ward, a

platoon sergeant with Company A, 5th

Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment. 

The three weeks they were in Al Kut,

the Stryker Soldiers continued to operate

as if they were under constant threat of

attack. They conducted daily patrols,

addressed concerns of the local population and searched suspected militiamen’s

homes. Although they quickly adapted

to their new surroundings, the Soldiers

admitted it was challenging conducting

missions in towns they were unfamiliar

with.

“The terrain is a lot different in Al Kut

than Mosul. Mosul is mostly an urban

environment and we know the streets

pretty well there,” said Sgt. John

Bradyof Company C, 1st Battalion, 23rd

Infantry Regiment. “We had good maps

and reconnaissance photos before coming to Al Kut, so once we were able to

see the places we’d been studying, it

wasn’t that difficult to get around. I

think it’s impressive that we were able

to move a battalion-size element down

here and immediately begin operating in

an area we’ve never been to before.”

Of all the combat units in Iraq, said

Lt. Col. Buck James of Task Force

Tomahawk, the Stryker Brigade Soldiers

were chosen to secure the Al Wasit

Province because of the Stryker vehicle’s outstanding tactical mobility and

agility. 

“With our tactical ability and combat

power, we have the capability to efficiently cover a lot of ground quickly,”

said James, commander of the 1st

Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment. “Al

Wasit is a large area and is mostly made

of small towns and agricultural areas, so

it’s important that we can move quickly

to reach the objective.”

Ward said while they were in Al Kut,

the entire task force was given a mission

that required them to travel 260 kilometers to a town near Baghdad.

“We are a self-sustaining unit,” he

said. “We carry everything we need.

There are not too many units that can

drive 260 kilometers, hit a target with

the type of firepower we have and come

back before daylight.”

Ward said al Sadr’s militia probably

packed their bags and left town after

they saw the first Stryker. “I think the

Stryker vehicle has a mystique to it,” he

said “The word is out in this country

about us.”

Sept. 17, 2004 Scimitar Page 11

Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Ward greets Iraqi children outside of an Iraqi

police station in the Al Wasit Province Aug. 24. As a part of Task Force

Tomahawk, three battalions from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division

(Stryker Brigade Combat Team) were sent 500 kilometers away from

their normal area of operations, Ninevah Province, to stabilize the Al

Wasit area. 

Story and photos by 

Sgt. Fred Minnick

139th Mobile Public 

Affairs Detachment

Sgt. Brett Moore (standing) and Spc. Fernando Legaspe secure a busy

intersection outside of a police station in the Al Wasit Province Aug. 24.

The members of Company A, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment is

normally stationed in the Ninevah Province.

Stryker Brigade

Soldiers conduct

operations in Al Kut

Task Force Tomahawk takes

Stryker Soldiers 500 kilometers

from thier area of operations to

the Al Wasit Province of Iraq
MOSUL, Iraq — With an

Internet connection, Soldiers can

send and post messages around

the world. Instants after an event

happens, the details can be transmitted back to family and friends

in the form of e-mails and with

new simple technology, can be

posted in seconds on one of the

Web’s fastest-growing trends, a

weblog.

A weblog is a personal Web

site that contains dated entries of

personal opinions, thoughts and

essays. Weblogs, or “blogs,”

often feature links to news articles or other blogs on the

Internet. Blogs have become

popular recently because of Web

services such as Blogger, which

make blogging possible even for

those who aren’t familiar with

website administration.

This new technology is becoming an alternative perspective to

traditional news sources. With

bloggers in every country, every

conflict and from every walk of

life, people can access online

personal accounts of daily events

in addition to news coverage.

Soldiers’ blogs give the public a

more personalized and realistic

view of the military and help to

educate the public on the Army’s

mission here. 

“Very few people can relate to

the idealized image of perfection

that comes in a GI Joe box, but

everybody can relate to a 19-

year-old private who has a real

life and wife and kids, one who

suffers and complains and then

saddles up anyway and gets the

job done like Soldiers always

have,” said Soldier and blogger

Staff Sgt. Jack Robison, whose

blog, “An American Soldier,”

highlights his life as a basic training drill sergeant.

While phones aren’t always

accessible in a combat zone,

many Soldiers overseas have

access to the Internet through

Morale, Welfare and Recreation

facilities. Weblogs are an alternative to e-mails for Soldiers to

keep in touch with families and

friends. Through a weblog,

Soldiers can post a running personal account of daily events that

is always available for view.

Soldiers can also receive and

respond to comments from readers through the blog’s comments

feature.

“At first, my blog was a way

to keep my friends and family

updated, but as folks outside my

immediate family and friends

began hearing about it, it grew

rather quickly,” said Sgt. Chris

Missick. “With more people

reading it, I became much more

cognizant of what it was I was

writing.”

Just as blogs can provide family and friends with information,

blogs can also provide an opportunity for the enemy to gain valuable information that can be used

in future attacks. What may seem

like innocent information could

be valuable knowledge to someone who knows what they are

looking for. Much of the information that is collected by terrorist organizations is a compilation

of information gathered from

unclassified sources. 

Soldiers are representatives of

the U.S. military and their words

can be taken to reflect the views

of the U.S. military. Because

what is posted on a weblog is

free to the public, it can be used

by the media and quoted to represent the facts and opinions of

the military. In this sense, the

views of a disgruntled specialist

could be published as the views

of all servicemembers, putting

the military in a bad light.

“I try not to divulge any information in my blog that I don’t

have to. I know that things that

seem innocent to most people

could be put together by a skilled

analyst and paint a bigger picture,” said Robison.

Subjects that are not acceptable

to speak about on the phone or in

letters or e-mails are also off limits to publishing on the Web.

There is currently no specific

military policy regarding

weblogs, but the Department of

Defense lays out basic operational security guidance in its

Directive 5205.2. 

Some important areas of sensitivity in military situations are:

military movements, activities,

specific unit information and

base security. 

Specific times or dates of

future operations or movements

should never be disclosed, the

directive states. Even figures

such as guard-duty hours or specific work hours shouldn’t be discussed. The enemy, like a thief or

robber, watches for patterns to

learn when the best time to strike

is.

Some bloggers have come up

with suggestions about how to

keep sensitive information out of

their posts.

1st Lt. Jason Van Steenwyk

served as the executive officer

for a light infantry company in

Iraq before he returned to the

U.S. in March. His blog,

“Countercolumn,” was seen by

an average of 2,000 people each

day in January. His advice to

other Soldiers who want to start

blogging is to “concentrate on

how the war affects the people

around you and how those

around you cope with fear, stress,

boredom, loneliness and tell

those stories honestly and you

won’t violate opsec.”

As a communications specialist, Missick deals with operational security issues every day

and knows the consequences that

can occur when information gets

into the wrong hands.

“My one suggestion is to question everything you write. I look

at every post and say to myself,

‘Does this put any Soldiers’ lives

or security at risk or does this

reveal any information that

would be beneficial to the enemy

and does this portray the military

in a negative light?’ If I ever

have to answer yes to any of

these questions, I simply won’t

post it,” he said.

In addition to proofreading,

leadership can offer suggestions

and a second opinion when operational security is in question. A

noncommissioned officer or officer in your chain of command

can provide a more specific idea

of what may or may not be sensitive information in your area of

operation. 

After reading his blog,

Missick’s command set some

basic rules and encouraged him

to continue writing. “My commander said that my blog so far

was great and gave me a list of

items that I need to stay away

from discussing. I have followed his suggestions thoroughly. From day one, they never discouraged me from writing and

said they felt it was beneficial for

me and my readers.”

The Army has long encouraged Soldiers to write about their

experiences as a way of dealing

with the psychological impacts of

war. Blogging can be a way for

Soldiers to do this, as long as

they keep operational security in

mind. 

“I think most soldiers, once

they step back and look at the big

picture, would understand the

need for some moderation,” said

Robison. “I am proud of the

Army and of my job, so I let that

show in my writing.”

Page 12 Scimitar Sept. 17, 2004

Soldiers’ blogs become more popular,

cause concern for security

By Spc. Blair Larson

139th Mobile Public 

Affairs Detachment

“At first, my

blog was a way

to keep my

friends and family updated ...

With more people reading it, I

became much

more cognizant

of what it was I

was writing.”

— Sgt. Chris Missick

“I try not to

divulge any information in my

blog that I don’t

have to. I know

that things that

seem innocent to

most people could

be put together

by a skilled analyst and paint a

bigger picture.”

— Staff Sgt. 

Jack Robison 

International Zone palace 

Military Pay Office

Hours of Operation

Military pay inquiries

Saturday - Thursday

9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Cashier

Every day but Friday

9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Located in the basement at the rear of the International Zone palace.

Also located at the Joint Contracting Finance and Resource

Management Office near the 31st Combat Support Hospital.
AL ASAD, Iraq — While in Iraq, the

Marine Corps has been taking advantage

of their air superiority in the fight against

terrorism.

The ability to use Marine aircraft for

reconnaissance, support of ground troops

and attack has been invaluable for U.S.

commanders and although pilots traditionally receive the lion’s share of the

glory for their exploits, there are leathernecks behind the scenes who keep Marine

aircraft flying high.

The Marines of Ground Support

Equipment, Marine Aviation Logistics

Squadron 16, Marine Aircraft Group 16,

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing don’t rest until

all the equipment needed to assist aircraft

is in proper working condition.

“We fix and maintain all the gear that

supports the aircraft,” said collateral duty

inspector Staff Sgt. Brian M. Rioux, q

support equipment technician with

MALS-16.

The amount of equipment needed to

support an aircraft is vast, and a lot of

hard work goes into its repair. It is

Roiux’s job to make sure it’s done correctly.

“This isn’t an easy job,” said the 26-

year-old native of Lucie, Fl. “The training

alone is over a year long. We have electricians, mechanics and cryogenics specialists who work with nitrogen and oxygen

for the pilots (to breathe) while in the

air.”

Because of the magnitude of expertise

the Marines of GSE possess, there have

been numerous

projects

assigned to

them; some

even requiring

they go above

and beyond their

usual duties.

“We normally

only work on

things like tow

trackers, cranes,

generators and

weapons loaders,” said Rioux,

“but we’ve also

had to work on

trucks and other

things that need

to be (fixed) on

base.” 

Located in the

western Iraqi

desert, where the

harsh sand and

extreme heat can

take a heavy toll

on equipment, the

GSE Marines

must be flexible

and able to adjust

to their surroundings to keep

equipment in a

ready status.

“Stuff is breaking down all the

time,” said Rioux.

“Sand clogs filters

and the heat

breaks down

mechanics, but we

learn to adapt to

our environment,

and so far we’ve

been pretty successful.”

The Marines

who work in this

job field have to

stay focused and

keep sharp to

ensure that equipment that requires

repair is fixed in a

timely manner.

“Sometimes we have to fix stuff on

demand,” said 26 year-old Rochester,

Mich., native Sgt. George R. Singer, a

support equipment technician with

MALS-16. “Something might break down

right there on the flight line and we’ll

have to repair it.”

The enthusiasm and commitment the

ground support equipment Marines show

toward their jobs is high. 

“I love being able to do what I was

trained to do,” said Singer.

“(Ground support equipment repair) is

a pretty important job,” added 21-year-old

Lance Cpl. Jason M. Yost, a support

equipment technician with MALS-16.

“Without working gear, the planes wouldn’t even be able to fly.”

According to Yost, the opportunity to

serve in a real war zone has allowed him

to gain more knowledge about his job

than he ever could have in garrison.

“I’ve learned a lot more out here than I

ever did back in the rear,” said the

Hollywood, Fla., native.

Even though their duties are challenging and they perform them with little or

no fanfare, 21-year-old Lance Cpl. Laura

A. Clark, another MALS 16 support

equipment technician and a Tucson, Ariz.,

native, said she is able to stay motivated

and keep her morale up.

“I know that what we do out here is

important,” said Clark, “and that alone is

enough to keep me going.”

Sept. 17, 2004 Scimitar Page 13

Marines repair flight

equipment in Iraq

Story and photos by 

Cpl. Joel A. Chaverri

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing 

Public Affairs

Lance Cpl. Laura A. Clark, a support equipment technician

with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 16, Marine

Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, reaches deep

into an NC-10 generator to repair a broken component in Al

Asad, Iraq, Sep. 7. Clark is one of the Marines of the MALS16 ground support equipment section and is responsible

for helping repair essential aircraft-related gear.

Sgt. George R. Singer, a support equipment technician

with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 16, Marine

Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing tests a vehicle battery at Al Asad, Iraq, Sept. 7. Singer is a member

of the ground support equipment section, responsible

for helping repair essential gear that allows aircraft to fly.
MOSUL, Iraq — On many

of the street corners here, there

is a young child with a pack of

cigarettes, tissues, sodas or

some other item to sell to drivers as they wait for the traffic

signal to turn from red to green.

They approach car windows

begging passengers to buy their

goods. Some of these children

work as many as 12 hours a day

to be rewarded at the end of the

day with only a dollar.

Many may wonder why these

children aren’t in school. War

and poverty have left many of

Iraq’s children fatherless, forcing them to leave their studies

at a young age to care for their

families. 

An organization started by a

Soldier who recently returned

from Iraq is bringing attention

to the plight of young Iraqi children who must work to support

their families and cannot attend

school.

Spc. Dave McCorkle served

with the 318th Psychological

Operations Company here last

year. During his visits to the

city, he befriended a local child

who sold cigarettes on the

streets and changed the boy’s

life by offering to pay his family $60 each month in return for

a promise that the boy go to

school. This encounter had such

a profound effect on

McCorkle’s life that he decided

to start a nonprofit organization,

offering people around the

world the opportunity to give an

Iraqi child the chance at an education by donating enough

money each month to sustain

the child’s family while he

attends school.

His organization, American

Aid for the Children of

Ninevah, Iraq, has helped more

than 40 Iraqi children since

February through the donations

of their sponsors, many of

whom are active-duty and

reserve servicemembers or military retirees. McCorkle said he

feels that Soldiers are especially

drawn toward helping these

children because they care

deeply for the people of Iraq.

“Soldiers want their efforts

and sacrifices to result in something good and worthwhile,”

said McCorkle. “They have

seen the suffering here and they

want it to end for the innocent

people, especially for the children.”

Maybe they can’t solve all of

the problems in Iraq themselves,

but through this program, servicemembers can immediately

impact the life of one Iraqi child

or one Iraqi family and feel like

they have made a difference.

Education in Iraq

Children under 15 make up

almost half of the population of

Iraq, but according to the

United Nations Children’s

Fund, an estimated 20 percent

of these children do not attend

school. 

Education in Iraq was not

always in this condition. Prior

to the reign of Saddam Hussein,

Iraq’s education system was

comparable with most developed nations. 

According to UNICEF,

enrollment in primary school in

Iraq reached almost 100 percent

in the early 1980s. However,

after two decades of war, school

enrollment dropped to just 50

percent.

Kids working on the streets

The effects of sanctions and

misuse of Oil for Food program

funds under Saddam Hussein

left many Iraqi families impoverished and malnourished.

Coupled with the effects of war,

many children have grown up

knowing only hunger and

poverty. 

In a society where women are

just beginning to be accepted

into the workforce, working

isn’t always an option for a

widowed mother with many

children to care for. The role of

wage-earner is left to the older

children. Forced to grow up

early to take on the roles of

their parents, they do what they

can to make money for their

families, oftentimes selling cigarettes and other items on the

street.

The sum of $60 a month can

be a tremendous help to a family in Iraq, McCorkle said.

“This amount should be sufficient to make up the income

lost by the child not working to

attend school as well as ensuring the child and the family has

food and basic needs,” said

McCorkle.

Making a difference

After seeing an interview on

CNN about this program, one

Marine who will be deployed to

Iraq thought about his nieces

and nephews at home and

decided to participate because

he felt he could do something

good for a kid who had no one

to do something for him,

according to McCorkle.

McCorkle thought of his own

son when he saw the children in

Iraq. 

“I think a big part of my heart

went out to Yahia, the boy I am

sponsoring, because he was the

same age as my son and it made

me wonder, what if my son had

to work on the streets like Yahia

just to have food to eat,” he

remembers.

What education means for the

future of Iraq

“Children in Iraq want to go

to school and for most it seems

to be their greatest dream,” said

McCorkle.

Page 14 Scimitar Sept. 17, 2004

Servicemembers make a special

place in their hearts for Iraq’s youth

By Spc. Blair Larson

139th Mobile Public 

Affairs Detachment

Spc. Dave McCorkle meets with the child whose education

he is sponsoring in January at a military base in Mosul, Iraq.

Spc. Dave McCorkle holds a young Iraqi child while visiting the village of Sinjar, Iraq,

last year.

“Soldiers want

their efforts and

sacrifices to

result in something good and

worthwhile.

They have seen

the suffering

here and they

want it to end

for the innocent

people, especially for the children.”

— Spc. Dave

McCorkle

Courtesy photo

Courtesy photo
BALAD, Iraq — Back in the U.S., the

latest traffic information would be a touch

of the radio dial away, but here in Iraq the

49th Transportation Battalion (Movement

Control) keeps Soldiers informed about

the latest traffic information before they

leave for their next destination.

With its 31 movement-control teams

spread throughout Iraq, the 49th MCB

controls all ground, rail and air movement

in country.

With MCTs that range anywhere in size

from division-support teams that have

seven people to a

port-movement control team that has 18

people, the 49th

MCB has more than

400 personnel

spread out in Iraq to

help control the

movement in theater.

“They are located

in every major node

in Iraq,” said Capt.

Sarah Oden, a 49th

MCB battle captain.

Oden’s job is to

help keep track of

all the movements.

“The MCTs are

located at every border entry where we

have people coming in from other countries, all the convoy support centers and

the major forward operating bases.”

The 49th MCB has MCTs as far South

as Um Qasr, as far north as the Turkish

border and as far west as the Jordanian

border.

They track about 250 convoys a day

across theater, which equals about 3,000

vehicles a day.

The MCTs’ mission is to track convoys

coming in and out of their areas. They are

also responsible for moving equipment in

and out of their area.

There are different types of movementcontrol teams including port movement

teams, air movement teams, cargo movement teams as well as highway regulating

teams.

The 386th MCT in Baghdad has the

mission to track the flow of all personnel

who come in and out of Baghdad

International Airport.

Because of the air movement success

over the last seven months, more than

6,000 trucks have been off the roads,

which has also kept more than 34,000

Soldiers off the

roads.

The 49th MCB

controls the air

movement of C130s, C-141s, C23s, C-17s and

C-5s throughout

Iraq. It has an air

movement operation called

“Spearhead

Aviation” which

involves the

transportation of

Soldiers and supplies on C-23

Sherpas.

“We get more

than 600 requests

per month for

Sherpa support,” said Chief Warrant

Officer Veronica Marshall, a 49th MCB

mobility warrant officer.

More than a million pounds of cargo

has been moved by using the Sherpas,

Marshall said.

Besides air movement, MCTs also control rail movement.

The rail is run by Iraqi Rail System but

it is supported by the MCTs to control the

movement of supplies in their area, said

Lt. Col. Susan Davidson, the 49th MCB

commander.

Success in rail movement has varied in

past months because of bridges being

blown out, she said.

“We have had rail movement success in

the Marine Expeditionary Force area

around Baghdad,” Davidson added.

Whether rail, air or land, the 49th MCB

has made a success of controlling supplies.

“It has been great for me. Back in garrison, we don’t do a whole lot of movement

control because of the freedom of movement there,” Davidson said. “Here it is a

different story because everything has to

be controlled, as well as monitored.”

The highway traffic section is the hub

that helps control the various combat

logistical patrols on the roads. With the

use of technology, the section keeps up

with the latest road conditions so convoys going out and those on the highways

know about any changes that might affect

their travel.

The highway traffic section’s job is to

let combat logistical patrols know which

routes they should be taking for safest

travel.

“We know how something that has happened is going to affect a convoy getting

ready to roll out,” Davidson said.

They share highway conditions with the

combat logistic patrols out on the roads.

“We communicate with every convoy

that is out there,” said Sgt. 1st. Class

Rodger Flicek, the operations noncommissioned officer in charge for the 49th MCB.

“There have been times when we have

had to find alternate routes for the convoys on the roads because bridges have

been blown out.”

The MCB’s constant monitoring allows

them to keep track of what supplies are

moving and where the supplies are.

“We have to make sure that we have

visibility on it so the warfighters out there

are actually getting their supplies when

they need them,” Flicek said. “If the convoys don’t get there, then the mission has

failed.”

By controlling the movement of the

combat logistic patrols in a safe and timely manner, it helps ensure that the mission

will be accomplished. 

“We are always completing a mission,”

Flicek said. “Sometime we aren’t the most

well liked organization because we do

control very tightly what is moving on the

highways, but we are very professional at

what we do. Our concern is not only making sure that commodities get there but to

also make sure that the truck drivers out

on the roads get from point A to point B in

the safest manner they can.”

“We measure success not only by the

commodities that get there but knowing

that no one was injured in the process,”

Flicek added.

“Our mission here will never stop until

we go home,” Davidson said, echoing the

battalion’s motto, “We never stop.”

Sept. 17, 2004 Scimitar Page 15

49th Transportation Battalion

keeps supplies moving in Iraq

Story and photo by 

Sgt. Ann Venturato

13th Corps Support Command 

Public Affairs Office

A Soldier from the 258th Movement Control Team helps load a C-23 Sherpa

with supplies for transportation in Al Taqaddum, Iraq in April. The Sherpa is

used to transport Soldiers and supplies throughout Iraq.

With 31 movement-control

teams, the 49th Transportation

Battalion tracks and assists

about 250 convoys every day

“We have to make sure

that we have visibility on

it so the warfighters out

there are actually getting

their supplies when they

need them. If the convoys don’t get there,

then the mission has

failed.”

— Sgt. 1st. Class Rodger Flicek 

Make your vote count!

See your unit Voting Assistance 

Officer for more information.
BAGHDAD, Iraq —

Deployed troops were given

something to smile about

thanks to a recent visit from

the Comics on Duty World

Tour, sponsored by Morale,

Welfare and Recreation. 

The comics’ recent weeklong tour of Iraq took them

to various parts of the country including Baghdad, Balad

and Camp Anaconda August

28 through September 2.

Though they couldn’t quite

grasp the concept of

“hooah,” comedians Jim

Labriola, Drake Witham,

Nathan Timmel, Curtis

Fortier and Danny Bevins

put on a show outside the

dining facility at Camp

Victory South here August

28 that left troops laughing.

While a few service members brought portable chairs

to the two-hour show here,

most simply sat in the rocks,

but no one seemed to mind

them or the infamous Iraqi

heat. Instead, they drank

soda, enjoyed good jokes

and took pleasure in breaking up the monotony of the

days. 

Most of the comics’ material concentrated on military

life, and the troops appreciated it.

“I thought the entire show

was funny, especially since

they have some knowledge

of military life,” said Lufkin,

Texas, native Spc. Jamie

Laurent, an information

management specialist for

Headquarters and

Headquarters Company, III

Corps, based out of Fort

Hood, Texas. “They tell it

like it is, and they say what

most of us think but don’t

say.”

The Comics on Duty tour,

established in 1992, targeted

U.S. installations for the first

10 years but now includes

other countries. Now comics

on the tour travel the world,

going to Japan, Afghanistan,

Korea and Kuwait, just to

name a few countries.

“If they take time out of

their busy schedule because

they love what we’re doing

over here, it makes what I’m

doing worthwhile,” said

Laurent.

During the show, the

comedians even took time to

sing “Happy Birthday” to a

Soldier in the audience. 

“I was a little bit embarrassed, but I had a great time

because the show was hilarious,” said Pfc. Thomas

Newburn of Midwest City,

Okla., a transportation specialist with HHC, III Corps.

“I even got one of the CDs

they gave away during the

show.” 

The comics, many of

whom have done overseas

tours in the past, said they

didn’t mind the lack of

accommodations in Iraq.

They simply wanted to lift

the morale of the troops,

regardless of the heat, mortars and sand blowing in

their eyes. 

“This is the second time

I’ve done this tour,” Fortier

told the audience. “I enjoy

them. I enjoying coming out

and meeting all of you. It

helps me develop as a person, and it really puts things

into perspective. We appreciate all you do. Thank you for

your service.”

Page 16 Scimitar Sept. 17, 2004

Comics on duty put smiles

on troops’ faces, lift spirits

By Spc. Nicole Welch

Multi-National Corps-Iraq

Public Affairs

Comics on Duty World Tour comedian Jim Labriola demonstrates his impression of Floridians to a packed Sustainer Indoor

Theater at Logistics Support Area Anaconda Sept. 2. 

Above: Soldiers from HHC III Corps, out of Fort Hood, Tx., are entertained by the Comics

on Duty World tour at Camp Victory South August 28. The two-hour show featured five

comedians in an effort to improve troop morale. 

Right: Comedian Nathan Timmel performs during the Comics on Duty World Tour at

Camp Victory South August 28. The tour traveled to several Iraqi cities during a weeklong visit to improve troop morale. 

Pfc. Leah Burton

Spc Nicole Welch

Spc Nicole Welch