V CORPS ENGINEERS HELP BAGHDAD CITIZENS IN 'TASK FORCE NEIGHBORHOOD'
V Corps News Release
Release Date: 5/20/2003
By Spc. Julie M. Nicolov 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
CAMP VICTORY, IRAQ -- V Corps soldiers are helping local citizens here improve their neighborhoods as coalition forces help Iraqi leaders create a new government.
"Task Force Neighborhood" is a group effort comprised of military engineers, medical and dental personnel, civil affairs teams and civilian contractors. Together, they repair schools and hospitals, offer medical and treatment, restore power and water, remove unexploded ordnance and remove trash to central collection points.
The task force helps local Iraqis meet their community's key needs, establishing a safe environment for the growth of the Iraqi-run government in Baghdad, said Sgt. 1st Class Judy S. Mears, public affairs NCO for V Corps' 94th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade.
The project is the idea of V Corps commander Lt. Gen. William Wallace.
"He had a vision that we needed to take some of our assets to the poorest neighborhoods that suffered during Saddam's regime and make a difference at street level," said Col. Greg Martin, the 130th's commander. "This is a temporary operation to help get the government and system working again until the large, overall government is working."
Reconnaissance teams work closely with neighborhood leaders and find out how soldiers can help get them back on their feet.
"We get a feel for what they need in their community," said 1st Lt. Ashley M. Dozier, executive officer for the 94th. "That way, we can go in there with a tailor-made package to assist them with their needs."
"Every day, a neighborhood section will get a full-court press of support that will include garbage pickup, medical assistance, ordnance cleanup, and anything else we can do in a day to help the neighborhoods," Maj. Gen. Buford C. Blount, the 3rd Infantry Division's commanding general, told reporters in Washington during a video teleconference from here.
The task force rolled into a vacant lot in the al-Noor neighborhood here May 18 with dump trucks, loaders, graders, carpentry and plumbing equipment and electrical supplies, along with a dental clinic and a medical unit. In one day task force soldiers, in cooperation with local citizens, cleared away 20 dump truck loads of trash; removed unexploded ordnance; treated dozens of people at a field dental clinic, and repaired the roof of the local police station, said Capt. Tom Bryant, a spokesman with V Corps' Media Operations Center here.
With the help of the Iraqi community, the group prepared the area they had cleared for a playground.
"We're going to locally purchase some playground equipment to install," said Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Hood, operations NCO, 535th Engineer Company, Grafenwoehr, Germany.
"Everyone is trying to make a positive impact," Dozier said.
Task Force Neighborhood also provides opportunities for Iraqi citizens to earn a living. Since Baghdad's economy cannot support municipal workers such as sanitation collectors, the task force created a contract to pay the Iraqis to do the job, according to Martin.
"They have trucks and workers, but no money to pay them. We're paying them a fair wage to clean up their neighborhood," Martin said. Eventually, the city of Baghdad will support the sanitation crew. Until then, the military will help out wherever they can.
"That's what it's all about; letting them know that we're here to help them," Hood said.
The Iraqis have reacted in various ways. Some were angry that soldiers were repairing the neighborhood while locals were out of work. Others were happy to receive wages under the sanitation contract. Some were just happy to see their neighborhoods looking better.
"The biggest positive reaction was at the end of the day," Dozier said. "When we rolled out of there, everyone was cheering us."
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