226asg.com

Baltimore Sun
May 29, 2007
Pg. 1
Anbar At Tipping Point, But U.S. Support Falters
Town leaders commit to American forces, look for aid to rebuild
By David Wood, Sun Reporter
ANBAR PROVINCE, Iraq -- Once the most violence-racked region of Iraq, much of Anbar has become a relatively peaceful haven, ripe for the kind of economic development and political reform that has been the most noble and pressing U.S. goal for the nation it invaded four years ago.
About 200 local Iraqi leaders in the dusty Euphrates River towns that stretch more than a hundred miles west of Baghdad have thrown in their lot with U.S. forces, risking their lives to stand against terrorists and insurgents. Having won a respite from the terror, now they are eager for U.S. assistance in rebuilding.
It is a fragile moment, senior military officers say. But the help the United States has vowed to provide is nowhere in sight.
Five months ago, President Bush announced a "surge" of troops to Iraq and promised the sustained, targeted economic and social assistance that he acknowledged is the critical component of the counterinsurgency plan. But not until May 15 did the White House appoint a senior official to jump-start that assistance.
"This is the time to take advantage of the security situation," said Marine Maj. Gen. Walter E. Gaskin, who commands all military forces here in western Iraq. "What keeps me awake at night is, will we sustain the commitment for economic stability?"
One place waiting with high hopes is a collection of poor villages, nestled in bright green groves of date palm trees along the Euphrates River, known as Baghdadi.
Here, a short, stocky man named Mal Alla Barzan Hamraim has big plans, including a women's center that can help the poor, unemployed and often oppressed. He is convinced: Give people security and a stake in the future, and peace will follow.
"We have 700 war widows here and a lot of unemployment," said Mal Alla, who has an infectious grin and eight children, down to 7-month-old Fatima, a cherub with thick brown curls and wide brown eyes.
At 42, Mal Alla is a powerful tribal sheik, the elected chairman of the Baghdadi City Council and a fast-rising politician.
"Because of the war, many households are run by women, so I decided women should take part in solving this problem," he said. "We should have physical education, cooking and hairdressing classes, motherhood, literacy."
To date, help has come from local donations and the efforts of the wife of a Marine officer serving here. From Uncle Sam: zero.
Mal Alla works out of a tidy office, often until 2 a.m. with a pistol stuck in his waistband. He has survived several assassination attempts. A brother was shot dead by insurgents. Last fall, a bomb blast outside Mal Alla's office tore off the legs of his youngest brother, a handsome boy of 17 who now gets around in a wheelchair.
After the overthrow of dictator Saddam Hussein four years ago, vicious resistance to U.S. forces spread across the desert stretches and scattered cities of Anbar province. That struggle came to be dominated by the radical Islamist movement known as al-Qaida in Iraq, which sought to muscle out the traditional tribal sheiks.
Three years ago, al-Qaida in Iraq insurgents attacked the home of Mal Alla with a barrage of automatic rifle fire and rocket-propelled grenades. Mal Alla's grandmother and mother were injured. His brother fought until the insurgents withdrew, and the family fled into the dark. Hours later, the insurgents returned, planted explosives in the house and detonated them.
"My brother, may God bless him, fought them off," said Mal Alla. But he returned the next day to find his house in rubble. "I thought my family was gone."
The violence persuaded many of Mal Alla's fellow sheiks to stop fighting U.S. Marines and instead join them in common cause against al-Qaida in Iraq, in a movement they call "the Awakening." The violence intensified.
Mal Alla and his brother narrowly escaped death when insurgents opened fire on their car. A bounty was put on their heads. "If I had known they were offering that much, I'd have turned me in myself," he joked. After his brother joined the Iraqi national police force, he was gunned down in an ambush.
In March, a Marine battalion arrived to stay in Baghdadi, led by Lt. Col. Jimmy Christmas, 39, an energetic idealist determined to win a future for the children of Baghdadi.
"He said, 'Give me 10 days and I will clean the insurgents out,'" Mal Alla recalls. "And he did."
As the Marines put out aggressive patrols, 39 rockets rained down on the low cement building that houses Mal Alla's office. The Marines arrested dozens and uncovered many weapons caches. Now, apart from an occasional IED attack, things are quiet.
The Awakening movement has recruited 1,925 Iraqis for the Iraqi police and army, more than the Marines can help train. Forty- one Iraqi army troops share an austere compound with Christmas' headquarters, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment.
"When we started the City Council, people were afraid to talk to us, afraid the terrorists would kill them," said Mal Alla. Now even adults wave to joint patrols of Iraqi soldiers and Christmas' Marines.
Ultimately, of course, Iraqis will have to do for themselves, and there are encouraging signs.
At Baghdadi's elementary school, boys and girls sit politely at their desks; while they need more books, paper, colored pencils, electric power and air conditioning, they do have workbooks and book bags.
The ambitious plans of the Baghdadi City Council has attracted technicians such as Raad Abbood, 37, who recently fled Baghdad, where he had worked for 17 years as a health inspector, and came to Baghdadi as a volunteer to help rebuild a clean water system.
But there is little economic base here to sustain such development, which is where the United States could help.
"I'd love to have a PRT here," said Christmas, speaking of the provincial reconstruction teams of civilian U.S. aid experts deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
A PRT, for instance, could accelerate micro-loans to local women to start businesses, could get someone trained as a midwife for the local clinic and could help fishermen start a marketing cooperative.
There is a PRT representative in the region, but he is able to visit Baghdadi only sporadically.
"Could we use the help? Absolutely," said Christmas.
By providing security, "I can lay the foundation, but the next step is up to a PRT," he said.
But the deployment of Christmas' battalion will end this fall. What will happen then is anyone's guess. Much will depend on Bush's troop increase in Baghdad. The White House, under growing pressure to pull U.S. forces out of Iraq, has promised a thorough review of progress in September.
"People here have changed; people decided to stand up to fight against the terror," said Christmas. "Now that there is security, people are starting to live their lives.
"I don't worry about today or even tomorrow. I worry about five years from now, that progress doesn't just stop when we leave."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: May 3, 2007

Army orders Alabama Guard units to active duty under new mobilization policy

     MONTGOMERY - The Department of the Army has ordered Alabama Army National Guard units to active duty for the war in Iraq under a new mobilization policy.
     In January, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced the new policy which limits the National Guard to a one year deployment in support of the war on terrorism.
     Six Alabama units with a combined strength of 640 troops will soon
mobilize under the new policy.
     The Guard units from Alabama and hometowns listed below will be
affected by the recent mobilization:
     1103rd Combat Sustainment Battalion (75 troops) - Eufaula
     Company C, 1-167th Infantry Regiment (160 troops) - Cullman
     1203rd Engineer Battalion (170 troops) - Dothan
     1st Battalion, 131st Armor (170 troops) - Ozark
     1146th Personnel Service Battalion ( 35 troops) - Montgomery
     621st Troop Command (30 troops) - Union Springs
     The troops assigned to the six units will spend 365 days on active
under the new mobilization policy.
     Active duty time is calculated from the date the unit mobilizes to the date the unit returns back to the U.S.   In addition to the 365 days of deployment time, troops will be authorized 5 days for travel and 30 days of leave after returning home. Under the prior mobilization policy, orders mobilizing Army Guard and Reserve units were for 18 months.
     The Guard units called to active duty will report to a mobilization station for an intensive train-up period before deploying for their final duty station.
     Approximately 75 personnel in the 1103rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion of Eufaula will mobilize this weekend.   A deployment ceremony for the 1103rd is scheduled for Monday, 3:00 p.m. at the Farmer's Market
Pavilion in Eufaula. This will mark the second time the 1103rd had mobilized in the past five years.
     Two more Alabama Guard units will mobilize in June. Company C, 1st Battalion 167th Infantry from Cullman will call to active duty 160 soldiers. Personnel from companies throughout the battalion will form the unit.
The battalion has companies located in Talladega, Valley, Heflin, Pelham and Sylacauga. This will also be the second Iraq mission for the 167th.
     The composite unit of the 167th will carry the flag of C "Charlie" Company from Cullman and train at Camp Shelby, Miss before deploying overseas.
     Fort McCoy, Wis. will be the mobilization station for Headquarters, 1203rd Engineer Battalion of Dothan after it mobilizes with some 170 troops in June.
     Three Alabama Guard units will mobilize in July.
     Headquarters, 1st Battalion 131st Armor headquartered in Ozark will form a composite unit of some 170 personnel. Troops from the battalion's companies in Daleville, Florala, Hartford, Geneva, Elba and Calera will form the composite unit. The 131st will train at Fort Dix, N.J.
     The Montgomery based 1146th Personnel Service Battalion with 35 troops will report to Fort Bragg, N.C. in July for pre-deployment training.
     Some 30 troops of the 621st Troop Command of Union Springs will mobilize in July and train at Camp Shelby, Miss.
     Currently seven Alabama Army Guard units with 1,100 troops are deployed overseas supporting the Iraq war. Two Alabama Guard units are presently training at mobilization stations preparing for their deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan.
     By mid-summer 15 Alabama Guard units with 1,740 troops will be on active duty. This will be the single highest number of Guard units from Alabama to serve on active duty simultaneously since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
     Over 13,000 Alabama Guardsmen have mobilized in support of the war on terrorism.
     Many Alabama Army Guard Soldiers and Air Guard Airmen have served two or more tours of duty either stateside or in Iraq, Afghanistan or other locations in the U.S.

Marines, soldiers keep Al Asad service members fueled, ready to go
March 19, 2007; Submitted on: 03/19/2007 02:57:18 AM ; Story ID#: 200731925718
By Cpl. Zachary Dyer, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (FWD)

AL ASAD, Iraq (March 19, 2007) -- When service members are eating at dining facilities, they rarely think about who had a hand in preparing the food. When the food is served by civilian contractors, the service members behind the scenes are thought of even less.
At Al Asad, those behind-the-scenes Marines and soldiers are guaranteeing that everyone gets the food they need and that it is handled and prepared according to military standards.
The Al Asad dining facilities serve thousands of people each day and prepare meals for thousands more whose jobs keep them from making it to the DFACs. Approximately 24,000 meals are served in the DFACs each day and another 18,000 are sent outside the facilities, according to Army Sgt. 1st Class Ralph Roberts, the base food service noncommissioned officer-in-charge.
The staff at the DFACs begin preparing for a meal about three hours beforehand, according to Roberts
“Inside the DFACs, we do progressive cooking,” said Roberts, a Selma, Ala., native. “They’ll cook enough for maybe 1,000 and then as the line comes in they’ll cook more. They do that so we’re not wasting food.”
The cooks and servers at the DFACs are third country nationals, civilians brought in from other countries to work in the facilities. The Marines and soldiers act more as supervisors than cooks. At any one time, there are approximately nine service members and 100 TCNs working in twelve hour shifts, according to Chief Warrant Officer 2 Joseph Fore, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) food service officer.
The service members’ main duty is oversight; making certain that food is properly prepared and nothing contaminates the food that is in storage, according to Fore.
“We monitor everything from when it gets here on the truck to when it goes out on the serving line,” said Fore, a Swansboro, N.C., native. “We monitor temperatures and we’re doing inspections all the time.”
All the inspections are not just for health reasons, but for force protection as well, according to Fore.
“If a truck comes in, we unload it,” said Fore. “The Marines are in the back doing checks on the trucks because they’ve been sealed. We make sure the contractors are doing their jobs safety-wise. We have to ensure no one tampers with the chow.”
While meals are being served Marines and soldiers inspect the food, Army Sgt. Havon Gross, the food service supervisor, can be seen with thermometer and notebook in hand, ensuring that food is being kept at the correct temperatures.
“My job is basically to supervise the TCNs and soldiers under me to make sure we’re taking temps, and that they are wearing gloves and proper headgear,” said Gross, a Birmingham, Ala., native.
Despite the daunting task of safely feeding all those people, Fore says DFAC operations have gone smoothly.
“Right now everything is working really well,” said Fore. “(The service members and TCNs) have the system down pretty good here.”
All the hard work pays off when customers sit down to a good meal, according to Gross.
“With food service, especially when something good is on the menu, you get a lot of smiles and thank you’s,” Gross said. “That’s the best part.”

Base Billeting
The Base Billeting Office is responsible for all billeting operations on Al Asad Air Base (AAAB). This includes: Assigning units to Life Support Areas (Housing) while maintaining unit integrity. The billeting section coordinates and plans for present and future Life Support Area development including monitoring construction. The office also has supervisory responsibility for inspections of all AAAB billeting areas. The office also writes, develops, and implements Base Billeting policies, rules, and regulations.
The Billeting Office is comprised of the following members:
Major Matthew D. Haley (Officer in charge) – Major Haley is originally from Birmingham, Alabama and is Married to Idelle Haley. Matt and Idelle were married approximately 30 days before his last deployment in 2003. Their son, Robert, is 9 years old.
Master Sergeant Leon C. McConnell (Non-Commissioned Officer in charge) - Master Sergeant McConnell was originally assigned to the unit the 226th Area Support Group replaced. He remained in country to serve an extra year and he is from Loup City, Nebraska. He is married and he and his wife, Jill, have three sons and a daughter.
Staff Sergeant Robert L. Ball (Billeting Non-Commissioned Officer) – Staff Sergeant Ball is from Piedmont, Alabama. Staff Sergeant Ball is a Vietnam Veteran where he served with the Navy. He and his wife, Sandra, have been married for 35 years and they have two daughters and a son.
Private First Class Jonathan W. Cook (Billeting Specialist) – Private First Class Cook is originally from Birmingham, Alabama where he attended Tarrant High School. Private First Class Cook is single and he works as a contractor in the Hewitt Trussville area when not deployed. Private First Class Cook enjoys weight lifting and motorcycle riding.

Marines, city leadership discuss Haditha's future
By Cpl. Luke Blom, 2nd Marine Division
HADITHA, Iraq (Feb. 4, 2007) -- The commanding officer of the Hawaii-based 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment headquartered in Haditha met with top Iraqi Police officials and community leaders in a town hall meeting to discuss the future of this Euphrates River city, Jan. 25, 2007.
The meeting was open for any topic of discussion and gave the Haditha community leaders a chance to air concerns and ask questions concerning Iraq's national government and Haditha's local security. Much of the meeting was focused on the local ramifications of President George W. Bush's new plan for the future of coalition forces throughout Iraq. In the President's plan, 4000 more Marines will be sent to Al Anbar Province.
"Our troops will have a well defined mission; to help Iraqis clear and secure neighborhoods, to help them protect the local population, and to help ensure that the Iraqi Forces left behind are capable of providing security," said the President in a speech from the White House, Jan. 10, 2007.
More than 20 Sheikhs and community leaders attended the meeting and commented on many issues ranging from the President's new strategy, current vehicular bans inside the city, current and future city construction projects and what their role will be in Iraq's national government.
"One gentleman stood up and pretty articulately identified the plight of the Sunni Arabs (who make up the vast majority of the population in this region)," said Lt. Col. James Donnellan, 2nd Battalion Commanding Officer. The gentleman (who asked not to be identified) expressed that the Sunni Arabs are the minority and believe the central government is heavily influenced by Iranian and Shiite specific interests. "All of this may very well be true, but what we can affect is the security here," replied Donnellan.
While everyone who attended the meeting agreed the security of Haditha and the "Triad" region was paramount, there were no commitments to help strengthen the local Iraqi Police force, according to Lt. Col. Muhada Mahzir, Haditha Iraqi Police deputy commander. "They (Sheikhs) say, 'yes, you are right. We need security and we need police that are from this area'," said Donnellan. "Then we ask, 'OK, how many men in your tribe are willing to put forward?' That's when the room gets really quiet and everyone starts looking down at their feet."
While the Haditha police force has seen more than 30 Haditha citizens volunteer for service in the past three weeks, which was seen as a milestone for the police force, there has not been a "large group" to volunteer yet, according to Maj. Eric E. Glassie, Police Training Team officer in charge.
When one Haditha community leader posed the question as to how long Coalition Forces would be in the area, Donnellan replied, "When I'm told the Haditha IP have enough well trained and well equipped IPs, but not a day before." Many also asked questions about when the current vehicular restrictions would be lifted. Other than trucks carrying food, water and essential supplies, vehicular traffic has been restricted inside the city for six weeks. Citizens with special circumstances put in a request and are given temporary driving permits.
The restriction was implemented to limit the movement of the local insurgency. Coupled with increased troop levels and a dirt berm surrounding the region, violence has dropped from seven to 10 attacks per day to approximately five per week.
"How long do we need these restrictions to ensure the security of Haditha before your sons and tribe members start joining the IP," asked Donnellan during the meeting. His question was met with silence.
The issue of local construction projects was also brought up. The Marines of 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines and supporting units have been completing small projects since their arrival in this region four months ago, but local contractors have been paralyzed by a murder and intimidation campaign waged by the insurgents against anyone who cooperates with the Coalition, according to Donnellan.
"We're (Coalition Forces) going to move forward regardless, but when will some of you step forward and make some brave and bold steps forward that will move the city exponentially towards prosperity and peace," asked Donnellan.
For years the contractors have been intimidated into not working with Coalition Forces, but recently some local business men have expressed that if peace continues to grow in this region they will be more likely to take a risk and begin building city projects such as schools, hospitals and roads. "We're on the verge of something very good here," said Donnellan. "We can bring in more Iraqi Police and Marines and just focus on security, or we can have some brave individuals step forward and help rebuild the city and make some serious progress."
While there were no commitments from the Sheikhs to support the Iraqi Police or begin rebuilding the city, open dialogue between the community and Coalition is seen as a substantial step in it self, according Mahzir.
"Ninety-five percent of the people in Haditha are supportive of us and what we want for the future of this region," said Mahzir. "They are the future of Haditha, not the terrorists."

Marines man traffic control point at edge of Al Asad
Al Asad (November 8, 2006) - Story by Cpl. James B. Hoke - Being deployed to Iraq is a hard-tasked assignment for some Marines. They are away from their families, friends and all things familiar to them other than their fellow Marines. They spend countless hours each day manning different posts, operating computers and sitting behind an array of different weapons, depending on their job, with no end in sight and only the small talk of their fellows to keep them company. The Marines who man Traffic Control Point Flea at Al Asad, Iraq, are not much different than the other Marines at the air station, except for the fact that they are secluded from the whole base. "Our primary function is to manage traffic in and out of the base," said Cpl. Charles J. Henry, team leader, 3rd Squad, 1st Platoon, India Battery, 3rd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 3rd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, Marine Wing Support Group 37 (Reinforced), 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward). "It's a pre-entry control point. We watch all of the incoming vehicles, and we have a list of what we are looking for. "One of our missions here is to serve as an observation post," added the 23-year-old native of Bellwood, Pa. "The towers have eyes on all places, and they watch for everything. Every time we come out here, we get an intelligence brief for things that we should be keeping an eye out for. If any one of those things should come up in a convoy coming through, we stop it and turn it away."
Being separated from the rest of the base by miles of desert can be a little distressing to the Marines and sailors who stay at TCP Flea, but it helps to keep them watchful, according to Sgt. Martin M. Monson, sergeant of the guard, 3rd Squad. "We are really on the alert out here, as it is pretty much just us," said the 24-year-old native of Reading, Pa. "We have a quick reaction force of sorts, but we are mostly by ourselves. Things stay pretty quiet, but the Marines are still aware and paying attention." "I feel it's my job and my duty to be out here, and it's my post to take charge of," said Henry, a graduate of Albright College in Reading, Pa. "We have to be watchful -- not overcautious but paying attention. We have to stay alert." Although it can be a challenge to be situated away from the majority of others in the desert environment, the more challenging aspect to deal with on the post is the convoys and third-country nationals who pass through the gates. "We have to check some of the cargo, and that can cause an issue, as the drivers are tired," said Henry. "They know nothing is there ... But it's still something we have to do just to be sure. We have a duty that has to be completed with no exceptions." Operating on six-hour shifts and staying at the traffic control point for a full day at a time, the Marines rely heavily upon each other and their abilities. "Out here, we get to be small unit leaders," said Henry. "We know the job and what needs to be done, and we can get it accomplished. This post is very dependent on the small unit leaders." "Being sergeant of the guard, you get to run the show," said Monson, a graduate of Governor Mifflin High School. "I've been with this squad for more than a month now since we've been here. It's a real-good bunch of Marines. They know what they are doing and take care of what they need to do." The job of manning the posts at TCP Flea couldn't be completed by just anyone, according to Seaman Mitchell A. Groke, corpsman, India Battery. "They're doing a good job," said the 19-year-old Bossier City, La., native who graduated from Airline High School. "I appreciate what they do. They keep us safe. My mom likes that, too. She's glad that I'm with Marines, and she knows that they keep the corpsmen safe out here."

Al Asad (October 31, 2006) - Story by Cpl. James B. Hoke - A year is a long time. In the middle of the desert of a war-torn environment, it can seem like an eternity. Luckily, service members have the opportunity to take a short, but much-needed break during their year-long deployment to Iraq."The Rest and Recuperation Leave Program is basically designed to give service members, serving 365 days in the area of operations, a break," said Staff Sgt. Paul N. Whelan, adjutant, Marine Air Control Group 38 (Reinforced), 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward). "They are authorized 15 days leave with the benefit of the military paying for travel to and from their leave address."While most service members choose to take their two-week vacation back in the United States with their families and friends, the program also allows them to travel abroad."I went to Europe, because I'd never been there before," said Gunnery Sgt. Russell J. Murzyn, information assurance chief, 3rd MAW. "I knew that I would eventually be going back to San Diego, so I went to Europe instead.

Al Asad (October 31, 2006) - Story by Cpl. James B. Hoke - During the midst of wartime, most people are more concerned with the chaos of the bombs and guns in the conflicts that rage rather than with the scalpel or suture that reassemble what the former tears apart. For the sailors and Marines with Charlie Surgical Company at Al Asad, Iraq, the latter is their only concern, as it is their job to resuscitate the men and women who have met with ill fortune on the battlefield."Our main mission here at Al Asad Surgical is to provide level-two care for all patients who are brought to us," said Navy Cmdr. Richard P. Sharpe, Chief of Professional Services officer-in-charge, Charlie Surgical Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 15, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward).
"Level-two care involves any seriously injured or ill patient and their surgical management, stabilization and (medical evacuation)."
"Our routine job is to save people's lives," the 42-year-old native of Chesapeake, Va., added. "Every week we have several people who, if it wasn't for our efforts of stabilizing and operating on them, would probably have died without our level of care."