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Soldiers adapt to new way of doing business in Iraq
Tuesday, 03 March 2009
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, take on the roles of mentor, advisor and mediator in an effort to complete their mission in Iraq.
Recently, 1st Lt. Kirk Tooley, third platoon leader, B Company, 1st Battalion, his Soldiers and three Soldiers from B. Co., 403rd Civil Affairs Battalion visited with the Abu Lukah village council at the village’s secondary school.
“Members of Abu Lukah’s village council wished to meet with us to see if we could help to renovate the school, help with village infrastructure projects and to question us about plans for village Sons of Iraq members,” said Tooley, a native of Canton, Mich. “Back in 2006 a prior CA battalion helped to update the school, but since then, there has been an increase in student population and more rooms are needed.”
Recently the village council and town members joined to raise money for a fence and an extra classroom, Tooley added. Even with the extra classroom, desks made for two students have four students sitting at them.
“The school not only needs at least four additional classrooms, some minor repairs are needed in the previously built classrooms,” said Capt. James Reed, a CA officer.
Reed and Tooley offered to help the leaders send proposals to the Iskandariyah council asking them to invest money into programs to help employ the people of Abu Lukah Sol, build up infrastructure, and build, repair and enlarge schools in the village.
Many council members told the Soldiers how safe they feel in their village now. The elders said they have complete faith in their local ISF to control security situations and are thankful to the Americans for helping to secure the area and train the ISF.
“We live on Patrol Base Hamiya around the outskirts of Abu Lukah and other villages,” said Sgt. Brandon Waugh, squad leader. “As noncommissioned officers, we are used to training Soldiers, so training the Iraqi Army is second nature to us and training Iraqi Police to conduct presence control is also in our lane.”
Waugh’s younger Soldiers, many just out of basic training, are now the instructors, which sets them up for future success as NCOs. He is genuinely glad to see the progress made in Iraq and shares his experience from previous combat tours with his younger Soldiers.
“Every now and then you’ll hear someone say something about this not being our job,” Waugh said. “We leaders are quick to interrupt and let them know that this is also part of being a Soldier.”
“After my last tour, I never would have thought I would go this long without being involved in a firefight or an explosion. I am here now and can honestly say Iraq is well on its way to being stable.”
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