MULTI-NATIONAL DIVISION – BAGHDAD
Media Release
HQ-MND Baghdad
Camp Liberty
Baghdad, Iraq
APO AE 09344
Commercial: (703) 621-0781
IRAQNA 011-964-770-252-3225
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20090112-12 January 12,
2009
Iraqi, US Army Engineers join forces, build Tactical Operations Center
By Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jennifer Keefer
926th Eng. Bde. PAO, MND-B
CAMP PROSPERITY, Iraq – As the new year begins and the new Security
Agreement is taking affect, causing changes across Iraq, Soldiers from the 46th
Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy) and Iraqi Soldiers from the 6th Iraqi Army
Division are conducting business as usual by hammering, sawing, and building
at a construction site. This time these Soldiers are working side by side, not just
as Iraqis and U.S. but as partners constructing a Tactical Operations Center at the
Baghdad Command Center.
Staff Sgt. Ian Jones, Company B, 46th ECB (H), the project non commissioned
officer in charge from Newport, N.Y., who has never worked with Iraqi engineers,
felt this was “very good for joint relations and assistance to the newly developed
Iraqi Engineer Corps.”
The U.S. Soldiers, who consisted mostly of carpenters, plumbers and
electricians began the project Dec. 20 by stripping the room of its steel dividers.
This team was led by 1st. Lt. Virginia Brickner a Van Wert, Ohio native. Brickner,
who has never worked with Iraqi engineers before felt this [joint construction]
was a “great experience because this is what the engineers are here to do and
the improvements are seen immediately.” Iraqi Army’s 2nd Lt. Ibrahem Abel
Kathem, a 6th IA engineer officer from Baghdad, on the other hand has worked
with U.S. Forces before in Kalsu and Al Hilla to the southeast and was eager to
be having this opportunity again. Iraqi Sgt. Fwad Abd Alae, also from Baghdad,
has been a carpenter since 1994 and was also happy to be working with the U.S.
Soldiers again.
The 6th IA already has been working joint operations in Route Clearance and
Route Sanitation with the 926 Engineer Brigade, now they will jointly work on
construction sites. This site, in particular will be used for the Baghdad
Operations Center Advisory Team Command Information Center which
consisted of both U.S. and Iraqis working together as well.
This project was initiated two months ago by BOCAT leaders to provide a much
more combined operations center, according to Lt. Col. Timothy Lethers, the
deputy for BOCAT.
“The original floor plan was not conducive for a TOC, so the walls were removed
so that the Iraqis and U.S. could work next to their counterparts,” said Lethers.
The Ney, Ohio native was very impressed with how fast the project has been
going the past several weeks with a projected completion date of Jan. 20.
Capt. Al Lehmann, one of the TOC chief planners, who works in the Construction
Effects Operations Center of the 926th Engineer Brigade said, the TOC was
based off of U.S. examples that “provided a common operation picture that Iraqis
can utilize for command and control.”
“This will provide seamless integration for the command at BCC,” Lehmann
added.
Even though the U.S. and Iraqi soldiers could not speak each other’s languages,
the use of engineering and carpentry tools and plans are basically universal. The
mind of an engineer knows no boundaries.
Plan of Action.
CAMP PROSPERITY, Iraq – 1st Lt. Virginia Brickner (right), 46th Engineer Combat
Battalion (Heavy), 926th Engineer Brigade, Multi-National Division - Baghdad,
shows the plans for the construction of the Baghdad Operations Center Advisory
Team Command Information Center to 2nd Lt. Ibrahem Abel Kathem, (left) of 6th
Iraqi Army Division. The 46th ECB (H) and 6th IA are working together at the
Baghdad Command Center to construct the Tactical Operations Center.
(U.S. Army Photo by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jennifer Keefer, 926 Eng. Bde. PAO,
MND-B.)
Working Together.
CAMP PROSPERITY, Iraq. – Pfc. Amir Hamzaa Alwa (left), a 6th Iraqi Army
Division engineer works alongside Pfc. Jason Steffes of 46th Engineer Combat
Battalion (Heavy), 926th Engineer Brigade, Multi-National Division – Baghdad.
The two carpenters are working on a work station for the Baghdad Operations
Center Advisory Team Command Information Center.
(U.S. Army Photo by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jennifer Keefer, 926 Eng. Bde. PAO,
MND-B.)
Teamwork.
CAMP PROSPERITY, Iraq – Pfc. Jason Steffes of 46th Engineer Battalion (Heavy),
926th Engineer Brigade, Multi-National Division – Baghdad watches Iraqi Sgt.
Fwad Abd Alae and Iraqi Pvt. Ali Addan Jassem of 6th Iraqi Army Division
determine measurements for work stations. The Iraqi and U.S. carpenters are
working on a work station for the Baghdad Operations Center Advisory Team
Command Information Center.
(U.S. Army Photo by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jennifer Keefer, 926 Eng. Bde. PAO,
MND-B.)
Engineers Coming Together as a Team.
CAMP PROSPERITY, Iraq – Pfc. Jason Steffes (right) of 46th Engineer Battalion
(Heavy), 926th Engineer Brigade, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, stabilizes
plywood for a work station while Pvt. Ali Addan Jassem (left) and Pfc. Amir
Hamzaa Alwa (right front), of 6th Iraqi Army Division, joins the pieces together.
The U.S. and Iraqi engineers are working together at the Baghdad Command
Center to construct a Baghdad Operations Center Advisory Team Command
Information Center.
(U.S. Army Photo by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jennifer Keefer, 926 Eng. Bde. PAO,
MND-B.)
Precision for Success.
CAMP PROSPERITY, Iraq – Iraqi Sgt. Fwad Abd Alae (left) of 6th Iraqi Army
Division measures plywood to be used for work stations at the Baghdad
Command Center. The 6th Iraqi Army engineers are working with the Soldiers of
46th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy), 926th Engineer Brigade, Multi-National
Division – Baghdad, to construct a Baghdad Operations Center Advisory Team
Command Information Center.
(U.S. Army Photo by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jennifer Keefer, 926 Eng. Bde. PAO,
MND-B)
Media Release
HQ-MND Baghdad
Camp Liberty
Baghdad, Iraq
APO AE 09344
Commercial: (703) 621-0781
IRAQNA 011-964-770-252-3225
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20090112-12 January 12,
2009
Iraqi, US Army Engineers join forces, build Tactical Operations Center
By Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jennifer Keefer
926th Eng. Bde. PAO, MND-B
CAMP PROSPERITY, Iraq – As the new year begins and the new Security
Agreement is taking affect, causing changes across Iraq, Soldiers from the 46th
Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy) and Iraqi Soldiers from the 6th Iraqi Army
Division are conducting business as usual by hammering, sawing, and building
at a construction site. This time these Soldiers are working side by side, not just
as Iraqis and U.S. but as partners constructing a Tactical Operations Center at the
Baghdad Command Center.
Staff Sgt. Ian Jones, Company B, 46th ECB (H), the project non commissioned
officer in charge from Newport, N.Y., who has never worked with Iraqi engineers,
felt this was “very good for joint relations and assistance to the newly developed
Iraqi Engineer Corps.”
The U.S. Soldiers, who consisted mostly of carpenters, plumbers and
electricians began the project Dec. 20 by stripping the room of its steel dividers.
This team was led by 1st. Lt. Virginia Brickner a Van Wert, Ohio native. Brickner,
who has never worked with Iraqi engineers before felt this [joint construction]
was a “great experience because this is what the engineers are here to do and
the improvements are seen immediately.” Iraqi Army’s 2nd Lt. Ibrahem Abel
Kathem, a 6th IA engineer officer from Baghdad, on the other hand has worked
with U.S. Forces before in Kalsu and Al Hilla to the southeast and was eager to
be having this opportunity again. Iraqi Sgt. Fwad Abd Alae, also from Baghdad,
has been a carpenter since 1994 and was also happy to be working with the U.S.
Soldiers again.
The 6th IA already has been working joint operations in Route Clearance and
Route Sanitation with the 926 Engineer Brigade, now they will jointly work on
construction sites. This site, in particular will be used for the Baghdad
Operations Center Advisory Team Command Information Center which
consisted of both U.S. and Iraqis working together as well.
This project was initiated two months ago by BOCAT leaders to provide a much
more combined operations center, according to Lt. Col. Timothy Lethers, the
deputy for BOCAT.
“The original floor plan was not conducive for a TOC, so the walls were removed
so that the Iraqis and U.S. could work next to their counterparts,” said Lethers.
The Ney, Ohio native was very impressed with how fast the project has been
going the past several weeks with a projected completion date of Jan. 20.
Capt. Al Lehmann, one of the TOC chief planners, who works in the Construction
Effects Operations Center of the 926th Engineer Brigade said, the TOC was
based off of U.S. examples that “provided a common operation picture that Iraqis
can utilize for command and control.”
“This will provide seamless integration for the command at BCC,” Lehmann
added.
Even though the U.S. and Iraqi soldiers could not speak each other’s languages,
the use of engineering and carpentry tools and plans are basically universal. The
mind of an engineer knows no boundaries.
Plan of Action.
CAMP PROSPERITY, Iraq – 1st Lt. Virginia Brickner (right), 46th Engineer Combat
Battalion (Heavy), 926th Engineer Brigade, Multi-National Division - Baghdad,
shows the plans for the construction of the Baghdad Operations Center Advisory
Team Command Information Center to 2nd Lt. Ibrahem Abel Kathem, (left) of 6th
Iraqi Army Division. The 46th ECB (H) and 6th IA are working together at the
Baghdad Command Center to construct the Tactical Operations Center.
(U.S. Army Photo by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jennifer Keefer, 926 Eng. Bde. PAO,
MND-B.)
Working Together.
CAMP PROSPERITY, Iraq. – Pfc. Amir Hamzaa Alwa (left), a 6th Iraqi Army
Division engineer works alongside Pfc. Jason Steffes of 46th Engineer Combat
Battalion (Heavy), 926th Engineer Brigade, Multi-National Division – Baghdad.
The two carpenters are working on a work station for the Baghdad Operations
Center Advisory Team Command Information Center.
(U.S. Army Photo by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jennifer Keefer, 926 Eng. Bde. PAO,
MND-B.)
Teamwork.
CAMP PROSPERITY, Iraq – Pfc. Jason Steffes of 46th Engineer Battalion (Heavy),
926th Engineer Brigade, Multi-National Division – Baghdad watches Iraqi Sgt.
Fwad Abd Alae and Iraqi Pvt. Ali Addan Jassem of 6th Iraqi Army Division
determine measurements for work stations. The Iraqi and U.S. carpenters are
working on a work station for the Baghdad Operations Center Advisory Team
Command Information Center.
(U.S. Army Photo by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jennifer Keefer, 926 Eng. Bde. PAO,
MND-B.)
Engineers Coming Together as a Team.
CAMP PROSPERITY, Iraq – Pfc. Jason Steffes (right) of 46th Engineer Battalion
(Heavy), 926th Engineer Brigade, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, stabilizes
plywood for a work station while Pvt. Ali Addan Jassem (left) and Pfc. Amir
Hamzaa Alwa (right front), of 6th Iraqi Army Division, joins the pieces together.
The U.S. and Iraqi engineers are working together at the Baghdad Command
Center to construct a Baghdad Operations Center Advisory Team Command
Information Center.
(U.S. Army Photo by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jennifer Keefer, 926 Eng. Bde. PAO,
MND-B.)
Precision for Success.
CAMP PROSPERITY, Iraq – Iraqi Sgt. Fwad Abd Alae (left) of 6th Iraqi Army
Division measures plywood to be used for work stations at the Baghdad
Command Center. The 6th Iraqi Army engineers are working with the Soldiers of
46th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy), 926th Engineer Brigade, Multi-National
Division – Baghdad, to construct a Baghdad Operations Center Advisory Team
Command Information Center.
(U.S. Army Photo by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jennifer Keefer, 926 Eng. Bde. PAO,
MND-B)
