Posted on 11/17/2008 4:51:17 PM PST by SandRat
BAGHDAD — Army engineers are making things a lot easier for Iraqi contractors to clean up trash on the streets of Baghdad. The project, in conjunction with 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment’s Task Force Iron Gimlet, calls for engineers to remove large rubble and debris so that Iraqi contractors are able to clean up trash.
The 955th Engineer Company, a U.S. Army Reserve unit based out of Missouri, which is attached to the 46th Engineer Combat Battalion, 926th Engineer Brigade, serving with Multi-National Division - Baghdad, has been assigned the vital job of picking up what can’t be done efficiently without the use of the heavy engineer equipment.
The 1st CAB, 21st Inf. Regt. is part of 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, which is based out of Hawaii.
“We’ve brought in 20-ton dump trucks, bulldozers and other heavy equipment in order to remove the large rubble and debris piles from the Baghdad area,” stated 2nd Lt. Christopher Smiley, officer in charge of the haul mission, who is a native of Independence, Mo. “These piles of rubble cannot be easily removed with a mere shovel.”
The engineers from the 955th Eng. Co. were tasked with helping to beautify some Baghdad areas and have just completed phase one of the operation.
“The first phase consisted of removing more than eighteen dump truck loads of debris from a parking lot at the temporary government center,” said Capt. Crysal Lauver, commander, 955th Eng. Co., who is a native of Kansas City, Mo. “We then leveled and expanded the parking lot to accommodate more traffic.”
Smiley says the next phases will consist of removing large bundles of barbed wire that remained on some streets as well as hefty piles of rocks.
“We still have several more points that need to be sanitized over the next week or two,” comments Smiley. “We are providing sanitation efforts in order to present a visible sign of change in the area while TF Gimlet works on establishing local contracts to continue the clean-up process.”
It’s a win-win situation as the community will benefit from both the Iraqi contractors working in their neighborhoods and the continued beautification of the streets of Baghdad.
Hey, hey, that’s my boy’s outfit!!
Glad to provide some news of what your son’s unit has been doing.
Now when he comes home you know he can do yard work for you. lol
“you know he can do yard work for you. lol”
He, he, not that kind!!
The funny thing is his longest running job was with a lawn and tree service!
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