Civil Affairs Soldiers Making a Difference One Project at a Time

American Forces Press Service | 24 December 2003 | Sgt. Mark Bell, USA

[VaMarVet]

BAHGDAD, Iraq, Dec. 24, 2003 – He's opened the canals that supply water to farmers across southern Baghdad, provided a medical clinic to an isolated community, and given new schoolbooks to young Iraqi children. But more importantly, he is giving his soldiers the chance to make a difference for the Iraqi people.

Col. John Huntley, 414th Civil Affairs Battalion commander, a 21-year Army veteran and New York state veterinarian, said being a soldier in Iraq is the best place to make a difference in the world today. "We are working in a way to help the Iraqi people here, and at the same time working for the best interest of Iraqi people and coalition forces," he said.

Although Huntley commands the small unit of 17 soldiers from Utica, N.Y., he said his soldiers deserve all the credit for a big difference. Although small, Huntley said the civil affairs teams around Iraq is where the small war on terrorism is going to be won.

Huntley said the civil affairs soldiers are the interface between civil and military operations. He said civil affairs teams help with rebuilding Iraq by assisting the different levels of governments to rebuilding themselves.

"In the aftermath, what we are working on is civil administration," he said. "Everything you associate with the normal function of a municipal government we are trying to restore and build in Iraq."

Huntley said his team is keying in on governments, "The ability for Iraqis to build themselves," he said, "that's how coalition forces are going to exit Iraq when they can go and take over themselves."

Huntley said working with the neighborhood, district and city level administration is the key element that will allow the Iraqi people to move to a better Iraq. "They need to have the ability to build those structures," he said. "That will carry them into the future with a new Iraq that will interact with the international community."

He noted that his biggest gift to the Iraqi people is education. "It gives you a fresh perspective in life," he said about educating them. "It's one of the few things that keeps you engaged on a daily basis and as you get older, you keep learning to keep from getting stale. Every day is an adventure. You are always learning something new."

Huntley said his teams have the opportunity to help a lot of people here. With school projects filling his calendar, Huntley said seeing the end result of a lot of hard work is the ultimate gift given to him and his soldiers.

"You can see it in the children's faces," he said. "They truly appreciate the restoration we have done. The teachers are happy with the upgrade with facilities."

Huntley said restoring schools is a good way to demonstrate to Iraqi people that coalition forces are trying to improve the quality of life for the average Iraqi. Whether he is cutting the ribbon on a new school, putting the final touches of paint on a medical clinic or turning the crank to release fresh water to the desert croplands, Huntley said changes won't happen overnight.

"The American people need to realize we are not here for the short term," he said. "Right now, especially in the environment we are in, we need to worry about our long- term goals."

He said he thinks the stability of the operation is the future of Iraq. "This is where the long-term success will be made," he said pointing to his list of upcoming projects. "What our team is doing is demonstrating the successes that will generate popular support and our enemies are after the same popular support, and I think we are taking that ground away from them."

Huntley said his soldiers are the drive behind his success as a battalion commander. He pointed out that he couldn't be more proud of his youngest and brightest soldiers.

"I've got specialists and sergeants with a tremendous responsibility," he said. "Everyone really has stepped up to the plate and done a great deal to make these projects successful."

More importantly, Huntley said his soldiers are proud of the work they have done. "They enjoy working with the people here, and I think this is definitely something they'll be proud of for rest of their lives," he said.

Together, Huntley and his small band of soldiers who working nonstop behind the scenes and without the high-profile media coverage are making a difference – one small project at a time. "I have something to return home to be really happy about," he said. "The whole experience has taught me that I really have enjoyed working with the Iraqi people. They genuinely want what is best for their children, and I hope I have helped them achieved their goal."

(Army Sgt. Mark Bell is assigned to the 372nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)

[VaMarVet]

Merry Christmas to all that are truely making a difference in this world.

[Textide]

Nice article.

I'd like at least one news outlet to do a daily 30 minute report on the various civil projects going on in Iraq. This would be done in conjunction with the military.

It'd be nice to hear, "Water services restored in Basra....Power lines link power plant to small village of....2nd graders in Baghdad enjoy newly renovated school house....Civil Engineers have nearly completed construction of a new factory: thousands of jobs created."

At the moment all we get is the casualty count.

[MEG33]

God bless them. I applaud their good works.

[xzins]

GNFI ping

[VaMarVet]

Please add me to the GNFI ping list - thanks much.

[xzins]

Will do, Dave.

[VaMarVet]

I'd like at least one news outlet to do a daily 30 minute report on the various civil projects going on in Iraq. This would be done in conjunction with the military.

Moreover, I wish the media would cover the fact that IT IS the military undertaking the bulk of the CA type missions in Iraq and elsewhere... Not the NGO / PVO community and the UN. Our servicemen and women are doing it all and well deserve Time's Person of the Year award. Hands down.

[blackie]

Civil Affairs Soldiers Making a Difference One Project at a Time ~ Bump!

[TruthNtegrity]

Nice article.

I'd like at least one news outlet to do a daily 30 minute report on the various civil projects going on in Iraq. This would be done in conjunction with the military.

It'd be nice to hear, "Water services restored in Basra....Power lines link power plant to small village of....2nd graders in Baghdad enjoy newly renovated school house....Civil Engineers have nearly completed construction of a new factory: thousands of jobs created."

At the moment all we get is the casualty count.

I couldn't agree with you more. I have a friend from Church who is a metalworker, trained by the Marines. He was called up for the Iraqi Freedom Fight, and has helped to build/repair many schools, businesses in areas where our bombs were blasting, hoping to find Hussein, and when he returned, he commented that he'd never felt like his work was doing so much good.

He has been back for several months, but has been told that he will be called up again in the March 2004 timeframe, to again build, literally, the infrastructure of Iraq.

But, none of these stories make it to cable or TV news, because as he told us, most of the reporters are cowering in the hotels they occupy in Baghdad, or Fallujah, and therefore, the only "news" that is getting is the body count.

If we could tear them away from the safety of that hotel, and out into the country where they could see all the good that are troops are doing, one town at a time, then we would see these stories.

In the meantime, thank God for the folks who are reporting this, so that we do hear about them, even if it does mean that most of the stories are not SEEN by most of Americans.

[xzins]

You must bypass the major media and keep pinging your local news outlets, print, broadcast, and cable, until they begin telling the story.

Let's tell the great things our troops are doing.

Let's send these stories via email, write letters to editors, print out posters and hang them in stores, print out flyers and hand them out at parades.

Let's wallpaper America with the good news of our great troops and their great progress!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

xzins, Calpernia,  I didn't tell my ping list crew that I shared my list with you last week. I owe them an apology, and you both my thanks for volunteering to help post the  'good news'.

After the capture of Saddam, my computer and self both had difficulty keeping up with the new flood of good news.

Xzins and Calpernia graciously volunteered to post the good news so I could take a break.

After Christmas, we're making this an FR team effort...to make sure the successes of our troops are recorded daily, and to give us all more time and energy to keep up with the news, and to share it with those in the non-FR world who are being misled by the Big 3 and other DNC media accomplices.

If anyone would like to help post the good news ~ specifically, to monitor a DoD or military websight daily, post the articles at FR (if they haven't been posted), and ping me, Calpernia or xzins ~ please Freepmail me.

I'm taking care of CENTCOM and CJTF-7. Calpernia volunteered to handle the DoD - American Forces, xxins going to be handling Stars & Stripes, and more.

About my ping list, please notify Calpernia, xzins or myself if you want off (or on) the list. 

I will not be sharing the list with others who volunteer to help, rather, will ask them to ping one of the three of us. 

Freepers will want to stay on some lists and not others. That's fine. I won't add any new names to my list, or take any off, unless asked directly.

Our plan is flexible. My goal is not flexible. (^: We will continue to support our troops daily, provide ammo to debunk the latest mainstream spin, to make sure our good guys have a voice on the world stage, and to get this news past the press to our fellow Americans.

I will continue to post the links on my homepage.

Thank you for your support and understanding.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you want on or off my Pro-Coalition ping list, please Freepmail me. Warning: it is a high volume ping list on good days. (Most days are good days).

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Good to see you back, RC!

Thank you for all of your efforts.

We have much to be thankful for this Christmas, don't we?

Best wishes.

[MEG33]

Glad your are getting help.Thank you for the Good News!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Good to see you back and active, terrific organization you are building!

Have you agreed on a keyword?

I see REBUILDINGIRAQ in this thread, perhaps that is the agreed keyword?

[blackie]

Civil Affairs Soldiers Making a Difference One Project at a Time ~ Bump!

[MeekOneGOP]

I owe them an apology, and you both my thanks for volunteering to help post the 'good news'.

No apology needed, and my thanks to them as well ! It's GREAT there is so much good news out of Iraq (which the lamestream has chosen to ignore and twist so often, GRRRR!)

I'm glad you got some help so you could get a break !

[MeekOneGOP]

lamestream MEDIA, of course ...

[PhilDragoo]

"The whole experience has taught me that I really have enjoyed working with the Iraqi people. They genuinely want what is best for their children, and I hope I have helped them achieved their goal."

Merry Christmas to our Coalition heroes.

[GOPJ]

Merry Christmas. Great story -- thanks for the ping.