Posted on 02/24/2010 7:02:53 PM PST by SandRat
BAGHDAD –American 317th Engineer Company and 17th Iraqi Army Division engineers worked together here recently to complete a road leading into Joint Security Station Deason, providing each the opportunity to train with and get to know their counterparts. Upon arrival to JSS Deason early this month, the American Soldiers met their partners from the 17th IA, Soldiers they would be working with throughout the duration of the project.
"Some of our Soldiers had never met Iraqi Soldiers,” said Sgt. Steve Balamut, the Assistant Project Manager for this mission. “The Iraqis were eager to learn what we had to say and teach. And we were eager to learn from them."
Some of the equipment, such as the rollers and graders, had to be inspected by the 317th maintenance section first to ensure it was in good working order before being allowed to leave Victory Base Complex.
On the first day, while waiting for gravel, the engineers taught a preventive maintenance class to the Iraqi engineers on the roller, grader and bucket loader.
By the second day, 36 dump trucks escorted by the IA arrived full of gravel; the same the next day. Seven loads were dumped onto the first lane while the rest was dumped onto a stock pile.
Iraqi and U.S. engineers worked together to grade gravel while others watered it down for compaction. Still others operated dump trucks and bucket loaders to move gravel from the stock pile.
Leaders from both camps praised the U.S. and Iraqi engineers for working together to build a critical road while building camaraderie in the process.
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