How Do You Solve a Problem Like Hawijah? July 8, 2006
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Hawijah?
July 8, 2006
Not far from Kirkuk is the town of Hawijah. Hawijah gives the appearance of a more peaceful existence. It is an area of farmland, full of greenery in spite of months without rain. Rows of sunflowers border plots of land. The sheep have fields to graze in, unlike the sheep in Kirkuk that have to settle for whatever food can be found in the garbage that litters the streets. It is possible to imagine a life of tranquil simplicity among the irrigated fields and flowers, but nothing is simple in Iraq. Though more soldiers serve in Kirkuk, more soldiers have died in Hawijah.
Kirkuk contains a large Kurdish population, whose goals generally do not run counter to ours. The Arab population of Hawijah is another story. Having thrived under Saddam Hussein’s regime, they have not welcomed their changed circumstances. Major Victor Vasquez describes Kirkuk as similar to the Chicago of the 1920s, and Hawijah is the Wild West. Ultimately it is about power in both places—who has it, who wants it, and how will it be used. According to Major Kelly Kendrick, the majority of attacks against our soldiers in Hawijah are perpetrated by people who are resistant to our presence, but who are not part of an organized terrorist network. We are trying to take away power from those who abuse it, and they do not want to go down without a fight.
To the soldier on patrol, an IED is an IED, and whether or not the people who target us consider themselves members of an organized effort or not, they are all capable of brutal acts. When a convoy drives through downtown Hawijah, thoughts turn to grenades. The slow pace of the traffic through the narrow streets becomes nerve-wracking. Although the local population conducts business as usual, it would be unwise for the soldiers to stop and talk, making it difficult to change perceptions, let alone build relationships.
The soldiers who serve the Hawijah area live on FOB (Forward Operating Base) McHenry. Much smaller than FOB Warrior in Kirkuk, McHenry is also short on niceties. But even without the fast food restaurants, the pool, and all of the distractions available to soldiers at Warrior, the guys at McHenry make do. One morning I came across Captain Henry Bell, who was manning a beverage station for a ten kilometer run. I said I hadn’t realized such an event was taking place, and he pointed to three young soldiers vanishing on the horizon--the participants. On a base where there is less separating the soldiers from the drama of war, where they have attended more memorial services in a year than some of us will in a lifetime, any attempt at innocent fun must be appreciated.
Just as the base in Kirkuk has a warning system, so does McHenry, which was explained to me by Sergeant Major David Allard. When the base is being fired upon, country music is played over the loudspeaker system. When there is outgoing fire, rock and roll is played. Controlled blasts are introduced by classical music. I thought this was a nice way to handle the unpleasantness, and I thought Sergeant Major Allard was exceptionally friendly. I learned he was injured in an attack on a patrol just a few hours after our conversation. Thankfully, his injuries were minor, but seeing how quickly a life can be altered was unsettling. Later that night, I was almost bounced out of my cot by some unbelievably loud rock and roll, followed by a series of equally loud booms that vibrated through the floor of the tent. But at least it wasn’t country.
Even the flies are meaner in Hawijah. So why not leave? Or why not bomb the place then leave? Our soldiers are the kind of people who, given lemons, will make lemonade. By working to improve the infrastructure of Hawijah and the surrounding villages, the hope is that people will be moved to live more constructively and peacefully. A top priority is the establishment of water treatment plants throughout the area, which will, for the first time, supply residents with safe drinking water.
We visited a water treatment plant in the village of Zab. The facility seemed to be unmanned except for a young boy who opened the gate for us. There was supposed to be an engineer waiting for Captain Eric Canaday and his team from Bravo Company, 1-327 Battalion, 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division, but, as often happens here in Iraq, some people take a more relaxed approach to work. This leisurely attitude can be frustrating to the soldiers, for whom these trips require more than just hopping in a car. And they have lived up to their end by initiating the project and helping to get the necessary equipment, so it is not unreasonable for them to expect the Iraqis to step in and do their part. But the team simply made plans to return another day. The Army has taught them a lot about waiting and patience.
Captain Canaday and his team also made a stop in Shmayt, a nearby village where a clean-up program had been implemented. The mayor of the village supervised payment of the participants in the program, who ranged from young boys to older men. The purpose of the program is not only to rid the area of garbage, which is often dumped on the streets and sidewalks, but to provide the residents with a productive way to pass the time, so they do not head down a more destructive path.
After the payments were dispersed, some of us sampled the local falafel. Having struggled with DFAC (dining facility) food for weeks now, I was looking forward to a freshly prepared sandwich. I took my first bite, and, before I had a chance to enjoy it, the Medic with our convoy rushed over and said he would give me a broad spectrum antibiotic as soon as we got back to the base. I appreciated his concern, but for the next few hours I worried that I might turn into an IED in the Humvee. I am happy to report the day was IED-free.
Team C, 402nd Civil Affairs Battalion, 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division, led by Captain Henry Bell and a team of Reservists, including Specialists Joseph Slisz and Eric Clark, is also involved in much of the development taking place in and around Hawijah. They helped establish a Project Coordination Center (PCC) in the village of Moltaka, where local engineers will be available to guide the construction of roads, buildings and other elements essential to the region’s continued growth and prosperity.
Mayor Abu Seif hosted a lunch in celebration of the grand opening of the PCC. The lunch was attended by those instrumental in getting the PCC off the ground, and key members of the community. Americans sat with Iraqis on the carpeted floor and waited patiently for the meal to be served. People reveal something of their true nature during a meal which, in Iraq, is a shared experience. Dishes are placed at regular intervals and it is best just to dive in. The Iraqi policeman sitting to my right made sure all of the dishes were within my reach, and, had I been braver, I could have feasted that day, but I did not want to push my luck. At one point the friendly officer produced his gun, thinking I might like to hold it. I was flattered, and it did have a nice heft to it, but I carefully returned the gun to him. I did not want to be the reporter who ruined a lovely celebration by accidentally shooting someone. When the dishes were cleared away, the host presented the 1st Brigade’s Commander, Colonel Gray, and several officers, including Captain Bell, with traditional headdresses, which they were urged to try on.
As always, it is nearly impossible to reduce a week in Iraq to one thousand words or less (maybe more). There are some recurring themes, though. Our soldiers will always meet a challenge head-on, and Hawijah is a challenge. They are often put in the position of having to overcome resistance on some level, but they persevere. There are Iraqi citizens who understand the value of what is being offered them, and those with an eye to the future of their country welcome our help and appreciate our soldiers.
slm101st@yahoo.com
July 8, 2006
Not far from Kirkuk is the town of Hawijah. Hawijah gives the appearance of a more peaceful existence. It is an area of farmland, full of greenery in spite of months without rain. Rows of sunflowers border plots of land. The sheep have fields to graze in, unlike the sheep in Kirkuk that have to settle for whatever food can be found in the garbage that litters the streets. It is possible to imagine a life of tranquil simplicity among the irrigated fields and flowers, but nothing is simple in Iraq. Though more soldiers serve in Kirkuk, more soldiers have died in Hawijah.
Kirkuk contains a large Kurdish population, whose goals generally do not run counter to ours. The Arab population of Hawijah is another story. Having thrived under Saddam Hussein’s regime, they have not welcomed their changed circumstances. Major Victor Vasquez describes Kirkuk as similar to the Chicago of the 1920s, and Hawijah is the Wild West. Ultimately it is about power in both places—who has it, who wants it, and how will it be used. According to Major Kelly Kendrick, the majority of attacks against our soldiers in Hawijah are perpetrated by people who are resistant to our presence, but who are not part of an organized terrorist network. We are trying to take away power from those who abuse it, and they do not want to go down without a fight.
To the soldier on patrol, an IED is an IED, and whether or not the people who target us consider themselves members of an organized effort or not, they are all capable of brutal acts. When a convoy drives through downtown Hawijah, thoughts turn to grenades. The slow pace of the traffic through the narrow streets becomes nerve-wracking. Although the local population conducts business as usual, it would be unwise for the soldiers to stop and talk, making it difficult to change perceptions, let alone build relationships.
The soldiers who serve the Hawijah area live on FOB (Forward Operating Base) McHenry. Much smaller than FOB Warrior in Kirkuk, McHenry is also short on niceties. But even without the fast food restaurants, the pool, and all of the distractions available to soldiers at Warrior, the guys at McHenry make do. One morning I came across Captain Henry Bell, who was manning a beverage station for a ten kilometer run. I said I hadn’t realized such an event was taking place, and he pointed to three young soldiers vanishing on the horizon--the participants. On a base where there is less separating the soldiers from the drama of war, where they have attended more memorial services in a year than some of us will in a lifetime, any attempt at innocent fun must be appreciated.
Just as the base in Kirkuk has a warning system, so does McHenry, which was explained to me by Sergeant Major David Allard. When the base is being fired upon, country music is played over the loudspeaker system. When there is outgoing fire, rock and roll is played. Controlled blasts are introduced by classical music. I thought this was a nice way to handle the unpleasantness, and I thought Sergeant Major Allard was exceptionally friendly. I learned he was injured in an attack on a patrol just a few hours after our conversation. Thankfully, his injuries were minor, but seeing how quickly a life can be altered was unsettling. Later that night, I was almost bounced out of my cot by some unbelievably loud rock and roll, followed by a series of equally loud booms that vibrated through the floor of the tent. But at least it wasn’t country.
Even the flies are meaner in Hawijah. So why not leave? Or why not bomb the place then leave? Our soldiers are the kind of people who, given lemons, will make lemonade. By working to improve the infrastructure of Hawijah and the surrounding villages, the hope is that people will be moved to live more constructively and peacefully. A top priority is the establishment of water treatment plants throughout the area, which will, for the first time, supply residents with safe drinking water.
We visited a water treatment plant in the village of Zab. The facility seemed to be unmanned except for a young boy who opened the gate for us. There was supposed to be an engineer waiting for Captain Eric Canaday and his team from Bravo Company, 1-327 Battalion, 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division, but, as often happens here in Iraq, some people take a more relaxed approach to work. This leisurely attitude can be frustrating to the soldiers, for whom these trips require more than just hopping in a car. And they have lived up to their end by initiating the project and helping to get the necessary equipment, so it is not unreasonable for them to expect the Iraqis to step in and do their part. But the team simply made plans to return another day. The Army has taught them a lot about waiting and patience.
Captain Canaday and his team also made a stop in Shmayt, a nearby village where a clean-up program had been implemented. The mayor of the village supervised payment of the participants in the program, who ranged from young boys to older men. The purpose of the program is not only to rid the area of garbage, which is often dumped on the streets and sidewalks, but to provide the residents with a productive way to pass the time, so they do not head down a more destructive path.
After the payments were dispersed, some of us sampled the local falafel. Having struggled with DFAC (dining facility) food for weeks now, I was looking forward to a freshly prepared sandwich. I took my first bite, and, before I had a chance to enjoy it, the Medic with our convoy rushed over and said he would give me a broad spectrum antibiotic as soon as we got back to the base. I appreciated his concern, but for the next few hours I worried that I might turn into an IED in the Humvee. I am happy to report the day was IED-free.
Team C, 402nd Civil Affairs Battalion, 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division, led by Captain Henry Bell and a team of Reservists, including Specialists Joseph Slisz and Eric Clark, is also involved in much of the development taking place in and around Hawijah. They helped establish a Project Coordination Center (PCC) in the village of Moltaka, where local engineers will be available to guide the construction of roads, buildings and other elements essential to the region’s continued growth and prosperity.
Mayor Abu Seif hosted a lunch in celebration of the grand opening of the PCC. The lunch was attended by those instrumental in getting the PCC off the ground, and key members of the community. Americans sat with Iraqis on the carpeted floor and waited patiently for the meal to be served. People reveal something of their true nature during a meal which, in Iraq, is a shared experience. Dishes are placed at regular intervals and it is best just to dive in. The Iraqi policeman sitting to my right made sure all of the dishes were within my reach, and, had I been braver, I could have feasted that day, but I did not want to push my luck. At one point the friendly officer produced his gun, thinking I might like to hold it. I was flattered, and it did have a nice heft to it, but I carefully returned the gun to him. I did not want to be the reporter who ruined a lovely celebration by accidentally shooting someone. When the dishes were cleared away, the host presented the 1st Brigade’s Commander, Colonel Gray, and several officers, including Captain Bell, with traditional headdresses, which they were urged to try on.
As always, it is nearly impossible to reduce a week in Iraq to one thousand words or less (maybe more). There are some recurring themes, though. Our soldiers will always meet a challenge head-on, and Hawijah is a challenge. They are often put in the position of having to overcome resistance on some level, but they persevere. There are Iraqi citizens who understand the value of what is being offered them, and those with an eye to the future of their country welcome our help and appreciate our soldiers.
slm101st@yahoo.com
posted by Shelby Monroe at 2:33 AM
2 Comments:
Very nice piece.
I am SGT Eric Clark of the aforementioned Project Coordination Center. Your article sums up my first couple months in Iraq quite accurately, and I remember that meeting (I even still have my robes). Thanks for the stroll down the better part of memory lane!
Post a Comment
<< Home