1-15 Infantry Soldiers Meet With Local Iraqi Council

June 18, 1st Lt. Matthew Givens (far left) of Columbus, Ga., Civil Affairs officer for 1-15 Inf., along with Soldiers of the 97th Civil Affairs Battalion meet with Mr. Abbas, the contract manager for projects to be completed in Al Wahida.

A Soldier from the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade
Combat Team, patrols the streets of Al Wahida June 18.

A young boy from the city of Al Wahida smiles as he holds a soccer ball given to him by Soldiers of the 1-15th Inf. Regt. and 97th CA Bn., June 18. The unit met with the Al Wahida contracting manager to coordinate CF and governmental efforts to revitalize services in the area.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team and 97th Civil Affairs Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, met with the Al Wahida city council June 18.

The meeting with Mr. Abbas, contracting manager, was held to discuss renovations and projects in the area to include rehabilitation of a local school and clinic, and enhancement of the sanitation and security of the Nahia council building.

“Progress was made in the meeting,” said 1st Lt. Matthew Givens, 1-15 Inf. civil affairs officer, of Columbus, Ga. “There are a lot of new, friendly faces that are glad to see the Americans have come.”

Prior to the meeting, Soldiers of the 1-15 Inf. and the 97th CAB conducted analysis of sewage, water, electricity, education, and trash removal systems in the area. Givens feels the projects will prove benefi cial in the relationship between 1-15 Inf. and citizens in the area.

“The schools that will be rebuilt here will go a long way to build credibility and trust between us and the people of Al Wahida,”Givens said.

1-15 Inf. is a part of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, Multi-National Division-Center, which is currently executing Operation Marne Torch to deny insurgents and terrorists sanctuaries
southeast of Baghdad.

“In Marne Torch, we are hunting down insurgents, who are terrorizing the good people of Iraq in an area that has seen little Coalition Force infl uence during the past several years,” said Maj. James Carlisle, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, civil military operations offi cer, of Palm Beach, Fla. “Now that we are here and the insurgents are on the run, we are able to assist the local government in rebuilding the communities that have suffered for so long. We do this by repairing schools and hospitals and reestablishing public services and local police forces.