Hope Grows in Salman Pak

Staff Sgt. Robert Butler, from Excelsior Springs, Mo., the platoon sergeant for Headquarters Platoon, 1-15th Infantry Regiment, extends a hand to a child in Salman Pak. "You never know what small thing will have a huge impact when they remember us," he said. "The 12-year-old we interact with today will be 17 in five short years and he'll have a choice. Will he be the one digging up an IED, or will he be the one to emplace one? I want him to make the decision to dig it up."

Staff Sgt. Robert Butler, from Excelsior Springs, Mo., the platoon sergeant for Headquarters Platoon, 1-15th Infantry Regiment, greets a child in Salman Pak. "We're rebuilding Iraq with a strong foundation and I think kids are the biggest part of that," he said. "Every time they are out, Joes (Soldiers) need to check their actions. These kids are like sponges, and they soak up every little thing we do."

Staff Sgt. Raymond Cotrell, from Zanesville, Ohio, Company A, 1-15th Infantry Regiment, provides security during a combat patrol through Salman Pak, April 16. Since April, Cotrell has seen significant improvement in Salman Pak's security. "Everyone knew when we first got here that there had been little to no coalition presence here," he said. "Since we've been here, I've seen Salman Pak improve tenfold. Contact rates have gone down. Improvised explosive device attacks have gone down. They are seeing their town improve and know that we are here to help them."

Maj. John Wolfe, Scottsboro, Ala., team leader in the 489th Civil Affairs Battalion, from Knoxville, Tenn., currently attached to 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, pauses to take notes during a market assessment in Salman Pak, Dec. 23. The assessment is part of 1-15th Inf. Regiment's Operation Market Garden. "The primary purpose of the operation is to improve business economics in the Salman Pak area," said Wolfe. "We are trying to give small business owners information to run their businesses profitably and giving them financial assistance to help them get a leg up."

Staff Sgt. John Zamarripa, from Columbus, Ga., Company A, 1-15th Infantry Regiment, jokes with citizens in Salman Pak during a market assessment Dec. 23. The assessment was part of Operation Market Garden, an operation designed to stimulate the economy of Salman Pak by providing small business owners with classes to help them develop strategies to better run their businesses and money to help them improve their stores.

Maj. John Wolfe, Scottsboro, Ala., team leader in the 489th Civil Affairs Battalion, from Knoxville, Tenn., currently attached to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, talks with a business owner during a market assessment in Salman Pak Dec. 23. The assessment is part of 1-15th Inf. Regiment's Operation Market Garden. "The primary purpose of the operation is to improve business economics in the Salman Pak area," said Wolfe. "We are trying to give small business owners information to run their businesses profitably and giving them financial assistance to help them get a leg up."

Pfc. Jeremiah Johnson, from Buffalo, N.Y., Company A, 1-15th Infantry Regiment, pulls security during a market assessment in Salman Pak Dec. 23. "Salman Pak is a really beautiful place," said Staff Sgt. Robert Butler, from Excelsior Springs, Mo., the platoon sergeant for headquarters platoon, 1-15th Inf. Regt. "You look at the Arch (the Arch of Ctesiphon, one of the largest and oldest freestanding arches in the world), the mosque, and some of the houses there and you see so much potential. I hope that the progress we are making now will help that potential become a reality after we have left. This place deserves it after what it's been through. In 10 years, I want to be able to say that I was there when Salman Pak turned the corner. I'll be proud to say I was a part of that."

Pfc. Jeremiah Johnson, from Buffalo, N.Y., Company A, 1-15th Infantry Regiment, pulls security during a market assessment in Salman Pak Dec. 23. "When we first started patrolling Salman Pak, the people there were very stand-offish," said Staff Sgt. Robert Butler, from Excelsior Springs, Mo., the platoon sergeant for Headquarters Platoon, 1-15th Inf. Regt. "As time has gone on, we have earned their trust," he said. "They see that we are trying to help. Most are quite friendly to us now."

Staff Sgt. Raymond Cotrell, from Zanesville, Ohio, Company A, 1-15th Infantry Regiment provides security during a market assessment in Salman Pak Dec. 23. "When we first came here, the people saw us rolling through in our Bradleys and tanks and they just closed up shop," he said. "We roll by now and they stay open. They wave. You can see they are not afraid. It is easier for us to do business with them. They really just want to get back to living a normal life and taking care of their families."



By Spc. Ben Hutto
3rd HBCT, 3rd Inf. Div. PAO

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Staff Sgt. Robert Butler expresses a range of emotions when someone asks him what he thinks about Salman Pak.

The platoon sergeant, from Excelsior Springs, Mo., Headquarters Platoon, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division has handed out candy to children there, fought insurgents, lost friends and helped the national police provide security.

In his mind, the former resort town has a lot of potential, but he readily admits that there is still a lot of work that needs to be done before it can reach that potential.

The recent opening of the courthouse in Salman Pak and a recent push by the 489th Civil Affairs Battalion, Knoxville, Tenn., currently attached to 3rd HBCT, 3rd Inf. Div., to help stimulate local business are important steps in building the city, but security is still the main issue according to Butler.

“Right now, I don’t think that they are at a level where we can fully concentrate on economic stabilization,” said Butler. “There are still some security issues that we need to work on with the Concerned Local Citizens (group) and the national police. We still have a little way to go there. It has come a long way from where it was, but we still have hot spots that we need to clean up.”

Butler has seen firsthand how far Salman Pak has come and how the citizens’ view of him and his 3rd HBCT brethren has changed.

“When we first started patrolling Salman Pak, the people there were very stand-offish,” he explained. “We would go down the street and people would go inside. A few weeks later, they started coming out.”

Gradually troops in the area earned the local residents’ trust, said Butler.

“Their children come out and greet us. Merchants try and give us drinks,” he said. “The establishment of the Concerned Local Citizens there has improved their view of us even more.”

Staff Sgt. Raymond Cotrell, from Zanesville, Ohio, Co. A, 1-15 Inf. Regt., was one of the Soldiers beside Butler on many of those patrols and agrees with his assessment of the town’s improvement.

“Everyone knew when we first got here that there had been little to no coalition presence here,” he said. “Since we’ve been here, I’ve seen Salman Pak improve tenfold. Contact rates have gone down. IED (improvised explosive devices) attacks have gone down. They are seeing their town improve and know that we are here to help them.”

The help that Cotrell and his fellow Soldiers have provided the people, while important, is not as important as what the townspeople are doing to help themselves according to Cotrell.

“They are helping themselves now,” said Cotrell. “Part of the reason IED attacks are down are because of the CLC checkpoints that have been set up. The people here see the CLCs and are becoming more confident in their security. In short, the program is working. As security has improved, the people have started coming out to the markets. They have started opening up their businesses again. It’s just getting better. This isn’t all talk. Compare what the market looks like now to when we first started patrolling here. It’s like two different places.”

When he is asked for details about how much different it is, Cotrell clarifies his point.

“When we first came here, the people saw us rolling through in our Bradleys and tanks and they just closed up shop,” he said. “I think people were scared. They were scared of us. They were scared of the insurgents. We roll by now and they stay open. They wave. You can see they are not afraid. It is easier for us to do business with them. They really just want to get back to living a normal life and taking care of their families.”

Maj. John Wolfe, from Scottsboro, Ala., team leader for Civil Affairs Team 915, is using his team to help the people of Salman Pak get back to living a normal life through Operation Market Garden.

“The primary purpose of the operation is to improve business economics in the Salman Pak area,” he said. “We are trying to give small business owners information to run their businesses profitably and giving them financial assistance to help them get a leg up.”

The program will provide business owners with classes designed to help them make better business decisions and financial assistance to help them build their businesses.

“We are doing this in small steps,” said Wolfe. “They have got to be able to do this on their own. We like to give them the tools and confidence to be successful.”

Wolfe pointed out that resurgence of the bank in Salman Pak, the courthouse opening and the improved security environment are all key indicators that the economic state in Salman Pak will continue to improve.

“Security is really the No. 1 priority,” he explained. “Once security is established, our mission goes beyond humanitarian aid. We can really dig deeper. The bank is a good example of that.”

Wolfe explained that many residents of Salman Pak are retired government workers who rely on the bank in Salman Pak for their pensions. The security situation had prevented delivery of money to the bank and subsequently squeezed the budgets of many in the community. As security improved, his team was able to help get money to the bank.

“We helped escort half a billion dinar from Baghdad,” he said. “That showed the people that the bank was getting back on its feet. The national police are now helping escort shipments once every two months.”

Talking with Wolfe, he named off several projects that are helping Salman Pak. He mentioned the opening of a firehouse, curb restoration projects and road sanitation projects. All of these, he pointed out, are signs that Salman Pak is improving.

“There was a stigma of how bad it was here, but all of these projects could have never happened if the security wasn’t there,” he said.

Butler believes that the security, economic improvement and the favorable disposition of the citizens of Salman Pak are all products of the sacrifice he and his fellow Soldiers made to help secure and improve the town.

“We never stopped,” he said. “Even when we lost brothers close to us, we put on our boots and went out there and continued to do our jobs. No matter what happened, we kept coming out to help them and do our jobs. If me and my whole platoon had died, I know that Hardrock (Company A) and 1-15 would have been out there the next day to continue our work. That’s how important it is to us.”

Despite the mission being hard, Butler believes in it. In spite of the losses, he still believes in the people of Salman Pak.

“Despite losing my brothers there, I don’t have hate for the people there,” he said. “I believe in everything we’ve done here. We have to give these people a taste of freedom, no matter what flavor it is. Once the people have tasted it, they will never let it go.”

Butler insists that to give them that taste, courage will be needed on both sides.

“I knew my Joes (Soldiers) were scared a lot of the time, but they call you brave because you overcome it and drive on,” he explained. “The first thing we heard from the citizens here was that they were scared. We asked ‘Why did you let insurgents use your house?’ or ‘Why didn’t you call us?’ and they would tell us they were scared. I just had to admit to them that I was too, but we were still going to be there for them. I didn’t do it to show weakness. I wanted them to understand that we were human too, and we were going to get down on their level and help. In many cases, I think that helped them overcome their fears and reach out to us. In time, they stepped up.”

Butler believes that the Concerned Local Citizens program in Salman Pak is an example of that bravery.

“They (CLC) don’t get paid a lot to do what they are doing,” he explained. “They could probably make more placing IEDs than finding them. I think that shows they want a stable neighborhood for themselves and their family. I respect them for that. Standing up for your neighborhood and family is a brave thing.”

Butler understands that his role as a statesman is just as important as his role as a Soldier and tries to instill that belief in the Soldiers around him.

“We’re rebuilding Iraq with a strong foundation, and I think kids are the biggest part of that,” he said. “Every time they are out, Joes need to check their actions. These kids are like sponges, and they soak up every little thing we do. You never know what small thing will have a huge impact when they remember us. We have to show them that we are human beings like them. We have to show them that we are here to help; and even when we are having a bad day, we have to remain professional. The 12-year-old we interact with today will be 17 in five short years and he’ll have a choice. Will he be the one digging up an IED or will he be the one to emplace one? I want him to make the decision to dig it up.”

As 1-15 Inf. Regt.’s deployment in Iraq enters it’s final months, Butler, Cotrell and Wolfe hope that the progress they’ve made continues long after they’ve gone.

“Salman Pak is a really beautiful place,” said Butler. “You look at the Arch (the Arch of Ctesiphon, one of the largest and oldest freestanding arches in the world), the mosque, and some of the houses there and you see so much potential. I hope that the progress we are making now will help that potential become a reality after we have left. This place deserves it after what it’s been through. In 10 years, I want to be able to say that I was there when Salman Pak turned the corner. I’ll be proud to say I was a part of that.”

The 1-15th Inf. Regt. is part of 3rd HBCT, from Fort Benning, Ga., 3rd Inf. Div. and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March.