New Well Provides Young Children Drinking Water

Capt. Josh Beard, from Opelika, Ala., the civil-military operations officer for 1st Battalion,10th Field Artillery, helps test the water being filtered from the new well at a girls’ school in Narhwan, Dec. 6. The ribbon cutting for the well was attended by Lt. Gen. Abud, the commander of the Baghdad Operations Center, Maj. Gen. Abdul Kareem, the commander of the1st National Police Division, and several leaders from the 3rd Infantry Division.

Sgt. 1st Class Theodore Brock, the non-commissioned officer in charge of the 1-10th FA’s civil-military operations section, tastes the water coming from the new well at a girls’ school in Narhwan, Dec. 6. Filters are used to convert the well water, which is extremely salty, into drinking water.

Sgt. 1st Class Theodore Brock, the non-commissioned officer in charge of the 1-10th FA’s civil-military operations section, and a local contractor sign the final paper work to complete a well project at a girls’ school in Narhwan, Dec. 6

By Spc. Ben Hutto
3rd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – The students of a girls’ school in Nahrwan now have fresh water to enjoy in between lessons.

A local contractor completed a well project at the school, funded by the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Dec. 6, 45 days after breaking ground on the project.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by Lt. Gen. Abud, the commander of the Baghdad Operations Center, Maj. Gen. Abdul Kareem, the commander of the1st National Police Division, and several leaders from the 3rd Infantry Division.

“This project will directly impact the 3,500 students who attend the three schools at this site,” said 1st Lt. Chris Sweitzer, from Knoxville, Tenn., a team leader in the 489th Civil Affairs Battalion, from Knoxville, Tenn., currently attached to the 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery. “We have been trying to complete this project since this summer. The improved security situation here finally made this project reality. There was no hesitation on the contractor’s part to come here and work.”

Filters will be used to convert the well water, which is extremely salty, into drinking water and also allow it to be used for sanitation purposes.

“I think the project will be received really well by the people here,” said Sgt. 1st Class Theodore Brock, the non-commissioned officer in charge of the 1-10th FA’s civil-military operations section. “The contractor put a lot of work into it, using local workers. He went all out to make sure everything was correct. We are planning to do two similar projects at two other schools in the area and we hope they go as well.”

The contractor told Brock that even though the job is completed, he will continue to monitor the system to ensure that it is working properly.

Capt. Josh Beard, from Opelika, Ala., the civil-military operations officer for the 1-10th FA, explained that the Nahrwan city council brought this project to the 3rd BCT’s attention.

“We are starting to see the Narhwan Nahia government take on more projects like this one,” Beard said. “We are seeing projects develop that we do not initiate. The improved security here is the main reason for that. The people here are concentrating on their quality of life rather than their security. It’s encouraging.”

The 1-10th FA is assigned to the 3rd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom V since March.