Home » Archives » "Iraqi battalion takes reins"

Iraqi battalion takes reins

Dec-28-2005 » Filed Under: 172nd SBCT

Link to Full Article
By MARGARET FRIEDENAUER, News-Miner

MAKHMUR, IRAQ--About two months ago, Lt. Col. Hogger Salahaddin Abdul wanted to retire after nearly 20 years in the Iraqi army. The Kurdish colonel wanted to focus his energy on his tile factories. But Lt. Col. Scott Wuestner, commander of the U.S Army Task Force 4-11 Field Artillery, said that he recognized a natural-born leader and convinced the colonel that his time in the army was not yet expired.

So instead of a quiet home life and tile making, the colonel, who goes by the name "Hogar," on Monday became commander of the first army unit in northern Iraq to assume command of an area from U.S. forces: the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Division of the Iraqi army.

"Effective today the 3rd Battalion assumes control of the battle zone here in the Mahkmur region," announced U.S. Army Major Gen. David Rodriguez, commander of the Multinational Force Northwest and Task Force Freedom. [...]


Advertisements