Stryker Brigade News

Update on Injured Stryler Soldier

A local paper has an update on SSG Ralph Franklin Frankie Steward Jr., a 1/25 SBCT soldier who was seriously injured earlier this month. Our thoughts are with him and his entire family.

A Highland County soldier sustained life-threatening injuries while serving in Iraq, family members of the soldier told The Times-Gazette in Hillsboro Tuesday.
Army Staff Sgt. Ralph Franklin “Frankie” Steward Jr., 37, lost his right leg from the knee down, injured his left leg, shattered bones in both arms and suffered a bruised lung and damage to his right eye, according to his aunt, Carolyn Goins. [...]

She said Steward, a Hillsboro High School graduate, is now in good condition. He is surrounded by his wife Amy Steward, his parents Ralph and Jennifer Steward and his brother Michael Steward.

Tips, turn-ins get weapons off Baghdad streets

Multi-National Division – Baghdad

BAGHDAD – Iraqi Security Forces continue to make the streets of Baghdad safe by seizing weapons and munitions Nov. 17.

An Iraqi citizen turned a cache of weapons to Iraqi Police serving at Combat Outpost Falahat at approximately 11 a.m.

An explosive ordnance team assessed the munitions consisting of three 120 mm rounds, five detonators, two 120 mm high explosive rounds, three warheads and 150 7.62 mm rounds

At approximately 11:15 a.m., Soldiers serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, found two rifles and a mortar round north of Baghdad.

Hammer Co. Transitions to Over-watch

By Sgt. 1st Class Brian Addis and Spc. Curtis Riffel, 2/25 SBCT

JOINT SECURITY STATION HOR AL BASH, Iraq - The government of Iraq didn’t let their Sons of Iraq members down as payday operations at Joint Security Station Hor al Bosh, northwest of Baghdad, kicked off, Nov. 10.

Another page in Iraqi history was written as the first of 343 payments of 354,000 Iraqi Dinar went to Sons of Iraq members in the Hor al Bosh area. Prior to the payday activity, coalition forces made equal payments of $300 to each SoI.

Soldiers from Company B “Hammer,” 52nd Infantry attached to 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment “Strykehorse,” 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team “Warrior,” 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, were responsible overall for scrubbing rosters, drawing money and then paying it out.

The GoI agreed to take over the SoI program beginning Oct. 1. This week marks the first time the SoIs received payment from the government of Iraq.

Any concerns over getting paid were relieved when a successful mission to Baghdad returned to Hor al Bosh with two large bundles of the official Iraqi currency.

Iraqi Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 36th IA Brigade, led by Col. Jawad, their battalion commander, completed the payments.

“It is now my job, my mission, to ensure that the 2,485 ISF members in my area receive payments,” Jawad said. “It has been a tiring process, but as you can see, the end result has been, thus far, very successful.”

Capt. Darrell Tran, a native of Bridgeport, Conn., who serves as the commander for Hammer Co., 52nd Inf. Regt., partook in the past two days events.

“Payments have flowed smoothly and there have been very few hiccups,” he said. “Today shows that the Iraqi army is capable of securing their own nation.”

The SoI are largely responsible for the gains in security that have happened all across this young democratic nation. The willingness of the GoI to manage and pay this group may be a positive sign that security is here to stay.

1/25 SBCT Photos

One of our readers kindly forwarded links to two photo albums at DVIDS featuring 1/25 SBCT soldiers.

Admittedly we don't do a very good job of linking to every photo of Stryker soldiers at DVIDS, but you can always jump over there and do a quick search to view the latest. They also have a nice catalog of videos as well.

Buzzell on CNN

Colby Buzzell, a former 3/2 SBCT soldier who gained notoriety for his blog and subsequent book, appears in the following story on CNN.com (includes video). I wish I had taken a screen shot b/c for a brief time the article was the featured story on the CNN homepage.

When U.S. Army machine gunner Colby Buzzell began blogging about his combat experiences from a military base in Mosul, Iraq, he wasn't looking for attention or trouble. Buzzell just wanted a way to chronicle what he saw and did and felt during the Iraq war.
But his visceral, first-hand accounts were a bracing antidote to dry news reports and bloodless Pentagon news releases. In the first major war of the Internet age, Buzzell and other soldier bloggers in Iraq offered readers around the world unfiltered, real-time glimpses of an ongoing conflict. [...]

Since leaving Iraq, Buzzell collected his wartime blog posts and journal entries into "My War," which was published in 2005. Excerpts from his Iraq blog also appeared in the Oscar-nominated documentary "Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience."

The war cost Buzzell his marriage and left him with post-traumatic stress disorder, a diagnosis that helped him avoid being redeployed to Iraq last spring. Now 32, he contributes regular features to Esquire magazine and hopes to write another book, the contents of which he's not ready to discuss.

Soldiers Become Citizens

Soldiers from the 3/2 SBCT and 5/2 SBCT were among those granted US citizenship at a ceremony yesterday.

They entered the room "green card soldiers" from nearly every branch of the armed forces, men and women serving the United States in wartime though they were not U.S. citizens.
Within an hour, the platoon-size foreign legion of 41 was leaving with relief, smiles and in the arms of family and friends, having taken an oath and validation as newly minted U.S. citizens.

A Cuban man and a South Korean woman, a Kenyan chaplain who is a captain in the Army and more, representing 29 nations around the world, took the oath of allegiance Thursday at the all-military Veterans Appreciation Naturalization ceremony at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration District 20 offices in Tukwila.

MND-B Soldiers find weapons in Baghdad

Multi-National Division – Baghdad

BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers found weapons caches in the Baghdad area Nov. 13.

Soldier serving with Company D, 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, found a weapons cache in Adhamiyah at approximately 8:30 a.m. The cache contained two rocket-propelled grenade canisters, two RPG rounds, two RPG launchers, two recoilless rifles, eight 60mm mortar rounds, 43 81mm mortar rounds and an unknown number of canisters of recoilless-rifle propellant

At approximately 7:45 p.m., Soldiers serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, found a cache of various bomb-making materials, which included 10 electrical blasting caps, two Motorola radios with timers, seven Motorola radios, five washing machine timers, three radio-controlled transmitters, a passive infrared device, two Nokia cell batteries, a radio receiver, two battery packs, an unknown circuit board, two pairs of scissors, a set of tweezers, a box cutter and a box of misc. electrical parts.

“Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers excel in removing these dangerous war implements from the hands of those who would harm innocent Iraqi civilians,” said Lt. Col. Steve Stover, spokesman, MND-B and the 4th Inf. Div. “We are diligent in providing a safe environment for the Iraqi people.”

MND-B Troop participates in historic SOI payday

Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

PATROL BASE SOUTH, Iraq – The Sons of Iraq now receive their payments from the Iraqi government.

As such, the 53rd Iraqi Army Brigade conducted its first Government of Iraq-funded payday operations Nov. 10 at Patrol Base South, northwest of Baghdad.

Soldiers from Comanche Troop, 2nd Squadron 14th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, along with the 53-14 Military Transition Team, assisted the 53rd Iraqi Army soldiers in processing 506 paychecks.

“The Iraqi Army soldiers are pretty squared away,” said Sgt. 1st Class Charles Sproessig, the MiTT Team noncommissioned officer in charge, “Today is a huge step for them, and they will celebrate this tonight.”

In October, Comanche Troop Soldiers scoured SoI rosters, verified enrollment cards and identification paperwork, and paid each member $300 for the month’s work. Today their role was slightly less involved.

“We took somewhat of a back seat to (the Iraqi commanders) in that they were in charge,” said Capt. Travis Shain, commander of Troop C. He, along with Cpl. Cerone Waddy, a radio telephone operator, verified each member on the roster. From there, each member proceeded to the pay table to pick up their pay.

A group of 30 SoIs received a special visit prior to getting paid as Gen. Qais, the 53rd Iraqi Army Brigade commander, greeted each individual in the atrium prior to addressing them.

“I want to thank you all for what you are doing,” he said. “This is our country. You will not have to worry about employment as we will find a place for you with the Iraqi Army or the Iraqi Police.”

IA soldiers, along with SoI members, sang and danced to traditional music.

“This is a historic time for the people of Iraq. You’re seeing the fruits of the GoI’s labor. It was extremely complicated and took a lot of hard work and patience,” Shain said. “The fact that the GoI and Iraqi Security Forces executed this task with such ease speaks for itself in that they have come a long way.”

Stryker Soldiers Injured

Stars & Stripes is reporting that three 1/25 SBCT soldiers were injured in an explosion on Sunday.

Three soldiers were seriously injured when a booby-trapped house exploded Sunday in Diyala province, military officials said.
All were flown to Balad for treatment and were listed in stable condition Monday.

The soldiers were on patrol in the town of Mullayah northeast of Baghdad when a house they were entering blew up. Names of the soldiers, who are part of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, are being withheld pending notification of their families.

Veterans' Day

We would like to take a moment to thank all of the veterans, past and present, who have sacrificed so much on our behalf. Your efforts represent a debt that cannot easily be repaid, if at all. During this time of conflict let's not forget those still in harm's way, or who have been injured and are fighting to recover. A special thanks to all the families supporting each and every servicemember - you are "veterans" as well. Finally, to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, know that you will never be forgotten. Thank you.

Provided below are additional sources commemorating Veterans Day.

Veterans History Project from The Library of Congress.

Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) official website.

The history of Veterans Day provided by About.com.

Soldiers in Tarmiyah Provide ‘for Common Defense’

By Pfc. Lyndsey Dransfield, Multi-National Division - Baghdad

CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Most people go through a daily routine. Whether it is in a career, as a student or even as a parent, they traverse through life in the best possible manner, hoping to simplify things along the way.

Along those same lines, Soldiers in Tarmiyah, an area located northwest of Baghdad, seek the same simplicity. On a preplanned basis, they rotate through the vital duties of pulling base security, checkpoint security, patrolling the streets of Tarmiyah and serving as the quick reaction force.

While the Soldiers have succeeded in performing their missions during the rotations, they have also witnessed Tarmiyah gradually change from a city torn by war and violence to a city full of possibility and growth.

“We’re not just out here to protect ourselves. We’re also here to protect the people,” said Spc. Daniel Twomey. “We are here trying to rebuild this city and make it better than what it was when we got here,” he added.

Twomey, a native of Festus, Mo., is an infantry team leader with 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment “Golden Dragons,” 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad.

A mere three years ago, Twomey was living life as a husband, father and college student. Like most hardworking parents or spouses, he was searching for the best course of action to support his growing family, a course that would lead him to an Army recruiter’s office, where he signed up for the infantry. Although service in not necessarily for everyone, but Twomey decided that the Army was the best option for him and his family.

“The aspects of this job are simple, but you have to be smart to do it to be good at it,” Twomey said. “Even though it doesn’t require a lot, it’s important to have leadership skills,” he added, declaring that the leadership skills he’s obtaining as a Soldier will benefit him beyond military life.

After completing his initial training with the Army, one month after arriving to his first unit, Twomey was deployed to the Philippines for four months. While he was immediately asked to leave his Family behind, he maintained a positive outlook, a mindset that he attributes to those who have mentored him along the way.

“[My leaders] have been a huge influence in my military life as well as my personal life,” Twomey said. “They have taught me that you can be a leader and a friend, but that you have to teach your Soldiers and not just lead them. Knowledge is power, and the more you know, the better you will be at your job,” he added.

Twomey is awaiting promotion to become a sergeant and said he hopes that as he rises in rank, it will also help him progress in reaching his life’s goals as well.

“I am here for my family,” Twomey said. “My wife and kids have been so supportive, and I want them to look up to me. I want to be a great Soldier for them,” he added.

Encountering and overcoming the many challenges and stressors that he and his fellow Soldiers have dealt with in Iraq, Twomey said he realizes the importance that comes with learning to rise above ordeals. He knows that such experience will be helpful to his family in the future and is certainly beneficial to his unit’s mission now.

“It’s a physically as well as a mentally stressing job,” Twomey said. “But our job [as infantrymen] is specifically important because we are the boots on the ground,” he added, drawing attention to his unit comrades.

The downtime is always a welcome relief as these troops have endured many trials during their time here, including losing a fellow Soldier in that span. However, the rough spots have done nothing short of edifying the men, bringing them closer than they ever thought possible.

Twomey marvels at how well he has been treated by his leaders, his peers, his friends, adding that he does the best he can to reciprocate what they give him.

“I have tried really hard, and I don’t want to go home and say ‘Man, I’m a big dirt bag,’” Twomey said. “With these guys treating me this way, helping me along my way and not trying to keep me down, I want to try to do the same to the next Soldiers that come up after me. I want them to say ‘He knew his stuff.'"

He said he also wants his wife and children to look up to him as well and view him as a good Soldier. Beyond being a good Soldier, Twomey hopes to one day fill the same mentorship role as his leaders and apply the skills they’ve taught him as his own.

“I want to be a leader and a friend. I want my Soldiers to come and talk to me,” Twomey said, noting that as much as his comrades have influenced him, family is his driving force. “I have to tell my wife and kids I love them so much. My wife has been nothing but supportive, and I appreciate her. She and my children are a huge influence, and I do this for them.”

While Twomey’s cause as a husband and father is noble, and while his path as a Soldier seems clear, for some of the other Soldiers in his unit, life’s journey wasn’t always so defined.

“I wouldn’t have ever pictured myself here a few years ago, and now I can’t imagine doing anything else,” said Pfc. Chris Carpe, a Glastonbury, Conn., native, who serves as a gunner with 4th Pltn., Co. A, 1st Bn., 14th Inf. Regt.

Although Carpe and his buddies may not be able to imagine doing anything more than being a Soldier, doing unimaginable and heroic things are what U.S. Soldiers have done throughout our nation’s history. That reputation and those standards aren’t lost on the troops in Tarmiyah, and it is something they strive to maintain.

“It’s more than just wearing the uniform and serving your country,” Carpe said. “It’s about the job you do and the guys you’re with.”

The “guys” watch the sun rise and the sun set in Tarmiyah as they count the days until they return home. Until that time, they will stick to their training, continually learn from each other and watch each other’s backs.

Although Twomey, Carpe and the rest of the young men will return home without one of their buddies, their friend’s memories are safely etched in their hearts and minds. When the last of their troops have left Tarmiyah, be it in person or in spirit, all of these fine Soldiers will return home with honor.

Eyes in the Sky

By Pfc. Alisha Nye, 14th Public Affairs Detachment

One of the most important assets to military aviation in a deployed environment is the one that leaves its crew on the ground.

The Shadow-200, also called the RQ7, is an unmanned aerial vehicle that allows the United States military to have aerial surveillance of occurrences on the ground.

“It’s got an on-board camera that can look down and kind of depict what I going on, on the ground and tips us off to possible enemy activities or do some over-watch if we have some troops on the ground doing something,” said Capt. Phillip Mann, commander of Troop D, 5th Battalion, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, which falls under the SBCT’s Brigade Troops Battalion.

The UAV is operated by a team of two who work out of a shelter in the back of a high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle.

“One of them actually flies the aircraft through a series of different radio frequencies and then we’ve got the mission payload officer, which is another Soldier who mans the camera,” Mann said.

Mann also said these UAVs are an extremely important asset to successfully completing missions in a combat zone.

“They’re a great tool,” he said. “They provide a commander, at any level, instant eyes on the target or instant eyes on the ground. So, he’s got good situational awareness of what’s going on before he has to send his troops in and it also helps to protect to forces while the troops are there on the ground.”

It is no small task to keep these vehicles operating smoothly and efficiently on a daily basis, said Mann.

“It takes a platoon of 22 people,” he said. “Which includes the platoon leader, a warrant officer who is a UAV specialist, the platoon sergeant who is also an air vehicle operator, seven maintainers who have to go to a special UAV maintainer’s school, and an additional 12 air vehicle operators who work on an aviation cycle where they have 12-14 hour work days and then 10-12 hours of rest afterward.”

While most of these Soldiers may never go outside the wire while deployed, the responsibility that falls on their shoulders is as great as that of any line Soldier.

“One of the things that I tell the platoon all the time is that they are in the unique position of saving Soldiers’ lives every day,” Mann said. “They’re not the ones who go out there and get bad guys; they’re the ones who make sure bad guys don’t get us. They let the commanders and the troops on the ground know what’s going on around them that they can’t see.”

This unique job is one that requires a lot of attention, Mann said.

“The air vehicle operators have to be pretty patient,” he said. “The uniqueness of Army UAVs is that we have enlisted Soldiers who fly these things. Unlike manned aviation where we have warrant officers and officers who do it, we have 19, 20 year-old kids, sometimes, flying these.”

The most important thing that these Soldiers perform are pre-flight, in-flight and launch checklists which ensure that the whole operation goes smoothly, Mann said. The Soldiers operating the UAVs may be young, but once they have mastered going through these checklists and performing a mission smoothly, they have also proven that they are capable, Mann said.

The capability and unwavering patience of these UAV Soldiers to perform a job that requires the utmost attention to detail may be attributed to their fondness for what it is they do, Mann said.

“For me, this is probably the best military intelligence job I’ll ever have,” he said. “The aviators just love flying. The maintainers, they don’t care if they’re working 18 hour days, just as long as they get to put that airplane up and it gets to come right back down safely. They’ve all wanted to do this for 18 months now and now they finally get to do it.”

New Unit, New Weapons

By Pfc. Alisha Nye, 14th Public Affairs Detachment

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARHORSE - As King Battery, 1st Battalion, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment starts to filter out of the Diyala province of Iraq and Alpha Battery, 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division replaces them, a weapon switch from Paladins to M777A2 howitzers takes place as well.

While the Paladins are mechanized and M777s are not, the M777s are just as capable at helping artillery Soldiers complete their mission.

“It’s a very good system,” said Capt. Renaldo Rivera, field artillery commander for King Battery, 1-3 ACR. “It’s just employed in a different way. Once we have all the systems in place, it’s pretty much an even swap.”

The biggest challenge of switching these weapons out, said Rivera, is the undertaking of their placement in three separate locations throughout the province.

“It is very challenging,” Rivera said. “Given the recent rains and such, it has been [demanding]. The mud is incredible and some of the surfaces we are using, such as concrete pads, are not suitable for the triple sevens, so a little bit of side preparation is needed and we’re doing pretty well on that right now. We’re on our way to getting it completed.”

There are several assets employed in this task, Rivera said.

“We have several engineer assets here,” he said. “Also, we have Kellogg, Brown and Root contractors preparing the sites; laying the gravel, leveling the ground, erecting hesco barriers and such.”

Off the three locations where the weapons are being placed, two of them are proving to be more challenging.

“It’s a difficult undertaking given the distances,” Rivera said. “The points at the Diyala Media Center and at Forward Operating Base Normandy are a bit more challenging because we have to move all of our assets up there to level that ground, mix that soil and prepare the sites for shooting.”

Despite the recent inclement weather creating more work for these weapons being placed, the process is actually very simple, said Staff Sgt. Scott U’Ren, alpha Battery, 2nd Bn. 8th FA, 1st SBCT, 25th Inf. Div.

“It’s really very simple,” he said. “It’s the same thing you have to do everywhere. You come up to a position, you find out whatever you’re obstacles are so you can figure out where you can lay the gun and the Soldiers who place the spades can get a point of contact.”

However, it is because of the recent inclement weather that this normally simple process, which usually takes a couple of days, has been dragged out for nearly two weeks.

“We’ve been working on this project for the past week or so,” Rivera said. “We expect to be finished in the next couple of days in all our locations. Once it is complete, 2-8 will be taking over and we can then retreat our battalions.”

The most important part of this weapon switch, said Rivera, is that it is done proficiently in order to set up the new artillery unit for success.

“We’re trying to do this right to make sure the Soldiers of Alpha Battery are taken care of and that the guns are taken care of,” Rivera said. “That way they can be as successful at completing their mission as we have been.”

Gen. Odierno visits MND-B Soldiers, Sab al Bour

Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Gen. Ray Odierno, the commanding general of Multi-National Forces – Iraq, along with Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers from 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, visited the neighborhood of Sab al Bour, northwest of Baghdad, Nov. 5.

“I’ve been to Sab al Bour before, a couple years ago, and this is my third trip back,” said Odierno. “The first couple times it was deserted and there was fighting on every block for a ghost town.”

What the MNF-I commander saw during this visit was vastly different from his previous experience as the MND-B Soldiers showed him the successes made in the area in the economic areas, essential services and quality of life for local residents.

Odierno’s visit began at the local area’s electrical substation. Capt. Mark Gillman, who serves as the brigade’s engineer in charge of electric reconstruction, along with Jassem Muhammed Saliem, the Taji director of electricity, discussed electrical improvement.

Jassem said the electrical grid is repaired and ready to provide the vital electrical support needed for the people of Sab al Bour.

“We know that electricity is the coin of the realm here, and everything builds from that,” said Gillman. “Security gains lead to essential service improvements, and this is case in point.”

His tour of the Sab al Bour area continued through the market place, where he was able to observe for himself as numerous families shopped and moved throughout the market. Women and children smiled and waved at the passing MND-B vehicles as the convoy passed through the area.

“What I’m seeing now is progress, and things are coming together,” observed Odierno.

Sab Al Bour Residents Emerge from Darkness

By Ken Griffin, 2/25 SBCT

CAMP TAJI — Only a year ago, reliable electricity in Sab al Bour was just a dream. The city, just north of Baghdad along the Grand Canal, was practically deserted, with only diehard residents and pockets of insurgents sticking around in the dark.

As of Nov. 8, residents in this small agricultural city are literally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, according to sheik Nadeem Hatem al Tamimi, an influential leader in the area. Outside the city’s new electrical substation, the sheik spoke literally and metaphorically about the town’s emergence from darkness.

“We had evil forces trying to kill Iraqis … and they destroyed all essential services,” he said, describing insurgent attempts to control the city and population. “Today, we are calling for unity between all people of Iraq.”

The top Coalition forces leader in the Taji area said he believes peace and stability starts with electricity, and was at the event to congratulate Sab al Bour on its achievement.

“Reliable and sustainable access to power allows businesses to flourish, water to crops, schools to educate our children and light on the dark nights of the Iraqi winter” said Col. Todd McCaffrey, commander of 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team “Warrior,” 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad. “Sab al Bour is now postured to accept the return of its rightful residents.”

The rightful residents McCaffrey referred to is a large portion of Sab al Bour’s citizens that fled due to violence and lack of essential services. The internally displaced people are now returning at a rate of up to 50 families per week.

If the substation opening only meant more electricity, it would be meaningful enough. But the impact of this substation doesn’t stop with keeping the lights on. It will have a direct and immediate positive effect on other essential services in the area.

First, there’ll be more drinkable water. Purification stations of course rely on electricity to produce potable water.

Even more significantly, irrigation pumps in the area will work harder and longer. Soon, passing helicopters will notice large swaths of farmland turn from a dirty brown to lush green, all thanks to the substation, said Capt. Mark Gillman, the engineer at Warrior Brigade in charge of electrical reconstruction.

“The pump station, due to power improvements, will irrigate thousands of acres of farmland with little interruption from blackouts,” said Gillman, who provided oversight and expertise for the otherwise Iraqi-ran project.

Because the Sab al Bour area depends heavily on agriculture, the local economy should get a noticeable boost. Gillman, who is originally from Las Vegas, explained how all of the intertwined projects, which depend on electricity, are part of a “tailored network.”

“It started with the Ministry of Electricity, which brought up to 30 people in here at a time. They really set the pace for the other ministries,” Gillman said. “There was a lot of government of Iraq support for this small, mostly Sunni community.”

Attendees marked the substation’s opening with a ribbon-cutting, tour and then singing and dancing. As they celebrated their victory and announced the lights were on to stay, they proclaimed they could move on to other goals.

“Now we will ask for other things – forgiveness and unity,” said the last speaker at the event. “Let’s now bring together all Sunni and Shia in Iraq.”