Vol. 2, Issue 14 July 2011Est. 1919

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THE FUTURE IS UNVEILEDBasrah consulate opens for business

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The ARROWHEAD is a monthly magazine distributed in electronic and print formats. It is authorized for publication by the 36th Infantry Division Public Affairs. The contents of The ARROWHEAD are unofficial and are not to be considered official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, including the Department of Defense. The ARROWHEAD is a command information publication in accordance with Army Regulation 360-1. The Public Affairs address is: 36th Infantry Division Public Affairs, APO AE 09374. Contact Sgt. 1st Class Merrion LaSonde via e-mail at merrion.lasonde@iraq.centcom.mil, 1st Lt. Adam Musil via e-mail at adam.musil@iraq.centcom.mil or Sgt. Jeremy Spires via email at jeremy.spires@iraq.centcom.mil.

Public Affairs Lt. Col. Eric Atkisson w Editors 1st Lt. Adam Musil, Sgt. 1st Class Merrion LaSonde w Command Information Officer Capt. Donald Larsen w Command Information NCOIC Staff Sgt. Deane Barnhardt w Layout and Design Sgt. Jeremy Spires w Staff Writers Sgt. David Bryant, Spc. Brittany Gardner, Spc. Lisa Soule, Spc. Anthony Zane, Pvt. Andrew Slovensky w Contributing Writers/Photographers Lt. Col. Enrique Villarreal, David, CH (Capt.) Benjamin Bender, Maj. Steven Keihl

Division Commanding GeneralMaj. Gen. Eddy M. Spurgin

Division Command Sergeant MajorCommand Sgt. Maj. Wilson Early

Preparing for U.S. to exit Iraq

Sergeant Major receives Texas Medal of Valor

Flight Attendants, please prepare the cabin for landing

This month...

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When the Texas National Guard performed its first All-Weather Delivery System parachute jump during an exercise in Germany, then-Corporal Larry Rayburn was lead scout with team in Company G, 143rd Infantry (Airborne). It was an ill-fated jump that Rayburn and his men would never forget.

With the red carpet rolled out and velvet ropes unraveled, Basrah International Airport welcomed its first commercial Turkish Airlines flight June 28. Basrah International Airport is now ready to receive aircraft from all over the world.

U.S. military officers met with Iraqi officials at Sifer and Al-Sheeb in Maysan Province and Minden in Basrah Province to sign over control of three stations as the U.S. Forces continue their responsibilities in compliance with the 2008 Security Agreement.

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Cover photo by Spc. Brittany GardnerContents photo by Spc. Anthony T. Zane

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To the Men and Women of the United States Armed Forces: Tomorrow, 30 June 2011, I will retire as

Secretary of Defense. It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve and to lead you for the past four and a half years. All of that time we have been engaged in two wars and countless other operations.

It has been a difficult time for you and for your families, from long and repeated deployments for those in all four services -- and the associated long separations from loved ones -- to the anguish of those of you who have lost friends and family in combat or those of you who have suffered visible and invisible wounds of war yourselves. But your dedication, courage and skill have kept America safe even while bringing the war in Iraq to a successful conclusion and, I believe, at last turning the tide in Afghanistan. Your countrymen owe you

their freedom and their security. They sleep safely at night and pursue their dreams during the day because you stand the watch and protect them.

For four and a half years, I have signed the orders deploying you, all too often into harm’s way. This has weighed on me every day. I have known about and felt your hardship, your difficulties, and your sacrifice more than you can possibly imagine. I have felt personally responsible for each of you, and so I have tried to do all I could to provide whatever was needed so you could complete your missions successfully and come home safely -- and, if hurt, get the fastest and best care in the world. You are the best that America has to offer. My admiration and affection for you is without limit, and I will think about you and your families and pray for you every day for the rest of my life. God bless you.

Farewell message from Defense

SecretaryRobert M. Gates,

June 29, 2011

Graphic illustration by Sgt. Jeremy Spires

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BASRAH, Iraq — Three joint security stations located in

southern Iraq were signed over to the Iraqis June 19 through June 22.

U.S. military officers met with Iraqi officials at Sifer and Al Sheeb in Maysan Province and Minden in Basrah Province to sign over control of the three stations as the U.S. continues its responsible drawdown.

“We have become very efficient in the process necessary to return bases to the government of Iraq,” said Lt. Col. Charles Schoening, division engineer and chief of transition, 36th Infantry Division, Austin, Texas. “By staying ahead of the curve with the tasks that have to be completed, we are able

to respond quickly to changes in the return time lines,” he added, emphasizing the efficiency of the drawdown.

Preparing each site for the transition includes many steps to ensure that the bases are in proper order once they are returned to the government of Iraq.

“There is an exhaustive environmental process in order to ensure that when we return these bases, there is nothing hazardous or harmful to the environment left on the bases,” said Schoening. “We have a very good ongoing environmental program so if there is an incident, say a fuel spill, we have a process for getting that cleaned up immediately,” he

added. The official turnover occurred

not in a public forum but in the privacy of small meeting rooms located at each station, including Sifer, located on the Iranian border.

Today we start our full responsibility in taking care of the security in our area, said Iraqi Army Staff Brig. Gen. Waleed Hussein. The American side has cooperated with the Ministry of Interior and provided the proper training for our troops. We would like to thank the American forces for their cooperation and we wish them success, added Hussein.

Possession of Minden, the third station located in Basrah Province successfully transferred from U.S.

Outside the wire, U.S. officials approach Joint Security Station Al-Sheeb in Maysan Province in preparation to turn over control of the station to the Iraqi Army, June 19.

PREPARING FOR U.S. TO EXIT IRAQU.S. turns joint security stations over to Iraqis

Story and photos by Spc. Anthony T. Zane362nd MPAD, USD-S Public Affairs

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forces to the government of Iraq June 22.

“This is another step forward in the transitioning of bases to the nation of Iraq,” said Capt. Steven Moya, division engineer basing officer, 36th Inf. Div. “This event signifies the teamwork and cooperation between the two coalition forces,” he added.

“A very important part of our mission here is turning a portion of the Contigency Operating Base Basra footprint into the Basra consulate for the Department of State,” said Schoening. “We have worked very closely with our Department of State counterparts… to ensure that they have adequate resources onsite for their security, their life support and their enduring operations as the Basra consulate after we are gone from theater by the end of the year,” he said.

The transition of control at the three security stations brings the U.S. one step closer toward the departure of U.S. forces in

Iraq, and helps empower the Iraqi government’s stability as Operation New Dawn comes closer to completion.

“It’s a good step in the right direction,” said 1st Lt. Daniel Cosentino, executive officer for Company D, 3-8 Cav. Bde.,

after the Al Sheeb property was transferred to the Iraqi government. “It’s time that we hand it over and we let them take ownership of their country.”

1st Lt. Daniel Cosentino, executive officer for Company D, 3-8 Cav. Bde., signs over property rights to Joint Security Station Sifer to the government of Iraq June 19.

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BASRAH, Iraq — The U.S. provincial reconstruction team

in Basrah, Iraq was elevated to the status of consulate general July 5 during a reception at the Basrah International Airport recognizing the 235th anniversary of the United States of America’s independence.

During the reception, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq James F. Jeffrey announced the new consul general, Piper A. W. Campbell, who addressed the reception’s guests.

The consulate general will build on the relationship previously established by the PRT, said Campbell, which contributed to projects to provide hospitals, school, water treatment and other services for women and children.

The consulate general in Basrah

is a significant step forward in the transition from the civilian-military footprint the PRT had to a more diplomatic presence, said Campbell.

“The opening of the consulate today in Basrah is a huge step forward in the military-to-civilian transition,” said Cambell, “which people in the United States, as well as in Iraq, are eagerly watching and waiting for. So as we see the U.S. military drawing down in Iraq, it is very important that there is still a sense of connection and a sense of continuity. And the establishment of the consulate is a huge part of that.”

“We’ve had a great partnership with the Basrah Provincial Reconstruction Team this year,”

said Maj. Gen. Eddy M. Spurgin, U.S. Division-South and 36th Infantry Division commander.

Spurgin said the elevation of the PRT to a consulate is a milestone and that it does not signify a change in the U.S. commitment to Iraq.

“It’s just a different role for the United States, and a diplomatic role versus a military role,” said Spurgin.

The reception’s guests included Jeffrey D. Feltman, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Dr. Khalef Abdul Samed, Basrah provincial governor, Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, U.S. Forces-Iraq commander, Iraqi dignitaries, and other Iraqi and U.S. officials.

“The opening of the consulate today in Basrah is a huge step forward in the military-to-civilian transition.”

-- Counsul General Piper A. W. Campbell

Basrah PRT becomes

Consulate General

Story and photos by Spc. Brittany H. Gardner 362nd MPAD, USD-S Public Affairs

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PREVIOUS PAGE-Consul General Piper A. W. Campbell and other members of the U.S. State Department stand in front of the seal for the Consulate General after the opening ceremony.ABOVE- Campbell stands with Soldiers from the 36th Inf. Div. Honor Guard. She was appointed consul general during a ceremony held at the Basrah International Airport July 5. RIGHT- Dr. Khalef Abdul Samed, Basrah provincial governor, Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, U.S. Forces-Iraq commander, and other guests rise for the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” during a reception July 5 at the Basrah International Airport recognizing the 235th anniversary of U.S. independence. During the reception, the U.S. provincial reconstruction team was elevated to the status of consulate general.

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BASRAH, Iraq — In 1985, Ronald Reagan was the

president, the Cold War was far from over and a record-breaking cold front swept through the United States, leaving 40 dead in Chicago alone.

It was also the first time the Texas National Guard performed an All-Weather Delivery System parachute jump during an exercise in Germany. Then Corporal Larry Rayburn was a lead scout with his team in Company G, 143rd Infantry

(Airborne Ranger). “We were in an M C-130 special

operations airplane,” said Sgt. Maj. Larry Rayburn, information operations sergeant major for the 36th Infantry Division. “Half the plane was filled with the latest in geospatial technology at the time. They were supposed to be able to lock onto the drop zone utilizing satellite global positioning systems. It didn’t work. After maybe a dozen passes, the jumpmaster looked out the door and just shook his head.

There was fog up to about 3000 feet. When we finally got the green light to go, it was like jumping with a pillowcase over my head. The team ended up missing the drop zone by five miles.”

The mission of the Ranger Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol company, assigned to 5th Corps in Germany, was to put a five-man team 50 to 300 kilometers behind enemy lines during the exercise. “There were a couple

of brigades pretending to be the Russian Army coming through the Fulda gap to invade Western Europe,” explained Rayburn.

The first “stick” that jumped consisted of Rayburn, Sgt. Richard Nutt, Sgt. Alex Williams, Sgt. Dave Lewis and Sgt. Ronald Contour. “We were the blue force and we parachuted behind their lines to gather information,” said Rayburn.

It was cold. Rayburn remembers that to this day. “It was 20 degrees and snowing,” he said. “It was so cold my fingers and lips turned blue within a minute of exposure.”

Their mission started out bad and got worse. “Contour hit a hillside,” said Rayburn. “Nutt and I landed on opposite sides of a field. Williams hit a barn and Lewis landed in the river.”

Nutt landed about 150 to 200 meters from Rayburn, but both heard shouts from Lewis. “The only reason we heard him was because of the topography,” explained Rayburn. “We were on the edge of a hill about 300 yards away from where Lewis and the river plane sloped up. On the other side of the river was a cliff about 50 yards in. His voice echoed perfectly and was able to reach us through the fog and snow.”

“We heard him hollering,” Rayburn continued, “we looked at each other, dropped our gear and took off running toward the river.”

The situation that greeted the two rangers was grim at best. The river,

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Merrion LaSondeContributing writer Sgt. Thomas Kappus, 305th MPADPhotos provided by Sgt. Maj. Larry Rayburn

SGM RECEIVES TEXAS MEDAL OF VALOR26 YEARS AFTER ILL-FATED JUMP

Like the paratroopers seen here, Rayburn and his team from the 143rd Infantry Brigade drifted down oblivious to the dangers that they would face once they hit the ground.

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called the Wohura, was about 40 feet across. Lewis was in the middle of it submerged to his shoulders, clinging to his rucksack.

“Lewis looked a little scared,” said Rayburn. “He was shaking so bad he could not get his helmet off because his hands didn’t work. It was so cold. The river was not very swift but all his parachute lines had wrapped around his legs; it was like being grabbed by an octopus. He could not get himself free.”

Part of Ranger training for the team was to prepare for any situation. “We had learned long before to pack our rucksacks in such a way as to be used as flotation devices because when we were dropped behind enemy lines we did not use roads to travel or bridges to cross rivers,” explained Rayburn. “We floated across, unseen by the enemy.”

The two men assessed the situation, calculated how much longer Lewis had to survive and quickly reacted on instinct.

“We saw him in the river, removed our jackets and boots, drew our knives and jumped into the water,” said Rayburn. “It was about seven or eight feet deep. After three or four steps my feet could not touch bottom. Now I am not a strong swimmer so I was already terrified, but we had to get Lewis out of that water and fast. We dog paddled to him and just started cutting him out. We saw that the opposite shore was closer so we went that way. We got him on shore and broke out our (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape) SERE kits.”

The goal of the United States Army’s training in survival, evasion, resistance and escape, or SERE, is to teach personnel how to survive if they become separated from their unit; to evade a hostile

Then Cpl. Larry Rayburn, now an information operations sergeant major with the 36th Inf. Div., pauses for a moment prior to pre-mission inspections. Rayburn was a lead scout with 2nd Platoon, Company G, 143rd Infantry (Airborne Ranger) during an ill-fated training mission in January 1985. He and his “stick” parachuted into Germany battling bitter cold and dense fog. Missing their landing zone by five kilometers, the men spent the next few hours recovering gear and severely injured teammates.

force and make their way back to friendly forces; and to avoid capture. In the event that soldiers are captured, SERE training will have prepared them to resist the enemy’s attempts at exploitation, to escape from captivity and to return

home with honor. (SERE-Training Soldiers to Survive, Blaine Miller, 2000)

All the team members carried SERE kits in their cargo pockets in preparation for surviving any situation on their own. The kits

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included items such as fishing line and space blankets.

By the time the three men got out of the water they were all shaking and shivering with the onset of hypothermia. Nutt and Rayburn remembered passing a farmhouse a few miles back. Rayburn swam back across the river and ran to the farmhouse. When he got there he banged on the door and yelled “Amerikaner Falshirmjager in fluss, wir ist kalt!” (American paratroopers in the river and we’re cold).

“The farmer got on his tractor and drove to a bridge further upriver to get to the field where Nutt and Lewis were trying to get warm,” said Rayburn. Once they were safe and warm in the farmhouse and dry clothes, Nutt began calling the company to coordinate recovery and Rayburn went out to look for the rest of the team.

“I went along the path knowing how we landed and about 300 meters away was the farmer’s barn,” said Rayburn. “Alex Williams was in the barnyard passed out. He had landed on the roof of the barn, was dragged off the roof by his rucksack

then landed on his head, which knocked him out cold. I knew he had a severe concussion because he would not respond. I could not wake him up. His parachute was frozen and I couldn’t get it off so I cut it loose, picked him up and carried him to the farmhouse. He was six foot three inches tall but slender; he only weighed in at about 180 pounds. I slung him over my shoulder and humped the 300 meters back to the farmhouse.”

Williams, now safe at the farmhouse, Rayburn once again went out to find the final member of his team. “I found Contour limping down the hill towards the farmhouse using two rifles as crutches.”

The entire team together and safe, Rayburn returned to each spot where his team members landed and recovered all the sensitive items he could. Lewis’ rucksack was the only thing he could not recover on his own. Fortunately, Nutt had already thought ahead and requested the recovery team bring in a grappling hook to ensure 100% of the equipment would be recovered.

Rayburn and Nutt were recommended for awards for

their actions following the exercise. Many years and award recommendations later, Rayburn received a much deserved Texas Medal of Valor, the second highest award for Texas Military Forces. The highest award is the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor. Maj. Gen. Eddy M. Spurgin, 36th Inf. Div. commanding general, pinned the medal on Rayburn in May of 2011.

Richard Nutt never received the recognition he was due for his actions on that winter day in Germany. Nutt died in 1992 of brain cancer, although, his airborne comrades showed him the honor he had earned.

“One of the last things Nutt wanted to do was go to Australia,” said Rayburn. “He had a travel pamphlet that he had told his mother about before he got sick. After he was cremated, his mother found an airborne task force that was going to Australia for an operation in 1993. The jumpmasters all got together and we brought his ashes with us. He was the first jumper for the entire task force. Then we followed after him.”

The members of 2nd Platoon, Company G, 143rd Infantry (Airborne Ranger), minus Sgt. Alexander Williams, who was still in the hospital recovering from his fall. On a bitter cold day in January during a training exercise in Germany, a five-man “Blue Force” team parachuted into the countryside and for the next few hours battled bitter cold and limited visibility to recover their gear and severely injured teammates.

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Rayburn currently serves with the 36th Infantry Division deployed to Contingency Operating Base Basra as the Information Operations sergeant major. This is his fourth deployment in a career that began in 1978. After numerous duty assignments and many years in the service, the LRRP team he served with as an Airborne Ranger holds a very special place in his heart.

“In 1985 when I served with LRRP, there were only three units that were allowed to wear the

black beret; the Ranger regiment and the two independent LRRP companies,” explained Rayburn. “The guys I served with were special men. Many had served in the Ranger Battalion, Special Forces or in combat in Vietnam. The unit was 120% strength and only one of two units like it in the National Guard. Everyone loved what they did and was very dedicated. They taught me what it meant to be a Soldier.”

After everything he went through for his team during that ill-

fated exercise, it is a testament to his esprit de corps to ensure credit is given where it is due.

“The most important thing to me is that everyone knows I share this with Staff Sgt. Richard Nutt,” said Rayburn. “There is no way either one of us could have done what we did on our own. Had either one of us been there by ourselves, everyone would have died. I am very thankful he was with me on that cold, winter day.”

Sgt. Maj. Larry Rayburn, information operations sergeant major with the 36th Inf. Div. headquarters in Basrah, Iraq, received the Texas Medal of Valor from the division commander, Maj. Gen. Eddy M. Spurgin, May 9. Rayburn earned the second highest Texas award for his actions during an ill-fated training exercise in Germany in 1985 when he was a lead scout with 2nd Platoon, Company G, 143rd Infantry (Airborne Ranger). Rayburn was one of two men, of a five-man “stick”, who escaped injury during an All-Weather Delivery System parachute jump. This was the first such jump for members of the Texas Army National Guard. (Photo by Sgt. Tommy Kappus, 305th MPAD, USD-S Public Affairs)

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Making a Difference...

...One job at a time.Photos courtesy of the U.S. Department of State

Graphic illustration by Sgt. Jeremy Spires

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Since 2003, the American people have committed quite a bit

of their resources to contingency operations at home and abroad. With the military commitment coming to a close in Iraq, the focus is shifting to the State Department, whose main goal is to provide the U.S. with a stable and productive partner in the Middle East.

The U.S. has contributed more than a billion dollars on almost 7,000 projects in the south alone since 2004. These projects are helping to create a safer, more stable and economically sound Iraq through the use of Senate-appropriated Commanders Emergency Response Program funds.

“The CERP fund was developed to provide commanders with a flexible, non-kinetic (non-lethal) tool to support stability operations,” said Lt. Col. Daniel L. Taylor, CERP officer in charge, 36th Inf. Div. “CERP funds provide the means to conduct stability tasks that have been traditionally performed by U.S., foreign or local civilian personnel or agencies. These tasks include but are not limited to reconstruction of infrastructure, support to governance, and restoration of public services and support to economic development.”

The temporary home of the 36th Inf. Div. headquarters, is Basrah, the second largest city in Iraq. It contains nearly half the country’s

overall population, 1,700,000 as of 2007, and most of its natural resources.

The 36th Div. headquarters, along with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, both active-duty units from Fort Hood, Texas, make up about 8,000 Texas Soldiers spread across southern Iraq.

“At the provincial level, we have what are known as Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT) that work very closely with our advise and assist brigades out in the field,” said Col. Charlie “Chip” Osborne, comptroller, 36th Div. “They look for economic growth that can potentially help the local populace. That could be anything from a school or a grant for a small business. So the PRT goes into an area and surveys for potential improvements, they write up a proposal and submit it. The proposals or cases are then presented to a board for funding approval. We prioritize funding for projects in the various provinces and our number one goal is to try and support the people, so we look at the projects and make a selection based on the most significant impact or the largest return on the investment.”

Former Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates explains the importance of the CERP programs in an excerpt from his testimony to the Senate Appropriations

Committee in May 2007:“Success in the kinds of conflicts

our military finds itself in today – in Iraq, or elsewhere – cannot be achieved by military means alone,” said Gates. “The President’s strategy for Iraq hinges on key programs and additional resources to improve local governance, delivery of public services, and quality of life – to get angry young men off the street and into jobs where they will be less susceptible to the appeals of insurgents or militia groups.

“CERP funds are a relatively small piece of the war-related budgets -- $977 million in the fiscal year 2008 Global War on Terrorism request. But because they can be dispensed quickly and applied directly to local needs, they have had a tremendous impact – far beyond the dollar value – on the ability of our troops to succeed in Iraq and Afghanistan. By building trust and confidence in Coalition Forces, these CERP projects increase the flow of intelligence to commanders in the field and help turn local Iraqis and Afghans against insurgents and terrorists.”

CERP projects improve and promote a secure environment, support the rule of law and governance, and improve the delivery of essential services that create economic opportunity, Taylor explained. “Since 2003, the U.S. has worked with the Iraq

U.S. invests in Iraq’s futureOne dollar and project at a time

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Merrion P. LaSonde, 36th Inf. Div., USD-S Public Affairs

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people to improve and strengthen their government and promote economic development. CERP is only part of our ongoing effort.”

Some years ago, the southern provinces of Iraq produced the “finest dates in the world” which is surprising considering that only 12 percent of the land is suitable for growing crops of any kind. The Government of Iraq hopes to restore the Iraq of yesterday, with its exotic landscape and ancient ruins, to create an environment which will draw tourism. Safe city streets, basic amenities like constant electricity and running water, and relief from the heat of the day are necessary to draw distant travelers.

“We purchased pumps to move the water and piping to get it to the cities and homes,” said Osborne. “We hired men and equipment to bury the pipes because the sun is pretty brutal. We purchased power generators to provide electricity to homes and businesses. We made sure that there was adequate cover for the generators to protect them from the elements and made sure there was a sufficient maintenance package was in place to keep the generators in good working order. Those are just a few examples of infrastructure projects we have seen to completion here.”

A decade of war and strife means a whole lot of house cleaning is in order. The streets need to be made safe for travelers, the economy needs to stabilize to encourage foreign investors, and the children need to focus on their education for they are the future of their country.

“So far we are scheduled to close almost 800 projects for USD-S,” Osborne explained. ”Since our arrival in theater, we have been responsible for more than 400 projects, from giving out food packets to families and building schools to working with a particular province to ensure that they have water and electricity; things the average American takes for granted. Our job is to really try and help them get those facilities and infrastructure in place for basic life support for the people of Iraq.”

Stability in Iraq will strengthen their relationship with new allies and will foster the conditions for an enduring partnership built on trust

and respect. “Iraq is abundant in natural resources and intellectual capital,” explained Taylor, “that will bring economic opportunities and stability to the region.”

Opinions vary widely across populations and continents regarding the impact the U.S. and allied forces have had on Iraq as a whole. Many people have sacrificed their time, resources and sometimes lives toward the betterment of Iraq and her people. After almost a decade, the people of Iraq have a governing body, a working constitution and highly trained security forces all prepared to defend and carry their country

into the next phase of independence.“I think the National Guard was

exactly the right group to assist at this time and in this place,” said Osborne. “The National Guard is the only military force that understands border security and natural-disaster recovery within individual communities because they live in those communities and they bridge the gap between civilian and military entities. National Guardsmen are vested in their communities, neighborhoods, cities, and states because that is home to them.”

The departure of U.S. military forces from Iraq signals the end of a chapter in Iraq and the beginning

of another with State Department personnel who will continue the rebuilding efforts in earnest. Part of the U.S. base in Basrah has already been cleared in preparation for one of the largest U.S. consulates in the world.

The partnership between the U.S. and Iraq has only just

begun. “Partner governments will

almost certainly choose to do things differently from how the U.S. might, or they might outline different priorities,” said State Dept. Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, Leading Through Civilian Power, Foreign Affairs Magazine, Fall 2010. “Vetting and investing in these governments’ plans may take longer than delivering services ourselves. But the result promises a sustainable strategy that will continue even after U.S. assistance has ended.”

“Success in the kinds of conflicts our military finds itself in today – in Iraq, or elsewhere – cannot be achieved

by military means alone.”--Former Secretary of Defense

Robert M. Gates

1. Basrah Province Completed projects: 878Monetary value: $244,604,589

2. Maysan Province Completed projects: 471Monetary value: $109,105,347

3. Dhi Qar Province Completed projects: 499Monetary value: $142,472,429

Completed projects: 407Monetary value: $112,563,168

5. Wasit Province Completed projects: 407Monetary value: $112,563,168

6. Diwaniyah Province Completed projects: 552Monetary value: $116,056,764

7. Najaf Province Completed projects: 385Monetary value: $103,689,373

8. Babil Province Completed projects: 1569Monetary value: $172,386,680

9. Karbala Province Completed projects: 588Monetary value: $115,544,571

United States Division - SouthEconomic projects: 2561 Total cost: $196,631,857

Education projects: 2561 Total cost: $106,668,209

Governance projects: 53 Total cost: $11,099,065

Health projects: 307 Total cost: $41,646,094

Infrastructure projects: 2230 Total cost: $805,821,813

Other projects: 1342 Total cost: $231,298,789

Total projects: 6994

Total cost: $1,393,165,827

AS OF FEB 1, 2011 15

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BASRAH, Iraq — For 30 years, the judiciary community in

Iraq was under the rule of Saddam Hussein. During his reign, there was little to no cooperation between international judicial and law enforcement authorities.

Now that the Iraqi people have embraced democracy, and the international community is once again communicating with the men and women of the judicial branch of government in Iraq, they find themselves at a slight disadvantage in the battle against transnational crime.

The European Union Integrated Rule of Law Mission for Iraq (EUJUST LEX-Iraq) came to Basrah June 20 to June 23 to host a course on international judicial cooperation in criminal matters at the request of the Basrah Provincial Reconstruction Team.

The four-day training course focused on bringing the judges, police and military officials back up to speed on resources available to them in their efforts to combat crime.

“Things like international crimes and money laundering, these

sophisticated complex crimes … are very new for the Iraqis,” said Dominique Day, Senior Rule of Law Advisor for the U.S. State Department, Basrah Provincial Reconstruction Team. “(This course) is a way to show them their resources and (examples) of what it looks like to fight this effectively. They want to be able to step up to 21st century legal and criminal litigation practices.”

Throughout the course the members were introduced to a number of international tools and principles aimed at assisting the

Justice will be done

Members of the local judiciary community recently took a course designed by the European Rule of Law Mission – Iraq and the Basrah Provincial Reconstruction Team to share examples, tips and new resources available to them to combat local and international crimes that have found their way into Iraq.

Story and photos by Sgt. Jeremy Spires36th Inf. Div., USD-S Public Affairs

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Iraqis with reestablishing the basic rule of law in their neighborhoods.

“The course is an introduction to the possibilities offered by the international judicial cooperation instruments set out in some international conventions, to which Iraq is party, to fight against organized crimes,” said Mr. Vincenzo Lattanzi, Rule of Law Expert- Judiciary for the EU. “The use of these instruments is very much depending on an adequate reception of them in the Iraqi national legislation, as well as on their knowledge by the Iraqi judiciary and the law enforcement agencies.”

Since 2003, Iraq has seen an increase in crimes, both local and international. Where once human trafficking and other organized crimes were rarely, if ever, heard of by the Iraqi people, now they face such legal transgression almost daily.

Falah Hassan Mahani, Investigative Judge in the Basrah courts, said, “Any Iraqi could commit a crime in Basrah and then run away to a different place. The database for every Iraqi person has not been on hand until now.”

The judiciary system in Iraq needs new modern devices and styles like Interpol, for example, to help capture criminals, he added.

Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, is an organization based in Paris that coordinates investigations made by the police forces of member countries into crimes with an international dimension.

The participants ended their training with the capability to help the Iraqi legal system work in cooperation with legal systems around the world to combat organized

and transnational crime.“Rule of law is extremely

important to Basrawis and to Iraqis,” said Day. The Iraqi people see it as a mechanism for peace and stability, both locally and nationally, she added.

“The course aims to spread the knowledge of these tools among the relevant actors, but it can’t assure their proper implementation if they are not fully received in the Iraqi national legislation,” said Lattanzi. “In the EUJUST LEX next activity planning, July 2011 thru June 2012, (the mission) is to support this training course with a mentoring component aimed at advising the concerned Iraqi authorities on legislation reform in the area of international judicial cooperation.”

An interrupter and members of the Basrah Province judiciary community discusses ways to utilize new resources now available to them from the international community. The United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime, United Nations Convention against Corruption and Interpol were just a few of the topic covered over this four-day course.

BASRAH, Iraq — With the red carpet rolled out and velvet ropes unraveled, Basrah International

Airport welcomed its first commercial Turkish Airlines flight June 28.

The airport is ready to receive aircraft from all over the world, said Thair Kadhim, Basrah International Airport deputy Director.

“We are happy to receive such airlines,” said Kadhim. “That means we will open a big window to Europe. Our city is very rich and we have a lot of projects to be executed. We need them - European, American and other companies - to help us execute those projects.”

“Right now, we have only Dubai for the people to move from Basrah to Europe or other countries,” said Kadhim.

Europeans can now save time by traveling on

Turkish Airlines instead of traveling through Dubai, which they previously had to do. The airport is now scheduled to receive flights from Turkish Airlines three times a week, on Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday.

Turkish Airlines’ decision to fly as far south in Iraq as Basrah is economically important because it provides a gateway for Turkey into Iraq, and also for Iraq into Turkey and the rest of Europe, said Lt. Col. Doug DeVries,

36th Infantry Division Special Troops Battalion commander.

“That means less money, less time,” said Kadhim.DeVries and the Soldiers of the 36th DSTB played

a large role in facilitating the economic development of southern Iraq and the Basrah International Airport, said DeVries.

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Flight Attendants, Please prepare the cabin for landing:

Turkish Airlines comes to basrahStory and photos by Spc. Brittany H. Gardner 362nd MPAD, USD-S Public Affairs

“It is being looked at as sort of a starting point for civilian economic development…”

Lt. Col. Doug DeVries

“We’ve been able to work with the Iraqi infrastructure and the Iraqi security forces here in the Basrah area,” said DeVries, “to provide a better amount of security, not only for the civilian population, but also for the military operations that happen jointly out at the Basrah International Airport.”

The addition of the Turkish Airlines flight to the Basrah International Airport is a sign that Basrah’s economy is improving. The planning of future events such as the The 21st Gulf Cup of Nations Soccer tournament, scheduled to be held in Basrah in 2013, is another.

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Khalaf Abdul Samad, Basrah Governor, and Temel Kotil, Turkish Airlines’ chief executive officer, await the arrival of the first commercial Turkish Airlines flight to the Basrah International Airport, June 28.

The first commercial Turkish Airlines flight lands at the Basrah International Airport June 28. The airport is now expected to receive three Turkish Airlines flights per week.

“It is being looked at as sort of a starting point for civilian economic development,” said DeVries, “that will open up the gates to Basrah as a destination for tourism as it once was in the ‘60s,” said DeVries.

The city of Basrah is in the process of improving roads and bridges to facilitate traffic into and out of the stadiums, DeVries explained. The number of tourists from the Gulf region that travel to Basrah for the tournament will be a gauge of success.

“I think that will be a really good point to look at economically to see where this region is going,” said DeVries. “I think there’s a lot of potential here.”

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One World

Uruk was an ancient city of Sumer and Babylonia, located

east of As-Samawah City in Al-Muthannah Province of modern-day Iraq. Uruk, also called Al-Warka’ in Arabic, is known in the Bible as Erech (Gen 10:10). It was the first major city-state in Sumer, which was founded about 3,500 B.C.

In its day, Uruk was a very unique place. It was the largest settlement with the most impressive buildings and the earliest evidence of cuneiform writing. It was also one of the oldest excavated cities in the world.

Uruk grew into a bustling city which served as the economic, political and religious center of a region that had such a surplus of agriculture that the peasants and farmers were able to pay for specialized products. Hence, Uruk was also a center of trade, well positioned between the Gulf and northern regions of Mesopotamia, Iran and Turkey.

In Uruk there were two temple precincts, one devoted to Anu, the

The city of UrukStory and photos courtesy of David36th Inf. Div. Interpreter, USD-S Public Affairs

sky god, and the other to Ishtar, goddess of love, procreation and war. The Greeks and Romans also worshipped the goddess Ishtar, but under the names Aphrodite or Venus. It is believed that the temple area also served as the political center of the state where Uruk was the capital.

Gilgamesh, king of the city’s first dynasty and hero of the so-named epic, established Uruk as his capital city. The Epic of Gilgamesh was first written on tablets of clay and continues to fascinate contemporary readers with its account of G i l g a m e s h , King of Uruk; his companion, the “wild man’’ Enkidu; and

their exploits together. It is generally recognized as the earliest epic, predating The Iliad or The Odyssey.

Uruk also saw the rise of the state in Mesopotamia with a full-time bureaucracy, military, and stratified society.

The Arabic name of Mesopotamia, Al-Iraq, is thought to be derived from the name Uruk, perhaps through Middle Persian translation, and gave rise to the country’s name today.

One People

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The Shatt Al-Arab is a river channel about 193 kilometers

or 120 miles long that runs through southeastern Iraq and is formed by the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The two rivers meet at the town of Al-Qurnah, north of Basrah, and the presumed location of the Garden of Eden mentioned in the Bible.

The Arabic translation of Shatt Al- Arab is Coast or Beach of the Arabs. It flows to the Persian Gulf and forms part of the Iraq-Iran border, where navigation rights to the channel have long been disputed by the two countries.

In 1935 an international commission gave Iraq total control of the Shatt Al-Arab, leaving Iran control of the approaches to its chief ports of Abadan and Khorramshahr.

Iran and Iraq re-negotiated

territorial agreements over the Shatt Al-Arab waterway in 1975, but by the end of the decade skirmishes in the area became prevalent. Full-scale war between the two countries broke out in September 1980, leading to eight years of attacks in the coastal areas. This war resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties and a tremendous loss of oil revenue for both countries.

The war eventually ended in 1988 but animosities have persisted. While the causes of the conflict were numerous and varied, one of the principals was access to, and control of, the Shatt Al-Arab waterway.

On two separate occasions, in 2004 and 2007, Iranian forces operating on the Shatt Al-Arab

captured British Royal Navy sailors, who were working with the Iraqi Navy, but Iranians claimed they were trespassing into their territory.

Contention of the waterway has existed since the Peace Treaty of 1639. Ambiguities in that agreement, made between the Persians and the Ottoman Empire, which occupied Iraq until 1914, led to continual disputes that have not been resolved to this day.

Shatt Al-Arab RiverStory and photos courtesy of David36th Inf. Div. Interpreter, USD-S Public Affairs

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A moment in history...By Lt. Col. Enrique Villarreal36th Inf. Div. Command Historian

The Constitution of the United States gave the President responsibility for the conduct of the

nation’s foreign relations. To support President Washington in the conduct of the affairs of the new federal government, Congress approved legislation to establish a Department of Foreign Affairs on July 21, 1789, and President Washington signed it into law on July 27, making the Department of Foreign Affairs the first Federal agency to be created under the new Constitution. In September 1789, additional legislation changed the name of the agency to the Department of State and assigned to it a variety of domestic duties.

President Washington appointed Thomas Jefferson in September 1789 to be the first Secretary of State. Under Jefferson and his immediate successors, the Department consisted of several clerks and a part-time translator. The Department of State and the rest of the new government finally moved to its permanent home in Washington D.C. in early 1800. During the first 35 years under the Constitution of 1789, the Department of State changed little. In 1833 the first overall reorganization of the department occurred, the

most important aspect of which was the establishment of bureaus, including the diplomatic, consular, and home bureaus.

The American diplomatic service expanded slowly in the late 18th and early 19th century. However, the consular service grew steadily during this time. Consuls, commercial agents, and consular agents protected American ships and crews abroad and promoted the expansion of American commerce. Between the end of the Civil War and the outbreak of the Spanish-American War the consular service became the lead instrument in the search for American markets abroad.

In 1893 the United States had come of age diplomatically when it authorized the appointment of ambassadorial-rank representatives. In 1895 a corps of professional American diplomats was emerging to meet the new challenges of foreign policy. The Foreign Services Buildings Act of 1926 provided for the construction of embassy and consular buildings overseas, which continues to this day, including the opening of the Basrah Consulate on July 5, 2011.

Graphic illustration by Sgt. Jeremy Spires

Hall of Heroes36th Inf. Div.

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For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy near Altavilla, Italy, Sept. 13,

1943. When Company I attacked an enemy-held position on Hill 424, the 3rd Platoon, in which Pvt. Crawford was a squad scout, attacked as base platoon for the company. After reaching the crest of the hill, the platoon was pinned down by intense enemy machine gun and small-arms fire. Locating one of these guns, which was dug in on a terrace on his immediate front, Pvt. Crawford, without orders and on his own initiative, moved over the hill under enemy fire to a point within a few yards of the gun emplacement and single-handedly destroyed the machine gun and killed three of the crew with a hand grenade, thus enabling his platoon to continue its advance. When the platoon, after reaching the crest, was once more delayed by enemy fire, Pvt. Crawford again, in the face of intense fire, advanced directly to the front midway between two hostile machine gun nests located on a higher terrace and emplaced in a small ravine. Moving first to the left, with a hand grenade he destroyed one gun emplacement and killed the crew; he then worked his way, under continuous fire, to the other and with one grenade and the use of his rifle, killed one enemy and forced the remainder to flee. Seizing the enemy machine gun, he fired on the withdrawing Germans and facilitated his company’s advance.

While his platoon was pinned down by enemy small-arms fire from both flanks, he left his position of comparative safety and assisted in

carrying one of his men, who had been seriously wounded and who lay in an exposed position, to a point where he could receive medical attention. The advance of the platoon was resumed but was again stopped by enemy frontal fire. A German officer and two enlisted men, armed with automatic weapons, threatened the right flank. Fearlessly exposing himself, he moved to a position from which he killed all three with his submachine gun. Returning to his squad, he obtained an M1 rifle and several antitank grenades, then took up a position from which he delivered accurate fire on the enemy holding up the advance. As the battalion moved forward it was again stopped by enemy frontal and flanking fire. He procured an automatic rifle and, advancing ahead of his men, neutralized an enemy machine gun with his fire. When the flanking fire became more intense he ran to a nearby tank and exposing himself on the turret, restored a jammed machine gun to operating efficiency and used it so effectively that the enemy fire from an adjacent ridge was materially reduced, thus permitting the battalion to occupy its objective.

Staff Sgt. Homer L. WiseCompany L, 142nd Infantry

36th Infantry Division

Private William J. Crawford U.S. Army

36th Infantry Division

Photo by Spc. Brittany Gardner