Military leader makes personal visit to local leader

Photo By Spc. Elliot Valdez | San Bernadino, Ca., native, Lt. Col. Thomas H. Mackey, commander 2-14, 25th Infantry Division, shares a meal with local Sheik Naji in Jerfal-Milla Taji, Iraq. The security of the Taji area has improved in recent months.  

TAJI, IRAQ

01.21.2008

Courtesy Story

2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division

By Spc. Aaron L. Rosencrans
2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs

TAJI, Iraq — In a continuing effort to reach out and build stronger relationships with local leaders, Hudson, Ohio, native, Col. Todd B. McCaffrey, commander of the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, made a personal stop to visit Sheik Sabah, local leader of Hor al Bash, a community outside Baghdad.

This trip was mostly just a meet and greet, but McCaffrey and Sheik Sabah discussed topics like essential services and traffic in the area.

The major essential service Sheik Sabah brought to the discussion was bringing electricity back to the community. The power lines were damaged a while back, but the community replaced the broken parts. The only thing that needed to be done was have the lines hooked back up.

McCaffrey said if the local leaders could provide the supporting documentation from the government of Iraq, he would be happy to help them reattach the main power lines.

This was one of the key topics discussed during the third installment of the Northwest Regional Baghdad Security Summit held Jan. 10.

"Right now, we have created a window of opportunity for the Iraqi government," McCaffrey said during the summit. "All they need to do is walk through hat window and take advantage of this situation."

Reinstalling the power lines to Hor al Bosh would be another step toward improving the quality of life for the Iraqis of that area.

• Date Taken: 01.21.2008
• Date Posted: 01.21.2008 12:30
• Story ID: 15614
• Location: TAJI, IQ