Operation Chicken Run revitalizes Qarghuli village

Courtesy Photo | Soldiers from Company D, 3-187th Infantry Regiment, inspect tons of chicken feed in Qarghuli Village to confirm the established standards have been met.  

PATROL BASE INCHON, IRAQ

05.08.2008

Courtesy Story

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AA) Public Affairs

By 1st Lt. James Flaherty
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)

PATROL BASE INCHON, Iraq – Since the beginning of March, Rakkasans have been meeting with Sheik Sabah Abdullah Kanaan to inspect the type and amount of chicken feed pouring into Qarghuli Village.

Soldiers from Headquarters and 3rd Platoons, Company D, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), conducted multiple dismounted patrols in the last two months to visit Sabah, a local leader and business associate.

The chicken feed project is the keystone for Operation Chicken Run, a joint effort between the military, agricultural experts from embedded provincial reconstruction teams and local poultry farmers to boost the poultry market, which has been in the works for more than six months.

The project's goal is to transport 500 tons of chicken feed to Qarghuli Village for storage until it can be distributed throughout the 3rd BCT's area of operation. To date, 247 tons of feed have been moved, with 53 more tons expected within the week.

Twenty farmers from across the Mahmudiyah Qada will receive 25 tons of feed and chicks a piece.

Without the proper amount of feed, farmers are ill-equipped to raise chickens, since they need an exact formula of vitamins, minerals and protein. Very few companies in this region make feed to the specifications required by doctors and experts working to make this operation a success.

"Operation Chicken Run will continue to improve many different businesses and affect a whole community's way of life," said Capt. Frank Castro, commander of Co. D, 3-187th Inf. Regt. He believes this project has the capacity to affect many different areas, not just the chicken farming community.

Many residents of Qarghuli Village are dependant on the chicken farming industry to maintain their way of life and support their families. This project will continue to develop and help re-establish a once-prolific business.

"This project is small in scale but with time and some help this business will set precedence with the quality of chicken coups and feed that is utilized by farmers to establish a new standard in the quality of farm-raised chickens," Castro said. "Quality chickens will allow for the development of other new businesses, such as processing plants and distribution companies."

This has been proven through Sabah, whose transportation business also benefits from Operation Chicken Run. The sheikh is responsible for transporting the feed to the approved farmers.

"This project is exactly what this area needs," said 1st Lt. Matthew Sraj, Co. D, 3-187th Inf. Regt. "It's a sign of change and growth, this project is a new beginning."

• Date Taken: 05.08.2008
• Date Posted: 05.08.2008 16:04
• Story ID: 19236
• Location: PATROL BASE INCHON, IQ