Photo By Col. Wayne Marotto | An Sons of Iraq member counts his money after being paid $300, the equivalent of...... read more read more
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By Lt. Col. Wayne Marotto
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division
BAGHDAD — More than 1,250 Sons of Iraq waited in line on a chilly day at Iraqi army Patrol Base Lions Den, home to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Brigade, 17th Iraqi Army, to receive their monthly pay, Dec. 19.
The soldiers of the 2nd Bn., 23rd Bde., 17th IA commanded by Iraqi Lt. Col. Fataeh Rashed Hamed, efficiently handed out the $300 monthly pay which is roughly equal to 356,850 Iraqi dinar to the SoI members.
"The SoI payment is very organized. The commanders in the battalion hold a meeting with the Sheiks before the pay day and plan the activity," said 1st Lt. Brad Roush, of Louisburg, Kan., platoon leader for Company B, 1st Battalion, 63rd Combined Arms Battalion, which is currently assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad. "Then they execute the plan. The IA and SoI work very well together and this battalion in particular operates independently."
The IA independence was apparent as the MND-B Soldiers on the scene mostly observed the pay day activities and occasionally checked to see if all the paper work was complete.
The SoI members were brought to the IA patrol base and organized in single file lines to show their picture identification, sign their name and give a thumb print by their sheiks.
Sheik Falah Makedi Shiaa-al Amery brought his SoI tribal members to pick up their pay.
"We [my tribe] don't want the Americans to leave Iraq," said Sheik Falah. "The American forces make a good program with the SoI and it helps us a lot."
For many of the men, the SoI program is their only means to support themselves or their families.
"If there were no SoI, it would be bad and dangerous here," said Sheik Falah. "The SoI puts security in the area to stop the attacks. The people now have a job and money."
The Government of Iraq has now paid the SoI members for two months with only minor problems since taking the pay responsibility from the coalition forces.
One SoI member, Alaa Muhammad Hussen, said that there has not been any problems for him receiving his pay for the last two months from the GoI.
"There is a good relationship between the SoI and IA," said Hussen. "I am happy to be an SoI, because my home is safe; I have a job and I get paid."
| Date Taken: | 12.19.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 12.21.2008 11:32 |
| Story ID: | 27968 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 148 |
| Downloads: | 133 |
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