Photo By Pfc. Cynthia Teears Van Cleve | Spc. Branden Uselton of Eureka, Calif., heavy construction equipment operator, gives...... read more read more
By Spc. Cynthia Teears
11th Public Affairs Detachment
IRBIL, Iraq – Army engineers from 2nd Platoon, 523rd Engineer Company, 84th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade and 3rd Platoon, 643rd Engineer Company, 84th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade are working together to build the new Combat Outpost Irbil outside the city of Irbil, Iraq, during the month of January.
The project began 28 days ago and had a few set backs due to weather and equipment issues, but it is now making good progress, said Spc. Branden Uselton, heavy equipment operator, 2nd Platoon, 523rd Engineer Company, 84th Battalion, 130th Brigade, Jan. 18.
The new COP will house the Border Transition Team 4100, a civil affairs team, a signal unit to run the Command Post Network, a security force and other contracted support elements, said Lt. Col. Mikel Russell, commander, BTT 4100. These units are now living at Camp Zaytun which is to be turned over to the Iraq ministry of interior in the near future.
The 3rd Platoon, 523rd Engineer Company has constructed a bypass road for the combat outpost and has made gravel pads for all the living areas and class 1, class 3 and class 4 storage areas, Uselton said. The 3rd Platoon has also built up at least eight miles of berm around the combat outpost and has made a berm pit and a hazardous material pit.
The 2nd Platoon, 643rd Engineer Company has built a dining facility and helped place the consolidated housing units on the gravel pads, said Staff Sgt. Brian Jewett, construction equipment supervisor, 2nd Platoon, 523rd Engineer Company, 84th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade. The 2nd Platoon will also be putting together other buildings and tents and making them usable by adding electricity and plumbing.
The mission has presented both units with challenging learning experiences, Jewett said. Flexibility has been a necessity.
"When it rains out here absolutely everything turns into mud," Jewett said. "Our equipment sinks and it's hard to push around dirt when it's all wet."
The surrounding area is relatively safe and it is a good training environment for those Soldiers that are new to the engineering units.
"It's a good mission for us. It's a great time for our guys to get time on the equipment," Jewett said.
Each platoon has approximately 32 Soldiers out at the construction site during the day, said Jewett.
Some provide security while others are active with the construction. When one platoon is short members of their team the other platoon compensates for the absent members.
"We work from 0600 in the morning til about 1900 at night and then we have a night shift that comes on and does minor work at night as part of the security," Jewett said.
Most of what these units need to accomplish will be done within the month. Contractors will be finishing the work and making the combat outpost livable by this summer.
| Date Taken: | 01.18.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 01.26.2009 09:45 |
| Story ID: | 29267 |
| Location: | IQ |
| Web Views: | 941 |
| Downloads: | 594 |
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