Photo By Sgt. Cassandra Groce | SAMARRA, Iraq - Cpl. Chris Kupitz, a Rakkasan Civil Affairs Sergeant in Bravo Company,...... read more read more
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PFC Cassandra Groce
133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
SAMARRA, Iraq (January 10, 2006) -- The phrase that it only takes one person to make a difference is considered cliché. Really, how much can one person do?
Cpl. Chris Kupitz, a Rakkasan Civil Affairs Soldier from Bravo Company, 445th Civil Affairs Battalion tasked to the 3rd Battalion 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, is proving just how much he can do by cleaning up the water in Samarra, Iraq.
Kupitz will "do whatever it takes to help the Iraqi people."
When Kupitz read a report, put out by a medic from the battalion, that 75 - 80 percent of the health issues in Iraq could be solved with clean water, he decided to put this knowledge to use.
Since then, Kupitz has attended water-related meetings, taken extensive notes and photographed treatment plants.
"That's been my main focus since I got here," said Kupitz.
On a visit to Al Somom, a village near Samarra, Iraq, the people complained about their water treatment plant. Many of the civilians were becoming sick from drinking the water.
Kupitz went to the plant to check on it and discovered the plant was inoperable. He immediately began the paperwork to receive funding from a program called Ohdaca to have the plant repaired. Unfortunately, he did not have all of the necessary contacts to get the money, such as a signature by a Department of the State representative back in the United States.
The unit in control of Samarra prior to the Rakkasans had funding for miscellaneous projects and offered to donate money for Kupitz's cause. Unfortunately, it was not enough to fix the treatment plants. Digging wells was also not an option because the Iraqis already had wells and all were contaminated.
When Kupitz's team offered the money to the local sheik to buy clean bottled water for his people, the sheik refused. He was concerned that it would put his life in danger and just asked that the water be fixed.
Kupitz was running out of options when his team leader, Maj. Roger Stark, helped him get in contact with the Army Corps of Engineers.
"I've been given support from my team leader to run with my project," said Kupitz. "So I do."
Kupitz has a meeting with the Army Corps of Engineers soon, where he will present his reports and photographs. The ACE members have already confirmed they have the ability to fix the treatment plant, not only in Al Somom, but in Samarra as well.
In an unofficial review of the photographs and Kupitz's descriptions, he was told that the plants would qualify for the reconstruction
"This is the reason I joined Civil Affairs," said Kupitz. "At the very basic level, Civil Affairs gets food and water. A lot of people are sick in Iraq because of the water situation, and if we can get them better with clean water then it is a good thing."
| Date Taken: | 01.13.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 01.13.2006 10:28 |
| Story ID: | 5104 |
| Location: | SAMARRA, IQ |
| Web Views: | 349 |
| Downloads: | 37 |
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