166th RSG prepares to depart Iraq after serving as Speicher’s mayor cell

Photo By Spc. Michael Adams | The 166th Regional Support Group created a park for Soldiers on Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq. The park is named after the Taino culture, which inhabited much of the Caribbean in the 14th and 15th century, including Puerto Rico, where the 166th Regional Support Group is from. In Taino culture, the batey was a special plaza where the villages would gather for everything ranging from ceremonies to games.  

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, IRAQ

07.02.2010

Story by Spc. Michael Adams 

3rd Infantry Division

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq - The 166th Regional Support Group spent a year as the Mayor’s Cell for Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq. In this capacity, the unit took care of logistical issues for the Soldiers on the base, including making sure food properly reached the servicemembers and civilians stationed here. This summer, after a year of hard work, the 166th RSG is closing up shop and returning to Puerto Rico.

“One of the main goals we had were to improve the living situation for Soldiers on COB Speicher and to make things better than what they were when we got here,” said Capt. Ivy Harris, of Orlando, Fla., and the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment commander for the 166th RSG. “Ultimately, we feel like we made a significant impact on the COB, the COB surroundings and what’s available for Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines.”

One way the unit helped to meet the needs of the tenant units was to have liaison officers available for the three sections of Speicher, north, main and south. The 166th RSG had round-the-clock operational capabilities to aid tenant units with issues such as requesting vehicles, and needing billeting.

Harris said the 166th RSG also helped ease the transition for units moving on and off the base.

Even as their deployment draws to an end, the unit is still working to help the servicemembers stationed here.

“We’re making sure troops have the [resources] they need to get their equipment back to their home station, assisting in transportation requests and making sure their personnel are taken care of,” he added.

Ultimately, he gave credit for the unit’s success to the Soldiers serving in the 166th RSG.

“They were excellent,” he said. “There were a lot of long hours. They were motivated, they were well prepared for the mission, I think overall they did very well.”

Sergeant First Class Hector Roman, the HHD sergeant, was proud of what his unit had accomplished. He was particularly happy with what he and his Soldiers accomplished.

“I wanted to leave a positive footprint in Iraq as the detachment sergeant and as a unit” he said. “We had to keep a positive attitude and work together as a team so we could accomplish our missions more effectively.”

The Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, native added he was very happy that there were no major issues with the Soldiers in his unit getting injured or having any major safety violations.

The unit accomplished a number of missions during their time here, such as building a park for Soldiers.

“We are at the positive part of the deployment where we start turning the base over to the Iraqis and they have less to worry about now than they did before we got here,” said Roman.

While the Soldiers were successful while working in COB Speicher, they had help back home.

The Families of the Soldiers with the 166th RSG also played a part in the deployment, being active with the Family Readiness Group, allowing Soldiers to keep in constant contact with their loved ones and coordinating care packages to the deployed troops of the 166th RSG.

• Date Taken: 07.02.2010
• Date Posted: 07.02.2010 09:52
• Story ID: 52288
• Location: CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, IQ