The New "Mayor" of FOB Normandy

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Mark Wojciechowski | 1st Sgt. Sean Bailey, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Squadron, 9th Cavalry, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, is responsible for coordinating with contractors as the "Mayor of FOB Normandy."  

09.06.2006

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Mark Wojciechowski 

133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

by Staff Sgt. Mark Wojciechowski
133rd MPAD

MUQDADIYAH, Iraq (August 22, 2006) – Just as a term in city government ends so does the term of "FOB Mayor" in a combat zone. There are no elections held, only the appointment of the job as the Headquarters and Headquarters Troop first sergeant.

As the 1st Squadron, 32nd Cavalry, 101st Airborne Division stands down at Forward Operating Base Normandy, a new unit and a new "mayor" will "take office."

First Sgt. Sean Bailey, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Squadron 9th Cavalry, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, assumed the title of FOB Mayor and all the important tasks that accompany it. Before this term, Bailey was the mayor of FOB Wilson for ten months prior to the units call to post at FOB Normandy in Diyala Province.

Bailey said, "I do a lot of coordination with a lot of good people that work underneath me," said Bailey who hails from Colorado Springs, Colo..

Security is of utmost importance and it is the mayor's job to ensure the perimeter is staffed and secure from any insurgent attacks. "Sgt. 1st Class Henry is my security manager, he runs the guard shifts and over watches the towers making sure all the Soldiers get food and water."

Managing the living conditions of a small "city" of Soldiers in a combat zone can be quite a challenge. Bailey also supervises a lot of the same tasks that any city mayor would have. Ensuring all the infrastructure is being developed and maintained and ensuring its citizens (Soldiers in this case) are taken care of.

"Sgt. 1st Class Lane takes care of the escort detail that accompanies the local civilian workers that help keep the FOB clean and do a lot of the heavy labor that the Soldiers here don't have time to do ... so they [Soldiers] can stay focus on their missions outside of the wire," said Bailey.

Although a lot of the infrastructure is already in place, he works closely with outside contractors to make sure buildings are redeveloped for use. There are a lot of uninhabitable buildings on this FOB that basically need electricity, air conditioners and some structural repairs before Soldiers can live in them. Bailey will be making sure this happens so that the Soldiers living conditions may improve.

Bailey will be the mayor here for a short time but has a very important job. As Soldiers conduct their missions from this forward operating base they can be assured that their "FOB Mayor" is doing everything he can to make their living accommodations as comfortable as they can be in this austere environment.

• Date Taken: 09.06.2006
• Date Posted: 09.06.2006 12:55
• Story ID: 7635