Wednesday, September 10, 2003 Iraqi NewsCommentary:Sgt. Shawn M. Grueser'The Rock' does fine in Kirkuk
The majority welcomes us with open arms
Wednesday September 10, 2003; 07:35 AM
KIRKUK, Iraq -- I have been serving in Iraq for over five months as a soldier with Company A, 2nd Battalion of the 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, otherwise known as "The Rock."
We entered the country at midnight on March 26.
One thousand of my fellow soldiers and I parachuted from 10 jumbo jets (C-17s) onto a cold, muddy field in Northern Iraq. The parachute operation was the Army's only combat jump in the war and opened up the northern front.
Things have changed tremendously for our battalion since those first cold, wet weeks spent in the mountain city of Bashur.
On April 10, our battalion conducted an attack south of Kirkuk, the city that has since become our home away from home and the focus of our security and development efforts.
Kirkuk is a hot and dusty city of just over a million people. The majority of the city has welcomed our presence with open arms.
After nearly five months here, the people still come running from their homes into the 110-degree heat, waving to us as our troops drive by on daily patrols of the city. Children smile and run up to shake hands, and in their broken English, shout: "Thank you, mister."
The people of Kirkuk are all trying to find their way in this new democratic environment.
Some major steps have been made in these last three months. A big reason for our steady progress is that our soldiers are living among the people of the city and are getting to know their neighbors and the needs of their neighborhoods.
We have also been instrumental in building a new police force. Kirkuk now has 1,700 police officers. The police are now ethnically a fair representation of the whole community.
We have spent over $500,000 from the former Iraqi regime to repair each station's electricity and plumbing, to paint each station, and to make it a functional place for the police to work.
The battalion also has assisted in re-establishing Kirkuk's fire department. New water treatment and sewage plants are being constructed. The distribution of oil and gas is steadily improving.
All of these functions, started by our soldiers, are slowly being turned over to the newly elected city government.
Laws are being rewritten to reflect democratic principles. A functioning judicial system was established to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the rule of law.
The quality of life and security for the citizens have been largely restored. We are a large part of why that has happened.
The fruits of all our soldiers' efforts are clearly visible in the streets of Kirkuk today.
There is very little trash in the streets, many more people in the markets and shops, and children have returned to school.
This is all evidence that the work we are doing as a battalion and as American soldiers is bettering the lives of Kirkuk's citizens.
Sgt. Grueser is from Poca.
Charleston Daily MailUPDATE: Please see my blog entry here. This is one of a series of letters that were mass produced, and soldiers in this unit were asked to sign them if they agreed by their noncoms. Sgt. Grueser recalls being interviewed by a PR flack, but does not recall signing the letter. Five of the seven soldiers reached by the media in regard to this story admit that they signed a letter. Sgt. Grueser does agree with the contents of the letter. -- posted by Chuck at Wednesday, September 10, 2003 | E-mail | Permalink | Main |
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