Soldiers Help Town Council

Story and photo by Spc. L.B. Edgar,
7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP RUSTAMIYAH — Helping the people of Iraq help themselves was the mission Dec. 5 when Soldiers of Camp Rustamiyah visited the council of al Wahida.

The Soldiers of Headquarters Platoon, Troop A, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, who are attached to 1st Cavalry Division, met with local leaders of Wahida in a combined effort to help the community overcome some of its challenges.

“The mission today was to go out and interface with the local government, specifically the al Wahida Nahia (council) that is in the Midain Quada (district),” said Capt. Chris Boyer, team leader, Civil Affairs Team A, from CA Team C, 489th CA Battalion.

“Al Wahida is one of the better working nahia councils. They have people showing up. They sign attendance sheets. They have agendas and set committees, which work on schools, water or electricity,” said Boyer, a native of Natick, Mass. “We’re going to work with them today to get an understanding of where they are, what concerns they have and security issues as well as sewage, water, electricity, trash – all the normal functions of a municipality,”

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