WEBVTT 00:04.040 --> 00:10.320 today 00:10.320 --> 00:12.431 on Freedom Journal Iraq improving the 00:12.431 --> 00:14.264 quality of life and the hook and 00:14.264 --> 00:16.153 getting rid of trash in Beijing . 00:16.153 --> 00:23.610 Welcome 00:23.610 --> 00:25.832 to this edition of Freedom Journal Iraq 00:25.832 --> 00:27.990 Army private chris charbonneau Saddam 00:27.990 --> 00:29.934 Hussein's regime fell to coalition 00:29.934 --> 00:32.490 forces in 2003 ending his dictatorship . 00:32.500 --> 00:34.556 However many of Saddam's actions are 00:34.556 --> 00:36.820 still felt in Iraq army private first 00:36.820 --> 00:38.820 class just inputs , shows us people 00:38.820 --> 00:40.987 displaced during the all fall campaign 00:40.987 --> 00:43.042 and how U . S . Soldiers are working 00:43.042 --> 00:45.209 with the Kurdistan regional government 00:45.209 --> 00:47.431 to improve their quality of life . This 00:47.431 --> 00:49.487 is a public house within its cracked 00:49.487 --> 00:51.487 walls are approximately 32 families 00:51.487 --> 00:53.264 displaced during Saddam's Anfal 00:53.264 --> 00:56.050 campaign when over 4500 villages were 00:56.050 --> 00:59.380 destroyed from 1986 to 1988 . The 00:59.390 --> 01:01.501 families have grown a lot larger than 01:01.501 --> 01:03.750 when they went there 10 12 years ago . 01:03.760 --> 01:06.220 So now instead of a family of three 01:06.220 --> 01:08.109 living in one room , you've got a 01:08.109 --> 01:10.220 family of 12 living in one room . The 01:10.220 --> 01:12.387 living conditions are poor with little 01:12.387 --> 01:14.276 and basic utilities , this is the 01:14.276 --> 01:16.510 sewage system . The Kurdistan regional 01:16.510 --> 01:18.399 government with the help of civil 01:18.399 --> 01:20.510 affairs teams is working on improving 01:20.510 --> 01:22.399 the quality of life . But another 01:22.399 --> 01:24.566 problem is the people's mindset , they 01:24.566 --> 01:26.621 feel like they have to depend on the 01:26.621 --> 01:28.677 government for everything and we are 01:28.677 --> 01:30.343 trying to work with the local 01:30.343 --> 01:32.510 government now to get them out of that 01:32.510 --> 01:34.732 mindset to show them that they can make 01:34.732 --> 01:34.250 it on their own . The Kurdistan 01:34.250 --> 01:36.417 regional government is working to help 01:36.417 --> 01:38.583 displaced kurds lead a normal life and 01:38.583 --> 01:40.750 put Saddam behind them from the hook . 01:40.750 --> 01:43.040 Iraq . I'm army private just inputs for 01:43.040 --> 01:44.818 the fifth mobile public affairs 01:44.818 --> 01:47.420 detachment improving quality of life is 01:47.420 --> 01:49.960 important to residents of their public 01:49.960 --> 01:51.904 works department received five new 01:51.904 --> 01:53.904 trust from the U . S . Army to help 01:53.904 --> 01:55.960 them rid the streets of trash . Army 01:55.960 --> 01:58.071 specialist to manage action reports , 01:58.071 --> 02:00.127 Mayor Hussein ahmed my juice and the 02:00.127 --> 02:02.293 baiji public works division attended a 02:02.293 --> 02:04.293 ceremony with first Battalion 501st 02:04.293 --> 02:06.404 Parachute Infantry regiment Commander 02:06.404 --> 02:08.293 Lieutenant Colonel Scott Harris . 02:08.293 --> 02:10.420 Colonel Harris presented the baiji 02:10.420 --> 02:12.531 officials . Five maintenance vehicles 02:12.531 --> 02:16.430 were $675,000 according to 02:16.430 --> 02:18.710 Mayor Ahmed IGs problems . When it 02:18.710 --> 02:20.710 comes to the disposal of sewage and 02:20.710 --> 02:22.920 garbage . Children play in the debris 02:22.920 --> 02:25.087 that settles in the streets . This has 02:25.087 --> 02:27.250 created very unsanitary conditions in 02:27.250 --> 02:29.200 the city , but with maintenance 02:29.200 --> 02:31.422 vehicles , he says you can look forward 02:31.422 --> 02:34.510 to improvement to dump trucks , to 02:34.510 --> 02:37.380 waste disposal trucks . On the 25,000 02:37.380 --> 02:39.380 town crane back behind the podium , 02:39.390 --> 02:41.630 their engine planning while Mayor Ahmed 02:41.630 --> 02:43.830 received the case for the first time . 02:44.330 --> 02:46.497 The ceremony brought together partners 02:46.497 --> 02:48.497 from the local Iraqi army and Iraqi 02:48.497 --> 02:50.497 police forces , including divisions 02:50.497 --> 02:52.663 from Tikrit political leaders from the 02:52.663 --> 02:54.719 City council and paratroopers of the 02:54.719 --> 02:57.730 82nd Airborne Division . Colonel Harris 02:57.730 --> 02:59.619 says he is now hoping to see more 02:59.619 --> 03:00.619 improvement of 03:00.690 --> 03:11.120 a 03:11.130 --> 03:13.352 sign posted in the area demonstrates in 03:13.352 --> 03:15.352 both Arabic and english . With this 03:15.352 --> 03:17.686 ceremony means for baiji Iraq and the U . 03:17.686 --> 03:19.797 S . Military working together for the 03:19.797 --> 03:22.060 good of stress with Amanda Jackson 03:22.070 --> 03:25.550 baiji Iraq military transition teams 03:25.550 --> 03:27.606 prepare Iraqi troops to secure their 03:27.606 --> 03:29.772 own country . The Iraqi army is taking 03:29.772 --> 03:31.939 the lead in conducting raids , patrols 03:31.939 --> 03:33.994 and operating traffic control points 03:33.994 --> 03:35.994 throughout Iraq . Private john k no 03:35.994 --> 03:38.161 visits soldiers in Yusufiyah . Getting 03:38.161 --> 03:40.328 the Iraqi army ready to take over more 03:40.328 --> 03:42.494 battlespace . Soldiers in the military 03:42.494 --> 03:44.272 transition team from the fourth 03:44.272 --> 03:46.217 Battalion , 31st Infantry Regiment 03:46.217 --> 03:48.383 having much different mission than the 03:48.383 --> 03:50.606 rest of the war fighting effort . Their 03:50.606 --> 03:52.717 role in Operation Iraqi freedom is to 03:52.717 --> 03:54.939 any of the Iraqi army in many different 03:54.939 --> 03:56.717 ways . Mid team is the military 03:56.717 --> 03:58.939 transition team and we're here to stand 03:58.939 --> 04:01.800 up the Iraqi army and uh bring the 04:01.800 --> 04:04.930 retiring to a new level so they can 04:04.940 --> 04:07.150 sustain themselves because their 04:07.150 --> 04:09.317 mission is so diverse . These soldiers 04:09.317 --> 04:11.317 accomplished them in much different 04:11.317 --> 04:13.372 ways than their comrades in arms the 04:13.372 --> 04:15.880 way they do the american patrols and we 04:15.880 --> 04:18.047 will do our plays a little different . 04:18.047 --> 04:20.440 We don't roll out without the dye a and 04:20.450 --> 04:22.450 they basically are in the front and 04:22.450 --> 04:24.672 we're just in the back guiding them and 04:24.672 --> 04:26.839 teach coach and mentor you try to tell 04:26.839 --> 04:28.894 them to do the right things . Try to 04:28.894 --> 04:31.117 teach them the right thing to show them 04:31.117 --> 04:33.339 the right things with you alongside and 04:33.339 --> 04:35.172 kind of let them take charge and 04:35.172 --> 04:35.100 hopefully they gain their own battle 04:35.100 --> 04:37.880 space . The key to success in Iraq will 04:37.880 --> 04:39.880 be the transfer of authority to the 04:39.880 --> 04:42.320 Iraqi army teams are out front leading 04:42.320 --> 04:44.770 this effort from Yusufiyah . Iraq . I'm 04:44.770 --> 04:48.490 army private john came back after the 04:48.490 --> 04:50.657 break . A new civil military center in 04:50.657 --> 04:53.850 Ramadi stay with 04:54.140 --> 04:56.950 you want your freedom during my rap . 05:06.330 --> 05:06.630 Okay 05:26.240 --> 05:30.070 mm . For regional 05:30.070 --> 05:32.292 headlines , we go to specialist Charles 05:32.292 --> 05:33.959 McLaughlin at the News Desk . 05:33.959 --> 05:37.820 United 05:37.820 --> 05:40.010 States Marine Corps celebrates 231st 05:40.010 --> 05:42.177 birthday today . A couple Marines told 05:42.177 --> 05:45.750 us how they feel on November 10 of this 05:45.750 --> 05:48.000 year . The recourse celebrated 231st 05:48.010 --> 05:50.870 birthday . Going all the way back to 10 05:50.870 --> 05:53.550 november 17 75 when our first Corps of 05:53.550 --> 05:55.494 Marines first battalion of Marines 05:55.494 --> 05:57.606 stood up to 10 tavern in philadelphia 05:57.606 --> 06:00.680 pennsylvania as the United States 06:00.680 --> 06:02.902 Marine particularly marine serving in a 06:02.902 --> 06:05.510 combat zone . This 231st birthday . Uh 06:05.520 --> 06:07.464 the Marine Corps birthday to me is 06:07.464 --> 06:10.950 along the lines of another family 06:10.960 --> 06:13.870 event or birthday related Date on the 06:13.870 --> 06:16.680 calendar . For birthday November 10 06:17.250 --> 06:20.110 means to me uh getting together with 06:20.110 --> 06:22.490 your brothers in arms celebrating 100 06:22.500 --> 06:24.611 31 years of tradition of war fighting 06:24.920 --> 06:27.160 and uh having a good time while you're 06:27.160 --> 06:29.220 at it with headlines from around the 06:29.220 --> 06:31.498 region . Specialist Charles McLaughlin . 06:32.240 --> 06:35.730 Tomorrow is veterans Day and this week 06:35.730 --> 06:37.786 we've been introducing you to people 06:37.786 --> 06:39.952 who have retired from the military and 06:39.952 --> 06:42.008 are now serving as civilians here in 06:42.008 --> 06:44.063 Iraq tonight in the final segment of 06:44.063 --> 06:46.174 our three part series . We need a man 06:46.174 --> 06:46.030 who has served as an airman and N . C . 06:46.030 --> 06:48.141 O . And a commissioned officer in the 06:48.141 --> 06:50.363 Air Force . I mean Karl Schmidt and the 06:50.363 --> 06:52.474 deputy project manager for the United 06:52.474 --> 06:54.641 States mission in Iraq . I'm in charge 06:54.641 --> 06:56.863 of all operations , logistics support , 06:56.863 --> 07:00.590 fuel our generation ability , water 07:00.720 --> 07:03.590 dining facility , transportation , 07:03.650 --> 07:07.010 logistics support . I served 35 years 07:07.010 --> 07:10.730 in Air Force , 15 years , enlisted and 07:10.740 --> 07:13.440 20 years in the officer court and 07:13.450 --> 07:15.617 during that time I spent most of it in 07:15.617 --> 07:17.940 the maintenance , logistics and support 07:17.950 --> 07:19.894 as support group commander and the 07:19.894 --> 07:21.950 maintenance crew commander . I think 07:21.950 --> 07:24.006 that's one of the interesting things 07:24.006 --> 07:26.061 about working here is you're still , 07:26.061 --> 07:26.030 you still feel like you're part of that 07:26.040 --> 07:28.520 discipline , that camaraderie and as 07:28.520 --> 07:30.631 long as you feel like you're making a 07:30.631 --> 07:32.798 contribution and it's a just cause and 07:32.798 --> 07:34.742 it's the right thing to do in your 07:34.742 --> 07:36.798 family support you and why would you 07:36.798 --> 07:38.964 want to be here ? A new Civil Military 07:38.964 --> 07:41.020 Operations center opened recently in 07:41.020 --> 07:42.853 Ramadi specialist , john Sheldon 07:42.853 --> 07:44.964 introduces us to the seem a commander 07:44.964 --> 07:44.910 who explains how the center will 07:44.910 --> 07:47.400 benefit the local citizens I think are 07:47.400 --> 07:49.400 most important mission is to be the 07:49.400 --> 07:51.760 single door to coalition forces to 07:51.760 --> 07:53.871 include Iraqi Army and Iraqi police . 07:54.020 --> 07:56.131 That any issues at the local populace 07:56.131 --> 07:59.190 has any questions , claims , 07:59.200 --> 08:01.380 anything that they need to interface 08:01.380 --> 08:03.530 with coalition forces for it can come 08:03.530 --> 08:05.641 through this place and we can get the 08:05.641 --> 08:07.530 answers they need . There's a few 08:07.530 --> 08:09.530 different benefits . One is that it 08:09.530 --> 08:11.808 makes coalition forces more accessible . 08:11.808 --> 08:14.030 A lot of what they see that the streets 08:14.030 --> 08:16.141 of Ramadi or tanks , soldiers in full 08:16.141 --> 08:18.086 battle rattle on operations . This 08:18.086 --> 08:20.252 gives them that single door where they 08:20.252 --> 08:22.419 can come sit down at the table dressed 08:22.419 --> 08:24.420 like this and talk to soldiers and 08:24.430 --> 08:27.380 other issues aired and answered . And 08:27.380 --> 08:29.658 what that does for them is like I said , 08:29.658 --> 08:31.769 it breaks down those barriers , those 08:31.769 --> 08:33.769 physical barriers , those perceived 08:33.769 --> 08:35.880 barriers between coalition forces and 08:35.880 --> 08:37.991 the local people . It also does a few 08:38.000 --> 08:40.500 things to support the rebuilding effort 08:40.510 --> 08:43.400 in Ramadi . It's an interface for 08:43.400 --> 08:45.460 contractors that work with coalition 08:45.460 --> 08:47.016 forces to the largest scale 08:47.016 --> 08:49.016 reconstruction projects . This is a 08:49.016 --> 08:50.960 place for us to meet to talk about 08:50.960 --> 08:52.738 contracts to have three bidders 08:52.738 --> 08:55.260 conferences , to have preconstruction 08:55.260 --> 08:57.260 conferences , All these things that 08:57.260 --> 08:59.316 happened with the mechanics of large 08:59.316 --> 09:01.482 scale construction . I think the three 09:01.482 --> 09:03.593 most important areas in Ramadi as far 09:03.593 --> 09:05.427 as basically such services go is 09:05.427 --> 09:08.670 electricity , water and sewer . It's a 09:08.670 --> 09:10.670 huge floodplain . So it's the rainy 09:10.670 --> 09:12.781 season approaches a lot of these pump 09:12.781 --> 09:14.892 stations have been damaged so we need 09:14.892 --> 09:17.059 to be able to drain the water from the 09:17.059 --> 09:19.226 streets to provide hygienic conditions 09:19.226 --> 09:22.190 electricity . It's problematic 09:22.190 --> 09:24.357 throughout Iraq and it's always one of 09:24.357 --> 09:26.412 the most important priorities of the 09:26.412 --> 09:28.579 local people . So we're looking to get 09:28.579 --> 09:30.634 a reliable source of electricity and 09:30.634 --> 09:32.857 water . It's another health issue is to 09:32.857 --> 09:35.023 give them a reliable and safe drinking 09:35.023 --> 09:37.134 water source for all the residents of 09:37.134 --> 09:39.357 the city . I think it offers the people 09:39.357 --> 09:41.301 of Ramadi . He offers them greater 09:41.301 --> 09:43.523 security because we have a considerable 09:43.523 --> 09:45.746 more amount of Overwatch from coalition 09:45.746 --> 09:47.857 forces . It's accessible from all the 09:47.857 --> 09:49.912 entrepreneurs of the city for Ramadi 09:49.912 --> 09:52.023 proper from areas to the north of the 09:52.023 --> 09:54.246 river because we're near the bridge and 09:54.246 --> 09:56.468 areas to the south of the canal because 09:56.468 --> 09:58.468 we also knew the other southernmost 09:58.468 --> 10:00.412 bridge . So it provides a level of 10:00.412 --> 10:02.412 comfort for the Iraqis to air their 10:02.412 --> 10:04.579 business with coalition forces knowing 10:04.579 --> 10:06.523 that they won't be targeted by the 10:06.523 --> 10:08.579 insurgents here . Tune into the next 10:08.579 --> 10:10.634 FBI when we need a naval officer who 10:10.634 --> 10:12.857 saved the sailor's life . It was really 10:12.857 --> 10:15.023 him that gun and all the people in the 10:15.023 --> 10:14.935 area . I mean that was one of those you 10:14.935 --> 10:17.085 had a second and that's really when I 10:17.085 --> 10:19.141 think back on , the only thing I was 10:19.141 --> 10:21.307 really concerned that does it for this 10:21.307 --> 10:23.529 edition of Freedom General Iraq tune in 10:23.529 --> 10:25.529 next time for more stories from the 10:25.529 --> 10:25.475 front lines of Operation Iraqi . 10:25.475 --> 10:27.475 Freedom until then , from all of us 10:27.475 --> 10:29.697 here at A . F . N . And Freedom General 10:29.697 --> 10:32.760 Iraq , they take out that . 10:36.740 --> 10:37.620 Yeah , yeah , 10:44.840 --> 10:46.650 yeah , yeah .