Airmen provide local Iraqis building skills

Published Oct. 29, 2009
By Staff Sgt. Daniel Martinez
506th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs

KIRKUK REGIONAL AIR BASE, Iraq -- 506th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Airmen work with local Iraqis daily, teaching them various trade skills as they team together to improve the infrastructure at Kirkuk Regional Air Base.

"I was given the opportunity to teach the local nationals what we could with the jobs that we're assigned and educate them in relation to these jobs," said Master Sgt. Carl Hayden, 506th ECES, labor pool superintendent, deployed here from 446th CES, McChord Air Force Base, Wash.

Sergeant Hayden reviews the work orders and coordinates between the Airmen and the Iraqi worker's supervisor to determine what jobs provide the best possibilities to broaden the Iraqi's experience.

Initially they were primarily tasked with filling sandbags and concrete projects including a recent project where the Iraqis installed sidewalks near the passenger air terminal in order to provide a safer walking area and to help protect the solar lights.

"One of the problems we had was there were people coming in and out with rolling luggage and ruining the solar lights," Sergeant Hayden said.

The crew corrected the problem by placing flush-mounted lights on the concrete to prevent them from being knocked over or crushed. The Iraqis also helped create a concrete ramp, leading from the road up to the sidewalk, eliminating tripping hazards.

A current project has an Iraqi team building benches, tables, bookcases and other classroom furniture to be utilized by an Iraqi Police counter explosive team who are working with explosive ordnance disposal Airmen as well.

Sergeant Hayden gives credit to some of the CE Airmen for using their knowledge to help train the Iraqis. He said he anticipates future training to help the local nationals expand on their know-how in various skills.

"I figured in the next couple of months we'll be able to broaden their knowledge of carpentry with the jobs that come down. For instance, we have a crew assisting with putting in a deck for Special Forces," he said. "They can handle the concrete jobs with no problem. Although the majority of the concrete work is done, we're doing jobs here and there as they come up."

A local Iraqi contractor has built a working relationship with various deployed Airmen from the 506th ECES since September 2005 and has since seen his workforce increase from 7 to 28 workers. He said he noticed the progress his laborers have made in their abilities and training with the Airmen.

"They do a good job now," said Murtatda Shakir Shukor, Iraqi lead supervisor. "Every rotation, with new CE guys, they learn something ... even me, I learn from you guys ... They don't need me to teach them or to show them anything, they are doing very well so they learn everything from CE," he said.

Shukor, also a skilled construction worker, expressed optimism and enthusiasm for the skills his work crew has received and how he hopes to apply those skills for his country.

"I appreciate the CE guys, Sergeant Hayden, and most of the guys I worked with before for their help. Always they take care of my guys," Shukor said. "I appreciate them because they're going to teach me something and I'm going to do it in my country ... they're going to teach us something I'm going to do at home to rebuild Iraq."