thedrifter
03-19-07, 02:18 PM
Disbursing keeps cash flowing in Iraq
By Cpl. Wayne Edmiston, 2nd Marine Logistics Group
AL TAQADDUM, Iraq (March 19, 2007) -- Two Marines are walking down an Iraqi street, one of them carrying a bag. They are having a conversation reminiscent of a scene from a low budget mobster movie.
“You ready to make the drop,” one asks.
“Yeah, I’m ready,” the other replies.
Other Marines joining the conversation are curious on exactly what the payload is today.
“How much you carrying?” one of them asks.
“About 53 million,” he replies nonchalantly, withholding the fact that it’s Iraqi dinar he’s carrying in the bag. The other Marines’ eyebrows rise up in amazement, much to his personal amusement.
This Marine carrying a small mint is a disburser and money is the name of his game.
“Disbursers here in Al Anbar Province Iraq pay Marines and other servicemembers in cash since there is no access to (automatic teller machines),” said Lance Cpl. Brian Downs, a disburser with Service Company, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward). “We also go ‘outside the wire’ to make condolence payments and pay contracts.”
Condolence payments are often made to help families financially if an accidental death occurs or their personal property is damaged during operations, whereas contract payments are for services or goods provided and in addition to bolstering commerce in the local community also help to improve Iraqi communities through funding of civil affairs projects, explained Downs.
When these disbursing Marines are required to make local payments, they follow strict guidelines and procedures developed over the course of the last several years of operations in Iraq, most created through experience.
“There is no formal school training for missions we go on out here,” said Downs, a Rockford, Ill., native. “During the turnover, with the Marines we replaced, we learned how they conducted business.”
Their business outside the wire directly supports Iraqi communities by helping rebuild their infrastructure, Downs explained. There is also a lighter side to his job.
“I get to work with money all day. That’s the best part of my job,” he said referring to the amounts of cash the majority of people will never personally lay their hands on.
Chief Warrant Officer Jason Thornton, the disbursing officer-in-charge for 2nd MLG (Fwd) said many of his Marines bring valuable past operational experience to his team.
“I have a few Marines on their second tour over here,” Thornton, a Gnadenhutten, Ohio, native explained. “The Marines in my charge are well-trained and confident in what they do and thrive for the additional responsibility of handling and paying out large amounts of money.”
Marines are often entrusted with being responsible for expensive pieces of equipment such as vehicles, weapon systems and even helicopters, but a CH-46E “Sea Knight” helicopter is a lot easier to keep track of than a book bag full of money.
Many disbursing Marines jokingly take photos of themselves surrounded by a small, government-owned fortune. However, at the end of the day, every dollar and dinar is accounted for.
“Knowing how much money that Marine is carrying on the missions can be very stressful -- at least until they return,” Thornton said. “Ensuring all my Marines have all their funds accounted for…is a big relief at the end of every day.”
These Marines thrive under pressure, something that, Downs explained, Marines have done for many years and on many battlefields and these Marines are just as pivotal to the fight.
“Without the disbursers, Marines and other servicemembers would not have money for the things they need. There would also be no way for the pay mission to be paid without the cash and dinar we have,” he added.
So at the end of the day, the drop has been made and the payment transaction is complete. This week the payment is for a new water purification plant in a local village where they have had to boil their water for seven years.
Even though the disbursers did not actually complete the project with their bare hands, , their efforts in carrying and providing required money establishes a direct link to the infrastructure of Iraq, one backpack full of cash at a time.
Ellie
By Cpl. Wayne Edmiston, 2nd Marine Logistics Group
AL TAQADDUM, Iraq (March 19, 2007) -- Two Marines are walking down an Iraqi street, one of them carrying a bag. They are having a conversation reminiscent of a scene from a low budget mobster movie.
“You ready to make the drop,” one asks.
“Yeah, I’m ready,” the other replies.
Other Marines joining the conversation are curious on exactly what the payload is today.
“How much you carrying?” one of them asks.
“About 53 million,” he replies nonchalantly, withholding the fact that it’s Iraqi dinar he’s carrying in the bag. The other Marines’ eyebrows rise up in amazement, much to his personal amusement.
This Marine carrying a small mint is a disburser and money is the name of his game.
“Disbursers here in Al Anbar Province Iraq pay Marines and other servicemembers in cash since there is no access to (automatic teller machines),” said Lance Cpl. Brian Downs, a disburser with Service Company, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward). “We also go ‘outside the wire’ to make condolence payments and pay contracts.”
Condolence payments are often made to help families financially if an accidental death occurs or their personal property is damaged during operations, whereas contract payments are for services or goods provided and in addition to bolstering commerce in the local community also help to improve Iraqi communities through funding of civil affairs projects, explained Downs.
When these disbursing Marines are required to make local payments, they follow strict guidelines and procedures developed over the course of the last several years of operations in Iraq, most created through experience.
“There is no formal school training for missions we go on out here,” said Downs, a Rockford, Ill., native. “During the turnover, with the Marines we replaced, we learned how they conducted business.”
Their business outside the wire directly supports Iraqi communities by helping rebuild their infrastructure, Downs explained. There is also a lighter side to his job.
“I get to work with money all day. That’s the best part of my job,” he said referring to the amounts of cash the majority of people will never personally lay their hands on.
Chief Warrant Officer Jason Thornton, the disbursing officer-in-charge for 2nd MLG (Fwd) said many of his Marines bring valuable past operational experience to his team.
“I have a few Marines on their second tour over here,” Thornton, a Gnadenhutten, Ohio, native explained. “The Marines in my charge are well-trained and confident in what they do and thrive for the additional responsibility of handling and paying out large amounts of money.”
Marines are often entrusted with being responsible for expensive pieces of equipment such as vehicles, weapon systems and even helicopters, but a CH-46E “Sea Knight” helicopter is a lot easier to keep track of than a book bag full of money.
Many disbursing Marines jokingly take photos of themselves surrounded by a small, government-owned fortune. However, at the end of the day, every dollar and dinar is accounted for.
“Knowing how much money that Marine is carrying on the missions can be very stressful -- at least until they return,” Thornton said. “Ensuring all my Marines have all their funds accounted for…is a big relief at the end of every day.”
These Marines thrive under pressure, something that, Downs explained, Marines have done for many years and on many battlefields and these Marines are just as pivotal to the fight.
“Without the disbursers, Marines and other servicemembers would not have money for the things they need. There would also be no way for the pay mission to be paid without the cash and dinar we have,” he added.
So at the end of the day, the drop has been made and the payment transaction is complete. This week the payment is for a new water purification plant in a local village where they have had to boil their water for seven years.
Even though the disbursers did not actually complete the project with their bare hands, , their efforts in carrying and providing required money establishes a direct link to the infrastructure of Iraq, one backpack full of cash at a time.
Ellie