thedrifter
10-25-08, 11:11 AM
Marine officer ready to turn over dam to Iraqi control
By Jimmy Norris, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Saturday, October 25, 2008
HADITHA, Iraq — Capt. Michael Anda of Regimental Combat Team 5 is the last "Dam Mayor" the U.S. Marines will have in Haditha — something he’s pretty proud of for more reasons than just "the cool e-mail signature."
"I’m as legitimately elected as any other mayor in this province," he said.
He’s responsible for more than 400 people from three military services, four civilian agencies and the hand-off of a crucial piece of infrastructure to the Iraqi government.
Officially slated for Jan. 1, the hand-off is moving ahead of schedule and Anda is responsible for seeing to it the base is ready to go by Dec. 1.
"It’s a great place to have a base, but we should have given it back a year ago," he said. "I think [the Iraqi government] was waiting for PIC to happen."
The government in Ramadi declared "PIC," or Provincial Iraqi Control, on Sept. 1.
Since then, Anda said, the focus at the dam had been getting it ready for turnover.
Included in the preparations are moving furniture and tearing down barriers and other pieces of movable infrastructure.
All of the tenant units at the dam should be gone no later than Nov. 15, scattered to different part of western Iraq.
"That’s when I turn the life support off," he said.
Originally, he said, the plan for turning the dam over was to "demilitarize" the dam, making it look as though coalition forces had never been there.
As the deadline approaches however, the posture has switched to "Make it safe and get out."
Anda said the Iraqis, should they tear down the office spaces and other pieces of infrastructure Marines added to the dam, will inherit a lot of wiring, a lot of wood "in a country where wood is rare" and a significantly improved security posture.
Despite being more than ready to turn the dam over, Anda said he will miss his time as the dam mayor.
"The hours are pretty long. There’s a lot of work to do and not a lot of time to do it," he said. "But it’s a cool job."
Ellie
By Jimmy Norris, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Saturday, October 25, 2008
HADITHA, Iraq — Capt. Michael Anda of Regimental Combat Team 5 is the last "Dam Mayor" the U.S. Marines will have in Haditha — something he’s pretty proud of for more reasons than just "the cool e-mail signature."
"I’m as legitimately elected as any other mayor in this province," he said.
He’s responsible for more than 400 people from three military services, four civilian agencies and the hand-off of a crucial piece of infrastructure to the Iraqi government.
Officially slated for Jan. 1, the hand-off is moving ahead of schedule and Anda is responsible for seeing to it the base is ready to go by Dec. 1.
"It’s a great place to have a base, but we should have given it back a year ago," he said. "I think [the Iraqi government] was waiting for PIC to happen."
The government in Ramadi declared "PIC," or Provincial Iraqi Control, on Sept. 1.
Since then, Anda said, the focus at the dam had been getting it ready for turnover.
Included in the preparations are moving furniture and tearing down barriers and other pieces of movable infrastructure.
All of the tenant units at the dam should be gone no later than Nov. 15, scattered to different part of western Iraq.
"That’s when I turn the life support off," he said.
Originally, he said, the plan for turning the dam over was to "demilitarize" the dam, making it look as though coalition forces had never been there.
As the deadline approaches however, the posture has switched to "Make it safe and get out."
Anda said the Iraqis, should they tear down the office spaces and other pieces of infrastructure Marines added to the dam, will inherit a lot of wiring, a lot of wood "in a country where wood is rare" and a significantly improved security posture.
Despite being more than ready to turn the dam over, Anda said he will miss his time as the dam mayor.
"The hours are pretty long. There’s a lot of work to do and not a lot of time to do it," he said. "But it’s a cool job."
Ellie