News from USJFCOM: Task Force wraps up ePRT mission

Air Force Lt. Col. Charles “Ty” Harris, right, meets with accountants from Al Takadum, a non-government organization responsible for managing small to medium sized business loans in the city of Ramadi, Iraq. (Official Photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Boucher)

Task force wraps up ePRT mission

Members of the U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM)-supplied Task Force Ramadi recently wrapped up projects with the State Department's embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team in Camp Ramadi, Iraq.

By Task Force Ramadi Public Affairs

CAMP RAMADI, Iraq (Aug. 14, 2008) -- Seven officers with Task Force Ramadi concluded critical projects this month in conjunction with the State Department’s embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team (ePRT–2) there.

Task Force Ramadi, more than 100 military and civilian personnel representing all services, deployed from Standing Joint Force Headquarters, U.S. Joint Forces Command, deployed earlier this year to support Multi National Force-West operations.

The officers assisted ePRT efforts supporting Ramadi’s growing job market, improving economy and municipal services infrastructure, increasing provincial fuel availability, and many other new civic programs.

“Task Force Ramadi has been a breath of fresh air,” said Emery Haskell, senior rule of law advisor for Ramadi. “The programs are a lot more focused, and we are starting to see the tangible results of their efforts.”

Haskell further explained the officers were an ideal fit for the State Department mission.

“It’s been my experience that military officers can easily make that transition from a military role to a diplomatic role,” he said. “The military officers exist in an environment that is results-orientated, and they bring that to the table. We would not have been as effective without their participation.”

One significant accomplishment is the increase of available fuel and electricity for Ramadi’s more than 400,000 citizens. In March, Cmdr. Doug Kunzman began working with a system bringing in 10 to 12 million liters of fuel per month. Now, the system is bringing more than 62 million liters of fuel.

The result is a significant reduction in gas prices for the region. Benzene, fuel used to power generators located throughout the city, dropped from $2.40 per gallon to 40 cents per gallon.

“Gas is no longer a limiting factor holding back the growth of the economy,” said Kunzman.

Kunzman also worked on a plan to increase the amount of electricity allocated from the national power grid to Al Anbar Province. The result was a 25 percent increase of power for Ramadi.

According to Zaid Harden, Ramadi Business Center manager, more than 1,000 small business projects began in the past six months.

“Security and construction are the two most significant improvements in the past six months,” Harden said. “More than two thousand jobs have opened up and we have more than one thousand people enrolled in training programs to improve their role in the growing job market.”

Air Force Lt. Col. Charles “Ty” Harris tracked the small business growth in Ramadi as he worked toward getting grants approved for small business loans. The grants are paid out to a non-government organization (NGO), Al Takadum, and then distributed to the community in the form of small to medium business loans. More than 500 loans have been processed in the past six months.

“Shops are bulging with retail goods and you can see a growth in the demand for electricity,” Harris said. “It’s an amazing transformation.”

This overall transformation resulted from projects in several areas, but required financial assistance. Army Lt. Col. Gregory White manages $400,000 in two separate funds to support these projects.

“What we bring to the table is expertise and cash,” said White. “The cash gives us a seat at the table and allows us to use our expertise to assist them in developing their future.”

White explained that one of the first considerations of any project is whether it can be funded by Iraq.

“The goal is to have the Iraqi’s help or fund the project but, for the most part, they provide the manpower, facilities and social connections for the project,” he said. “We support the project with cash.”

Increased production at the Ramadi Ceramics Factory is another significant accomplishment for a longtime symbol of Ramadi’sindustrial strength.

Navy Cmdr. Kevin Hunt worked closely with the factory’s leaders, providing management support ranging from production line repairs to developing a lasting marketing and sales strategy.

“The factory has now achieved a level of production and revenue generation that has exceeded pre-war levels,” he said.

The agricultural industry also is expanding business opportunities. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Joe Honan worked with the local farmers union to increase farming opportunities for the region.

“We have more water and more land available,” Honan said. “That’s given us an opportunity to use that land to help the farmers more.”

Honan explained that several programs put in place allow the Ramadi Farmers Union to assist its members more.

“From last year to this year, they have tripled the amount of land they’ve been able to harvest from,” he said. “That allows them to become more self-sufficient.”

All project officers and local leaders agreed that increased security in Al Anbar Province made the growth and improvement possible.

Navy Cmdr. Joe Limjuco of Task Force Ramadi spent the past six months working with local judges and police officers, developing a tracking program for civil and criminal court cases and facilitating meetings between the judges and police investigators to review cases.

Air Force Col. Maryann Ante-Amburgey focused on women’s issues, youth programs and the health sector. Her efforts brought conferences in each area to promote advancement of these critical civic issues.

The overall project brought economic and social growth for the city, and a sense of personal growth for the officers participating in the program.

“All of the successes of the uprising and the surge set up the conditions for us to be able to focus on the reconstruction,” said Honan. “I’ve also made some real friends in the past couple of months.”

“The past six months working with the State Department and ePRT have been the highlight of my career,” said Harris. “I can understand why people come back and do this again.” “Whether arguing for the need to develop a waste water treatment plant and sewer piping network for Ramadi or enabling projects leading to the improvement of the cities water quality and distribution system, it has been quite enlightening and professionally fulfilling,” said Hunt.