United We Roll at Stardust Radio

If you have been joining us on our weekly United We Roll shows, you have heard numerous visits with several members of the units within the 2nd Advise & Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. Even though this may be one of or the last unit deployed in Iraq, they are using every possible hour of every day to continue with training, humanitarian outreach and more.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS! These soldiers would accept no less than making accomplishments right up to the day they pack their bags.

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IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20110328-01 March 28, 2011
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“Dragon” Battalion works with Iraqi Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams to counter threats

By 1st Lt. Jared Viernes, 2nd AAB, 1st Inf. Div., USD-C

BAGHDAD—To help counter the threat posed by improvised explosive devices, United States forces possess specialist units called explosive ordnance disposal—experts in identifying, disarming, destroying and preventing IED attacks. However, with the responsible drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq underway, it is imperative that these missions can be handled by the Iraqi Security Forces’ answer to the EOD team—bomb disposal companies.

The 6th Iraqi Army Division, based in Baghdad, has its own fully-capable bomb disposal company. The 6th IA Div. BDC and Soldiers of 731st Ordnance Company, attached to 1st Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center, have been working together on Joint Security Station Constitution, Iraq, since September, sharing intelligence on enemy techniques and collaborating on how to exploit them.

“[We] have a very strong relationship with the 6th IA BDC,” said 1st Lt. Veronica Potter, a platoon leader with 731st Ordnance Company and a Granada Hills, Calif., native. “They openly share information and evidence with us…our teams work well with all of their officers.”

The BDC has dramatically increased their ability to use robots for examination of IEDs, implemented sensitive site exploitation tactics, and developed disposal procedures for live IEDs through combined training with their U.S. counterparts.

The partnership relies in large part on key leader engagements, in which the U.S. and Iraqi officers plan training sessions, evidence analysis teams, and demolition operations. The leaders have learned much from each other, even in realms outside their normal operational boundaries.
“We have learned the value of patience,” said Potter. “In addition, we all have a better understanding of their customs and courtesies.”

The 6th IA BDC is run through the Field Engineering Regiment headed by Colonel Ahmed, with Lieutenant Colonel Ali serving as the BDC commander. Thanks to their unique abilities, the Soldiers of the BDC are authorized to respond independently to the majority of missions, as opposed to regular units who must answer to the division staff.

The BDC’s solid understanding of explosives and their ability to dispose of them are a valuable asset to all the Iraqi Security Forces within their area of operation. With each mission, they gain more confidence and experience, Potter said.
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Be sure to join us as the first of our Press 1 For Enough shows will begin at 6pm Central on Monday, March 28th. If you are in the Riverside, Iowa area, simply tune in to 1690AM. For everyone else, it is also simple as you need only to set your computer to http://www.stardustradio.com/, click on the red ball to enter the site and then click on the silver button with Listen Live in red letters. This will bring up the Live 365 box where you can adjust your volume. Have your phone handy and be ready to call in with your comments. The number is 319-648-5143.

For our first show, we will be talking about some Freedom of Speech issues. Items like burning our country's flag (do our fellow Americans understand the true meaning of our flag)? Now the courts have been asked to consider taking Old Glory out of our classrooms! How would you feel if you could not bury your loved one in peace, but instead a group of strangers were picketing with vile signs and behavior? Yup, some of our fellow Americans have lost that right. And many others.

So, tune in Monday night, March 28th, at 6pm and let's talk about the rights that the majority of Americans deserve to have by our own Constitution and the intentions of our forefathers.

For more info on our new show, check the Press 1 For Enough Blog located at http://press1forenough.blogspot.com/.

May God Bless You All & May God Bless America!

How To Listen to Live Stardust Radio Broadcasts:

1) Local Area Riverside, Iowa - Tune in to 1690 AM radio

2) Simple Audio with Live 365 - Go to our website at www.stardustradio.com Click on the Listen Live button in the center of the screen which will connect you with the Live 365 listening service at no charge. You may need to click on the settings button to select whether you prefer to listen through Windows Media Player or Flash Player. You will immediately be able to listen to the broadcast at any hour of the day or night.

3) If you are a member of Chat Star, sign in and meet us in the appropriate room for the show that you are coming to hear. See the list of the rooms on the left side of the screen after you sign in to Chat Star.

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To Listen & Download Previous Episodes Of United We Roll World Tour Shows
Tapes are in MP3 Formats - No Streaming

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OR
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We hope you enjoy the show! Please feel free to sign our guest book on our website. Your feedback is very important to us.

This release brings just one story of the rebuilding of a school and the foundation of a future for the students. The 2-1 AAB may well be one of the last deployed units in this country, but they are using every minute they have to ensure this country's success.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20110325-01 March 25, 2011
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From school to combat outpost and back again
Northern Baghdad primary school, used as a military base during surge, reopens its doors

By Capt. Richard B. Toland, 2nd AAB, 1st Inf. Div., USD-C

BAGHDAD—In late 2006, the Duwaya Primary School in northern Baghdad had no students, no teachers and seemingly no future. The grounds were abandoned. The school’s equipment had been looted and squatters had moved in. Because of insurgent activity, for many local residents the area had become just too dangerous of a place to send children to school.

Those days, however, are long past and the school recently reopened after more than a year of planning and construction. As part of the renovation, local contractors refurbished the 12 classrooms and offices of the existing structure and built a new annex containing additional classrooms.

The additional rooms mean the average class size is reduced to 40 students, instead of 60. Additionally, the Iraqi Ministry of Education provided the teachers with new blackboards and whiteboards with markers to conduct their lessons.

All of this is a far cry from the school’s not-so-distant past use as a combat outpost during the U.S. troop surge of 2007 and then as base for Iraqi Security Forces.

While many in the neighborhood saw the presence of the ISF as one of the elements that kept violence in the area to a minimum, their presence at the school also prevented the children from returning to the classroom. A new station for the ISF was planned and is currently nearing completion. During the construction, the ISF were able to move out of the school and into temporary buildings on their new compound, which lead the way for allowing children in the area to return to school and prepare for the future.

“Education is the backbone of stable societies and communities such as the one around al Duwaya,” said Dr. Nihad al Jibouri, the deputy minister of education and the education manager for all of Iraq, during the school’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. “We all must continue to focus on improving education well into the future.”
Nihad said he believes that Baghdad still suffers from a severe shortage of schools, but sees the Duwaya School is an example of progress being made.

“There are 3,000 schools in Baghdad Province that need to either be built or renovated, and the Ministry of Education will continue to support the teachers and students in Baghdad just as we have done here,” he said.
For those in the area around the school, the reopening was a big day. Nearly all children who attend the school were present for the celebration with many arriving in suits and colorful dresses. Many girls brought flowers to give as thanks, and others brought potted palm trees to plant at their new school.

Iraqi Security Forces, including the 9th Iraqi Army Division and the local Iraqi Police, attended the ceremony and provided security at the school opening, as they do for many of the events that occur in the area.
“It is important for our young people to receive a proper education to better prepare them for life,” said IA Maj. Gen. Qasim, commander of the 9th IA Div.

School officials thanked the Ministry of Education staff for their support in the renovation work and described the impact the new school would have on the community.

“The new school will be reflected in the attitudes and ultimately the success of the teachers and students,” said Azhar Moosa Kadum, the principal of the Duwaya School. “I also thank the North Baghdad Provincial Reconstruction Team, and the United States forces for their involvement and support of the renovation project.”

All 850 children who are students at the school were presented with new backpacks containing construction paper, crayons, and colored pencils delivered by the 9th IA Div. The school also received soccer balls for physical education classes.

The boy and girl class leaders from each grade were then presented with certificates of achievement, and a large bag of gifts that contained books, boxes of crayons, pencils, pencil sharpeners, dolls for the girls and soccer balls for the boys.

The ceremony concluded with a celebration of traditional Iraqi dance. The men formed a circle in the courtyard with many of the schoolboys in the middle. A popular Baghdad singer sang an old Bedouin folk song while he mentioned all of the people who made the creation of the school possible.

Also in attendance at the school’s opening ceremony were Dr. Etaab al Doori, a member of the Iraqi national parliament; Sheik Mohammed Abd Hamid, chairman of the Taji Sheik Support Council; Lt. Col. John D. Cross, commander of the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center; and Timothy Lowery, embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team – North site lead.

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