BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 12, 2004 — More than $1.3 million has been invested in community enhancement projects in the Taji, according to Multinational Force Iraq officials. Making an assessment of projects currently ongoing within their area of operations, soldiers of the 489th’s Civil Affairs Battalion’s Team-5 visited seven of their nine project sites July 3.

Currently, the team is responsible for projects ranging from the refurbishment of two schools to the construction of roads linking several villages to major roadways. But as civil affairs specialist Sgt. John Hultquist explained, the emphasis is on projects with an agricultural focus.

“This area is part of what is known as the Fertile Cresent,” explained Hultquist. Historically, he said, the Fertile Crescent is defined as the area beginning at the Persian Gulf, bordered by the Tigris and the Euphrates, and ending in Syria.

“Agriculture is the main form of commerce in this area,” Hultquist said. “Most of the projects we’ve done have that element in mind as part of the planning, even the roads we’ve constructed are meant to connect villages with roadways to local markets.”

At the core of any agriculture project, especially in the arid desert landscape of Iraq, is irrigation.

“Of the nine projects we are currently involved in, four of them involve either building irrigation canals or improving existing waterways to more efficiently bring water to villages,” Hultquist said.

Hultquist went on to explain that only through working with members of the Taji area councils was his team able to correctly identify the gasping need to bring relief to the area in the form of agriculture projects.

“The sheiks and imams of the councils were really instrumental in making sure that correct locations were identified and that money was put into those projects that would pay the biggest peace dividend,” Hultquist said. “In this case, the key was agriculture.”

As initiators, contract negotiators and over-all project managers, civil affairs soldiers help ensure that standards are met and projects are completed on time.

“Follow up and oversight is as important as starting a project,” explained Maj. Terry Robey, the team-5 chief. “Just like construction work and projects of this magnitude back in the states, ensuring that work is being done and that a certain level of quality is being meet helps guarantee a projects success.”

Robey and his team regularly visit locations during a project’s life cycle.

“We try and visit each site at least once a week,” the Knoxville, Tenn. resident said. “The key to ensuring a successful project is consistent follow up. We work hand-in-hand with members of the Taji area neighborhood and district councils, with each group [soldiers and council members] making regular visits.”