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Blackanthem Military News
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Last Updated:
Dec 3, 2008 - 11:51:18 PM |
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Taji Level III Wheeled Vehicle Maintenance Facility celebrates early progress
By Staff Sgt. Bryant Maude, 1st Sustainment Brigade, PAO
Sep 4, 2008 - 9:40:18 PM
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Blackanthem Military News
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| COL Mohommad, the Taji Level III Wheeled Vehicle Maintenance Facility commander walks the parade field just minutes prior to the celebration held to honor the progress made by the Iraqi maintenance Soldiers here Aug 26. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Bryant Maude, 1st Sustainment Brigade, PAO) |
TAJI, Iraq - The temperatures swelled into the triple digits as Iraqi maintenance troops stood tall and proud next to one of the 150-plus vehicles on parade near the Taji Level III Wheeled Vehicle Maintenance Facility Aug 26. The vehicles and mechanics were part of a ceremony held to highlight their recent achievements. The guest of honor was Staff Gen. Nasier Abadi, the Iraqi Army Deputy Chief of Staff, and others from the Iraqi Army and coalition forces.
A passage from the Holy Qur'an was read and a moment of silence for prayer was observed and then the guest speaker took the podium and praised the hard work of the officers and Soldiers of the Level III facility.
"We have done a great job fixing a lot of vehicles during this campaign so congratulations," stated Brig. Gen. Muniem, the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Officer, and key note speaker for the event. "They are very professional and work very hard to support the Iraqi Army and our country."
In April of 2008 a small group of officers and Soldiers of the 1st Sustainment Brigade started working with their Iraqi counterparts. So this event was exciting for them to see as well.
"It's exciting. This is a ceremony that highlights the Iraqi's ability to do Level III maintenance and the Iraqi Army took over the Level III Track and the Level III Wheeled facility officially 1 June. So from June to now they have managed to repair 150 wheeled vehicles and 25 tracked vehicles," said Capt. Randall Weiser, the Iraqi Security Force Cell officer in charge. "This averages out to about twenty vehicles a week which is great."
"This represents change for the Iraqi Army," commented CW4 Keith Hammitt, the maintenance advisor to Col. Mohommad. "This is a result of their own hard work and sacrifice."
After the talk Nasier was escorted on the field where he cut the ceremonial ribbon and then had an opportunity to walk the grounds, meet the mechanics, shake their hands, and get some feedback on how they are doing. At one point the Soldiers broke out in song and dance as the general and his entourage clapped along. Everyone appeared to be having fun.
Before the celebration was over several Soldiers were presented with awards by Staff Gen. Nasier Abadi. Each Soldier and officer saluted the general, shook his hand, and accepted their award with pride.
"Through this effort we are able to insure the country is more secure," concluded Muniem.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
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| Staff Gen. Nasier Abadi, the Iraqi Army Deputy Chief of Staff steps out onto the parade field to talk with maintenance Soldiers who work at the Taji Level III Wheeled Vehicle Maintenance Facility who participated in a celebration here Aug 26. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Bryant Maude, 1st Sustainment Brigade, PAO) |
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| Staff Gen. Nasier Abadi, the Iraqi Army Deputy Chief of Staff (center) cuts the ceremonial ribbon signifying the great gains made by the Iraqi maintenance Soldiers at the Taji Level III Wheeled Vehicle Maintenance Facility Aug 26. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Bryant Maude, 1st Sustainment Brigade, PAO) |
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| Staff Gen. Nasier Abadi, the Iraqi Army Deputy Chief of Staff congratulates a Taji Level III Wheeled Vehicle Maintenance Facility Soldier as he walked the line of nearly 130 wheeled vehicles and 20 track vehicles that were recently repaired here. The ceremony was held at the parade field on Taji, Aug 26. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Bryant Maude, 1st Sustainment Brigade, PAO) |
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| Staff Gen. Nasier Abadi, the Iraqi Army Deputy Chief of Staff stops and talks with one of the Taji Level III Wheeled Vehicle Maintenance Facility Soldier as he walked the line of nearly 130 wheeled vehicles and 20 track vehicles that were recently repaired here. Nasier was genuinely proud of the progress made and was the guest of honor at the ceremony on Aug 26. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Bryant Maude, 1st Sustainment Brigade, PAO) |
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| Iraqi maintenance Soldiers break out in song and dance during a celebration held at the Taji Level III Wheeled Vehicle Maintenance Facility Aug 26. The Soldiers managed to repair 130 wheeled vehicles and 20 tracked vehicles in 60 days. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Bryant Maude, 1st Sustainment Brigade, PAO) |
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| A team of firefighters stand by in case of an emergency during a celebration that was held at the Taji Level III Wheeled Vehicle Maintenance Facility Aug 26. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Bryant Maude, 1st Sustainment Brigade, PAO) |
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| Brig. Gen. Muniem, the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Officer gives Staff Gen. Nasier Abadi, the Iraqi Army Deputy Chief of Staff a tour of vehicle parts on display during a celebration held Aug 26 at the Taji Level III Wheeled Vehicle Maintenance Facility. The facility managed to repair over 150 vehicles in 60 days. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Bryant Maude, 1st Sustainment Brigade, PAO) |
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| Brig. Gen. Muniem, the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Officer, gives the key note address during the celebration that honored the hard working maintenance Soldiers who work at the Taji Level III Wheeled Vehicle Maintenance Facility here Aug 26. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Bryant Maude, 1st Sustainment Brigade, PAO) |
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| Staff Gen. Nasier Abadi, the Iraqi Army Deputy Chief of Staff congratulates an Iraqi maintenance Soldier assigned to the Taji Level III Wheeled Vehicle Maintenance Facility during a celebration ceremony held here Aug 26. The Taji Level III Wheeled Vehicle Maintenance Facility managed to repair over 150 vehicles in 60 days which was unheard of prior to that. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Bryant Maude, 1st Sustainment Brigade, PAO) |
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| (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Bryant Maude, 1st Sustainment Brigade, PAO) |
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Comments
Devendra Vasudeva
10 Oct 2008, 18:07
Lt Gen Nasier Abadi and I trained together in 1969 in a Flying School in
India. We shared some good times then and I understand he remembers those
times. I will be very happy to be put in touch with him if possible. My
email address is dvasudeva@hotmail.com
Thanks
Vasu
Devendra Vasudeva, Orangeville, ontario, Canada
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