By Ken L. Holder
Gulf Region Southern District
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Base Camp Adder (Ali Base) Iraq -- American Forces Network visited the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Gulf Region South (GRS) District recently to report on reconstruction progress being made throughout the district.

One of the projects visited by Staff Sgt. Will Eubanks of American Forces Network (AFN) was the nearly completed Al-Jamiaa substation. Eubanks interviewed the project manager Frank Kalisz and the local national (LN) engineers.

“It’s great to be able to help the media tell our story to the rest of the Army and to service members around the world,” said Kalisz, electrical engineer, USACE, GRS-Najaf Resident Office. “We’re all really proud of the work that’s been done by the Iraqi contractors and sub-contractors.”

According to a USACE-GRS spokesman, the project will increase the reliability and safety of the local electrical distribution network when connected to the national grid. In addition, the substation equipment will safely handle more electricity with less chance of equipment malfunctions or loss of service due to local overloads. “This substation will provide electricity for more than five sectors,” explained Kalisz. “That means more than 1,500 homes will have more dependable electrical service.”

The Al Jamaii substation is 95 percent complete. “It is not complete yet because there is supposed to be another 33kV power feeder. There is only one feeder [currently] in place but we need two of them to power the two transformers,” said Kalisz. “Once the other contract to provide the second 33kV power feeder is complete, sometime in July of this year, the substation contractor will need to come back and test it with both transformers [powered] on at the same time. Once that’s done the project is complete.” Though the contractor has some minor work to do to complete the project, it has been accepted by the Iraqi government as usable for its intended purpose says Corps officials.

During the AFN video interview with Kalisz (who works for USACE-Louisville District when he’s not deployed to Iraq) and several of the Iraqi LN engineers and contractors, Eubanks was very careful to shoot the footage so that everyone’s identity was protected. “I’ve learned since I’ve been in Iraq the importance of protecting the identity of those who are working to help insure this country has a better future,” said Eubanks. I’d never want to be responsible for someone being harmed.”

Eubanks also did stories on an administrative building, a primary health clinic, a communications building and the Najaf Teaching Hospital.

AFN plans to edit the stories for use on the “Pentagon Channel,” as well as for Army and military outlets. The products will also reach the American people through marketing to select media.

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Note: Ken Holder is the Chief, Public Affairs for the Gulf Region Southern District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Iraq. Requests for more information should be directed to Ken at 540-542-1531. Email requests can be sent to her at ken.holder@tac01.usace.army.mil For more information on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Iraq, visit www.grd.usace.army.mil.