Leaving behind a large footprint and high hopes

While Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick has a special place in his heart for the paratroopers from Fort Bragg, he lauded all the soldiers for participating in an epic part of Iraq’s history. Speaking from his new headquarters in Kuwait at yesterday’s media roundtable on Fort Bragg, the deputy commander for operations of U.S. Forces-Iraq, tasked with overseeing the withdrawal of troops laid out quantitative benchmarks and also the state in which they are leaving the Iraqi Security Forces.

Helmick has watched the transformation of Iraq on many levels throughout his last eight years of coming and going.

At the start of the war in 2003 he recalled his first look as the Iraqi Army took shape when their soldiers stood before him in flip flops, cut off jean shorts and a t-shirt carrying an old beat up AK-47. Compare that today’s 389,000 soldiers in their army with quality equipment standing next to an M1-Abrams tank emblazoned with the Iraqi flag.

Also in 2003, their navy did not have one boat, whereas now they have 4,200 Sailors and Marines. During this time they did not have an Air Force. Helmick said that every airplane they had was destroyed and on his trips to Baghdad he saw Mi-17 helicopters, C130s and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) airplanes with Iraqi pilots.

In 2008 the U.N. Security Forces resolution was about to expire and an agreement was reached for U.S. forces to remain in Iraq through Dec. 31, 2011. During that same time another agreement was signed by the Government of Iraq and the U.S., the Strategic Framework Agreement, that essentially addresses a broader framework of partnership beyond just security that has no expiration date.

Lt. Gen. Helmick explained that the future relationship of Iraq will be enabled by the Strategic Framework Agreement that the 18th Airborne Corps staff were key to the success of, and were the CORE of the United States Forces Iraq staff, as Operation New Dawn closes out.

“As we look into the future to determine what is going to happen, the United States can take pride in the opportunity that we have given this country,” said Helmick. “They are a sovereign country and we hope they make wise choices in how they proceed in the future.”

Since their arrival in January 2011, the 18th Airborne Corps have partaken in historical events to include helping create conditions for a record low number of attacks throughout the country. This week the daily attack average against the U.S. and Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) was under five, whereas in May 2007 at the height of the war, it was upwards of 148 attacks per day. 

Helmick also applauded CSM Earl Rice’s impact on the Iraqi military’s senior non-commissioned officer initiatives as they begin to develop strong foundations that are significant to the success of this region.

Another pinnacle is the issue development mechanism between the Baghdad Central Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government that has been created , allowing progress to be made between the Arabs and Kurds in Northern Iraq.

Finally, historic logistic efforts to include closing out 70 bases, of which seven remain occupied, Since September, moving an estimate 100,000 soldiers and civilians along with 19,000 flatbeds of equipment equals success.

On Thanksgiving day Lt. Gen. Helmick and CSM Rice were travelling from Baghdad stopping through at a number of bases like Taji, Echo, Basra and more before ending up in Kuwait for Thanksgiving dinner. Their meal consisted of a bologna sandwich he said as the media laughed, but this too is good news and evidence that the drawdown is nearing the end. As the troops reposture, services like internet, MWR activities, and KBR managed dining facilities are being shut down as troops prepare to leave the country. A promising sign that the timetable for redeployment is near.

Read more tomorrow on the specific numbers of troops left in Iraq and the jobs they are doing until they board the planes, some after Christmas.