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Naturalized Citizens Use Freedoms to Uplift in Iraq by Spc

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Naturalized Citizens Use Freedoms to Uplift in Iraq by Spc Volume 1, Issue 129 Page 1 • September 17, 2010 Naturalized citizens use freedoms to uplift in Iraq By Spc. Cassandra Monroe 135th Mobile Public Affairs Det. Constitution Day, Sept. 17, often goes unrecognized but the freedoms it brings to U.S. citizens are never for- gotten and are desired by many. This week, two Task Force Marne natural- ized citizens reflect on their journey toward U.S. citizenship and what brought them back to the Middle East to help rebuild Iraq. Sameh Youssef, the senior analyst and cultural advisor to U.S. Division- North, first decided he wanted to move to the U.S. after graduating college and completing mandatory military service in his original country of Alexandria, Egypt. “Our country was going through a bad time economically, so I decided to find myself a new home,” he said. Photos by Spc. Cassandra Monroe “I looked for an opportunity to have (Left) Angel Hermiz, a linguist, and (Right) Sameh Youssef, the senior analyst and a future so I decided to come to the cultural advisor, both work for USD-N at COB Speicher, near Tikrit, Iraq. Hermiz is United States.” a Clinton Township, Mich., native, but is originally from Kirkuk, Iraq, while Youssef Youssef became a citizen of the is a Clearwater, Fla., native, originally from Alexandria, Egypt. United States shortly after, lived in over here [Iraq],” said Youssef. “I’ve “I think that the country has grown Clearwater, Fla., and owned an elec- been here since 2004, at the same dramatically,” said Youssef. “When I tronic security business, until he felt a base.” first came here, the Iraqi Army only higher calling to do something more. As the commanding general’s had about two Iraqi battalions in the “At that time in my life, I needed to cultural advisor, Youssef gives him whole USD-N area of operations. Right have a change,” said Youssef. “I need- guidance on how to communicate with now, we have many divisions, plus ed to do something different. I had my Iraqis based on their traditions and very good Iraqi police forces. We’re own business, but I was tired of it, and background. working very hard to assist our Iraqi needed to do something unique.” “I try to be an influential part in partners to give them primacy to give It was after Sept., 11, 2001, when [the decision] making,” said Youssef. them control in the cities and give Youssef looked at the current situa- He added that being an essential them the opportunity to go outside tion of the country and wanted to help member of USD-N has been a worth- and do Army work.” in any way he could. Then, he heard while cause because he has been able He also finds the partnership about an opportunity to work for the to see the way the country of Iraq has between the U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers government in Iraq as a translator. grown over the last seven years he has “I decided to give it a shot and come worked here. See CITIZEN, page 5 The North Star Page 2 • September 17, 2010 Iraqi civil affairs officer makes Iraq better place By Spc. Jessica Luhrs, erating Site Warrior, Kirkuk, 1AATF, 1 AD PAO in early 2010. “Before I became a CA Even though only officer I took a class on War- two soldiers work in the rior to help prepare me for 46th Iraqi Army Brigade the job,” he said. “The class Civil Affairs Office they taught me a lot about what it are committed to work- takes to be a CA officer and ing hard toward building helped me do my job right.” prosperity in Hawijah near Lieutenant Colonel Ali Kirkuk, Iraq. said the course even taught During a meeting with him how to train his CA Soldiers with Stability team. Transition Team, Com- Major Chris Choi, of the pany A, 1st Battalion, 14th 46th IA STT, said he is very Infantry, 2nd Advise and impressed with what Lt. Col. Assist Brigade, 25th Infan- Ali is doing and that he is try Division out of Scho- using what he has learned. field Barracks, Hawaii, “You are doing a very Sept. 8, the 46th IA CA good job in the area and by team told the STT about focusing on the people you their plans for providing are assisting greatly in stop- aid to the Iraqi citizens. ping the insurgents,” Major “I plan on first visiting Choi said to Lt. Col. Ali. the leadership of the 1,000 He continued by telling villages in my area of Lt. Col. Ali that he holds the operation to find out which key to the most important village needs the most as- thing in counterinsurgency sistance,” said Lt. Col. Ali – the people. Adal Ali, the 46th IA Bde Lieutenant Colonel Ali CA officer. “Then with the agreed with his partner and help of our battalions we said he would start visiting will begin delivering food the leadership immediately. and medical supplies to “We will begin tomorrow the villages.” visiting with the leadership Photo by Spc. Jessica Luhrs, 1AATF, 1AD PAO According to Lt. Col. and come up with plans to Lieutenant Colonel Ali Adal Ali, (left) the 46th Iraqi Army Brigade Civil Ali, he learned this tech- build infrastructure, provide Affairs Officer, and Maj. Chris Choi, (right) a member of the 46th IA STT, 1/14th Inf., 2nd AAB, 25th ID, pose for a photo following their nique during a Civil Affairs food, clothes and medical meeting at the 46th IA Bde Headquarters in Hawijah near Kirkuk, Iraq, course on Contingency Op- attention,” he said. Sept. 8. Happy 63rd Birthday, U.S. Air Force Sept. 18, 1947 The North Star Page 3 • September 17, 2010 Iraqi civil affairs officer makes Iraq better place 3ID officer to share historic Family ties Hispanic Heritage Ceremony to be informative, entertaining By Sgt. Johnathon Jobson Berrios said. By that time he had achieved the rank TF Marne PAO That was not the end of Lt. Col. Cor- of major general, he added. dero Davila’s service with 3rd ID. He The 3rd ID ties to Lt. Col. Berrios’s Lieutenant Colonel Jose Berrios, served with them again in Korea. Family do not end there, during this the Chemical, Biological, Radiologi- “During the Korean War, the 65th deployment, he and all three of his cal, and Nuclear operations and Force Infantry Regiment, where my uncle brothers, who are all lieutenant colo- Protection officer for Task Force was then the regimental commander nels also, have either directly served in Marne, was chosen to speak at the was again assigned to the 3rd ID,” said or in direct support of TF Marne. upcoming Hispanic Heritage Month Lt. Col. Berrios, a native of San Juan, Lieutenant Colonel Berrios is happy Ceremony, Sept. 25, because of his Puerto Rico. that he was chosen to speak at the His- heritage and Family history with 3rd The 65th Inf. Regt. was an entirely panic Heritage Month Ceremony and Infantry Division. Multiple members Hispanic regiment because the Army to share the story of his Family. of his Family have served with 3rd ID was not yet integrated at the time. It “It is an honor to be asked to do since World War II. was organized as the Puerto Rican something like this,” said Lt. Col According to Lt. Col. Shatrece Provisional Regiment of Infantry, June Berrios. “I am a very Catholic indi- Buchanan, the Task Force Marne chief 30, 1901. In 1908, an Act of Congress vidual. We have an old saying, ‘the of Equal Opportunity, his Family ties approved the regiment to be reor- guy upstairs has a plan and everything were what the 3rd ID Equal Oppor- ganized as part of the regular Army. happens for a reason.’ Maybe this is tunity Office was looking for in the Because the native Puerto Rican of- the reason I am assigned to 3rd ID. speaker for the ceremony. ficers were Puerto Rican citizens, they So that other Soldiers and officers can “We specifically chose [Lt. Col. Ber- were required to take the Oath of U.S. see, not just me as a person, but that rios] because his uncle was a major Citizenship prior to reciting the Army in the Army, if you work hard you can general who served in a unit that was officers Oath of Office. The regiment achieve any rank you wish.” affiliated with 3rd ID,” said Lt. Col. did not become officially known as the Hispanic Heritage Month is Sept. Buchanan. “We wanted to be able 65th Inf. Regt. until June 4, 1920. 15 – Oct 15, and celebrates the achieve- to highlight the 3rd ID heritage and Following the Korean War, the 65th ments and contributions of Hispanic history and then tie it to one of our Inf. Regt. underwent a change that no cultures in American history. Presi- current members.” other unit had done before and none dent Ronald Reagan chose Sept. 15 as During World War II, Lt. Col. Ber- have done since. The unit was released the start date in 1988 because it is the rios’s uncle served in the 3rd Battal- from active duty and assigned to the Independence Day of five of the Latin ion, 65th Infantry Regiment, which Puerto Rico National Guard. American countries. was attached to 3rd ID. Following the unit’s release from This year’s Hispanic Heritage “My uncle, then Lt. Col. Juan Cesar active duty, his uncle became the Month Ceremony will be held at noon, Cordero Davila, was a battalion com- adjutant general for the Puerto Rico Sept.
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