Volume 1, Issue 129 Page 1 • September 17, 2010 Naturalized citizens use freedoms to uplift in 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 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. - 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 .” 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 ’s had about two Iraqi 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 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 , 14th 46th IA STT, said he is very , 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 , the 65th deployment, he and all three of his cal, and Nuclear operations and Force Infantry , 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 . 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, , 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. 25, at the North Dining Facil- mander during World War II with National Guard where he served until ity on Contingency Operating Base the 65th Infantry Regiment,” Lt. Col. his death in 1965, said Lt. Col. Berrios. Speicher.

Historical Hispanic Heritage Tidbit

The 65th Infantry Regiment, comprised primarily of , began as a volunteer regiment in 1899 and partici- pated in and WWII. It was during the Korean War that they made their mark and saw extensive combat. The North Star Page 4 • September 17, 2010 Task Force Marne Heroes of the North Pete Weisbrod is the close access target reconnaissance field service rep for the G-3 special programs section. He has spent countless hours helping Task Force Marne units to incorporate the use of technical capabilities into their operations, often provid- ing hands on support no matter where needed in the United States Division – North operating environment. With an attitude that screams, “No task is too difficult,” and a willingness to get out in the field at a moment’s notice to support the troops, his actions are a testimony to his desire to accomplish the mission. Mr. Weisbrod is another fine example of a Soldier that retired the uniform, but did not retire his commitment of ser- vice to his Country. His actions make him a key member of the USD-N team and make him a natural choice for the Task Force Marne Service Provider of the Week.

Sergeant Carrie Wali, a Pittsburgh, Pa., native with Headquarters and Headquarters Operations , Division Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, is the geospatial engineer section’s non-commissioned officer in charge and currently serves in a sergeant first class position. Her outstanding leadership skills enabled the team to provide essential geospatial services to not only the division headquarters, but also to subordinate units and the division’s higher headquarters. Her team is responsible for disseminating data updates to the many digital battle command platforms so heavily utilized by Task Force Marne. Additionally, Sgt. Wali has circulated throughout northern Iraq, training units on production techniques used for the suite of programs today’s terrain teams use to produce mapping products. Sergeant Wali’s highly effective leadership and expert knowledge of the section’s digital systems have proven vital to enabling successful operations in northern Iraq and make her a great choice for the Task Force Marne Hero of the North.

Roma, Gypsies in Iraq, few and far between Cultural Tidbit associated with entertainment and a will never settle in one place. Over the Special to the North Star nomadic lifestyle, whether by choice centuries Roma have made many con- The Iraqi concept of Roma or or circumstances forced upon them is tributions to the arts in Iraq yet have “gypsies” is similar to the prejudice in unknown. The men were professional never been acknowledged by society Europe and many parts of the world. singers or musicians and the women or included in the cultural history of The word “gypsy” is a derogatory term were invited to dance at feasts, wed- the country. for the people who are Roma. dings and parties in Iraq. The music scene in Basra is heav- Roma origins are debated, with In the 1970s socialism and the ily influenced by Roma technique and many scholars believing them to share Soviet bloc changed their nomadic tradition. Exclusion is the theme of roots in certain regions of India, but habits and they were forced to inhabit Roma existence, more so than nearly historians place their roots with the defined ghettos. Iraq followed the any other ethnic and cultural group. ancient civilizations in Egypt, Mesopo- example of Ceausescu’s Romania with Even though Roma have been tamia, Turkey and the Roman Empire. isolated villages and Iraqi citizenship. included in the Iraqi population since The history of Roma persecution Roma populations in Iraq are the 1957 census, Iraqi Roma have not throughout Europe is well document- sparse and dwindling, since being had acknowledgement from other ed, though the history of Roma in Iraq forced to abandon their nomadic ways Iraqis as a social segment with their is not. they have spread throughout Iraq and own distinct cultural elements. The common name for Roma in have adopted local dialects including The Roma are a rich thread in the Iraq is Kawiliyah, a word with poten- the dialects of Mosul, of the south, and cultural and ethnic tapestry of the tial roots in the Sumerian language Baghdad. country of Iraq, one that hopefully will meaning, “the friend,” which could Rumor and superstition still sur- continue to add to the diversity of the be a potential reference to the ritual round the Roma, a common one being nation. position held in society by the Roma, their use of a secret Roma language a population used and spurned for the used only when communicating with Editor’s note: This paper created with amusements in which they specialize. each other. There is no evidence of research from the Task Force Marne Human Terrain Research Cell, Oyster Pt. Va., and Despite being Muslims, the Kawiliyah this being true in Iraq. the Human Terrain Analysis Team at Con- are seen as outcasts. The Roma in Iraq refer to them- tingency Opearting Base Speicher, Iraq. For centuries Roma have been selves as the people of the wind, who POC: [email protected] The North Star Page 5 • September 17, 2010

Li f e Li b e r t y Constitution Da y Fr e e d o m Pr o s p e r i t y Continued from, CITIZEN, Page 1 inspiring. in 1992,” she said. “We lived in two and lived in country since beginning “I see the hard work that our Sol- wars growing up in Iraq, one between her job in 2008 has been enough to diers have done with our Iraqi part- Iran and Iraq, and the other being the notice positive differences within the ners,” he said. “It’s tremendous and first Gulf War. The economic sanction country and people of Iraq. it’s refreshing. If I leave right now, I affected my parents and their savings, “I’ve noticed good things happening feel like I have participated and done so we pretty much lost everything. We in Iraq since I was last here,” said Her- something small to help [the U.S.] in had a great opportunity to leave Iraq miz. “When I was living here, it was the long run to help the Iraqi people to and start somewhere else. So we made during Sadam’s regime. The people of become a prosperous country. it to the U.S. and have been in Michi- Iraq didn’t have that much freedom of Another critical member of Task gan since.” speech, becoming who they want to be. Force Marne, Angel Hermiz, contrib- Hermiz worked many jobs at the Everything back then was in the name utes her skills as a linguist to the USD- beginning of her stay in the States, due of the government. Right now, I see N command team, specifically for the to the language barrier. She went to the people becoming more and more USD-N Commanding General, Maj. college to learn more about English, like themselves.” Gen. Tony Cucolo, and also believes and landed a job at a civil engineer- For Hermiz and Youssef, both find that her time spent advising American ing firm as an administrative assistant the greatest value in their jobs through Soldiers has been beneficial.. before becoming a linguist. The job of their services to Task Force Marne. “Knowing the culture very well is a linguist was being advertised every- “My favorite thing about my job is what motivated me mostly to do the where, especially because there is a that I am able to help,” said Youssef. job, because I felt like I could be a high number of Arab or Middle East- “I try to bring something new with my great help to all of the Soldiers,” said ern communities in Michigan. When briefs that I do. It’s my job for my col- Hermiz. “When I would watch the Hermiz saw the ads on television and leagues to understand how the people television from 2003 to 2007, I heard in grocery stores, she knew what she here think; I believe my services will many negative things, and most of wanted to apply for. help tremendously.” it was related to mistranslation, or “When my firm started downsizing, “It’s a great opportunity, I am misadvised cultural issues. I felt like I unfortunately, I lost my job, so I was thankful to be able to do this level Roma, Gypsies in Iraq, few and far between could help with advising and I feel like unemployed,” Hermiz said. “At first, of work because I get to work with I speak good English and Arabic. I feel I took this job for a financial reason. unique individuals. It’s a great honor like I do my best in both advising in The pay was good and I speak both to work for a major general in the U.S. the culture and the language.” languages, but when I got here in Iraq, Army. For America, it’s the least I Hermiz is a Clinton Township, it was totally different. I look at it as could give to the country that gave me Mich., native, but is originally from a great mission and I am proud to be and my Family freedom. The freedom Kirkuk, Iraq. Her and her Family here. As a linguist, the kinds of jobs we to choose our way of living, freedom spent some time in Baghdad before do are key leader engagements with to practice our religion with no fear, making the decision to finally move to the high-level personnel in Iraq, like freedom to speak our opinion with no the United States. high commanding generals.” fear and finally for the country that “My Family and I came to the states For Hermiz, the time she has spent gave peace,” said Hermiz.

THE TASK FORCE MARNE North Star Commanding General - Maj. Gen. Tony Cucolo Command Sergeant Major - Command Sgt. Maj. Jesse L. Andrews Jr. The North Star is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. Task Force Marne Public Affairs Staff Army. Contents of The North Star are not necessarily official views of, or endorsed TF Marne PAO – Lt. Col. Jeff Allen by, the U.S. Government, Department of TF Marne PA NCOIC – Master Sgt. Marcia Triggs Defense, Department of the Army or the TF Marne Writer - Sgt. Johnathon Jobson 3rd Infantry Division. All editorial content of The North Star is prepared, edited, Editorial Staff provided and approved by the Task Force Managing Editor – Master Sgt. Marcia Triggs Marne Public Affairs Office. Editor - Spc. Cassandra Monroe

2nd Advise and 2nd Advise and 1st Advise and 135th Mobile Public Assist Brigade, Assist Brigade, Assist Task Force, Affairs Detachment 3rd Infantry Division 25th Infantry Division 1st Armored Division