Rebuilding Sadiyah by Daniel Bell
Less than less than six months ago, A Company 4th Battalion 64th Armor Regiment was conducting typical combat missions in Iraq. But now, under the leadership of 26 year-old Captain Andrew Betson of Midway, Georgia, the A Company is overseeing the security and development in the southeastern part of Baghdad known as Sadiyah.[# More #]
CPT Betson and the men of A Company live in the Combat Outpost (COP) located in Sadiyah, where they patrol, rebuild, and oversee economic development. Currently they are working on completing a lighting project through their main north to south route and opening both a fish and fruit market. The lighting project has helped to reintroduce life along a road that, due to violence, had all but lost the little bit of commerce when they arrived in January.
Security measures remain a top concern during this “build” stage of their mission in Sadiyah. The foreboding walls that surround Sadiyah allow for only one entrance and exit, making it very time consuming to travel in and out of the area. There is also the continual reminder of a strong military presence, with Iraqi Police or Iraqi Army posted at major intersections. Getting the fish and fruit markets up and running is a slow process, and the markets may be less than ideal appearance. But this area is safer for Iraqis and has the ability to support commerce that is growing every day.