IA, U.S. Soldiers on road to brighter future

By 1st Lt. Jason Frisco, 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div.April 28, 2009

Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 41st Iraqi Army Brigade, and 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division repair Route Phoenix, a damaged roadway traveled by Coalition forces and the local Iraqi populace, r...
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 41st Iraqi Army Brigade, and 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division repair Route Phoenix, a damaged roadway traveled by Coalition forces and the local Iraqi populace, r... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 41st Iraqi Army Brigade, and 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division repair Route Phoenix, a damaged roadway traveled by Coalition forces and the local Iraqi populace, r...
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 41st Iraqi Army Brigade, and 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division repair Route Phoenix, a damaged roadway traveled by Coalition forces and the local Iraqi populace, r... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HUNTER, Iraq - Outfitted with 1,000 sandbags, 4-by-4 pieces of lumber and a one-inch piece of plywood, a group of motivated Soldiers repaired a section of a main road here recently.

The 41st Iraqi Army Brigade and members of 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division 'Black Dragons' refurbished the road, referred to as Route Phoenix.

Route Phoenix is a gateway for units to travel safely. It also has a drain pipe to irrigate crops in the area from a nearby river. Soldiers have been establishing security check points around the area due to the increased road traffic and bad weather.

"Soldiers just keep working and working," said Zae'd Shaker, an Iraqi Soldier with the road crew. "At first I didn't think this would work, but now that we are finished, I think that the repair will hold up."

After the roadwork was complete, repairs were inspected to test the road's ability to withstand traffic from local villagers and Coalition forces.

"We know this is just a temporary fix until a more suitable solution can be found," said Sgt. Timothy Connolly, a Black Dragon Soldier from Wheaton, Ill. "But we need to make sure we can get to our areas of operation safely."