A space for every student

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq -The Iraqi village of Kalour in Kirkuk province, Iraq, recently began construction on a secondary school for students with assistance from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.

The new school is being built across from the Kalour Primary School and will have six classrooms, helping to alleviate overcrowding at the primary school.

According to Abdul Jabbar Norey Ahmad, the Kalour Primary School principal, the addition of the new school will allow older children to attend secondary classes without the hassle of traveling.

"We don't have enough classrooms for all the children in our village," Abdul Jabbar said. 'We have to send some children to a neighboring village for secondary school and crowd the rest into the other classrooms."

First Lieutenant Bryan Riggs, from Stanton, Ky., and a platoon leader in Company E, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2BCT, 1st Cav. Div., led the effort to get the project in the village.

"There are two schools in the village already, but with more than 300 students, the village requested an additional school," 1st Lt. Riggs explained. "The school is a standard six-classroom school and paid for by Commander's Emergency Relief Program."

The Commander's Emergency Relief Program invests money in the local community and is designed to provide quick access to up to $500,000 for projects designed for humanitarian assistance and reconstruction projects intended to provide for the public's needs, according to Lt. Col. Hugh McNeely, the deputy commanding officer of 2BCT, 1st Cav. Div..

Sergeant First Class Raymond Loriaux, from San Antonio with the 414th Civil Affairs Battalion, a reserve unit based out of Sothfield, Mich., said the cost of the new school was approximately $98,000.

"The school is being built by local contractors and workers, and will take four months to complete," Sgt. 1st Class Loriaux said. "We will conduct inspections on a monthly basis as well to check on the progress."

The Kalour Iraqi Police were also in attendance, and took the opportunity to improve their relationship with the village children by distributing toys donated by the 414th Civil Affairs.