New Provincial leadership tours Joint Coordination Center

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, TIKRIT, Iraq - The incoming

governor of Salah ad Din province brought the provincial leadership to an orientation

tour of the Provincial Joint Coordination Center in Tikrit April 23.

One of the most critical components to reposition forces per the Security

Agreement, is the joint coordination centers. The center brings local Iraqi Security

Forces, government officials, emergency response managers and U.S. Army Soldiers

together to coordinate emergency response functions from a consolidated

headquarters. There are a series of coordination centers spread across the major cities

in Salah ad Din province.

Retired Iraqi Army Staff Brigadier General Issa, the PJCC director, gave the new

leaders an orientation of the JCC concept, and briefed them on the functions and

locations of each of the centers. They discussed intelligence partnerships and the

importance of unified coordination.

The briefing was followed by a tour of the facility and an extended discussion on

the new leadership's vision for the future and how the JCCs fit into the security posture

and economic revitalization plans for the province.

"The Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army have a great working relationship with the

provincial government," said Col. Walt Piatt, commander, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat

Team, 25th Infantry division. "They are in control of the security for the province; we are

in support of them. The work done at the JCC's are the way ahead for Salah ad Din; it's

how we are building strong partnerships," he added.

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