|
Zakho,
Kurdistan-Iraq- In Kurdistan (northern Iraq), there
is a school under reconstruction that may have a
greater impact on the future of Iraq than any other
reconstruction effort. The school is Zakho Military
Academy.
As important as oil, electricity, water, health
care, and primary education are to Iraq’s future,
educating those already identified to be the future
leaders of Iraq will provide direction in the same
manner as a rudder steers a large ship. Zakho
Military Academy is one of Iraq’s two national
military officer academies and is equivalent to the
U.S. Army’s Military Academy at West Point.
The force protection upgrades performed on the
academy are now complete. These upgrades included
the design and construction of nine guard towers
located around the perimeter of the ZMA compound,
installation of lighting on the perimeter wall, and
the renovation of two compound entrances. The
lighting will provide protection and security to the
Iraqi Army cadre and cadets who live on campus. The
guard towers will serve both as training
opportunities for the cadets to learn first hand the
nuances of guard mount, and as operational guard
posts for the facility. The new entrances will
inspire awe, determination, and commitment to
entering cadets in the same manner as entering the
gates of West Point, Annapolis, or the Air Force
Academy have been symbolic for those entering
training to become the nation’s leaders in the U.S.
Other force protection projects included a new
munitions storage facility and upgrades to the
armory. The armory includes rooms for weapons issue,
weapons maintenance and cleaning, and weapons racks
and lockers for storing both rifles and pistols. The
weapons storage rooms were equipped with their own
independent air handling. The new munitions storage
facility commonly called an ammunition supply point
is a four meters by six meters brick building with
elevated pads to keep the ammunition off the floor.
The facility is secured by a three-meter-high berm,
a cyclone fence with razor wire around its
perimeter, and lights.
A new gym and rappel tower offer physical, tactical
and adventure training. The gym stands fifty feet in
height, and features a National College Athletic
Association regulation basketball court. The
well-lit gym has its own heating, ventilation, and
air conditioning systems. It contains both male and
female locker rooms each equipped with showers,
toilets, sinks, and lockers. The 64-foot-tall rappel
tower has treated lumber on three sides for
rappelling with landings positioned at different
heights for progressive levels of training. Windows
built into two sides of the tower simulate building
entry.
Also completed are the military housing apartments.
This project included the design and construction of
a new Visitor’s Guest House that will provide family
members, VIPs, and other visitors to the academy
comfortable modern living quarters. The facility
includes eight bedrooms with private bathrooms, two
state-of-the-art conference rooms, two fully
furnished kitchens and dining areas and many other
conveniences. The house will benefit graduation
ceremonies, awards days, and other special events.
“As we live and work on site, together with the
cadets, it is interesting to watch first hand how
anxious and appreciative they are for us to complete
projects providing them new facilities,” said Joshua
Adekanbi, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gulf Region
North project engineer.
Workers implemented the whole of the academy
reconstruction project in two phases. Phase I
included construction of new cadet living barracks,
a headquarters building, security wall, potable
water treatment plant, packaged waste treatment
plant, a 400-meter track and a soccer field. Other
items were an obstacle course, parade field with
stadium lighting, sanitary sewer system, and a new
water supply and distribution system.
Phase II includes construction of a new gymnasium,
and the design and implementation of a new power
generation and distribution system. This phase also
includes a new military urban warfare training
facility, grenade-training field, and an improved
firing range, as well as the construction of the new
cadet weapons training building.
“We are nearing completion of this project. And it
is gratifying to know that my efforts here may be
the means to growing a strong leadership base for
the future of Iraq,” said Adekanbi. “We expect to be
finished here in January 2006.”
There are currently 213 cadets on campus undergoing
their training. When the construction of the 19 new
buildings and other facilities is complete, the
school will have the capacity to train 500 cadets.
They will graduate with bachelors degrees aligned
closely to many in the engineering field.
www.defendamerica.mil
Top |
® 