United States Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division
Mission
The Gulf Region Division (GRD) provides quality, responsive, full spectrum engineering in Iraq in support of military and civil construction; delivers logistical services; and aggressively assists the Government of Iraq to assume full responsibility for national reconstruction.
History
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division activated on Jan. 25, 2004, in Baghdad, Iraq, with Maj. Gen. Ronald L. Johnson commanding. Three districts (North, first in Mosul, now in Tikrit; South, initially in Basrah, and later in Tallil; and Central in Baghdad) organized simultaneously with the headquarters. This move consolidated the different USACE activities operating in Iraq (Task Force Restore Iraqi Oil, Task Force Restore Iraqi Electricity, Iraq Provisional Command and Forward Engineer Support Teams) under one command, creating a sustainable, supportable engineer presence.
The GRD initial mission was to support military construction and, later, to be the construction management component of, first, the Program Management Office (PMO). Johnson also served the dual-hatted role as Deputy Director for Programs and Construction for PMO.
Brig. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick assumed command of the Gulf Region Division on June 28, 2004, the same day the interim Iraqi Government came into being. In place of the Coalition Provisional Authority, the U.S. Mission (Iraq) assumed responsibility for the diplomatic and reconstruction activities previously conducted by the CPA. Its mission complete, the CPA disbanded.
The PMO split to become the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office (IRMO), responsible for coordinating the reconstruction effort, and the Project and Contracting Office (PCO), which assumed PMO’s project construction/execution responsibilities. Bostick continued to serve the dual-hatted role as Deputy Director for Programs and Construction for the PCO. IRMO became the Iraq Transition Assistance Office (ITAO) in May 2007.
During January 2005, Iraqis voted in the first national election since Saddam’s ouster. That same month, the Joint Contracting Command – Iraq / Afghanistan was activated to begin handling all reconstruction contracting efforts. GRD and PCO began consolidation in April 2005.
Elements of the Engineer Brigade 35th Infantry Division (Missouri National Guard) and Detachment 19, 416th Engineer Command, Darien, Ill., as well as individuals filling SOCOM, USN and USAF billets joined the Division throughout June and July. Brig. Gen. William H. McCoy Jr. assumed command of the Gulf Region Division on June 29, 2005. Consolidation continued with GRD filling the PCO Director of Programs position and with the combining of the two organizations’ common staffs. The consolidated GRD/PCO organization became reality on Dec. 4, 2005, when the positions of Director-PCO and Commanding General/GRD merged. GRD assumed the responsibility for completion and closeout of PCO IRRF at the program management level and was in either a lead or supporting role for all reconstruction efforts undertaken in Iraq.
Elements of 412th Engineer Command from Vicksburg, Miss., and the Engineer Brigade 40th Infantry Division (California National Guard) formed the second iteration of the request for forces in May and June 2006.
At the end of Fiscal Year 2006, PCO in Baghdad stood down and the remaining elements of the organization became functional areas of GRD. Brig. Gen. Michael J. Walsh assumed command of the Gulf Region Division on Oct. 14, 2006. During this same ceremony, the colors of the PCO were officially cased, ending the mission of the PCO in Iraq.
The 412th and 40th were relieved in place in April 2007 by National Guard Soldiers of the 34th Engineer Brigade (North Dakota).
Brigadier General Jeffrey Dorko assumed command of the Gulf Region Division on Oct. 10, 2007 in a change of command ceremony presided over by Multi-National Force-Iraq Commanding General Gen. David Petraeus.
GRD is charged with the mission of completing the $13.4 billion construction portion of the IRRF program, and continues to expand the capacity of the Government of Iraq to maintain its own construction, operation and maintenance program of essential services and national infrastructure.
Execution
The reconstruction effort is two-pronged: rebuild the critical yet long neglected infrastructure to provide essential utility services; and deliver to local communities’ smaller, yet vital, projects providing facilities for basic services in healthcare, transportation and education.
Projects
Projects include renovation and construction of hospitals, primary healthcare facilities, municipal buildings, water and wastewater treatment facilities, police stations, border forts, courthouses and prisons, electrical power generation, transmission, and distribution systems, roads, and seaports and airports. So far, more than 3,777 projects have been completed. As of Jan. 1, 2008, there were ongoing 528 reconstruction projects (IRRF, ISSF, DFI, CERP and ESF) being managed by GRD.
People
Although a military organization, the military makes but a small percentage of the Gulf Region Division. U.S. civilians, both government and contractors, volunteer for four-month, six-month or one-year tours, with some extending their tours multiple times. Additionally, Iraqis comprise more than half of the GRD workforce.
With a staff of more than 1,000 employees, the members of GRD continue to pursue their mission exhibiting the Army values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage.