"A project of this magnitude in the middle of Mosul is unique," Miller,
based in Mosul, said.
Iraq has sought to significantly increase the size of its police and
improve training. Officials said the Mosul training facility, with barracks,
soccer field, classrooms, officers, armory and other facilities, would be
completed in October.
Officials said the $17.9 million project proceeded on fast track with
close supervision by the U.S. military. They said the Iraqi contractor was
accompanied by an American program manager.
"Part of our mission here is capacity development; to train engineers,"
Mike Fellenz, a program engineer, said. "This contractor has learned to be
selective about the projects he bids on and his contract submittals are not
repeatedly returned."
Officials acknowledge that the Iraq Army and police have been hampered
by poor execution of construction and other contracts. They cited the Nineva
Operations Command, meant to contain a refurbished operations center of the
Iraq Army and U.S. military. The project has been plagued by poor
engineering and shoddy construction.
"The Iraqis still have a hard time understanding the necessity of
quality control; that it's not the same as quality assurance, which is what
the [U.S. Army] corps does," Mosul project engineer Alda Ottley said. "Very
few see the mistakes right away and correct them on the spot. When they
start doing that, along with planning via three-phase inspections to avoid
potential mistakes, that is construction quality control and I'll be very
proud of them when they get to that point."
The U.S. military has also been helping reconstruct Iraqi Army's Hamman
Al Alil Division Training Center outside Mosul. The $4.2 million project,
scheduled for completion by November 2008, was meant to build two firing
ranges, an obstacle course, an urban warfare training ground. The facility
was designed to train up to 1,500 soldiers.
"The [Iraq Army] 2nd Division is taking great steps forward and my Iraqi
counterpart here has an open mind; willing to take on a challenge," Maj.
David Eshenour said. "But, a lot of what happens here happens only because
we're here. I'm not sure they'll continue when we're gone.
