Local and Coalition Officials Visit Projects Underway At Al Kasik Military Base

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT OFFICE APO AE 09335 February 22, 2004 For Immediate Release 2004-008 Bruce Cole, 914-360-5766 PMO Media Relations coleb@orha.centcom.mil Local and Coalition Officials Visit Projects Underway At Al Kasik Military Base Al Kasik, Iraq – Local Iraqi Officials and representatives from the Coalition Provisional Authority visited the military base here today to observe the progress of work to renovate the facility. The base is receiving many improvements. Among them are building renovations, a sanitary sewage system, wastewater treatment plant, and water and electrical distribution systems. More than 1,400 local residents have been employed at the worksite. Rex Ostrander, in charge of the northern regional office for the Program Management Office (PMO), headed the coalition team. The PMO manages $18.4 billion given by the United States to support the reconstruction of Iraqi infrastructure. Also attending were representatives of the Coalition Provisional Authority office in Mosul, as well as representatives of the Iraqi Army 1st Brigade and the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team. Shaw Environmental, Inc. is the prime contractor and was represented by Hank Dittmer. Faisal Khudhairy of the Al Khudhairy Company attended as the major subcontractor to Shaw. The renovation will cost approximately $46.7 million and is paid for by the United States. The work should be complete next month and additional work is planned beyond that. Iraqi Army personnel will use the base for their operations and training. Al Kasik is among the first of approximately 2,300 projects the PMO will complete over the next few years. Most of the projects are for electricity, water, transportation, and other infrastructure-related areas. Al Kasik and several other military bases around the country are being repaired so Iraqi security forces can deter and fight the terrorists, and make the country safe for the reconstruction work and for all Iraqis. -PMO-