1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Regulars distribute microgrants

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry

REGULARS Distribute Microgrants

‘Regulars’ Soldiers distribute microgrants to Bayaa neighborhood after terrorist attack

Capt. Jeffrey Tounge
1st Bn., 22nd Inf. Regt., 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq — Multi National Division – Baghdad Soldiers
visited small business-owners in a West Rashid market the day after a violent car bomb detonated Oct. 12
that killed five residents and injured 12 others.

“Regulars” Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team,
4th Infantry Division, conducted microgrant assessments in the days following the deadly attack
to assist the Iraqi citizens of the Bayaa community to repair and rebuild their shops and businesses
in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad.

The microgrant program, a special grant issued by Coalition Forces to stimulate small business growth
in select market areas, provides stability and substance to local Iraqi communities, said Capt. Nate Rawlings,
civil affairs officer, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Bn., 22nd Inf. Regt.,
1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B. The terrorist attack, suspected to be initiated by al-Qaeda in Iraq,
was assessed as an attempt to create destruction and instability in Bayaa, he said.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq — A Soldier from Company D, 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment,
attached to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division,
Multi-National Division – Baghdad, explains the microgrant process to local residents and store owners of the Bayaa neighborhood
in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad. Soldiers of the “Regulars” Bn., 22nd Inf. Regt., visited shops to assess the damages
caused when a car bomb detonated Oct. 12 in the Iraqi neighborhood killing Iraqi residents of the Bayaa community.
The Soldiers distributed microgrant applications and discussed the process for receiving the one-time grant issued by Coalition Forces
to help the small business-owners repair and rebuild their shops on the 9th Street Market in the Rashid district.

(U.S. Army photo by 2nd Lt. Matthew Addison, 4th Bn., 64th Armor Regt., 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B)

The Regulars Battalion recognized this Bayaa neighborhood market’s need for economic recovery
after the blast that damaged more than 20 stores along the 9th Street Market.
“These stores can flourish and provide significant support to Bayaa if they can receive a jump start,”
said 2nd Lt. Matthew Addison, a fire support officer from Douglasville, Ga., assigned to Company D,
4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, attached to the 1st Bn., 22nd Inf. Regt., 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div.
“The initial costs and repairs can be covered by the microgrants to provide a future for these stores,”
said Addison, who coordinates civil affairs operations for his company and is directly responsible for issuing
the microgrants to the store owners. After five days of assessments and engaging the community,
the Regular Soldiers were able to grant 14 microgrants to the shop owners along the 9th Street Market area.
“This influx of capital will strengthen the economy in this Bayaa-mixed residential and commercial area,
providing an increasingly stable community,” explained Rawlings.
The intent of attacks by AQI terrorist groups is to create chaos and instability; but with the help of Coalition Forces,
the Bayaa community is back on track to security and stability, said Addison.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq — Residents of Bayaa, a neighborhood in southern Baghdad’s Rashid district,
organized efforts to repair local shops after terrorists detonated a car bomb on the 9th Street Market, damaging more than 20 stores.
Coalition Forces assisted the community by offering microgrants to store owners that need capital to repair or expand their stores.
Soldiers from the 1st “Regulars” Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division,
Multi-National Division – Baghdad, visited local shops to assess the damage caused when a car bomb detonated Oct. 12
in the Iraqi community killing Iraqi residents of the Bayaa community. The Soldiers distributed microgrant applications
and discussed the process for receiving the one-time grant issued by CF to help the small business-owners repair
and rebuild their shops on the 9th Street Market in the Rashid district.

(U.S. Army photo by 2nd Lt. Matthew Addison, 4th Bn., 64th Armor Regt., 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B)

**********************

BACK