We have six IBEW brothers deployed and working together here in the city of Kirkuk in northern Iraq. We are stationed at a captured Iraqi Air Base that has sustained years of neglect and recent lootings and bombings. We are working with local 220/380 commercial power, as well as 120/208-generator power. One of the greatest challenges we face is to provide both power sources to American and local equipment with limited resources. Due to our location we cant call our favorite electrical supply house for parts. We have to modify the parts we have on hand and, in some cases, fabricate parts to complete the job.

We feel that Iraq was wired according to what we refer to jokingly as the "IEC (Iraqi Electrical Code)." While safety and workmanship are concerns to us, they are not concerns with the area Iraqi electricians. Among other unsafe practices, they climb metal ladders leaning against power poles while working with high voltage wearing only sandals on their feet. We battle with heat problems daily. The 120-degree plus weather is creating many problems with our 4,160-volt primary power production generators and distribution transformers.

We are working 7 days a week, 12 hours a day, but we are a crew dedicated to completing the mission. We have installed an airfield lighting system on a 9,000-foot runway, which was not an easy task, especially in this extreme environment. Local power is down more than it is up, leaving many without power for days.

We are also updating and maintaining a 2,200-person tent city that includes a dining facility, commercial laundry facility, hospital, water production plant, sewage treatment facility and more. It is basically a portable city in tents.

Our IBEW brothers deployed here in Kirkuk are shown in the attached photo.

In Solidarity,

Technical Sgt. Jack Vollriede, U.S. Air Force
IBEW Local 134 member, Chicago, Illinois

IBEW members deployed with the U.S. Air Force in Kirkuk, Iraq: from left: Joseph Brown, Local 494, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Jack Vollriede, Local 134, Chicago, Illinois; Robert Swartout, Local 343, Le Sueur, Minnesota; Michael Plunkett, Local 2150, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Richard Brockmann, Local 494. Not pictured is Nestor Hinojosa, Local 2150.