FA Journal
by Joseph C. Winkelmann
Jan-Feb, 2004

During the transition, the 3d Division Artillery (Div Arty) was tasked to provide force protection and security at the Baghdad International Airport and surrounding zones. An additional task required the Div Arty to establish a reception center for all non-governmental organizations (NGOs) arriving at Baghdad International Airport to provide humanitarian assistance. Now that certainly was a first.

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The Mission. The Div Arty was to establish an NGO Reception Center to receive all NGOs arriving by air transport at Baghdad International Airport, provide them temporary billets and transport them securely to destinations in Baghdad. Normally, military operations dealing with civilian organizations and humanitarian relief agencies are inherently a civil affairs (CA) function, but not in this instance. In addition, over time, the mission developed into one with a greater scope and responsibility than the original concept entailed.

Initially, the personnel assigned to establish and manage the NGO Reception Center did not know what to expect. The Div Arty took on a wide range of duties on a daily basis.

 Establishing Operations. The division tasked the 2d Brigade Combat Team (BCT) to provide a detachment of one platoon of armored high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWVs) for security and the 123d Signal Battalion to provide six family of multipurpose tactical vehicles (FMTVs) to transport NGO personnel and supplies into Baghdad. The 94th Engineer Battalion provided 40 cots for billeting and 60 cases of meals ready-to-eat (MREs) for humanitarian workers.

We established the NGO Reception Center in the former Iraqi Airways Cargo Terminal. This terminal, like much of Baghdad International Airport, was in disrepair due to years of neglect. Electrical power was sporadic, bathroom facilities were not functional and offices designated as soldier and NGO personnel living space were looted and extremely dirty. After days of clearing debris and cleaning, the building was almost ready to receive visitors.

While clean, the reception area was austere. A storage warehouse within the Republican Guard compound on the airport provided the final touches. We repositioned furniture, decorative pieces and oriental rugs destined for Ba'ath Party members and Saddam's palaces to furnish the NGO Reception Center. This turned the former cargo terminal into a comfortable lobby.

Communications consisted of an AN/VRC 92 single-channel ground and airborne radio system (SINCGARS) set on the Div Arty force protection net and a mobile subscriber radio terminal (MSRT) phone to coordinate with outside units and agencies.

Manning consisted of an officer-in-charge (OIC), a captain; assistant OIC, a first lieutenant; NCOIC, a sergeant first class; assistant NCOIC, a sergeant; and two Soldiers. The remote access unit (RAU) team providing communications support consisted of two NCOs and four Soldiers. The communications team took on the same responsibilities as other personnel. Operations were 24 hours a day.

Operations Begin. Operations began slowly. The non-military and government organizations operating the airport were neither prepared for, nor had guidelines to allow humanitarian assistance flights into the airport. The first week we received four flights from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and two flights from AirServ (US State Department-approved air transport for US humanitarian organizations). These flights carried previously evacuated humanitarian workers returning to evaluate the situation in Baghdad and reestablish support operations.

This small number of flights allowed us to refine our mission requirements, develop a contact list and phone roster, and establish an in-processing procedure for arriving personnel. We became known as the Baghdad International Non-Governmental Organization Center (BINGO). The name stuck.

We initially operated under the assumption that the Organization for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA), currently referred to as the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), would establish control of arriving and departing personnel into and out of Iraq. To our surprise, ORHA did not establish control. It relied on us to track and screen all civilian and foreign military personnel arriving into and departing from the "civilian" side of the Baghdad International Airport.

Our tracking procedures consisted of recording each person's name and taking a digital photo of him/her; requiring a passport/military identification; recording the ID number and the country of origin; determining the agency, position and occupation; and, finally, recording the flight number and date of arrival. Adhering to these screening and tracking procedures became very important to security as the operation increased in volume and scope.

Everyday BINGO had to accomplished additional tasks, usually without prior notification by or coordination with a higher authority. On a daily basis, we reacted and adapted operations to changing coordination requirements and an increasing influx of new humanitarian agencies and equipment. (See the figure.)

Source: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0IAU/is_1_9/ai_n6358309