CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers completed 24 plywood cabins 19 Oct. at Camp Taji to protect Iraqi Army Soldiers from the elements on checkpoints in northeast Baghdad.

“They’re on 24 hour missions over there; it helps them get out of the weather, out of the sun,” said Sgt. 1st Class Dwain Johns, in charge of the general supply office for the 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.

Johns, a native of Mercersburg, Pa., said each building is 8 feet wide, 16 feet long and 8 feet high. They have one door, no windows and are wired for electricity and weather proofed. The cabins are built in Taji and moved to their final destinations so they have to be built to withstand being moved by a forklift and trailer.

Johns said the idea for the cabins came from Col. John Hort, a native of Fayetteville, N.C., and commander of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.

Hort wanted 24 cabins built by 28 Oct. The task fell upon the capable shoulders of Sgt. Johns and his crew.

“I have all the classes of supply; I have lumber, pretty much you name it I can get my hands on it,” said Johns.

While getting the materials was no problem, Johns had to rely on his own skill to accomplish the task.

“I made the plans. They told me what they wanted. I sat down with a piece of scratch paper and started figuring everything out,” said Johns, who has a side business doing remodeling and construction in Colorado Springs, Colo.

After collecting the necessary supplies, Johns and seven fellow NCOs built one cabin as a prototype. The prototype met all the requirements. Soldiers from each company in the battalion assisted with the construction when time was available.

Johns divided the Soldiers with construction experience into three teams to train and supervise the crews.

“We taught Soldiers how to swing a hammer properly. We had Soldiers who’d never worked with power tools. I’d give them a safety class and my NCOs would watch them,” said Johns.

There was competition between the sections as to who could finish each shed first, but the winning section would then help the other teams finish their cabins.

This teamwork enabled the Mountaineers to build all 24 cabins in eight days.

“They (the Soldiers) loved this detail,” said Johns. “Everyone keeps asking me when I’m going to start the shed detail again. They loved it.”

Once completed, the cabins were transported to Iraqi Army checkpoints in the Adhamiyah and Sadr City districts of Baghdad.
‘They (the Iraqi Army) keep asking for them; we keep sending more out,” said Johns. “I haven’t heard any complaints.”