Oooh, here’s an interesting local Austin story just put out by Central Command that connects with Iraq:

In order to help Iraqi local governments move to self-sufficiency, the 1st “Ironhorse” Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalary Division is utilizing expertise from the Austin, Texas city manager’s office to examine concepts of governance from the standpoint of a real, working local government model that may be applied to reconstruction efforts for local Iraqi governments.

In a partnership which originally began prior to Operation Iraqi Freedom II, the brigade is taking advantage of a program formed by both the 1st Cavalry Division and the 4th Infantry Division to receive feedback and advice on how local governments operate through examples from the City of Austin.

The 1st BCT holds meetings and shares information with officials from Austin’s city manager’s office, to include city manager Toby Hammett Futrell, through video teleconferencing and conference calls.

. . .

Lt. Col. Peter Andrysiak, deputy commanding officer, 1st BCT, 1st Cav. Div., explained that coalition forces are not trying to push Austin’s structure of government onto local Iraqi governments.

“They (the Iraqis) have their own system and we are working within that system with Austin leveraging their experience and processes. There are things inherent in government concepts that just work,” he said, explaining that there are models in place within the realm of civics that are essential to the running of any government.

. . .

Although the brigade currently has many experts from the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development on its Embedded Provinical Reconstruction Team, the partnership with Austin helps the brigade to fill in gaps where some of the ePRT experts may not have as much real on the ground experience within the structure of local government as opposed to national government or just dealing with concepts of government.

. . .

Andrysiak praised the help that the city of Austin has been giving to the 1st BCT as it in turn, works to help the Iraqi government.

“Austin is a great partner in this effort. They’ve been very gracious in hosting us in this process,” said Andrysiak. “They’re a first class team doing their part by giving of their own time to help us.”