Coalition Forces help make life 'Minty-Fresh' for Iraqi children

Photo By Sgt. Anthony Hooker | Pfc. Michael Ellis, a soldier with the 2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment,...... read more read more

Photo By Sgt. Anthony Hooker | Pfc. Michael Ellis, a soldier with the 2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, shows a young Iraqi boy how to brush July 10, 2008 at Al Boiter, Iraq. The 2nd/320th FAR combined with members of the 4th Iraqi Army Division for Operation "Minty-Fresh", where dental supplies were distributed to Iraqi chidren near Joint Base Balad.  see less | View Image Page

IRAQ

09.03.2008

Courtesy Story

215th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

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By: Spc. Anthony Hooker
215th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Al Boitar, Iraq – Members of the 2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, combined with members of a local Iraqi army battalion to distribute dental supplies June 10, 2008 in the village of Al Boitar. The mission, called 'Operation Minty-Fresh', was part of a continuing effort to raise the quality of life for locals living around Joint Base Balad and improving the prescence of Iraqi forces in the area.

The 2nd/320th traveled to three neighborhoods, stopping at each point to meet and encourage the children to accept and use their gifts. Among the supplies were various brands of toothpaste, toothbrushes, and plastic covers to protect the bristles of the brushes.

At the first stop, a few children bounded to the convoy, expecting a collection of goodies to eat or play with. Once they arrived, the kids lined up and received their gifts. With a tube of toothpaste and a brush in their hands, the group looked a little stunned, wondering if they would get anything else.

2nd Lt. Jeff Sowecke, the designated platoon leader for the 2nd/320th, recognized the confusion and grabbed a brush and some toothpaste. Placing some paste on his brush, Soweke encouraged the group to join him.

Most of the kids chose to stand and watch, but one boy, 12-year old Amir, decided to join Soweke. Squeezing some paste onto his brush, Amir placed the brush on his teeth, slowly sliding the brush back and forth along his fronts. After a few moments, Amir turned to a buddy on his left and smiled in between strokes, letting him know that the experience wasn't all that bad. Amir then walked away to spit out the remains.

More children began coming to the convoy to pick up what was being offered; Sowecke offered a second lesson of brushing. As more folks trickled in, Amir walked over to Sowecke and received a fist pound for helping in the demonstration.

Amir was asked if he liked his gift. "Yes, it is a good thing," he replied, "I will [use them] to clean my teeth."

As the group finished up handouts and moved to the remainder of their stops, the Iraqi army soldiers became bigger participants in the distribution and took the lead in marshaling the children to the supplies. One 2nd/320th FAR soldier, private first-class Michael Ellis, buddied up with an Iraqi soldier to take supplies to children who were either unable or unwilling to go up to the convoy.

The "Minty-Fresh" operation was the brainchild of Capt. Scott Sorquist. A liaison officer with Task Force 49, Sorquist has been observing practices at military dental clinics in Iraq in preparation for dental school. While prepping, Sorquist realized that Iraqi children were not receiving a high standard of dental care - soldiers were more likely to hand a kid candy.

"There are countless missions where kids are treated with candy, toys, school supplies, etc.," said Sorquist by email. "I wanted to do something to improve their health, their life."

Sorquist said a group of retired ladies from Arizona calling themselves the 'Sun City Grannies' provided most of the supplies: toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss and brush covers. Sorquist said the operation was done before with supplies going to visiting Iraqi dentists, but the volume of products this time far exceeded any amount previously received. Collaborating with Roger Levis, Command Sgt. Major of the 2nd/320th, Sorquist was able to push the supplies to Capt. Adam Reuter, headquarters' company commander.

On the ground, Sowecke shared how important how such a simple act can create ripples of positive feedback.

"Typically, whenever there are searches in the area, the men will come out to greet us and the women will grab the children and go into a certain area," Sowecke said. "On days like today, [you have] kids, women, men being interactive."

"The people need to see our human side," Sowecke added. "The kids remember you . . . many times when we come through they will come and try to hold hands with us."

Sowecke also pointed a finger to a group of young teenage men gathered near the action in a cluster. Sowecke said the combined prescence of Iraqi and Coalition forces working together often leaves a real impression.

"It's funny, you see the teenagers versus the younger children,' said Sowecke, "Teens tend to shadow the soldiers more than the adults, trying to understand what being a soldier would be like."

Sowecke said the actions of both the Iraqi and coalition forces leave clear impressions, no matter a person's age.

"Kids are more about 'give me what you have,'" said Sowecke. "Teenagers do more listening, follow what we do. When we have chi with the locals, they are the ones always passing it out to us, being very eager to please."

"It's good that they trust us and see the [Iraqi army] doing their job," said Capt. John Gregory, Headquarters Commander, "It's just one more step in the handover."