Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldiers bring gifts to Victory Base Complex area school

Photo By Staff Sgt. April Campbell | Spc. Ryan Palmer, a Bad Axe, Mich., native, left, and Sgt. James Williams, an...... read more read more

Photo By Staff Sgt. April Campbell | Spc. Ryan Palmer, a Bad Axe, Mich., native, left, and Sgt. James Williams, an Indianapolis native, untie a tarp to open the back of a Light Medium Tactical Vehicle so they can unload school supplies, clothing and other miscellaneous gifts at the Iraqi Family Village School in Baghdad, March 19. Palmer and Williams serve as a civil affairs specialist and a team chief, respectively, with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion, 360th Civil Affairs Brigade, Multi-National Division – Baghdad.  see less | View Image Page

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

04.02.2008

Story by Pfc. April Campbell 

3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

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19

Pfc. April Campbell
Multi-National Division - Baghdad Public Affairs

BAGHDAD – While Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers remain hard at work alongside the Iraqi people to increase the essential services and security in Baghdad, they also continue to take opportunities to bring needed goods to local citizens.

Some of their most appreciative benefactors are children; the gift of a new pair of shoes, soccer uniform or even a notebook goes a long way in the eyes of a child. Such was the case, March 19, when MND-B Soldiers brought donated items to children at the Iraqi Family Village School, on the outskirts of Victory Base Complex.

Soldiers with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion, 360th Civil Affairs Brigade, MND-B, along with two Iraqi army civil affairs soldiers, brought the gifts to the primary school, which had already been released for the day, with help from troops with Headquarters and Headquarters Support Company, Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, currently serving with Task Force Vigilant (Area Defense Operations Cell), Task Force Lexington (Base Defense Operations Cell), MND-B.

They returned the next morning to distribute the items to the students.

"We brought clothing, school supplies and other miscellaneous items the children can use," said Capt. Leslie Parker, who serves as a civil affairs officer with HHSC, STB, 3rd Inf. Div.

Amongst the donated items were shoes and clothing for approximately 300 children and 500 soccer uniforms, added Parker, a Nashville, Tenn., native.

The gifts, which filled up the back of a Light Medium Tactical Vehicle, were an accumulation of donations from several different groups.

"There are a total of 11 different agencies that contributed goods to this, from the (Multi-National Corps – Iraq) chaplain's office on down to church groups back in the U.S. that send items," added Parker.

Area and school leaders present when the Soldiers brought the supplies to the school expressed their gratitude for the gifts.

"The supplies will help the children to stay occupied with healthy activities, like sports and learning. Keeping busy with these activities will also help keep them out of trouble and on the right path," said Abo Jasan, a member of the Iraqi Family Village Council.

The school's principal, Sami Abbas, expressed his appreciation for the school supplies and the benefit they will have on the students' learning.

"We appreciate the help provided by these Soldiers," he said. "These supplies will help us with our mission to educate our children."

The Iraqi army civil affairs soldiers added a new dimension to the supply drop through their participation. The Iraqi civil affairs program is relatively new, and the soldiers are working with the MND-B Soldiers to better understand their jobs.

The program has only existed for about a 1.5 years, and there are approximately 16 Iraqi civil affairs personnel in the MND-B area of operations, said Sgt. Brendan Piper, a team sergeant with the HHC, 432nd CA Bn.

"We will work with them for the next eight months," he said. "Our goal is for them to run their own operations, even though we will still help them organize the operations."

The Iraqi army soldiers show a great deal of interest in learning the different aspects of civil affairs.

"They really seem to care about helping the community when we go on missions," said Piper.

It is his concern for the community that makes gift-giving missions like this rewarding for Piper.

"I signed up for the Army to make a positive difference," he said.

For the children at the Iraqi Family Village School, receiving small material gifts boosts their morale, thus enabling Piper to make that positive difference.