Courtesy Photo | Spc. Shane Carney, Alpha Battery 2-146th Field Artillery, 18th Combat Sustainment...... read more read more
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HABUR GATE, Iraq — Soldiers from the 18th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, visited the village of Tilkabar, located along the Turkey-Iraq border, in order to provide 600 Iraqi school children with gifts, school supplies and toys, Jan. 29.
The gifts included T-shirts, radios, plush toys and comic books written in Arabic.
Each humanitarian mission differs, based on factors such as geography, climate, the population being served and the local infrastructure.
"The purpose of this humanitarian mission was to win the hearts and minds of the Northern Iraqi citizens," said Capt. Gerald Woodford, chaplain, 18th CSSB. "This meets the goal of enhancing their spiritual fitness."
Soldiers of the Headquarter and Headquarters Company out of Grafenwoehr, Germany, and Alpha Battery, 2-146th Field Artillery, from the Washington National Guard, were able to interact with many residents of Tilkabar. The residents expressed their gratitude, while receiving gifts and personally interacting with all the Soldiers.
"The sixth humanitarian mission [was] conducted by the 18th CSSB Religious Support Team and without a doubt, the most memorable," said Woodford. "The people were so thankful for our presence and support, that it brought tears to my eyes to see lives transformed. There is a valid lesson to be learned from our experience. Personal fulfillment is not attained through acquiring as much as we can; but it is achieved by what we give."
"It is a good opportunity to see the living conditions outside the wire and to be able to interact with the Iraqi citizens," said Pvt. Jeremy Steelman, a 22-year old native of Slidell, La. "I appreciate being an American and a feel thankful for being part of a mission where I am able to see first-hand the good nature Iraqis hold towards coalition forces."
| Date Taken: | 02.23.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 02.23.2009 01:44 |
| Story ID: | 30304 |
| Location: | HABUR GATE, IQ |
| Web Views: | 470 |
| Downloads: | 405 |
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