Photo By Staff Sgt. Jason Thompson | 1st Sgt. Charles Smith, 448th Civil Affairs Group, Multi-National Division-Baghdad, a...... read more read more
CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq " Approximately 75 soldiers from the 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, took some time from their dangerous mission of patrolling the streets of Baghdad to offer more service to their nation: donating blood during an Iraqi army blood drive April 5 at Forward Operating Base Justice.
The event capitalized on the success of the first Iraqi army blood drive Feb. 5, which prompted this second event.
Between the two efforts, the 6th Iraqi Army Division has donated more than 350 pints of blood to the Baghdad Blood Bank for distribution to numerous medical centers in Iraq. The blood will be used to treat injured Iraqi civilians and soldiers.
"Terrorists are injuring innocent Iraqi people every day," said Iraqi army Cpl. Ahmed, a medic with 1st Bde., 6th IAD. "When these innocent people are injured, they often rely on this blood in order to survive. By donating all this blood, it gives that many more people the chance to live."
The 1st Bde., 6th IAD leadership organized the blood drive with minimal help from their U.S. counterparts.
"This event was great to watch come together," said 1st Sgt. Charles Smith, 448th Civil Affairs, a Multi-National Division-Baghdad military transition team civil-military operations advisor to the 6th IAD.
The best thing to come out of the event, he added, was Iraqi army soldiers turning out to help.
"These soldiers are courageous, and I respect them for that," continued Smith, who along with three other U.S. Soldiers also donated blood during the drive.
"We are all brothers in arms. The military transition teams and the Iraqi soldiers live, eat, sleep, and fight together; today, we also bled together for the good of this country. I hope that we can continue holding events such as this in the future," said Smith.
Although the blood drive was voluntary for the Iraqi soldiers, many said they felt that it was their duty to help the Iraqi people by making the life-saving donations.
"It is my duty to my country to help all of Iraqi people," said Ahmed. "Any way I can help my brothers, who are dying every day on the streets, I will do it."
| Date Taken: | 04.24.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 04.24.2006 15:10 |
| Story ID: | 6098 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 48 |
| Downloads: | 13 |
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