Courtesy Photo | A local Iraqi woman holds up her baby while happily waiting for her turn to receive...... read more read more
By Sgt. Henry Bauer
769th Engineer Battalion
BAGHDAD – The 769th Engineer Battalion received items from their home State requesting that they distribute these items to the Iraqi people. So without delay they traveled to the neighborhood of West Rashid located in Baghdad, Feb. 11, to provide various types of gifts to the local Iraqi children.
Soldiers of the 769th Engineer Battalion, from Baton Rouge, La., and the 35th Engineer Brigade, from Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., came fully prepared to do its part in assisting the children of this West Rashid Village.
"It is a tradition in the 769th to make some sort of donation to the communities that we have worked in around the world," said Command Sgt. Maj. Chad Lynch, Command Sgt. Maj. of the 769th Engineer Battalion and a native of Gonzales, La. "We usually give school supplies to a school, in this case we found a community in need," said Lynch, who was sent items such as stuffed animals, Mardi Gras beads, pens, pencils, tablets of paper, colors, coloring books, various toys, and a variety of hygiene products from several businesses in the Ascension Parish, Louisiana area, near his hometown.
With such tremendous contributions from this south Louisiana community, every child was assured to not go away empty handed on this mission.
Capt. Patrick Jenkins, a Principal at Zachary Elementary School located in Zachary, La., is currently serving in Iraq with the 769th Engineer Battalion as the Battalion Personnel Officer. For Jenkins, this mission reminded him of the children that he presides over as their principal.
"I miss the students of Zachary Elementary School every day. Just getting the opportunity to impact a child's life in even a small way as giving away school supplies was an honor," said Jenkins when asked of the similarity with his students at Zachary Elementary school and the local Iraqi children whose lives he helped make brighter. "One of the many purposes of education is to empower each child to become a responsible, respectful, and contributing citizen of their country whether American or Iraqi," said Jenkins. "One of the greatest impacts to this country will be through the literacy of its children."
Lt. Col. David Lowe, from Dixon, Missouri, and a member of the 35th Engineer Brigade commented, "This was truly a rewarding experience. Thanks to donations from back home, we were able to extend our good will by giving gifts to these children." Lowe went on further commenting that "the excited children smiled and laughed as our Soldiers worked to ensure each child received ample school supplies and other gifts."
The Soldiers of the 769th Engineer Battalion are heavily involved in many important and critical missions in the Multi-National Division – Baghdad area. Humanitarian missions such as this, whether large or small, can improve a force's ability to accomplish its mission and provide insight into individual and group intentions. The 769th Soldiers involved in the humanitarian mission in West Rashid feel as though they have contributed to the overall mission in Iraq to win the hearts and minds of the local Iraqi people.
| Date Taken: | 03.06.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 03.06.2008 18:14 |
| Story ID: | 17092 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 215 |
| Downloads: | 186 |
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