Texas Soldiers help give girls place to learn

Photo By Spc. Jessica Luhrs-Stabile | Lt. Col. Geoffrey Catlett, commander of 1st Battalion, 37th Armor, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division out of Fort Bliss, Texas, and members of the Hawijah District Council cut a ribbon, marking the completion of Al Bassa Girls Primary School, which will provide quality education to more than 50 young girls around Tal Jal, northwest of Hawijah, Iraq. The project began in November 2009 and was funded by the Commander's Emergency Relief Fund.  

TAL JAL, IRAQ

07.06.2010

Story by Pfc. Jessica Luhrs-Stabile 

1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division

TAL JAL, Iraq -- Soldiers of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, “Outlaws” 1st Battalion, 37th Armor, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, out of Fort Bliss, Texas, along with the Hawijah District Council, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Al Bassa Girls Primary School, which will provide quality education to more than 50 young girls around Tal Jal, northwest of Hawijah, Iraq, July 6.

The project, near Kirkuk, Iraq, began in November 2010 and was funded by the Commander’s Emergency Relief Fund, according to 1st Lt. Nathaniel Cox, company operations intelligence support team leader for the “Outlaws.”

The leadership of Hawijah also played an important role in the building of this school, he continued.

“The Hawijah District Council’s Reconstruction Committee gave us the local government perspective on the project, they were present for the inspections and in the end gave the final approval on the building,” said 1st Lt. Cox.

Lt. Col. Geoffrey Catlett, commander of 1/37th Armor and leadership of Hawijah began the ceremony with a ribbon cutting.

Following the ribbon cutting, dignitaries of the event spoke to the children of the school and toured the new school.

“We are very pleased with the new school,” said a member of the Hawijah District Council. “It is just what this village needs.”

Catlett agreed saying the school was very well built.

After the dignitaries spoke, they watched as children in the area received Beanie Babies, hats, school supplies and medical attention from the “Outlaw” Soldiers.

“This is my favorite part of the job being out here doing something good for the children,” said “Outlaw” Commander, Capt. Scott D. Wares, while watching the children receive their gifts.

• Date Taken: 07.06.2010
• Date Posted: 07.08.2010 13:15
• Story ID: 52523
• Location: TAL JAL, IQ