BOOB AL SHAM, Iraq – Macavoy's frustration and the children's fear was quickly replaced with smiles and laughter, as the kids — cautiously at first, but then with exuberance — came out from their homes. The Soldiers handed them pencils, pens, notebooks, crayons, markers and other school supplies. Soon, more than 50 children were running up from all directions, and it was all the Soldiers could do to keep the kids in line.
Frustration showed clearly on Sgt. 1st Class Kristopher Macavoy's face as he tried to give school supplies to an Iraqi mother and her three small children ,Oct. 11, near Boob Al Sham, Iraq.
The children peered fearfully out from behind a door at the U.S. Soldiers who had just pulled up in front of their home. The engineer troops of 3rd Platoon, 38th Engineer Company, with their full body armor, weapons and Stryker combat vehicles, likely looked very foreign and scary to the young children as they clung to their mother.
"I have gifts for you," Macavoy said, holding up school supplies that 3rd Platoon had gathered for just this purpose. "Come on and get them," he said, adding with a cheerful smile and hearty laugh, "I won't hurt you."
Macavoy's frustration and the children's fear was quickly replaced with smiles and laughter, as the kids — cautiously at first, but then with exuberance — came out from their homes. The Soldiers handed them pencils, pens, notebooks, crayons, markers and other school supplies. Soon, more than 50 children were running up from all directions, and it was all the Soldiers could do to keep the kids in line.
Earlier this year, Macavoy, 3rd Platoon's acting platoon leader, came up with the idea to give school supplies to Iraqi children. He broached the idea to his platoon mates, who embraced it. With the help of their families back home, the Soldiers gathered hundreds of different supplies, waiting until the start of the Iraqi school year to hand them out.
As the only engineers of the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., the 38th has the tough job of clearing the brigade's routes of improvised explosive devices. The company deployed to Iraq in April.
"Sometimes it's hard for me, doing what we do everyday here," Macavoy said, "but no matter how difficult it is, looking at those kids smile, I feel like I am doing something right. Making these kids happy makes it all worth it."
Macavoy said the reason they decided to hand out school supplies rather than candy or food is to show that Soldiers care about the future of Iraq.
"Iraqi children are the future, the next generation," he said. "Hopefully we can win the hearts ... of the Iraqi children. Hopefully, families will see us helping these kids, and if they are emplacing IEDs out there, they will think, 'The American people, they're not that bad.' That's the main goal."
"We are building a rapport with the locals, we have a good working relationship with them," said Staff Sgt. Matthew Snyder, 3rd Platoon squad leader.
"I've always liked kids," he continued. "One of the hardest things of being over here is seeing the kids. With the poverty in this country, the kids are hurting, and it's not their fault. If we can't change the older adults that we are having a problem with, we can start with their kids. In a few years, when they are older, they will understand that we are actually here to help."