U.S. Troops Deliver Donated Soccer Jerseys

Defend America News ^ | Feb 1, 2006 | Spc. Lee Elder

[SandRat]

U.S. and Iraqi officials proudly display soccer jerseys donated by an English soccer club to the teams of Hamrin, a city in northeast Iraq, Jan. 26, 2006. They were delivered by U.S. soldiers assigned to C Company, 1-68 Armor. U.S. Army Capt. Angel Brito (far left) stands beside Hamrin Mayor Khaled Ibrahem Khalaf el-Jarbary. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Lee Elder
U.S. Troops Deliver Donated Soccer Jerseys
U.S. soldiers presented the British-donated soccer jerseys -- enough for five soccer teams -- to Iraqi soccer players in Harmin.
By U.S. Army Spc. Lee Elder 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment HAMRIN, Iraq, Feb. 1, 2006 — Soon, Iraqi soccer players in Hamrin will be wearing new jerseys donated by an English football club. U.S. soldiers from Company C, 1-68 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, presented the jerseys Jan. 26 to the town mayor, Khaled Ibrahem Khalaf el-Jarbary. "There will be a lot of happy young people. The teams will be very happy." Khaled Ibrahem Khalaf el-Jarbary, town mayor The mayor said he hopes to schedule a match between two of the teams wearing the jerseys. "This makes me very happy," el-Jarbary said. "It is a good feeling knowing you military guys take care of the civilians." The jerseys were procured by Company C's predecessors, Battery B, 1-10 Field Artillery, 3rd Infantry Division. However, they were not delivered until after the units had changed out late last year. U.S. Army Capt. Angel Brito, Company C's commander, said he was glad to have the opportunity to complete the effort. "I really didn't do much," said Brito, a Levittown, Puerto Rico native. "I was just on the receiving end of what they had done." There were enough jerseys donated for five teams, each sporting different color schemes. It took two soldiers to carry the gigantic box into the mayor's home. Despite much community interest in soccer, the teams have had little in the way of support until now. The mayor said the uniforms would be put to good use. U.S. Army Spc. Nathan Yancer stands guard outside the home of the village Mayor Khaled Ibrahem Khalaf el-Jarbary in Hamrin, Iraq, Jan. 26, 2006. He is joined by a crowd of Iraqi boys who got a glimpse of the soccer jerseys donated by an English soccer club to the teams of this northeast Iraqi city. Yancer and U.S. soldiers assigned to C Company, 1-68 Armor, delivered the donated jerseys to town officials. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Lee Elder	A young Iraqi boy holds a soccer jersey donated by an English soccer club to the teams of Hamrin, Iraq. They were delivered by U.S. soldiers assigned to C Company, 1-68 Armor, Jan. 26, 2006. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Lee Elder "There will be a lot of happy young people," he said. "The teams will be very happy." The Ipswich Town Football Club donated the uniforms. Brito's predecessor, U.S. Army Capt. Mark Stoneman, who set up the donation, had contacted the English team. El-Jarbary said the presentation should be a good start to a good working relationship between the town and U.S. forces. He pledged to continue working with U.S. and coalition forces to help sustain peace here. "I am going to do my best to continue this," el-Jarbary said. "I want our relationship not to be like military to civilian, but be more like brothers." In addition to the uniforms, new soccer balls also were delivered, making this a different sort of mission for the soldiers of the Fort Carson, Colo., unit, who were greeted by about 50 local children. "It's really nice to get out and meet the public," said U.S. Army Spc. Nathan Yancer, a driver from Athens, Mich. "It's good to see smiling faces." "When you see their smiling faces, it makes what you're doing here seem more worthwhile."

[SandRat]

Great Britain and America What a Team!!!!

[Canard]

That kid's gonna be bummed when he realises he ended up with an Ipswich Town shirt!

[E.G.C.]

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