Iraqi Soldiers Deliver Donated School Supplies

Defend America News ^ | Staff Sgt. Mark Wojciechowski

[SandRat]

Iraqi Soldiers Deliver Donated School Supplies
The soldiers brought needed school supplies — and smiles — to the children in this small town near the Iranian border in eastern Diyala Province.
By U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Mark Wojciechowski 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment MANDALI, Iraq, June 1, 2006 — Iraqi girls jumped to their feet and chanted a welcome greeting to Iraqi army soldiers as they arrived with boxes of school supplies donated by a non-profit organization from Westchester County, N.Y. Iraqi army soldiers of the 1st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division smiled as they handed out pencil cases and notebooks to the all-girls school of Mandali during the May 11 visit. “The Iraqi deputy brigade commander, Col. A Sa’ad decided he wanted to visit one of the local Mandali schools with his soldiers,” said U.S. Army Maj. Dan McLaughlin, the deputy team leader for the 1st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Military Transition Team. His group works alongside 1st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, which operates in this area of Diyala Province. Civil-military operations such as these help gain the trust of the Iraqi people and let them know that the Army is here to help, explained McLaughlin. The classrooms once again collectively cheered, “ma as-salama, wiyakum,” (good bye) as the Iraqi soldiers departed, leaving smiles and needed school supplies for the children in this small town near the Iranian border in eastern Diyala Province.	Iraqi girls are all smiles after Iraqi army soldiers arrived in Mandali, May 11, 2006, with boxes of school supplies donated by a non-profit organization from Westchester County, N.Y. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Mark Wojciechowski

[SandRat]

Building the furture

[speekinout]

Oh, good! Letting Iraqi soldiers deliver the (US donated) school supplies to the kids is a great way to forge a bond between kids and their soldiers. We've had that forever, so many of us don't know how important this is.
Countries where the kids fear the soldiers as rapists, murderers, etc. are always less free than ones where the kids admire their soldiers and expect goodness and treats.