Soldiers bring smiles and toys
Story and photo by SGT Rachel Brune
101st Sustainment Bde
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Maj. Richard Lazik hands a piece of candy to a child during a humanitarian assistance drop in northern Iraq June 21. |
DAHUK– Soldiers from across the 142nd Corps Support Battalion brought smiles and toys to children in one of Iraq 's northernmost provinces during a humanitarian assistance drop here June 21.
“The 142nd enjoys this just as much as the kids enjoy it,” said Lt. Col. Ronald Green, battalion commander. “This will stay in the minds and hearts of my Soldiers.”
Soldiers handed out Beanie Babies, sports uniforms, soccer balls, teddy bears and candy, donated by a variety of organizations in the United States , according to Capt. John P. Smith, battalion chaplain.
Lake Zurich High School , in Lake Zurich , Ill. , sent the school uniforms, as well as “boxes and boxes” of teddy bears, said Smith. The school has been in contact with Maj. Richard Lazik, battalion support operations OIC, a native of Niles , Ill.
Green's mother coordinated with a Dayton , Ohio , radio station, “Rebel Radio” and disc jockey “Flying Brian,” for a drive which netted more than 4,000 Beanie Babies for Iraqi children. Some of the stuffed toys are still on their way, so the 352nd Corps Support Battalion, replacing the 142nd, will still have plenty of toys to conduct their own humanitarian mission, said Green.
“This [mission] provides the opportunity to see Iraq in the daytime and see how we're providing liberation to the Iraqis,” said Smith. Battalion Soldiers normally conduct combat
logistical patrols during the nighttime hours.
Along with the 142nd Soldiers, 352nd Soldiers accompanied the mission north.
Upon arrival in the Dahuk area, the local civil affairs unit, Company C, 403rd Civil Affairs Battalion, a Reserve unit from Utica , N.Y. , welcomed the Soldiers with breakfast and a cultural awareness briefing.
Navy Lt. Kim DaCosta spoke to the Soldiers regarding the culture and customs of the primarily Kurdish area they were to visit. She also outlined the strategy for handing out the toys to the children.
Each child was to receive one toy. After receiving his or her Beanie Baby or other item, the Soldiers marked the child's left hand with a smiley face.
The area is mostly rural, with agriculture as the primary means of subsistence, according to Maj. Jack LoMedico, company commander, a New York state parole officer from Syracuse , N.Y. LoMedico's unit is primarily concerned with water projects for the people of the area.
In the town, an individual displaced persons camp for persons of Kurdish descent forcibly removed from their homes under Saddam Hussein's regime, the Soldiers dismounted from their vehicles holding plastic bags full of toys. As the children caught sight of the items, they quickly began to gather in the courtyard of the school building.
Two lines of neatly-dressed girls sang a song with clapping motions for the Soldiers, as the mayor of the town presented Green with a Kurdish flag.
The children sat in a large semicircle as Green spoke to them through an interpreter, telling them of the gifts his
Soldiers had to give them.
After the preliminary ceremonies were over, the Soldiers lined up to hand out the toys. The children came on in a rush, hoping for one of the soccer balls, or perhaps a certain Beanie Baby or teddy bear.
The crowd quickly grew larger than the organizational system could handle, so the adults brought the children into the classrooms, and the Soldiers visited one by one to hand out their goodies. Finally, the Soldiers handed out their last pieces of candy and stuffed, furry friends.
Tired, the Soldiers snapped a few last photos, said their last goodbyes and headed back to vehicles. Some Soldiers, who participated in the 142nd humanitarian assistance drop in Zahko in March, compared the two experiences. Other Soldiers took the opportunity to rehydrate and check out their digital photographs.
“I believe we've made an impression on this village,” said Green. He added: “I think we were able to do a great thing.”
