Posted on 03/30/2010 6:12:15 PM PDT by SandRat
CAMP LIBERTY – U.S. Soldiers here recently delivered nearly 2,400 backpacks full of school supplies to needy Iraqi children at learning centers located throughout their area of operations.
“It’s good to get out here and help the kids out,” said 1st Lt. Matt Sawdy, 1st platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. “As a father, it makes you feel good.”
Sawdy and his men met their Iraqi counterparts in one school’s courtyard, where they examined piles of bright pink backpacks.
Before long, teachers from the school led their eager students into the courtyard where each received a new backpack.
As security continues to improve here, Army infantrymen are conducting more humanitarian missions rather than high-intensity combat operations as required during previous deployments.
After two intense Iraqi deployments in 2003/04 and 2006/07, Sgt. 1st Class Adam Asclipiadis assumed this deployment would be similar.
“This deployment is different from the last,” the San Jose, Calif., native said, explaining that even with the pre-deployment emphasis on supporting the Iraqi Security Forces, citizens and government, the amount of non-lethal missions he’s conducted this deployment came as a surprise.
“Even the non-kinetic operations [at the Joint Readiness Training Center], the key leader engagements, and all that did not prepare my brain for this,” the infantry platoon sergeant said, as smiling schoolchildren lined up to get their supplies. “There’s a sense of satisfaction that the deployments we did before meant something.”
This fact is something that Asclipiadis imparts on his Soldiers, admitting that sometimes there’s a challenge in explaining this new reality to young infantrymen straight out of training, who anticipate they will be heading into a fight.
“Ever since basic, they’ve been drilled ‘kill, kill, kill, assault and breach.’— We’re not really doing any of that, so you have to refocus them,” he said, adding that while some might get frustrated at times with the boredom of something like a school supply drop, he feels his Soldiers will realize the significance of their actions in the long run. “Years from now they’ll look back and say, ‘I did that.’”
Participating in the mission that day, while on his first deployment, was Pfc. Benjamin Dodd, an M240 machine gunner. He said that while it’s not what he expected, he’s embracing his new role.
“It’s a totally different war now,” the Rockville, Tenn., native said. “We’re trying to build [the Iraqis] up now as a country.”
Dodd said he’s appreciative of the real-world experience he’s gaining while deployed and better understands the sacrifices of the Soldiers who came before him.
Pfc. Robert Grassel, a Stryker driver from Milladore, Wis., also on his first deployment, agreed, echoing a comment spoken by Asclipiadis earlier that day.
“Sgt. A said that this deployment is better because he’d rather go home with all of his Soldiers than a bag full of memories,” said Grassel.
For Dodd, while he’s first and foremost an infantryman, he enjoys watching the Iraqi children running away with smiles on their faces and arms full of school supplies.
“If I had to do projects all the time,” he said, “these are the kind I’d want to do.”
That seems like one of the best marketing tools that could have been given, that strikes me as a very smart and visible (and useful) choice. I hope no one is killed for using them though.
I wonder if some marketing genius came up with this, or if it was just a fortunate choice.
Such activities are a noble and good thing and Iraq today is such a nice place today.
Peace Activists insist we allow them to hand pretty little red backpacks out to Muslim children.
Which means we can bring our Troops, who cost somewhere between $3-4000 a day per troop..... home..
We won right? Our Generals say so.
Oh and since it is a Muslim Nation the other Islamic nations are contributing the cost of the backpacks.
It is comforting to know the kind of support we have in
the Moslem World.
The oil producing Islamic Nations have already offered to reimburse the US for the cost of freeing Iraq.
The Iraqi Government however refused and stated that they and their people are truly greatful for the sacrifices of American GIs and the United States made in Liberating Iraq.
So greatful in fact that they have insisted they pay over time every dime of the actual costs of the War and Occupation.
Including a $100,000 check to the families of every American Servicemen or Women killed or injured.
The Shia Coaltion Leaders have expressed regret it could not be more..
Even now they write a check to the US Treasury every month drawn from their current and future oil revenues in an effort to repay their debt.
Or am I mistaken?
W
A very effective and practical way to sell a warm image of the American fighting man and the people (and system) that he represents.
Something like selling dollars for dimes and trying to make up your losses in volume.
Gotcha.
W
HUH?
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