Posted on 12/08/2005 3:19:14 PM PST by SandRat
CAMP BONDSTEEL, KOSOVO (Army News Service, Dec 8, 2005) – Families of U.S. troops in the Kosovo Force have donated clothing and school supplies to an elementary school in a small mountainside village.
In the village of Ukzmajl, Kosovo, 600 Euro dollars, or $750 USD is the yearly budget allotted by the municipality for the Skenderbeu School. Aware of the scarcity of funding for the school, Kosovo Force Soldiers and their families decided to do something to help out.
Eight soldiers from the Headquarters and Headquarters Operations Company, 628th Military Intelligence Battalion, 28th Infantry Division from Harrisburg, Pa., visited the school and met with the children of this mountainside village.
Troops bring supplies to school
“We knew that it was a small school and very poor,” said Capt. Kevin Romine, commander, 628th MI. “I also have teams that work in the area and they were familiar with the needs of the school.”
With donations from churches, families and the Mountain View Elementary School in Harrisburg, Pa., the troops had more to give than a friendly visit. The Soldiers brought winter clothing, boots and school supplies to help combat cold winter temperatures in the Balkan region, said Staff Sgt. Herb Morrow, noncommissioned officer in charge, Tactical HUMINT Operations, 628th MI.
The Pennsylvania Guards’ daily mission consists of collecting human intelligence information, but Soldiers said the school visit was another opportunity to check the pulse of the people.
Project proves mutually beneficial
“From the day-to-day grind of being tasked with missions, it was nice to go out and be able to benefit the children so they can see us in a different light,” said Romine, a York, Pa. native. “Instead of just seeing KFOR vehicles drive down the road, they realize we are caring and compassionate.”
Donating to the school was a positive experience for students in both Kosovo and Pennsylvania. For the students who donated from Mountain View Elementary School, Harrisburg, Pa., it was a way to connect with their global peers.
“Our goal at the elementary level is to develop a sense of citizenship and caring,” said Jill McPherson, student council project advisor, Mountain View Elementary School. “We have done projects at a local level but this was an opportunity for the students to connect in a global way. With a direct connection to our Soldiers in Kosovo, the kids could put names with faces and even our kindergartners can feel like they are helping other people.”
“If nothing more, we are showing the children of Kosovo that we care about their future,” said Morrow. “I think it is important as well for our children back home to see us doing these things because it gives them a feeling that they are helping.”
Soldiers plan to continue aid
Along with the basic pens, pencils and paper, Muhamet Murati, principal at the Skenderbeu School, sees a need for supplies that would enhance the science subjects and add a more challenging curriculum.
“We wish we had a chemistry lab or somewhere they could do practical labs, rather than just learning out of textbooks,” he said. “We need the resources to have more specialized subjects to teach at the school here.”
However, he does not take for granted the donations of time and supplies that different organizations have contributed.
“These things are big and they have to come with time,” he said. “We don’t like asking for things because you always give us so much.”
The MI Soldiers plan on returning to the village of Ukzmajl before their upcoming end of mission and are still collecting donations from family and friends in Harrisburg, Pa.
(Editor’s note: Spc. Alicia Dill serves with 135th MPAD.)
Capt. Kevin Romine, commander, 628th Military Intelligence (MI) Battalion, 28th Infantry Division from Harrisburg, Pa. poses for a photograph to be sent home to the friends and family who donated items for the children.
You are like clockwork, SandRat :) I count on it.
Happy Impish Kids
Get these pics to Kerry... these kids look "terrorized".
That's because of the time I get off of work. My posting may be interupted as I have Scouts tonight at 7pm.
We've still got troops in Kosovo? Who knew? (/sarc)
Awesome! What a wonderful thing for our troops and the PA. school children to do!
Immediately redeploy to over the horizon...to Okinawa. LOL.
What was Clinton's exit strategy again????? </ snide derisive comments to the Dimwits
Does anyone remember the Clinton deadline for withdrawal from Bosnia and then Kosovo. I seem to recall that deadline passed several years ago, but it seems that the media has totally forgotten that a deadline not only was established but passed. But then we must not be reminded about broken promises made by democrats. We should only hammer republicans to make unwise promises, so that if and when they can not be kept, the media can trumpet how the republicans lied to the american people.
Quagmire!
Your post is a reminder, if one is needed, of why Democrats are asshats.
BTTT
Of course, our troops are going to do the right thing by the children that they meet. After all, they are our troops.
Somebody alert Congressman Murtha.
before christmas......
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