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Blackanthem Military News
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Last Updated:
Mar 17, 2010 - 6:39:30 PM |
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Blackanthem Military News
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| Cpl. Dale L. Comella, a medic with the Personnel Security Detachment, 17th Fires Brigade, speaks with local Iraqi children during a humanitarian aid drop coordinated by the Iraqi Army, 17th FB and 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Aug. 18. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Maurice A. Galloway) |
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - Soldiers from the Iraqi Army, 17th Fires Brigade and 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division handed out humanitarian aid packages consisting of food and supplies to the local citizens of Faddaqhryah and Bahar Aug. 18.
The mission was to assist the Iraqi Army in providing urgent humanitarian assistance to Iraqi citizens, thereby fostering a relationship and laying the groundwork for future success between the IA and its country's residents, said Lt. Col. Ross. C. Scott, 17th FB civil affairs officer.
Scott said the IA delivered more than 400 packages, at an estimated cost of $90,000. Each package will feed a family of eight for 30 days.
The U.S. patrol, containing civil affairs and personnel security Soldiers, departed early from Contingency Operating Base Basra to link up in the Iraqi villages with their IA counterparts from the 14th Iraqi Army Division.
In each village, the IA and U.S. Soldiers were met with the welcoming, hopeful looks of local elders and heads of families and the curious, smiling faces of children.
"This is really helpful to us," said Abod, a citizen of Faddaqhryah, and one of the hundreds who lined up to collect food. "Since Ramadan is coming, we thank God for all of this. I have nine family members that all these supplies will benefit greatly."
The IA soldiers were pleased as well to be part of such a mission.
"This is really nice. We're here helping these people who are poor and need these supplies," said Krarr Haidar, an IA Soldier. "Also, there are large families where no one in the household is working; these supplies benefit them the most."
Although the Iraqi Army was in the lead for the mission, the 17th FB Personnel Security Detachment provided additional security for the event.
"It seems as though the IA is becoming completely self-sufficient by the way they handled this event in a professional matter," said Cpl. Dale L. Comella, 17th FB Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, Personnel Security Detachment, medic and native of West Seneca, N.Y.
"Overall, I was impressed with the organization of the mission and the gratitude from the locals. We are trained to think that the threat is always out there, so to come in contact with these people who were so inviting and welcoming was a whole different experience for me," she added.
"We're so happy that the Soldiers are here to help," said a Bahar citizen, who is an Iraqi secondary school teacher. "We have no hospitals close by so if we get sick we must travel far. Also our water isn't drinkable which is why we are very grateful that the Soldiers are bringing us supplies."
"The Iraqi Army has made tremendous strides toward providing for their people," said Staff Sgt. Samuel G. Ward, 17th FB HHB, PSD, 2nd squad leader and native of Jefferson City, Mo. "We used to have to pull a lot of our own security, but now we're in a supervisory role where we'll aid them by pointing out something we notice and they'll take charge in securing the threat."
"They're setting up their own operations; they're clearly running their own show. We're just here just to point them in the right direction," Ward said.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
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| Abod, a citizen of Faddaqhryah, collects items for his nine family members and himself during a humanitarian aid drop coordinated by the Iraqi Army, 17th FB and 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Aug. 18. "It's really helpful to us. Since Ramadan is coming this will help us greatly and we thank God for this," he said. (U.S. Army photos by Spc. Maurice A. Galloway) |
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| Citizens of Faddaqhryah carry their food and supplies away from a humanitarian aid drop coordinated by the Iraqi Army, 17th Fires Brigade and 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Aug. 18. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Maurice A. Galloway) |
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| Iraqi citizens wait in line for food and supplies from a humanitarian aid drop coordinated by the Iraqi Army, 17th Fires Brigade and 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Aug. 18. They didn't have to stand in line long as the IA quickly coordinated and organized all the food and supplies to be distributed. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Maurice A. Galloway) |
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Tom
01 Sep 2009, 07:30
Gene,
After 9-11 the DoD did away with the mailing to "Any Soldier", you will
need a actual name of Soldier and an address to ship anything overseas.
My I suggest that you get a hold of Operation Gratitude,
www.operationgratitude.com, and work with the excellent staff there to ship
supplies overseas.
MeanGene
01 Sep 2009, 07:25
How can we ship stuff stateside to basra to help foster more relations with
the locals?
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