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Blackanthem Military News
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Last Updated:
Jul 23, 2008 - 2:26:24 PM |
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Blackanthem Military News
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| Specialist Steve Stillman, from Philadelphia, plays catch with an Iraqi child May 10 in the Hay al-Askeri neighborhood of Jurf as Sahkr. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Chris Blom) |
FORWARD OPERATING BASE ISKAN, Iraq - Coalition forces had some special gifts to hand out during their patrol May 10 in the Hay al-Askeri neighborhood of Jurf As Sahkr, approximately 55 kilometers south of Baghdad.
Soldiers of 1st Platoon, Company A, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, collected several soccer balls, basketballs and footballs donated from Mission Sergeant Soper and distributed them out to Iraqi children.
Mission Sergeant Soper is an organization based out of Jackson, Mich., created by Family members and friends of Staff Sgt. Jason Barr, of Company A.
Their mission is to collect donated school supplies, toys and clothes, ship them to Soldiers who can distribute them to Iraqi children.
Barr has been working with Mission Sergeant Soper since he was back in the States to send much needed support to kids in Jurf, said Capt. Eric Tisland, Company A commander.
During this patrol, local children received a firsthand lesson in American football from the 1st Platoon Soldiers, who visited a local soccer field, where more than 50 children were playing with an old, half-deflated soccer ball.
After setting up local security, Soldiers gathered the children and began inflating and handing out the new sports balls. None of the children knew how to use or throw a football.
"Staff Sergeant Barr and his Soldiers turned the distro into a pretty successful event by teaching them how to throw a real football, and then got the kids spun up to play a game for them," Tisland said.
Sergeant Timothy Louvier, from Calinvilla, Ill., and Spc. Steve Stillman, from Philadelphia, took time to explain the sport and give children hands-on instruction on how to catch and throw the football. After learning, the children played catch.
Later, Sgt. Cedric Alexander, from Atlanta, asked the children if they would play a soccer game for them. Soldiers cheered them on as they played.
"The parents even came out to join in with watching the game and even started cheering them on," Tisland said.
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