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BAGHDAD, Iraq (May 2, 2008) - Several years ago, the diagnosis
of baby Noor's rare congenital condition would have been equal to a
death sentence. Today, she is on her way to leading a happy and
healthy life, thanks to the soldiers of Multinational Division
Center.
Born with some of her organs outside her body, Noor depended on
advanced medical procedures the Iraqi medical system could not
provide. Determined to get her the care she needed, doctors from
948th Forward Surgical Team performed an operation that saved her
life. Soldiers are making arrangements to send her to the United
States for two follow-up surgeries.
Stories like Noor's are increasingly common throughout
Multinational Division Center's area of operations. Throughout the
region, soldiers are coming to the aid of the often-neglected
victims of this conflict: Iraq's children.
From building schools to distributing toys to buying
wheelchairs, Task Force Marne soldiers are working to improve the
quality of life for Iraqi youth. Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry
Division's Company A, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd
Brigade Combat Team, came to the aid of Abdul Razik Raad Mutter
al-Jabouri. In November, the boy was doing chores along the Tigris
River when he stepped on a makeshift bomb planted by insurgents.
Abdul lost his right arm and leg in the blast, but the soldiers
responded to the scene quickly and managed to save his life.
Company A has continued to play a role in his recovery. They
transport Abdul and his family to and from the hospital for his
many appointments, helping him through each step of his grueling
recovery. Now Abdul is able to walk with the help of a prosthetic
leg the soldiers had fitted for him.
Often, for injuries as serious as Abdul's, a medical evacuation
by helicopter presents the best chance of saving a patient's life.
The 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade evacuates an average of 60 Iraqi
civilians every month. This figure does not include evacuations of
those serving in the Iraqi security forces.
Aside from individual assistance, Task Force Marne soldiers
routinely conduct large-scale medical engagements. These
initiatives give local residents an opportunity to receive free
care, from treating small injuries to serious ailments.
About seven coordinated medical engagements take place in the
Multinational Division Center area of operations every month,
reaching thousands of people in need, many of them children.
But not all humanitarian engagements focus on caring for the
sick and injured. The soldiers contribute to multiple aspects of
the Iraqi school system. Their efforts have helped facilitate an
environment in which children can learn and thrive.
Since their deployment, Task Force Marne soldiers have helped
renovate 87 Iraqi schools, at a cost of nearly $20 million.
In one such project, soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division's
3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team,
coordinated refurbishment of two schools in Mahmudiyah. The Iraqi
Education Ministry and the town's mayor identified the Uthman
school and the Omah al-Mukhtar girls school as most in need for
improvements.
The Commander's Emergency Response Program funded the
renovations, which included fresh paint, new classrooms, desks,
windows and exterior walls. Changes like these help eliminate
overcrowding and unsanitary conditions that make learning
difficult.
The soldiers also have addressed the problem of Iraqi students
lacking resources such as school supplies, textbooks and areas for
recreational activities. To date, $2.25 million has been spent on
parks, school supplies and youth centers.
In one case, soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division's 4th
Brigade Combat Team delivered backpacks filled with supplies and
notebooks to the Raqhaa and the Abu Shear schools. The 1,600
students attending the two schools now have the materials they need
to pursue their education.
In an effort to modernize Iraq's education system, the 214th
Fires Brigade worked with the Wasit Provincial Reconstruction Team
to equip the Al-Kut girls secondary school with an Internet
center.
The girls have taken advantage of the new furniture and 10
machines to learn computing skills, do research, work on projects
and complete exams they would otherwise need to travel to Baghdad
to take.
Growing up in a war zone, many young Iraqis miss out on basic
pleasures often taken for granted, such as playing sports or
receiving a new toy. Certain humanitarian projects aim simply to
bring joy into the lives of Iraqi children.
In Khidr, soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division's Company B, 3rd
Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, bought
soccer balls and goals for the town. Local residents worked with
the soldiers to clear a field and set up the goals. Now the
children of Khidr have a safe venue to take part in their favorite
pastime.
Various other Task Force Marne initiatives organized classes and
provided uniforms and equipment to young Iraqi athletes. For
example, 101st Airborne Division soldiers from Company B, 2nd
Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, recently ran a three-day basketball
camp for children in Radwaniyah.
Projects and initiatives like these help to build ties of
friendship and understanding among the country's future
generations, U.S. officials said.
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