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OUBAIDY, Iraq (February 23, 2009) -
Paratroopers and their Iraqi security force partners distributed a
variety of new school supplies to students in two Oubaidy schools,
Feb. 19, in the 9 Nissan district of eastern Baghdad.
Children formed a cheerful scene as they welcomed Multi-National
Division - Baghdad Paratroopers from the 2nd Battalion, 505th
Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne
Division, and their Iraqi partners from the 8th National Police
Brigade, 2nd NP Div., to receive the much-needed supplies.
Children at the Al Assal kindergarten greeted the combined
forces and eagerly watched as NP officers and paratroopers opened
up the cardboard boxes and organized the school materials on a
nearby table.
Lt. Col. Louis Zeisman, the commander of the 2nd Bn., 505th
Parachute Inf. Regt., along with Command Sgt. Maj. Herbert
Kirkover, the battalion's senior enlisted leader, told the school's
headmaster that the crayons, notebooks, markers, pencils, coloring
books, finger paint and toys were donated to the school from the
paratroopers' family members back at Fort Bragg, N.C., the unit's
home station.
"I appreciate these items for the children," said the school's
headmaster. "We are very thankful."
Paratroopers have team up the ISF in several humanitarian events
across the district over the past several weeks to improve the
lives of the area's residents. NP officials have focused attention
in 9 Nissan due to the poverty in the region.
Capt. Agustin Dominguez, the battalion's fire support officer,
said these events enhance the children's ability to participate in
school. Outreach programs like this can result in a change of
attitude toward the ISF and their coalition partners.
"Events like this will allow the local residents' mood to change
because they are seeing that we are here to provide security for
them, and we are here to help their children get a better
education," said the native of Miami.
Capt. Adisa King, commander of Company A, 2nd Bn., 505th
Parachute Inf. Regt., and his men delivered several more boxes of
donated school items to the nearby Al Kays & Al Yasameen
elementary school.
The students sang a song in Arabic as a gesture of appreciation
as the combined forces were leaving the school's courtyard.
Dominguez and his Iraqi partners plan to visit several more
schools across the city in the weeks to come; providing schools
with practical items such as fans and chalkboards, as well as
restock the school with supplies in the near future.
"They are looking for our help to improve the overall quality of
the area schools, and we are going to do what we can to see that
their wishes are met."
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