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Soldiers' Work Helps Iraqi Children
(January 23, 2010) |
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| | BASRA, Iraq, Jan. 19, 2010 – While working to revitalize a
southern Iraq community, a platoon of soldiers came in
contact with local children who have none of the things
Westerners take for granted. So a platoon leader made a
phone call to make a difference. |
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| January 20. 2010 - Army 1st Lt. Nicholas Griffo visits with children during a patrol in Iraq's Basra province. U.S. Army photo |
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Just over five months ago, soldiers of the 1st Battalion,
377th Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade, left
Fort Lewis, Wash., for a yearlong deployment to Iraq. Their
mission is to work with the Iraqi police and military to
rebuild infrastructure, create a safe environment and
improve relations with Iraqi communities.
Noticing almost immediately the conditions in which the
village children live and play, 2nd Platoon, “B” Battery
soldiers agreed that creating a safe environment meant
something more.
The platoon enlisted the help of Jennine Griffo, wife of
Army 1st Lt. Nicholas Griffo, to organize a toy and
school-supply drive in the Washington state auditor's office
for the local Iraqi children.
In a month, the drive raised more than 60 pounds of school
supplies and toys, as well as enough money to ship them to
Iraq.
In addition to art supplies, coloring books, crayons,
stuffed animals, baby toys and general school supplies, the
platoon also received 15 soccer balls donated by Wembley
Soccer Shop.
Over the course of a few weeks, the soldiers handed out the
supplies to various villages in the Basra region, including
Abu Skeeris. The village is within the platoon's patrol
area. The soldiers have been working with a civil affairs
team there to build a soccer field and repair the water
plant. |
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January 20. 2010 - Jennine Griffo and Washington State Auditor Brian Sonntag exhibit certificates of appreciation soldiers of 1st Battalion, 377th Field Artillery Regiment, and 17th Fires Brigade for their contribution to the mission and to the Iraqi children in and around Basra, Iraq. U.S. Army photo |
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The villagers in Abu Skeer and other towns in the area were
grateful, and they invited the soldiers to visit the area
often.
The smiles on the children's faces when they received
something as small as a stuffed bear will be a lasting image
in their minds, the soldiers said. And the generosity and
compassion of the soldiers, the workers in the state
auditor's office and all the people who donated items to the
toy drive have greatly improved the relations and trust the
soldiers enjoy with the villagers, they added.
Jennine Griffo recently presented certificates of
appreciation from the 1st Battalion, 377th Field Artillery
Regiment and the 17th Fires Brigade to State Auditor Brian
Sonntag at the state capital of Olympia in recognition of
the help and support. | |
By
Army 1st Lt. Nicholas Griffo
1st Battalion, 377th Field Artillery Regiment
Special to
American Forces Press Service
Copyright 2010
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