Helping Children in Iraq

U.S. Army Sgt. Jonathan Wilhite, an infantryman with Company A, 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 1st Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, United States Division – Center, and a Tupelo, Miss., native, jokes with Iraqi children during a medical engagement hosted by the Iraqi Army with the support of his unit at the North Halabsah School northwest of Baghdad, Oct. 10, 2010. (Photo by Sgt. M. Katzenberger).

And they just keep on trucking:

BAGHDAD (Nov. 2, 2010) —School is out for the day at the North Halabsah School northwest of the Iraqi capital. On a typical day, when let out of school, the students wander off to their homes—scattered throughout endless acres of farmland miles from city centers and marketplaces—but Oct. 10, the students instead joined their parents at the school, along with other adults from the community, to receive basic medical examinations, medicine and school supplies from Iraqi Army Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 37th Brigade, 9th IA Division.

The combined medical engagement, conducted in collaboration with Company A, 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 1st Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, United States Division – Center, was organized by the IA to support its continuing efforts to build trust with the Iraqi people in the North Halabsah area—people who, due to the rural location in which they live and work, have very little regular interaction with the Iraqi Security Forces.

One of four medics and two doctors to provide care to the people was Cpl. Ahmed Ayad, a medic with 2nd Bn., 37th Bde, 9th IA Div.Ayad said participating in the humanitarian aid mission—which provided medical assistance to more than 70 men, women and children—made him feel good, and that the mission was beneficial to his unit.

“I’m trying to help the population [and] that gives them a good impression about the military, especially for the kids,” he said. “Giving them [school supplies] and medical supplies reflects [well] on the military.”

The medical engagement at the North Halabsah School was different from similar missions that had been previously conducted, in that the IA assumed full responsibility for the operation. The location was secured by the IA and the mission was facilitated solely by IA Soldiers and leaders, with the exception of the U.S. Army providing the services of a female physician assistant, Capt. Anna Chavez, and two female medics, Spc. Rebecca Nadine Slagle and Spc. Jessica Chandler, all with 3rd Brigade Support Battalion, 1st AAB, 3rd Inf. Div.

Good Work.