Photo By Master Sgt. Brock Jones | Capt. Michael Poche, a native of Louisiana, who serves as commander of Troop B...... read more read more
By Staff Sgt. Brock Jones
Multi-National Division - Baghdad
BAGHDAD – Teachers, children and coalition forces celebrated the completion of construction and renovation projects at the Cortoba school in Muhallah 603 of the Mansour District of Baghdad, Oct. 21, 2008.
The projects included building a new bathroom for the students, replacing tile floors, fixing lighting and electrical problems and a fresh coat of various shades of blue paint.
"For this school, we would come here about once a week to ensure that the quality control was up kept," said Capt. Tom Mcinnis, a native of Green Bay, Wis., who serves as a civil affairs team leader with Company A, 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion, which works in direct support of 4th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, attached to 2nd BCT, 101st Airborne Div., Multi-National Division – Baghdad. Mcinnis and his team oversaw the project and ensured the work of local contractors was up to par with the agreed upon standards. "This is certainly not a new school, but it is much better than it was."
With improvements in security throughout Baghdad, the focus of U.S. and coalition efforts shifted from fighting, to seeking out areas in which improvements were sorely needed, such as schools, and then seeing those projects through from start to finish.
"With schools, they're such a bang for the buck because everyone sends their kids to school, and no one wants their kids to be in an environment where they're not able to learn or focus on learning," said Mcinnis.
"And with the security being better, the ministry of education is now able to maintain its schools much better."
Lt. Col. Monty Willoughby, commander of 4th Sqdn., 10th Cav. Regt., attended the ceremony and took a tour of the school and visited all the classrooms, greeting the students with "Salaam Aleikum," and listening as they recited from memory prepared chants and songs.
"This is probably the fifth or sixth school opening this week for the squadron and the second this week for my troop," said Capt. Michael Poche, commander of Troop B "Blackfoot," 4th Sqdn., 10th Cav. Regt., whose unit is responsible for the area where the school is located.
Students, teachers, and school officials were all appreciative of the work that had been done at their school.
"We have 390 children at our school," said Afaf Abdel Khader, headmistress of the Cortoba school. "They are so happy and feel so good about [the improvements].
She went on to explain exactly why investing money and time in schools and the lives of Iraq's children is money well-spent.
"Education is very important. Period. We are forming a new generation and the new country depends on these kids."
| Date Taken: | 10.21.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 10.24.2008 11:31 |
| Story ID: | 25498 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 273 |
| Downloads: | 258 |
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