Photo By Jeremy Todd | Contractors celebrate with 5th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery, 4th Brigade Combat...... read more read more
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By Sgt. Jeremy Todd
4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq – Three select schools in Zafarniyah, a suburb in eastern Baghdad, received essential renovations this year. Contractors and coalition leadership celebrated the completion of those renovations, Oct. 25, 2008.
Lead contractor Dr. Qais, advisory contractor for the projects, and his daughter Essra coordinated with the non-lethal effects section of 5th Battalion 25th Field Artillery, 4th Brigade 10th Mountain Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, to make repairs to the schools.
A secondary and two primary schools received facelifts and major septic repairs to ensure the students received a proper education under livable standards.
Before renovations, students were subjected to a less than conducive learning environment, according to Qais.
Playing a large role in the project was Qais' daughter Essra. She helped make all the necessary contacts and orchestrated the much-needed repairs to each of the structures from complete septic overhauls to window installations. In addition to that she also helped with painting appeasing murals on the walls.
"She did it all," added Qais. "I am extremely proud of my daughter and the leadership role 5-25 has bestowed upon her."
"Their trust in her ability to accomplish the mission is a major step in changing the views many Iraqi men have on the traditional role women have in this society," explained Qais. "Not only has she earned a name for herself in Zafaraniyah, but...she has been able to show her dedication to her country."
"I am very proud of her," he added.
"Education is one of the most important facets of social infrastructure," according to Maj. Robert Machen, executive officer for 5th Bn., 25th FA. "It leads the way to everything else, added the College Station, Texas native. A proper education leads to good governance, good security and good infrastructure, he added.
"We are just playing our part as the facilitators of this action," explained Machen. "With a little bit of encouragement, guidance and financial backing these schools may lead to the positive change this country so direly thirsts for," he said. Projects like these are "near and dear to my heart because my wife is a school teacher" back in the states... "I know that she would want me to do this."
"The investment in our youth, not just American youth, but youth all across the world is a sustainable investment into our future as a conglomerated society," he added.
Keeping with Iraqi tradition Soldiers from 5th Bn., 25th FA along with local council members and contractors celebrated this success with a proper feast following the ribbon cutting ceremonies. They returned to the Zafaraniyah joint security station and enjoyed a hearty meal.
"It's a celebration of good things to come in Iraq," said Capt Jeffrey Dominessy, a Knoxville, Tenn. native, a non-lethal effects officer for Battery A, 5th Bn., 25th FA.
| Date Taken: | 10.25.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 10.27.2008 13:27 |
| Story ID: | 25600 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 146 |
| Downloads: | 131 |
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