Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Jessika Greendeer | Iraqi police Col. Laftaa Mahdy, commander of Al Jadida local police station, and Spc....... read more read more
By Staff Sgt. Jessika Malott
8th Military Police Brigade
BAGHDAD – As bags and boxes were rolled into the school courtyard by carts and wheelbarrows at Al Musqdad primary school, smiling students peered through the windows of their classrooms to find Al Jadida Iraqi police, along with Soldiers of the 340th Military Police Company, Task Force 91 MP, 8th Military Police "Watchdog" Brigade, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, Jan. 4. The school is in the Karadah District of eastern Baghdad.
"Today we are here to bring you some gifts," said Iraqi police Col. Laftaa Mahdy, commander of Al Jadida local police station, through an interpreter. "You are all being rewarded for all of the good things you have been doing."
During the visit, IPs distributed school supplies, clothing and sporting equipment to the children to further develop the positive relationship between the IPs and the citizens of the muhalla. All of the items were donated by the Soldiers of the 340th MP Co.
"Our platoon leader came up with this idea in August 2008, so that the Iraqi children would gain trust in their IPs as well as in coalition forces," said Spc. Lauren DeYoung, a Soldier of 340th MP Co., TF 91 MP, 8th MP Bde., MND-B, and a native of Ridgefield, Conn. "I told my parents what we were trying to do so they began collecting stuff in my hometown for about a month. At the same time it gave people back home the opportunity to help these children in any way that they could."
DeYoung along with two other Soldiers, Sgt. Aaron Grechko and Pfc. John Lachioma assisted in reaching out to their hometowns as well.
"The smile on the children's faces is what motivated me to help out," said Grechko, a native of Wolcott, Conn. "When I heard about what we were trying to do I sent out an email to all of my friends. One of my friend's mothers is in an organization, so to help the cause they too solicited for more assistance and donations from the community."
Mahdy, along with an element of IPs from Al Jadida, went into each classroom and spoke with the students of the school. The IPs then distributed bags of school supplies to each child. Each bag consisted of pencils, calculators, notebooks, glue sticks, and protractors among other supplies.
After all of the bags were distributed, students formed a line and were presented clothes and a game or toy by Mahdy and DeYoung. DeYoung assisted Mahdy with finding the appropriate size of clothes for each child.
All of the students were very appreciative for the supplies they received. "I am happy to have this and I thank them for these gifts," said Emad, a student at the school, through a translator.
The IPs of Al Jadida, continue to flourish their relationship with their community by providing time and resources to further improve the public perception of the police.
"We do lots of projects with the community," said Mahdy, through a translator. "We have also done this at an all girl school."
Not only were the children and IPs happy with the results of the outreach, but the Soldiers were extremely moved by what they had been able to provide for their Iraqi friends.
"I think that this event went better than we had envisioned it," said Lachioma, a native of Trumbull, Conn. "Watching the interactions between the children and the IPs today impacted the next generation and is a positive step towards a new Iraq."
| Date Taken: | 01.12.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 01.12.2009 12:21 |
| Story ID: | 28750 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 231 |
| Downloads: | 206 |
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