Iraqi and U.S. Soldiers deliver food, soccer balls in Kirkuk province

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Jason Douglas | 1st Lt. Winfield Swanton, Holden, Maine, native and platoon leader in 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, coordinates security as Iraqi police distribute food to the Iraqi village of Qutan in Kirkuk province, June 6.  

KIRKUK, IRAQ

06.12.2009

Story by Staff Sgt. Jason Douglas 

2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq — Iraqi police and coalition forces brought a little relief to the Iraqi village of Qutan in Kirkuk province, June 6.

IP from the Mari police sub-station in the Dibbis District, assisted by Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, delivered 150 food bags of perishable foods consisting of beans, rice, cooking oil, and tomatoes.

According to 1st Lt. Winfield Swanton, Holden, Maine, native and platoon leader in 1st Bn., 8th Cav. Regt., the food is purchased from local vendors to benefit merchants as well.

The village mukhtar gathered the residents of Qutan near a school and while Swanton's Soldiers handled security, the IP delivered the food.

Staff Sgt. Dean Hills, Live Oak, Fla., native and a dismounted infantryman squad leader in 1st Bn., 8th Cav. Regt., said the process for choosing which villages receive the assistance begins with coordination with the IP.

"We get with the IP or Iraqi army and find the poorest villages that need the aid," Hills said. "This village's crops aren't doing well due to the drought and because the large swine population, which are eating the crops." Hill said the swine population is so large because they aren't a part of the diet here.

According to U.S. Air Force weather data, Kirkuk province is suffering from a four year drought which has had an adverse impact on farming, one of the main sources of revenue in Kirkuk.

While the IP delivered the food, 1st Bn., 8th Cav. Regt Soldiers passed out several soccer balls to a group of eager children gathered at the school.

"Aside from the food delivery, the soccer balls let them see that we are here to help," Swanton said.

Swanton said this was the second food drop his platoon has performed.

"The first food delivery we did was in Qushquaya," Swanton said. "We plan on doing these types of missions with the IP or IA once a week."

• Date Taken: 06.12.2009
• Date Posted: 06.12.2009 04:49
• Story ID: 34943
• Location: KIRKUK, IQ