Soldiers participate in Operation: Back to School

Photo By Maj. Rob Edwards | Capt. Jeffrey Colemere, trial counsel for the 96th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), and a resident of Sandy, Utah, works with an Iraqi soldier to prepare supply packs as part of Operation: Back to School. Soldiers from Camp Taji have distributed nearly 5,000 packets to area school children.  

TAJI, IRAQ

11.22.2009

Courtesy Story

13th Armored Corps Sustainment Command (13th ESC)

CAMP TAJI, Iraq — Members of the 96th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), helped give back to the children of Iraq, Nov. 22, when they visited a local Taji school to distribute supply kits as part of Operation: Back to School. More than 40 members of the brigade, including Col. C.J. Read, commander of the 96th SBDE, and a resident of Layton, Utah, and Command Sgt. Maj. Vicki Briggs, senior enlisted advisor to the 96th, from Roy, Utah, helped distribute the supplies to nearly 300 children.

Soldiers at Camp Taji have distributed almost 5,000 kits to local children as part of the program. The kits are assembled using donations from churches, civic organizations, and private citizens. "Basically ever since the war started, Soldiers saw a need out there in the civilian populace with the Iraqis, to be able to give back," said Read. "They realized that we have so much, and we come from a great nation that does have a lot."

Read said he sees the heavy involvement of the Iraqi army as a positive sign in the road towards turning the country back over to the people of Iraq. Iraqi army soldiers not only provided security for the event, but were also the people handing over supply kits to the schoolchildren.

"It used to be that the American soldier was the one up front, and we'd be the ones handing [supplies] directly to the school kids," said Read. "Now we're kind of in the background. We weren't the ones handing out the packets, the Iraqi army were. We were in more of a supportive role, which is the way it should be. It was great to see that."

Capt. Jeffrey Colemere, trial counsel for the 96th SBDE, and a native of Sandy, Utah, found himself working closely with the Iraqi army. "My job was to stay outside and make sure all the supplies were sorted, and when they were done, the Iraqi soldiers would carry them in and distribute them," said Colemere. "The whole purpose of this exercise was to engender trust between the Iraqi army and the Iraqi citizens, which hasn't always existed, to my understanding."

Colemere said there were some initial communication problems between his team and the Iraqi soldiers, but once those were resolved, the operation went very smoothly.


"They did a fantastic job," he said. "They were working hard, we were working right along with them, shoulder to shoulder, and I think we made some very good friends.'

Another Soldier who participated in Operation: Back to School was Staff Sgt. Daniel Hanks, a paralegal with the 96th SBDE, and a resident of Saratoga Springs, Utah. Hanks was tasked with hanging nets on the school's soccer goals. Hanks worked with the school's soccer coach to fix the goals, and, like Colemere, mentioned the difficulty in crossing the language barrier.

"It was basically gesturing and trying to talk through motions," said Hanks. "But some things, like a smile or a wave, go through any language."

Hanks said he was glad to be able to have the chance to participate in the program.

"It's a great thing that we can do as Soldiers, helping to bring some good light into the lives of Iraqi citizens, especially children," he said. "They're the future of this country, and I think it went a long way to building relations between the Iraqi army and the citizens, and the United States and the citizens."

For Colemere, the best part of the day was being able to help the local citizens.

"It was an opportunity to do good for some people who are really in need, and it was an opportunity to see the Iraqi army grow and develop and gain trust in the eyes of their public," said Colemere. "It was an opportunity for us as Soldiers of the 96th to get off the base and interact with Iraqis in their community and let them know that we are here for their good."

Read also spoke about the chance to give back to the community, especially around the Thanksgiving holidays.

"Honestly, you left a changed person," he said. "I can't think of a person here who wouldn't leave a changed individual. We have so much living in America, and we have so much to be grateful for. We have plenty of everything, and then some. You can't help but feel good for trying to help."

• Date Taken: 11.22.2009
• Date Posted: 12.02.2009 05:30
• Story ID: 42239
• Location: TAJI, IQ