Photo By Staff Sgt. Ricardo Branch | First Lt. Jae Kim, executive officer of Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery...... read more read more
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JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq – A group of excited, young Iraqi children jumped up to swarm 1st Lt. Jae Kim, dashing around his feet, in an attempt to catch the soccer ball he kicks around playfully at the Joint Base Balad Morale, Welfare and Recreation building March 26.
One year ago, interacting with Iraqi kids only occurred in fleeting moments when U.S. soldiers took small breaks on patrol to play with the kids, said Kim. These days, units operating from Joint Base Balad regularly host events, such as the Iraqi Kids Day, bringing service members together with the local community.
Kim, a native of Fort Lee, N.J., said after numerous missions outside the base, playing with kids can bring joy to even the most battle-tested soldiers.
“Some of these kids come from some economically depressed areas, so you don’t see a lot of fun activities where all the kids get together,” said Kim, Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 25th Infantry Division.
“The simple things we take for granted, you just don’t see a lot of here, so it’s good to just get a bunch of the kids together for some fun.”
“When the kids see us on the streets, all they see are soldiers in body armor with weapons, moving about on missions,” Kim said. “This lets them see the other side of U.S. soldiers.”
He explained that the events, which bring the local kids to the base, serve dual roles to the Iraqi community.
“Bringing the kids here allows them to see us without our combat gear and learn we’re just like everyday people, and it gives parents an opportunity to see we’re here to help them,” Kim said.
Soldiers of 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, joined units at Joint Base Balad, hosting approximately 100 Iraqi children participated in the day’s events, to include rappel rides, face painting, sport activities, and a piñata filled with candy and toys.
“Seeing these kids here together enjoying themselves and just being kids is good to see,” said Spc. Francisco Valdes, an artilleryman assigned to Battery C, 2nd Bn., 11th FA Regt. “I’ve been able to see a lot of good things we have done in Iraq and this is definitely one of those good things.”
Following an Arabic-style lunch, the soldiers and kids joined together for singing and dancing to popular American and Middle Eastern songs, bringing both cultures together in a moment to relax, learn and have fun.
Valdes, from Aibonito, Puerto Rico, and father of three, said the kids often remind him of his own children, which prompted him to take part in the Iraqi Kids Day activities.
“I’ve always heard about these events but never took part in them,” he said. “I volunteered immediately when I heard Kids Day was happening again on JBB. Just seeing the kids smile makes all the hard work we do here worth it.”
| Date Taken: | 03.26.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 03.30.2011 04:10 |
| Story ID: | 67960 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 288 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Bringing smiles to Iraqi kids: Iraqi Kids Day brings US personnel, Iraqi locals together, by SSG Ricardo Branch, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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