Photo By Master Sgt. Alexandra Hays | 1st Lt. Michael G. Tarricone, a force protection officer for C-Troop, 5-117th Cavalry,...... read more read more
by Spc. Alexandra Hemmerly-Brown
210th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
LSA ANACONDA, Iraq –Not far from Anaconda, along a labyrinth of narrow, jutting, dirt roads, mud houses, and flowing irrigation troughs, stands a small village which has long felt the presence of U.S. troops.
The town has been on the receiving end of humanitarian aid since the occupation of Anaconda by U.S. forces in 2003.
Members of C Troop, 5th Squadron, 117th Cavalry Regiment, a Woodstown, N. J. National Guard unit, visited the village Oct. 16 as they often do, bringing donations of school supplies, clothing, and other much-needed supplies.
The unit makes visits to the local villages they are responsible for outside Anaconda, in attempts to form a trusting relationship with them, said 1st Lt. Michael G. Tarricone, force protection officer for the troop.
The unit's primary mission on Anaconda is to operate one of the entry control points, but they also have combat logistical patrols and combat reconnaissance patrols, Tarricone said. These are patrols that go outside the wire daily to ensure a military presence in the surrounding area, as well as gather any helpful information they can, he said.
The U.S. Army has a budget for supporting humanitarian aid in forms of education, healthcare, water treatment, and long-term employment for Iraqis, which it uses to make Iraq a better place for its citizens and tear down the walls of terrorism while doing it.
"We are hoping to decrease the attacks on LSA Anaconda by presenting the softer side of the Army," Tarricone of Manahawkin, N.J. said. "Indirectly, we are hoping on getting them to trust us enough to tell us where our enemies are."
This is a long-term project that is not only bringing aid to Iraqis now, but helping them to set up a more stable country for the future.
"Long-term, I'd like to see the towns become more self-sufficient," Tarricone said.
On this particular trip to the village, C Troop brought boxes of donations from both an organization called Operation Iraqi Children and one of the unit member's churches from New Jersey.
"We've gotten a lot of support from New Jersey," said Pfc. Theresa M. Marchese, a native of Berlin, N.J., and a truck driver with D Company, Forward Support Company (of Vineland, N.J.), 1st Squadron, 167th Cavalry Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition.
Marchese, one of the only female Soldiers who goes out on C Troop's civil military operations, said she was asked to come to assist with the female villagers.
Previously, she said the women in the villages wouldn't speak to male U.S. Soldiers, so there was no way to find out what supplies the women needed.
She said she now brings them women's clothing, hygiene products, and baby supplies.
"This is my fourth time going out, and I try to bring them things they need so when we need information from them, they will help us out," Marchese said.
The supplies from Operation Iraqi Children were taken to a local school, which houses about 500 children.
A local official met with Tarricone to hand the supplies over to the school, and to discuss future plans for the school's needs.
A possible expansion of the crowded school was discussed, as was the donation of playground equipment from the States.
Tarricone said these projects are reasonable requests which will be presented for either approval or disapproval. The way a project such as the school addition would work, is that if approved, bids would go out to a local Iraqi contractors to do the construction, creating more jobs, Tarricone said.
The official was happy to have his request for a bigger school heard.
"We want to thank the American forces for helping us," the official said. "A bigger school would be better and safer for the kids."
The Soldiers were told that since the U.S.'s arrival in Iraq, the change has been positive in his village. Tarricone said that all projects and donations go through the local officials first, ensuring that the local government system stays intact.
"We bring donations and goodwill feelings from the American public to the Iraqi populace," Tarricone said.
Although this trip was just one of many, it is another step towards an independent Iraq.
"In an indirect way we support the Army's mission by showing the Iraqis we can provide increased security, jobs for the people, and health care," Tarricone said.
For now, C Troop will continue to conduct visits to Anaconda's surrounding villages to ensure relationships are built and friends—not enemies, are made.
| Date Taken: | 10.20.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 10.20.2006 11:12 |
| Story ID: | 8089 |
| Location: | BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 291 |
| Downloads: | 148 |
This work, Civil military operations work towards safer Iraq, by MSG Alexandra Hays, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
