45th Sustainment Brigade Soldiers open hearts, adopt local community

Photo By Master Sgt. Kevin McSwain | Chaplain (Capt.) Marcus Cisco, 352nd Corps Support Battalion chaplain, watches Soldiers unload gifts to be passed out to the families in the village of Pishabur during a humanitarian mission in northern Iraq on Dec. 18.  

MOSUL, IRAQ

12.27.2006

Story by Sgt. Kevin McSwain 

210th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

by Spc. Kevin McSwain
210th MPAD

MOSUL, Iraq—Soldiers from the 352nd Corps Support Battalion delivered toys and school supplies to a Christian village during a humanitarian mission Dec.18 here.

The 352nd, a battalion assigned to the 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), visited Pishabur, a small village near the Syrian border and passed out gifts to children.

The company currently supports the 25th Infantry Division for logistical missions.

"We received donations from friends and family in the United States," said Chaplain (Capt.) Mark Cisco, battalion chaplain. "We gave out soccer balls, toys, and baby beanies."

The humanitarian mission occurred just in time for the season of giving, and he said this would not have been possible if so many people didn't sacrifice their time.

"It took a long time to coordinate this particular mission," he said. "We wanted to deliver the gifts before Christmas, and if it wasn't for our families back home working hard, this would not have been possible."

The goal of the mission was to promote community relations and show citizens of the village that servicemembers are here to help.

"Community relations is very important to our mission," said Maj. Danny Robles, executive officer for the 352nd. "We are showing the people in this village that we are here to help them, and hopefully they will cooperate during future missions in their area."

Cisco said the choice to visit this village was not by chance. A liaison, a contractor who lives in the area, talks to the local leaders and picks what village servicemembers will visit.

"We coordinate these missions with the help of the local leaders and people of influence in the community," he said.
"They tell us what problems they are having in their village and we do what we can to help them."

Khaled Yago Murkus, the elected official of Pishabur, said he was honored to have servicemembers visit his village.

"This is a very special day in the history of our village," he said. "Many people here have dreamed of the day they would be able to meet an American Soldier. This was like a dream come true, and we hope this will not be the last time."

Murkus said coalition forces helped them reclaim the Christian village after losing it more than 50 years ago. He said the village has been around for more than 400 years and has been destroyed and rebuilt four different times.

"We have had a hard time here in the past because of our beliefs," he said. "But with the help of coalition forces, we were able to reclaim our land and rebuild our village."

The mission was not only helpful to the people in the village; servicemembers were able to experience a part of Iraq they fight to protect but rarely get to see.

"This was also a good time for the Soldiers of the battalion to take time out from their regular job and actually see what kind of affect they have on the local population," Robles said.

He said Soldiers are able to volunteer for these missions in addition to their regular duties, and he feels it is an experience every servicemember should be able to enjoy.

"Missions like this help Soldiers see a purpose for being here in Iraq," Robles said. "It gives servicemembers the chance to make a difference in an individual's life."

• Date Taken: 12.27.2006
• Date Posted: 12.27.2006 00:11
• Story ID: 8676
• Location: MOSUL, IQ