Posted on 12/27/2007 3:47:09 PM PST by SandRat
Staff Sgt. Carlos Escuza, who is part of the command’s convoy security team known as the Rough Riders, has been providing supplies, gifts and goodwill to Iraqis since his arrival in May.
“Every little bit helps in changing attitudes, you know,” said Escuza. “It’s about attitudes; what they think of us before they know us and what they think of us after they get to know us.”
His latest trip was Dec. 26 to the Central Baghdad Educational Center, which is located just inside the International Zone in Baghdad. During this trip, the staff sergeant and others from the command delivered school supplies, stuffed animals and candy to the school.
After arriving at the school to deliver the needed notebooks, pens and other supplies, children, who noticed the American vehicles, began gathering around and waiting for their share of what the troops brought.
Before long, over 50 Iraqi children had swarmed the troops. Despite being overwhelmed by the number of children, Escuza and U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Garry Dietzman continued handing out gifts and candy to the excited children.
“Every time we come back, I love each and every one of those kids,” said Dietzman, Rough Riders’ first sergeant. “I have a blast with them.”
Since May, Escuza and Dietzman have spread gifts and goodwill through the Baghdad area. The two Soldiers began by adopting 14 local families. Going twice a month, they began to recruit more help from servicemembers working within the command.
After the initial families, Escuza visited the Baghdad Educational Center with a U.S. Navy chief warrant officer, who showed him how he could help Baghdad schools. Escuza and Dietzman followed up with another visit to the school, asking the staff what supplies were most needed by the school.
Escuza and Dietzman are planning more trips to the school to deliver supplies and see what else is needed. They rely mostly on supplies sent from the United States, they said.
Supplies that the school needs the most are art equipment and musical instruments, said staff members of the school. With Iraq’s school systems starting fresh, art and music programs are still in the early stages.
It’s all about the kids and the relationships they form with the Soldiers, said Dietzman.
“I feel a sense of accomplishment, like I’m doing something to help somebody else, and it’s giving me a much better perspective of what we’re doing here,” said Dietzman.
FR WAR NEWS!
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