Iraqi children come out to play at Joint Base Balad

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jake Richmond
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq (AFNS) --  Nearly 100 Iraqi children spent Oct. 10 running, playing and, more than anything, smiling as they had fun with American servicemembers on Joint Base Balad.

The local Iraqi youths, from 5 to 18 years old, were invited to the base as part of a project initiated by the U.S. Department of State's Salah Ad Din Provincial Reconstruction Team, and Joint Base Balad Airmen and Soldiers jumped on the idea to coordinate the details for the children.

Capt. Amy White, the 332nd Expeditionary Mission Support Group executive officer and lead organizer for the event, said the purpose of the event "was to facilitate positive interaction between local Iraqi children and U.S. troops."

What was the best way to do that? Ask the children to come over and play.

"We wanted to have a day about fun. Fun for the kids and fun for the troops," said the captain, a native of Wichita, Kan., and deployed from McConnell Air Force Base, Kan.

Upon arrival, each child was introduced to their own "mentor," who would stick with them throughout the day. The mentors were all volunteer servicemembers who attended a special Iraqi culture course before the event, familiarizing them with local customs and common Arabic words.

Of course, the fun was the easy part. With outdoor sports courts, foosball tables, dart boards, billiards, playing cards and board games, the base's recreation area provided plenty of child-friendly outlets.

The event planners also had to consider a host of other issues to ensure the day went smoothly.

"As sure as anything that we typically have, there are always challenges that arise as far as the logistics of moving the children, feeding them, (etc.)," said Master Sgt. Donald Peters, the 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron first sergeant who teamed with Captain White on the overall planning.

Sergeant Peters, a native of Tallahassee, Fla., is deployed from Eglin AFB, Fla. He said the coordination was successful largely because so many organizations on the base offered their help, especially in areas that involved their job specialties. Food service personnel helped with lunch, doctors from the medical group were on scene to deal with any potential injuries, communications Airmen set up the public-address system, and firefighters briefed the children on fire safety and prevention.

The sheer volume of the volunteer responses impressed the project coordinators.

"We never formally advertised the event," Captain White said. "We had more than 200 volunteers by word of mouth alone."

Of course, keeping track of the children was paramount, so the surplus of volunteers was a benefit. Along with the mentors assigned to each child and 21 Iraqi adult chaperones, off-duty servicemembers also took turns manning all of the entry and exit points in the area to ensure security and accountability.

Elsewhere, dozens of jubilant volunteers could be seen shooting hoops, bumping volleyballs and defending orange-coned goals from determined, fleet-footed children who clearly knew their way around a soccer ball.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Roger Campbell, a civil affairs specialist, was quick to volunteer after hearing about the event. His job routinely involves interacting with the local population in their communities.

"I've seen some of the kids who are here today, and some of the leadership," he said. "Some of them even recognized me. It was awesome. This was one of my best days as a civil affairs NCO."

Some of the children didn't know exactly what to expect beforehand, but managed to have a good time anyway.

"When my dad told me I was coming, I was happy, but a little scared," said Hussaen, an 8-year-old boy. "Now (at the end of the day), I'm not scared. I really liked the food and the games and the ice cream."

The initial uncertainty, followed by a friendly familiarity, was the basic goal of the project.

"By reaching out to Iraqi youth, we hoped to prove that we could successfully blend our cultures and continue building a foundation of trust with the local Iraqi people," Captain White said. "Even a small degree of trust between our troops and the surrounding communities will likely have an immeasurable reward as we continue to reassure the local people that we are here to support their sovereignty, not take it away from them."

Measured by smiles -- on the faces of both Iraqi children and American grown-ups -- the event was a success. Since culture-blending is on the agenda, though, Hussaen had just one suggestion for the next go-around. "Next time, I would love to try a hamburger."