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'Operation School Supplies' gives children needed gear

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Stacy Fowler
  • 506th Air Expeditionary Group
KIRKUK AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) --  "School" -- a six-letter word that makes children groan and parents cheer. 

And for many, that word also means back-to-school shopping for all the necessities for class: pencils, markers, paper, book bags and more. 

The school year also starts very soon for the children of Iraq, but for most of them, school supplies are virtually non-existent, or in very short supply. 

With the school year again looming for these children, Airmen and Soldiers here have stepped up to lend a hand to make sure the Iraqi kids have the tools needed for a good education. 

Within the past three months, more than 65 volunteers have assembled about 9,000 packets of school supplies, which in turn are delivered to the local schools by Soldiers from the Army's 451st Civil Affairs unit here. 

"Being part of a large military operation, you normally don't see the impact you're having in the community, or nation, during the time you're deployed," said Staff Sgt. Jeff Lampe, 506th Air Expeditionary Group command staff.  "Being involved with Operation School Supplies gives me the immediate satisfaction of knowing my efforts have a positive impact on someone right away, and it's a small, more personal, way to help make the local Iraqis' lives a bit easier.  

"The children get the school supplies they need, and their parents and guardians don't have to worry about the extra expenses coming out of their pockets," Sergeant Lampe said. 

According to Staff Sgt. Carlos Comas, 506th AEG chaplain's assistant, Operation School Supplies started mainly because most schools in Iraq do not have the funding available to rebuild and restock supplies. 

During Army patrols of the area, many Soldiers saw the children had nothing for school, so they started Operation School Supplies three years ago. 

"When Army Civil Affairs started Operation School Supplies, they saw how much interest people had in this program, and how much it helped out the local communities," Sergeant Comas said. "After a while, the group chaplains took over the program and worked closely with (Civil Affairs) for delivery of supply packets." 

Operation School Supplies is a volunteer- and donation-based operation, where churches, businesses and individuals back home send school supplies to their friends and family members deployed here, as well as the 506th AEG chaplains, for packaging and delivery to the local communities. 

"Operation School Supplies is a wonderful way for the people back in the United States to help the children of Iraq by donating basic school supplies," said Sergeant Comas. "It promotes goodwill between Americans and Iraqis. I know we are making a positive difference for Iraq." 

According to Father (Capt.) Ricardito Salditos, a 506th AEG chaplain, Operation School Supplies gives the U.S. troops here the ability to change people's perspectives. 

"The popular thought out here is that the U.S. is here to take something," Father Salditos said. "We have to change that image, change it to us being here to give, not take. This helps the Iraqi people, as well as people around the world, see the true image of the United States. 

"We are here to win hearts," he added. "Without winning hearts, it is very difficult to win a war militarily. There would still be distrust and animosity toward us, which in turn gives the terrorists out there fuel for their attacks on military and civilian victims." 

So while many military members are out there fighting the war on terrorism militarily, at Kirkuk the men and women of the U.S. military also are winning the hearts of this generation of Iraqis and the next.