ZALILA, Iraq - Indiana and Washington guardsmen from contingency operating base Q-West brought desks, chairs and school supplies to the Zalila Elementary School on Wednesday.
Soldiers of the 16th Sustainment Brigade, which is comprised of the Everett, Wa. based 81st Brigade Special Troops Battalion and the Indianapolis, In. based 76th BSTB, brought nearly 50 desks to the school that sits in the small town of Zalila, just a few miles outside of COB Q-West.
"We are very thankful for the desks," said Nada Hamed Mohamed, principal, Zalila elementary school, said through an interpreter. "But, we wish you could bring more supplies."
The school has no air-conditioning or heating, only four teachers for the nearly 650 students.
"We have requested more supplies from the government in Mosul," said Mohamed. "We never get anything from them because we are too far away."
Although the school is in need of more supplies, the desks will help keep some students off the floor and in school.
"I wanted to quit because I didn't have a seat," said 6th-grader Ahmed. "Thank you very much for your support and I hope that you can bring more things."
The guardsman spent nearly an hour at the school handing out toys and interacted with the children.
"If we can change someone's life," said Sgt. Chris Addington, team leader, Alpha Co., 76th BSTB. "It makes me feel like I accomplished something."
Addington, a Union City, Ind., native who is in the final month of his 15-month deployment, said it's important for Iraqis to have an understanding of what the Soldiers are doing here.
"The next generation will have a better idea of what we are like and what we stand for," said Addington.
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