SALAH AD-DIN PROVINCE, Iraq - Soldiers from the 10th Sustainment Brigade and the 2nd Battalion, 36th Iraqi Army Brigade delivered donated school supplies to the Al Mustaqbal School, located in the town of 50 Dar North, here May 3.
The convoy of two vehicles filled with school supplies met a group of Iraqi Army Soldiers at the school. The supplies were off-loaded into the head master's office and the Iraqi and American Soldiers began to distribute them to the students.
"It felt good delivering the school supplies to the kids. They all seemed really excited to get them. I wasn't expecting to get crowded passing out notepads," said Spc. Evan L. McLaren, a Manassas, Va., native and intelligence analyst with the brigade.
The children were excited to receive the gifts, especially candy, said McLaren. The Soldiers went around to all the students delivering school supplies and candy, but had been one final treat-soccer balls. The kids accepted the soccer balls with smiles and joy.
After the 10th Sust. Bde., accumulated a sizeable amount of supplies (papers, notepads, pencils, pens and books and bags) the mission was coordinated, said Maj. James D. Brown, the brigade's intelligence operation officer in charge, and an Englewood, Colo., native.
"I [started collecting] supplies in January, after I had heard someone here on Camp Taji was collecting them. I thought it would be a good event for the Muleskinners to support, so I sent an e-mail back home to my mom and she put the word out to have people send supplies to me in Taji," said Staff Sgt. Joel L. Mathie, an intelligence operations noncommissioned officer for 10th Sust. Bde.
The delivery of school supplies was a success for both the Muleskinner Soldiers and the Iraqi children.
Social Sharing