USASOC NEWS SERVICE
RELEASE NUMBER: 050327-04
DATE POSTED: MARCH 27, 2005

426th Civil Affairs Soldiers provide aid, equipment to Chubaka citizens

By Christopher Arnold
411th Civil Affairs Battalion
A nice story that won't be aired on any of the major media. WARNING: This may be
offensive to some liberals. No one gets killed or maimed.


CHUBAKA, Iraq (USASOC News Service, March 27, 2005) — Soldiers from the 426th
Civil Affairs Battalion visited this village Feb. 28 providing medical care, and
distributing blankets and soccer balls to the village's citizens. It was the
first time U.S. Soldiers had visited here.

The 426th CA Bn. is an Upland, Calif.-based Army reserve special operations
unit. It is currently has a company-size element assigned to the 411th Civil
Affairs Battalion, a Danbury, Conn.-based Army reserve special operations unit
deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sergeant 1st Class Donald Gaitan and Sgt. Melia De Witt, civil affairs Soldiers
assigned to the 426th CA Bn. and 411th CA Bn., respectively, kept busy passing
out blankets, toys and candy to women and children.

“At first the villagers wouldn’t come outside, only a few brave people remained
outside for us to approach them," Dewitt said. " After about ten minutes of
talking with a few villagers I retrieved a couple blankets to pass out to the
women, slowly the rest of the villagers started to come out. Once they did we
had a blast kicking the soccer balls around with the kids and going over the
pretty colors in the blankets with the women.”

A line was quickly formed around the medics. They treated a few children with
contagious skin conditions and passed out medical supplies to parents. Medics
continued to assist throughout the day by treating several older members of the
village for varying health problems.

The villagers, as well as the soldiers, we’re sad to finally have to part.

“Chubaka is home to the most outspoken woman in Iraq," said Lt. Mario Huillca, a
civil affiars officer assigned to 426th CA Bn. " This little lady was running
around talking to everyone. This was the first time I’ve seen women come out of
their yards to greet us. This was a great experience for our team.”

-usasoc-

Close window — USASOC News Service main page — News archives


--
John H

"All decisions are the result of binary thinking."