Giving Local Teachers, Students Good Start

News

Operation Outreach Afghanistan
April 29th, 2011

Credit: Robert Romano, US Army/WikiMedia

By Spc. Michael Broughey

KABUL, Afghanistan — It was overwhelming to learn how 3,000 students of all ages attend classes at Ud Khel High School. The school season began following the March 21 celebration of Nowruz, the new year holiday in Afghanistan and other parts of the region.
In keeping with the unit’s continued support to the village of Ud Khel, members of the 1-181st Infantry Regiment, along with their partners in OOA, also based at Camp Phoenix, delivered school supplies for about 200 students and their teachers March 26.
It was the largest drop we’ve done yet, said U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Christopher Ocasio, who led 3rd Platoon’s early morning dismounted mission to the school.

Members of the 1-181st and OOA volunteers left Camp Phoenix on foot before dawn to arrive at the school before classes began in order to secure the area while fellow Soldiers from 2nd Platoon and other volunteers delivered the supplies by light medium tactical vehicles escorted by two armored vehicles.

After the dozen boxes of supplies were brought in and placed in the hallway, Vice Principal Mohammed Jan, a graduate of Kabul University who has been teaching for 22 years, helped separate the supplies in each box with help from fellow teachers, Ocasio and U.S. Linguist Amir in preparation for the distribution of the supplies.
“It’s really hard for us to understand because it is so different, but the high school actually serves all the kids in Ud Khel from age 7 to 18″, Ocasio said.
“The teacher’s salaries and some supplies are paid for by the government, but the desks are on loan from Paktika province and there’s no electricity in the school right now, though they have the wiring for it. We’re working on getting that for them now”, Ocasio said.
As the students, who were lined up outside by classroom, eagerly filed into the hallway, teachers, soldiers and other volunteers alike handed out the supplies one-by-one until all the classes were filled.
“I definitely saw some smiles”, said U.S. Army Pfc. David Alves, a soldier from 3rd Platoon who helped pass out writing utensils to the students. “A lot of the kids didn’t even show up with pens.”
While more missions are needed to help other students who begin school on a staggered schedule, the principal ensured each grade school student who walked into class that morning was prepared to learn, armed with a handful of pens and pencils, a box of crayons and a notebook in their hands.
“Those kids were very happy”, said U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Allen Drum, of 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion’s Forward Logistical Element, who walked to the school with members of the 1-181st .
Drum said the teachers were also delighted to receive several useful supplies including boxes of chalk, rulers, glue, construction paper, art supplies, an English dictionary and English and math books.
Other OOA members, including soldiers from 2nd Platoon, already started to plan their own humanitarian missions to help other students in the near future, even though they’ve noticed numerous schools in need near Camp Phoenix and around Kabul.

Story originally appeared Operation Outreach Afghanistan