I'm here with the 34th ID, attached to the Gulf Region Division of the Army Corps of Engineers.  Our job is the reconstruction of the country of Iraq.  I provide security for various functions of GRD including mail delivery, escorting employees, and the bazaar that we allow Iraqi vendors to set up on our compound every Friday.  I am also the unit armorer for GRD.  (I know, lot of responsibility for an E4 .)  At GRD, we know how important it is to build relationships with the people in the area, and how much these people desperately need our help.  There is a group of volunteers that regularly conducts public relations missions out in the community.  We donate whatever we can to the Iraqi families in the area, but to accomplish these missions, we need support in the way of donations from the folks back home.

 

I would like to take this opportunity to ask everyone in the C3VR family if they would like to get involved in this endeavor.  We can use anything that people can send.  Items that we donate to the Iraqi families are things like clothing and shoes (old or new, so long as they're in decent condition and have no pro-USA or otherwise patriotic labels or designs), nonperishable food items, hygeine products (including feminine hygeine), cookware (many of the families cook ALL their meals on one old pan),  and toys.  The young boys are looking for soccer balls and hot wheels cars, and the girls are looking for dolls.  We give stuffed animals out to boys and girls.  We are also trying to get involved in assisting some of the schools in Baghdad...they need school supplies like paper, notebooks, pens, pencils, erasers, and things like electric fans (difficult because of the power voltage difference), and air conditioning (which we would love to do for them, but not sure how to go about accomplishing it.)

 

We will use the summer to stockpile supplies for the schools, and in August when classes begin, we will convoy to the schools to donate everything we have gathered.  In the meantime, we make numerous trips to various neighborhoods in Baghdad, donating the above items to the families, and trying to spend quality time with the families, trying to get to know them, and what their needs are.  Here are some pictures of our last PR mission, conducted last Friday.  If anyone wants the full set of pictures from this mission, just provide me with your email, and I'll gladly send them.

 

 

If you are feeling generous, please feel free to donate to our cause.  There is no way that people back home could send too much, as there is always families here that are in desperate need of our help.

 

In addition, we accept care packages for the troops that will be shared with soldiers here.  Down the street from our two compounds in the 28th Compound Support Hospital, which treats some of the most seriously wounded soldiers in the country, and we make regular trips there to provide care packages for the wounded.

 

Anything that you wish to donate can be shipped via US Priority Mail to:

 

Michael Mercado

Operation Outreach

GRD1-HHD

APO AE 09348

 

Wow...this ended up being a lot longer than I thought it would be.  I, and those serving with me, sincerely thank you in advance for your consideration and your generosity.

 

 

On this mission, we spent more time with the families, and got to speak with them individually.  We were invited into numerous homes for brief visits, and we took hygiene products for the families, and stuffed animals for the children.

First and foremost THANK YOU for your service and great work in Iraq.

Winning the hearts and minds is as important and anything else done in country!

 

You can count me in! My youngest son has served in Iraq and is preparing to go back for his second tour later this year serving as a Sgt in a Recon Platoon!

 

I whole heartedly believe in supporting the troops and their efforts! We currently are sending packages to a couple of troops there now.

 

My wife and I will be getting a school supply package together and clothing for Iraqis and a care package for the troops to send out ASAP.

 

I urge all members to do the same!

 

If we all do a little we can move mountains!

 

Let us not forget the men and women fighting to protect our freedom! We owe them more than we can ever repay them!