PHOTOS: Giving Back to Community

By Sgt. Joshua Risner

MPs team with IPs to spread joy

BAGHDAD - Second Lt. Patrick Koerwitz, platoon leader, 978th Military Police Company, 93rd MP Battalion, high-fives Iraqi children at al-Aldara Primary School. "We're trying to do something good for the community and we're getting the (Iraqi Police) involved with that as well," he said. The humanitarian mission involved Iraqi Police as well as U.S. Soldiers.

BAGHDAD - Spc. Melissa Mancillas, from Lyndonville, Vt., an MP with the 978th MP Company, 93rd MP Battalion, mingles with Iraqi children during a humanitarian mission at al-Aldara Primary School. The 978th, along with Iraqi Police, distributed cookies, notebooks and stickers in an effort to get the IPs more personally involved in their communities.

BAGHDAD - Sgt. Krystal Tichenor, team leader, 978th Military Police Company, 93rd MP Battalion, reads from an English book at al-Aldara Primary School, to test the children's knowledge of English. The 978th, along with Iraqi Policemen, visited the school and distributed Girl Scout cookies, notebooks and stickers to the children. "It's good to bring a smile to the kids' faces in the community," the native of Hornell, N.Y. said. "The interaction between us and the school was a positive experience."