This message includes a recap of my meeting last week with General Jim Mattis of the Marines and an update on our fulfillment of active requests from Marines in Iraq including: medical supplies and ultrasound machines in Al Qaim, gear for Iraqi scouts in Baghdad, 10,000 backpacks with supplies for children in Al Anbar province and toys, supplies and books for children in Basrah.

GENERAL MATTIS MEETING
Last week I met with LtGeneral Jim Mattis, Commanding General of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.  I last saw General Mattis at Camp Blue Diamond in Ramadi, Iraq.  I was visiting then on behalf of Spirit of America as a guest of the Marines in May/June 2004.  I remember a briefing at the time when an officer asked me “do you know what to do if people start shooting?”  Figuring the Marines knew best I said, “I’ll follow the Marines where they go.”  The officer said, “Wrong. You run in the opposite direction.  The Marines are going to run TOWARD the fire.”  Given what we ask of the Marines and how they serve our country, that just about says it all.

My main question back in Ramadi was “how can we help?”  That’s the same question I arrived with at Camp Pendleton last week.

In our meeting, as he has many times via email, General Mattis thanked Spirit of America and our donors for supporting the Marines’ efforts to stabilize and bring some improvement to Iraq.  He said our support was far beyond any expectations they had. And, he talked quite a bit about the women’s sewing centers for which SoA provided sewing machines.  The original project description is here and you can see a video news report of the opening here on YouTube.

The sewing centers were a particularly high impact project in Gen Mattis’ view. They included day care, computer training and, of course, the ability for women to sew and make some money to support themselves.  They also included a “tips” line where an Iraqi woman could make a call to report insurgent/terrorist activity.  General Mattis said he knew the “tips” line was used and, although no one can know how many lives were saved, it had an impact.  I’ve heard many similar stories, when a small act of kindness led to assistance or information that could save lives.

Unfortunately, like many symbols of progress, the sewing center in Ramadi was attacked and destroyed by insurgents (it was bombed at night when no one was working there).  Gen Mattis thought the sewing center in Habbaniyah was still operating but the Marines had not visited it in some time.

General Mattis said he often talks about Spirit of America’s ability to respond rapidly and how it contrasts with a slower moving government bureaucracy.  We have responded to requests in days when it might have taken months to work something through standard channels.  Our responsiveness is based on two things: (1) the support and responsiveness of donors like you, and (2) our non-bureaucratic approach which is best summarized by “You need it, we’ll get it.”  

It was very clear that our sticking by him and his men and women, offering support through thick and thin, meant a great, great deal to him. General Mattis also talked about the difficulty of rebuilding and humanitarian projects in Iraq today.  The level of violence is such that the desired linkage between “good deeds and good results” is sometimes broken.  Nonetheless, these good deeds do bridge gaps and help improve relations. General Mattis also encouraged us to support requests from the Horn of Africa and surrounding areas, as did Gen Dunford a few weeks ago,

On a personal note, I found it remarkable that General Mattis maintains his humanity and expansiveness given the enormity and difficulty of his assignment.


ULTRASOUND MACHINES & MEDICAL SUPPLIES – AL QAIM IRAQ
Spirit of America responded to a request from 1st Lt Matt Thompson, USMC for an ultrasound machine and medical supplies for an Iraqi medical center in Al Qaim (near the Syrian border).  In fact, two ultrasound machines were donated – one purchased by SoA and the other donated by Sonosite.  Here is an email from Lt Thompson:

I hope you got the flag as a token of our thank you. What you have done is such a wonderful thing for these people in Iraq.  Unfortunately, I have become the new Watch Officer and although this puts me at the helm of the ship per se, it also precludes me from going outside the wire any more. This makes it impossible for me to get back out to the hospital. I am hearing reports that they [the Iraqi medical staff] were ecstatic and that they are functioning like modern hospital now. You can be assured that you have helped save lives in western Iraq.

Truly indebted.
Lt Matthew Thompson

Here is the delivery of the ultrasound machines and supplies to the medical center:

Marines donate items to hospital in Al Qaim

MARINES – BOY & GIRL SCOUTS IN IRAQ
In response to a request from Marines in Baghdad, we worked with the Coleman company to provide camping gear for 200 Iraqi Boy and Girl Scouts.  The project description is here: http://www.spiritofamerica.net/projects/119

US Marine Lieutenant Colonel John Schatzel, who is serving as SoA's primary liaison for the project, is part of the "Green Zone Council" which is spearheading the charge to restore scouting in Iraq to the positive impact it had prior to Sadaam's rule. LtCol Schatzel emailed us:

"Yesterday was a phenomenal day in Iraq.  Through the generosity of Spirit of America, the Iraqi Kashafa Scout Program is now the proud owner of camping gear for their scouts.  We will send you pictures and articles as soon as possible."


Iraqi Girl Scout displays flag on tent during training

Read more here.

HELPING SCHOOLCHILDREN IN AL ANBAR PROVINCE
USMC Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Nagel serving in Al Anbar Province requested school supplies and gifts for Iraqi children.  He emailed us:

[The idea is that] every child in the targeted school or schools comes to school and receives...an age and gender appropriate book bag packed with school supplies; age appropriate set of books (non-school related) for their reading pleasure and development (such as bed time stories for the little ones to the classics for the high school students and everything in between); and a gift bag packed with little toys, trinkets, and candy. I can only imagine the goodwill that will have and the impact that will make on the children’s lives as well as our mission and presence here.

We have sent 10,000 school backpacks filled with supplies along with a gift and an Arabic-language book for children in Al Anbar.  The backpacks and supplies have been arriving in Iraq since September.  We’ll provide more updates as we get them.

TOYS AND BOOKS FOR CHILDREN IN BASRAH
Marines Lieutenant Colonel Jim Wilmott requested school supplies, books, toys and recreational equipment for children in Basrah.  In cooperation with US Regional Embassy Officer (REO), Mark Marano, Spirit of America purchased 350 soccer balls, 375 Beanie Babies, over 100 educational toys and 1,000 Arabic-language books.  Those donations have arrived in Basrah and are being given to local children.  Mark Marano emailed saying us:

Receiving and distributing these donations has been the best part of my tour here.  These types of gestures do more to win the hearts and minds more than any of our other efforts.


Basrah schoolchildren receive supplies courtesy of Embassy & Marines
All these projects were made possible by your generous support. Thank you.

That’s all for now.  

All the best,
Jim Hake and the Spirit of America team
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