Saturday, July 15, 2006

Soldiers Donate Wheelchairs


My Dad is in a wheelchair, so I can understand how much this is appreciated. From CentCom:

Aziz showed up at the Q-West Base Complex Civilian-Military Operations Center with a wide grin and a unique story.
The young boy told Soldiers of the 4th Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment and a team from the 403rd Civil Affairs Battalion about his family and his siblings, five of whom suffer from a degenerative disease.
Abdul Karim, Bishra, Mahmoud, Ra’ad and Raija Salman, each received a new set of wheels in the form of pediatric wheelchairs donated by charitable organizations in the United States and delivered by the Soldiers June 29 here.
Wheelchairs for Iraqi Kids and ROC Wheels provided the 12 pediatric wheelchairs, which the 4-11th Counter Rocket Patrol, medics from the battalion aid station, and the 403rd delivered to the siblings, as well as to another disabled 19-year-old in the neighboring town of Ujbah.
Sgt. Jason Foy, of Indio, Calif., and Spc. Christopher McCuiston, of Ann Arbor, Mich., both combat medics, showed their fellow Soldiers and the Salmans’ family members how to fit the wheelchairs to each patient and make adjustments.
The medics were chosen for the mission due to their prior experience in fitting wheelchairs, said Foy. They received additional training from another medic as well as a training video included with the chairs.