USAF major's idea extends spirit of generosity to Iraq

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Brian S. Orban
  • Baghdad Office of Public Affairs
BAGHDAD --  What started as sheer curiosity turned into an international call to help hundreds of refugees in Iraq thanks to the efforts of an Air Force major currently deployed with the U.S. Army.

Maj. Chris Gay, a division chief with the 507th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, started a campaign to collect coats, clothes and shoes for children living at the Al-Manathera Internally Displaced Persons Camp near the city of Al-Najaf.

The camp is the largest of eight scattered across Iraqi and houses more than 2,500 Iraqis, including 205 school-age children. These families fled their homes following years of sectarian and terrorist violence.

According to Major Gay, the project started almost by accident. While reviewing an aircraft transportation request in early December, a brief line remark requesting warm blankets for the IDP camp caught his eye. He asked co-workers a few questions about the camp and quickly realized he wanted to do something more for these people.

"The residents are currently living in tents and makeshift housing," he said. "Most of the working-aged male population in the camp is unemployed, so they do not have the ability to purchase basic necessities for their families. The camp provides the families with food, but not much else."

Getting children warm clothing was important as winter weather rolled across Iraq bringing with it unseasonably colder temperatures, including the first recorded snowfall in Baghdad in nearly 100 years, the Cleveland, Miss., native said.

"It was no coincidence," he added. "When I saw those line remarks, I felt compelled to do something about it."

He sat at his computer and quickly wrote a one-page letter to his wife explaining his desire to collect coats, shoes and clothes for the camp's children.

"My wife is a first grade teacher, and she wanted a project for her class to do prior to the Christmas break," the major said. The timing was ideal.

As he prepared to click the "send" button to deliver the message to his wife, he felt compelled to include 25 others on the message. Among them were friends, family and co-workers at Hill Air Force Base, Utah; Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; and his family in Mississippi and Arkansas. As he sent the message, Operation Warm Winter began.

"Within a couple of days, I started getting e-mails from people saying, 'This is great; we want to be a part of this.' "

What started as a simple letter grew to into a call for help spanning four states. Family, friends, co-workers and members of his church pitched in by donating clothing, toys and money. A police officer with a SWAT team in Salt Lake City got his fellow officers involved while members of the 508th Aircraft Sustainment Wing at Hill and former co-workers at Eglin started a similar drive.

"The timing was great because it was the Christmas season when people are more mindful of wanting to give -- which was not a coincidence either," Major Gay said. "They wanted to get involved with something so meaningful in Iraq -- something you don't ever see on the news."

The major said the sheer number of packages he received overwhelmed him -- 60 boxes weighing more than 1,300 pounds arriving over a three-week period from late December to early January. It included more than 320 coats, 480 pairs of socks, 110 pairs of gloves, 150 pairs of pants and nearly 60 hats, 190 pairs of shoes and 350 shirts.

His next challenge was getting the boxes to the camp. However, his experience organizing air support across central and southern Iraq proved invaluable. He worked with a deployed an Air Force helicopter unit to transport the boxes to a forward operating base whenever they available space.

In early February, a convoy of U.S. and Iraqi military vehicles drove from the coalition base to the IPD camp. Major Gay, dozens of Iraqi and U.S. Soldiers, and representatives from the Iraqi parliament and Iraqi police spent 3 1/2 hours passing out coats, shoes and clothes to the school-age children.

"It was overwhelming. The need was far greater than you could possibly imagine," the major said.

While handing out the clothes, he admits there was at least one mystery he could only describe as a miracle.

"We knew we didn't have enough shoes on hand to hand out to every [school age] child; however, each child got a pair," he said. "We even had some left over."

In fact, there were enough coats, shoes and clothes to outfit each school-age child with plenty left over, which tribal leaders distributed to other families in need.

What surprised the major the most was seeing these children doing their best to communicate with their new American friends.

"I saw how determined these kids were ... they wanted me to understand them. Despite the language barrier, they were determined to communicate with me to tell me how they felt, and that gave me hope."

Following the mission, he sent a second message to all those who helped make the project a reality. In some cases, people were overwhelmed by the plight these Iraqis faced and how one Air Force person helped make a difference.

"I've been moved to tears ... You have lifted the 'edge of a sheet' that hid what I had imagined but not allowed myself the discomfort of acknowledging," said Kristi Forino as she reflected on the significance of this relief mission. "At the same time, you have given me cause to be thankful for the goodness in all of us."

The major didn't organize this mission for accolades or praise; he did it to serve his nation, added Natalie Baker from the 508th ASW.

With several months to go on his current deployment to Iraq, the major is not sure what might compel him to do next.

"I would really hate for this to be a one-time deal," he said. "What I'd love to do next is find a way to round up about 1,000 soccer balls. Kids here love soccer. We didn't have enough of them the other day, and everyone wanted one."

Looking back, Major Gay credits people back in the states for bringing hope to these Iraqi children.

"My job was simple; I just wrote a letter," he said. "The folks back home were the ones who made it all happen. Everyone wanted to get involved. They were grateful to be involved in something outside of themselves and to be doing something good in Iraq."