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Spc. Michael Tingue tries to control a gathering crowd of eager Iraqi children as he distributes some of the clothes, school supplies and toys donated from home. Photo courtesy of Spc. Michael Tingue.

BAYJI, Iraq, Oct. 14, 2004 — When Spc. Michael Tingue arrived here with the 1st Infantry Division's Task Force 1-7 in March, he saw the conditions that children in this war-torn country had to live in. More importantly, he saw that he had the opportunity to help.

With a self-inspired determination, he began a personal campaign to gather clothes, toys and school supplies for the impoverished people of Iraq. Tingue knew that there were plenty of people at home who were willing and able to help, but didn't know how. He saw how he could create the opportunity for people to help and wrote to his hometown newspaper.

As a supply specialist, he was already skilled at managing the inventory, storage and distribution of large amounts of supplies, so the project fell into place for him naturally.

“As a quartermaster, it's my job to support the war fighter,” Tingue said. “I saw this as a chance to show Iraqis we're here to help, and to possibly take away some of the hate towards Americans.”

Tingue started by writing a letter explaining how people could help by sending clothes, school supplies and toys to his hometown newspaper in Oregon, the Albany Democrat-Herald. The letter then made its way to The Oregonian, another newspaper, and then took off on its own, sent along by eager supporters, eventually making it as far as Chicago, Connecticut and Louisiana.

As word spread, the project gained momentum and its inertia continues as boxes still continue to pile in. At its peak, Tingue was receiving about 20 boxes every other day for almost two weeks. The rate has now slowed to about five boxes a week, but they still continue to come in months after that first letter.

So far he estimates that more than 200 boxes of donations for Iraqi children have come in. And though he never thought his singular effort to help would grow to such proportions, Tingue said he is pretty happy with how his project turned out.

Tingue's efforts were recently recognized by the Task Force commander, Lt. Col. Kyle M. McClelland, with a Task Force Certificate of Achievement and a much sought-after Task Force coin, as well as recommending him for similar honors from the Brigade Combat Team commander.

“Specialist Tingue determined that he could make a difference and took a personal interest in establishing an ‘irreversible momentum' of the humanitarian kind,” McClelland said. “I admire his personal drive and dedication to making a difference. That is why we are here -- to help the Iraqi people help themselves. This is a positive step in that direction. Every little bit counts towards bridging the gap building trust and confidence. Specialist Tingue is a soldier with a mission and focus; he is making a difference every day.”

Tingue said he hopes that his project will outlive his time in Iraq and hopes to find someone to take on the project when the 1st Infantry Division leaves sometime early next year. However, he already has a new project. His latest undertaking is to try to get a young Iraqi girl with a severe cardiac ailment to the United States for surgery, without which she will die, and his latest letter-writing campaign has begun in earnest. Further donations for Iraqi Children can be made under Operation I Can (Iraqi Children's Assistance Network) from the 1st Infantry Division Web page at http://www.1id.army.mil.



© 2004 Defend America. All opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily reflect those of Military.com.

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