Once their heavily-armored Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles were packed full, the Division Special Troops Battalion Personal Security Detachment, 3rd Infantry Division Soldiers headed to the Haneen Primary School to deliver the goods and celebrate with the local community.

“The school is the biggest thing in Albu Hamaad,” said Capt. David Bright, commander of the DSTBPSD and the patrol leader. “There are only seven or eight other structures in the town.”

As the Soldiers rolled into the small village, a crowd of more than 60 people waited in the school’s courtyard, including 28 school-aged children, who lined up against one of the school’s walls and patiently waited for the ceremony to start.

As the Iraqi flag was raised, seven children lined up in the center of the courtyard near the flagpole, while Mohammad Fahad, an eighth grader, saluted. Fahad held his salute as the 3rd ID Band played the Iraqi national anthem.

Fahad said he likes his new school. “It’s a new school and it’s a big school.”

According to Bright, the new school will provide education for approximately 200 children up to age 14 from Albu Hamaad and two other surrounding villages.

The Albu Hamaad village shaykh, Dawood Salman Rabia, said he is happy the school was built and believes it will benefit the lives of the local children.

“It’s a very good project for the village and especially for the children,” he said. “Thank you, everyone, for building this school.”

According to Capt. Calvin Fisher, officer in charge of the Iraqi-based Industrial Zone, which contracted the project, construction began in November and was finished in June.

“The project started because the village needed an adequate school,” Fisher said.  “The previous building was never designed to be a school; it lacked adequate classrooms and was a health-and-safety concern.

“The new school has increased from two classrooms to six with larger classroom space, larger restroom accommodations and office and lounge space for the administrators and teachers,” Fisher continued.

“Because of projects like this, we have a good relationship with the community,” said Bright, who has patrolled this small community for the last eight months.

That relationship will soon grow even stronger, as the Commander’s Emergency Response Program will fund a clean drinking water system for the area.

“The water distillation unit will provide clean drinking water for the school, the village and the surrounding area,” said Fisher, who expects the project to start as early as next month.

But, for now, the local citizens were happy to celebrate the opening of their new school. After the formal ceremony, the 3rd ID Band continued to play as the U.S. Soldiers and community members enjoyed refreshments and a tour of the new school.

For the students in this area, the school provides hope for the future.  Raghda Zari, a third grader who will be attending school, said she hopes to one day be a teacher.