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thedrifter
11-24-07, 06:45 AM
Hearts and minds
Marine from Bethel works with kids, provides toys, balls

By Terry Karkos , Staff Writer
Friday, November 23, 2007

Winning the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people is what America's war in Iraq is all about, according to Cpl. Brian Zinchuk, a Marine from Bethel on his second tour in Iraq.

While it hasn't been easy, Zinchuk, a 2003 Telstar High School graduate, said in a series of e-mail interviews this fall that he and fellow Marines are seeing less violence now than in the past.

"The way I see it, let the officers deal with the big wigs of Iraq (tribal leaders, Iraqi military officers, politicians) and the enlisted can help with the kids and the average Joes," Zinchuk said last month. "But where we'll really win the hearts and minds is with the kids. Every time you give a kid something, their parents and older siblings are watching. When they see the smiles on the kids faces, they realize that we are doing good and not evil."

For his 23rd birthday last month, Zinchuk asked his mom, Robin Zinchuk of Bethel, to send him soccer balls and equipment for Iraqi children. Zinchuk and fellow Marines then regularly dole out the soccer balls to Iraqi children, along with toys and candy.

"As we drive or walk down the road, you feel like you're the main float in a Thanksgiving parade. All the kids come to the side of the road and scream, 'Mistah, chocolate! Mistah, football!' and 'Mistah, dope (stuffed animal)!' Every day, it's like this," Zinchuk said.

On Nov. 16, Zinchuk, who is with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines out of Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, wrote his mother and SAD 44, thanking donors for soccer balls and other toys. Due to security reasons, he can't say where he is stationed. His first deployment was from March through October 2006. He returned this past August.

"I greatly appreciate everything that you all are sending. The kids are very happy ... Other than being the Santa Claus of Iraq, there's not much going on. It's still really quiet, with not much violence going on at all. I think the Iraqis are starting to realize that fighting isn't the way to get rid of us, so now the people have come out from hiding and they have started to rebuild their cities.

"Driving down the road, you constantly see contractors with their workers rebuilding or clearing out rubble from earlier on in the war. It's actually starting to look like people could live here, even though they were here the entire time. All the schools have opened up and hospitals are starting to open around the cities, as well," he said.

Their goal, Zinchuk continued, is to get the Iraqis to become self-sufficient.

"In some ways, we have met our goals, but there are other things that none of us here on the front lines can control, and all we can do is hope that the Iraqi government can get their act together and take care of their people, regardless of religion and other beliefs.

"I find it weird that I truly do worry about the fate of this country. I guess the innocent children have grown on me. They deserve better lives. No one deserves the lives that these kids have lived for the past four or so years. There are a lot of people that want change over here and are willing to take Americans' advice, a lot more than just three months ago.

"We're making a difference in a smaller picture, but like I said before, the fate of the country rests on the higher powers now," Zinchuk said.


Ellie