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News | Dec. 21, 2007

Military Police give aid to local Iraqi boy

By U.S. ARMY SGT Daniel Blottenberger , 18th MP Brigade PAO

Native of Delta, Pa., Sgt. Paul Adams, a team leader and Philadelphia, Mo. native Cpl. Joel Hastings, also a team leader, both with the 401st Military Police Company, 92nd Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade piece together a wheel chair for a young Iraqi boy.
Native of Delta, Pa., Sgt. Paul Adams, a team leader and Philadelphia, Mo. native Cpl. Joel Hastings, also a team leader, both with the 401st Military Police Company, 92nd Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade piece together a wheel chair for a young Iraqi boy.

BAGHDAD – “You got to see this,” said Cpl. Nicholas Butler, native of Peoria, Ill., and team leader with the 401st Military Police Company, 92nd Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, over a hand held radio to his squad leader while performing Police Transition Team operations near the Ghazalia Police Station in the Mansour district of Baghdad, Dec. 1.

Squad leader and native of Hamilton, Ohio, Staff Sgt. Jonathan Stanifer rushed to the scene where Butler was talking to a local Iraqi boy and his father. The boy, 4–year-old Muntadher Basem Fahed, was born with a birth defect known as gastroschisis, the defect placed his intestines outside his body.

“Basem Fahed Mzeal (the boy’s father) told me that his son was born with his intestines outside of his body. I took down the information and told them I couldn’t promise anything but I would see what I could do,” said Stanifer, “When I returned, I immediately notified my chain of command about the event that took place in order to see what was available to help the boy and his family.”

The 92nd Military Police Battalion and 401st MP Co. responded with medical supplies, a wheel chair and some toys for the boy. Once the supplies were gathered and ready for delivery, the local Iraqi Police assisted in notifying the family who lived in the Shullah neighborhood.

Iraqi Police and Coalition Forces Military Police personnel coordinated to have the family brought to the Ghazalia Police Station Dec. 7 where native of Lometa, Texas Cpl. Mary Schultz, and a combat medic with the 401st Military Police Company treated the area and covered it to prevent further infection. The unit is now investigating ways the boy may get surgery to further treat his condition.