Winning their hearts and eyes
The folks at U.S. Central Command headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base aren't going to miss any opportunity, however small, to win the hearts of Iraqis.
That's where the eyeglasses come in.
Coalition forces, CentCom says, recently completed the delivery of 720 pairs of eyeglasses to residents of Rawah. Without the gift, residents there have no where to go to fix wayward eyes.
The U.S. government didn't pay for the glasses. Instead, they were donated by several organizations in Colorado, including the Fort Collins Lions Club.
“It’s great that there are people back in the states that are willing to help the people out here,” said Lance Cpl. Kyle J. Friel, a motor transportation mechanic with CA Team 5. “By helping the people, they are also helping our mission to aid the Iraqis in rebuilding their infrastructure."
*The O.P., military jargon for Observation Post, is your one-stop source for all things military in the Tampa Bay area: the latest news from the VA, what's happening at MacDill Air Force Base what's up with local troops deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Share your thoughts in the comments section and send your story ideas to the author.
William R. Levesque is the St. Petersburg Times military and VA reporter.
In a 20-year journalism career, he has covered Florida agriculture, the
courts, business, police and Pasco county government. He was the Times'
lead reporter in the Terri Schiavo case and also covered the criminal trial
of the Rev. Henry Lyons. He can be reached at 
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