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By LOCKIE GARY, Hardee County Extension Director

(Names of individuals, military units and specific locations have been purposely omitted for security reasons).

Most Americans would rather not think about the war in Iraq. Fewer still want to know the details of how and why an Iraqi widow whose insurgent husband killed by a U.S. Marine would join forces with al Qaida to be trained as a suicide bomber. Suffice it to say that al Qaida recruiters are being very effective with their persuasive offers of cash to support the children of suicide bombers after they are gone and the promise of entry into “ paradise ” for their active participation in jihad or Holy War. Widows being enticed are often gang raped in order to drive them deeper into depression and convince her that now she has shamed her family and the reputation of her former husband. Becoming a suicide bomber and killing infidels may become a logical choice.

The insurgency in Iraq is a different kind of war which requires a different kind of weapon. At the suggestion of a women’s group, the U.S. Marine Corps purchased 50 cows for 50 Iraqi widows in the farming area surrounding Fallujah, once the insurgent capital of war-torn al Anbar province.

The cow purchase was seen as a step toward re-establishing Iraq’s once thriving dairy industry. It may be a way of helping women and children hurt by the frequent failure of the Iraqi government to provide the pensions that Iraqi law promises to widows. Widows with no other income have a marketable product to sell as well as milk for their children. If the cow could be made to produce enough milk beyond the family’s needs, then cheese and yogurt could be produced as well and the widow might be able to hope for a brighter future. The intent of the program is not entirely altruistic, however. With a source of income and a glimmer of hope, widows may be less inclined to be recruited as suicide bombers and that could save lives.

Many of the widows given a cow were not “ cow people.” Not all the cows performed as predicted and there were other challenges. So the Marine Corps contacted Land O’ Lakes, the Minnesota cheese and butter company, to provide a trainer to instruct the widows in Dairy Husbandry. I feel privileged to be asked to train the Iraqi widows over three six-week deployments. I am now preparing for my second trip.

Land O’ Lakes was hired by the Marine Corps to examine the Iraqi dairy industry. Two Land O’ Lakes specialists conducted field research in the fall of 2008 and concluded that there was enormous growth potential for the industry in a milk-drinking, cheese-eating nation that can locally produce enough milk to satisfy only five percent of the demand.

In Iraq, as in most middle eastern countries, most of the cow work becomes the responsibility of the women, even in the presence of able-bodied men. The women milk the cows, bring the feed and fodder and are assisted by the children.

The cows for widows program has been greatly expanded beyond the original vision. The program suggested by Land O’ Lakes and approved by the U.S. Marine Corps involves market analysis, technical training in dairy cattle production, rehabilitation of a milk collection center and construction of a dairy processing plant.

None of the progress made to date could have been accomplished without the security provided by the Marine Corps. I found the Marines to be incredibly focused and highly professional. They are very interested in the project and have been helpful in every way. They made me proud to be an American and as an unarmed civilian I always felt safe in their custody, even in very touchy situations. May God continue to protect and direct their steps.

The other group of highly trained professionals with whom I had the pleasure of working were the ePRT (embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team). This group of approximately 20 subject matter specialists included military officers, civil affairs personnel, logistical specialists, a veterinarian, irrigation and crop specialists, a reporter, interpreters and translators. Their common purpose is to empower the local government to govern their constituents more effectively. Their full support and cooperation as well as their experience in dealing with local politics and understanding of the Iraqi culture have made my job of training in dairy husbandry more productive.

My Scope of Work includes providing a five week, stand alone teaching module on Dairy Cattle Husbandry translated into Arabic. Assembled for me to train were two groups of ladies at two rural locations near Fallujah. Each of the groups is being coordinated by a female veterinarian who attends each class. There are a total of sixteen students ranging in age from 28-60 years of age. About half of the students own cattle or have previous cattle experience. The student trainers were selected based upon their literacy, their reputation within the community, their people skills and their willingness to travel to farms to train vulnerable widows. They were asked to train ten of the most destitute widows in their immediate vicinity. They are being paid for their services and are being provided with training tools and livestock and veterinary supplies. Each and every class and field demonstration is carefully monitored by a local sheik selected by a group of sheiks to ensure that cultural sensitivity and propriety is observed.

My typical day included living in a tent, participating in a briefing by a Marine Staff Sergeant at 6:30 a.m., traveling “outside the wire” approximately two and one-half hours to our “classroom.” Upon arrival the Marines would normally search the area with dogs for explosives, conduct a first sweep of the area on foot, and carefully search each room of the buildings including the roof. I was asked to move briskly from the AMRAP (Anti Mine Armor Protected) vehicle into the building where the training takes place. Two female Marines would take one student at a time into a private guarded area and carefully and thoroughly search them before allowing them to enter the classroom. Classes would last for three hours. We were able to conduct several on-farm demonstrations but not without serious security concerns. Future farm visits may be in question because of our exposure. One of the greatest concerns with security involves establishing a predictable schedule. It is very difficult to contact students to change schedules and locations at the last moment. They must know well in advance where and when we will meet and therein lies the problem.

There are approximately 220 military camps in Iraq ranging from 25 soldiers to thousands. Many of these camps are being downsized or eliminated. Upon leaving I was asked to pray for a group of Marines. After my prayer a Marine approached me and very politely told me, “ Doctor Lockie, all of us appreciate your prayer and your sincerity but you are praying wrong. You see, we don’t want to come home. We want to go to Afghanistan.” These young men and women volunteered to serve. No one forced them to join the Marine Corps. They are focused on their mission, well trained and ready to serve. The morale among the 250 Marines with whom I had daily contact was excellent. They represent the best of America and are deserving of our gratitude and respect. When you see a soldier, go out of your comfort zone and thank them for their service. You’ll be glad you did.