Soldier from Jacksonville collects and distributes needed items to Afghani children

Each time Army Spc. Moises Salgado pulls a writing pen from his shirt pocket, it reminds him of the extreme poverty facing the people in Afghanistan.

That fact left its indelible mark when the soldier from Jacksonville, who returns to war-torn Afghanistan on Monday after two weeks’ leave, handed out a few pens to Afghanis shortly after arriving in Bagram in the spring.

"I had nothing to give the Afghanis when I met them except for a couple of pens," he recalled. "They got really excited about that. They hadn’t had pens before."

The next time he brought a bunch of pens that his wife and one of their friends had sent him.

"I just about got mauled this time," he said. "They go crazy about pens. It’s amazing.

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"They would write on their hand and smell it," he added. "It was the coolest thing to see."

Back home, his wife, Laura, did some research and discovered that the religious-based Taliban government had severely restricted access to pen and paper.

"That got me thinking about the things we take for granted," he said.

It also got him and his wife thinking about ways to help the Afghani people. With the aid of friends and relatives, they launched a humanitarian effort to provide school supplies and other items, including pens, pencils, pencil sharpeners, notebooks and backpacks.

They are also collecting blankets, baby formula, cloth diapers, toys, clothes that are either new or in good shape, shoes and hygiene kits.

They already have sent about 2,000 pounds of items and are collecting more.

"It’s hard for me to see the conditions some of these kids are in," said Salgado, noting their son, Miguel, is 6. "And when I see our soldiers playing around with the kids, it makes me think of our son."

Although the Salgados have their religious beliefs, they are quick to observe that religion is not part of their effort.

In fact, they ask that no religious items be included in the donations. Barbie dolls, toy guns and military-type toys also are not acceptable.

"We are just reaching out to help these people," he said. "We don’t want to try to put our religions onto anybody. We just want to help. We want them to know that we care."

Salgado, 30, is stationed at an Army base near Bagram where he is an early warning systems operator in air defense radar.

"Workers that come on base usually have on pieced-together clothing," he said. "They wear whatever they can find.

"Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world, and one of the most difficult to live in," he adds.

Although his job requires that he spend most of his time on base, he has witnessed enough poverty and heard enough stories about the needs of the Afghanis.

"I feel kind of guilty because there are other guys out there in hotter zones," he said of fellow soldiers serving in the rugged country. "I figure one way to help make a difference is help those in need."

In this case, he figures the pen may be as mighty as the sword in terms of helping convince the Afghanis that they are there to help.

"They are really cool people," he said. "Before I met any of them, I thought they would be mean. They aren’t. They just want to survive."

Salgado is no neophyte when it comes to living in different cultures. Raised in Brooklyn, he spent 18 months in Puerto Rico, lived in Medford for eight years and spent a hitch in the Marine Corps before joining the Army.

"I’ve been all over the place," he said.

When he returns to Afghanistan next week, he plans to continue the humanitarian work from there.

"We’re sad about him going," his wife said. "We will miss him when he’s gone. But at least he’s fortunate enough to have a safer job than many people over there."

The humanitarian efforts they will be working on together will also make them feel closer, she noted.

Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or e-mail him at pfattig@mailtribune.com

How to help

Humanitarian Assistance, HHC, CJTF-76 (HA NCO CJ9) APO, AE 09354

The Medford Wal-Mart store has a drop-off box for the effort.

The Salgados are seeking sponsors as well as donations to help defray the postage costs.

For additional information, the Salgados can be contacted via e-mail at miguelly@hotmail.com.