| Tom Murt |
Abington, Pa. -- When Penn State Abington academic adviser Tom Murt was deployed to Iraq about a year ago to help safeguard civil-affairs missions, as well as his company commander, it wasn't exactly his dream job.
Still, Murt, 43, understood the important role he was playing in stabilizing the region in the wake of the war in the region, and decided to maximize his impact. So instead of just performing his tasks with cool efficiency, Murt -- who is still in Iraq -- has taken the extra step of befriending the Iraqis he comes in contact with, especially the children. He has gone above and beyond the call of duty to try to make their lives a little bit happier during this time of national unrest.
Murt, who is stationed in Tikrit, has been corresponding with his co-workers at Penn State Abington ever since his deployment, sending stories of his personal experiences and photos back home, in exchange for well-wishes from the campus.
He also pointed out some basic things that would make life a bit better for him and his fellow servicemen, such as gloves, magazines, toiletry items, etc., and the Penn State Abington campus community and some neighborhood businesses came through in a big way, sending the items overseas in large quantities.
A few months ago, when Murt became dismayed at the treatment young girls receive in Iraq, he asked for his co-workers on campus to send their costume jewelry overseas, where he could then distribute it to the girls. He also requested some necessities for the children, including clothing, toys and school supplies. He wound up getting 35 boxes of goods from Penn State Abington, as well as scores of items from area businesses and organizations that also wanted to help.
Betty Mason, staff assistant for the registrar at Penn State Abington, said of the effort, "We only did for him what Tom would have done for anyone else. When we saw the photos Tom e-mailed us showing the girls wearing the jewelry, it put many smiles on our faces."
Murt said via e-mail many of the Iraqis he has come across have a new found respect -- and in many cases, appreciation -- for Americans. "By working with the children and villagers, we have a golden opportunity to teach them that we are not their enemy," he wrote.
Murt hopes to return home within the next two months, and he is no longer seeking donations.
For pictures, check http://live.psu.edu/still_life/2004_03_11_murt/index.html