A Soldier's service

In a state of confusion, conflict and change, communication is difficult if not impossible. Communication is made more difficult without the help of a common language.

One Wasilla native found that communication does not end when spoken language ceases between two groups. A common bond between two cultures can bring them together -- even if they lie on opposite ends of the social spectrum, in the face of a raging war. Athletics can be that common bond, or common language.

Isaac Moore found wrestling to be an international language. Moore, a 1995 graduate of Wasilla High School, former standout athlete in the Mat-Su Valley and officer in the United States Marine Corps stationed in Iraq until recently, led an effort to fund a struggling wrestling program in Iraq and restore its crumbling facilities.

Moore was contacted by a group of Iraqi wrestling coaches about staging a meeting between the Iraqi wrestlers and grapplers in the Marine Corps. The Iraqi wrestlers not only got the competition which they desired, but funding for improvements for the wrestling program, which they direly needed.

Moore's actions were part of the U.S. military's efforts to restore Iraq communities and an Iraq society shattered by the Sadaam Hussein-led regime. While the negative stories and the destruction is much of what is seen and heard by the general public and reported, Moore's efforts represent the positive of U.S. Military actions.

"Ninety-nine percent of what we do is positive," Moore said. Moore served in the second platoon, Lima Company, third battalion, seventh Marines since the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His platoon was based in Karbala, Iraq and according to Moore the Marines based in the town had distinct responsibilities.

"Our mission was twofold," Moore said. "First was security and second was to stabilize Karbala."

Moore explained that security involved patrolling the area and raids on those who smuggled arms and rallied support to hurt American troops, and added there were not that many. The second part of their mission was to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Karbala. This included maintenance and restoration of local facilities and maintaining the availability of basic utilities such as gas, water and electricity.

"Part of the stabilization (operations) is talking to the public, meeting people, showing them that we're there to help," Moore said. "We did things like painting schools and fixing schools. That was one of our biggest programs; anything to better the relations between the Karbalans and the Marines is a good thing.

"(The wrestling) project fit right in," he said.

Though there was still conflict in Iraq and Baghdad had just fallen, Karbala was not home to the social unrest one would think. "There was not that much tension," Moore said. "The relationship between the Marines and the locals was very good. They all saw us as liberators. Someone to give them more freedom, hope, etc.

"We were the first ones there. We did not know what the environment was going to be at first, so we pushed out a lot of patrols, guys talking to people, showing our presence and showing force, but the whole time trying to talk to people and let them understand we are there to help them. They caught on real quick."

Before the Iraqi wrestling coaches met Moore, Hussein Khadim, president of the local wrestling club, contacted the battalion headquarters and told them he was interested in setting up a wrestling match between the Karbalans and the Americans. The name of Moore, a star high school wrestler for the Warriors and standout collegiate grappler for Virginia Military Institute, was dropped.

A couple of days later Khadim sought out Moore. "The COG (Corporal of Guard) came up to me and said, 'Sir, there is some wrestler guy that wants to talk to you at the front gate,'" Moore said. "I told him to search him and show him in."

Despite the possibility of social tension, Moore was not apprehensive about the meeting.

"I wasn't really nervous," Moore said. "I didn't really know what we were getting into and to be honest I was extremely busy when he came to the gate.

"When I went out there I had remembered something," Moore said. "I had gotten word through the battalion that we are going to possibly set up a battalion wrestling team and I was going to be in charge of it. That was the last I heard of it until they said, 'Sir, there is some big wrestler guy to see you.'"

Moore met Khadim, who was accompanied by three of his coaches and a friend who was a wrestler in his 40s and an interpreter.

"As soon as I met them, they were all smiles," Moore said. "They were very, very cordial, very hospitable, a joy to work with." Moore said that the group discussed wrestling in Karbala and the Karbalans had questions for Moore, such as the experience levels of the Marine wrestlers. Moore told Hussein that his battalion included athletes who have wrestled in high school and may have wrestled one or two years in college.

"I asked them flat out, what they needed to further Karbala wrestling," Moore said. "That really fell into what we were doing, our mission." Khadim and his fellow coaches started to list what they needed -- air conditioning, mats and uniforms among others.

"I told them I can't make any promises, except I will try everything in my power to help," Moore said. Moore had the Iraqi wrestlers put a list of needs together, prioritize the needs and try to put a dollar figure on it and he would be by the next day to look at the facility.

"That is exactly how it worked," Moore said. "I went by the facility and we went over everything that the facility needed. The place had been looted during heavy fighting right before Baghdad fell. They took all the shoes, uniforms everything. The place had been robbed blind.

"First, we went over what could make the facility better," Moore said. "Then we made a list of things that could up their numbers.

"After that happened it was on my side," Moore said. "I went through the channels of the Marine Corps, which turned out to be very effective." After assessments, proposals and recommendations, Moore was able to secure funding for the Karbala wrestlers.

"The end result is we got $7,000, which in Iraq is a lot of money," Moore said.

After the money was granted, it was immediately put into use.

"I was shocked at how fast (it was started)," Moore said. Though he was building a good relationship with the Karbala wrestlers, Moore was a little apprehensive about handing the large sum of money over to almost complete strangers in one chunk.

"Though these guys were great guys and I loved dealing with them I still just kind of hate to give someone $7,000 and say go fix up the place," Moore said. "He could spend a few thousand on the place and go pocket the rest. Now he is a rich guy. They really don't have the same mixed economy over there, so you really don't know what you are going to get." Moore said due to a lack of time, he had to give Khadim the lump some.

"If I had the time and resources, I would have put something together where I give this much now and see a receipt," Moore said. To make matters more complication, Moore's battalion had suffered a mortar attack during this time.

"Once we got the mortar attack, patrol stepped up and security stepped up," Moore said. "As always there were a lot of tasks thrown at us. We were doing the best to accomplish a lot of things. I flat out didn't have enough time. I didn't want to put this on the back burner.

Moore said he told Khadim, "The only way to do this is I am going to trust ya. Please don't burn me on this and make it happen."

Moore began to see progress at the Karbala wrestling facility almost as fast as he was able to secure the money for the improvements.

"I stopped by a couple days later and I already saw progress," Moore said. "Building materials were there. I thought, 'Wow, this is great.'"

Two days later Moore saw that rooms had been painted and showers installed. Moore visited the facility again a few days later for an update on the progress. Due to time and personnel constraints, Moore had a small window of opportunity to see the progress, and just four men accompanied him on the visit. While visiting the facility, Moore asked Khadim to see the uniforms. The new uniforms were at the house of Khadim, and he offered to take Moore there and show him.

"I didn't have a radio, I didn't know where this guy's house was, but I trusted him," Moore said. "I kept three guys in the vehicle and took one wide-eyed lance corporal with me.

"Actually it is important for people to understand that what gets reported from Iraq is all the big stories -- fire fights and terrorist activity," Moore said. "What doesn't always get reported is there is a city like Karbala, religious cities. Karbala is almost 100-percent Sheit. Everybody is very peaceful, doesn't want to see any trouble, glad to see Sadaam Hussein gone and glad to see outside countries like the United States helping them.

"There is a very good feeling between everybody," Moore said. "Our most frequent problem is fighting off kids who just want to talk to the Americans.

"A lot of stuff comes up (in the news). A lot of bad stuff, and there is," Moore said. "But 99 percent of what is going on in Iraq is positive interaction between Iraqis and Americans. A lot of people don't want to hear that because that is not the big story.

"In that regard, I was not afraid at all to go to the guy's house," Moore added. "I was probably taking a risk, but not really, because I trusted the guy."

Once Moore and the lance corporal arrived at Khadim's house they were greeted with the greatest of hospitality, Moore said.

"As soon as we walked in the door, the Iraqi hospitality kicked right in," Moore said.

Khadim's sons offered them food and drink, and welcomed them into their home, and Khadim showed Moore the uniforms.

"He opened up the enormous cabinet filled with uniforms and shoes," Moore said. "I was like, 'Thank God I trusted this guy.'"

The biggest problem was Moore went without the aid of a translator. Khadim did not speak any English and Moore did not speak the language of Khadim.

"It was very difficult, but Hussein was very understanding," Moore said. Moore added that there were a number of times where he and Khadim met without the aid of an interpreter.

"We did a lot of business like that," Moore said. "He'd have stuff going on and I'd have stuff going on, so every once in a while we would come together and meet and there would not be any interpreters available. They were out on patrol, things that are obviously more important. We would have to just get by on hand and arm signals, pointing, stuff like that."

Within eight days of Moore handing the money to Hussein, the Karbala wrestling facility was complete redone. Just after Moore and Khadim had met, the pair organized the dual meet between the Iraqi and American wrestlers of the Marine battalion. With just two days to bring together a battalion team, Moore found 27 eager wrestlers.

"Some were doing this to see what it was like, but we had a very strong corps of wrestlers in the battalion. I didn't know how we got so lucky to have such outstanding wrestlers in the battalion," Moore said. "With a little more time we could have entered a college tournament and done some damage."

The Marine team included a three-time Arizona state champion, a two-time Pennsylvania state champion and Moore, an Alaska state champion and a qualifier for the NCAA championships.

On the day of the competition, Moore took two truckloads of American wrestlers to the facility. The Americans were greeted by a mass of people. "We got there and the place went nuts," Moore said. "The place was packed with people, wrestlers and spectators."

After warming up and practicing a bit on the map, Moore and Khadim decided that a dual was what everyone wanted. "The crowd wanted it, the wrestlers wanted it and that is probably what he and I wanted," Moore said.

Each coach chose their top 10 grapplers, and a dual competition was started. "They won a few matches," Moore said. "But we won the match. Everyone was cheering and excited. It was a good-natured competition."

Moore said the Iraqi wrestlers were very technically sound, but there was one big thing that separated the Karbalans from the Americans. "I don't know if it is because we are Marines or Americans, but we were much more physical," Moore said. "In every match, even if they had us technically, there was no question about who was more physical. Turned out it made a difference. Every Marine had that Big 10, Iowa style -- in your face, smashmouth wrestling."

Moore wrestled one of the Karbala coaches in the event. "The crowd went nuts when they saw he was wrestling," Moore said. "His technique was excellent, very smooth, but the guy was smaller than me. I probably had 20 pounds on him."

"I won the match and my hand was raised, but he had a big smile on his face and the crowd had smiles on their face. No bad feelings."