Lesson From Home Helped Orphan Rescue

Soldier In Baghdad Orphan Rescue Mission Had Unusual Expertise, His Wife Tells CBS News

(CBS)  For the past three months, the only way Kara Smith has seen her husband, Lt. Jason Smith, was as a small snapshot on her computer screen.

“Usually, I’m on here about every other day, sometimes it's for about thirty seconds and sometimes we can sit down for an hour and talk, which is nice,” she told CBS News’ Tracy Smith.

But last week, there was Jason, big as life, on the CBS Evening News. As Chief Foreign Correspondent Lara Logan reported, Jason’s unit rescued 24 Iraqi orphans — special needs children found naked and starving to death.

The soldiers brought them to a better orphanage, brought them supplies and toys — and brought them back to life.

It was a mission Jason was uniquely prepared for. Back home, Kara's a special education teacher.

He would sometimes visit her class. But his real education came from a guy named Michael, a 25-year old who's mentally challenged. He's Kara’s big brother.

Did Kara ever imagine that Jason’s experience with special-needs kids, with her brother, would serve him in Iraq?

“Who would have ever thought?” Kara said. “But what a wonderful thing that it did.”

Ever since they met in high school, Jason watched the woman he loved care for her brother — doing little things like brushing his teeth. It’s something she still does.

“Every morning and every night,” Kara said.

A simple act is “that human-to-human contact that they need so much,” Kara said.

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Find out how to help the orphans.
See the photos given to CBS News.
Watch extended video of Logan’s interviews with the soldiers who rescued the orphans.
Read Lara Logan's reporter's notebook on this story.

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So when Jason visited the orphaned boys, he knew just what to do.

Pictures on the CBS Evening News showed Jason brushing one of the orphans’ teeth.

A soldier's wife rarely gets to see her husband in action, but seeing him, especially in this situation meant everything to Kara.

“That one mission made it completely worth it to me,” she said. “The entire time he's gone, no matter how long it is, just knowing that 24 children came out alive and now have an endless future, who knows what it may bring because of that one day, it was all worth it. No weapons had to be fired, everyone lived in the end, it was wonderful and they all came out heroes.

[hollycordova]

I am so proud of our soldiers, especially the 2nd Platoon. It is refreshing to see something on television that isn't about bombings and shootings and killings. I am touched by this story and believe that there should be more stories like it. We don't always see the good things about our American Soldiers being deployed to Iraq, but they are over there making a difference! LT Jason Smith, his wife Kara, and the 2nd Platoon are an inspiration to us all!

[dtripr]

Thank you for not turning your back on those who cannot care for themselves, by waiting for someone else to do it. What a true gift. :-)

[zootallures2]

It's the exact same place in both pictures. The better orphanage is the same place as the original orphanage. This is your idea of PR? Not even Alex Jones in one of his on-air rages could express what I'm thinking right now.

[neoconrcrazy]

This story has been milked dry.

Let's call it tragic relief and be done with it.

The real problem isn't orphans - we're too late for that - our illegal and agressive war has created ten of thousands of orphans in iraq.

The problem is our presence is creating more violence and more dead mothers and fathers.

Withdrawn our troops to iraqs borders - disengage from sectarian, civil war, and let the iraqis settle their problems. they are smart enough to do it themselves.

[peaceforusa]

You know they had to over do this story because it is probaly the only good thing that has happened during this war. All the death and destruction everyday put this one rescue right on top to show that they are making "progress". It is Bush's way of keeping our soldiers in Iraq to die. His attitude and disregard for human life has brought his ratings to an all time low, so this one good thing is the only thing he has to hold on to.

[ximetmongrut]

RIght, it's great to see the US army doesn't forget to brush the teeth of the children whose parents they killed.
This is so sweet!