Green Country Marine Making Lives Better In Iraq

Most Marines are sent to war to fight, get dirty in combat and win the battle.<br/><br/>But one American Marine Battalion is in Iraq on a special mission.<br/>News on 6 anchor Terry Hood says theyâ€™re

Tuesday, January 2nd 2007, 10:00 am

By: News On 6

Most Marines are sent to war to fight, get dirty in combat and win the battle.

But one American Marine Battalion is in Iraq on a special mission.
News on 6 anchor Terry Hood says theyâ€™re fighting a different kind of battle, one of hope and healing. And one of those Marines is from right here in Green Country.

Corporal Jennifer Bix grew up in Sapulpa. When she graduated from high school she joined the Marine Corps, and is now changing lives half way around the world.

"When she goes in to do something she goes in to do her best," Jenniferâ€™s mother Becky Raper said.

Jennifer's mom says she's always been a tough little girl with a big heart.

The 21-year-old Marine is part of the U.S. Civil Affairs Detachment. They're in charge of making sure Iraqi civilians have what they need to survive. Sometimes that means giving them electricity, or even running water. One service the battalion provides is giving people money to rebuild when they have property damaged during the war. It also helps ensure Iraqi civilians are behind American efforts and they're not joining up with the enemy.

The military says projects like this one give the Iraqi people hope for a peaceful future.

"I know she likes what she's doing over there, she really likes meeting the people and stuff and helping them out," Raper said.

A Marine Combat correspondent recently featured Jennifer in a nationwide news release. It was sent to newspapers and TV stations all over the country. And that landed Jennifer on the front page of her hometown paper.

"You have to be pretty proud, you can't not be,â€ said Raper.

Jennifer's mom says she proud not only of the job her daughter's doing, but of the person she inspires everyone around her to be.

"I hope someday I can make her as proud of me as I am of her," Raper said.

Jennifer's scheduled to come home in February. She's stationed in California, but she's trying to transfer closer to Sapulpa.

Her mom says she'll just be relieved to have her back in the United States.

* Top photo courtesy US Marine Lance Cpl. Nathaniel Sapp