ABU GHRAIB, Iraq - In the neighborhood of Abu Ghraib in Baghdad, the journey to school for children means crossing a treacherous road, but the U.S. Army may help change that.

Capt. Talgin Cannon, a member of the joint project management office from 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, traveled to the area to discuss a project to rebuild a footbridge with a local construction company manager April 6.

The footbridge was destroyed by an improvised explosive device about two years ago, he said, explaining that rebuilding the footbridge would allow safe traveling for the locals in the neighborhood trying to cross the busy road.

"The most important thing is the safety of the children here," said Cannon. "The bridge will help get these kids to school safely without getting hit by a speeding car."

According to several sources, including local Iraqi Police and District Area Council members, at least five children have been killed while trying to cross the busy road this year alone.

"For these kids it's like playing a game of leap frog with their lives every day to go to school and then return home," said Cannon, an Elkin, N.C., native.

For this very reason, reconstruction of the footbridge was the number one project nominated by the council members for completion in the area, which will be funded through the U.S. Army's Commander's Emergency Response Program, he said.

Iceland ash re-routes war wounded

(American Forces Press Service) - Ash from an Icelandic volcano limiting European air traffic has forced the U.S. military to reroute some American troops wounded in Afghanistan through Iraq instead of Germany, a military official said today.

Defense officials decided to transport war wounded to Balad, Iraq, to increase troops' level of survival and to maintain medical capacity in Bagram, home to the primary U.S. medical center in Afghanistan, Air Force Brig. Gen. Steven L. Kwast said.

While Balad does not have the same capacity as the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, where troops normally receive care before returning to the United States for further treatment, Kwast said, the military has taken measures to ensure care at the Iraq-based facility is comparable.

"The reality is that there is no degradation in care because we're going to Balad instead of Landstuhl," he said.

Kwast said the military is using flight paths that circumvent the ash plume when transporting those wounded and killed in action, albeit on different flights.