In just a couple of months, Master Sgt. William Chang and other Hawaii Air National Guard members have collected and distributed more than 450 soccer balls to Iraqi children on the streets. Chang, who is part of the 297th Air Traffic Control Squadron at Kalaeloa, asked the Star-Bulletin in January to help publicize "Operation Soccer Ball." The project was recently started by the Kirkuk Regional Air Base's Rising Four foundation, which hopes to make a positive impact on kids through soccer. Chang said their Army brothers are currently distributing the balls for them. They usually take a bunch of soccer balls with them when they go 'outside the wire' on their missions. No specific street, just basically in the surroundings of Kirkuk City. He can be reached at maika@hawaii.rr.com