Category Archive for 'Humanitarian Assistance'

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Every week, military members, contractors, DA and DoD civilians, coalition members, local vendors, and people from the embassy and the State Department, come together and prepare donated items for distribution to our poverty stricken Afghan brothers and sisters. We’re used to that “miracle.”

U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Tonya Wright colors with Iosroe, age 6, at the Guelleh Battal school in Djibouti on Feb. 13. The Community Assistance volunteers from Camp Lemonnier spend time with the students to build better relations with the local community. Photo by Master Sgt. Carlotta Holley

“It’s all about engaging with the kids and building better relations with the local community all while having fun,” said Otters. “Being on camp can make some service members feel stressed, but when you come and play with the kids and you see their smiling faces, you can’t help but feel good and have a good time.”

Iraqi police and U.S. Soldiers carry a bag of book bags to a school in the Faylaq neighborhood during their combined humanitarian mission, Dec. 22. Photo by Pfc. Jessica Luhrs

Three hundred Iraqi schoolchildren in the village of Faylaq, near the Iraqi city of Kirkuk, Iraq, were treated to a surprise donation of school necessities Dec. 22.

In an effort to improve education in Kirkuk, Iraqi police and members of the Al-Atyah Women’s Organization, assisted by Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, attached to1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, donated school supplies for children.

East African Community military members line up to board a CH-47 Chinook for transport to a range, Kitgum, Uganda, Oct. 20, 2009. Combined forces from the East African Community and the United States are working together during Natural Fire 10 to learn from each other. (US Army photo by Spc. Jason Nolte)

“I think the greatest accomplishments are the relationships that were fostered and created during the exercise and will continue as we go into the future and [the potential to] maintain these relationships as we work to achieve self-sustaining African security capacity,” the general said.

Spc. Samantha Greeninger, an Army Reserve medic from Cincinnati, Ohio, assigned to the 629th Forward Surgical Team of Columbus, Ohio, and a Ugandan medic named Edwin entertain Ugandan children waiting for treatment at the Pajimo Clinic in rural Uganda.

The medical outreach continued every day for a week, part of a U.S. Army Africa exercise, Natural Fire 10, in which the United States and five East African nations (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi) practice disaster relief and medical outreach. The intent was to learn each other’s skills and procedures so that they will be able to operate more effectively in the event of an actual disaster.

“What we’ve started doing in Africa with the different countries we’re working with is going to go a long way to stabilizing the region, even when we’re not here,” Boyer said.

Uganda Peoples Defense Force Staff Sgt. Alex Agudio along with Seabees from the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 arranges the back piece of a form in place. A form is constructed at the foundation of a bridge and is used to hold concrete in place while it dries. The NMBC 3 detachment, ported in Hueneme, Calif., is currently deployed to Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa, and is schedule to complete the bridge in January 2010. Photo by Staff Sgt. Ronald Lafosse

“It rains almost every single day here, which we know is a blessing to the Ugandans, but it makes for a challenging project, especially working on a drainage feature crossing,” said Daly. “This is exactly the kind of work we joined the Navy to do, so the chance to do it, regardless of the environment, is exciting.”

Sgt. 1st Class Maryfaith B. Payne, 17th Fires Brigade, medical operations NCO soothes this young child as his mother is seen by a member of the 14th Iraqi Army Division medical staff. "As a mother myself she and I shared something in common. The baby was tired and hungry and the mother was obviously becoming frustrated, we didn't have to speak the same languish, she needed a helping hand, and I was their to help."

“It’s really good to see the people of Basrah receiving the help and assistance that they need from the Iraqi army,” said Spc. Christina R. Kreite, 206th Military Police Company, 17th FB and native of Long Island, N.Y. “We’ve been training them to handle these types of situations and there was a time when a crowd this large would have been a bit overwhelming for the Iraqi army. But this shows just how far they’ve come.”

A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter supporting 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division

“Getting out among the people has been a great experience,” said Sgt. Hugh Gunnerson, from Cannonsburg, Pa. “We can see the benefit of our mission in Iraq when people have something Americans sometimes take for granted, like clean water to drink.”

Lt. Kristen Christensen, assigned to CTF 53, helps teach English to a local student as part of a recurring community relations project sponsored by the Bahrain Disabled Sports Federation and the U.S. Embassy. Christensen was awarded the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal for her significant achievement in community service, Oct. 12, at a ceremony held in Bahrain. Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Carolyn Cerminara

The Task Force 53 commander recognized Lt. Kristen Christensen for significant achievement in community service today (Oct 12 2009) at a ceremony held in Bahrain, and awarded her the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.

Christensen was presented the award for her volunteer service to the local community during the past year in Bahrain, which she was responsible for planning and coordinating more than 80 projects, totaling 1,500 hours of community service.