Courtesy Photo | Army Staff Sgt. Kevin Harris, of the 43rd Joint Logistics Command at Bagram,...... read more read more
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By Navy Chief Petty Officer Eric Harrison
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – U.S. and Republic of Korea service members joined forces to aid the community here April 25 as part of an ongoing outreach program to help Afghan nationals.
The program was set up by the U.S. and Korean hospital staffs, along with the chaplain staff at the 43rd Area Support Group, Task Force Provider, as a way to give medical care and supplies to local nationals in need.
According to Air Force Chaplain (Maj.) Abner Valenzuela, from Little Rock, Ark., these types of joint efforts are a great way to help out while people serve in Afghanistan.
"It's an opportunity for our folks to see another side of the mission," said Valenzuela. "It's a way for them to interact with the locals and also serves as a morale booster for our guys."
This was the seventh community relations project that the U.S. Hospital staff has participated in since arriving at Bagram in January.
"By the time we depart Bagram, we will have done 11 missions," said Valenzuela. "We will have had the opportunity to help nearly 1,600 people."
Not all of the Afghan people who have participated in the projects are from the surrounding area, according to Valenzuela.
"You'd be surprised that a lot of these people come from all over the place."
The interaction between the U.S. hospital and the Korean hospital helps foster a strong relationship among the community on Bagram while providing a service to the Afghan people.
"We have a good working relationship with the liaison officers at the Korean and Egyptian hospitals," said Valenzuela. "It's a win-win situation for everyone."
The key to successful community relations projects such as this is the support of service members at Bagram who help hand out supplies and interact with the Afghan people.
People are eager to participate, said Valenzuela. The event only requires about 20 people to help out, but we get more than that, he said.
One volunteer, Army Staff Sgt. Kevin Harris, of the 43rd ASG, helped hand out supplies at the project, which is just a fraction of the nearly seven tons of donated items sent in from around the world.
"Projects like this give us a chance to give back to the community," said the Macon, Miss., native. "You see the kids get all happy and excited when you give them things and it lets us know that we're making a difference."
Republic of Korea Army 2nd Lt. Hyung Lee, liaison officer for 924th Medical Support Group at the Korean hospital, said that aid projects such as this allows coalition service members to help out.
"It is a very good opportunity to meet local Afghan nationals at the Korean hospital," said Lee. "We recently reopened the hospital and it's a chance for the local nationals to be treated here."
According to Lee, the Korean hospital provides a unique place to give medical care to Afghan people.
"We brought with us high quality medicine from Korea, so we can provide the Afghan nationals with high quality medical care."
In addition to handing out medicine, the staff at the Korean hospital also provides wellness checks, blood pressure checks and immunizations.
| Date Taken: | 04.30.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 04.30.2007 12:46 |
| Story ID: | 10187 |
| Location: | BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF |
| Web Views: | 431 |
| Downloads: | 380 |
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