Photo By Amber Kurka | U.S. Marines Corps Lt. Col. David C. Cox, the officer in charge of the Combined Joint...... read more read more
LOP BURI, Thailand - A dedication ceremony was held Feb. 17, 2016, for the completion of a multipurpose building for the Banradbumrung School in Lop Buri, Thailand. The building was constructed by Soldiers from the U.S., Thai, and Indian Armies working together as part of international training mission Cobra Gold 2016.
Cobra Gold 2016 is the 35th iteration of the exercise and includes a focus on humanitarian civic action, community engagement, and medical activities to support the needs and humanitarian interests of civilian populations around the region.
The multipurpose building is one of six vertical construction projects to be constructed by combined task force engineers at various locations throughout Thailand.
“We have built something that will last for years and years and years to come, but more than that we have shown the people in this village that the U.S. is a positive light in this nation,” said 1st Lt. Breawna Davis, the site 4 U.S. project lead.
Davis worked closely with Indian Army Maj. Kuldeep Gautam and Thai Army Lt. Manon Wongpradu, to coordinate, schedule and guide the project to completion.
At the dedication ceremony, U.S. Marine Lt. Col. David C. Cox, the officer in charge of the Combined Joint Civil Military Operations Task Force for international training mission Cobra Gold 2016, said he was proud of the great work all of the Soldiers did on this site.
“Over the past month I have had the honor of touring Thailand to visit the six schools sites being built throughout the country, I will tell you: this is my favorite site. It demonstrates the best of what Cobra Gold has to offer, bringing together diverse cultures, diverse backgrounds from different nations, working towards a common goal,” said Cox.
Cox continued by saying he hopes that the relationships built through this project will inspire future generations to reach out and do good in their community.
“Hopefully the legacy of Cobra Gold will not be the relationships that we developed here, but it will be the relationships that will be remembered by the children who attend this school,” said Cox. “These children may be the soldiers that will be building buildings in Thailand in the future Cobra Gold 2025. I hope so.”
After the ceremony the Soldiers left to go their separate ways, and although new multi-purpose building at Banradbumrung School stands testament to the skills and relationships built through this project, some Soldiers were sad for the project to end.
Davis said, “It’s a relief and a heartache all at the same time. It’s done and it’s beautiful, and I want to celebrate; but at the same time it means it’s time to go back. It’s time to leave, and we’ve made some strong relationships with the Soldiers and the community here and so, it’s bittersweet.”
| Date Taken: | 02.17.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 02.22.2016 18:36 |
| Story ID: | 189451 |
| Location: | LOP BURI, TH |
| Web Views: | 22 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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