Col. James Horton (center) returns a "wai" to young Thai students of Ban Don Phawa School Jan. 30 in a rural village outside of Korat, Thailand. The colonel, along with Group Captain Suksom Sukasam, the Royal Thai air force deputy exercise director (left) and Col. Anil Sankar, the Republic of Singapore air force exercise director, presented equipment donations to the school as a part of a humanitarian mission. Colone Horton is the 13th Air Expeditionary Wing commander for Exercise Cope Tiger 2008. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Renee Lee) Senior Airman Grace Peon gives a Thai family a toothbrushing kit at Ban Don Phawa School Jan. 30 in a rural village outside of Korat, Thailand. Airman Peon, a dental technician from the 18th Dental Squadron in Kadena Air Base, Japan, is part of a Pacific Air Forces medical team that provided medical and dental care to local residents of the rural village outside of Korat. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Renee Lee) Col. James Horton gives candy to a Thai student Jan. 30 at Ban Don Phawa School in a rural village outside of Korat, Thailand. Colonel Horton, the 13th Air Expeditionary Wing commander for Exercise Cope Tiger 2008, presented a donation of school equipment to the school on behalf of Pacific Air Forces and a PACAF medical team provided free medical and dental care to local residents at the school. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Renee Lee) PACAF team donates to Thai school by Capt. Renee Lee Cope TIger Public Affairs 2/1/2008 - KORAT ROYAL THAI AIR BASE, Thailand (AFPN) -- Pacific Air Forces Airmen, Royal Thai air force members and Republic of Singapore air force military members donated school supplies and equipment Jan. 30 to a local school in a rural village outside of Korat, Thailand. Historically a part of the humanitarian portion of Exercise Cope Tiger, the donation to the school was part of a multilateral community relations project, along with the RTAF and the RSAF, whose members also contributed equipment. PACAF's donation included computers, dictionaries, an LCD projector, toys and sports equipment. Col. James Horton, the 13th Air Expeditionary Wing commander for Cope Tiger 2008, presented the donation at a ceremony at Ban Don Phawa School along with the exercise directors from Singapore and Thailand. "I'm very pleased for the equipment," said Mrs. Suwatana Suwan, one of the 16 teachers at the school. "It's important to the students and it's good because the village is poor." "It's a way to enhance the quality of their education as much as possible," said Maj. Randy Ivall, the chief of contingency, plans and operations section of the 13th Air Force Surgeon General Office and lead planner for the humanitarian mission. The equipment donation followed a second Medical Civic Action Programs mission, led by 13th Air Force Surgeon General Office. Fifteen Airmen from across PACAF bases teamed up with respective teams from the RTAF and RSAF at the school to provide medical and dental care to the local residents Jan. 29.  "Medicine is an unobtrusive way to maintain good relations with countries," Major Ivall said. Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link) View the comments/letters page