Joint forces volunteers donate time, goods

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Carlos Diaz
  • U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs
KABUL, Afghanistan (AFNEWS) --  Volunteers made a community relations trip to a refugee camp on the outskirts of Afghanistan's capital city and successfully distributed clothes and toys.

More than 40 U.S. and coalition servicemembers and Department of Defense civilians donated their time and effort to distribute the goods to refugees March 16.

"The main purpose of this outreach program is to help the needy in Afghanistan," said U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Christopher Herrera, religious program specialist at Camp Eggers.

Two-hundred bags of clothes were given to approximately 1,000 family members, Petty Officer Herrera said.

Depending on the size and specific donations, volunteer community relations trips can be done weekly.

A VCR trip requires extensive coordination.

"Every week, we conduct a volunteer community sort to determine what supplies we have," the 31-year-old Sailor said. "We often receive boxes from all over the United States from people who want to help.

"From there, I pull from our volunteer list and then we assemble force protection convoys, distribution and child diversion teams," the petty officer said.

Child diversion teams are created to keep the children's attention during the distribution.

As soon as the convoys arrived, the children ran, shouted and jumped with joy.

The children posed for many of the flashing cameras that filled the scene. Smiles magically appeared on their humble faces as uniformed men and women began to play with them.

A U.S. Marine showed a child a photo while several children mobbed around him and rubbed his close-cropped hair.

"There's just something about seeing a child's smile that has a universal feeling ," said Marine Maj. Brian Rush, from the Human Resources Division of the Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan.

The major is new to the area and he quickly volunteered for this opportunity.
"The more you help, the more fulfilled you become," said the major, a father of two children.

To help achieve this fulfillment , U.S. Army Chaplain (Maj.) Larry Shaw uses this outreach as a lesson to learn about oneself.

"It's an opportunity for me to share my love for humanity," Chaplain Shaw said. "These children have lived in war-torn communities their whole lives and to see that we have something else to offer is gratifying."

Chaplain Shaw enjoys seeing the hugs and handshakes being shared by many of the children.

That type of affection is like a gift to them, the chaplain said.

The children displayed a gleam of hope as the volunteers played games, provided piggy-back rides and gently tossed them in the air.

Several children grasped the adults' hands. Those hands looked like catcher's mitts in comparison to the children's tiny fingers.

During the distribution, a line was formed and bags of clothes were handed to the Afghan adults. The families carried the bags to their homes, run-down buildings riddled with holes and stained with ashes.

The children waved their hands goodbye as the military team departed.

"I think this volunteer effort does a lot for our military members who miss their own children," said Air Force Maj. Demetrius Walters, from the CSTC-A Police Reform Division.

"Helping these children gives our folks a chance to hug and play with other children who desperately need the affection and attention," said the major, the father of two toddlers.

"We have a responsibility to care for people without a voice," said Navy Chaplain (Capt.) James Fisher.

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