Airmen and Sailors continue helping Soldiers here provide humanitarian assistance and support to the earthquake-affected people of Pakistan.

When they’re not fixing aircraft helping fight the war on terrorism, Air Force EC-130 Hercules and Navy E-6B Intruder maintainers have been helping 82nd Airborne Division riggers build containerized delivery systems. The containers have parachutes for air drop delivery.

Humanitarian aid has been flowing through this base since the magnitude 7.6 quake shook Pakistan, India and parts of Kashmir Oct. 8.

The Soldiers have been very busy since the earthquake hit, said Capt. Joseph Schmidt, a maintenance officer with the 41st Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron.

“Since our airplanes are in good shape, our aircraft maintainers offered to help build the CDSs (containers) to help the people of Pakistan,” he said.

Captain Smith, deployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., said although participants in this joint venture will probably never get a chance to meet the people they’re helping, it’s still worth the effort being put forth.

“Our Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors aren’t participating for medals, money or recognition,” he said. “They are taking part because they’re representing what America is all about -- hope for a better tomorrow,” said the captain from Muncie, Ind.

Each container, weighing about 1,800 pounds, holds a variety of humanitarian supplies. That may include bags of beans, rice and sugar; health, hygiene and tool kits; powdered milk; and winter clothes and water.

The joint team has assembles 150 containers since the multinational earthquake relief operations to Pakistan began, said Warrant Officer Daniel Christy. He is an airdrop systems technician with the division, deployed here from Fort Bragg, N.C.

“We worked around the clock for several days preparing CDS’s for airdrop into Pakistan,” the warrant officer said.

Mr. Christy said the joint effort has provide an estimated 80,000 pounds of humanitarian aid in both land and air drop.

Working in a joint environment is nothing new to Army parachute riggers, he said.

“Our response to the devastation that occurred in Pakistan only unifies the jointness people see on daily basis here at Bagram,” said Mr. Christy, who is from Greensboro, N.C. “In order to accomplish any mission in Afghanistan, it requires everyone to think joint in efforts to make things happen.”

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Lopez, from Electronic Attack Squadron 134 out of Whidbey Island, Wash., said he’s glad to help.

“It feels great to know we have yet another opportunity, alongside the Army and Air Force, to help others in need,” said Petty Officer Lopez, of Alta Loma, Calif. “Our efforts will hopefully make it a little easier for the people affected by this devastating earthquake.”

When the riggers put the word out for help, Airmen and Soldiers were ready to lend a hand and learn at the same time, said Tech. Sgt. Bryan Tenney. The fuels systems troop with the EC-130 unit said it did not take long for Airmen and Sailors to join in.

“This gave us all a chance to learn exactly what Army riggers do,” said Sergeant Tenney, of Columbus, Ga. “In turn, I think they learned those of us in the other branches of service are not afraid to get dirty, sweaty and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them when they need our help.”