Airmen connect with Uzbeks through donations, volleyball

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • 416th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs
KARSHI-KHANABAD AIR BASE, Uzbekistan (AFPN) --  Six Airmen from here helped deliver needed medical supplies to a clinic in nearby Khanabad on March 3. Serving to strengthen ties between cultures, the Airmen rounded out their trip to the village with several games of volleyball at a local school with students and community members.

The trip was part of the ongoing Army humanitarian assistance program, and was the first to the village’s medical clinic. More than 400 Uzbek men, women and children attended the volleyball games.

“This mission helped by giving desperately needed supplies to the Khanabad school and clinic, neither of which could afford to buy them on their own,” said Lt. Col. John Stutts, 416th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron commander deployed here from Scott Air Force Base, Ill. “Perhaps more importantly, the mission brought us closer together as people so that the Americans who participate in these missions and the Uzbeks in the village or other areas we visit can see that we are really the same.”

Soldiers and Airmen from here have been making regular trips to the village in past weeks, but during this trip, the Khanabad medical clinic received medical supplies for the first time, such as bed pads and bandages, Army officials said.

While at the clinic, the military visitors received an ethnic meal made by the clinic staff.

“They wanted to be able to show their appreciation and honor us with such a wonderful meal as a sign of their gratitude, but (we) should be so thankful,” said Master Sgt. Regina Rumpf, a medical technician with the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron’s flight medicine clinic and deployed from the Missouri Air National Guard at St. Joseph, Mo. “We realized how rich they are as a community and in their culture. They are poor by financial means and very much in need of any assistance we can provide, but they are also (loving) people. They opened their hearts to us by showing us their medical facility (and) their school and not expecting anything from us, except to learn from us as well.”

Much of the same learning and understanding was seen by Senior Airman Jason Yarborough, a 416th Air Expeditionary Group communications and electronics journeyman deployed from Moody AFB, Ga.

“It seems like the feeling Uzbeks have towards Americans is good,” he said. “There’s a good relationship with this village, and continuing these humanitarian missions will only continue to improve those relations ... For a country that seems to have so little from an American perspective, they seem to enjoy everything they (have). The smallest thing given to them, such as a smile or even a piece of candy to the children, brightens their day.”

Airman Yarborough, like many of the others, was on his first humanitarian aid trip. He was also one of the Airmen playing volleyball with the Uzbeks. In the games, he first played an Americans vs. Uzbeks match, then a pair of mixed matches with Uzbeks and Americans playing on the same team.

“All I can say is that it was nice to meet some people from this country, and it felt great to bring donations,” Airman Yarborough said. “The volleyball was great fun as well.”

The visit also served as an icebreaker for cultures, said Tech. Sgt. George Cail, also a medical technician at the flight medicine clinic and deployed from the Georgia Air National Guard at Savannah.

“Despite language, customs and ethnicity, we all shared the same concerns about the people we care about,” Sergeant Cail said. “I was moved by their generosity and hospitality in this visit. Visits like these allow us to re-evaluate the things that are really important -- family, friends -- and they allow us to see the humanity of other countries.”

Staff Sgt. Donald Lister, of the 416th AEG transient alert, said with the visit, the most important aspect of it was brining supplies to the clinic.

“This humanitarian aid mission might help save lives at the clinic,” he said. “And it’s through these types of humanitarian-aid missions, bringing supplies and donations, where we’ll continue to help build good relationships with the local communities.”