Afghanistan-based Airmen revive adopt-a-village program

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jennifer Lindsey
  • 455th Expeditionary Operations Group Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan (AFPN) --  Afghan children and adults swarmed Airmen bearing gifts recently, marking the revival of Bagram Air Base’s adopt-a-village program.

To create more room for the almost daily arrival of clothing, toy and school supply donations from people worldwide, the program restarted with three distribution missions in two days. With eight pickup trucks loaded with goods, Airmen convoyed to the mountain villages of Kharoti and Dorani, and to the town of Jangadam on the first day, and to the neaby town of Hasankheyl on the second day. Donations included 50 bags of clothing, a pallet of drinking water, 40 personal hygiene kits, 25 blankets, and enough notebooks, pencils, pens, crayons, glue and teddy bears for more than 100 children.

The give-away seemed chaotic to many of the Airmen handing out the items, but the excitement was understandable. Ramadan, a time of personal denial and spiritual reflection, had just concluded the previous week. In addition, people here cannot simply drive to the local store for new shoes, pain reliever or pencils. The nearest shopping area is more than an 8-mile hike through a rocky, dry and barren desert. Also, many of the people do not have the money for such “luxuries,” officials said.

“It was a culture shock for me to see the way people here live,” said Senior Airman April Siler, a supply technician assigned to the 455th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron. She is deployed from Pope Air Force Base, N.C. “Sure, the men and children were out there for the things we brought them, but if it were the other way around, I would be too. It felt good to be able to share the things we could.”

For more than a year and a half, deployed troops have distributed food and clothing and medical technicians have provided locals with field treatment through the program.

Deliveries were put on hold through the summer and early autumn, as force-protection issues increased before Afghanistan’s presidential election Oct. 9.

Although the visits may be done with good will in mind, traveling “outside the wire” does not happen on a whim; the visits are well-planned operations. Office of Special Investigations agents work closely with village elders and local Afghan militia forces commanders to ensure U.S. troops' safety. Besides developing a detailed mission plan that includes security forces posting guard, the agents request that the villagers also provide security during the visit.

“It was a little uncomfortable to see men walking around with AK-47s, but it was an incredible experience,” said Staff Sgt. Christy Sullivan, noncommissioned officer in charge of services for the 455th Expeditionary Support Squadron. She is deployed from Travis AFB, Calif. “I got exactly what I volunteered for, to see children’s smiling faces and to help little kids here feel good for a while.”

Some deployed Airmen have forgone personal Christmas gifts, opting for the gift of giving instead. Adults in Lt. Col. Daniel Hawkins’ family residing throughout the United States are investing the money that would have been spent on goodies for each other to purchase school supplies and toys for local children. The first three boxes of supplies arrived just before the program’s revival, and the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group deputy commander handed out puzzles and games to Hasankheyl children.

The benefits of the program are mutual, officials said. It offers a venue for Americans to interact with local Afghans. It also goes hand-in-hand with the overall mission here -- to help rebuild the nation and to establish peace and stability throughout the region, said Master Sgt. Robert Nolen, a patrol master assigned to the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron. He is deployed from Hill AFB, Utah.

While Airmen handed out toys and supplies to children, Senior Airman Jason Weiss worked at helping ailing villagers. In three hours, the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group medical technician evaluated and provided field treatment for more than 60 men and children with the assistance of an interpreter. The most common ailments were flank and abdominal pain, and gastritis, all the result of unsanitary living conditions, said the Airman deployed from Spangdahlem AB, Germany.

“My goal is the same as the overall military goal here: Leave it better than we found it,” he said. “I offer pain medication and antibiotics, but it’s a temporary fix because their drinking water will simply reinfect them.”

The Airmen said they hope that the recent successful Afghan presidential elections will help the nation to continue to move forward in quality-of-life improvements including the rebuilding of clean wells, safe roads, hospitals and schools. Until then, programs such as this will continue their outreach to provide whatever relief they can to the local people.

“Unfortunately, (they are) in need of everything,” said OSI Agent “Kevin,” deployed from Lackland AFB, Texas, “but if I had to pick a few things, it would be over-the-counter medications, clothes, notebooks, pens and paper.”

With the opening of more schools in the past year, program coordinators are looking for donations of sporting goods and academic supplies.

People interested in making donations to the adopt-a-village program can ship the items to: Adopt-a-Village Program, 455 EOG/CCF, APO AE 09354.