|
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (3/29/2012) - The program, called
Operation Care, is a volunteer organization comprised of military
and civilian members serving in the Afghanistan theater of
operations, said U.S. Army Capt. Kenyarda Chambers, a native of
Alexandria, La., and Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 11th
Theatre Tactical Signal Brigade, Task Force Signal commander.
|
U.S. Army Maj. Debra Doolittle of Milwaukee, Information Technology Officer, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, Task Force Poseidon, hands out a bag of donated clothes to an Afghan
boy March 27, 2012 at El Salam Egyptian Theater Hospital on Bagram Air Field. Doolittle said that volunteering with Operation Care helps to give the locals a better perspective of coalition forces. Photo by Army Sgt. William Begley
|
|
Chambers is Operation Care president in Afghanistan and added the
program is dedicated to the welfare of the people of Afghanistan and
coalition forces located on remote Forward Operating Bases who don't
receive care packages on a regular basis.
The volunteers
distributed bags of clothing and various personal hygiene products
along with snacks and toys for the children.
U.S.
Army Maj. Debra Doolittle of Milwaukee, 82nd Combat Aviation
Brigade, Task Force Poseidon information technology officer, enjoys
volunteering. She helped the other volunteers fill the bags of
clothing and goods the night before the operation.
“This
gives the local nationals another viewpoint of coalition forces,”
said Doolittle. “This is one of those good news stories that you
don't hear about. We're doing good things here and showing the
locals that we're good people. We are providing for those that don't
have because we care.” |
U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Herbert Duvernay of San Jose, Calif.,
HHC, 11th TTSB, TF Signal, highly recommends that service
members volunteer for causes like Operation Care.
“It's my job to make sure that my soldiers are mentally,
physically and spiritually fit,” Duvernay said. “We're trying to do
something positive in this world. We try to spread the good.
It has a positive effect.”
Some service members who
are deployed have free time that they need to fill. Most
agree time goes by faster when they stay busy. Little things
like volunteering help pass the time and make them feel
great while doing it.
That's one of the reasons why
U.S. Army Spc. Alexandra Kaaihue, an administrative clerk
with the 11th TTSB, TF Signal, is a volunteer. It helps her
keep things in perspective.
“It feels awesome to
share what we take for granted as Americans,” said Kaaihue,
who hails from Mannheim, Germany. “Some of these people
don't even have shoes. We have so much that we take for
granted daily that it makes me feel like I'm giving
something back if just one of these families can use what's
in these bags.”
By Army Sgt. William Begley
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2012
Comment on this article |
