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Reserve unit delivers humanitarian supplies to Guatemala

  • Published
  • By Capt. Marnee A.C. Losurdo
  • 512th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  They might not wear red suits or fly a sleigh with nine reindeer, but the 709th Airlift Squadron kept true to the holiday spirit of goodwill to all mankind. 

Performing the role of Santa's sleigh Dec. 5-6, a Dover Air Force Base, Del., C-5 Galaxy packed with 64,000 pounds of cargo was delivered to the Guatemala City International Airport to assist a local grade school and orphanage. 

This load included a variety of materials, including the kitchen sink. 

"We delivered kitchen items, clothes, dressers, desks, beds, wood and corrugated metal to help sustain and repair a (kindergarten through sixth grade) school and orphanage," said Tech. Sgt. William Adkins, 709th AS C-5 instructor loadmaster who interacted with teachers and volunteers. "The supplies were downloaded and then delivered by boat to the school and orphanage, which was about five hours from the airport. Everyone we dealt with there was very friendly and appreciative. We gave them tours of the airplane, and they loved it." 

The humanitarian mission was part of the Denton Program, a Department of Defense humanitarian assistance transportation program that utilizes space available military air, surface and sea-lift assets. 

"The Reserve and Guard pick up a lot of these missions, because we are able to use our training missions to deliver cargo, such as medical and educational supplies, and clothing and food, donated by charities or private donors to foreign nations who need it," said Lt. Col. Harlan Nelson, 512th Operations Support Flight chief of current operations. "These missions not only ease human suffering but support U.S. foreign policy objectives." 

The program is jointly administered by the Department of State, DoD and the U.S. Agency for International Development. USAID assists more than 100 countries in a variety of areas such as agriculture, education, health and humanitarian assistance, according to their website. 

To participate, charities or private donors complete an application online at http://dentonfunded.ohasis.org. The application is reviewed and has to be approved by the USAID, DoS and DoD. 

"Serving on a humanitarian mission such as this gives you a good feeling," said Sergeant Adkins, who said this was his second humanitarian mission. "It's nice to be able to help people in need and serve the Air Force in other ways in addition to the strategic military airlift mission."