C-17 crew delivers school supplies to island children

Published March 17, 2008
By Maj. Bill Walsh
315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

MELVILLE HALL, Dominica -- Among the lush palm trees of this tropical Caribbean island, there are children in need of basic school supplies like pencils and paper. Delivering these and other materials was the mission of an Air Force Reserve crew from Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.

After Lt. Col. Mike Phillips of the 300th Airlift Squadron landed on a runway about the size of a postage stamp, U.S. Ambassador to the Eastern Caribbean Mary Ourisman along with a delegation of local officials welcomed the crew to this small island country just north of South America.

"This is really people helping people," said Ms. Ourisman as she greeted the crew. "As a country, this is what we do best."

Along with the ambassador, the C-17 crew was greeted by local members of "Good News," an organization that helps coordinate and distribute needed supplies throughout the island.

"We will share these supplies between the schools and the hospitals," said Jude Jean, an island native and "Good News" member.

One of the mission's loadmasters, Staff Sgt. Chantal Olski of the 300th Airlift Squadron, reflected that of the many missions she has flown, these are always the most rewarding.

"A lot of times you fly a mission to a place and really don't get much out of it because you're there and gone. This time you see the people and see how much this helps them," said Sergeant Oliski as she waited for a forklift to unload the Denton Cargo pallets of donated goods.

The Denton Program allows donors to use space available on U.S. military cargo aircraft to transport humanitarian goods and equipment to countries in need. (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)