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Air Force Reserve aircrew delivers humanitarian supplies to Nicaragua

  • Published
  • By Capt. Marnee A.C. Losurdo
  • 512th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  A C-17 aircrew from Dover's 326th Airlift Squadron airlifted 18,000 pounds of humanitarian cargo to Nicaragua Jan. 17-19.

Onboard were desks, chairs, file cabinets and books for the new library at Ave Maria University, Latin American Campus, in San Marcos, Carazo. The school is a one-hour drive from the Managua International Airport, where the Air Force Reserve crew delivered the supplies.

"About three years ago, the school began constructing a new library as the original library was too small," said Elizabeth Garcia, director of library services, who's been employed by the university since 1995. "The library will benefit the 450 students who attend the university and the 600 students who are learning English at the language institute on campus."

The U.S.-accredited university has been open for 15 years. It is a branch of Ave Maria University in Naples, Fla.

"The Florida campus donated these supplies through the Denton Program," said Mrs. Garcia, an American whose husband is Nicaraguan. They moved back to his native country in 1979.

The Denton Program uses available military air, surface and sealift assets to deliver humanitarian cargo donated by charities or private donors. The program is jointly administered by the Department of State, Department of Defense and the U.S. Agency for International Development. USAID helps more than 100 countries in with agriculture, education, health and humanitarian assistance, according to the USAID website. From 1990 to 2008, USAID has provided $1.37 billion in assistance to Nicaragua.

Nicaragua is the least densely populated country in Central America with 5.7 million people, according to USAID. The country is one of the poorest in the Western Hemisphere. Almost half of the nation's population lives in poverty, which affects women and children most severely, according to Unite for Children.

"This is probably one of my favorite Reserve missions because it's humanitarian," said Lt. Col. Mike Miller, 326th AS director of operations. "This is a very noble mission as we are helping people less fortunate than us. It's a chance to give back."

The Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard conduct many of the Denton missions because they are able to use their training missions to deliver the humanitarian supplies.

"This is great overseas training for us because Central America can be a demanding flying area as there are language barriers and the terrain is difficult," said Colonel Miller. "Also, radar coverage is not as good, and airfields are not as well prepared as in other parts of the world."  (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)