Major Highways Project in Uganda!

If you are not familiar with the area, then allow to fill you in a little. Do you remember all those floods we read about and saw on TV a few years back? Well, many of those people were trapped, because bridges that were built there did not take into consideration the levels of the flood waters. Even with the bridges, they could not pass to higher grounds.

Please remember, I am not sure if this is where the floods occurred. I am just using this as a frame of referrence and a theory. Why? I'm so glad you asked!

Currently, the surface of the road is two meters above the river bed, but during floods the water level rises to nearly four meters high. The new box culvert bridge will accommodate for the flood water levels.

To fix this issue, the Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 40 will construct a box culvert bridge approximately 20 meters long and five meters wide. The project will consist of backfilling, compacting, reinforcing and re-grading the portion of the road near the culvert that is damaged. On the entrance and exit sides to the new box culvert bridge, the road will be reinforced for approximately five meters to ensure stability of the entire structure. The Seabees will also re-build the Walela Bridge so local villagers have another avenue to travel as well. [Continue reading.]

The Civil Affairs (CA), which is an arm of the CJTF-HOA (Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa), has taken this under their wing. Please read this artice to find out how far they have come and how far they have yet to go. Thank you.

HOA: Medics educate and Seabees complete project

Cross-posted at Rosemary's Thoughts.

For some reason, the Horn of Africa has gotten my heart. I can see it has gotten the hearts of many of our military men and women as well. They are doing such a fantastic job over there.

In this first article, the medical personnel are taking classes so that they can help those people who live in isolated areas. They just don't want them to die if they could prevent it.

CAMP LEMONIER, DJIBOUTI - In deployed locations, corpsmen and medics can’t be everywhere. It’s important for all service members to become Combat Life Savers so they can be trained in how to save a life in a remote location. The first few minutes of a traumatic injury are crucial to the victim’s survival, which is why it’s important to know at least basic life saving skills.
[...]
“It is just no longer plausible for the medics and corpsmen to provide all the initial care in the modern battle field,” said Ingemunsun. “They are limited and can not help everyone at one time. The more service members that get the proper training, the more people that can be saved.” [Continue reading.]

These people are certainly impressive, if not to you, to me. The deserve our Honor. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen of the Armed Services.

This next article is a sweet one. When I think of Seabees, I do not think of them doing anything on land. I know. They are not fish, but I just don't. Wait until you read this!

DJIBOUTI CITY, Djibouti – Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 spent the better part of June 13 cutting down trees at the Djibouti Hospital to make room for a community relations project that will include gazeboes that will improve the quality of life of the community.

The Djiboutians originally started removing the trees, but were unable to complete the project because they didn’t have the right tools. The director of the Djibouti Hospital asked Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa’s Charlie Company, 486th Civil Affairs Battalion for assistance. They in turn coordinated with the Seabees to get manpower and tools. [Continue reading.]

These guys are outstanding in my book, and they should outstanding your book as well!

1132nd Well Drillers increasing Camp Lemonier Water supply1132nd Well Drillers increasing Camp Lemonier Water supply

This is an article from Centcom.

19-Jun-07
Story by U.S. Army Capt. Jerord E. Wilson
CJTF-HOA19-Jun-07.

CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti – In preparation for the increase in personnel arriving to Camp Lemonier, the 1132nd Well Drillers of the North Carolina National Guard are hard at work improving the amount of water available for camp operations.

Within the last month, the 1132nd Well Drillers received a new well drilling rig capable of drilling through the toughest rock formations in Djibouti. The unit wasted no time in learning the intricate details of the new equipment and how to place it effectively into operation. Prior to this drilling event, they conducted a test to ensure the drilling equipment is fully operational before starting any job. [Continue reading.]

This one reminds me of humanitarian acts, but it is also a very important mission they are doing. Not only are they digging wells for water for the people there and themselves, but they are in the Horn of Africa (HOA). What is so important about the HOA?

I'm glad you asked. Do you remember the war between Ethiopia and Somalia? That is also located in the HOA. So is al Qaida. Connect the dots...

Military News: 30 May 2007

There are only two articles today. The first one is one that is close to my heart. For some reason, I really like to keep up with the Horn of Africa. This time, the article is about teaching and inspecting foods used in meals and medicines so that we may be able to reduce some of those horrific deaths from something so simple as washing our hands and other cleanliness details. Preventive Medicine Techs Keep Troops Mission-Ready.

This is an amazingly unheard article. Sometimes I get angry writing these, and that is why I mostly just give the first paragraph of an article. These people have done tremendous work, so much so that the terrorists don't even want to go there anymore! Yet, when do you hear about this? On the evening news? HA! Get your news here! :) Khowst PRT Winning the Fight in Afghanistan!

Spirit of America assists our troops in the HOA

The Spirit of America had recently dropped off 50 cases of schools supplies and the such to the 489th Civil Affairs Team. These are items that have been donated from all over the USA and beyond.

Service Organization Offers support.

The CA team recently conducted a village assessment and met with the local leaders in Mpeketoni. During their assessment, the CA team found the Lake Kenyatta Primary School building well taken care of and in good condition. However, the head teacher of the school said his students were in need of supplies.

Spirit of America donated items such as school supplies, soccer balls, toothbrushes and toothpaste, backpacks, and soccer ball pumps to the 489th CA team, which is assigned to the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa, Camp Lemonier, Djibouti. [Continue reading by clicking the title.]

This is just some of the good works they do.