Photo By Tech. Sgt. Timothy Leddick | 439th Maintenance and Aircraft Maintenance Squadron members lay a rock foundation held...... read more read more
WAIMEA, Hawaii - Amongst the lush greenery here, during exercise Rally in the Pacific 2023, U.S. Air Force Reserve Airmen find time to participate in community engagement events such as assisting with local farms, local festivities and restoring a state park trail from burn damage.
RITP23 takes place in the Indo-Pacific region and involves more than 15 units across the joint force. And while it is an Agile Combat Employment exercise, a foundational competency and operational scheme executed within threat timelines to increase survivability, generate combat power and support the development of multi-capable Airmen, there also held an importance for community outreach and volunteer opportunities with the locals and their organizations.
RITP23 Airmen participated in a community event with Waimea Trails and Greenways, which included clearing debris and constructing a bridge for the local community.
Over 25 members from different jobs and units volunteered for the WT&G opportunity and were split into two groups: the debris-clearing group and the bridge construction. The bridge group was made up entirely of members from the 439th Maintenance and Aircraft Maintenance Squadrons.
What prompted the call for building a bridge along the park’s trail is the high traffic it receives amongst the community and how much it would benefit the community during heavy rainfall when a stream forms and blocks the path. A constructed bridge did exist, but a stream washed it away on December 19, 2022.
“It’s a completely community-based national park,” said Senior Airman Noah Harriman, 439 AMXS crew chief. “They don’t even get money from the government; they get it donated. Everyone uses it: schoolkids and people walking their dogs.”
The project began with a briefing and overview with Clemson Lam, the chairman of WT&G and Waimea architect, who also provided a hand in the project. They immediately laid the foundation once the team received an overview and direction.
A few members broke off to hoist lumber and logs to the site, and the rest of the team hauled rocks and galvanized fencing to hold the foundation in place. The project had lasted from early morning into the afternoon before Lam decided the team was at a good stopping point and insisted the WT&G crew could carry on.
RITP23 helped the community immensely in reconstructing the bridge that the county of Hawaii calls the Streamside Trail of Waimea.
1st Lt. Jack Wojewuczki, 439 AMXS officer in charge, is proud of the 100% participation from the 439 MXS and AMXS maintainers and their efforts during such community events. Before their involvement, he recollected a story of a schoolboy helping his sister cross the stream on a prior bridge before falling through. He finds solace in knowing his team provided a foundation the WT&G group could build and people can now safely cross.
“It’s important for us to give back to the community,” said Wojewuczki. “We’re being hosted here – and it serves as a functional purpose for the locals and pedestrians of the community.”
| Date Taken: | 09.25.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 11.28.2023 14:33 |
| Story ID: | 458202 |
| Location: | WAIMEA, HI, US |
| Web Views: | 49 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Building bridges, not dams: The 439th Aircraft Maintenance and Maintenance Squadrons volunteer in Waimea, Hawaii, by TSgt Timothy Leddick, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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