Third Army Civil-Military Operations Center provides training

CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT

03.12.2011

Story by Sgt. Ryan Hohman 

U.S. Army Central   

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – Members with the Third Army Civil-Military Operations Center provided civil affairs 101 and Joint Humanitarian Operations Center training to the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing’s new Theater Security Cooperation Division in the Kyrgyz Republic, March 5-17.

The main goal of the civil affairs 101 classes and JHOC training was to help the 376th AEW build a foundation that would allow them to conduct humanitarian aid missions within the Kyrgyz Republic. These missions will help build lasting partnerships and friendships for future civil-military cooperation.

“We went there to give them a little bit of training on how civil affairs units do humanitarian assistance. We wanted to give them a better understanding of what civil affairs does, how civil affairs operates and how to go about being a civil affairs operator,” said Sgt. Edward Cantrell, who serves as the operations non-commissioned officer, with the Third Army, CMOC.

The training will allow the 376th AEW to conduct both good neighbor programs and Overseas Humanitarian Disaster Assistance and Civic Aid Programs. The good neighbor program allows squadrons to donate their own money to small projects, ranging from 100 to 200 dollars, to help the local area by repainting walls, providing blackboards and putting in new doors at a local school. OHDACA allows the 376th AEW with U.S. Central Command the opportunity to conduct larger projects, ranging from 200 to 300 thousand dollars, to refurbish an entire school.

“The relationship between the Kyrgyz Republic and the U.S. Department of Defense is really close,” said Maj. Phillip Reynolds, who serves as the Civil-Military Operations plans officer, with the Third Army, CMOC. “The 376th AEW has a lot of energy, motivation with a young crew with a good head on their shoulders and will be able to get a lot of thing done.”

With this training the 376th AEW will be able to continue the Third Army mission of strengthening partnerships with countries within their 20 country area of responsibility by providing humanitarian aid missions within the Kyrgyz Republic.

• Date Taken: 03.12.2011
• Date Posted: 03.28.2011 08:54
• Story ID: 67854
• Location: CAMP ARIFJAN, KW