Jamaica native serves with the US Army Reserves in Honduras

Photo By Sarah Lupescu | Spc. Kwame Doonquah, an engineer serving with Beyond the Horizon 2012 Honduras, is working with a team of engineer's to build a medical clinic at the Flores de Oriente construction site in La Lima, Honduras. He is part of an U.S. Army South exercise where military engineers and medical professionals provide services to rural communities.  

HONDURAS

05.22.2012

Story by Sgt. Sarah Lupescu  

70th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

LA LIMA, Honduras – A U.S. Army Reservist and Jamaica native is serving a four-week rotation with Beyond the Horizon 2012 Honduras, a civil-military exercise that is dedicated to working together with the Hondurans to provide and humanitarian and engineering assistance.

Spc. Kwame Doonquah, from Miami, Fla. and an engineer with the 758th Engineer Company, 841st Engineer Battalion, 926th Engineer Brigade, arrived in Honduras in late April. He is part of a U.S. Army South exercise where military engineers and medical professionals provide services to rural communities.

“I love it,” Doonquah said. “Honduras reminds me of going back home to Jamaica and it’s an opportunity for me to do something for others.”

Doonquah is working with a team of engineers to build a medical clinic at the Flores de Oriente construction site in La Lima. So far the engineers have poured a concrete pad, built the walls, and poured concrete into the walls for the clinic. Some additional work left to do includes installing caps on the walls, putting together the roof trusses, adding a roof, and pouring sidewalks.

“I’ve been able to contribute construction tips from some of my previous experiences,” Doonquah said. “When I was still living in Jamaica I did masonry work.”

For Doonquah, the best part of this exercise is the people, he said.

“Getting to talk to the local kids is what makes being here better for me,” Doonquah said. “I’ve also enjoyed getting to know a lot of new people and learning from their experiences.”

At home in Miami, Doonquah is a car salesman and the father of two children.

“I joined the military to set a good foundation and example for my kids,” Doonquah said.

He joined the Reserves in 2008. The BTH exercise is the first time he has traveled with the military outside of the U.S.

The BTH mission has been coordinated with the Honduran government and is planned hand-in-hand with a variety of other governmental and non-governmental organizations to creatively address the level and scope of care required with the availability of U.S. forces.

• Date Taken: 05.22.2012
• Date Posted: 05.22.2012 19:35
• Story ID: 88835
• Location: HN