Staff Sgt. Erin Tallman
Combined Joint Task Force-82 Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Army Maj. Jeremy Mcguire, Kohe Safi Police Mentor Team leader, received his first stuffed animal at age 5.
This stuffed animal was a gift from his aunt, Marcy Grace Kelley, and he named it Bernice.
Aunt Marcy donated 200 stuffed animals to hand out to the Afghan children during the holiday season.
Her act of kindness gave Mcguire the incentive to name the humanitarian aid drop where he delivered these toys, Operation Bernice.
Afghan national security forces, assisted by Kohe Safi Police Mentor Team Soldiers, traveled to Angurdarrah and Gadaykhel to handout stuffed animals, blankets, radios and jackets to the local villagers, Dec. 18. The troops were joined by Abdul Whaid Khan, Kohe Safi Sub Governor and Mohammed Masoom Farzia, chief of police.
"Operation Bernice, to me, shows how the coalition forces, the ANP, Government leaders of Kohe Safi and people in the United States can work together ... to help the people of Afghanistan and demonstrate how the government is available to answer the people's grievances," said Mcguire.
Mcguire and his team will make multiple visits with the people of Kohe Safi throughout the rest of December.
After New Years day, Bagram PRT members will conduct a four-day medical engagement to northern Kohe Safi villages they visited during Operation Bernice.
"I think the drop went well. Just the presence of the female children was a great sign," he said. "Typically, in this area we have had a low female turn out for medical engagements. Operation Bernice gave us an insight that they may be very receptive to the medical engagement the Afghan government and doctors will be executing in January."