Hawaii engineers reach out to rural Thai community, leave legacy

02.05.2009

Story by Spc. Joanna Amberger 

National Guard Bureau

By Spc. Joanna N. Amberger
Hawaii Army National Guard

CHANTHABURI, Thailand - From morning to evening on the grounds of a small elementary school in rural Thailand, 30 Soldiers from Hawaii and 19 Thai marines work diligently through the strong heat of the day. When they leave, in place of an unformed mound of dirt, the school children will have a brand new classroom facility.

While the Soldiers from the Hawaii National Guard, 230th Engineer Company, Vertical are here on a specific humanitarian mission to construct a 26 by 77 foot classroom with the Royal Thai Marine Engineer Battalion as part of a larger mission known as Cobra Gold, the Soldiers will leave behind much more than cinder blocks, mortar and clay roofing tiles.

On these school grounds, the engineers continue their legacy of building physical structures and improving the lives of the communities they touch through extra gifts and small projects that leave a lasting impression.

"For us, whenever we go other places, we always do a little more," said Sgt. 1st Class Catherine Kula of Waipahu, Hawaii. "We always try to give a little more: the project plus some extra."

Within the first few days, the engineers introduced themselves to the schoolchildren by presenting the children with new school supplies.

"The whole unit that came up here brought school supplies to give the kids and to bond with the Thai people and the community," said 1st Sgt Michael Lacno of Makawao, Hawaii.

"It was incredible!" said Pvt. 1st Class Michelle Almeida of Kihei, Hawaii, as she described her experience with the children.

The children gathered in the open-air cafeteria. As they sat quietly in rows by class, the children peered shyly at the Soldiers. The stage at the front of the room was stacked with pencils, pens, crayons, notebooks and much more. Once formal introductions were complete, Soldiers carried armfuls of supplies and delivered them to the waiting children.

"There was so much, that we were able to go through the rows of kids four or five times," said Almeida. "It was cool because we hadn't seen the kids really smile ear-to-ear before. When we started handing out the gifts, you could just see this warm fuzzy feeling spreading back through the room. It was like Christmas morning," she added.

"It was really fun," said Staff Sgt. Jason Jacinto of Makawao, Hawaii. "I've got kids at home. I miss my kids and, being that young, the kids here remind me of them. I just got that feeling of seeing my kids again when we gave out the supplies," said the father of three young boys.

"I am so excited about the new school supplies," said Jirawan Akaratchat, a nine-year-old student at the Ban Nong Buatong School here.

"I liked the designs on the pens and pencils because I've never seen them before," Jirawan continued. "I got more than everyone else, so I am sharing with my friends," she added.

"This is one great experience," said Kula. "I think what I will remember most is handing out those gifts and seeing the kids," she continued.

"I don't know about everybody else, but I wanted to cry. You could see it in them that they appreciated it," she said. "It's just such an awesome feeling," Kula added.

During the first days on the jobsite, the Soldiers and Thai marines were busy starting the main project and getting to know each other. As the rhythm on the jobsite settled and the Soldiers began to feel more at home, smaller needs at the school were noticed and the engineers stepped in to help.

A small crew came together to repair the worn basketball court.

On arrival, the children played the game with a clothes basket held by a teammate standing on bleachers with rotted wood platforms. The backboards were broken, or missing altogether, and only one rim without a net was left. The two backboards were mounted on a metal frame set on wheels that would shift during a game. A swarm of bees had their nest underneath one of the wheeled platforms.

After a week, the backboards we repaired and two rims put in place with nets. The bees' nest was removed and the frame fitted with a solid, steady concrete foundation. Wood was ordered to repair the bleachers, and a few balls and a pump were donated to the teachers.

"It was a good project," said Staff Sgt. Leif Andersen of Haleiwa, Hawaii, one of the crew members working on the basketball project.

"It was good that we could do something like this for the community and the kids," he continued. "It's always rewarding to build something that is going to last."

Late in the afternoon, two Soldiers painted the faded playground equipment a bright red.

"We're touching up the paint on the playground sets and constructing three new swings," said Sgt. 1st Class Brandon Cabanilla of Kahalui, Hawaii. Cabanilla, a father of two young children, personally bought the supplies for the project.

"It's really nothing for us, but it's something that will last a long time for the kids and make a big difference for them," said Cabanilla. "Back in the States, a gallon of paint and some chains aren't really a big deal, but for these kids it's a new swingset," he added.

When the children came to school the next day, they were so excited to use the new swings they couldn't wait to hop on. Four young boys laughed as they pumped the swings back and forth with short legs. The engineers had to shoo the boys off the set for a minute to finish leveling the seats and adjusting the chains.

"Little changes help," said Spc. William Cook of Hana, Hawaii. "Maybe to us, painting that swing-set red and putting some swings in was easy, but for them it's going to last three or four years."

"I think the reason we do these other little jobs is because we are trying to do something good all the way around," Cook added.

"We come from a place that is very family-oriented, where everybody knows each other," Cook continued. "I see the Soldiers don't hesitate to help these children. We do this at home for our own communities and families, and we do it here for these people too."

Andersen, a 36-year veteran and engineer with the Hawaii Army National Guard said, "We've always been doing this, ever since I came into the Guard. Every time we go someplace, we build something people will use for years and years."

• Date Taken: 02.05.2009
• Date Posted: 02.05.2009 22:11
• Story ID: 29698