Marine reserves train to be Diplomatic Warriors

Courtesy Photo | As part of a the multinational exercises, Partnership of the Americas and Southern Exchange 2010, U.S. Marines and forces from nine other nations conducted trained for peacekeeping and crisis response situations by conducting an actual humanitarian aid project to revitalize a local school in Peru by providing electricity, running water, and a number of other improvements to better the educational environment. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Martin L. Krieger, U.S. Marine Forces Reserve Combat Camera/Released)  

ANCON, PERU

07.20.2010

Story by Master Sgt. Peter Walz 

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South

Ancon, Peru- As part of the multinational exercises, Partnership of the Americas and Southern Exchange, military members from ten nations converged on Peru to train for situations that would call them to support crisis response situations like natural disasters or peacekeeping missions.

While most of the training involved tactical movements and an elaborate array of military strength, one of the most important lessons was a real world humanitarian aid mission designed to revitalize the Villa de Ancon School just outside the Peruvian military base.

The school was originally funded by the families of the area to serve as the local education center. However, due to the increase of students, 900 total ranging K-12, and the lack of expansion, the school had overgrown its capacity and was forced to educate students in sub-standard conditions.

A series of challenges lay ahead. The school had no electricity. Many of the classrooms lacked doors and windows some even were missing the roof. The plumbing was outdated, and water for cleaning and drinking was not sufficient to support proper school hygiene.

School teacher of 6th – 8th grade adolescents, Teresa Yacayamua said, “The classrooms were very dark and it was hard to see. The learning atmosphere was not appropriate”.

Under the guidance of the Marine Corps Civil Affairs group and the support of the Religious Ministry Team, the task was to teach the multinational forces how to effectively carry out a real-world humanitarian aid mission.

Joint military forces worked closely with partners of the community to coordinate and renovate the school by upgrading the electricity to every room and installing a new transformer. The sewer and plumbing were renovated to provide larger capacity cisterns and infrastructure to move and store fresh water for washing, drinking, and restrooms. A number of roofs were added to the rooms and finally, all the buildings were painted inside and out to include putting doors on the classrooms that did not exist before.

U.S. Navy Petty Officer and Religious Program Specialist, Manuel Chatman of Ft.Worth, Texas said, “All of the goals of the project were completed”.

At the day of the school reopening, members of Peruvian government and leaders of the multinational forces came together in a celebration of music and dance. Peru’s Minister of Defense, Rafael Rey said, “As I entered the school you all applauded me. However, those applauses are for the multinational forces that accomplished this great mission”.

Regimental Chaplain for the exercise and one of the coordinators for the aid mission, U.S. Navy Cmdr. Rich Stoglin from Arlington, Texas said, “The military, in particular the Marine Corps, has recognized that in order to sustain partnerships with other countries you have to have humane operations outside of the peacekeeping mission. This school is a good example of that”.

Lastly, as an added bonus of Project Hand Clasp, the U.S. Navy and Marines off-loaded 138 pallets of donated humanitarian aid supplies from the USS New Orleans to include: books, school supplies, medicine, personal hygiene items, and a number of wheelchairs—which totaled over $517,000 in goods.

As long as the military is called to support crisis response situations like natural disasters or peacekeeping missions around the world, U.S. Marines and multinational forces will continue to train in the dual role as diplomatic warriors.

The U.S. Marines and Navy Corpsmen participating in the multinational exercises, Partnership of the Americas and Southern Exchange 2010, are attached to the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-24. The ten nation exercise includes military forces from the U.S., Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.

• Date Taken: 07.20.2010
• Date Posted: 07.24.2010 20:04
• Story ID: 53335
• Location: ANCON, PE