Photo By Senior Airman Adrien Tran | U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Brandon Ramirez, 21st Combat Air Base Squadron explosive...... read more read more
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TUMON, Guam – Airmen assigned to the 21st Air Task Force volunteered at schools across Guam from June through July 2026, clearing debris, repainting parking lot markings and helping campuses recover after two powerful typhoons struck the Maiana Islands before the start of the new school year.
Super Typhoon Sinlaku and Super Typhoon Bavi brought destructive winds and widespread damage across the region, leaving schools and communities with months of cleanup and recovery efforts. To support those efforts, Airmen participated in volunteer events organized by U.S. Air Force Capt. Joseph Jun, 21st ATF chaplain, to strengthen local community partnerships while fostering a culture of service within the unit.
“I’ve watched our tired Airmen’s shoulders straighten and eyes light up when they see the difference they’re making,” said Jun. “What started as service has become healing for them—a reminder that even in the hardest times, they can still give hope.”
For many Airmen, the projects became more than volunteer opportunities. Working alongside teachers, school staff and local residents gave them a firsthand look at the challenges families continued to face in the aftermath of the storms while reinforcing the value of serving beyond the mission.
Throughout the summer, Airmen restored campuses by clearing overgrown vegetation, removing storm debris and improving school grounds to help prepare for the safe return of more than 4,000 students.
“Our Airmen cleared vegetation from parking lots and perimeters, repainted parking lot lines and pavement markings, removed debris left over from Super Typhoon Bavi, scraped rooms and transferred more than 18,000 pounds of cargo,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. John Monsey, 21st ATF religious affairs specialist.
According to Monsey, the work accelerated recovery efforts at multiple schools across Guam while easing the burden on local educators and maintenance personnel preparing campuses for the upcoming academic year.
As schools prepare to reopen, the impact of the volunteers’ work became evident not only through completed projects but through the gratitude of the educators and families they served.
“After the typhoon, hearing teachers’ voices break as they thanked us—knowing our Airmen helped make it possible for over 4,000 students to return to school safely—touched me deeply,” said Jun. “In those moments, you feel the real weight of what we’re doing for families here.”
Inspired by the response from the community, the 21st ATF plans to continue supporting school recovery efforts through August and September, expanding volunteer projects to additional campuses across Guam.
“Our unit feels different now,” said Jun. “Watching the culture of selfless giving spread has filled me with pride and has become the heartbeat of who we are.”
Leaders said the experience strengthened more than community relationships. It reinforced the adaptability, teamwork and service mindset expected of Airmen operating in dynamic environments alongside partners throughout the Indo-Pacific.
"Seeing our personnel step out of their primary duties to shoulder this recovery effort alongside the local community is a testament to the resilience of this unit," said U.S. Air Force Maj. David Kim, 21st ATF deputy chief of staff.
Whether supporting humanitarian recovery efforts or preparing to execute its operational mission, the 21st ATF remains committed to building strong partnerships through service, engagement and mutual support. –30–
| Date Taken: | 07.17.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.10.2026 15:21 |
| Story ID: | 571865 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 9 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Hope in Action: 21st ATF Airmen help Guam schools recover after back-to-back typhoons, by SrA Adrien Tran, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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