Homestead unit leads humanitarian mission to El Salvador

Members of the 482nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., led a four-month exercise in El Salvador that involved the construction of two schools and three health-care clinics in and around the town of San Vicente.

The exercise, dubbed Operation Para los Ninos (For the Children), was part of U.S. Southern Command's New Horizons, in which troops representing all branches of the armed forces participate in construction projects in six countries throughout the Caribbean and Central and South America.

"This is the first time a Reserve unit has led this exercise, but we were ready," said Maj. William Riehl III, 482nd CES.

"The 482nd took the lead and set the pace," said Lt. Gen. Randall Mark Schmidt, commander of 12th Air Force and U.S. Southern Command Air Forces, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.

Operation Para los Ninos included 650 Reservists. While in El Salvador, the Reservists were actively involved at all five work sites, completing the construction jobs on time, under budget and without major injury.

As an added bonus, Major Riehl made sure all construction materials were purchased from merchants in El Salvador, injecting more than $450,000 into the local economy.

In addition to the construction projects, the major also oversaw medical treatment and veterinary services for the San Vicente community. A total of 41,000 people and 3,211 animals benefited from these services.

Manuel de Jesus Lopez Reyez, principal of the San Vicente school, said the construction projects will affect the lives of all the children in the community for many years.

"I can't say how proud we are of the 482nd Fighter Wing and Homestead Air Reserve Base," said H. Douglas Barclay, U.S. ambassador to El Salvador. "They are fulfilling a great duty, and I am thankful for it."

(Colonel Davis is director of public affairs for the 482nd Fighter Wing at Homestead ARB.)

COPYRIGHT 2005 Air Force Reserves
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