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Operation Warm and Dry changes lives on four day trip
By unitedweroll on Jan 8, 2012 | In Military News and Support
Join us during our United We Roll show live on Tuesday, January 10th starting at 2pm Central, where Capt Steve Martin, Medical Director for Humanitarian Assistance Program at the TSC will share a lot of information with us about Operation Warm and Dry and many other aspects of the outreach programs at Transit Center Manas. The ten year relationship between the members on the base and the citizens in the local communities has become one of great respect and interaction, largely due to the efforts of the men and women who volunteer after their long duty shifts have ended. The United We Roll show with Capt Martin and also SSG Kenyeta Brackett of the ESFS (Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron) from Transit Center Manas will repeat on Wednesday, January 11th, at 6:30pm Central. Check our Facebook page for some great photos that came from this story. www.facebook.com/unitedweroll
Warm and Dry changes lives on four day trip
http://www.manas.afcent.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123285013
by Senior Airman Lynsie Nichols
376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
1/4/2012 - TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan -- Operation Warm and Dry is a major project at the Transit Center at Manas. This year, approximately $300,000 of jackets and blankets were purchased from local vendors to be distributed to families in need.
During a four day trip to Talas City, Kyrgyzstan, Dec. 27 to 30, 12 military members from the TCM distributed 741 jackets and 736 blankets to five distribution sites in the area.
Tech. Sgt. Karl Ferree, 376th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron structures humanitarian assistance team, deployed from RAF Mildenhall, England, added this trip to a long list of humanitarian projects he has been involved in.
"I have always enjoyed the humanitarian side of my job," Ferree said. "The feeling of satisfaction it gives you to make someone's life a little bit better is like nothing else."
For Senior Airman Scott Fry, also from the 376th ECES humanitarian assistance team, deployed from Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., this is his first time participating in a project overseas.
"[The experience] was amazing!" Fry exclaimed. "The best part was handing out coats to the children and watching their faces light up with happiness."
The group traveled a total of 180 miles through rough road conditions and mountainous scenery to make it to Talas City and distribute the jackets and blankets.
"We drove over two mountain passes, one was 12,000 feet and the other was 11,000 feet," said Capt. Spencer Bowen, Theatre Security Cooperation humanitarian assistance project officer, deployed from the Air Force ROTC Detachment 910 at The University of Washington. "On the way back, our cargo truck got stuck and everyone (Kyrgyz and American citizens) worked together to get it out."
The crew traveled in three SUVs and one delivery truck averaging 20 mph.
While the trip to and from Talas City may have been memorable to some, for Lt. Col. Adam Rutherford, director of TSC, also deployed from Peterson AFB, Colo., the most memorable moment was the visit to Pokrovka Rehabilitation Orphanage for Disabled Children.
"We were all excited to go, it's always fun to bring smiles and happiness on our trips," Rutherford said. "Many of us on this deployment are away from our families; this is a chance for us to be around kids."
He added that even though the children were handicapped with painful disabilities, the children were excited and thankful to receive the jackets and blankets.
"[This trip] is a reminder to be thankful for your health and wellbeing," he said.
Other distribution sites included Kok-OI Village, Bakai-Ata Village, Manas Rayon and Talas City School #2.
