Airmen find a way to do more during PACANGEL

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Allison Day
  • 13th Air Force Public Affairs
LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines --  As if being part of an operationthat has already provided care to 8,588 people wasn't enough, four Airmen set out on a mission to do more.

Their mission - collect money from fellow Airmen to buy basketballs and
flip flops for children at two local schools and purchase supplies and
make a donation to a local orphanage here.

The Airmen are here to support Operation Pacific Angel-Philippines, a
joint and combined humanitarian mission, which includes medical, dental, optometry, engineering support and subject-matter expert exchanges.

"I'm from the Midwest and I have never seen a lot people in need in my
life," said Master Sgt. Seth Campbell, 736th Security Forces Squadron
commando warrior superintendent, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. "Being on this mission has been a huge eye-opening experience for me."

Campbell and some of his fellow Airmen found out from their Philippine
counterparts about Harong Kan Sarada Familia, an orphanage run by a
priest here.

"This orphanage has young adults and children with a broad range of
mental and physical challenges," said Master Sgt. Jeffery Pruitt, 13th
Air Force contracting manager from A7, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. "In addition to those who live at the orphanage, care is
provided two hours a day to young adults with Down Syndrome."

Most of those who reside at the home and attend the daycare program have
special dietary needs, so the group of Airmen decided to make a monetary
donation too.

"We were able to raise more than $650 in donations from Airmen
participating in PACANGEL," said Campbell.

"The money will assist with the feeding program at the orphanage," said
Father Battista Omodei, the orphanage manager. "It will also allow us to
pay for medicine, salaries, physical therapy and wheelchairs."

In addition to the orphanage, the Airmen provided much needed school
supplies, basketballs and flip flops to two local schools.

"We brought most of the school supplies with us for children at
Binitayan and Bigaa Elementary Schools," said Master Sgt. Dennis Nelson,
36th Civil Engineer Squadron superintendent heavy repair, AAFB.

These schools were the sites of engineering support during PACANGEL.

"While renovating the schools, we found out that although there were
basketball hoops at the schools, there were no basketballs for the
kids," said Master Sgt. Saksen Rissabute, 36th Mobility Response
Squadron operations flight chief, AAFB. "We also realized that there was
a need for flip flops."

The reason for giving is simple, he added.

"I think if anyone had gone out to the schools and interacted with the
children they would get the same contagious feeling that we got - the
need to give," said Rissabute. "You realize it can be simple things like
flip flops that can show how much we care."

PACANGEL is led by13th Air Force, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam,
Hawaii. There are three more iterations of PACANGEL scheduled this year
in Laos, Vietnam and Nepal. Operations like these support U.S. Pacific
Command's capacity-building efforts by partnering with other government,
non-governmental agencies and multilateral militaries in each respective
region.