Sustainers take a break for Super Sunday
February 11, 2010
PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti - Soldiers from Fort Knox's 3d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) living in tents next to Haiti's international airport joined Servicemembers across Haiti, and the rest of the world, in watching the Super Bowl live on February 7.
Servicemembers at 11 U.S. military camps around Haiti, including the three main locations where Sustainers live and work, saw the game and got a little taste of home that day, thanks to Joint Task Force - Haiti and the leadership of the 3d ESC.
3d ESC Support Operations sergeant major and Wooten, Ky. native Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Melton coordinated getting the game for the 3d ESC. According to Melton, JTF-Haiti made the game available to the troops by hiring a contractor from the Dominican Republic. The contractor set up satellite dishes and screens at every location in Haiti where large numbers of servicemembers live and work.
3d ESC Soldiers, along with Marines and Airmen working with the Joint Logistics Command Haiti near the airport, brought folding chairs out to an open field just beyond the rows of sleeping and working tents and watched the Super Bowl telecast projected on a 9' x 12' screen.
"That was great. That was a lot of fun," said 3d ESC computer technician and McKinney, Tx. native Spec. Josh Hayes.
Of course, seeing the Super Bowl live was especially important to those whose home team was one of those playing in the big game.
"To not have it would have been devastating to my morale," said 3d ESC Retention NCOIC and Indianapolis, In. native Master Sgt. Adam McKinney. "It means that our leadership cares about us."
Those viewing the Super Bowl each received a bag of snacks donated by Walmart and packed by the United Service Organizations (USO). The bags held chips, soft drinks, candy and fresh fruit. After eating MREs every day, the Soldiers were excited that their Super Bowl party included snacks from home.
"I didn't see that coming. That made it," said Hayes.
Melton was too busy to sit and watch the entire game, but he enjoyed what he did see - both of the game and of the troops enjoying themselves.
"Watching them out there, with the donations from Walmart and the USO made it feel a little like home," said Melton.
The ESC is in Haiti supporting the humanitarian relief effort by leading Joint Logistics Command - Haiti, based at Toussaint L'Ouverture International Airport in Port Au Prince.
Photos and story by Sgt. 1st Class Dave McClain, 3d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Public Affairs. For queries, contact 3d Sustainment Command Public Affairs at (502) 624-8601. For high-resolution photos and stories by the 3d Sustainment Command, please contact the Digital Video and Imagery Distribution System at (678) 421-6612 or access them online at http://www.dvidshub.net/units/3sce.