Combined effort rushes aid into Georgia

By Ms. Joyce Costello (IMCOM)August 19, 2008

making sure it fits
1 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Keeping the cinches the tight
2 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Petty Officer 3rd Class Krzesinski, a naval reservist serving with Fleet Logistic Support Squadron 46 located on Naval Air Station Atlanta in Marietta, Georgia, checks the cinches on a pallet of Humanitarian Aid being sent to the Republic of Georgia ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Barrels of blankets sent to Georgia
3 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – An Italian employee of the 3rd Battalion of the 405th Army Field Support Brigade helps load an 18-wheeler full of USAID wool blankets destined for Georgia as part of a USAID humanitarian assistance relief effort. The office of U.S. Foreign Disaster A... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Keeping communication clear
4 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Petty Officer 1st Class Glen Turner (right) discusses reconfiguring a payload of humanitarian aid with a Carabinieri from Camp Darby and an Italian Soldier assigned to the 46th Air Brigade while by on the Pisa airport tarmac. Transporting the humanit... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Italian 46th Air Brigade helps load aid for Georgia
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Making sure its right
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Combined effort moves aid faster
7 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Payload master, Petty Officer 2nd Class Paul Hubner, Flight Logistic Squadron 54, guides an Italian 46th Air Brigade Soldier driving a conveyor of humanitarian aid pallets into a C-130. The two NATO allies worked closely together to get the aid load... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Lock it up
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Pushing out aid to Georgia
9 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (left to right) Chief Petty Officer Sean Harper and Petty Officer 2nd Class Paul Hubner, Flight Logistic Squadron 54 located out of Naval Air Support Belle Chase in New Orleans, Louisiana, push USAID humanitarian aid bound for Georgia into a C-130 a... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Italian employees of the 3rd Battalion of the 405th Army Field Support Brigade on Camp Darby, Italy quickly constructed humanitarian aid pallets with aid from U.S. Agency for International Development as U.S. Navy sailors flew a C-130 from Signonella to Pisa and Italian military members rushed to assist in transporting the pallets from the trucks to the plane.

In what could be a logistical nightmare; instead was a well coordinated effort between NATO allies to provide much needed aid to the people of the Republic of Georgia according to Alberto Chidini, U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance disaster coordinator.

"Our reaction time was almost zero," said Chidini. "Because we have humanitarian aid pre-positioned at Camp Darby, this allowed us to react fast and get the pallets built this morning (Tuesday) and get it on the plane and on its way to those who need it a few hours later."

Aviation Mechanic 2nd Class Monica Fruge, a navy reservist and 14-year veteran with Flight Logistic Squadron 54 located out of Naval Air Support Belle Chase in New Orleans, Louisiana, said she had arrived yesterday afternoon in Sicily to do her two weeks drill with the reserves and learned immediately, not to unpack, but to get ready for the humanitarian aid mission to Georgia.

"I had helped out with delivering aid to Hurricane Katrina victims, so it feels great to be able to help out the people in Georgia," said Fruge. "One of the things I like most about being a crew member with the C-130 is that because our plane is so versatile, you never know what mission you'll get to go on next.

Her aircraft commander, Cmdr. Michael Casey, added he was really proud of his team and their ability to react swiftly.

"This mission is an outstanding one and my whole team is glad we are able to help out," said Casey. "It makes you feel privileged to be able to help out on a mission with such a far reaching impact."

The crew was able to deliver five pallets of personal hygiene kits consisting of toilet paper, toiletries and soap to the people of Georgia. Chidini added, over the last two days, 3/405th AFSB has helped send out over 26 thousand personal hygiene kits and 4,200 wool blankets.

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