Fun times at Flamingo Park (USAF in Kyrgyzstan doing good)

Airman ^ | Maj. Robert Couse-Baker

[Veloxherc]

BISHKEK-MANAS, Kyrgyzstan — Each week, Norgazi waits. He and 38 other kids at a children’s home wait for American service members to visit.

“We wait for them every week, because we have a very good time together, and they help us,” the 11-year- old said.

In September, for example, a dozen airmen and Marines from the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing at a nearby air base gave the kids a day of play at Flamingo Park, a children’s amusement park in the Bishkek suburbs.

“We wanted to do something special for them before the start of the school year,” Master Sgt. Curt Mooney said. Mooney and other troops have been visiting the school, called Detskii Dom, in Voenno Antonovsky for more than three months.

The children’s home is part of the country’s foster care system. It’s the safety net for children whose parents cannot care for them, and for children without parents. The school houses 39 kids during the summer, and 130 during the school year.

The park visit, coordinated by Master Sgt. David Brinkley, was the first field trip the Americans hosted. “It was a lot of work, but it gave me great joy to do this for the kids,” Brinkley said.

The wing’s top noncommissioned officers paid for the bus and park admission. They received a lot of help from Chaplain (Lt. Col.) George Brubaker and Chaplain (Capt.) James Armstrong, who were the points of contact for the trip.

At Flamingo Park, kids and service members rode the rides and filled up on tasty food.

“Usually we go to the school and play with them, but this was really fun,” Mooney said.

For Senior Airman Ami Schmid, a services troop, the trip was her eighth visit with the children. She said they’re a smart bunch.

“We sing songs together,” she said. “They know all the American [pop] music.”

For Norgazi and his friends, it was all fun.

“This was the best day of all,” he said.

The school has few funds, so each visit by the Americans is a boon. Coalition service members have donated shoes, books and winter clothes. Perhaps more important is the bond troops have created with the children, Brinkley said.

Tech. Sgt. Darren Elbert looks forward to each visit with the kids. “It’s about seeing the kids really having a good time,” he said. Then pausing, he added, “and you get to be a kid, too.”

— Maj. Robert Couse-Baker 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

[Veloxherc]

US Forces helping others. Why are we hated around the world when our military spends their own time and money to help others?

[The Great RJ]

I wouldn't hold my breath until this is reported by liberal media cabal-- CNN, NDC, CBS, ABC, NY Times etc.

[WestTexasWend]

"Why are we hated around the world when our military spends their own time and money to help others?"

...maybe because this goodness exposes the hater's own badness in a way that rhetoric can't. They fear such good will because it demonstrates the selflessness of our goals, as opposed to the selfishness of theirs. We come and give, while these haters come to take.

[BykrBayb]

We're not as hated as the liberal media wants us to believe. These are typical American soldiers, doing what typical American soldiers do. And most of the world knows that. We don't hear it often, but then again, we don't say it often. It's just common knowledge.

[archy]

In September, for example, a dozen airmen and Marines from the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing at a nearby air base gave the kids a day of play at Flamingo Park, a children’s amusement park in the Bishkek suburbs.

I suspect a USAF or other officer who's a Clemson grad had a hand in picking that name.

[jriemer]

This is no different than the "candy drops" during the Berlin Airlift. America is the strongest, yet warmhearted nation on eart.

Read on:

===

Operation Little Vittles, a symbol of American good will, was originated by a USAF airlift pilot, Lt. Gail S. Halvorsen. Impressed by the friendliness of the German youngsters outside Tempelhof airdrome, he promised to drop candy to them the next day. He did as promised and continued on succeeding days, using handkerchiefs and scraps of cloth as miniature parachutes. Word of his personal humanitarian mission spread to the U.S. and eventually donations of thousands of pounds of candy and hundreds of handkerchiefs and other pieces of scrap cloth reached him. By Jan. 1949, more than 250,000 midget parachutes with treats attached had been dropped.

When the crowds of children awaiting his C-54 grew too large for the youngster's safety, his crew dropped the candy in other sections where they saw children playing. Other candy went to schools and to children confined to Berlin hospitals. In recognition of his action and as a symbol of appreciation for the entire airlift operation, Lt. Halvorsen received the Cheney Award for 1948

"...for an act of valor, extreme fortitude, or self-sacrifice in a humanitarian interest..."

Ironically, Soviet propaganda attempted to discredit Halvorsen's gesture, noting that the hundreds of children had severely damaged a cemetary near tempelhof while chasing candy dropped at the site.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

American military is great because the American military is good, ping!

[Zeroisanumber]

A friend of mine in the AF is out there instructing Kyrgyzstanis on how to use the new firefighting equipment we gave them a while back. I wonder if he's part of this detachment?

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Ganci AB

[speekinout]

Don't worry. The kids will remember. I worked on several contracts for German companies in the early 90's. The execs were guys who remembered getting chocolates and learning English and baseball from American GI's after WWII. They were very pro-US, and directed much business to American firms. Some of them had parents and friends who weren't particularly pro-US, but these guys were unwavering.
Our soldiers are creating this kind of good will in many countries now. Our next generation will reap the profits.

[blackie]

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Kindness pays, great story.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Very encouraging bump!

[VOA]

The children’s home is...the safety net for children whose parents cannot care
for them, and for children without parents...(big snip)...
The wing’s top noncommissioned officers...received a lot of help from Chaplain
(Lt. Col.) George Brubaker and Chaplain (Capt.) James Armstrong, who were the
points of contact for the trip.

Hey, they may not all be "Christian soldiers" (or airmen or chaplains)...
but I have it on good authority that they are doing nuthin' but good...

James 1
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the
fatherless and widows in their affliction...

[VOA]

Don't worry. The kids will remember....Our soldiers are creating this kind of good
will in many countries now. Our next generation will reap the profits.

For a number of years, a German immigrant named Hans Brisch (sp?) was chancellor
of higher education in Oklahoma.
He was a kid in Germany during those lean years after WWII, but would mention
how the generosity of Allied troops (US and maybe U.K.) helped him and his mother
keep body and soul together.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!