U.S. Air Force Sgt. Helps Clothe Hundreds

Defend America News ^ | Nov 23, 2005 | New Zealand Provisional Reconstruction Team

[SandRat]

Afghan children proudly wear some of the donated clothing, organized by U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Brian Curtis. Photo courtesy of New Zealand Provisional Reconstruction Team
U.S. Air Force Sgt. Helps Clothe Hundreds
Bamiyan Province will be a much warmer place this winter thanks to the massive undertaking supplying clothing for hundreds of people in the area.
By New Zealand Provisional Reconstruction Team BAMIYAN, Afghanistan, Nov. 23, 2005 — One U.S. Air Force member and his wife launched “Operation Brian’s Compassion” to clothe needy Bamiyan villagers. Tech. Sgt. Brian Curtis, assigned to New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team Bamiyan security, immediately noticed the need of the local villagers and decided to act. He called his wife, Amy, in Wichita, Kansas, and put the call out to help. "My children understand that some of the money I was going to use for presents for them is being used for people that really need necessities of life," U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Brian Curtis Amy went to the community for donations. She appeared on all the local TV news channels and radio stations and submitted an article in the Wichita Eagle newspaper. Her efforts brought awareness to the Wichita community of the Bamiyan people’s poverty. As American generosity typically goes, Wichita residents responded in amazing fashion. Wal-Mart provided the drop-off points in Wichita and also agreed to double the monetary contributions collected at all the points. The Eastpoint Church of Christ, the Curtis’ church, paid most of the postage totaling just under $10,000. Amy and the other volunteers collected winter clothes filling 263 large boxes donated by Love Box. “The main need was for winter hats, gloves, socks, and shoes, as well as coats and jeans, which last longer in the harsh conditions here,” Curtis said. “The most popular clothing items are jeans and anything with Sponge Bob, Square Pants or Mickey Mouse on them.” The donations didn’t stop with Wichita. Many other churches and organizations across America are still sending boxes. The Kansas State High School Athletic Association, who Curtis is associated, and others have sent over 2,500 soccer balls, 800 soccer jerseys and shorts, 700 shin guards plus other sports equipment. “They have almost nothing to play with, so it makes it very difficult just to be a kid." The kids really love all the soccer U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Brian Curtis (center) sorts out some of the clothing sent from Wichita, Kan. assisted by Eberhard Lindner, U.S. Army Civil Liaison Officer to the New Zealand Provisional Reconstruction Team (right), interpreter Ali Sharif (left). Photo courtesy of New Zealand Provisional Reconstruction Team	U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Brian Curtis (center) sorts out some of the clothing sent from Wichita, Kan. assisted by Eberhard Lindner, U.S. Army Civil Liaison Officer to the New Zealand Provisional Reconstruction Team (right), interpreter Ali Sharif (left). Photo courtesy of New Zealand Provisional Reconstruction Team equipment because, of course, soccer is the dominate sport in Afghanistan, but it is still very hard for them to get the equipment required to have a good game,” Curtis said. The main focus, however, continues to be clothing as many children in the province are walking around without socks, shoes or warm clothes. “I know I can’t feed and clothe everyone in Afghanistan, but I’m going to try and touch the lives of as many people as I possibly can,” he said. “I explain to everyone I give clothes to, how much work the people of Wichita have put into gathering and sending off the clothes they are now holding. I have the fun part of the job by giving the clothes out. Sure I sort all the clothes out, but it pales in comparison to the work done back in Kansas.” Thus far, Amy and the people of Wichita have sent over 7,000 pounds of donations, but the Curtis’ efforts don’t end there. They have also personally bought stoves for local orphanages and needy families. “My children understand that some of the money I was going to use for presents for them is being used for people that really need necessities of life,” said Curtis. “I am very proud of them, because they said they would rather the money go to the families here.” Curtis is also quite proud of his wife, “That is why we (the family) nicknamed her Wonder Woman. She just goes and goes until the task is done. I am extremely proud of her efforts and am a very lucky man.” One Bamiyan family expressed their thanks to Curtis’ for their efforts through a specially written song about them, which they preformed at a recent Eid (end of Ramadan) celebration. “There is no bigger form of flattery possible, when that is all they have,” Curtis said. There are a lot more smiling faces and Bamiyan Province will be a much warmer place this winter thanks to the massive undertaking supplying clothing for hundreds of people in the area.

[SandRat]

Smiling Afghan children PING!!!

[Mo1]

Sponge Bob Rules

[ExcursionGuy84]

I dig the young girl with the wool cap & dark rims

SSSMMMOKIN'!!!!

[Cagey]

[ShadowDancer]

Slacker.

[Cagey]

That's a great idea.

I was in Philadelphia Airport not long ago and noticed a young woman soldier searching for change to use at a pay phone and I offered her my cell phone. She called her mom to let her know she was on her way home.

She made my day.

[SueRae]

Extremely well done, Sgt. Curtis! A caring heart and taking action to help. This is diplomacy at it's finest and puts the best face forward on the efforts of the US military. We are so lucky to have men and women like Sgt. Curtis and his family. And way to go, Wichita!!

[Unmarked Package]

Sponge Bob Rules

SpongeBob SquareSirwal*

* Sirwal

[PatriotGirl827]

Oh, this is one of the best stories yet, SandRat.

Thanks for all your hard work in tracking these down and posting them for us.

God Bless our troops and their families!

[SandRat]

Have I got a bundle tonight. I'm going to be up late getting them all in I think.

[joesnuffy]

Great news...bookmarking this puppy

[joesnuffy]

and thanks for posting this!

[joesnuffy]

James 2:16 KJV

And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

[joesnuffy]

Two things I remember about my Vietnam homecoming..

The pampered college students spitting on us, throwing things at us and the filthy signs they carried and things they yelled at us....

and

The business class folks when me and a Marine buddy (I hooked up with in SF) got on the plane and bumped two hippies off...

They clapped and cheered for us , booed the dirt bags and then bought us drink after drink.

They were all friendly and well wishing...

The gentleman I was fortunate enough to be seated next to...even offered to hold a job for me ..working for the Lord Buxton Wallet Company...(and I still had 8 months left on my hitch.

Reading this story reminded me again that the men and women in today's military really are for the most part... the cream of the crop and the Americans who support them the heart and soul of the nation.

imo

[ExTexasRedhead]

Anyone see this on World News Tonight? How pathetic, the MSM and Liberal Democrats aren't interested in the good news.

[Cagey]

I was in uniform from 68 to 72 and I know what you're talking about although I was never spit on. I got free seats at Boston Garden a couple of times and once an Airline stewardess told me to move up to first class while I was traveling in my Class A's.

The business class folks you speak of were most likely Korean and WWII veterans. They did treat us with respect for the most part. They'd been there.

[BlazingArizona]

The pampered college students spitting on us, throwing things at us and the filthy signs they carried and things they yelled at us....

I saw this actually happen a month ago in Wellington, at the entrance to Te Papa (their equivalent of the Smithsonian). This mystified me at first, because the New Zealand military is not currently fighting anywhere. What the hippies were protesting, it turned out, was the presence of these very Kiwis cited here, rendering humanitarian aid in Afghanistan.

[SandRat]

Did you notic that the more things change the more they stay the same?

The Prince and the Pauper