SINGO, Uganda - The road four Texas Army National Guard Soldiers took to the Singo Training Center each day of their deployment here opened up an opportunity for them that they won't soon forget.
"Every morning, I remember passing a school at the entrance of the Singo Center," said Army 1st Lt. Victor Lauersdorf, a security officer with Task Force Raptor, 3rd Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment, and a member of the Texas Army National Guard. "It was unique, because the same field the children used for their recess, the Ugandan People's Defense Forces used for their military training."
Lauersdorf, along with Army Staff Sgt. Jason Smith, Sgt. Enrique Icedo and Spc. James Andrew, exchanged best practices with Uganda Air Force airmen during an RQ-11 Raven unmanned aircraft system operational skills course held here March 19 through April 7.
"The Raven is a small, unmanned reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft," Smith said, a squad leader with Task Force Raptor. "It is flown in support of ground troops, giving commanders an eye in the sky on what may lie ahead."
The Raven is a new addition to the UPDF, and Smith said the Ugandan airmen new to the unit took the training very seriously.
"It's a lot of information for a technology that most of these guys have never seen, but these guys were up to the challenge," said Smith. "We'd give them tasks and homework and the next day they had everything memorized and completed. These men are well prepared for what challenges may lay ahead."
Like their U.S. counterparts, the Ugandan airmen constantly train for possible deployment and to defend their country. They also share the likelihood of being away from family and friends back home.
"The children of the airmen we trained with attended the school we passed every day," Lauersdorf said. "As a father of two children, I empathized with the Ugandan servicemen who could at any time leave their families behind."
Remembering how they felt when they themselves left home for deployments, the Guard members decided to take the opportunity and pay the Ugandan children a visit.
"We all pitched in a few dollars of our own money and bought some school supplies and soccer balls for the children to use," Smith said. "When we showed up with the supplies, the smiles on the children were priceless. We spent a couple of hours with them playing, shaking hands and taking pictures with them. It was a special experience."
The Ugandan servicemen were also touched by the act of kindness, Lauersdorf said.
"When we asked the leadership if it was OK to visit the school, they said yes and let us know that they were very appreciative of the gesture," Lauersdorf said.
"They said they couldn't believe that not only did we come to train with them, but now we are helping out their children as well," he said.