FARGO, N.D., - While U.S. Southern Command's earthquake disaster
response in Haiti officially ended yesterday, humanitarian and construction
work continue there. That mission, dubbed New Horizons, incorporates about
500 National Guard Soldiers, with 21 hailing from the North Dakota National
Guard.
The North Dakota Soldiers, from the 191st Military Police Company, arrived in
Haiti on May 19 and are spending three busy weeks providing force protection
for medical personnel and those constructing a base camp about 95 miles north
of Port au Prince, near Gonaives, Haiti," said Sgt. 1st Class Troy Skelton,
the noncommissioned officer in charge of the group. "They've been operating
at the base camp, as well as an RSOI (reception, staging and onward movement
and integration) site."
"Conditions are improving at each site every day," Skelton said. "We are
still looking forward to our first hot meal at each site, but we are getting
a few Soldiers to the embassy to enjoy a fresh, hot sandwich from time to
time. Still, there are no showers at the base camp, so the Soldiers are
keeping clean by way of evening rain showers and rotations to the RSOI site."
Beyond the force protection missions, the military police have been tasked
with some convoy security missions from Port au Prince to the border and the
base camp. They also have done some personal security details for medical
readiness training exercise staff as they move into position and prepare for
their humanitarian mission.
"The task force leadership has nothing but good things to say about North
Dakota Soldiers and praise for their attitude and work ethic," Skelton said.
While the mission's pace has been hectic and the luxuries of home are
missing, Skelton reports the morale of the Soldiers - all of whom volunteered
for this mobilization - remains stellar.
The North Dakota Soldiers are working with Guardsmen from Louisiana, which is
the lead state for New Horizons in Haiti, Missouri, Nevada, Montana, South
Dakota, Texas, Indiana, New York and the Virgin Islands.
New Horizons gives participating military personnel the opportunity to use
their capabilities to help communities and individuals with humanitarian
needs while enhancing their ability to deploy abroad in support of military
operations.