PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti - Task Force Kout Men (Creole for helping hands) led by the Louisiana National Guard, completed its humanitarian assistance training mission as part of New Horizons – Haiti 2010 with a closing ceremony, Sept. 15.
The ceremony was attended by Kenneth Merten, the U.S. ambassador to Haiti, Army Maj. Gen. Simeon Trombitas, commander of U.S. Army South, and Army Col. Michael Borrel of the Louisiana Guard and commander of Task Force Kout Men.
New Horizons – Haiti 2010 is a collaborative effort with the government of Haiti to operate 10 medical treatment sites and provide engineering assistance by building three new school buildings and renovating two previously destroyed school buildings in the Artibonite Department in northern Haiti.
The area has been repeatedly devastated by tropical storms and has received some of the 1.5 million people displaced by the January 12 earthquake.
“The good works performed by the men and women of New Horizons – Haiti 2010 are part of the U.S. long-term commitment to the people and government of Haiti and we will continue to work with you in confronting the issues you identify so that you can realize your vision for a better future,” said Merten to the audience of U.S. military personnel and Haitian dignitaries at the closing ceremony.
“I’m very proud of the work that our Guardsmen, Soldiers, Airmen and Sailors have accomplished here,” said Borrel. “We even had the opportunity to work together on projects with the Belize Defence Force, our State Partnership Program nation, outside of their own country.”
Borrel highlighted the accomplishments of the last four months by the Louisiana National Guard, Belize Defence Force (BDF), U.S. Navy Seabees, U.S. Army communications units, U.S. Army Reserve, U.S. Navy, and U.S Air Force medical personnel, and National Guard Soldiers from more than 10 different states and territories.
“I was amazed at how quickly all of these various units and service components were able to bond together as one team,” he said. “They were able to jump into any job on the construction sites and medical treatment sites with expertise and familiarity.”
U.S. Southern Command asked the Louisiana National Guard to take the lead in the New Horizons mission in Haiti in response to the earthquake.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal approved the recommendation by Army Maj. Gen. Bennett C. Landreneau, the adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard, to immediately commit to the request. Although the mission would occur during hurricane season and with 3,000 Guardsmen already deployed to Iraq, Jindal and Landreneau knew it was the right thing to do.
“The Louisiana National Guard was excited about leading the New Horizons mission to Haiti,” said Landreneau, because of the long history of New Horizons missions throughout Central America. “It was a great opportunity for the Louisiana National Guard to step up to assist the people of Haiti. Hopefully our engineering and medical efforts will have a positive and lasting impact on the lives of the Haitian people.”
Engineering projects took place in the small town of Mandrin and the city of Gonaives. Projects included: constructions of a three-room school for 350 students in Mandrin; building Lycee Louis Diaquoi, a school for girls, and K. Georges school, both in Gonaives; and, in conjunction with the BDF, rehabilitating the Desronvilles school, which had been nearly destroyed in a fire.
The Army engineers, plus Navy Seabees, also dug and improved water wells at six sites, made a soccer field and enclosed several schools with fences, to make students safer. Three of the engineering sites used NuForm Building Systems, which consist of hurricane-resistant concrete walls and a steel roof.
Also, in coordination with the Haitian Ministry of Health, basic medical, dental, and optometry treatment was provided to more than 70,000 Haitian patients during the 10 Medical Readiness Exercises (MEDRETE), located throughout the Artibonite Department in the vicinity of the cities of Gonaives, Saint Marc, L’Estere, Poteau and Ennery.
During several of the MEDRETEs, veterinary care was provided to livestock.
“The hard work of the service members of Task Force Kout Men provided tangible, life sustaining help to the Haitian people,” said Trombitas. “It has also ensured a lasting legacy and foundation for our enduring partnership with Haiti.”
The Louisiana National Guard is again stepping up to take the lead for the next New Horizons-Haiti mission in 2011. The experience gained from this exercise has paved the way for continuing to develop the partnership between the Louisiana National Guard, the people and government of Haiti.
“Louisiana and Haiti have a lot in common historically and culturally. It was a good fit for us,” said Command Sergeant Major Homer Stelly, the Task Force Kout Men senior enlisted advisor. “Our Soldiers and Airmen are extremely proud of the work we’ve been able to accomplish over the past four months.”