Our latest mission sent us out over the Ocean once again, this time out to the Island Nation of Comoros. Comoros is a small Island chain of the coast of Southern Kenya and Tanzania. It is located just to the east of Madagascar and is a former French Colony. The Islands are all volcanic, and are quite isolated. It is a majority Muslim nation, and CJTF-HOA is performing humanitarian assistance there in the form of Navy Sea Bee’s (think combat engineers for the Navy and Marines…very hard working people) and Civil Affairs teams. The Sea Bee’s are building wells and helping with school construction and the Civil Affairs teams are working with the local people. The State Department has USAID people here as well.
The mission in Comoros goes to the very heart of what our mission is over here. The mission, contrary to what you might think after reading my blog is not so we C26 guys can just fly around Africa. Our mission is to show that the US is NOT the nation that is shown in extremist Islamic propaganda, or what the people of the nations here in Africa learn about us from Hollywood. We are here to help-which prevents groups from Al-Qaeda and other such nut jobs from gaining toeholds in nations that have so far avoided embracing radical Islam. For what it is worth, I think the mission is worthwhile and is working. I will try to a better job of covering what our sister services are doing here. These folks deserve a lot of recognition for what they are doing.
Comoros has had some issues in the past-this tiny Island nation has had something on the order of 27 coups since gaining its Independence from the French. Needless to say, this instability hasn’t helped out in the ole progress part.
This is a cash only Island, and when we landed at the Airport in Maroni, a small army of people came out of the wood work with various papers and forms for us to fill out so we could be charged appropriately. This took place before we could even get the passengers off loaded. Several women clad in the traditional hijab (with an Island twist though…the garb here was full of color, as opposed to the plain black or other drab colors in other Islamic nations) came up to me looking to collect money for an organization known as (and no, I am not making this up) The Agency For Safe and Secure Navigation in Africa and Madagascar. I think we would up paying over 700 bucks for various charges ranging in navigation fees, airport fees, taxes, and the ever mysterious airway fix usage fee.
After we filled out our paperwork, we headed out across the Island to our Hotel. It was about a 45 minute ride over the ridge to the other side of the island. We learned that out hotel was fortunate enough to have a back-up generator and its own water system, since both utilities are subject to frequent interruption. During dinner, the power did go out….but luckily the hotel’s generator did its job.
The mission in Comoros goes to the very heart of what our mission is over here. The mission, contrary to what you might think after reading my blog is not so we C26 guys can just fly around Africa. Our mission is to show that the US is NOT the nation that is shown in extremist Islamic propaganda, or what the people of the nations here in Africa learn about us from Hollywood. We are here to help-which prevents groups from Al-Qaeda and other such nut jobs from gaining toeholds in nations that have so far avoided embracing radical Islam. For what it is worth, I think the mission is worthwhile and is working. I will try to a better job of covering what our sister services are doing here. These folks deserve a lot of recognition for what they are doing.
Comoros has had some issues in the past-this tiny Island nation has had something on the order of 27 coups since gaining its Independence from the French. Needless to say, this instability hasn’t helped out in the ole progress part.
This is a cash only Island, and when we landed at the Airport in Maroni, a small army of people came out of the wood work with various papers and forms for us to fill out so we could be charged appropriately. This took place before we could even get the passengers off loaded. Several women clad in the traditional hijab (with an Island twist though…the garb here was full of color, as opposed to the plain black or other drab colors in other Islamic nations) came up to me looking to collect money for an organization known as (and no, I am not making this up) The Agency For Safe and Secure Navigation in Africa and Madagascar. I think we would up paying over 700 bucks for various charges ranging in navigation fees, airport fees, taxes, and the ever mysterious airway fix usage fee.
After we filled out our paperwork, we headed out across the Island to our Hotel. It was about a 45 minute ride over the ridge to the other side of the island. We learned that out hotel was fortunate enough to have a back-up generator and its own water system, since both utilities are subject to frequent interruption. During dinner, the power did go out….but luckily the hotel’s generator did its job.
.jpg)
.jpg)
5 comments:
So what's the food and hotel accomodations like over there? When reading this I instantly thought of the time my hubby went to an all inclusive resort in Jamacia but people always had their hands out because they were so poor. I'm assuming you knew about the Cash only and fees requirement so that you weren't blind sided when you got there.
Now to change the subject - what creature comforts of home are you and your troop missing? The stores are filled with Christmas decorations and treats already. We are sorry you won't be home for the holidays but we can at least send you a little bit of home:)
Hey there. The Bats of Comoros...Crazy! I added some You Tube clips I thought you would like - GA v. FL and GA v. Auburn: The Blackout! I know you got to watch the Florida game, but don't think you got to see much of the Auburn game...Good Stuff!!
We miss you.
As Stephanie said - tell us what comforts of home you would like over the holidays!
Keep sending us pictures...your recaps are awesome...very entertaining and enlightening.
These are SO GOOD!!
Love and miss you...you are almost at the 1/2 way point.
Oh - and I'll register us for St. Anthony's on December 1st....Linda reminded me of the date. ;-)
WOW... I feel like a have the inside scoop to the National Geographic next upcomming publication everytime I see all of these pictures ?
Waldrop
Bats, bats. All those bats and the nearest baseball team is probably hundreds of miles away. What's the good of having bats with no team. What about gloves and mitts, do they have those too? Its nice to see that even in deepest darkest africa they are interested in the American Pastime.
Take care, you can see we are learning alot about the world.
How are all the pictures being taken if you are flying the plane? Use both hands there fella!!
Glad to hear about what the "work" is all about - it sounds like the kind of things many of us here in the US need to hear about...too much good goes unsaid.
Watch out for the turkeys on Thursday ...hopefully they will be cooked thoroughly and not flying around your runway.
Headed south to be with family for a few days - from the youngest - 3 years old to the eldest of 85 and a few more inbetween. Stay healthy
Post a Comment