Humanitarian Missions-Honoring our Vetrans Day 11

Today's prompt in the Wego Health NHBPM is write about your favorite thing this is not health related, but likely improves your life.

Well, it is Veteran's Day today, so I will write a little about the Military, the men and women who serve now and the Veterans.  I guess the military couldn't quite be classified as one of my most favorite things, but it is  they are, something I respect. 

We live in a great country where our young men and women get to choose whether or not they want to serve our country.  There are so many places in our world where people are forced to serve their countries.  I am forever glad that we live in a place where we get to choose.  For those who do choose to serve our country by joining the military or the national guard, I am thankful for you too. 

My dad, 2 of my uncles, all 3 of my grandfathers, some of my cousins, my husband's grandfather and brother, and many, many friends of mine have served or currently are serving now.  I believe my life is improved by the military who protects my country and my freedoms.  I also believe the live of my kids are improved, as well as the lives of countless others all over the world.

I'm gonna turn it back to medical now, not only do our military members protect us, they perform countless humanitarian efforts in the name of the US, the deliver medical supplies, food, water, and assistance all over the world, the people who receive and benefit from these deliveries would likely tell you their life was improved by them.

My dad, is my most favorite Vetran, One of the stories I remember most from when I was growing up a military brat, is from a time when we were living in Guam, my dad served as a Chief on the USCG Basswood,
Basswood has taken part in many notable missions since her commissioning and while being stationed in Guam . In addition to her primary mission of aids to navigation, she also participates extensively in maritime law enforcement missions, search and rescue cases and marine environmental protection. During her tour on Guam, Basswood has been the driving force of PROJECT HANDCLASP, a U.S. Navy program that provided health care and humanitarian relief to the farthest outlying islands of the Pacific Ocean . Basswood's participation in this program has allowed her to travel to virtually every island or atoll in Micronesia .

There is no finer example of devotion to duty than through Basswood's display of dedication to the aids to navigation mission. She was responsible for maintaining all federal aids to navigation in Micronesia . This area of responsibility was roughly the size of the continental United States . It included over 100 fixed and floating aids in Guam , the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) and Kwajalein Atoll. Basswood was also responsible for the aids in Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines , prior to the closing of the U.S. Naval facility there in 1992. Basswood also worked the aids in Palau , Hawaii , and along the West Coast

 

I remember him going on missions to the atolls in Micronesia, to Kwajalein, and to the Philippines.  I remember him coming back and talking about delivering supplies to the Peace Corp workers on the atolls.  Places where there was no electricity, refrigeration, or telephones.  People lived in grass huts and often only wore grass skirts and nothing else.  Sometimes, the USCG guys would bring clothing that their own kids had grown out of and trade it with the islanders for some of the things they made like coconut soap and carvings.  He brought back pictures and told of how the people lived a simple life.  They would moor their ship a ways away from the atoll (small island) and take little speed boats up to the shore to deliver the supplies.  He told us of how the kids would get so excited and one time they got the grand idea to bring coolers of ice onto the island to let the children play, they had never seen ice or felt cold before, could you imagine?   I am proud to know that my father served such important missions, they may not be the MOST important missions in protecting us and our freedoms, but to me, humanitarian missions are just as noble and wonderful as protection missions.  Yes, humanitarian military missions is one of my favorite things. 

My favorite Vetran

 

3rd Platoon Bravo delivering medical supplies in Baghadad

Delivering supplies in Kirkuk, donated by the World Health Organization (WHO)

Medical Supplies going to Haiti after the Earthquake

Military Police teamed up with Iraqi Police to deliver medical supplies to Basra, this little girls smile says it all, her life was improved this day.

National Guard delivering medical supplies in Cambodia

Getting ready to air drop medical supplies in the South Pole

There are so many more pictures of our military men and women delivering medical supplies all over the world if you look around the Internet. 

 

 Check out the Who Diabetes Program and definitely go do the Big Blue Test, help these organizations get the funding to get medical supplies gathered so that our military can deliver them. The Big Blue Test is the easiest way to help.  You don't need to be diabetic to do it, just log some activity and bam you help them get one step closer to meeting their goal of raising $100,000 by November 14, 2012, which is World Diabetes Day. 

 

 

 

 

Learn more about World Diabetes Day here

 

 

 

Diabetes Fact of the Day

 

347 million people worldwide have diabetes¹.

In 2004, an estimated 3.4 million people died from consequences of high blood sugar.

More than 80% of diabetes deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

WHO projects that diabetes deaths will increase by two thirds between 2008 and 2030.