European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 27, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 4 the stars and stripes crisis in Rwanda wednesday july 27,1994 . On Way Stuttgart Germany a amps ten . Military lights were dispatched tuesday to carry disaster Relief equipment to areas of Zaire where rwandan refugees have gathered according to the . European come. Earlier a c-5a Galaxy landed in Goma Zaire on monday night carrying two water purification units that can process 600 Gallons per hour each the Stuttgart based command said. Three 3,000-Galion-capacity units were scheduled to arrive in Goma on tuesday on another Galaxy transport plane from Travis fab Calif. A total of five . Military transports completed missions to Goma and Entebbe Uganda during the Day monday the command Dave Melancon and sue Palumbo staff writers. The flow of . Humanitarian Aid to Africa continued to increase this week with a Navy unit specializing in preventive Medicine and sanitation and army medics from the 3rd inf div ready to join . Forces that have deployed there. Soldiers from co of 703rd.main support in in kit Zingen Germany will be ready to deploy today said master sgt. Roger Teel a division spokesman. A two member Advance team from the Navy a environmental preventive medical unit no. 7 in Naples Italy left for Africa on tuesday morning and six More people Are expected to depart soon the groups will meet up with an army medical unit on its Way to Goma Zaire. Medical personnel will be testing water assisting in setting up water purification equipment setting up latrine facilities spraying for insects and looking for other ways to sanitize the refugee Camps. A a Good clean water Supply for the refugees will be a major step in controlling the cholera outbreak a said capt. David Trump Emu no. 7 commander. Naples Emu no. 7 specializes in sending Small self sufficient teams that can be deployed on Short notice. In the last year members have deployed on humanitarian assistance missions to Zimbabwe Egypt Kenya and Somalia. A a a the enormity of the situation is probably the most daunting a Trump said a until they get there and see what is already in place and what needs to be done we wont know what we can Bug sprayers pesticides Mosquito netting w Ater testing kits and enough provisions and other supplies for the Navy team to support itself for at least two weeks Are among the items members will take with them. Spraying for mosquitoes and flies will be a top priority a not just for sanitation reasons Trump said but also because of the risk of disease. Africa is a prime risk area for malaria and other insect borne diseases. Military personnel going to the area Are Given preventive shots and malaria pills to help protect themselves military meals ready to eat also Are Good disease deterrents because of the number of diarrhoeal diseases that Are prevalent in areas such As Africa Trump said. A a in a not too worried about going a said Petty officer 3rd class to Biegel who Learned monday evening that she would deploy. A a we la be in charge of the water and ill be sure to Check my own. The main thing is to find anything. That can cause disease and get rid of it. 1 know it sounds army Brig. Gen. Jack p. Nix jr.,commander of the joint task Force coordinating what the command How. Has dubbed operation support Hope deployed to Zaire late monday with 11 members of the task Force staff. Nix plans to travel to Gama and Bukavu also in Zaire. Five army pre positioned ships Are under Way from the Indian Ocean Island of Diego Garcia to the port of Mombasa Kenya the command said. The first is scheduled to arrive saturday. A military transport management come team is in Mombasa assessing the port facilities. The command is concentrating on two tasks that it says will do the most to Stop the dying of refugees. The first is to expand the system for delivering goods and services to the corny but i just Hope we can make a after receiving orders to deploy monday at about 10 p.m., the 86 army medics and medical support soldiers spent the Day receiving immunizations and updating their military and personal paperwork in the Harvey Barracks gym in Kitzinger. Other no deploying members of their Parent battalion completed final service checks on the 50 vehicles and gathered supplies and equipment that the medical company will take with it to the Airfield in Goma. Later tuesday evening soldiers and their families were to meet in the battalions Headquarters conference room for family support group Legal Public affairs and Mission background briefings. Most of the company consists of medics medical Supply and support soldiers said 2nd it. Jeffrey Wood platoon Leader. Two of the units physicians assistants and mental health and dental specialists also Are deploying with the company. A a in a excited about going Quot Wood said a it will give us a affected Border areas Between Zaire and Rwanda. The second is to move equipment and support services to sustain . Personnel there. To attain the first goal deployed troops Are working to expand the support capabilities at Goma so that round the clock Relief operations can take place there the command said. More forklifts and a tactical Airlift control element have been ordered to Goma. The command also is moving water trucks fuel a Field Hospital and other medical equipment and life support supplies for the growing number of americans in the area. About 250 . Military personnel were in Entebbe on tuesday and 70 were in Goma. Chance to actually do ouf jobs As More volunteers begged to go than there were positions to be filled Wood medics have been training for missions similar to this one Wood said. Most of their recent training entered upon now intensity conflicts and peacekeeping operations. The soldiers do not know How Long they will be staying Wood said. A a in a going Back to the motherland. Under these conditions there is a great Deal of hesitation but we Are going because of a humane Effort by the a United states a said sgt. Bruce Thompson an african american. The Field medic and trauma technician said he expects that most of his squads time will be spent helping cholera victims regain their strength so they can fight the malady on their own. A personally there Are a lot of uncertainties but the Mission comes first Quot he said. Welcome you a the Man said Morris of fort Bragg n.c., told the Man to Tell everyone in the area that they would have to make Way later tuesday for a Convoy of . And u n. Trucks a see the trucks Are very big so you la have to move. But when we finish you wont have to walk so far for water. Well bring you clean water a he said with a smite. Some 1.2 million refugees remain in Eastern Zaire consuming millions of Gallons of suspect water every from Page 1 would put Only a Dent in the overwhelming need. A water filtration Plant that can purify 51,000 Gallons an hour was being flown in from san Francisco and was to go into operation in Goma on tuesday. Travelling the main Road to the Lake that divides Zaire from Rwanda the newly arrived . Soldiers could see their Effort literally would be just a drop in the bucket. The soldiers four vehicle Convoy passed cautiously through Gomas tide of displaced humanity thousands of people scavenging or carrying Jerry cans of cholera infested water on their Heads. Dozens of bodies wrapped in blankets and Rattan carpets rotted by the Roadside a a it a the most misery in be Ever seen in my life a said Thomas who served in Vietnam the persian Gulf War and the .-led Aid Mission to kurdish refugees in Northern Iraq at the Lakeside where the two water cleaning machines were supposed to kick into action late tuesday about 100 men women and children dipped buckets and Jerry cans into the Mucky w Ater. Maj Ken Morris an army Ranger walked Over to a crowd of dazed onlookers and tried to strike up a conversation in French one Man suddenly replied in English. We Are much pleased you Are Here. We a a. _ _. A amps Dave Melancon sgt. Larry barns or the 67th combat support Hospital inoculated a medic sgt Bruce Thompson of co of 703rd main support in during preparations in Kitzinger Germany for deployment to Goma Zaire
