Blog Posts tagged with "Latvia"

Col. Shawn Fritz adds a EUCOM coin to a ceremonial time capsule placed in the foundation of the new three-bay garage with Lt. Col. Peter Wisti.

On Monday, Judy Garber, U.S. Ambassador to Latvia; members of the U.S. Embassy in Riga and EUCOM; the Latvian Ministry of Interior (State Fire and Rescue Service) and National Guard members; and local government officials broke ground on a EUCOM Humanitarian Assistance project modernizing eight fire and rescue stations in Latvia.

This project is a sterling example of the whole of government approach taken by both of our countries to build essential service capabilities that Latvia can employ not just within its own borders, but to benefit Europe as a whole. As we saw from the recent spate of natural disasters across Europe in the last two years -- wildfires in Russia, flooding in the Balkans, earthquakes in Turkey, extreme winter weather in central and eastern Europe -- there’s certainly a need for robust emergency response services in the region. Effective essential services help contain and mitigate the impact of disasters and thereby contribute to maintaining security and stability in the affected areas -- a EUCOM core mission.

This groundbreaking was part of a multi-year EUCOM HA effort that started in 2010 to renovate Latvia’s national fire and rescue stations and enhance their emergency response capability. Latvia leveraged these renovated stations by reaching out to the European Union for new fire trucks, which, combined with updated emergency facilities, enabling a speedier response to emergencies. As a result of this improved capability, Latvia was able to send firefighters and equipment outside the country to tackle catastrophic forest fires in Russia and severe flooding in Poland and Moldova. Thanks to innovative thinking by EUCOM and Latvian project team members, this project delivered a “bigger bang for the buck”.

Much like NATO’s “Smart Defense” concept, EUCOM’s HA effort with Latvia is “Smart Civic Engagement”--a joint project with one of our smallest NATO allies and one of the poorest countries in the European Union precisely crafted to deliver significant security benefits. We are truly Stronger Together!

Ambassador Lawrence Butler
Civilian Deputy to the Commander
US European Command

Although the news tends to cover the myriad of crises that EUCOM is involved with, it often overlooks the vitally important and enduring missions that truly underpin the long-term success of EUCOM. Let me offer you an example. Part of EUCOM ‘s mission is to conduct work with our international military counterparts in order to build their military capacity. Sometimes we do this alone – military to military – and other times we find opportunities to work with other partners in the public or private sector.

A case in point: In early March, we teamed up with Project Hope, a non-profit medical service organization, to work with us and our Baltic allies in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia on some of the most relevant, important issues facing all of our forces: wounded warrior care, veteran care, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are committed ISAF partners conducting combat operations in Afghanistan. These countries each rank in the top half of total ISAF troop contributions, as well as per capita fatalities. Lithuania leads a Provincial Reconstruction Tam (PRT) in Chaghcharan; Latvia has contributed soldiers to PRT and Operational Mentor and Liaison Team (OMLT) missions for the last 4 years in Afghanistan; and Estonia is operating alongside coalition forces without caveats in some of the most dangerous areas of Afghanistan.

Like most countries involved with the ISAF mission, the Baltic nations have experienced a relatively high amount of casualties, IED related injuries and PTSD. Like all contributors, they are confronting the challenges of caring for severely wounded, ill, and injured military personnel and their families post deployment.

EUCOM’s Military to Military Contact Program, one of EUCOM’s oldest and most effective security cooperation programs, began working with the Offices of Defense Cooperation in our Baltic embassies to plan an event with our allies which facilitates information sharing for pre- and post-deployment medical care, including the identification and treatment of TBI and building a Warrior Care plan.

The Project Hope mission includes educating health professionals, community health workers, and strengthening health facilities all over the world. For this event, Project Hope provided nationally renowned specialists in neurosurgery and psychiatry to team up with a director from the Department of Defense Wounded Warrior Program, a senior DOD policy analyst and U.S. Air Force Europe’s 3rd Air Chief of International Health. With the help of our ODCs, this team of experts traveled to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia where they worked alongside members of the Ministries of Defense and Health, along with civilian medical, hospital and university personnel.

What a success! This mission proved an important first step in a continued partnership of exchanges and collaboration on these crucial issues for soldiers and veterans who have served their nation and NATO proudly.

We are learning more and more how TBI can lead to problems with PTSD, depression, drugs and alcohol, and seeing more clearly the tangible effects of the bloodless trauma from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We all grapple with these tough problems. Learning from each other – across nations and public/private sectors – and sharing lessons learned and best practices is the truest form of international and public-private cooperation. This collaboration with Project Hope and the Department of Defense in the Baltics embodied that spirit perfectly.

Adm. James Stavridis
Commander, U.S. European Command and
Supreme Allied Commander, Europe

More blogs on the Project Hope/Wounded Warrior Care visit are available here: Exploring Wounded Warrior issues in partner nations

and

*This is the final blog for this series; the first can be seen here and the second here.*

The final day of the Wounded Warrior team’s trip in the Baltics began with a visit to Magdaleena East Central Tallinn Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in Estonia and the best hospital in Tallinn for rehabilitation.

The hospital tour -- provided by Dr. Heidi Gill, the head of the rehabilitation department -- highlighting their various rehabilitation areas and capabilities, was quite interesting because of the unique therapies available to patients. Certain therapies that are considered homeopathic in the U.S. are commonplace in the Baltic and Scandanavian countries; they use "mud" therapy, hydro-therapy and also extreme cold therapy which has shown to be effective with treating rheumatic disorders and severe depression. The temperatures in the severe cold therapy are well below -100 Celsius!

After the tour we were pleasantly surprised to see that the lecture facilities were the best out of all the previous places visited and we settled in for the day’s discussions. The group of Estonians who joined us came from quite diverse areas: most were from the Estonian Military Medical organization, others were local doctors, psychologists, nurses and social workers. The focus was on medical lectures followed by our entire team going on stage for an open panel question and answer session.

Dr. James Ecklund, former head of Neuroscience at Walter Reed and world-renowned neurosurgeon and expert on blast related brain injuries is interviewed.

Dr. Ecklund presented his lecture on blast induced brain injuries and was followed by Dr. Polo and his lecture that focused on traumatic brain injuries. Both lectures were specifically tailored to the audience and group discussion from the audience was light during the lectures. An important part of security cooperation is understanding the culture of the countries you are in; in Estonia people are less likely to ask question in large group settings. However, during the breaks or after presentations there will typically be very in depth discussions. Just as a predicted, during the breaks and after the presentation the team was vigorously engaged with the audience on a variety of topics. Although our schedule was tight we were still able to do some effective networking and generate ideas for future areas of cooperation.

After a quick stop for lunch the team began the 1.5 hour drive to Haapsalu, a beautiful city close to the Baltic Sea with a large castle partly restored and partly still in ruins. Haapsalu is also home to the Haapsalu Neurological Rehab center, the best neurological rehab center in the country. It also boasts a beautiful promenade and gorgeous views from most of the windows which adds to the restorative effects of the center. The view in winter is also beautiful but in more of an austere kind of way. The lake in front of the center is frozen and there were actually ice roads with cars driving over them while we watched from the large bay windows.

Dr. Kadri Englas, the head of their rehab department, and Priit Eelmae, the hospital director, met us at the entrance and talked a little bit out our team and the overall mission. The leadership at this center is outstanding and they are always looking for new ways to partner with the U.S.

Here I'm discussing a EUCOM Humanitarian Assistance project for an amputee care center/prosthesis lab that will be a joint project with the Estonian Ministry of Social Affairs, Estonian Defense Forces and Ministry of Defense.

Priit told us about the hospital’s history and current capabilities. He stressed the work they have done with wounded Estonian Soldiers in their state of the art gait lab which is able to digitally capture how a person walks; they use this information to tailor rehab programs. This is particularly useful with amputees learning to walk again with their new prosthesis.

Priit and Dr. Englas then took us on a short tour of the center and highlighted their occupational therapy and gait lab capabilities.We finished the tour in the conference room and met with the rest of the medical staff which included physicians, occupational therapists, physical therapists, social workers and nurses. Dr. Ecklund gave a custom tailored brief that focused on highlighting the injuries and resulting symptoms they might see with blast related head injuries. Dr. Polo followed with his presentation on the medical symptoms and treatment recommendations for mild to severe TBI and post-traumatic stress disorder. Pam and David then discussed with the group what their specialties were and also ideas for improving assistance to families and veterans based on their understanding of the center's capabilities and focus. A healthy question and answer session and discussions for future cooperation ensued for about 45 minutes. We said our goodbyes and began the drive back to Tallinn.

It was a nice end to a long and productive day and week.

Major Christopher E. Mackin
Bilateral Affairs Officer/Deputy Chief
US Office of Defense Cooperation, Estonia

*This is the second in a series, the first can be seen here.*

While visiting Lithuania the Wounded Warrior team and the two physicians from Project Hope drove out to Vilnius University Emergency Hospital (VUEH) located 15 minutes west of the capital, Vilnius. The day’s mission was to deliver medical lectures about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to the staff at a local hospital there.

This Soviet-style hospital with 2000 beds was built in 1986 -- just 5 years before the collapse of the Soviet Union. There were sharp contrasts from this hospital versus the Kaunas Hospital we visited yesterday. It was clear there was less focus on the mindset of the patient and their families, unlike the Kaunas hospital with sunlight and warm pools for therapy. I believe Americans take for granted the way our hospitals in the states greet us as we walk in, either as a guest or a patient; perhaps it’s what we have learned about welcoming our patients and their families. VUEH felt cold. It was a colder atmosphere and the hallways were dark and sterile.

What the Vilnius University Emergency Hospital had going for it was the way the hospital was nestled into the tall pine forest on the outskirts of town. When we were on the 9th floor we were able to see the foothills of Vilnius and the city skyline. American architects and construction crews can learn a lot from the Europeans about leaving the natural trees and surroundings near the intended building.

Our first meeting was with Dr. Saulius Rocka, one of Vilnius’ neurosurgeons. He brought our team to the surgeons’ morning meetings. As introductions were made, the Director for the Surgery Department handed out long stem roses to the women in the audience as part of “International Women’s Day.” Pam McClelland from Department of Defense Family Support was a pleased recipient. This was a practice since the Soviet times and persisted through the years.

Our meeting with the surgeons described the previous night’s activities. Our physician team members were able to follow along due to the medical terms sounding very familiar with a Lithuanian ending. One of the morning cases involved a patient with Neurocysticercosis – a parasitic infection of the central nervous system that results from ingestion of eggs from the adult tapeworm, often from undercooked pork. This is very rare in the US, but still makes a great case in educating newer physicians.

Dr. Polo gives his presentation.

Dr. James Ecklund, a world-renowned neurosurgeon and Dr. James Polo, our psychology consultant, were both supported by Project HOPE and gave presentations describing lessons learned dealing with head wounds and the psychology of the patients. We were very pleased to have several members from the Lithuanian Military Medical Services, as well as the Ministry of Defense attend these lectures. The team felt there were plenty of new ideas and enthusiasm with the group of 3rd year medical students from the local area. These future physicians hold the torch for the care and well being of Lithuania.

At the end of the day, the US Embassy Public Affairs team asked us a very profound question: “I have many friends who served in Afghanistan in the 1980’s with the Soviets. They cannot sleep at night and are having trouble with drugs and alcohol. What is Lithuania doing with these patients?” The Baltics need to address this issue. These people are Lithuania’s, sons, brothers, uncles, fathers and grandfathers. These men did their job and now it’s time to help relieve the suffering. We had similar issues in the United States and we learned from our mistakes. We are hoping we can share these lessons with the Baltic countries. We view this as an excellent area for future cooperation.

The team is now prepared to address these issues in Latvia and Estonia.

So as the flower brings joy and shows a sign of new life, the hope for this team is to bring new life to a medical system needing support for their patients.

Stephen Timmons, Lt Col
Bilateral Affairs Officer
US Embassy Lithuania

Wounded Warrior, Veteran care, traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder. All are powerful terms capable of eliciting intense emotions from military service members and civilians alike. For the Baltic nations of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia supporting International Security Assistance Force - Afghanistan it is a term they are becoming more familiar with.

Baltic Bilateral Affairs Officers frequently work together on regional security cooperation issues and realized the overarching concept of veteran care is something the military leadership in the Baltics required assistance developing. Through the auspices of the Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC), Project Hope and the EUCOM State Partnership Program (SPP) we set out to familiarize the Lithuanian Military Medical organization and their Ministry of Health with veteran care.

Dr. James Ecklund, Pam McClelland, Lt. Col. Paul Bostrom, Dr. James Polo, and David DuBois

The team members on this project are from diverse backgrounds and all converged on Vilnius, Lithuania, where the events began. David DuBois and Pam McClelland came from Washington, D.C., and represent the Department of Defense Wounded Warrior Program. Their specific specialties are Transition Assistance Programs and the Office of Family Support & Policy. Dr. James Ecklund and Dr. James Polo are both retired colonels from the US National Capital Region and are nationally renowned specialists in neurosurgery and psychiatry. Lt. Col. Paul Bostrom from the 3rd Air Force, Surgeon General Chief of International Healthy Division represents EUCOM. The Bilateral Affairs Officers, Lt. Col. Steve Timmons and Maj. Chris Mackin, round out the team representing the U.S. military in Lithuania and Estonia.

This was the first time most of the team members set foot in the Baltics and many among us were not sure what to expect.

Bright and early Monday morning we traveled from Vilnius to Kaunas to visit the Lithuanian Military Medical Service at the headquarters. The Lithuanian Military Medical leadership provided a detailed brief on their history and current capabilities. Established in 1918 after World War I, their current facilities were constructed in 1919, the facility and organization underwent renovations and improvements in 1927-1933 to become one of the best-equipped hospitals in all of Lithuania.

Their organization was re-established in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union and has underwent extensive modernization to become a highly professional and capable force able to support peacekeeping, combat and humanitarian assistance programs worldwide since 1995.

The Lithuanian military medical services are quite active in supporting coalition forces with more than 150 medics deployed to various operations since 1995. They have also deployed several physicians and nurses to Iraq and Afghanistan. The brief was very interesting and informative and I was surprised at how extensive their military medical capability is compared to other nations in the region.

The Lithuanians were quite interested in the programs DuBois and McClelland briefed and followed up with many questions.

After the briefs, our group traveled to the largest hospital that was built prior to World War II located in Kaunas, Lithuania. We met with the director of the hospital who proceeded to give a very in depth tour of the entire hospital. The most interesting aspect of the visit was learning that the military cooperation with this hospital is very close. All of the military medical physicians and most of the medial personnel were educated in this hospital and also work part time there. We saw that the patients have great water rehabilitation centers with a variety of heated pools and baths. The director was very eager to point out the number of American manufactures of equipment and supplies. We raced through the underground tunnels and toured the hospital in less than 60 minutes and I bet we walked more than two miles! It is a good thing the underground tunnels have a heated walkway, temperatures in the winter months can be very cold reaching -20 C (4F); that's not comfortable if all you have to wear is that paper hospital gown!

Afterwards, our team drove back to Vilnius in time to meet with the Ministry of Health to pave the road for future plans and cooperation. There’s another blog coming about that day’s visits too.

Major Christopher E. Mackin
Bilateral Affairs Officer/Deputy Chief
US Office of Defense Cooperation, Estonia

Note: This is the first in a series of blogs about the team's trip around the Baltic countries. Stay tuned for more!

The United States European Command (USEUCOM) plays an important role supplying the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. I’d like to explain how building business relationships with companies in the USEUCOM area of responsibility can have a positive effect on that effort.

To date, more than 30,000 shipping containers passed through USEUCOM’s geographical area of responsibility on supply routes known as the Northern Distribution Network (NDN). Most of the container contents include consumable supplies and materials originating in the United States and Western Europe. While the NDN demonstrates a global distribution capability, opportunities exist to reduce transit time and shipping costs by purchasing items from qualified sources along the NDN closer to Afghanistan.

Last September, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) teamed with the General Services Administration (GSA), the United States Embassy in Latvia, and USEUCOM to host a procurement conference in Riga, Latvia. A major NDN shipping port and developed European Union economy make Riga an attractive market from which to purchase supplies and materials to support the ISAF mission. One hundred nine Latvian businesses attended this conference to showcase their products and learn how to register and compete for contract opportunities.

Early results from the Riga conference are promising. The Latvian business publication, Dienas Bizness, reported this month that DLA placed an order with a local food company for bottled water and juice directly attributed to the September conference.

DLA evaluated a number of businesses that show high potential as long-term sources for future contracts. The engagement in Latvia follows the path of NDN procurement conferences the USEUCOM co-sponsored with United States Transportation Command in May 2010 in the Southern Caucasus countries of Georgia and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan emerged as a leading DLA fuel source and Georgia’s importance as a GSA supplier grew significantly during 2010.

Ultimately, businesses must offer quality products at competitive prices to serve as government suppliers, but the potential to significantly increase the number of suppliers along the NDN is very real. Continued engagement with local businesses and economies is yet another way USEUCOM, its interagency partners, and allied nations are Stronger Together.

Maj. Michael Belko, US Air Force
Chief, Operational Contract Support
EUCOM J4

What makes a Humanitarian Assistance (HA) project a success? There are many factors that impact the process; it is no longer just a triangular relationship between the project scope, available funding and allocated time.

You probably have heard it: “They [clients or the recipients of assistance] have to want the project more than you do!” You cannot impose your help on someone for their own good. Well, of course you can, but it will likely be a miserable experience both for you and for the one you are helping not to mention a waste of time and money.

During the past two years we have seen a positive change in the attitude in Latvia towards our Humanitarian Assistance projects. We have found that people tend to invest time, energy and resources to things they create and support; therefore we have learned to share the responsibility, as well as success of this program with our Latvian partners.

One example for this shift in the mindset is the renovation project at Liepaja Children and Youth Center. The Center was re-opened on Dec. 10, 2010 after extensive common access area renovation work.

To put it briefly – the center keeps local teenagers and children away from the dangers of the street by offering quality after-school activities, such as work in hobby groups and workshops to develop their skills and talents. Each day about 300 children (of whom 48% are ethnic Russians) participate in activities at the Center. Approximately 20% of the students come from socially disadvantaged families and 40% from poor families. The building used to be a Soviet Army barracks and is located in a region of the city traditionally called War Port.

Nominated by the local education department, this project stood out from the first day we met with the director of the Center and her staff. We saw dedication, determination and enthusiasm from the municipality education department, the center’s staff and even the children who attend the classes to make this renovation happen. What a difference this made! It resulted not only in a successful project with long-term impact, but also a pleasant experience for our office. We were delighted to work with a team that had set a goal and was determined to go beyond what is usually required.

Yes, they wanted it more than we did! As a result, we saved our time, our resources and avoided a great deal of frustration. More importantly - we partnered with the Latvian Government in its effort to provide a safe environment for children, rather than trying to tell the host nation how it should be done.

During her speech, the U.S. Ambassador to Latvia, Judith Garber, said, “Renovation projects like these are yet another example of the very strong U.S.- Latvian relationship. The close friendship between our two countries extends from membership in NATO and partnership in military operations abroad, to our commitment to vital community projects. I am proud that such a robust partnership contributes to the safety, security and welfare of people here in Latvia and in the wider region.”

Gunita Migliniece
HA Program Manager
Office of Defense Cooperation - Latvia

The military is occasionally called upon to provide life saving assistance in times of disaster. I’ve blogged over the past few years about our involvement in fires, floods and earthquakes. These disasters, and the military’s role in them, receive much attention. But the military is also routinely involved in capacity building projects which often do not get the same level of coverage.

The team at U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) has collaborated on several projects throughout the region to help increase capacity in the sectors of disaster response and medical readiness. Because of these quiet, long-term projects, we’ll collectively be better prepared to respond to real crises. Let me give you some examples and highlight the many partners:

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 7 Seabees (L), U.S. Ambassador Judith Garber (C-L), Capt. Guntars Vilguts, commanding officer of the 46th Latvian army national guard (C-R), and Ventspils firefighters (R) stand together for a group photo May 26, 2010 in Ventspils, Latvia.

In Latvia, the U.S. Embassy indentified disaster response as concentrated interest item. They see a fully operational and effective state fire and rescue service as crucial for Latvia’s ability to respond to disasters and crises, protect the country’s infrastructure from terrorist or other threats, and directly improve the safety and basic living conditions of Latvian citizens. In response, USEUCOM has funded several projects to renovate fire watch towers throughout the country. Additionally, several fire stations underwent renovation to better facilitate fire and rescue operations.

In Georgia, USEUCOM will provide support to the renovation of part of the government owned Republican Hospital. In a real example of complimentary public-private partnership, Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, is partnering with the government to form the first nursing school in the Republic of Georgia. The immediate goal is to significantly improve the competencies of currently practicing nurses. This will be done through an intensive training program. At the end of the training period, each hospital will have in-place a team of nurses trained with skill devoted towards in-service education and management. This project will ultimately serve to improve social and health care services in Georgia.

Sailors offload two pallets of donated personal hygiene supplies as part of Project Handclasp to Clinic #14. The clinic is located in the port city of Durres, Albania.

In Albania, the Departments of State and Education, in collaboration with USAID, have initiated a project to improve health care delivery in the Balkans. The project aims to establish a telemedicine capability at the fourteen regional hospitals in Albania. EUCOM has only a small role to play, but a significant one, nonetheless. We are supporting the renovation of the spaces within each hospital in which the telemedicine equipment will be installed. USAID will fund necessary training for hospital personnel in the use of this equipment. This new infrastructure and medical and technical leadership will provide a solid foundation for positive changes in health care in Albania. Moreover, this program will create new opportunities for partnerships of medical institutions and individual experts from Albania with many renowned institutions worldwide.

All of these projects are formulated in partnership with the Embassy country team, which defines the project objectives in their country strategies. Once possible activities are identified, they are closely coordinated and executed with the national government of the host country. Even the smallest projects demand lots of consultation, collaboration, and partnership. The projects may seem humble, but this sort of work performed over years and across nations adds up to real progress. I’m awfully proud of our folks executing this work, and I trust you are too.

There are countless examples of our military doing work such as that described above. I’d welcome any additional examples and experiences you might like to share.

Adm. James Stavridis
Commander, U.S. European Command and
Supreme Allied Commander, Europe

Captain (Retired) Herman Cernovs, formerly of the Latvian Coast Guard Service and leader in the development of Latvia’s MRCC; Captain Ozren Lukenda, Croatian Coast Guard; Mr. John Owens, Environmental Response Coordinator for the Commander Naval Region, Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia; and Captain Boris Katicin, Deputy Coast Guard Commander, Croatia; discuss the operations of Latvia’s Maritime Rescue and Coordination Center (MRCC).

In human affairs, successful cooperation in one area often builds bridges to successful cooperation on other endeavors. In the case of Croatia and Latvia, successful security cooperation has recently led to cooperation on the protection of the natural and economic resources on the Dalmatian Coast.

The beautiful Dalmatian coast is an international destination for millions of travelers each year; and a crucial economic resource for Croatia. If an oil spill reached the Croatian coast, it could devastate not only the coast’s natural beauty, but the economic well-being of Croatian citizens who rely upon the tourist industry for their livelihood.

The Croatian Coast Guard would lead the Croatian government’s response to an oil spill that threatened Croatia’s coastline and is working to enhance its ability to respond to and manage the risk of such an event. It was for this purpose that Croatian Coast Guard representatives, with assistance from the US European Command’s Logistics Directorate, attended The Baltic Sea Oil Response Exercise (BALEX DELTA 2010) at the invitation of the Latvian Coast Guard.

I observe the movements of the BALEX DELTA 2010 exercise fleets from the deck of the Latvian Coast Guard Vessel VARONIS with Captain Ozren Lukenda from the Croatian Coast Guard and Mr. Brock Durig of Naval Forces Europe.

While aboard the Latvian Coast Guard vessel VARONIS, the Croatian Coast Guard representatives were able to observe vessels and participants from Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Poland, Russia, Lithuania, Estonia and Finland working together, and with the staff of the Latvian Coast Guard Service. While strong winds during the exercise period prevented the deployment of some planned oil response equipment, including the traditional BALEX rowing completion, many activities and events still went forward to include interactions and coordinating meetings between the overall event coordinator and the commanders of each national contingent element, seminars and lectures in oil response management and strategy meetings.

The recent events surrounding the explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon and the ensuing oil spill that created havoc with the environment and economy of the US Gulf Coast clearly demonstrate the potentially devastating natural and economic impacts of oil spills. Croatia and Latvia’s efforts to reach out to others to learn and share best practices in mitigating the effects of an oil spill event illustrate the value of partnerships and how a strong security partnership can build bridges to partnerships in other important endeavors.

Mr. Mike Brown
Environmental Engineer
US European Command
Logistics Directorate

I recently had a chance to accompany the Latvian Military Chaplain, a local social worker, spouses of the Michigan National Guard Adjutant General, and the Latvian Chief of Defense on a visit to some families in need in the Ogre municipality, which is about 35 kilometers southeast of Riga. The social worker and the Chaplain had prepared gift baskets for the families who were struggling severely under the current economic situation. The baskets, funded by the Michigan National Guard Family Support Group, included everyday food items like milk, bread, eggs and cooking oil.

One of the places that we visited was a municipality - owned community house that is divided into several apartments and assigned to people in need. All of us were shocked by what we saw there – floors were severely rotten and damaged and walls were uneven with holes in them. The rooms were cold and damp because of a defective Soviet-era heating furnace and could not maintain a warm interior temperature in the apartment. Personally, I had been to places like these during other Humanitarian Assistance missions in the eastern part of Latvia, but not a mere 35 km outside of Riga.

The social worker told us the story of the two brothers living in one particular apartment we were visiting. Because of the death of their mother, the 17 year old younger brother had taken over responsibility of caring for his 26 year old brother who has a mental disability. Besides each other, they were completely on their own. The local municipality provided living space and a monthly pension to the older brother in the amount of about 65.00 Latvian Lats (130.00 USD). We talked to both of the men and the younger one told us in English that he planned to study tourism administration when he graduated from high school. After the short conversation, the younger one thanked us for the goods we brought, and probably thought that this visit would not change their lives other than just to add a meal or two. Thanks, however to the EUCOM Humanitarian Assistance Program and the efforts of some US Navy sailors and Latvian soldiers, we were able to return and bring changes that, using the words of the youngest boy: “he could not have imagined in his wildest dreams!”

Sailors from the USS Ramage (DDG 61) and Latvian soldiers restain the building for members of the community.

On October 23rd, 2009 sailors on a port visit from the U.S. Navy ship the USS Ramage (DDG 61) together with Latvian soldiers joined efforts for a community outreach activity and painted the exterior of the building where the two men lived. The rest of the refurbishment project was contracted to a local Latvian company and within two weeks the two men could not recognize their old apartment. The old Soviet era stove was completely removed and a new wood heating system was installed. The walls were leveled out with plaster board and received new wallpaper. As well, the old floors were replaced and the ceiling was covered and painted. New light fixtures and electrical wiring were installed and old crooked doors were replaced with new ones. Moreover, inspired by the efforts of the US Government, the local municipality finally fulfilled its long-standing promise and built a shed for wood next to the building.

With outstanding efforts and only $10,000, we not only managed to completely renovate about 60 square meters of the building, including 270 square meters of wall, floor and ceiling surface and provide normal living conditions to a family in need, but we also gave hope to the local municipality representatives and social workers who are frustrated in trying to satisfy urgent needs with limited funding. Before the work on the building commenced, the deputy head of the local municipality council addressed the attendees of the outreach event with tears in his eyes, and said “the people of Ogre are grateful to the US Government for the missions it does in Latvia. This is an inspirational mission you [US sailors and Latvian soldiers] are about to take up today and there are no words to express our gratitude.”

This was a small scale project, but it once again reminded me that it does not take much to bring change and make a difference in the lives of other people.

Gunita Migliniece
HA Manager, ODC Latvia