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Helping People

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Helping people is an important part of U.S. European Command’s mission. Its humanitarian assistance and disaster relief work improves living conditions and places partner nations on a trajectory toward long-term, self-sustaining capability. Department of Defense humanitarian assistance and disaster relief supports regional security cooperation. For young eastern European nations still recovering from military conflicts and rebellions and building up essential services and disaster management capabilities, this is particularly true. Helping people is EUCOM’s way to foster good will and bring further stability to the region.

Rather than directly providing aid during humanitarian aid missions, EUCOM is more often a facilitator helping the host nation, NGOs and U.S. governmental agencies do their jobs better. Additionally, EUCOM plays an important role in empowering partner nations before trouble starts. It helps partners plan and prepare thereby mitigating or more effectively responding to disasters. EUCOM often works with these young governments to develop critical infrastructure that improves the underlying living conditions of the civilian populace.

EUCOM’s role in humanitarian assistance and disaster preparedness programs is authorized via Title 10 USC 2557/256. The goals are to help avert humanitarian crises, promote democratic development and regional stability, and enable countries to recover from conflict – basically minimize the potential for crises to develop or escalate further. Funded through Overseas Humanitarian Disaster Assistance and Civic Appropriations and EUCOM’s own Operation and Maintenance funds, support activities can include assessments, training, construction projects, well drilling, medical assistance and transportation of non-lethal DoD excess property—all with an end goal of bolstering partner nations’ civil sector capabilities.

Past projects have included:

  • Flood relief in Poland, Serbia, Albania and Moldova
  • Water pumps in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Romania
  • 44 school renovations
  • 28 hospital/clinic renovations and equipment upgrades
  • 33 emergency services/water related upgrades 

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  • January 30, 2012

    This Week in EUCOM History: January 30 - February 5, 1953

    The 1953 North Sea flood was a major flood caused by a heavy storm that occurred on the night of Saturday, Jan. 31, and morning of Feb. 1, 1953. The floods struck the Netherlands, Belgium, England and Scotland.
  • January 15, 2012

    Navy Aircrew Assists in At-Sea Rescue

    An aircrew assigned to Patrol Squadron 47, operating from Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily, sprang into action to help rescue 68 people adrift on a powerless raft in the Mediterranean Sea, Jan. 15, more than 80 miles from the southwest coast of Malta.
  • January 9, 2012

    Helping hands: USACE, EUCOM, USAID bring virtual health care to Albanian hospitals

    Designated areas at the “Mother Teresa” University Hospital Center and three other major regional hospitals throughout the country are being renovated to house new telemedicine and e-health centers.
  • December 22, 2011

    Reconstruction Project Groundbreaking in Pranjani, Serbia

    On Dec. 22, Ambassador Mary Warlick visited the village of Pranjani in the municipality of Gornji Milanovac to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of a $700,000 reconstruction project.
  • December 8, 2011

    U.S. Army awards fire station renovation contracts in Latvia

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Europe District recently awarded three contracts in Latvia to upgrade eight existing fire and rescue stations throughout the country. The contracts, awarded to Koger un Partneri and Ekers SIA, are part of a U.S. European Command-sponsored program to assist Latvia’s State Fire and Rescue Service modernize its facilities.
  • December 2, 2011

    Renovations improve quality of care at two medical facilities in Armenia

    YEREVAN, Armenia – Two newly renovated medical facilities opened in the Republic of Armenia in the last two weeks of November as part of the U.S. European Command’s Humanitarian Assistance Program.
  • November 20, 2011

    This Week in EUCOM History: November 19-25, 1995

    The Dayton Peace Agreement is initialed at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base, near Dayton, Ohio, ending three and a half years of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  • November 11, 2011

    Philippine Sea Completes Black Sea Deployment

    BLACK SEA - The guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) departed the Sixth Fleet area of operations on Nov. 11th after its scheduled Black Sea deployment, concluding three weeks serving as goodwill ambassadors of the U.S.
  • November 7, 2011

    Demir Kapija Honors U.S. Emb. for Humanitarian Assistance

    On Nov. 7, Municipality Mayor Trajche Dimitriev and Office of Defense Cooperation Chief, Lt. Col. Michael Tarquinto, marked the completion of the construction of a 3-bay service vehicle garage and the renovation of the “Dimche A. Gaberot” Primary School in the city of Demir Kapija.
  • October 27, 2011

    US Partners with Local Government to Help School Children of Vinica

    VINICA, Macedonia - The school community of Vinica organized a ribbon cutting ceremony on October 27th to celebrate the successful completion of a school renovation project made possible by generous funding support from the United States European Command and expert technical assistance from the USAID Primary Education Project.

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  • November 22, 2011

    School donation continues long-standing relationship with Poland

    Just last week, I visited the Krakow School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, which was heavily damaged in the spring floods of 2010, to deliver furniture and pianos donated by the U.S. Government.
  • November 17, 2011

    Humanitarian Assistance for Latvian Fire and Rescue

    Since fall 2008 US Embassy's Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC Latvia) and State Fire and Rescue Service of Latvia (SFRS) have identified and submitted 10 Civic Engagement (Humanitarian Assistance) projects for renovations of fire stations all over Latvia.
  • October 31, 2011

    Learning to Institutionalize Partnership

    "2011 Soft Power Symposium" hosted by Pepperdine University and the League for Hope, an NGO that promotes public-private partnership to foster educational, medical, and commercial opportunities for disadvantaged populations.
  • September 23, 2011

    Education and water improvements for the children of Bosnia and Herzegovina

    U.S. European Command provided $450,000, which allowed the Office of Defense Cooperation to renovate the Drvar school.
  • September 14, 2011

    A small investment pays big dividends in Albania

    EUCOM invested $170,000 to upgrade a kindergarten in Erseke, Albania.
  • September 1, 2011

    First Day of School – Ukrainian Style

    I had the privilege of participating in the Ochakiv School #2 ribbon cutting.
  • August 23, 2011

    Operation Unified Protector

    I spent much of last night working on what appears to be the endgame of the Libyan campaign. By the morning of 22 August, it appears that the end was in sight for the Kaddaffy regime, although events are moving fast and nothing is ever sure until it actually occurs.
  • July 6, 2011

    Blue skies in Montana (Bulgaria)

    Our Office of Defense Cooperation team left rainy and gloomy Sofia for a trip that had us traveling 2000 km in 5 days.  We were scheduled to travel throughout northern Bulgaria to inspect 15 potential Humanitarian Assistance projects. We were a little worried because we will also had a ribbon cutting to one of our larger HA projects: a kindergarten renovation in the town of Montana.
  • June 23, 2011

    Ripples in Romania: A New Strategic Collaboration for the US Navy’s Project Handclasp

    Demonstrating its friendship with the Romanian people and interest in the security and stability of the Black Sea region, the United States’ sent one of its biggest and most capable rocks, the USS Monterey, commanded by Captain Jim Kilby, to make port in Constanta, Romania June 6–9.
  • June 22, 2011

    Taking Care of the Basics: Humanitarian Civic Assistance in Croatia

    The town of Slunj, Croatia, was not far away and Diana and I were traveling there by car to participate in the Croatian President Ivo Josipovic’s visit to Slunj Primary School. For months prior, Diana had worked closely with the US and Croatian military representatives, as well as with the civilian authorities in the town of Slunj, to ensure the availability of the necessary construction materials for a renovation project at the Slunj Primary School. Today, she too could celebrate. The joint Croatian-US military exercise Immediate Response 2011 had just finished and President Josipovic was visiting the Croatian military base where the exercise had taken place. He was there to thank the Croatian and US military members who had participated in the exercise and to view several joint military construction projects that had taken place concurrently with the exercise.

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  • January 25, 2012

    Renovation at Special School for Hearing Impaired Children

    Ambassador Moser visited School Number 12 for Hearing Impaired Children in Chisinau's Botanica District to celebrate the renovation of the school's main entrance and the addition of a new wheelchair ramp. The United States has invested over $20,000 in improvements for School Number 12 in addition to private donations from citizens of North Carolina, Ambassador Moser's home state.
  • November 1, 2011

    Turkey Relief Effort

    Interview with C-17 pilot and b-roll delivering aid from Norway to Turkey earthquake victims.
  • October 31, 2011

    Members of US Air Forces Europe, US Marine Forces Europe, and Norwegian partners work to load a US Transportation Comand C-17.

    Members of US Air Forces Europe, US Marine Forces Europe, and Norwegian partners work to load a US Transportation Comand C-17, home-based at Fort Lewis-McChord, Wash., with supplied for earthquake victims in Turkey.
  • October 31, 2011

    Members of US Air Forces Europe, US Marine Forces Europe, and Norwegian partners work to load a US Transportation Comand C-17.

    Members of US Air Forces Europe, US Marine Forces Europe, and Norwegian partners work to load a US Transportation Comand C-17, home-based at Fort Lewis-McChord, Wash., with supplied for earthquake victims in Turkey.
  • October 26, 2011

    Taking advantage of diversity

    A team of U.S. troops in Romania is hard at work beside their Romanian counterparts. SSgt Nathaniel Parry tells us how this project gives the U.S. team a chance to build bonds with the local community.
  • October 3, 2011

    Finding a good home for some unwanted items

    Every now and then, old furniture and equipment needs to be replaced. SrA Dennis Ayres takes us to the Defense Logistics Agency’s Disposition warehouse at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, where Airmen are helping unwanted items find a new home in Georgia and Azerbaijan.
  • September 30, 2011

    U.S. renovates Bolohani School in Moldova

    U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova William Moser and Mrs. Moser visited the village of Bolohan, where the United States is completing a $510,000 renovation of the Bolohani School. The renovation of the Bolohani School is a two phase project. Phase One -- the construction of new sanitary facilities was completed last week, and now students and faculty have access to indoor bathroom facilities. Phase Two -- the complete renovation of the school and its gymnasium will begin in December. The Bolohani School serves more than 200 children from three villages in the Orhei District. Renovation of the Bolohani School is being coordinated by the U.S. Embassy's Office of Defense Cooperation.
  • September 29, 2011

    EUCOM helps medical community in Belgrade

    In this story we see how time can make the difference between life and death. Petty Officer Shamia Briscoe is in Belgrade, where the U.S. European Command is helping Serbian medical professionals save lives.
  • September 23, 2011

    Armenia clinic opens with help from USACE, EUCOM

    TALIN, Armenia -- Members of the local medical community gathered with representatives of the U.S. and Armenian governments Sept. 2 to celebrate the opening of a polyclinic. The $220,000 renovation project, funded by the U.S. European Command and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Europe District in cooperation with the U.S. Embassy Office of Defense Cooperation, provided a complete overhaul to the clinic's second floor. Read more about it at http://1.usa.gov/qzjILC (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers motion imagery by Rachel Goodspeed / Released)
  • September 23, 2011

    USACE, EUCOM team up to deliver kindergarten to Armenian community

    NERKIN SASNASHEN, Armenia -- Following a solemn memorial with the local community, U.S. and Armenian officials gathered together at the local kindergarten for a ribbon-cutting ceremony opening its newly-renovated doors to Sasnashen's children. Read more about it at http://1.usa.gov/pD52Ws (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers motion imagery by Rachel Goodspeed / Released)