Reserve Chief, students help Airmen help Haitians

  • Published
  • By Capt. Jennifer Lovett
  • LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. --  Thirty days in an earthquake-destroyed Haiti has left some Airmen without basic supplies as they carry on their mission to help the victims of that earthquake.

A quick call by the Air Force Reserve's 920th Rescue Wing's top enlisted man, mobilized children in Texas and members of the LeMay Center to gather supplies.

Not long before he made that call, Reserve Command Chief Master Sgt. Gerald Delebreau, was deployed to Iraq for a six-month tour. Home for several months from his deployment, the command chief recognized a need to help Airmen deployed lending a hand to Haiti.

As his job description would surmise, he headed down from Patrick Air Force Base, Fla. to do what command chief master sergeants do - provide Airmen the best possible resources to perform their jobs.

"Chief Gerald Delebreau worked with me in Iraq and he contacted me needing supplies." said Col. Glen Apgar, LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education vice commander. "His group of more than 400 deployed to the Port au Prince airport to help restore order and ensure the flow of humanitarian aid and disaster relief. They were told to pack enough for 30 days but they are needed longer in the area and their supplies are low. "

"Supplies are extremely limited here and I saw that there was going to be a need so I went to work for these Airmen," said Command Chief Delebreau who has a security forces background and has deployed multiple times in support of the war.

The Chief made a call to a few folks for care packages that include basic supplies like soap and personal hygiene items as well as wish-list items such as candy, towels, boonie hats and extra uniform items. They are also running low on bug spray, garbage bags and beef jerky.

Colonel Apgar sent an email around the LeMay Center asking for help. When Lt. Col. Kelly Roland, a LeMay Center reservist, read the email, she made a phone call.

"The Lovett Elementary Student Council here in Houston, Texas, had raised money in support of deployed troops and didn't want to send it to a website," she said. "I told Rebecca Phillips, the council co-chair, about the troops in Haiti and that they could use the money for care packages."

The school raised more than $1,000 through recycling and private donations and presented a big check to Colonel Roland with homemade cards for the Airmen deployed to Port au Prince.

That money helped Capt. Travis Herbranson's task force of approximately twenty at LeMay send more than twenty care packages in over a day to the group in Port au Prince.
"We went to Sam's to buy the items on the list and packaged those with donations that others from LeMay brought in," said Captain Herbranson, Warfighting Applications executive officer.

"We set up an assembly line and I went downstairs to find scissors to get us started but by the time I came back up, the boxes had already been assembled and packed. It was great to see so many people helping."

The unit is still collecting items and at deadline has four more boxes of items to send.

"The unit came together quickly to help deployed brothers and sisters in need," said Colonel Apgar. "They don't have an AAFES in Port au Prince right now and certainly not a Walmart so for us to be able to help is very important.

The chief and his unit are trying to maintain order at the airport so doctors can help the injured and NGOs can bring in food and water. They need basic supplies as well and being at the airport at least helps us get it to them."

"The quick response by the LeMay Center met a need and helped make this deployment a little easier for the Airmen helping out.

It was impressive to see how quickly people respond to the military when asked. The Haitians are in dire straits and the longer we are here, the better we can make their quality of life," said Command Chief Delebreau who will continue to support the Airmen serving in Haiti until his help is no longer needed.