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Operation Warm and Dry: third time's the charm

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Lynsie Nichols
  • s
TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan --  Members of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing teamed up to deliver approximately $300,000 worth of jackets and blankets as part of Operation Warm and Dry Dec. 18.

Operation Warm and Dry is a humanitarian assistance program that helps give back to the community by purchasing blankets and jackets from local vendors and giving them to those in need.

"We go to different regions to identify which individuals actually need the jackets," said Maj. Alan Villanueva, Theater Security Corporation humanitarian assistance branch chief, deployed from Redstone Arsenal, Ala.

TSC is a community outreach team that operates with other agencies like the United States Agency for International Development and the Peace Corps to help make positive changes in peoples' lives.

This year marks the third year of Operation Warm and Dry.

"Since last year, our product has more than doubled," Villanueva said. "We're delivering to four different regions in northern Kyrgyzstan."

TSC isn't working on Operation Warm and Dry alone. With all the charitable work to be done, they have enlisted help from other Transit Center squadrons and organizations.

"Our plan is to involve as many Airmen and Soldiers as possible," Villanueva said. "We train a point of contact from each squadron and organization (on our processes), so that they will be successful."

The 2011 to 2012 delivery season had a successful start with a delivery of nearly two-dozen jackets to the Manas Village. Children and adults shared equal amounts of appreciation.

"Thank you very much for the jackets. Many of these children have to walk to school and have no jackets," said a Manas Village school administrator.

Being a part of TSC and involved in events like Operation Warm and Dry has a positive effect on Villanueva.

"I'm amazed at the willingness and enthusiasm of military members," he said. "We're actually building lives and relationships here. I'm proud to say that we are part of a program that establishes that kind of relationship - builds lives and hopefully builds this country up."

In all, more than 7,000 jackets and 3,000 blankets will be delivered. Trips are scheduled to Talas, Chuy, Issyk-kul and Naryn, respectively.