Servicemembers develop long-lasting relations with Kyrgyzstan

Published Dec. 16, 2008
By Tech. Sgt. Michael Voss
376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

MANAS AIR BASE, KYRGYZSTAN -- Manas AB serve as the premier air mobility hub for the International Security Assistance Force and coalition military operations in Afghanistan. Servicemembers from all branches call Manas their home at some point while en route to Afghanistan. For the lucky few who are deployed to the Krygyzstan base, some as little as 30 days, they quickly learn to appreciate the relationship that has been developed with the local community.

Many people have come to Kyrgyzstan over the years and developed a relationship with its people that lasted even after their military service ended. On frequent occasions members of the "Liberando" family, as Manas personnel affectionately refer to themselves, travel off base to visit the local community. There they spending time working to rebuild schools, visit with children in orphanages or simply enjoy lunch talking with Kyrgyz WWII veterans.

So as happens many mornings, a group of Airmen loaded a bus, Dec. 5, to head out to a place that is very special to the Manas community; the Uventus Teenage Training Center.
Located about five miles from the capital city of Bishkek in the Kokdjar village, the focus of the center is to offer technical skills to mentally challenged teens.

The training center is the work of one of the relationships developed by a servicemembers deployed here and carried forward after retirement. During the course of the late 1990s, Army National Guard First Sergeant Jim Carney made numerous trips here in support of the state's partner program with the military forces of Kyrgyzstan. Even after retirement he did not forget the mountainous country and instead decided to try to help the people. Mr. Carney used funds donated from his home state of Montana to rebuild the Uventus Training Center as well as others throughout the country.

"I knew I wanted to open the school, but I thought I would be here only seven months," said Mr. Carney. "Instead I found out it took seven months just to get the necessary permits. Other than the Army, I have never worked for anybody in my life, but this has been very rewarding."

On the Dec. 5 trip and for the past year, the Manas AB 5/6 Organization has taken the training center under its charge. During deployment rotations ranging from 30 days to six months, 5/6 members as well as other Manas Airmen have made weekly trips to Uventus, painting, sanding and spending time with some special teenagers.

"I've been to several locations during this rotation, some have family ties and some are orphans, but they all have a common bond of friendship and appreciation for us taking time for visiting caring and sharing time and volunteering to improve communities and making a difference," said Master Sgt. John Cannon, 376th Expeditionary Maintenance Group.

"They know when it comes time for the Manas guys to come back, they get excited," said Mr. Carney while speaking of the Uventus students. "If they are not able to come one week, the students will begin to ask for them."

The more than 25 teenagers who attend Uventus suffer from a range of mental illnesses. Each student participates in daily learning activity to include afternoon vocational training. The level of mental illness ranges widely from student to student, however, many will use the skills they learn here, such as woodworking and knitting, to help them develop future professions and work options that otherwise might not be available.

"The language barrier is overcome by the common universal concept of play and bonding," said Sergeant Cannon. "When you see a smile on a child's face it makes it worth wild for all."

Although the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing keeps busy with an around-the-clock mission, to include aerial refueling, combat airlift and airdrop, aeromedical evacuation and strategic airlift operations, part of the success of any military mission is the relationship its servicemembers have with the local citizens and neighbors around the base. In this case, a lasting relationship has developed not only between the Kyrgyz and deployed servicemembers, but even between those who went home, but never left Kyrgyzstan.