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HNCC reminds us of responsibilities as guests in SWA

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Carolyn Viss
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Many people deploying to Southwest Asia leave the U.S. knowing only a little bit about the host nation and its people. Once they arrive, they are told a bit about the local customs and courtesies - things they should avoid doing in order to keep from offending the residents of this country. For many, this is as much as they learn about our hosts here. As the deployment wears on, it may be easy to get caught up in day-to-day activities and forget about a key aspect of maintaining a good rapport with the host nation: relationship building. 

Although the U.S. and coalition forces have what is becoming an enduring presence here, we are still guests, say wing Host Nation Coordination Cell officers, and it's important for every person deployed here to remember that they're here because of the generosity of the host nation. 

"The local culture is relationship-driven," said Col. Steven Amato, HNCC commander. "Administratively, it makes it more difficult because we can't do business simply by sending an e-mail. But the relationship we've established is very important to maintain, and it requires people educating themselves and being proactive to learn about the culture around us." 

From immigrations, customs and security to infrastructure and diplomatic clearances, the HNCC plays a role in ensuring U.S. transitions here are smooth. Equipped with three translators, this 16-person shop coordinates the necessary paperwork but spends a lot of time downtown as well, visiting with embassy members and making sure the host nation knows the U.S. military is happy they've agreed to let us set up shop here, said Maj. Steven Coy, the wing customs officer. 

"What a majority of the base populace might not understand is that this is a sovereign nation," he said. "Even though we've got more than 8,000 American and coalition service members here, this is not our base. Everything we do here has to go through an approval process with the local government, and without a good relationship we'd be dead in the water." 

The standards here are not hard to abide by, said Maj. William Hall, the HNCC diplomatic clearance officer - they just take some education, sensitivity and a desire to integrate into the local culture. 

"I personally really like getting to know the culture," Major Coy added. "The people here are very genuine, they like us, they're honest, and they're willing to help us out. Just like you try to respect the rules of the house when someone invites you into their home, you should try to be respectful when you're here." 

Dress conservatively, both men emphasized. Don't take pictures of the women and the mosques; be patient going through customs; follow the guidelines delineated in the foreign clearance guide, and the relationship will stay great. 

"Our biggest challenge is educating people to prevent incidents," Colonel Amato said. "We can't be arrogant and think we have a 'right' to be here. We have to appreciate what they let us do here and remember that every Airman is an ambassador."