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FOL Comalapa Personnel Serve Salvadoran Community

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080520-30
Release Date: 5/20/2008 4:39:00 PM

From Forward Operating Location Comalapa Public Affairs

COMALAPA, El Salvador (NNS) -- Service members and PAE contractors from Forward Operating Location (FOL) Comalapa, completed two community relations projects May 16-17, to build partner relations with their host country.

The service members were from Patrol Squadron 4, Patrol Squadron 40 and Consolidated Maintenance Organization 2.

On May 16, FOL Comalapa personnel worked together to raise a water tower to provide water pressure for the El Salamar Elementary and Middle School in Comalapa. The project will benefit the 500 students who attend the school. This particular place was chosen because the students are not able to use the lavatory in the schoolhouse.

The event kicked off with the students singing the El Salvadoran National Anthem and entertaining service members with various dances. FOL Comalapa commanding officer Cmdr. Charles Groves and PAE program manager Jose Peralta presented the school a $200 check to fund the project. The service members did the work to give back to the El Salvadoran community and improve relations between the U.S. and El Salvador.

"It was great to help out the school with obtaining the supplies they needed to have proper lavatories in the building," said Chief Yeoman (SW/AW) Byron L. Shambley, FOL Comalapa administrative officer. "Seeing the kids smiling faces lets all of us know how much they appreciated the assistance. It felt great to make a difference in the community and solidifying even more the great relationship that we have worked so hard to establish."

The following day, FOL Comalapa service members built a home for a family in need in San Luis Talpa, a town near the FOL. The project was part of the Habitat for Humanity organization, which helps build new homes for families in need. The service members, who spent four weeks building the house, were grateful for the opportunity to help a needy family.

"This was a great humanitarian project to help a family desperately in need of a house and to enhance our relationship with the local community," said Shambley. "Knowing that a family is in need and having the opportunity to provide some manual labor was gratifying for us all."

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/cusns/.