• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Gunston Hall and MCAT Sailors Deliver Hope to Haitians

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100124-04
Release Date: 1/24/2010 11:10:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kelvin Edwards, Operation Unified Response Gunston Hall Public Affairs

KILLICK, Haiti (NNS) -- Sailors from the dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) and embarked Maritime Civil Affairs Team (MCAT) 203 delivered food to Haitian civilians Jan. 22.

Thirteen team members passed out more than 900 bags of high-calorie meals transported from the Killick Haitian Coast Guard Base into communities where devastation and suffering lingers in the wake of the 7.0 earthquake that struck the Caribbean nation Jan. 12.

"There is nothing throughout the day that I can complain about in comparison of what these people are going through", said Chief Navy Counselor (SW/AW) Nicole Lozano from Gunston Hall. "I'm just glad we can do something, even if it's just a little bit of good for these people."

The food was donated through "Project Handclasp", which transports donated educational, humanitarian and goodwill material to communities via U.S. Navy ships.

Hospital Corpsman 1st class (EXW/FMF) Robert Lemon was enthused to help the Haitians in their time of need.

"To come out here and actually see what's going on, your heart goes out to them; you want to do as much as you can," he said. "So just the chance of coming out here and providing assistance is one of the most gratifying feelings I've felt."

Established March 31, 2007, the Maritime Civil Affairs Group, which operate the MCATs, are tasked to increase the impact of humanitarian civil assistance and contingency operations in support of theater security cooperation plans.

Gunston Hall was diverted from its scheduled deployment to Africa to take part in Operation Unified Response, aid to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.

A Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock-landing ship, Gunston Hall recently completed a mid-life modernization availability. The work included major upgrades to the ship's control system, local area network and machinery control system, propulsion systems, HVAC, as well as replacement of the ship's boilers and evaporators with an all-electric services system.

Find out more about Gunston Hall at www.gunston-hall.navy.mil.