The Responder is a bi-weekly command information publication for the servicemembers and civilians of Joint Task Force Haiti

1. THE RESPONDER
Vol. I, Issue 12
Telling the Joint Task Force-Haiti story
ac
al
l to
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ty
March 24, 2010
JTF-Bravo hits ground running
by Staff Sgt. Bryan Franks
Joint Task Force-Bravo Public Affairs
PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti - Members of
Joint Task Force-Bravo, Soto Cano Air
Base, Honduras, worked all afternoon and
into the evening to ready two of their UH-
60 Blackhawks for rotary airlift operations
March 21 in support of Joint Task Force-
Haiti.
Maintainers and aircrew from 1st
Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment
worked side by side to accomplish the
unloading and reassembling of UH-60s
so they could begin the transition process
with the Navy rotary assets that have been
serving JTF-Haiti for the past couple
months. Deployed members from 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment race against the sun
“I’m very pleased with our team…at to get their UH-60s unfolded and operationally ready March 21. The 1-228th along with
other members of Joint Task Force-Bravo from Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras deployed
this point we’re ahead of schedule,” said in support of Joint task Force-Haiti March 21 and 22. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt.
Lt. Col. Salome Herrera, commander, Bryan Franks/Joint Task Force-Bravo Public Affairs)
1-228th. “The advance team did a really
great job of laying the ground work “It’s because of the teamwork and attitude control within the week.
which allowed us to come right off the of our personnel that enable us to get this “We are excited about our opportunity
plane and begin working on our aircraft.” far,” said Herrera. “We have been well to contribute to this global effort here in
The more than 40-member team planned received by JTF-Haiti, specifically the 24th Haiti,” said Herrera.
to have at least one aircraft operationally Air Expeditionary Group. They have really JTF-Haiti is the U.S. military’s task force
ready by the end of their first day in Haiti. gone above and beyond to support us.” providing disaster relief assistance, to Haiti
However, they were able to get a second Aircrew members began a change over following the Jan. 12 earthquake.
aircraft operational as well. with the Navy March 22 and will take full
Clinton, Bush visit Haiti
by Pvt. Samantha D. Hall
11th PAD
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti- troops on the ground, embassy workers,
Former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill and Haitian nationals.
Clinton visited Haiti March 22 on behalf of “Thank you for your service, members of
the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund which was the embassy, fellow agencies and military
established to raise money for long-term people here and the Haitian nationals for
recovery efforts. They wanted to remind what you do here, day in and day out,”
donors of the long road ahead and the Clinton said. Former President George W. Bush ad-
immense need for help during the recovery Troops from LSA Dragon were able dresses members of Joint Task Force Haiti,
process. to take some time off work to hear both U.S. Embassy staff, and USAID staff mem-
bers in the center of the U.S. Embassy in
Bush and Clinton visited internally former presidents speak. Haiti. Both Presidents Clinton and Bush
displaced persons camps and even made are in Haiti to show their support. (U.S.
a stop at the U.S. Embassy to thank the see VISIT on p. 4 Navy photo by Senior Chief Mass Commu-
nication Specialist Spike Call)

2. March 24, 2010 Page 2
407th returns to Ft. Bragg
Not far from the UN Headquarters, a
UN soldier directs and monitors traffic Maj. Gen. Simeon Trombitas, deputy commanding general, JTF-Haiti, stops
near the Toussaint Louverture Interna- to talk with several Soldiers from Alpha Company, 407th Brigade Support
tional Airport in Port-au-Prince. UN Sol- Battalion, 82nd Airborne Corps, while they play a game of hearts at the air-
diers perform security operations daily, field March 21. After arriving two months ago to support Operation Unified
ensuring the safety of the people of Haiti. Response, Soldiers are returning home to Fort Bragg, N.C. (U.S. Army photo
(Photo by PFC Jasmine Slaton /11th PAD) by Pvt. Samantha D. Hall/11th PAD)
Haitians work together to rebuild nation
by Pvt. Cody Barber
11th PAD
These shirts symbolize the cooperative
PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI – The effort of the people and the start of getting
earthquake on Jan. 12 left countless people this nation back on its feet.
victim to a disaster that would leave a “We see great examples of that every
mark in the history books as well as in day and it’s absolutely essential to their
their lives. Where their homes once stood, recovery process,” said Lt. Gen. Ken Keen,
is nothing more but a pile of memories. commander, Joint Task Force Haiti.
The foundation of Haiti was ripped from There is also a new program called
the roots but is now being rebuilt brick by Sponsor a Family. This program focuses on
brick and day by day. That would not have the idea that Haitians whose homes were
been possible if it was not for the help of not damaged by the earthquake could invite
one Haitian to another. displaced families into their homes to live
If you walk down the streets of Haiti, you with them. Lt. Gen. Ken Keen, commander, Joint Task
will see a group of Haitians wearing bright With the Haitians working hand in hand Force-Haiti, talks with military and a lo-
yellow shirts picking up trash and clearing cal resident in downtown Haiti on Mar. 23,
with international organizations and each about relocating those displaced by the
rubble. This is a program called Cash for other, the spirit of Haiti will rise from the earthquake. (U.S. Army photo by Pvt. Cody
Work, which gives Haitians the chance to rubble, building new memories and a hope Barber/11th PAD)
help their country while also being paid. for a brighter future.
THE RESPONDER Telling the Joint Task Force-Haiti story
ac
all
to
du
ty The Responder is an electronic newsletter published every Wednesday and Saturday
for the Soldiers, Sailors, Coast Guardsmen, Airmen and Marines of JTF-Haiti.
Commander JTF-Haiti Lt. Gen. P. K. (Ken) Keen Responder Staff: The editor can be reached at The Responder
Command Senior Enlisted Advisor JTF-Haiti Sgt. Maj. Louis M. Espinal Editor Sgt. 1st. Class Debra Thompson office located in the LSA Dragon sustainment
JTF-Haiti Public Affairs Officer Col. David Johnson Layout/Design Pvt. Samantha Hall tent, by DSN phone: 413-254-8007 or
JTF-Haiti Public Affairs Senior Enlisted Advisor Sgt. Maj. Rick Black by email: JTFHPAOCI@CORE1.DJC2.MIL
This newspaper is an authorized publication for the members of Joint Task Force-Haiti. Content of The Responder are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by the U.S. Government. or the Department of
Defense. The Responder is an unofficial publication authorized by Army Regulation 360-1. Editorial content is prepared, edited and provided by the Public Affairs office of Joint Task Force-Haiti.
The Responder is an electronic newsletter distributed by the JTF-H PAO. All photos are Department of Defense unless otherwise credited.

3. March 24, 2010 Page 3
CT Guardsmen reflect on mission at Hotel Montana
by Staff Sgt. Jon Soucy
National Guard Bureau Unit members also relied
on each other for support
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – during the recovery operations.
The earthquake that rocked this “We kept an open door policy
city left many of its structures and set rank aside if anybody
damaged or destroyed, needed to talk or had any
including one landmark that questions,” said Jones, who
many say represented a sense added that there were briefings
of stability within the city. and other opportunities for
The Hotel Montana, a four- those at the site to discuss
star hotel where diplomats, or work through any issues.
dignitaries and other “We’re a pretty strong group
world leaders often stayed, to begin with,” said Putinas.
collapsed during the Jan. 12 “I think it was a great team
earthquake trapping many that we put together, and we
of its guests in the rubble. were there for each other.”
A few made it out alive, Jones recalled the day the
and the task of finding remains of Air Force Lt. Col.
and identifying those who Ken Bourland were recovered.
didn’t fell to a variety of “They said he was still in
organizations, including search his uniform,” said Jones. “His
and recovery teams from body was covered, and he
France, Mexico, Canada and As members of the services flight for the Connecticut Air Na- was moved out of the rubble
members of the U.S. military. tional Guard’s 103rd Airlift Wing, Tech. Sgt. Chris Jones (left) and all of us stopped working
As a member of the services and Tech. Sgt. Bambi Putinas volunteered to do search and re-
and we went to attention and
covery at the destroyed Hotel Montana in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
flight for the Connecticut Air saluted as he was moved
The four-star hotel collapsed during the Jan. 12 earthquake
National Guard’s 103rd Airlift trapping many of its guests in the rubble. The two worked with past us. It was our way of
Wing, Tech Sgt. Bambi Putinas search and recovery teams from France, Mexico, Canada and paying final respects to him.”
said her job encompasses other branches of the U.S. military. (U.S. photo by Staff Sgt.
Jon Soucy/National Guard Bureau) For those at the site, doing
not only personnel issues, the job was something
food services and lodging, an important job to do, “Some people wanted to they took great pride in.
but also mortuary affairs. but also a difficult one. go out every day, no matter “We received a great sense of
“We all volunteered to come “It was hard,” she said. what,” said Putinas. “You fulfillment in the job we were
here, but we had no idea “Sometimes you could think that you’re going to doing,” said Jones. “We had
what we would be doing,” actually put a face with a name find somebody one day and an extreme amount of pride
she said. “In the back of or an article or something you just keep on searching, in the job that we had done.”
our minds, we all thought that was inscribed.” hoping to find someone.” And that is something
possibly mortuary affairs.” For many who worked at the Though it is part of that will stay with them
When a call for volunteers site, it was an opportunity to the services mission set, long after they return home.
to assist at the Hotel Montana provide a sense of closure to mortuary affairs is not a “I think I’ll be telling my
site was put out, Putinas was the grieving family members skill that unit members family members about the team
one of many from her unit of those who died in the hotel. use on a regular basis. I worked with,” said Putinas.
to volunteer for the mission. “...we were recovering those “It was a lot of nerves “And how great it was to work
“We would help with the that had fallen at the (Hotel) the first time we went out with the Army, the Navy, the
preliminary identification of Montana, so that they could there,” said Jones. “We do French, the Canadians, and
remains and make sure they be returned to their loved a lot of training, but this how people from all aspects of
got back home safely and ones and bring closure,” said was our first real-world life could come together for one
also any articles, luggage, Tech Sgt. Chris Jones, also experience handling this mission, in a country that none
personal effects,” she said. with the 103rd AW. “We aspect of our career field. It of us ever thought we would
“We helped to document were sending them home.” was a lot of nerves, a lot of come to, and pull together and
what we found, and those That was part of what made anxiety, but everyone got do a mission that needed to be
also would be shipped home.” many who worked at the out there and did their job done.”
Putinas said it was site go back day after day. and handled it very well.

4. March 24, 2010 Page 4
Naval officer to assist with rainy season preparation
by Spec. William Begley
11th PAD
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti- Lt. Cmdr. John said Jeffrey. “We are working on getting
Jeffrey, a Civil Engineering Corps officer these canals cleaned up before the rainy
for the U.S. Navy, is a leader, a husband, a season.”
father, as well as a Sailor. Jeffrey and NAVFAC are working closely
On top of all of this, Jeffrey is the with the government of Haiti and USAID to
director of the Facilities Engineering and tackle this huge task. Once a priority project
Acquisition Division (FEAD) at Public is identified and assessed, then appropriate
Works Department in Pensacola, Fla., and action is determined, and the project is sub-
is deployed to Haiti from Naval Air Station contracted out to American firms with the
Pensacola in support of Operation Unified requirement that they hire local Haitians as
Response. employees to do the work. This is just one
Jeffrey deployed to be part of the of the ways the joint task force is working
Naval Facilities Engineering Command together with organizations helping Lt. Cmdr. John Jeffrey just recently per-
formed a site assessment at a canal near
(NAVFAC) team. The NAVFAC team has Haitians to help themselves. some internally displaced persons camps.
taken on a very important mission here in Jeffrey has been married to his wife for The canals are full of garbage and need to
Haiti. The team does structural assessments 12 years and they have two children, an be cleared before the rainy season hits to
and has been training engineers to help 11-year-old daughter and a 6-year-old prevent flooding in the camps. (U.S. Army
photo by Spc. William R. Begley/11th PAD)
with these assessments. Another member son. As a father, Jeffrey was moved by the
of the NAVFAC team is Dennis Smith, an hardships of the displaced families that he on his experience.
engineer from Carson City, Nev. Smith is encountered. “It’s a great experience to work with all of
glad to have Jeffrey as a part of the team. “Seeing these young children in this the different services,” said Jeffrey. “Seeing
“It’s good to have an engineer that has environment, no shelter, inadequate us come together to provide humanitarian
experience,” said Smith. supplies of food and water, poor sanitation, assistance to the Haitian people is very
While in Haiti, Jeffrey has been tasked your heart goes out to them,” said Jeffrey. rewarding.”
to assist in the coordination of cleaning out “I think what we are doing here is much When Jeffrey arrived in Haiti it had been
several drainage canals in Port-Au-Prince needed and I’m glad I get to contribute to raining hard for two days. This increased
to prevent flooding in the lower-lying that,” Jeffrey said. the sense of urgency and importance of
internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. Jeffrey has been in the military for a the mission that Jeffrey and the team at
These canals have become a dumping total of 13 years, with 10 of those years NAVFAC share.
ground for the locals to put garbage and spent in the Navy, and the other three as While it’s a race against time for Jeffrey
other waste in. an infantryman in the Army. As a service and the team, rain or shine they will do
“I just came back from doing a site member who has served in two different everything in their power to complete this
assessment at a canal near an IDP camp,” branches of the military, Jeffrey reflected mission in time.
VISIT continued from p. 1
“We really appreciated actually coming to the spot
them taking time to come where it happened. It reassured
out and support what we’re me that we’re doing all that
doing,” Spc. Sarah Lystra, we can to help the people of
administration specialist, Haiti and that we are making a
U.S. Army South, deployed difference.”
from San Antonio, Texas. Senior Airmen Joseph D.
Clinton also said he Meade, communications
wanted to thank people for technician, 49th
their services rendered in the Communications Squadron,
immediate aftermath of the 49th Fighter Wing, Holloman
earthquake. Air Force Base, deployed from
“It showed that they believed New Mexico, also attended the
in what they stand for,” said visit.
Spc. David Reed, mechanic, “Hearing them speak showed
U.S. Army South, deployed they were behind what they
from San Antonio, Texas. were talking about,” Meade Sgt. Maj. Luis Gonzalez smiles as he gets his picture taken with
“They’re not just on TV said. “They were showing former President George W. Bush inside the Embassy of The
talking about the earthquake continuing support for the Haiti United States, Port-au-Prince, Haiti Mar. 22. (U.S. Army photo
and devastation; they’re relief effort.” by Pvt. Cody Barber/11th PAD)

5. March 24, 2010 Page 5
Civilian workers Maj. Gen. Trombitas visits camps
help military
by Pvt. Cody Barber
11th PAD
PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI – Not all
of JTF-Haiti is made up of those in
uniform. Some of the work here is done
by civilians assigned to the task force.
Katharyne Gallagher is a Department of
Defense civilian employee, assigned to
Navy Facility Engineer and Command,
NAVFAC.
Gallagher volunteered to go to Haiti
and has been here since Feb. 9. She
travels around Haiti and performs damage
assessments of buildings that were either
destroyed or damaged by the massive
earthquake that battered Haiti on Jan.
12. Gallagher works with a crew of 50
personnel, and together they have checked
numerous structures.
“For 15 days we would send out a group
of 4,” said Gallagher. “In those 15 days we
checked approximately 1,400 buildings.”
Each building they check has to be
Maj. Gen. Simeon Trombitas, deputy commanding general, JTF-Haiti, takes a min-
marked accordingly to how much damage ute to talk with a group of children March 21. Trombitas took the morning to walk
it received during the earthquake. through several internally displaced persons camps and see how the conditions were
“There are three different colors, red, for people living there. He also spoke with local nationals and got feedback on how
yellow and green,” said Gallagher. “Red they were living. (U.S. Army photo by Pvt. Samantha D. Hall/11th PAD)
basically means that the building has either
collapsed or is so severely damaged that
it can’t be repaired. Yellow means the
building is damaged to the point that you
shouldn’t be in there but you can repair
it and green is superficial and very minor
damage.”
In efforts of coordination and
collaboration, the team trained a group of
Haitian engineers on how to assess building
damages.
“We need them to start doing things on
their own so when we leave, they will have
the resources they need to complete the
job,” Gallagher said.
The Haitians in training went through an
in-class situation where they were shown
how to do an ACT 20, which is a detailed
evaluation safety assessment form. After
that, a few of the Haitian engineers went
out and completed field training exercises.
“We went through buildings with them
and we asked for their opinion on the status
of the building and decided if we agreed
with them,” Gallagher said. “We wanted to
make sure they looked at things the way we
thought they should.” Maj. Gen. Simeon Trombitas, deputy commanding general, JTF-Haiti, sat down at
Gallagher said by the end of February an internally displaced persons camp and spoke with the locals in charge. Trombitas
the Haitian engineers finished training wanted to see what help the locals were getting and how they were preparing for
and took control of the job and are doing the rainy season. The general also stopped by several other camps to see how the
living conditions were. (U.S. Army photo by Pvt. Samantha D. Hall/11th PAD)
approximately 1,500 buildings assessments
each day.

6. March 24, 2010 Page 6
POSTCARDS FROM HAITI
At an internally displaced persons camp, a
A Haitian woman sells produce at a market right outside a riverbed camp. She was young girl gets camera shy. She is one of
one of many Haitians selling things likes squash, carrots and potatoes. Other vendors many children who run around camps, pos-
sold canned goods and grain. (U.S. Army photo by Pvt. Samantha D. Hall/11th PAD) ing for photos when units pass through. (U.S.
Army photo by Pvt. Cody Barber/11th PAD)
Two local Haitian children play hide-and-seek be- Billy goats run around a destroyed building at a riverbed camp. Many ani-
tween tents at a riverbed camp. The children are mals now run around Port-au-Prince because the fencing that penned them
only two of many locals who were displaced by Jan. was destroyed in the earthquake. (U.S. Army photo by Pvt. Samantha D.
12th’s earthquake. (U.S. Army photo by Pvt. Sa- Hall/11th PAD)
mantha D. Hall/11th PAD)