Homestead Airmen complete humanitarian mission in El Salvador

  • Published
  • By Lt Col Tom Davis
  • 482nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla. --  Troops led by the 482d Fighter Wing Civil Engineer Squadron and representing all branches of the armed services have recently completed building schools and clinics in El Salvador. 

The four month long exercise, called Operation Para los Ninos, and has seen the construction of two schools and three clinics in and around the town of San Vicente. 

This humanitarian project is part of Southern Command’s New Horizons where troops from all branches of the military participate in construction projects in six countries throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America. 

Normally headed by an active duty engineer unit, this year’s effort in El Salvador was headed by Major William Reihl, Civil Engineer Squadron, 482d Fighter Wing, stationed at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida. 

“This is the first time a reserve unit has the opportunity to lead this exercise, but we were ready” said Reihl. He went on to say that the services and military occupational specialties represented worked very effectively together. 

“The 482d Fighter Wing CES took the lead and set the pace,” said Lt. Gen. Randall Mark Schmidt Commander, 12th Air Force and U.S. Southern Command Air Force.
Operation Para Los Ninos employed 650 reservists during the 120 day operation. 

While in El Salvador the reservists, most completing their annual tour requirement, worked on the five separate work sites, completing the construction jobs on time, under budget and without major injury. 

Additionally, thanks to the inspiration of Maj Reihl, all construction material was purchased locally in El Salvador. This decision resulted in excess of $450,000 being injected into the local economy. 

In addition to the construction project, Maj Reihl also oversaw medical treatment and veterinary services for the local El Salvador community. These services alone provided medical treatment for 41,000 citizens and veterinary care for 3,211 animals. 

“Major Bill Reihl, the civil engineering squadron from Homestead Air Reserve Base and the 32 other organizations that came together to build these three clinics and two schools is nothing short of an absolute diplomatic success on behalf of our country. It’s absolutely superb,” said Gen Schmidt. 

Operation Para los Ninos is considered a resounding success by El Salvadorian and US officials alike. Manuel de Jesus Lopez Reyez, Vincente school principal, lauded the efforts of the US and Salvadorian saying that their work on the Vincente school and clinic will affect the lives of all the children in the community for many years. 

“I can’t say how proud we are of the 482d Fighter Wing and Homestead Air Reserve Base” said H. Douglas Barclay, US Ambassador to El Salvador. “They are fulfilling a great duty and I am thankful for it.”