 |
| Hem Sophal, a 23-year old Cambodian farmer, emerges from a U.S. Army Field Hospital in Pailin after his hand was nearly severed when his hoe struck a landmine. U.S. Army surgeons reconstructed his hand. |
The Chamnoam Bridge, or the “American Bridge” as locals refer to it, was the sixth bridge built in Cambodia under this program. U.S. Army engineer Maj. Jim D’Arienzo supervised the bridge project team. U.S. Army MSgt. Rick Frueh designed it and Maj. Mark Johnson provided financial supervision. The same program and team also funded the construction of two schools, one in Anlong Veng and one in Koh Kralor — both former Khmer Rouge strongholds. This successful collaboration will occur again, as work on a seventh bridge begins in early 2004.
Before 1997, the RCAF Engineer Corps received considerable U.S. military training and equipment to develop professionalism, engineering skills, and capabilities to conduct a wide variety of internal development projects. The Engineer Corps has constructed hundreds of kilometers of new roads into former Khmer Rouge areas of control, opening up access to commerce, and making it easier for the national demining effort to conduct agricultural mine-clearance operations. In 1997, the U.S. suspended all direct military assistance in training and equipment to the RCAF. The RCAF Engineer Corps currently receives training and assistance from the militaries of China and Vietnam to make up for the U.S. suspensions.
Achieving Cambodian National Objectives
Col. Rundle described the U.S. military programs in Cambodia as going a long way to help achieve Cambodia’s national objectives, objectives shared by the United States – increasing stability and assisting Cambodia’s rural population. This is especially true in a country working hard to recover from the trauma of external and internal conflict that resulted in close to two million deaths out of a population of eight to 10 million.
Col. Rundle concluded, “Be it a bridge that allows access of medical personnel into a remote district, or clearing mine infested land that creates space for a landless and destitute family to start a farm, our efforts in Cambodia show that U.S. assistance, supported by a cooperative host-nation government, can be an important tool to bring about security in the lives of everyday people, and demonstrates that the hard work of a few can make a big difference for the many.”
|
|
 |
|
Hem Sophal, a 23-year old Cambodian farmer, emerges from a U.S. Army Field Hospital in Pailin after his hand was nearly severed when his hoe struck a landmine. U.S. Army surgeons reconstructed his hand.
|
|
Cambodian Mine Action Center personnel distribute treated mosquito nets provided by U.S. Pacific Command to villagers in mine affected areas where malaria and dengue fever are endemic. |
