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San Antonio's Joint Base effort to relieve global poverty

  • Published
  • By Benjamin Faske
  • 433rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

The 502nd Airbase Wing and 433rd Airlift Wing teamed up here May 11-13 to assist in providing humanitarian relief to families in Yoro, Honduras. The Central American region recently experienced intense flooding leading to insufficient crop yields.

The Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Air Terminal received 90,000 pounds of rice and beans from Rick Caywood Ministries, a non-profit organization that has been sending food donations to areas affected by natural disasters since 2010.

“The U.S. Air Force has been a phenomenal partner to our organization," said Rick Caywood, founder and owner of Rick Caywood Ministries. "Providing the air transportation is so important.”

The donations were received through the Denton Program which falls under the United States Agency for International Development.  President John F. Kennedy created the department in 1961 to help end extreme global poverty.

The 502nd Logistic Readiness Squadron Airmen palletized, labeled, and load planned the food for movement. The Airmen said they were happy to take part in such an important mission and to help bring relief to people who needed it.

“Being an American, many of us don’t know what it’s like to be starving and hungry,” said Staff Sgt. Andrew Stoneberger, a 502nd LRS information controller. “The fact that we can bring food to people who can’t do it for themselves right now is really nice.”

The palletized food was transported to the 433rd AW on May 13, where Airmen with the 356th Airlift Squadron loaded it onto a C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft.

“This makes a difference for people in Honduras and is a great outreach program for America,” said Lt. Col. James Miller, 433rd Operations Group deputy commander. “On top of that, we get valuable training which prepares us for our wartime missions.”

The 433rd AW receives its first C-5M Super Galaxy embossed with “The City of San Antonio” on June 17 during a special ceremony at JBSA-Lackland.