Hope in the Caribbean

Published Nov. 19, 2008
By Dona Fair
Air Force News

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago -- Leaving your job behind to spend months on a ship cruising the Atlantic to tropical, remote Caribbean locations is an ideal vacation dream for many of us. For a Shaw medical officer, the scene became reality when she boarded a Navy amphibious assault ship on a mission of bringing humanitarian aide and civil assistance to people in need.

Capt. Fe Lobo-Menendez, the chief of clinical laboratory services with the 20th Medical Support Squadron, was one of more than 1,400 service members aboard the USS Kearsarge in support of Continuing Promise 2008, a four-month deployment to provide health care services and infrastructure improvements to the people of Nicaragua, Columbia, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana.

Working alongside partner nation officials, Lobo-Menendez and her fellow shipmates delivered veterinary services, provided general and special surgical care, primary care for children and adults, dental care, assistance in setting up local public health systems, immunizations, food, water, and sewage systems assessments.

Engineer teams provided construction and renovation assistance, while demonstrating the U.S. commitment to develop solutions and foster lasting bonds of friendship with the countries they visited.

"My main duty is that of a medical linguist, where I provide Spanish and English translation services," said Lobo-Menendez. "I also provide clinical laboratory consultation for two separate locations."

The partnership of Lobo-Menendez and the other service members on board, along with other government agencies and non-governmental organizations like Project Hope and Operation Smile, enhanced the crew's ability to bring the much-needed care to the people of these Caribbean countries. It also allowed her the opportunity to gain valuable job and life experiences.

"This has been an eye-opening experience in many respects," Lobo-Menendez said. "As we have visited different countries, we have been privileged to meet some wonderful people who, in spite of lacking many of the resources we take for granted, are happy and extremely generous. For me, it has been a multi-cultural enrichment."

Visiting these various countries lush with tropical plants and flowers, pristine beaches, and palm trees has provided Lobo-Menendez a chance to see and experience how people live in other parts of the world.

"Trinidad and Tobago is a beautiful, picturesque island and its inhabitants are polite, friendly, well educated and welcoming. Also, it is apparent that the people here are proud of who they are and proud of their land as well."

Amid the flourishing tropical beauty, Lobo-Menendez and her fellow service members found areas of abject poverty, far removed from the world most vacationers see.

"Two young men, one in his early teens and the other in his late teens made a lasting impression on me, mainly because of what we could not do for them. The fact that their needs could not be met during this mission made me realize the importance of having future missions to give them hope."

Although traveling to the various countries was an adventure, the experience of sleeping in berths, being transported by helicopter or landing craft unit to the inland each day, and just living in general on the 844 foot long, USS Kearsarge, was a new experience for some, and just routine for others.

"This has been an amazing experience that I'll never forget. I feel privileged to be here every day. As an Air Force member, it has been very enriching to learn, not only about all the countries we've visited, their people and their cultures, but also to have worked hand-in-hand with the Navy, Marines and Army, and other agencies."

For Lobo-Menendez, and those men and women serving with her, cruising the Caribbean will provide a promise of hope that will leave a lasting impression on those most in need.