February 5, 2006	Sunday	Muharram 6, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Feb 4: The United States Disaster Assistance Centre on Saturday announced that US forces, when leave the country, would hand over more than $6 million worth of military medical and construction equipment to Pakistan.

At a press conference held at Chaklala Air Base on Saturday, Rear Admiral Michael LeFever, Commander Disaster Assistance Centre also announced that the phased withdrawal of the US forces would commence from mid-February and end by March 31. The departure would be coinciding with Pakistan’s transition from relief to reconstruction.

“Helping Pakistan following the earthquake was both an honour and a privilege,” said Rear Admiral LeFever. “The government of Pakistan and the Pakistan military led this historic humanitarian relief effort and is now ready to rebuild Pakistan better than before. While the US military will be departing, US support will continue through the USAID.”

The Rear Admiral said that after March 1 US military presence in Pakistan would come down to 400 personnel.

“Throughout, the Pakistan government and army provided extraordinary support. We could not have asked for better help and security as we made wonderful friends in Pakistan,” he said.

The Rear Admiral said that delivery of humanitarian assistance was constricted by mountainous areas, cold weather, and damaged or collapsed infrastructure. “Nonetheless, the 12 Chinooks flew 4,000 sorties negotiating rugged terrain providing tremendous capability. Out of 117 flying days, only nine were lost to bad weather,” he said.

The Rear Admiral was confident that enough preparations were made and significant relief items were stocked high in the mountains in case the “false spring” transformed into extreme cold.

He also said in response to a question that these relief efforts, compared to the Tsunami, were longest and the most evolved.

Speaking on the occasion, USAID Mission Director, Lisa Chiles explained that USAID would support Pakistani reconstruction programmes by focusing on the health and education through construction of new schools and healthcare facilities in both the NWFP and the AJK. In addition to physical construction, USAID would ensure that each building was fully equipped and furnished.

USAID would also provide professional training for new and existing health and education personnel and would re-establish systems needed to sustain these facilities.

“We will help restore livelihood opportunities for individuals in earthquake-affected areas including training of unskilled workers to promote earthquake resistant shelter construction standards and practices,” said USAID’s Lisa Chiles.

She said that when the earthquake hit Pakistan, the United States responded within 48 hours and established the US Combined Disaster Relief Centre. Since October, the US military flew over 4,000 sorties, delivering over 20 million pounds of humanitarian aid, treated nearly 30,000 patients and cleared over 40,000 tons of debris.

The US mobile medical units in Muzaffarabad and Shinkiari filled a vital gap by providing care to local populations after nearly all existing regional medical facilities were destroyed, Lisa added.

“Today, in the Shinkiari area, 12 health care centres were back in operation addressing primary care issues. Given the reintroduction of these medical facilities and the shift from emergency to primary care, the Combined Medical Response Team in Shinkiari planned to depart Pakistan February 23.

The briefing was informed that to support health care requirements in Muzaffarabad, the United States Military would transfer the 84 bed 212 Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) to Pakistan. Since October the MASH treated over 18,000 patients and provided 17,000 vaccinations to 7,800 patients.

“This is the last MASH unit in the United States Army,” said Rear Admiral LeFever. “We are excited that this MASH will live on in Pakistan.”

Currently Pakistani Medical Military personnel were at 212th MASH working with United States Army health care professionals to complete the transfer process. On February 16, the Pakistan military physicians would take over operations and American medical personnel would return to their home base in Dexheim, Germany.

The United States Navy Mobile Construction Battalion, Seabees, also working with their Pakistani military counterparts, would hand over three bulldozers, 10 heavy dump trucks, and seven 100kw generators. This transfer would be finalized on February 13.

The last to leave would be the venerable CH-47s Chinooks. “On March 31 the helicopters would be re-deployed. Already the Chinook ground crews are training their Pakistani counterparts how to build swing loads and operate the rapid aviation refuelling system that will be transferred to the Pakistani military.

“I speak for all of us in uniform when I say that this is a mission and a memory that none of us will ever forget,” said Rear Admiral LeFever. “We came at the invitation of Pakistan people and as friends. Through this experience, the historic bonds between our nations are stronger than ever before. It has been the most professionally and personally rewarding tour of my military service.”