129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
Army Spc. Daniel Koupal, a mechanic with the 155th Engineering Company of the South Dakota Army National Guard, cuts a cement block during construction of a new clinic here June 25, 2011. Soldiers with the 155th are building the clinic as part of the 2011 New Horizons Training Exercise, which is a cooperative humanitarian mission between the Suriname government and the United States Southern Command with the goal of helping to improve the quality of life for the people of Suriname. Photo by Sgt. Charlie Jacobson
06.26.2011 ALKMAAR, SURINAME – While many members of the South Dakota National Guard are fighting floods in South Dakota, soldiers with the 155th Engineering Company have been busy building a new clinic here during the 2011 New Horizons Training Exercise.
The 155th soldiers, based out of Rapid City, S.D., are supporting the collaborative humanitarian mission between the Surinamese and U.S. government by using their engineering skills to replace an outdated clinic for the people of Suriname.
“The old clinic is in pretty tough shape,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jay Spaans, the non-commissioned officer in charge of 155th’s mission. “The new clinic will have a lot more updated technology, including a pharmacy and air-conditioning.”
Service members with New Horizons 2011 are also replacing an outdated clinic near Alkmaar, in the district of Nieuw Amsterdam.
“The people here are poor. Building this clinic is necessary to bring the people of the small community of Alkmaar the healthcare they need,” he said.
Spaans said his team of soldiers is on pace to have the clinic finished by the middle of August. However, he said the current group from the 155th will not be in Suriname to witness the completion of the clinic.
With the New Horizons Training Exercise lasting more than 90 days, soldiers are visiting Suriname to work in two-week rotations until the exercise concludes later this summer.
For the next few days, the 155th will continue to work for the people of Suriname, a job Spaans said he knows his troops will do well.
“These guys have excellent attitudes, and they work really hard. It makes my job really easy,” he said. “They are all very ambitious and willing to go the extra mile.”
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