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Helping People

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Helping people is an important part of U.S. European Command’s mission. Its humanitarian assistance and disaster relief work improves living conditions and places partner nations on a trajectory toward long-term, self-sustaining capability. Department of Defense humanitarian assistance and disaster relief supports regional security cooperation. For young eastern European nations still recovering from military conflicts and rebellions and building up essential services and disaster management capabilities, this is particularly true. Helping people is EUCOM’s way to foster good will and bring further stability to the region.

Rather than directly providing aid during humanitarian aid missions, EUCOM is more often a facilitator helping the host nation, NGOs and U.S. governmental agencies do their jobs better. Additionally, EUCOM plays an important role in empowering partner nations before trouble starts. It helps partners plan and prepare thereby mitigating or more effectively responding to disasters. EUCOM often works with these young governments to develop critical infrastructure that improves the underlying living conditions of the civilian populace.

EUCOM’s role in humanitarian assistance and disaster preparedness programs is authorized via Title 10 USC 2557/256. The goals are to help avert humanitarian crises, promote democratic development and regional stability, and enable countries to recover from conflict – basically minimize the potential for crises to develop or escalate further. Funded through Overseas Humanitarian Disaster Assistance and Civic Appropriations and EUCOM’s own Operation and Maintenance funds, support activities can include assessments, training, construction projects, well drilling, medical assistance and transportation of non-lethal DoD excess property—all with an end goal of bolstering partner nations’ civil sector capabilities.

Past projects have included:

  • Flood relief in Poland, Serbia, Albania and Moldova
  • Water pumps in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Romania
  • 44 school renovations
  • 28 hospital/clinic renovations and equipment upgrades
  • 33 emergency services/water related upgrades 

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  • May 22, 2012

    A Doorway to Education and Opportunities in Romania

    Recently, EUCOM partnered with the City and the County Education Department to renovate $380K worth of doors, flooring, windows, interior walls, electrical fixtures and construct playground cover for Pinocchio, Lumea Prichindeilor, and Armonia elementary schools.
  • May 16, 2012

    Smart Civic Engagement in Latvia

    On Monday, Judy Garber, U.S. Ambassador to Latvia; members of the U.S. Embassy in Riga and EUCOM; the Latvian Ministry of Interior (State Fire and Rescue Service) and National Guard members; and local government officials broke ground on a EUCOM Humanitarian Assistance project modernizing eight fire and rescue stations in Latvia.
  • April 23, 2012

    Words and Swords

    Francois Bellon, the Head of Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross to both the EU and NATO, visted the command last week, the first senior ICRC visit to EUCOM in nearly two decades.
  • November 22, 2011

    School donation continues long-standing relationship with Poland

    Just last week, I visited the Krakow School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, which was heavily damaged in the spring floods of 2010, to deliver furniture and pianos donated by the U.S. Government.
  • November 17, 2011

    Humanitarian Assistance for Latvian Fire and Rescue

    Since fall 2008 US Embassy's Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC Latvia) and State Fire and Rescue Service of Latvia (SFRS) have identified and submitted 10 Civic Engagement (Humanitarian Assistance) projects for renovations of fire stations all over Latvia.
  • October 31, 2011

    Learning to Institutionalize Partnership

    "2011 Soft Power Symposium" hosted by Pepperdine University and the League for Hope, an NGO that promotes public-private partnership to foster educational, medical, and commercial opportunities for disadvantaged populations.
  • September 23, 2011

    Education and water improvements for the children of Bosnia and Herzegovina

    U.S. European Command provided $450,000, which allowed the Office of Defense Cooperation to renovate the Drvar school.
  • September 14, 2011

    A small investment pays big dividends in Albania

    EUCOM invested $170,000 to upgrade a kindergarten in Erseke, Albania.
  • September 1, 2011

    First Day of School – Ukrainian Style

    I had the privilege of participating in the Ochakiv School #2 ribbon cutting.
  • August 23, 2011

    Operation Unified Protector

    I spent much of last night working on what appears to be the endgame of the Libyan campaign. By the morning of 22 August, it appears that the end was in sight for the Kaddaffy regime, although events are moving fast and nothing is ever sure until it actually occurs.

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  • September 20, 2012

    Kansas NG partners with Armenia for demining

    YEREVAN, Armenia - (Sept. 20, 2012) Sgt. 1st Class Travis Eichhorn, a Pittsburg, Kansas native, gives an update on today's training with humanitarian demining soldiers in Armenia. Kansas National Guardsmen and the HDTC representative are instructing Armenian peacekeepers and engineer battalions on international demining standards as part of the Humanitarian Mine Action program and will assist the Armenian government in developing a national standard operating procedure for demining.
  • September 19, 2012

    Kansas NG partners with Armenia for demining

    YEREVAN, Armenia - (Sept. 19, 2012) Kansas National Guard Capt. Michael Liotta takes viewers to some on site demining classes with the Armenian engineering and demining battalions. Kansas and Armenia have a long partnership stretching back to Senator Bob Dole being nursed backed to health in World War II by an Armenian doctor and calling for the U.S. to be the first to recognize Armenia’s independence.
  • September 17, 2012

    Cleaning-up the school

    They’re not architects, designers, or professional landscapers, but as TSgt Kevin Dennison shows us, that doesn’t stop them from lending a helping out in the local community.
  • September 10, 2012

    Gearing up for the Berlin Air Show

    Maj Gen Mark Schissler, U.S. European Command's director of Policy, Strategy, Partnering and Capabilities, discusses the importance of the Berlin Air Show at the ambassador's reception Sept. 10, 2012. This year's Berlin Air Show runs Sept. 11-16 and features multiple U.S. military aircraft from both the Army and the Air Force.
  • August 4, 2012

    ROTC cadets lend a hand in the Ukraine

    Future leaders learn to work in a joint environment in Ukraine while finding time to do some community service. SGT Abigail Waldrop learns about a new program that gives ROTC cadets a chance to see the world.
  • May 11, 2012

    USAREUR Band and Chorus, Chiperceni Middle School, Moldova

    The U.S. Army Europe Band and Chorus played to enthusiastic audiences in Chisinau and Balti over the weekend. On Monday, the band split into smaller groups and visited three Moldovan schools and one orphanage in Straseni, Congaz and Singerei, performing for an estimated 1,400 very appreciative children.
  • March 2, 2012

    Opening Ceremony for Renovated School in Ukraine

    PEREVALSK, Ukraine - Ukrainian children dance to American and Ukrainian music during a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Perevalsk Boarding School for Orphans and Children with Genetic Disabilities Feb. 24. This project was selected to improve U.S. - Ukrainian relationships by partnering together in an area where there has been little U.S. presence in the past.
  • February 23, 2012

    Humanitarian Assistance/ Disaster Relief in Montenegro

    Soldiers from U.S. Army Europe's 12th Combat Aviation Brigade conduct a resupply mission to deliver goods to Montenegrins stranded by severe weather in Northern Montenegro Feb. 22. The Soldiers are here as part of a U.S. task force to provide humanitarian assistance at request of the government of Montenegro coordinating with the National Emergency Operations Center and the Montenegrin Ministry of Defense to provide relief and to save lives, homes and infrastructure in response to heavy snowfall.
  • February 14, 2012

    U.S. assisting in Balkans during harsh winter

    The recent cold snap here has affected many countries across eastern Europe. SSgt Nathan Parry shows us how the United States is helping one country through a very difficult winter.
  • February 14, 2012

    Bosnia Military to Military Exchange

    Bosnia Military to Military Exchange. U.S. and NATO forces called in for disaster assistance and relief effort due to heavy snowfall and bitter cold temperatures in Sarajevo, Bosnia.