KOAM TV 7 Joplin and Pittsburg News Weather SportsMissouri troops head to Central America
Member Center:
A southwest Missouri National Guard company is preparing to deploy to Guatemala for a building mission. The dozens of troops are building a clinic in the rural Central American country.
These soldiers are preparing to deploy overseas to a mission they know all too well. It's back to Guatemala for 100 soldiers of the 276th Engineer Company of the 203rd Engineer Battalion.
The troops were last there in 2006 when they built 2 clinics and a school. This trip they are building a clinic in a rural part of the country.
Joplin soldier Sergeant Jason Maness says missions like these are good practice for combat missions.
"They let the younger troops see what it's going to be like dealing with people from another nation," says Sergeant Jason Maness.
"We showed them different things about us and they showed us a lot of different things about them and introduced us to a lot of their cultures," says Sergeant Meagan Taylor.
Both soldiers have been to the country before and agree they both enjoy the culture as much as the job.
But to get to Guatemala there is months of training.
"Our soldiers have to have anti-terrorism training, they have to have human rights training in country briefs describing what to expect," says Captain Lawrence Adrian.
Sergeant Maness explains the South American culture compared to Joplin.
"There's a little bit of a cultural difference, but it's not that drastic, a lot of people had some of the same concerns that we do, working hard and living a daily life," says Sergeant Maness.
"We go out there to do job, but at the same time we make friends," says Sergeant Taylor.
"The military uses us, I guess you could say as kind of ambassadors, in a lot of cases, working in these foreign countries, particularly South America," says Captain Adrian.
The soldiers will be leaving in groups of 5 with the project ending in May. They will depart Missouri March 13.
Guatemala is the northernmost country in Central America.
Good evening everyone. We have already seen some heavy rains and severe weather across the area. The front is pushing through SW MO at this time. Here is a look at our interactive radar. http://www.koamtv.com/Global/category.asp?C=191239&nav=menu657_4_2 The
Good Wednesday morning everyone. Wow, can you believe it is September 1st. Every year that I get older I think the days, months and years go by a little bit quicker. I will be off today but I will be
Parts of the 4-States that had been too dry suddenly become a torrent. A number of roads had been closed in Neosho, Missouri due to flash flooding. Crews there have been called to several water rescues
A high school student from Grove, Oklahoma has been taken into custody. The Grove Police Department responded to the Grove (Okla.) High School around 9 a.m. on Wednesday. The administration had placed the school in lockdown after a student allegedly attacked his teacher during class.
Associated Press - September 2, 2010 7:54 PM ET GARDNER, Kan. (AP) - A 7-year-old boy has died after being struck by an SUV while crossing a street outside a northeast Kansas school.
Gary and Linda Haas were living in Oklahoma when they went camping in New Mexico last month. Their remains were found August 4 in their burned camper trailer at a remote ranch near Santa Rosa. Services
There is a new environmentally friendly high school in Erie, Kansas. Taxpayers put up $17 million for the new school and athletic complex designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environment Design standards,
A local teacher is one of six state finalists for teacher of year. Carl Junction teacher Doug Logan is one of six state finalists for teacher of the year. Mr. Logan was surprised during an all-school
Vivian Haas of Joplin, Missouri is suing the state of Arizona, the Department of Corrections, and the private company operating some of its prisons. The bodies of Vivan's son, Gary, and his wife, Linda,
Books, pencils and pets. It might not sound like the standard school supply but some teachers say having pets in the classroom is a good way to motivate students. Even kids say animals helps them learn responsibility.
