U.S. SENDS CONGRATULATIONS TO PEOPLE OF BRUNEI DARUSSALAM ON THEIR NATIONAL DAY

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 
Brunei Darussalam National Day
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
February 20, 2014

On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I send my most heartfelt congratulations to the people of Brunei Darussalam as you celebrate your 30th National Day on February 23.

Our formal diplomatic relations began in 1984, but the friendship between our two countries goes back more than 160 years. The depth and value of this relationship was plain for me to see during my two visits to your wonderful “Abode of Peace” last year. Our excellent cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral settings is vital to the prosperity and stability of the region. Brunei’s chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations during 2013 was commendable in every way.

From English language training to energy cooperation, our robust relationship is a force for good in the region. I wish all the people of Brunei the very best on this special anniversary and look forward to many more years of working closely together.

FEMA USES AIR GUARD BASE FOR HURRICANE SANDY RELIEF

FROM: U.S. FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCYStaff Sgt. Joshua Wishmyer signals to his brother Staff Sgt. John Wishmyer as he moves a pallet of boxed meals at the West Virginia Air National Guard's 167th Airlift Wing based in Martinsburg W.Va., Nov. 1, 2012. The 167th is serving as a staging area for disaster relief supplies which will then be transported throughout West Virginia as needed. The West Virginia National Guard has over 200 members aiding in recovery efforts from Hurricane Sandy. The storm blanketed the state with heavy snow and rains and also had severe winds that left homes and properties damaged. Guardsmen are involved in numerous aspects of the operations from search-and-rescue missions to debris removal. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Emily Beightol-Deyerle  

FEMA Employs Air Guard Base for Storm Relief
By Air Force Staff Sgt. Sherree Grebenstein
167th Airlift Wing, West Virginia Air National Guard

MARTINSBURG, Nov. 2, 2012 - The Federal Emergency Management Agency is using the West Virginia Air National Guard's 167th Airlift Wing base here as a staging area to push out much-needed storm relief supplies to Mountain State residents hit hardest by Hurricane Sandy.

Airmen and soldiers from the West Virginia National Guard are working in tandem to ensure the emergency supplies trucked in from around the country will be distributed to those in need. Operations spun up yesterday morning at the base with approximately three-and-a-half million liters of water and 600,000 self-heating emergency meals, as well as infant and toddler supplies slated to be delivered in the coming days.

"We will maintain 80 to 100 truckloads [of supplies] here at all times," said Joe D'Angelo, FEMA's Incident Management Assistance Team logistics chief for Region III.

D'Angelo said he expects the base to be used as a staging area through at least next week.

Two companies from the West Virginia Army National Guard's 77th Brigade are tasked with distributing the needed supplies to Mountain State residents. Citizen soldiers from the 1201st Forward Support Company and Delta 230th FSC will take to the roadways to drop off the supplies.

"We're going to turn them into ice truckers," said Army Master Sgt. Keith Bibb, property book officer for the 77th Brigade.

As of yesterday evening, the 120 citizen soldiers assigned to the mission were awaiting their first marching orders to begin distribution of the supplies.

"We're loaded, cocked and ready to go," Bibb said. "We are staged waiting for our mission."