Commander Dave Sexton of the Country Coordinating Element of the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa supervises the examination of “Emma” during this courtesy “PETCAP” as we called it.
Showing posts with label U.S. Embassy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U.S. Embassy. Show all posts
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Update from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - November 14 and 15, 2008
Physical exam on pets at US Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa had been asked to do this by Embassy, so COL Jim Floyd and Corporal Michael Steiskal, US Army Veterinary Corps attended to a few of the dogs and cats owned by US personnel.
Commander Dave Sexton of the Country Coordinating Element of the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa supervises the examination of “Emma” during this courtesy “PETCAP” as we called it.
Commander Dave Sexton of the Country Coordinating Element of the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa supervises the examination of “Emma” during this courtesy “PETCAP” as we called it.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Thursday, August 7, 2008
LTC Pope and I meet at breakfast and then go with a driver to the U.S. Embassy to submit the VETCAP report. We meet Karin Gleisner, Defense Liaison Officer with the Defense Atttache’ Office, who we met a couple of weeks ago in Tanga when she was visiting there.
The Ambassador wants to meet us at 8 AM. He is Mark Green, who has been here for slightly less than a year. An internet search shows that he is a former Republican Member of Congress from Wisconsin who ran for Governor of that state but was defeated. He had strong, bipartisan support for his nomination to the post of Ambassador although it had been held up by Senators Dodd and Kerry because he was a political appointment and not a career diplomat. He and his wife previously lived and taught in Kenya and he speaks some Swahili. He wanted to meet with us personally because he expressed an interest in VETCAP as a particularly effective way of using U.S. assets to benefit the host nation and the government.
One government Minister who is helpful to the U.S. would benefit from local VETCAP in a particular area, which the Ambassador asks about. The Ambassador is interested that we had visited the Tanga Fresh coop; he has more than passing knowledgeable about dairy production in TZA and from his Wisconsin background. His congressional district was NE Wisconsin. He seems to be a dedicated public servant and genuinely interested in helping Tanzania and promoting U.S. interests here.
A 9:00 AM ceremony is scheduled outside the Embassy so our meeting is short. Today is the 10th anniversary of the bombings at this embassy and at the one in Nairobi, Kenya. In Dar about 11 Tanzanians were killed, and in Nairobi on the same day, within minutes of the Dar bombing over 200 Kenyans and Americans were killed, including Weezie Martin, DVM (LSU 1982). It is very strange that we happen to be here in Dar and in the embassy on this day. A group of Tanzanians was gathering to participate in the ceremony, perhaps as a choir or other performing group as we came in and the preparations for the ceremony are continuing as we leave.
We return to the hotel and then go to a shopping area to look for some momentos, which we all seem to find readily. After a few hours shopping and a trip to Barclay’s Bank to exchange some Tanzania shillings for U.S. dollars, we return to the hotel and purchase some flowers from road side vendors to present Mrs. Rose Machera who we will join for supper along with her husband, LTC Machera and ten-year old daughter Clara.
LTC Machera picks us up that evening and hosts us to a wonderful meal at the Sea Cliff Hotel. Mrs. Machera is very happy to receive the flowers. Daughter Clara is very quiet. CPT Coenen and I are presented with gifts, including a shirt for me, a wrap around for Twila, and a wrap around for Amanda. We have a very nice evening and return to the Hotel. SGT’s Berk, Cabreza, Barnett, and Carnel are also having supper at the hotel but stay to spend some time at the casino when two of them claim to win a little money and one says he lost.
The Ambassador wants to meet us at 8 AM. He is Mark Green, who has been here for slightly less than a year. An internet search shows that he is a former Republican Member of Congress from Wisconsin who ran for Governor of that state but was defeated. He had strong, bipartisan support for his nomination to the post of Ambassador although it had been held up by Senators Dodd and Kerry because he was a political appointment and not a career diplomat. He and his wife previously lived and taught in Kenya and he speaks some Swahili. He wanted to meet with us personally because he expressed an interest in VETCAP as a particularly effective way of using U.S. assets to benefit the host nation and the government.
One government Minister who is helpful to the U.S. would benefit from local VETCAP in a particular area, which the Ambassador asks about. The Ambassador is interested that we had visited the Tanga Fresh coop; he has more than passing knowledgeable about dairy production in TZA and from his Wisconsin background. His congressional district was NE Wisconsin. He seems to be a dedicated public servant and genuinely interested in helping Tanzania and promoting U.S. interests here.
A 9:00 AM ceremony is scheduled outside the Embassy so our meeting is short. Today is the 10th anniversary of the bombings at this embassy and at the one in Nairobi, Kenya. In Dar about 11 Tanzanians were killed, and in Nairobi on the same day, within minutes of the Dar bombing over 200 Kenyans and Americans were killed, including Weezie Martin, DVM (LSU 1982). It is very strange that we happen to be here in Dar and in the embassy on this day. A group of Tanzanians was gathering to participate in the ceremony, perhaps as a choir or other performing group as we came in and the preparations for the ceremony are continuing as we leave.
We return to the hotel and then go to a shopping area to look for some momentos, which we all seem to find readily. After a few hours shopping and a trip to Barclay’s Bank to exchange some Tanzania shillings for U.S. dollars, we return to the hotel and purchase some flowers from road side vendors to present Mrs. Rose Machera who we will join for supper along with her husband, LTC Machera and ten-year old daughter Clara.
LTC Machera picks us up that evening and hosts us to a wonderful meal at the Sea Cliff Hotel. Mrs. Machera is very happy to receive the flowers. Daughter Clara is very quiet. CPT Coenen and I are presented with gifts, including a shirt for me, a wrap around for Twila, and a wrap around for Amanda. We have a very nice evening and return to the Hotel. SGT’s Berk, Cabreza, Barnett, and Carnel are also having supper at the hotel but stay to spend some time at the casino when two of them claim to win a little money and one says he lost.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
After a night in the swank Addis Ababa Sheraton Hotel, I prepare to fly to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. I get a better view of Addis in the day light as the shuttle leaves at 8 AM with much traffic and people traveling to work and school. Near the hotel is some sort of palace with royal symbols in gold metal wrought into metal fences painted black otherwise. Guard towers manned by soldiers confirm it is of some importance. Arrive at the airport and wheel my back with a cart into the airport, assisted by a porter among the many who automatically assumed the task. I carry a full green duffel bag and my carry on Samsonite brief case that I also took to Desert Shield/Storm in 1990/1. It has held up and allows me to carry books well, although it does get heavy and does not convert to a back pack with straps. I get my ticket and check my bag in straightforward fashion, then proceeding through customs with little difficulty. I board Ethiopian Airlines in Seat #1A (first class again) and sit next to a European Union official from Germany who is pleasant company and who has lived in several African countries.
Mount Kenya appears above the clouds to the left of the airplane. I have a good view from my left side window seat. Closer to Dar we see the ocean and a substantial body of land some distance offshore with a large airport I suspect may be our destination. However, we proceed and do not land there, so it must be Zanzibar which is heavily populated and has such an airport that I later confirm on a map. The plane will go there next after its stop in Dar es Salaam.
After landing we unload, go through customs and wait for bags to unload. I identify Sergeant First Class who is waiting for me outside and we wait, and wait, and wait. It took about an hour for the bag to come out. I was not too worried since most others on the flight were also waiting. I walk out and SFC advises me to change some US dollars into Tanzania shillings; the others converted $2,000 so I do the same and get 2,120,000 shillings in two large stacks of 10,000 shilling notes that the clerk counts out with a machine. I then must also get a passport photo taken to complete the application for my Tanzanian temporary veterinary license, which we do at a close by shop for 3,000 shillings. Not a good picture but what you get is what you are.
We go to the US Embassy to meet the some of the others in the Team who flew down the day before on a C-26. I was the odd one out who would have put us overweight, so I got to fly commercial and spend the night in Addis. We leave the embassy and head to the vet supply business owned by Dr. Mwassa, who goes over the order with us. Amanda Coenen had met him yesterday after she arrived from Djibouti and had discussed it.
There had been a problem with the contract since he had not been assured of payment for the approximately $60,000 order including anti-trypanosomal, anti-theilerial, antibiotics (oxtytetracyline, penicillin-streptomycin, lincomycin, anthelmintics [injectable ivermectin and oral albendazole], and wound spray [furazolidone + gentian violet]). I think that’s all. Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) vaccine not delivered; to be delivered later. FMD vaccine has to be made to order and has shorter shelf life. Also we get Newcastle Disease (NCD) vaccine for poultry that is water delivered not ocular administration. It’s a modified live vaccine (MLV) which needs to be refrigerated but I have serious doubts about the “cold chain” up to this point and our ability to keep one from here on.
Mount Kenya appears above the clouds to the left of the airplane. I have a good view from my left side window seat. Closer to Dar we see the ocean and a substantial body of land some distance offshore with a large airport I suspect may be our destination. However, we proceed and do not land there, so it must be Zanzibar which is heavily populated and has such an airport that I later confirm on a map. The plane will go there next after its stop in Dar es Salaam.
After landing we unload, go through customs and wait for bags to unload. I identify Sergeant First Class who is waiting for me outside and we wait, and wait, and wait. It took about an hour for the bag to come out. I was not too worried since most others on the flight were also waiting. I walk out and SFC advises me to change some US dollars into Tanzania shillings; the others converted $2,000 so I do the same and get 2,120,000 shillings in two large stacks of 10,000 shilling notes that the clerk counts out with a machine. I then must also get a passport photo taken to complete the application for my Tanzanian temporary veterinary license, which we do at a close by shop for 3,000 shillings. Not a good picture but what you get is what you are.
We go to the US Embassy to meet the some of the others in the Team who flew down the day before on a C-26. I was the odd one out who would have put us overweight, so I got to fly commercial and spend the night in Addis. We leave the embassy and head to the vet supply business owned by Dr. Mwassa, who goes over the order with us. Amanda Coenen had met him yesterday after she arrived from Djibouti and had discussed it.
There had been a problem with the contract since he had not been assured of payment for the approximately $60,000 order including anti-trypanosomal, anti-theilerial, antibiotics (oxtytetracyline, penicillin-streptomycin, lincomycin, anthelmintics [injectable ivermectin and oral albendazole], and wound spray [furazolidone + gentian violet]). I think that’s all. Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) vaccine not delivered; to be delivered later. FMD vaccine has to be made to order and has shorter shelf life. Also we get Newcastle Disease (NCD) vaccine for poultry that is water delivered not ocular administration. It’s a modified live vaccine (MLV) which needs to be refrigerated but I have serious doubts about the “cold chain” up to this point and our ability to keep one from here on.
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