176 Wing Alaskan in Sri Lanka

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. N. Alicia Halla
  • 176 WG
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska - One Alaska air guardsman traveled to Sri Lanka, an island country off the southern tip of India, to participate in Operation Pacific Angel 13-4 from Aug. 5 to Aug. 11.

Staff Sgt. John Buso, an electrician from the 176 Civil Engineer Squadron, helped renovate school buildings there to improve the infrastructure of the facilities.

Operation Pacific Angel in Sri Lanka was a combined effort of Sri Lankan and U.S. military and civilians to provide health and engineering services, and to better prepare locals for disaster response.

"I didn't join just for the benefits," Buso said regarding the Air National Guard. "I joined for opportunities to travel and see the world, and learn more about other people and myself."

This is the third year the 176 Civil Engineer Squadron has participated in the annual Pacific Angel, sending civil engineers twice before to Vietnam.