Red Cross Assists Guam Military as Recovery Continues

Written by Bonnie Gillespie, Staff Writer, RedCross.org

Jan. 9, 2003 — By supporting the U.S. military around the globe, the Armed Forces Emergency Services (AFES) staff of the American Red Cross specialize in urgent situations. Yet when Supertyphoon Pongsona engulfed Guam in early December, AFES workers at the island's military bases were victims as well as relief providers in the wake of the dreadful disaster.

Thomas Winthrow, leader of AFES on Guam for the American Red Cross, maintains a unique optimism and desire to help, despite having been a victim of Supertyphoon Pongsona himself.

Guam AFES leader Thomas Winthrow was not spared by the storm's brutality. Winthrow lost his home, his vehicle and the majority of his belongings, but he managed to recover two of his most valuable possessions, he said with a smile.

"My Red Cross I.D. badge and my mother's Bible are two of the only things that made it," said Winthrow. "But nothing can happen that can dampen my spirits."

Even amid ongoing cleanup from the belligerent storm, Winthrow typifies the resolve of Red Cross AFES workers. On Guam and around the globe, they are dedicated to supporting U.S. military personnel and their families.

"When I was in the military, I went to the Red Cross for assistance after my brother got killed," Winthrow said. "I didn't forget that and later became a Red Cross volunteer myself."

An Army retiree, Winthrow has been a Red Cross AFES leader on Guam since 2000. "Messaging" is the group's primary role, he said, describing how the Red Cross facilitates messages from international military members to their loved ones back home during emergencies or other important events.

"We normally get 40 to 60 messages per month. But after the storm, we had more than 100 messages all at once," said Winthrow. "The disaster team had to take over because we didn't have the communication capabilities on the island."

Widespread power outages and a gasoline shortage were among the obstacles that hampered early recovery efforts on Guam. Cataclysmic conditions had transformed the South Pacific tropical island into a war zone, but despite their own losses, Winthrow and other AFES workers focused on helping others.

"Some of the new military personnel had just got their belongings shipped before the storm," Winthrow said. "After going through a storm like that and losing everything right away, many are taking it pretty hard. Physically they're fine; mentally it's sometimes another story."

Winthrow exhibits a unique optimism, even though his neighborhood of Timon was one of the hardest hit on the island, forcing him to live temporarily at the Red Cross office inside the U.S. Naval Hospital before staying with friends.

The U.S. Naval Hospital near Hagatna can be seen here through battered foliage. Winthrow stayed at the Red Cross office here after his home was demolished during the typhoon.

"People look at me like I'm crazy because I'm so positive," said Winthrow. "But our biggest goal right now is to make sure other people are taken care of."

In addition to AFES workers like Winthrow, more than 200 Red Cross volunteers from the mainland arrived in the U.S. territory soon after the typhoon struck, implementing a massive relief operation and supplying direct monetary assistance to victims.

As damages skyrocket into the millions of dollars, citizens and soldiers alike are rallying together as recovery efforts continue. Electricity and water supplies slowly return to normal throughout local neighborhoods and on the island's two active military bases.

Andersen Air Force Base suffered enormously in the razed northern region of the island but is now operational. Although many military personnel stationed in Guam have reported extensive water damage and destroyed vehicles, Winthrow and other AFES volunteers are determined to continue their encouraging and supportive efforts.

"We just want to help keep people's spirits up," he said. "We're doing our best to give quick and expert service to military members and their loved ones."

You can also help victims of Supertyphoon Pongsona in Guam and thousands of other national disasters each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need. Click here to make a secure online donation.

If you'd like to donate your time to the Red Cross, check out our volunteer information to find out how you can help like the dedicated workers of the American Red Cross.

Related Stories:

• Life Goes on for Guam Storm Victims
• Guam Relief Work Brings Satisfaction to Victims and Volunteers
• Red Cross Distributes Comfort Kits to Guam Shelters
• Hope Prevails Amid Complex Recovery in Guam
• Supertyphoon Pongsona Leaves Guam in Shambles