US soldier born in Haiti asks to leave Afghanistan

By Heidi Vogt, Associated Press Writer

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – Haitian-American Lt. Ramses Brunache was supposed to be the one in danger in Afghanistan. Now his sister is dead, his homeland is devastated, and he's trying to return to help save Haiti.

Brunache found out about the earthquake in a 3 a.m. phone call from his wife at the base where he's stationed in dusty Kandahar province, the Taliban's southern heartland. He's been here since July as a communications officer with the 97th Military Police Battalion out of Fort Riley, Kansas.

"She told me something happened in Haiti, and my sister is not going to make it," he said.

His wife lives in Atlanta and the only information she had at that point was from a text message saying that his sister, Immacula, and her three young daughters had been inside their house in Port-au-Prince when it collapsed. They now know her 12-year-old son was the only one who made it out.

Brunache went straight to the base's Internet cafe and spent hours scouring news sites for details. He watched the death toll rise from hundreds to thousands. Estimates of the dead from Tuesday's magnitude-7.0 quake now regularly top 100,000.

He tried to call his mother in Haiti, but couldn't get through. The line was always busy. Eventually a brother got through and told him that his mother was fine.

He thought of taking emergency leave, but said he couldn't stand going back to Atlanta and not do anything to help out in Haiti. At 40 years old and with 11 years of military service, he wanted to be there. So he asked his superior officers if they could get him to Haiti, even if only for a month or two. He hopes he can help by serving as a translator, but says he'll do whatever is needed.

"I would like to help as many people as possible," he said. "If I have to pick up debris, I can do that." He has a brother who is also based in Afghanistan who is trying to get reassigned as well.

Brunache's superior officers are trying to get him assigned to a military police battalion being deployed out of Fort Brag, North Carolina. More than 12,000 U.S. forces are expected in the region.

More:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100118/ap_on_re_as/as_afghan_haitian_soldier

And I'm wondering if rotations into Haiti may stop a lot of suicides among our soldiers.

It's called humanitarian reassignment. Husband had one when his father was dying of cancer. I processed several.

Condolences, Lieutenant Brunache. Strength and comfort. :hug::patriot:

:kick:

included among those heading to Haiti - as translators. I Read something about this yesterday. I hope Lt. Ramses Brunache is allowed to return home.