While in transit home from deployment in Afghanistan, the Cougars of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 139 took time to foster foreign relations during a port call in Phuket, Thailand. Members from the Cougars gave up some of their liberty to work on various community relations projects during the five-day port visit.

When the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) pulled into Thailand, the Cougars had the opportunity to donate their time to projects ranging from chipping and painting at schools and orphanages to building a whole house. 

The island of Phuket, located in southwest Thailand, is still recovering from the tsunami that hit it in 2004. Although the beaches are still popular tourist destinations, the outlying communities show that they are home to a disadvantaged economy. Minimum wage is only five dollars per day. Much of the work done by VAQ-139 Sailors was work that the local people could not otherwise afford.

Cryptological Technician 3rd Class Nathaniel Washington worked on a project at the Home and Life Orphanage. He and other Sailors spent a lot of their time planting flowers and trees to reinforce a collapsing riverbank. They also painted rooms in the orphanage and interacted with the children, ages two to 14. To show their appreciation, Thai children performed several dances for the volunteers. 

“One of the most memorable moments was when they invited everyone to dance for the last song,” said Washington. “Most of the volunteers were hesitant so the kids came up to us and pulled us out of our chairs to join in on the dance and showed us the motions.”

The largest project was working with the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity to build a house from start to finish. Volunteers carried supplies to the work site, framed the house, and used cement and cinder block to create the walls. The final result was a 500-square-foot house with four rooms.

On the final day of work, the volunteer crew and Habitat for Humanity staff handed a ceremonial key to the new tenants, an eight-year-old girl and her grandparents. They will be able to move into a house that will stand strong against the rain and storms to come.

The efforts of the VAQ-139 Sailors were testimony to the Navy’s tradition of spreading good will. 

“It brought a lot of things into perspective,” said Washington. “I really had to take a step back and realize how blessed I am, to be able to live the life that I do. Helping the children at the Home and Life Orphanage was without a doubt the perfect way to spend a day of liberty in Thailand.”