U.S. Army Maj. Marc Nguyen, a contracting of?cer with Area Support Team Balkans and a native of Monterey, Calif., shakes hands with a child at the
Mjedenica School in Sarajevo Sept. 11.
A time for rebuilding
Story and photos by U.S. Army Sgt. Joshua Stoffregen
4th Public Affairs Detachment
S
oldiers from Area Support
Team Balkans visited two
renovated schools for a ?nal
inspection Sept. 9 –13 in
Bosnia and Herzegovina.
U.S. Army Maj. Marc Nguyen,
a contracting of?cer with Area
Support Team Balkans and a native
of Monterey, Calif., was involved
with the renovations from beginning
to end. Nguyen’s responsibilities
included talking to contractors,
selecting the contractors and
ensuring the work completed was in
accordance with the contract.
Though Nguyen worked on many
PG 22
projects before, this one was war and normal wear and tear on
especially rewarding to him.
the buildings decayed the surfaces
and components of the schools. The
“Humanitarian
missions
are roofs leaked, had faulty electrical
accomplished with one’s heart and systems and were an unsafe
soul, but when given the opportunity environment for the children.
to be involved with schools for
children, it is even more rewarding,” “The amount of damage to Fra
said Nguyen. “It is all about the Franjo Glavnic, the school located
children, and having the privilege in Glamoc, was so extensive that
to contribute in some small way to everyday there was a risk of falling
their education and future. It’s very debris,” said Nguyen.
meaningful and touching for me.”
The Mjedenica School is a boarding
The schools are located in the cities facility designed for children with
of Sarajevo and Glamoc, both special needs. Mirsad Asimovic,
heavily destroyed during the years the school’s principal, said the
of war in Bosnia. Nguyen said the project was especially important for