McGuire Airmen continue to support Haiti relief Published April 20, 2010 By Staff Sgt. Monica L. Dalberg Air Force News Service JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Air Force reservists from the 514th Air Mobility Wing here continue to provide aerial port and translator skills in Haiti for earthquake relief efforts. Members of the 35th and 88th Aerial Port squadrons arrived in Haiti in mid-February. Living on meals, ready to eat and residing in tents, the nine volunteers are part of the 24th Air Expeditionary Group responsible for passenger and humanitarian cargo movement, training and search and rescue. The 24th AEG has serviced more than 13 different aircraft to include airframes from Cuba, Brazil, France and Russia, as well as American civilian airlines. Along with their airport management skills, the Airmen are providing critical language translation services. Senior Airman Lesly Toussaint is a Haitian native who's fluent in four languages and Tech. Sgt. Roman Kernitski is a Ukrainian native who's fluent in Russian and Polish. Toussaint translates for - and assists - deployed commanders, contractors, airport employees and Air Force firefighters as they train the Haitian fire department. "It's a privilege and I'm grateful to be here," Toussaint said. "If not for the Reserves, I might not have this opportunity to help my fellow Haitians." Kernitski translates for Russian aid workers and aircrews. "Being able to speak another language is definitely a huge plus in the current global environment," Kernitski said. "Being a Reservist, you know that sooner or later your skills will come in need, especially alternate language skills. At the same time, I would never have guessed I would use in Haiti." Joint Base McGuire Dix-Lakehurst members also volunteer at orphanages, now overflowing with children, as well as in hospitals. The medical facilities have a shortage of people trained in an array of skills such as organizing stock rooms, bandaging wounds and, in one case, delivering a baby. Master Sgt. John Vicenti, Staff Sgt. Jared Lacovara, both with the 88th APS, Kertnitski and Toussaint took part in recovering six of 15 Americans who perished at Hotel Montana in Port-au-Prince. Vicenti said he will come away from this deployment with the satisfaction of knowing he helped families find closure and start rebuilding their lives. Reserve members in Haiti are expected to return from this humanitarian deployment in May.