TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
The Department of Defense has announced plans to move more than 80 tons of
excess DOD medical equipment, dormitory furniture, and shop equipment to help
the people of the Dominican Republic. The supplies -- enough to fill four
40-foot trailers -- will be surface shipped from the Defense Logistics Agency
Depot in Mechanicsburg, Pa. to the Dominican city of Santo Domingo within the
next three months.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Humanitarian and Refugee Affairs
(HRA) Patricia L. Irvin said the Department, in cooperation with other
government agencies and within the limits of its resources, understands and
strives to fulfill its responsibility to help alleviate suffering throughout
the world. She said the Humanitarian Assistance Program (HAP) is often the
most economical means available to local charitable organizations to transport
donated goods to foreign countries for humanitarian purposes.
Under the 1986 DOD Authorization Act, HRA is authorized to transport non-lethal
excess property, relief supplies and privately donated cargo to meet
humanitarian needs worldwide. Over the past two years, 370 transportation
missions have been accomplished to more than 50 countries.
