 Photo(s) by Courtesy photos 1st Lt. Michael Bedryk, a platoon leader from Co. B, 1st Bn. 27th Inf. Rgt, climbs down a stone wall to gather garbage on Diamond Head Saturday.  Volunteers from 1st Bn., 27th Inf. Rgt. work together to clean Diamond Head crater in Honolulu, Saturday as part of Keep America Beautiful week. |
| Troops use specialized skills to beautify Hawaii By Staff Sgt. Michael Westerfield 25th ID(L) Public Affairs Office Soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment dangled from rapelling ropes Saturday as they cleared nearly a ton of debris off the side of Diamond Head crater in Honolulu. Fifteen Soldiers volunteered to clean the hard to reach area near the lighthouse on Diamond Head road as part of Earth Day activities. The Soldiers were part of the Waikiki Rotary Club's annual Diamond Head cleanup for Keep America Beautiful week. More than 80 Boy Scouts and volunteers joined the Soldiers' efforts by cleaning the more accessible areas. "This is the 17th year the Soldiers have come out to help with this cleanup," said Dr. Haitham Dalgamouni, rotary club member. "They are always such a great help. Without the rappellers we couldn't do a complete job." Soldiers secured their ropes to bridge rails, sign posts and vehicle bumpers as they scoured the mountainside, filling bag after bag with garbage tossed from the scenic lookout parking areas. As the bags were filled, they were secured to lift lines and hoisted to the road where they were loaded on trucks. Along with litter, Soldiers recovered several of the cities' safety cones and markers that had ended up in the gulches and at the bottom of the cliffs. As the Soldiers worked a crowd of onlookers and well wishers gathered at the scenic overlook. Several thanked the Soldiers for their efforts. A few veterans came by and shared their rappelling experiences and camaraderie. "What I liked most was the appreciation from the public," said Sgt. 1st Class Dewayne August, 1-27 operations NCO. "People were stopping by and thanking us saying that they've been waiting forever for this area to be cleaned. It took the Army to get it done." "The young Soldiers especially like doing this type of thing," said Sgt. Maj. Terry L. Sato, 1-27 Inf. operations sergeant major. "It's a great opportunity to get with the community and the guys like that. They're incorporating some specialized training they have into a project that helps everyone." A few cuts, scrapes and rope burns only served to broaden smiles on the infantrymen as they shared the victory. "It was worth it because Hawaii is supposed to be a beautiful place. People don't come here to see a lot of trash. We affected a lot of people today," said Pfc. Daniel Ochoa, Co. B, 1-27 Inf., radio, telephone operator. "It was good for the folks in the community and good for the Army too." "We made a difference today," said Spc. Porfirio Avila, a rifleman from Co. B, 1-27 Inf. "We got to an area that everyone can see how trashy it was but we're the only ones that could get to it to clean it up." |