Just Another Day At The Office

As a Consular Officer, I spend most of my work day conducting visa interviews. When the cyclone made landfall in Bangladesh, we all knew that we could be called upon to do anything at any time. As an officer whose area of interest is public diplomacy, I was immediately reassigned to the Public Affairs building to oversee media relations with respect to the Embassy’s relief efforts.

In this role, I was privy to the embassy’s official message regarding our efforts and how local and foreign journalists reported on our efforts. But being in an office, I wasn’t able to form my own opinion on the US Government’s role in helping the people of Bangladesh in the aftermath of the devastating cyclone.

On Thursday, November 29, I was given the opportunity to accompany local and international journalists down to the USS Kearsarge, the Navy ship that serves as the platform for our relief operations.

I, and 18 other people (journalists and diplomats), flew down to Barisal on a C130 plane. I’ve done a lot of traveling in my life but never had the opportunity to be on military aircraft. The C130 looked just like in the movies. Make-shift looking seats, no frills, very loud and very heavy. It isn’t until you see one up close that you see how amazing it is that something so big and so heavy can fly through the air so well.

Once in Barisal we then boarded a military helicopter. This was even cooler than the C130. We had to wear headgear to protect our ears and eyes. It was loud, fluid dripped from the ceiling, and you couldn’t see all that much – but I didn’t care. I was getting out there!

Once aboard the USS Kearsarge, I was amazed. I, like most Americans, didn’t realize all the humanitarian efforts our military does around the world. There were marines filling water bags for distribution to cyclone-affected areas. There were pilots flying helicopters full of the water bags. It was refreshing and uplifting to see our military taking on challenges such as relief efforts. People all around the world and in America as well, have pretty solidified pre-existing notions of the US military. We’re often shown only one side. I was being given a great opportunity to see the other side.

On board, we also saw Bangladeshi military people. Liaisons from the two sides working together, strategizing, operating as one. This was a great opportunity for Americans and Bangladeshis alike to see the other work. It was great to see people coming together: diplomats, aid workers, journalists, and military, to help people so desperately in need.

For someone who sits in front of a computer all day long asking the same questions over and over to visa applicants, this experience was a great opportunity. Seeing so many different factions of the US government working together – and working with Bangladeshis and other NGOs as well – really makes me smile at a time when things are so sad.

Melanie R. (Department of State Employee)