Dear supporters, I hope you’ve been doing well since I last reached out! I’ve recently returned from a trip to Asia where I checked in on a few of our latest projects and looked into how Spirit of America’s support can better help our troops and diplomats serving abroad. Here is some of our latest work across the region. In the Philippines… To assist our troops aiding in the fight against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), an ISIS affiliate, we’re providing a number of medical supplies and medications that are crucial to treating the flow of casualties at a local hospital. This includes antibiotics to help prevent infections from battle wounds, bandages and gauze to prevent bleeding, and desperately needed IVs. Click here to read more about this project to provide lifesaving equipment for troops fighting terror in the Philippines. In Vietnam… On average, over 15 Vietnamese citizens drown every day due to the lack of water safety education and trained lifeguards; the majority of the casualties are children. To address this deadly trend, SoA and US sailors and soldiers, through the help of a local NGO, are providing water safety training to create long-term lifeguards in Vietnam and increase awareness of water safety throughout the nation. Not only will this training save lives, but it will also help build better relationships between US troops and local partners. Click here to read more about this critical project. In Bangladesh… Working closely with US soldiers in the area, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) troops often employ border dogs to help stop the passage of drug and human traffickers and other bad actors into their nation. Sadly, these border dogs have been dying at an unprecedented rate due to the severe lack of both the medical supplies needed to treat them and veterinary knowledge within the BGB. To improve the care of these crucial partners and increase border security in Bangladesh, Spirit of America is working alongside US Army soldiers to provide these supplies and support veterinary training for BGB. Stay tuned for information on this project to build diplomatic relations in Bangladesh and support regional security! As always, thank you for your incredible support. I look forward to providing more updates on all of these projects and more in the months to come! Until next time, Terrell Chandler