18th AF attorney assists Haitian orphans, relief efforts

Published Jan. 27, 2010
By Karen Petitt
375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Along with sending medicine, food and teams to operate the airfield within hours of the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti, the Air Force also sent in an unlikely, but most valuable asset -- a lawyer.

Military lawyers, such as Lt. Col. Randon Draper, 18th Air Force Legal Office, assist commanders with rules of engagement issues as well as any political-legal impediments to providing access, security and logistics for Department of Defense relief efforts.

"We also handle any type of unusual or unique situations that arise, such as the much publicized effort to process the adoption and evacuation of Haitian orphans," said Colonel Draper, who arrived in Port-au-Prince with the 621st Contingency Response Wing Jan. 14. The 621st CRW, from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., is a team responsible for airfield operations.

Once in Haiti, Colonel Draper soon came to the plight of five children who were in the final stages of their adoption. A growing international concern for the welfare and protection of the children there led embassy and other government officials to expedite the adoption and evacuation of these children, and as of Jan. 25 almost 400 other children, into the safe arms of waiting parents, both in the United States and around the world.

"Brig. Gen. Steven Lepper [Air Mobility Command Judge Advocate] first contacted me with information and a request for assistance from Mr. [F. Whitten] Peters, former [Secretary of the Air Force], to get these orphans to their new homes and parents," said Colonel Draper. "In a country where it's hard to get supplies out to everyone in need in short order, it's also difficult to get all the adopted children out of the orphanages, process the necessary paperwork and get them on a priority airplane."

The colonel worked with embassy officials, many of whom had their own homes destroyed yet were there working non-stop to open the necessary channels for evacuation. He also assisted U.S. immigrations officials to set up a smooth flow and processing procedures for the children as well.

"I need to be clear that I am talking about qualified adoptions," said the colonel. "In a crisis, there is a very real risk of child exploitation. As an adoption takes close to two years to complete and several parent visits, the focus is on getting those in the process out to their new parents. Certainly new orphans from the quake would not be vetted for some time to confirm the existence of parents."

The five children he assisted were among the first orphans evacuated after the earthquake and were flown to three families in Colorado. In a news report Jan. 20, Melissa Funk, who adopted 13-year old Gertride and 4-year-old Claudia, said she burst into tears when she got the call to get to Ft. Lauderdale to pick up her children.

When speaking about the family's new-found happiness, Melissa said Gertride "was just beaming because she had concerns she wasn't going to get adopted because it was taking so long ... So, it's a dream come true for her as well as it is for me."

Shortly after those children left, another mission that brought 54 children to Pittsburgh made headlines when the media found out the dramatic nature behind the evacuation of all the children involved. Only 47 had the clearances, but the entire team would not leave without the remaining seven.

Colonel Draper drove Dr. Thomas Doyle to and from collection points and stayed by the group's side until all were safely on board a C-17 headed for America. Dr. Doyle, who brought in supplies and who was already working with this particular group of orphans, documented the drama in an editorial to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

"As [team leads] went inside to negotiate with the embassy staff ... Dr. Alan Russell (one of two organizers for the relief mission), Colonel Draper and I did our best to talk Ali and Jamie (orphanage directors) into coming to the airport. Colonel Draper offered to adopt , and I could tell he meant it. ... Something got through to them, because the next thing I know we were all headed back to the airport in a convoy -- the bus, the van and a couple of cars. ... En route to the airport, the National Security Council gave the final word, 'Clear them all.'

"Singing and dancing broke out as we waited to get on a military cargo plane. Luckily my wife had convinced me that lollipops and toys were likely to be more useful than medical supplies, so I broke out the Dum-Dums and was swarmed ... One-year-old Sam clung to me and chomped lollipops and crackers. I'm afraid we trashed the Air Force plane. I don't think the military is used to ground-up pretzels, crayons and Juicy Juice spread through their cargo holds."

Colonel Draper, who left his own family within just eight hours of notification--leaving a pinewood derby car left uncut for his son--said he, and his family, feel that it's an honor and privilege to be able to assist with the relief effort.

"It's the most rewarding mission of my Air Force career, and it makes me proud to be part of such a great organization that can do so much for so many people. The [other day] I coordinated with orphaned leaders on the movement of 80 children. By the time I met them face to face, I felt that I had already known them well. After all the hassle, frustrations and set backs, I had a moment when I held a little boy who fell asleep on my shoulder. I stood at the head of the aircraft looking over the evacuees seat-belted to the floor in rows. All present and accounted for. The larger cargo door at the back was open, and I watched a plane taxi in with more supplies. The world stood still for a moment as I gently swayed with the boy asleep (something I have not done for a long time), and I felt peace. We still have a lot of work ahead of us, but it's a work that's affecting many people in a positive way."

Colonel Draper expects to stay on the ground there for another month until more permanent relief offices are established.