U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brede Grorud and Mongolian Armed Forces Sgt. Erdenetsogt Batchuluun, electricians participating in Pacific Angel 14-4, stand in the poorly lit gymnasium of Bulgan Province, a Mongolian primary school, effortlessly repairing the building’s electrical system though they are unable to speak the same language.

They have been working like this for one week now.

“The first hour was challenging but the work helped bridge the communication gap,” Grorud said.

“We had some language barrier problems but since we have the same job we were able to understand each other pretty well,” Batchuluun said.

“The language barrier can be tough especially when you start to speak long sentences,” Grorud said. “But, once you see the work you start to understand each other well.”

Operation Pacific Angel helps cultivate common bonds and foster goodwill between the U.S., Mongolia and regional nations by humanitarian assistance and civil military operations.

U.S. Air Forces civil engineers communicated with Mongolian contractors and worked with MAF engineers to help improve the quality of life in local schools and clinics, said Senior MSgt. Sandon Miller, lead civil engineer for PACANGEL 14-4 assigned to the 354th CES.

“Here in Mongolia the windows were broken and the heating systems didn’t’ work so we came in and repaired the windows and the heating system; it’s a quality of life issue,” Miller said. “ The Air Force does this for about eight nations, which alternate every year. We go in and do anything we can to improve the quality of life for the local communities.”

They also helped make aesthetic repairs, like adding new mirrors and door handles, changed out light fixtures, rebuilt balconies and made electrical system repairs.

“As civil engineers for the Air Force our mission is to come over here to repair the facilities but more importantly to build friendships and work with the Mongolian engineers to learn their trade secrets, work practices, safety practices and to learn from each other while we repair the facilities,” Miller said. “The friendships part is kind of a bonus.”

In order to ensure all work was standardized to Mongolia’s system, Air Force personnel allowed the MAF to take the lead on the humanitarian efforts.

“In America our standards are a little different than here so we didn’t want to change things or put our standards upon the Mongolian system,” Grorud said. “A lot of things are the same but [for example] here the voltage is different for lights than it is in America.”

Batchuluun said, that it’s really understandable that America would have different standards than Mongolia.

These differences where easy to overcome because both service members understood the rules for electronics and had training in universal principles, which helped them become friend.

“To me [Pacific Angel] is a blessing because it’s a once in a lifetime thing,” Grorud said. “I don’t know if I’ll ever make it back to Mongolia again. Also, having four kids I know the impact a school can have on kid … It’s been a fantastic experience, I feel blessed to be here and I made a new friend.”