As U.S. involvement in Operation Unified Assistance draws near to a close, Indonesian Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Ryamizard, took time out of his schedule to say a personal thank you to Sailors on board USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

Sailors from the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (ALCSG) have volunteered their time, skills and training to help aid relief efforts in the Indonesian province of Aceh, Sumatra since the first of January.

Helicopters from Carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2), embarked aboard Lincoln, as well as those from other strike group ships, have proven vital to relief efforts along much of the northwest coast of Sumatra, as roads, towns and villages were washed away by the tsunami that struck Dec. 26.

The general was received warmly aboard Lincoln, and gave thanks through an interpreter on behalf of his government, and the people of Aceh for the assistance U-S Sailors provided.

Rear Adm. Doug Crowder, ALCSG commander, greeted Ryamizard and his escort, along Lincoln Commanding Officer, Capt. Kendall Card, and Executive Officer, Capt. David Lausman.

Ryamizard thanked Crowder on behalf of the Indonesian people and expressed his desire that the militaries of the U.S. and Indonesia be able to cooperate in future endeavors.

“As unfortunate as this terrible tragedy has been,” Crowder responded, “what we call the ‘silver lining’, is that something like this brings people together.”

After visiting and thanking the Sailors of Helicopter Anti Submarine Squadron Two, the ship’s medical department and the machinery repair shop, Ryamizard returned to the captain’s port cabin for a few final few words and a presentation from the skipper.

“There’s no better way for us to start our new year than helping our fellow human beings,” said Card.

On his way off the ship, the general had the opportunity to thank some of the Sailors from the ship’s reactor department, who without, the thousands of gallons of fresh drinking water carried to people in need in Aceh would not have been possible.

The ships of Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group were the first major U.S. forces to arrive off the coast of the Aceh province, and have helped provide nearly five million pounds of relief aid since their arrival.

More than 2,000 volunteers from Lincoln have spent a day on shore helping load relief items into CVW-2 helicopters for delivery to areas of the coast that still have no roads after the tsunami.