26 May, 2000

Greetings from Summit, Greenland!

Misty, gray, and cold started the day. Almost all of the scientists were in the science trench today - rather crowded. So, after I finished labeling boxes, I went back to the main house and helped package and inventory medications for the spare meds box for Tim, the resident paramedic. Tim's actual job is heavy equipment operator(and official cookie taster), but is a multi-functional support person as are most of those working here to help the scientists.

When asked how he wound up here at Summit, Tim related a complex background consisting of outdoor instructor (canoeing, kayak ing, caving, sailing, etc), Marine Corps Infantryman, and EMT and ambulance driver with a bit of college mixed in for good measure. He had a life-long dream to go to Antarctica, so he applied as a General Assistant and was accepted. He learned how to operate heavy equipment there.

Without the support people here, scientists would find it extremely difficult to do the actual research. From cooking, to keeping the generator running, to coordinating supplies, and maintaining communications, these support personnel from VECO make sciencepossible here in this hostile and remote area.

Warm regards,

Besse Dawson

> Carved ten feet down into the ice - the science trench where much of the > test equipment operated. <>

> The VECO support staff at Summit. <>