Taniela "Danny" Vea, a Tongan American who works in the war zones of the Middle East, says he was happy to be with the Tongan Marines who were staying at Camp Virginia, located near the Udairi Range in northern Kuwait.

They went to church together and Danny was photographed at the chapel with the fourth deployment of Tongan troops who were on their way to Iraq.

"The commander of the troops is Satisi Vunipola and the conductor between the Tongan Defence Services and the US Army is Commander Savelio - both from the Tongan Navy," said Taniela, a former TDS soldier, who regretted that he missed meeting the earlier third deployment of Tongans under Commander Kuli Fakalolo.

Kuwait is a neighbouring country to Iraq and the military base at Camp Virginia is a mix of tents, metal frame and prefab buildings, supply yards and maintenance sheds spread across several square miles of desert.

Danny has been working with the US Army as a US Quality Control Technical Inspector since 2004 with the ITT GMASS Task Forces.

"I still work around the Middle East including Iraq, Kuwait, Dubai, Bahrain, Doha Qatar, and as I am a Tongan American I am happy to be with the Tongan Marines.

Danny said his background with the Tongan and New Zealand armies helped him to qualify for his job with the US Army. "It set me in the right direction to become one of the first Tongan Americans as a Quality Control Technical Inspector for the US Army around the world.

"I used to be in the Tongan Army in 1978 and have been at the New Zealand Army Waiouru EME site (Electrical Mechanical Engineer), the second scholarship from the New Zealand Army to the Tongan Defence Services for five years in 1978. I didn't complete my scholarship but then I had this opportunity in August 2004 to support the fighting for freedom of the whole world.

"I can say I have to salute to this Military because of this opportunity - it all came about from beginning with he Tonga army, which provided a strong foundation for my future," he said.