Operation Tomodachi Continues
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iii marine expeditionary force and marine corps bases japan MARCH 25, 2011 WWW.OKINAWA.USMC.MIL Key Resolve assets for support of Operation Tomodachi Lance Cpl. Michael Iams OKINAWA MARINE STAFF CAMP MUJUK, POHANG, Repub- lic of Korea — Exercise Key Resolve 2011 ended March 10, and 1st Japan Ground Self-Defense Force service members and III Marine Expeditionary Force Marines team up to offload Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine about 25,000 bottles of water from a the back of a CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter during Operation Tomodachi March Expeditionary Force, assets used 20. Operation Tomodachi is a humanitarian assistance operation supporting Japanese relief efforts to minimize human for the exercise are being sent to suffering. Photo by Lance Cpl. Ethan Johnson mainland Japan to support humani- tarian assistance and disaster relief efforts there. According to Sgt. Kevin Medina, Operation Tomodachi continues a system administrator with Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron 18, Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st III MEF, MCBJ supporting relief efforts MAW, Key Resolve was an excellent way to train with the Air Force and Gunnery Sgt. Cindy Fisher Expeditionary Force and Marine By March 24, III MEF had flown use database exchanges between OKINAWA MARINE STAFF Corps Bases Japan Marines and more than 450 helicopter and air- the services. sailors are deployed to mainland craft missions providing assistance “The coordination between the OKINAWA, Japan — III Marine Japan supporting Government of in survivor recovery, personnel system administrator, the interface Expeditionary Force and Marine Japan-led humanitarian assistance/ transport and relief supplies distri- control officer and the Hardened Corps Bases Japan are continuing to disaster relief efforts following the bution. More than 129,000 pounds Tactical Air Control Center kept actively provide support to Opera- 9.0 magnitude earthquake and of water and 4,200 pounds of food the commanding general’s satellite tion Tomodachi on mainland Japan. subsequent tsunami that struck have been distributed, according picture up and operational at all More than 1,000 III Marine northern Japan March 11. SEE TOMODACHI PG 5 times,” said Gunnery Sgt. Columbus Wilson, an interface control officer with MTACS-18. The data links between the Ma- rine Tactical Air Communication HASTs mission determines need Center and the Air Force HTACC Cpl. Brandon L. Saunders and Construction Force, came together to form the HASTs. worked with no connection prob- Lance Cpl. Mark W. Stroud “It’s what we are here for as SeaBees,” said Chief lems throughout the exercise, ac- OKINAWA MARINE STAFF Petty Officer Joshua Kolenda, builder, NMCB 133. “This cording to Staff Sgt. Michael Selden, is our job.” a crew chief with MTACS-18, ASTUGI, Japan — Humanitarian Assistance Survey The HASTs are comprised of Marine and sailor sub- Due to current relief efforts in Teams, III Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), are ject matter experts in civil affairs, engineering, logistics, Japan, 1st MAW communication as- in Japan to assist in planning humanitarian assistance communications, motor transport and field medicine. sets that would have been deployed and disaster relief operations following the March 11 9.0 Marines and sailors combine complementary skill back to Okinawa are being sent to magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami. sets to accomplish the HAST mission, according to Petty mainland Japan instead. Marines and sailors from units across III Marine Officer 1st Class Mathew Culberson, builder, NMCB 133. “We are sending a Lamda an- Expeditionary Force and as well as SeaBees with Navy HAST members evaluate the damage done in an area tenna, a Lightweight Multiband Mobile Construction Battalion 133, 22nd Naval Construc- then provide commanders the information they need to Satellite Terminal and a Support tion Regiment, First Naval Construction Division, Naval SEE HAST PG 5 SEE ENDEX PG 5 NMCRS SPEARHEADING AID TO VICTIMS The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Junior Marine leads effort to offer Society kicks of its 2011 Active assistance to victims on mainland Japan THIS Duty Fund Drive. in the form of a canned food drive. ISSUE PG. 10 IN PG. 4 okinawa marine | OPINION & EDITORIAL | March 25, 2011 MCB2 commanding general Around offers message of comfort Corpsthe “Be assured, the health and safety of you and your family is always your leadership’s top priority.” he thoughts and prayers of Oki- and yourself. nawa’s U.S. military community As many of T go out to those who have been you know, eligi- A Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron, 26th Marine affected by the events in northeastern ble family mem- Expeditionary Unit’s AV-8B Harrier jump jet returns to Honshu and the events at the nuclear bers stationed USS Kearsarge for fuel and ammunition resupply while power plant at Fukushima. We do on Honshu have conducting air strikes in support of Joint Task Force Odyssey understand that there will naturally been advised Dawn, March 20. Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn is the U.S. Africa Command task force established to provide be interest and questions about health that they may Maj. Gen. Peter J. Talleri operational and tactical command and control of U.S. impacts associated with these events leave at govern- is commanding general of military forces supporting the international response to the throughout Japan, even extending here ment expense Marine Corps Base Camp unrest in Libya and enforcement of United Nations Security Smedley D. Butler. Photo by to Okinawa. as part of a Council Resolution 1973. Photo by Lance Cpl. Michael S. Lockett U.S. military public health officials Department of Lance Cpl. Matheus Hernandez on Okinawa are continuously review- State-approved, ing the health assessments that have Department of Defense-implemented been made by the Government of Japan, voluntary authorized departure. As the the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Embassy has stated, this measure U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. was taken out of an abundance of cau- As Ambassador John Roos stated in tion, and in order to enable U.S. gov- his recent message, American nuclear ernment officials and the uniformed experts have been and will continue to military to concentrate on the tasks at analyze the environmental levels out- hand. Government-funded voluntary side of the evacuation area obtained by departure is not authorized for families very sensitive Japanese and American stationed in Okinawa nor at Marine detection instruments. These assess- Corps Air Station Iwakuni. Cpl. Joel Bruce, a fire support man with 1st Air Naval ments have revealed no association Be assured, the health and safety Gunfire Liaison Company, I Marine Expeditionary between the events at Fukushima and of you and your family is always your Force Headquarters Group, I MEF, assembles an RQ- the environment on Okinawa. leadership’s top priority. 11A Raven unmanned aerial vehicle during training at U.S. military public health officials The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo has re- Camp Pendleton, Calif., March 16. The purpose of the on Okinawa are monitoring Okinawa’s leased an update for American citizens training is to familiarize Marines with the UAV and its environmental quality as the events at in Japan, which has been posted on components. Photo by Cpl. Salvador R. Moreno Fukushima unfold and in concert with the Marine Corps Bases Japan website: the U.S. Consulate in Naha will provide http://www.marines.mil/unit/mcbjapan. immediate health assessment informa- You can also register to receive e-mailed tion to the U.S. military community on updates from the U.S. Embassy regard- Okinawa so that you can make intelli- ing the safety of Americans in Japan by gent decisions for your families’ health visiting http://travel.state.gov. Okinawa Marine is now online • www.marines.mil/unit/mcbjapan • www.facebook.com/iiimef.mcbj Col. Adele Hodges, right, former commanding officer • www.flickr.com/3mefpao • www.youtube.com/3mefcpao of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, speaks with attendants of the Women’s History Program at the Paradise Point Officers’ Club, MCB Camp Lejeune, N.C., March 11. Hodges was the guest speaker for the event, expounding on her experiences as a female Marine. Photo by Lance Cpl. Jonathan Wright COMMANDING GENERALMaj. Gen. Peter J. Talleri OKINAWA MARINE NEWSPAPER H&S Battalion MCB PAO PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR Lt. Col. David M. Griesmer Unit 35002 PRESS OFFICER 1st Lt. John D. Norton FPO AP 96373-5002 The Okinawa Marine is published by Marine Corps Community Services Marine Corps, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler or Marine Corps Com- under exclusive written contract with Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler, munity Services of the products and services advertised. PRESS CHIEF Gunnery Sgt. Cindy Fisher CENTRAL BUREAU Okinawa, Japan. Everything advertised in this newspaper shall be made available for purchase, The editorial content of this newspaper is edited and approved by the Consoli- use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, Camp Foster dated Public Affairs Office of Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler. marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factor DESIGN EDITOR Audra A. Satterlee This newspaper is an authorized publication for members of military services of the purchaser, user or patron. If a violation or rejection of this equal opportunity DSN 645-9335 stationed overseas, at sea and their families. Its contents do not necessarily reflect the policy by an advertiser is confirmed, the publisher shall refuse to print advertising official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the U.S. Marine from that source until the violation is corrected. Corps and do not imply endorsement thereof. All photos, unless otherwise indicated, are “official U.S. Marine Corps photos.” HQMC DivPA Best Tabloid NORTHERN BUREAU The appearance of advertising in this newspaper, including inserts of supple- For more information, e-mail us at [email protected] or write to us Camp Hansen ments, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense, the U.S.