Navy Ships Wasp, Oak Hill Departing From Hurricane Relief Duty

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26, 2017 — The Navy’s multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp and the dock landing ship USS Oak Hill are departing from Hurricanes Irma and Maria relief duty in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to a Defense Department news release issued today.

As part of the plan to transition from hurricane response to hurricane recovery in the two U.S. territories, the release said, the DoD and the Federal Emergency Management Agency determined, in consultation with Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello, that some military-sourced assets, such as the Wasp and Oak Hill, are no longer needed.

Saving Lives

The Wasp and Oak Hill “have provided great value to the overall response effort, contributing search and rescue capabilities that saved lives. They are now proceeding on to their next missions in defense of our nation,” the release said.

The ships’ principle contribution to the hurricane relief effort has been helicopter support, the release said.

FEMA and DoD have determined there are sufficient land-based helicopters and tilt-rotor capabilities in the territories to continue helping the people of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands as they recover, the release said.

Multinational Mine Warfare Exercise Concludes in South Korea

BUSAN, South Korea, Oct. 26, 2017 — American and South Korean maritime forces successfully completed the Multinational Mine Warfare Exercise, or MIWEX, here Oct. 22.

Explosive ordnance disposal divers with the American and South Korean navies exit an MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter during the annual Multinational Mine Warfare Exercise in Busan, South Korea.

The mine countermeasures ship USS Chief, staff from Mine Countermeasures Squadron 7 and Mine Countermeasures Helicopter Squadron 14 Detachment 2A participated in MIWEX with their South Korean counterparts and members of United Nations Command Sending States to increase mine countermeasures interoperability and tactical proficiency.

Between 1950 through 1953, 16 nations provided combat, combat support and combat service support forces to the United Nations Command in response to North Korean aggression against South Korea, according to U.S. Forces Korea. Concurrently, with the signing of the Korean War Armistice Agreement on July 23, 1953, military representatives of those 16 nations reaffirmed their national commitment to the UNC with a promise to return to Korea should the Armistice Agreement fail.

Improving Mine Countermeasures Operations

The exercise spanned over a week and included training drills designed to improve cooperation and proficiencies in mine countermeasures operations.

The helicopter squadron conducted over 57 hours of flight operations, which included mine hunting, explosive ordnance disposal with partner forces and deck landing qualifications on South Korean navy ships.

"Not only was our squadron able to demonstrate the mission readiness of the MH-53E Sea Dragon [helicopter] and its newly-acquired Q-24B mine hunting platform, but also our ability to conduct the complex airborne mine countermeasures mission during high-tempo operations with our partners," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jeremy Braun, officer in charge of Helicopter Squadron 14 Detachment 2A.

Braun added, "Our flight crews demonstrated their expertise by executing the mission during challenging weather and successfully finding our target mine shapes. It's a testament to the robust capabilities of the aircraft and the dedication of our maintainers and MCM support crews."

Mine Hunting Training

During the exercise the USS Chief focused on mine-hunting operations using sonar radars. Once sailors detected the mine they would deploy a mine neutralization vehicle to simulate delivering an explosive that would neutralize the mine.

The ship experienced high waves at various points in the exercise but remained focused on the mission.

"It was my first mine warfare exercise as LPO [leading petty officer] and it really taught me the importance of planning and being ready," said Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Denton Walker, a member of the USS Chief’s crew "The environment provided extra challenges, but the whole team came together to keep the mission running."

This year marked the 64th anniversary of the U.S.-South Korea Mutual Defense Treaty, which serves as the foundation of the alliance and a force for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia.

School Can Wait: Puerto Rico Guardsmen Postpone College to Serve

By Army 1st Lt. Dustin Lawson, Ohio National Guard

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Oct. 25, 2017 — When a soldier receives the order that they are being deployed to another country, they often have months to prepare. When a National Guardsman is called up to help with recovery efforts for a natural disaster, they usually only have days to prepare.

But, joining the National Guard comes with the understanding that when a crisis hits the United States, a guardsman must be ready to quickly put life on hold to answer the call to help.

For many in school, that may mean taking a semester off from college that has already started. This is the case for several Ohio Army National Guardsmen who deployed to Puerto Rico Oct. 5 with the 285th Medical Company and have been providing medical services to citizens in San Juan and surrounding cities after Hurricane Maria.

Chance to Help

“The opportunity to help others is more important to me than continuing classes right now,” said Army Spc. Jacob Parker, a health care specialist who also attends Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio, where he is working toward a degree in wildlife management. When he was given the option to go on the mission to Puerto Rico, Parker said he didn’t take long to make his decision to volunteer. “The same classes will be there in the spring; this opportunity to assist will not,” he said.

Army Pfc. Matthew Gamble, an ambulance aide attached to the 285th, is a 21-year-old junior at Youngstown State, majoring in exercise science. He said he eventually wants to work in the cardiac rehabilitation field. Gamble was a month and a half into the semester when he was given the option to join the mission. It took him only one day to decide to take the semester off. “The people in Puerto Rico need my help more than I need another semester of school,” he said.

Army Pfc. Spencer Smith is a 19-year-old freshman studying public and leadership management at Ohio State University in Columbus. Smith was only three weeks into his first semester when the call came to deploy as a health care specialist with the 285th.

“For me, the decision was easy, Ohio State wasn’t going anywhere,” Smith said. “But, I wanted to help people. This is what I joined the National Guard for.”

Parker, Gamble and Smith all said their professors were understanding and said they would work with them if they wanted to stay enrolled for the semester. However, Parker and Gamble both decided to take the semester off so they could focus entirely on the mission without the worry of schoolwork lingering. Smith decided to balance his class work while serving in Puerto Rico, showcasing the unique strengths of an Ohio citizen-soldier.

Not Alone

Though they each said the decision to volunteer for the Puerto Rico mission was easy, they still had concerns about leaving in the middle of a semester. Those concerns were silenced one morning before leaving when they were visited by Army Maj. Gen. John C. Harris Jr., the Ohio assistant adjutant general. Harris asked a group of 285th soldiers who among them had dropped out of college for the semester to go on the mission. About 10 people raised their hands.

“When I saw the amount of people on this mission who raised their hands when asked who took time off from school, I gained more respect for them. I felt less alone,” Smith said.

It is a sacrifice to take a semester off, but each of the Ohio Army National Guardsmen who volunteered to deploy in support of hurricane relief efforts put the mission first and said they consider their sacrifice to be minor in comparison to the importance of helping their fellow Americans in Puerto Rico -- in their greatest time of need.