PHIBRON 11 Deploys for Purposeful Forward Presence

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Karen Blankenship, Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet public affairs

SASEBO, Japan (NNS) -- Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 11, which is permanently embarked aboard USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) and is forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan, commenced a fall deployment of the 7th Fleet area of responsibility Aug. 10.

During this deployment, PHIBRON 11's staff includes over 120 Sailors from different commands around the world including Virginia, Hawaii, California, and Yokuska, Japan.

"I really think I pulled the right straw when I got to come to this command," said Operations Specialist Seaman Parker Morris, chart petty officer for PHIBRON 11. "This is my first deployment and I'm excited about it. PHIBRON is a great command for my first duty station."

More than 2,000 Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) are scheduled to join PHIBRON 11 aboard Bonhomme Richard, USS Tortuga (LSD 46) and USS Denver (LPD 9).

"We (PHIBRON11) are important to the mission because we manage all the ships in the Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) as far as the mission and exercises," said Morris.

The ARG is scheduled to participate in several exercises that will provide training to help enhance security, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. The exercises include the Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX), Amphibious Integration Exercise (AIT) and Certification Exercise (CERTEX).

PHIBLEX is an annual joint exercise conducted by the Navy and Marine Corps with the Republic of the Philippines navy and marine corps. AIT is a training exercise designed to strengthen the MEU's amphibious assault capabilities. CERTEX tests the Marines amphibious assault skills that they learned during AIT.

"We deploy in order to conduct bilateral exercises, execute standing plans and respond to contingencies, whether those be theater security, humanitarian assistance or disaster relief, all while working with our allies, partners and friends," said Lt. Cmdr. Frank Hinojosa, operations officer for PHIBRON 11.

Exercises like PHIBLEX and CERTEX helped prepare Sailors and Marines of PHIBRON 11 respond to core competencies like humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and counter-terrorism.

U.S. Troops Continue Relief Efforts in Japan

Compiled from U.S. 7th Fleet News Releases

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2011 – U.S. troops continue to lend a helping hand to Japan today, committing dozens aircraft along with thousands of Marines and sailors to Operation Tomodachi in the past 48 hours, military officials reported.

About 17,000 U.S. military members and more than 100 aircraft are involved or prepared to assist in relief operations in Japan, Defense Department officials said, and 14 ships from the U.S. 7th Fleet are supporting relief efforts.

About 4,000 Marines and sailors with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and Amphibious Squadron 11 arrived off the coast of western Japan yesterday. The troops are capable of delivering relief supplies by ground and air, providing medical assistance, transportation assets and engineering equipment.

More than a dozen aircraft relocated yesterday to Naval Air Facility Misawa in northern Japan from Naval Air Facility Atsugi and Kadena Air Base in southern Japan. A total of 13 helicopters and about 500 sailors are repositioned to Misawa, nearly doubling the base’s Navy population.

Ships from the USS Essex Amphibious Ready Group arrived off the coast of western Japan yesterday with more than 150 amphibious vehicles and 25 aircraft. The ships are providing fresh water, medical support, search-and-rescue support, heavy lift capabilities and amphibious aircraft.

The USS Tortuga delivered 93 vehicles and 273 Japanese soldiers ashore by landing craft March 17 near Ominato in northern Japan. The ship is distributing 5,000 bottles of water and 5,000 meals to Misawa for further distribution.

The amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown in the Sea of Japan received 85 pallets of food and fuel March 17 from various relief organizations.

Service Members Assist Japanese Quake Victims

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 14, 2011 – Japan’s earthquake and tsunami are tragedies on an epic scale, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said today, and the U.S. military will do all it can to help.

The United States has about 50,000 military personnel in Japan and already has responded to some immediate needs for the people of northern Japan.

“We’ve got about … a dozen ships that are either there or en route, a lot of aircraft associated with those ships.” Morrell said in an MSNBC interview this morning. “They have been doing search-and-rescue operations, and they have been providing relief supplies as well.”

The situation is further complicated by the conditions of Japanese nuclear plants affected by the quakes. Some Navy airmen and sailors participating in relief missions off the USS Ronald Reagan have been exposed to radiation that leaked from these plants. The exposure was at such low levels that they washed it off with soap and water, Morrell said.

“They've since moved the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group [from the] downwind area of that Fukushima plant,” Morrell said.

U.S. servicemembers are standing by to deliver what aid the Japanese need, and the number of U.S. personnel involved in aid efforts will rise and fall, depending on Japanese needs, he added.

The USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group continues operations off the east coast of Honshu, Pentagon spokesman Marine Corps Col. Dave Lapan said today. The United States has eight ships east of Honshu with five more on the way.

“In the upcoming days, the Ronald Reagan will serve as an afloat platform for helicopters from the Japan Self-defense Force, the Japanese coast guard and other civilian authorities,” Lapan said.

“We conducted air operations today with 10 helicopters from the Naval Station in Atsugi and the USS Reagan flying relief missions identifying people in need of assistance in the region of Minato, and delivered food and blankets,” he continued. The choppers also flew surveys of the at-sea debris field and flew search-and-rescue missions along the coast.

The USS Tortuga, with heavy-lift MH-53 helicopters, is steaming toward the eastern coast. “They will on-load 300 Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force personnel and 90 vehicles and deliver them to the northern tip of Honshu,” Lapan said. Other U.S. ships are expected to arrive in the area March 17.

The Navy has P-3 Orion aircraft flying to help in area surveying efforts.

Lapan said no U.S. bases are in the danger zone for radioactivity, and that there are no plans to evacuate any U.S. personnel or their families.

U.S. Forces Provide Relief Aid to Japan

By Fred W. Baker III

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 13, 2011 – U.S. military forces are working alongside their Japanese counterparts to provide aid as the country digs out in the aftermath of the massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that struck March 11.

"Because of the longstanding and close working relationship between the U.S. military and its Japanese counterparts on a daily basis, the United States military has humanitarian assistance capabilities positioned in the affected regions that are ready to support emergency relief efforts and minimize human suffering," U.S. Ambassador to Japan John V. Roos said in a statement to the media yesterday.

Dubbed Operation Tomodachi -- Japanese for "friendship" -- U.S. military assets mobilizing in the area include a wide range of equipment, air, sea, and ground capability and expertise.

"We have units from all of our services, with a multitude of capabilities, from medical to communications to civil engineering, poised and ready to support where needed," Roos said.

Yokota Air Base in Japan was instrumental in recovering airline traffic in the hours immediately following the earthquake, Roos said. Also, Yokota is being used as an alternate airfield for planes that cannot land at Tokyo's Narita Airport. The air base is also providing food and shelter for displaced Japanese, according to reports.

U.S. Air Force and Marine helicopter and transport aircraft were moved from Okinawa to the U.S. military bases on Honshu.

Two SH-60 Seahawk helicopters from the U.S. Naval Air Facility Atsugi have already delivered 1,500 pounds of rice and bread to people in the town of Shiroishi, in one of the worst-hit parts of Japan, according to reports.

Marines and sailors from III Marine Expeditionary Force are supporting relief operations and its subordinate units are providing command and control, aviation and logistics support, according to Marine Corps officials.

The troops are capable of providing food, water, transportation and other relief support.

The proximity of aviation assets at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa has allowed Marines from III MEF to quickly deploy critically needed supplies and aid to areas that need it most, officials said.

“In a matter of hours supplies, gear and manpower began flowing into mainland Japan with more to follow,” said Marine Lt. Col. Karl C. Rohr, the assistant chief of staff of current operations for III MEF.

Yesterday, CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 265, III MEF, departed Marine Corps Air Station Futenma bound for Naval Air Facility Atsugi on mainland Japan.

A squadron from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Arizona also has been tapped to help with the relief efforts.

The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan is now off the coast of Japan’s main island of Honshu and the USS Tortuga is expected to arrive today.

According to reports, the Reagan is serving as place for Japanese helicopters to land and refuel. There are two escort ships with the Reagan and four more destroyers on the way to conduct search and rescue, according to reports.

The Tortuga is loaded with two heavy lift MH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters. The USS Essex, an amphibious ship carrying a 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit is still a couple days away.

The USS Blue Ridge, a command ship loaded with relief supplies, has left Singapore but it will get to Japan after Essex.

The U.S. Air Force's Air Mobility Command forces are poised to support relief operations in Japan, according to AMC officials.

Numerous AMC aircraft and crews have been placed on alert, according to officials, positioning forces to take-off within hours of receiving the call to support the humanitarian relief effort.

Tanker and airlift aircraft are included in the alert posture. Forces from the 615th Contingency Response Wing at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., are poised to deploy to open and operate airfields and receive and off-load humanitarian relief supplies, according to a release.

Military Gears Up to Help Japan

By Cheryl Pellerin

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 11, 2011 – U.S. forces are swinging into action to assist Japan in the wake of a magnitude 8.9 earthquake that struck early this morning.

“We are assessing the situation and positioning forces so that they are ready to respond and provide disaster relief if directed,” said Navy Cmdr. Leslie Hull-Ryde, a Pentagon spokeswoman.

Japan has requested U.S. assistance through the State Department.

The USS Tortuga, in Sasebo, Japan, is preparing to load landing craft and to leave for the disaster areas as early as this evening.

The USS Essex, with the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, arrived in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, this morning. The ship is preparing to depart as early as this evening.

The USS Blue Ridge, in Singapore, is taking on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief supplies and preparing to depart tomorrow morning.

The USS Ronald Reagan carrier strike group, at sea in the western Pacific on its way to Korea, can respond if directed.

“We are watching the situation closely and will adjust the track as required,” Hull-Ryder said.

Earthquake impacts on 7th Fleet, with headquarters in Yokosuka, Japan, include the following:

-- Ships in port in Yokosuka stationed linehandlers to adjust to water-level changes in Yokosuka harbor. No damage has been reported to any of the ships.

-- Ships in Guam have been directed to leave if possible, or to recall personnel and adjust lines during changes in sea level.

-- Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Force headquarters in Misawa was briefly evacuated. It is without power and operating from a generator.

-- Amphibious Force headquarters in White Beach, Okinawa, moved its watch to higher ground at Kadena Air Base in preparation for a forecasted tsunami.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake and subsequent tsunami was preceded by a series of large foreshocks over the past two days, beginning on March 9 with a 7.2 magnitude quake 25 miles from today’s earthquake, and continuing with another three earthquakes greater than magnitude 6.0 on the same day.

The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Eva Beach, Hawaii, has issued a tsunami warning.

“A tsunami has been generated that could cause damage along coastlines of all islands in the state of Hawaii,” the warning says. “Action should be taken to protect lives and property.”

The zone that produced today’s earthquake has produced nine temblors of magnitude 7 or greater since 1973. The largest was a December 1994 magnitude 7.8 earthquake 160 miles north of today’s quake that killed three people and injured nearly 700.

President Barack Obama issued a statement this morning pledging any help Japan may need from the United States and announcing that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is preparing for potential tsunami-response operations in the United States and its territories.

"Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to the people of Japan, particularly those who have lost loved ones in the earthquake and tsunamis,” the statement said. “The United States stands ready to help the Japanese people in this time of great trial.

“The friendship and alliance between our two nations is unshakeable, and only strengthens our resolve to stand with the people of Japan as they overcome this tragedy,” Obama added. “We will continue to closely monitor tsunamis around Japan and the Pacific going forward, and we are asking all our citizens in the affected region to listen to their state and local officials as I have instructed FEMA to be ready to assist Hawaii and the rest of the U.S states and territories that could be affected."

Americans in affected areas who need to contact the State Department can do so by e-mail to japanemergencyusc@state.gov or Pacifictsunamiusc@state.gov. The State Department also is posting the latest travel information for the affected areas on the World Wide Web and via Twitter.