Singaporean Air Force Supports Hurricane Relief in Texas

By Army Sgt. Michael Giles 100th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP MABRY, Texas, Sept. 6, 2017 — Airmen with the Singaporean air force’s Peace Prairie Detachment supported hurricane relief efforts by delivering supplies to Brenham, Texas, Aug. 30, 2017, in support of Joint Task Force Harvey.

Thirty-four members of the Singaporean air force used CH-47 Chinook helicopters to resupply Joint Task Force Harvey personnel with food and water in coordination with the Texas Army National Guard’s 372nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion.

The contribution toward Harvey relief efforts reflects an ongoing partnership between Singapore and Texas, according to a statement from the Singaporean defense ministry.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said, “This was a small gesture to express our appreciation and gratitude to the U.S., and in particular the state of Texas, which have been good hosts for our Peace Prairie Detachment.”

Crucial Assistance

Texas has hosted the detachment at the Grand Prairie Army Aviation Support Facility in Dallas since the detachment’s inauguration in May 1996. They have trained at the Joint Readiness Training Center and taken part in Exercise Red Flag, and trained alongside Texas National Guardsmen in large-scale emergency response exercises. The airmen put this training to use as they coordinated with the Texas National Guard in response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, fire and flood operations in Texas in 2000, and Hurricane Floyd in 1999.

The Singaporean detachment has been fulfilling a crucial role in helping resupplying food and water to service members on the ground, said Army Lt. Col. John Crawson, commander of the Texas Army National Guard’s 36th Sustainment Brigade.

“We have soldiers down in the joint operations area that are relying on our resupply,” Crawson said. “They’re relying on our [meals, ready to eat] and bottled water. And when they begin to get very low on supplies, it’s very crucial that I get them there.”

Crawson said that sling load operations are necessary when flooding prevents effective ground travel. The Singaporean detachment is an ideal partner in these situations, because they frequently rehearse these capabilities with Texas National Guardsmen during their annual training.

“We are extremely grateful for their support and we will continue to ask them to help us out,” Crawson said.

U.S., Singaporean Navies Enhance Maritime Partnership in Guam

Navy News Service

U.S. NAVAL BASE GUAM, Sept. 5, 2017 — The U.S. and Singaporean navies concluded Exercise Pacific Griffin 2017 here Sept 2.

Pacific Griffin 17, which began Aug. 19, served as this year's U.S.-Singapore annual maritime exercise. It was coordinated months in advance by planners from both navies, officials said.

Pacific Griffin highlights the longstanding maritime partnership between the U.S. and the Republic of Singapore navies through 23 years of annual-bilateral exercises.

"The U.S. Navy deeply values our close partnership with the Republic of Singapore Navy," said Navy Capt. Lex Walker, commodore of Destroyer Squadron 7. "Pacific Griffin 2017 provided a unique opportunity for both navies to interact and engage in a broader and more complex range of maritime scenarios and operations."

As the first bilateral exercise between the two navies taking place outside the vicinity of Singapore, the exercise featured a full-spectrum of naval operations ranging from anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare to air defense, live fire drills and tactical ship maneuvers.

Professionalism, Interoperability

Colonel Saw Shi Tat of the Singaporean navy highlighted the value of the exercise in enhancing professionalism and interoperability.

"The operating environment in Guam gave us the opportunity to hone our edge and push our operational envelopes," he said. "It also allowed us to operate with our friends and partners from around the world, including the U.S. Navy."

Participating naval assets included the littoral combat ship USS Coronado, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Benfold, replenishment oiler USNS Matthew Pecos and the Singaporean multirole stealth frigates RSS Supreme and RSS Stalwart and landing platform dock ship RSS Endurance.

"The complexity and sophistication of Pacific Griffin is a direct result of the many accomplishments and lessons we've learned from working together with the Republic of Singapore Navy for many years," Walker said.

Beyond the exercise, sailors from both navies developed professional and personal relationships that build lasting bonds between the two navies.

"It was an honor for the sailors of USS Coronado to participate in Pacific Griffin with a respected and capable maritime partner like the Republic of Singapore Navy. This was a tremendous opportunity to build upon previous engagements," said Navy Cmdr. Douglas Meagher, USS Coronado's commanding officer. "We look forward to continue strengthening our cooperation with Singapore through our quality interaction and work together at sea."

Logistics Group Western Pacific and the maritime staff element conduct planning, organize resources and directly support the execution of maritime exercises such Pacific Partnership, the bilateral Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training series, Naval Engagement Activity with Vietnam and the multilateral Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training with Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.

Guardsmen Head Toward Hurricane Irma as Texas Relief Efforts Continue

From a National Guard Bureau News Release

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 5, 2017 — As Hurricane Irma bears down on the Caribbean today, National Guard units are sending personnel to aid civilian authorities in the storm's path.

Irma has been classified as a Category 5 storm with maximum winds of 175 mph, and states of emergency have been declared in Florida and Puerto Rico.

The Illinois National Guard's 182nd Airlift Wing sent a Peoria-based C-130 Hercules aircraft and a seven-member crew to the U.S. Virgin Islands to deliver key response capabilities ahead of the storm's anticipated arrival. The C-130 stopped en route in Colorado to pick up a National Guard Bureau joint enabling team, which coordinates support to areas affected by natural disasters or other emergencies through advanced communications equipment and experts in disaster response operations, intelligence, logistics, personnel and public affairs.

Yesterday, the Rhode Island Air National Guard's 143rd Airlift Wing sent a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft and aircrew to support the preparation effort. The airmen first headed to New Jersey, where the crew will load boxes of packaged meals, and will transport the cargo to St. Croix and St. Thomas ahead of the forecasted storm.

Harvey Recovery Continues

Meanwhile, recovery from Hurricane Harvey continues in Texas, where more than 18,000 National Guard personnel were on duty.

Ten soldiers from the Pennsylvania Army National Guard left Fort Indiantown Gap on Sept. 1 in two CH-47 Chinook helicopters, to deliver food and water to stranded people and rescue those still in need.

On Aug. 31, an Illinois Air Guard C-130 from the 182nd Airlift Wing joined the federal Hurricane Harvey relief and recovery efforts and has been transporting people, supplies and equipment.

By the early morning of Sept. 2, that crew had transported more than 60 evacuees out of danger, including 20 children, four disabled adults and some 3,000 pounds of personal belongings. The crew also had delivered more than 7,500 pounds of relief supplies and equipment.

In addition, two Illinois Air Guard airmen from the Springfield -based 183rd Wing's183rd Air Mobility Squadron traveled Sept. 1 to Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida to assist 1st Air Force in the operations center that is coordinating the Air Force's portion of the relief efforts.

Also on Sept. 1, two C-130 Hercules aircraft and 14 more airmen deployed from the Kentucky Air National Guard base in Louisville to fly humanitarian aid and airlift evacuation missions in Texas.

"Like their forebears, the Minutemen, these airmen have put their regular lives on hold to help our neighbors in need," said Army Maj. Gen. Richard J. Hayes Jr., the Illinois adjutant general. "We thank them for their service and we thank their families and employers."

(The National Guard offices of Illinois, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island contributed to this article.)