Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Charles Gaddis IV | 160608-N-EC099-228 INDIAN ISLAND, Wash. (June 8, 2016) – The Military Sealift...... read more read more
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INDIAN ISLAND, Wash. — Worldwide natural disasters are inevitable. When disasters occur, the US Department of Defense (DoD) is often called upon to aid those in need. They were able to practice their sea and shore sustainment operations during the annual Joint Logistics Over-The-Shore (JLOTS) exercise, June 8 at Naval Magazine (NAVMAG) Indian Island.
JLOTS is a critical military capability to transfer solid and liquid cargo to specific areas without the benefit of a fixed port facility. The exercise aims to improve logistics interoperability, communication and cooperation between military components.
This year's exercise is being conducted simultaneously as part of Cascadia Rising, a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami exercise. It is named after the Cascadia Subduction Zone, a 600-mile-long fault just off the coast that runs from Northern California to British Columbia.
“Our purpose here is to show what the Department of Defense could provide to the state of Washington in the event of an earthquake,” said Capt. Greg Vinci, Naval Support Element commander. “JLOTS is exercised annually and it’s an opportunity for us to work together across all the component commands across the DoD to support one another."
The Navy, Marines, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard work together with local and state emergency management offices and federal agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), enhancing their capabilities for tactical or humanitarian missions, improving the military’s overall readiness when responding to natural disasters and other logistical sustainment issues around the world.
"No one can accurately predict when a disaster like a major earthquake will occur, but we can all be prepared for them. Partnering with federal agencies like FEMA, the Coast Guard and the Army, as well as with state and local emergency management offices during exercises like JLOTS and Cascadia Rising is the best way to be prepared and to protect our communities," said Rear Adm. Jeff Ruth, commander of Navy Region Northwest.
According to Vinci, the state of Washington would first establish priorities for recovery, FEMA would then define the requirements that would be needed, and then FEMA would get support from the DoD.
“Once we would get approval from the Department of Defense we would mobilize our assets based on what’s needed,” said Vinci.
Operations at (NAVMAG) Indian Island focus primarily on cargo delivery and transport and liquid transfer in unimproved areas where ports are unavailable or damaged. Approximately 600 Sailors and Soldiers participated at this location.
“Our beach party team provides positive control and communications over Navy lighterage and landing craft from approximately 1,000 yards offshore to the beach-landing site,” said Lt. Steve Aguirre, the beach party officer in charge. “In doing that, we’re transporting troops, vehicles, equipment and supplies in support of humanitarian aid and relief efforts."
During JLOTS operations at Indian Island, one prepositioning ship, USNS Bob Hope (T-AKR-300), containing cargo, supplies, and equipment is anchored in Port Townsend Bay.
The cargo, supplies, and equipment are offloaded and transported using a variety of craft, including: Improved Navy Lighterage Systems (INLS) and Landing Craft Utility. The cargo consists of approximately 200 pieces of rolling stock (wheeled vehicles), materials handling equipment, and 20-foot containers.
The INLS is a system of powered and non-powered barge systems that are used to transport containerized assets and rolling stock to include tracked and wheeled vehicles.
“Our team at the lighterage support center is composed of staff that manages personnel as well as craft while working closely with the lighterage repair facility for the maintenance of all of our INLS, consisting of causeway ferries and warper tugs,” said Lt. Albetro Alshabazz, the lighterage support officer. “In addition we work closely with the ship for close coordination of through put operations, additionally we work closely with the beach party teams and other component commands for the execution of our task.
According to Vinci, the region can never be too prepared.
“I had the opportunity to actually provide hurricane relief to Haiti and the same things that you saw here were done in Haiti back in 2010,” said Vinci. “Obviously the Northwest scale is a lot bigger than the country of Haiti, but it’s great to continue to see what we’ve grown from.
Officials estimate about 20,000 people will be involved in Cascadia Rising. In the scenario, the Port of Tacoma is severely damaged by an earthquake and tsunami, making normal port operations impossible for immediate relief operations.
| Date Taken: | 06.08.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 06.08.2016 20:57 |
| Story ID: | 200444 |
| Location: | INDIAN ISLAND, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 367 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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