US Pacific Air Forces’ multinational mission Operation Christmas Drop delivers humanitarian supplies to 20k islanders

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Jimmie Pike | The Pacific Air Forces' Operation Christmas Drop kicks off on Dec. 4, 2022. Operation Christmas Drop is an annual U.S. Air Force tradition of packaging and delivering donated supplies such as food, fishing equipment, school books, and clothing to more than 20 thousand islanders across 56 remote islands throughout the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Yokota Public Affairs)  

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, HAWAII, UNITED STATES

11.28.2022

Courtesy Story

Pacific Air Forces

The 71st iteration of the Department of Defense’s longest-running humanitarian assistance mission kicks off Dec. 4, at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, with participating Airmen from the U.S. and five partner nations.

Operation Christmas Drop is an annual U.S. Air Force tradition of packaging and delivering donated supplies such as food, fishing equipment, schoolbooks, and clothing to more than 20 thousand islanders across 56 remote islands throughout the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau.

Participants include PACAF’s 374th Airlift Wing from Yokota Air Base, Japan, the 36th Wing, Andersen AFB, Guam, and the 15th Wing from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and partner nation Airmen from the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Republic of Korea Air Force and Indian Air Force.

"Operation Christmas Drop continues to be an annual collaboration delivering valuable humanitarian assistance to those in need. We are excited to team with our allies and partners throughout the region as we launch the 71st year of Operation Christmas Drop and execute OCD 2022," said Col. Andrew Roddan, 374th Airlift Wing commander.

The weeklong international effort allows Pacific Air Forces Airmen from the 374th Airlift Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan; the 36th Wing, Andersen AFB, Guam; and the 15th Wing, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, to work with partner nation Airmen to plan and execute low-cost, low-altitude air drops, improving critical interoperability and communication for future real-world humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions.

“OCD 2022 represents a significant opportunity to integrate airlift teams as we work closely with international partners,” Roddan said. “This operation helps to hone critical skills necessary for successful response to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and we look forward to continuing our successful joint efforts in support of humanitarian aid delivery."

The aerial delivery enables aircrews to develop and maintain combat readiness through aircraft generation and recovery across a remote region of the Pacific Ocean where these islands are spread out in an area almost the size of the continental United States.

For more information and news on Operation Christmas Drop, visit http://www.andersen.af.mil/ocd/ and https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/OperationChristmasDrop.

The general public and members of the media may direct any questions to the OCD22 Combined Joint Information Bureau at [e-mail] or [phone].

• Date Taken: 11.28.2022
• Date Posted: 12.07.2022 17:10
• Story ID: 434256
• Location: JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, HAWAII, US