Photo By Cpl. Mark Stroud | Lance Cpl. Nicholas R. Beaupre, civil affairs, Humanitarian Assistance Survey Team,...... read more read more
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CAMP SENDAI, Japan - Civil affairs Marines with G-3, III Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), pushed forward into disaster zones on mainland Japan in the period immediately following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami to conduct civil military operations.
“I left Okinawa on the 12th, the day after the earthquake and tsunami on the mainland,” said Lance Cpl. Nicholas R. Beaupre, civil affairs, Humanitarian Assistance Survey Team, Joint Support Forces Japan. “I had about an hour in the shop being briefed by my gunnery sergeant and about an hour to pack.”
Beaupre was one of four civil affairs Marines attached to a HAS-Team and sent forward to conduct humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations as part of Operation Tomodachi
Working with Japanese authorities and Japanese Ground Self Defense Force personal, civil affairs Marines surveyed infrastructure and relief facilities.
“We’ve been working hand in hand with the government of Japan and the JGSDF,” said Beaupre. “Usually the survey entails demographics and capabilities of a site, and gives those that aren’t at the site eyes and ears on the situation.”
The surveys provided Joint Support Forces Japan with the ability to match capabilities to requirements when sending aid and supplies into the disaster zones.
“We advise the battle space commander on how to conduct civil military operations,” said Beaupre. “I know that at least one of these surveys has led to follow on action. An [internally displaced people] camp I surveyed has been nominated and approved for shower units that Navy seabees are installing.”
The main piece of equipment that civil affairs has used in their mission is a device the size of handheld global-positioning system which incorporates satellite communications, GPS, and a graphical-user-interface to fill out the site surveys and send them back to higher headquarters.
Civil affairs also works with non-governmental and governmental organizations, such as World Health Organization and U.S. Association for International Development, to coordinate humanitarian assistance efforts, according to Staff Sgt. Kevin L. Tisdale, civil affairs team chief, HAS-Team.
Tailoring HADR efforts through the use of site surveys and cooperation between organizations allows civil affairs to advise theater commanders on how to best match humanitarian needs with available relief capabilities.
“Japan is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, it has 90 percent more than the other countries we’ve dealt with,” said Tisdale. “They already have what they need, so it hasn’t been bringing things in from out of the country as much as it’s been moving things around in country.”
Two weeks after the earthquake and tsunami it has become the job of civil affairs to begin evaluating JSFJ humanitarian efforts to improve current and future performance as Operation Tomodachi continues to provide relief and assistance to the Japanese people, according to Tisdale.
| Date Taken: | 03.28.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 03.29.2011 02:26 |
| Story ID: | 67902 |
| Location: | CAMP SENDAI, AICHI, JP |
| Web Views: | 517 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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