Photo By Sgt. Derek Kuhn | Soldiers with U.S. Army Japan and Japanese Air Self Defense Force members remove...... read more read more
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CAMP ISHINONAKI, Japan—Service members with U.S. Army Japan along with the Japanese Self Defense Force are conducting relief efforts cleaning local school buildings that were damaged during the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in the Tohoku region as part of Operation Tomodachi. Service members and JSDF operate out of Camp Ishinonaki and convoy to different areas to assist displaced Japanese citizens.
The soldiers, Marines and sailors worked in conjunction with JSDF, Japanese Ground Self Defense and local citizens to remove debris and clear mud left from the tsunami. The school cleanup was one of five schools cleaned as part of ongoing Operation Tomodachi relief efforts.
The ground commander for the school cleanup, JASDF Maj. Utaka Nakamura said there was a lot of work to do in a little time.
“We are removing about five inches of dirt that washed over everything during the tsunami and all of the debris that the wave brought too,” said Nakamura. “We have to work quickly because we only have three days to do it and there are still five other schools to clean up.”
To clean the schools, the two partner nations had to rely on the hard work of their military.
“The majority of the work is being done by good old fashioned manual labor,” said Army Capt. Lanelle Pickett, the commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 10th Support Group, U.S. Army Japan. “We are using shovels, hoes and wheel barrows. Really anything we can work with, we are using,” the Columbia, S.C., native added.
Pickett said one of the reasons that they are focusing on the schools is because of the children’s education.
“We are concerned about the kids and their future,” Pickett said. “To me, they are who really matter.”
Nakamura agreed with Pickett’s sentiments.
"We wanted to clean the school buildings first because of the kids and then for the teachers and the community,” Nakamura said. “We want the children to go to school, learn, play sports, run around and, be happy. If they do this, the parents will be happy too.”
Spc. Bobbie Walker, a mechanic with HHC, 10th SG, USARJ, stationed at Okinawa, was especially passionate about helping out the Japanese.
“Being out here helping these guys is awesome,” Walker said. “These people had everything taken from them. I can’t imagine what it is like to lose everything. I’m very glad to be here helping out.”
Nakamura said, the Japanese people are very grateful for the U.S. military’s assistance in the relief efforts.
“I believe with the help of the U.S. Army that we will be successful in rebuilding our community,” Nakamura said. “The U.S.’s actions will be remembered and Japan will help when the U.S. finds itself in a position like this.”
U.S. military relief efforts are ongoing.
| Date Taken: | 04.08.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 04.10.2011 21:34 |
| Story ID: | 68553 |
| Location: | CAMP ISHINONAKI, AICHI, JP |
| Web Views: | 154 |
| Downloads: | 4 |
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