At the request of the Philippine government, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin directed United States Indo-Pacific Command to support the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s efforts in foreign disaster relief operations following Typhoon Krathon (locally known as Julian), which made landfall on the Province of Cagayan, Philippines on September 30.
III Marine Expeditionary Force, directed by USINDOPACOM, has sent personnel and equipment to transport foreign disaster relief (FDR) supplies via KC-130J Hercules aircraft to affected locations within the Philippines. They will join personnel from I MEF’s 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Marine Rotational Force – Southeast Asia, who are already located in-country for training, to facilitate the efficient distribution of materials.
Humanitarian assistance supplies include tarps, shelter kits, food packets, and other non-food items. Two Marine Corps KC-130Js departed Okinawa, Japan, and arrived in Manila on October 5 in order to support the ongoing relief efforts.
The U.S. military is providing air transport and other assistance in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines through the U.S. Department of Defense Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid Program.
FDR training is incorporated into nearly every major exercise conducted by Ill MEF. Recurrent crisis response training enhances operational readiness and develops joint interoperability during times of crises. The U.S. military has partnered and trained with Philippine allies regularly on FDR operations – including during exercises such as Balikatan and KAMANDAG – which prepare both countrys’ forces for the challenges associated with extreme circumstances.
[Photos courtesy of Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) via @dvidshub]
