U.S. Military vs. Hurricane Sandy

U.S. Military vs. Hurricane Sandy

by diplomat_admin

Due to its unique capabilities, the U.S. military has often served as part of the first responders in Asia’s worst natural disasters. Within hours of the December 2004 earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean, for instance, 15,000 U.S. military personnel were on the scene aiding local authorities in search and rescue efforts. Within a week 17 U.S. Naval vessels and a Coast Guard Cutter were en route to Southeast Asia. Operation Unified Assistance, as the U.S. military named the humanitarian operation, would last for months afterward as the region tried to overcome the massive loss of life and property.
The U.S. military also sprang into action following Japan’s tragic earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. In what the Pentagon would call Operation Tomodachi—Japanese for “friendship”– the U.S. military was again on the scene within hours helping in the search and rescue operations. The Defense Department immediately allocated $35 million, which was supplemented by another $8 million from the U.S. Agency of International Development (USAID). Less than a month later the U.S. 7^th fleet had 14 ships, 130 aircraft and 13,893 personnel involved in Operation Tomodachi, flying 160 reconnaissance flights in search of victims, and delivering more than 260 tons of relief supplies to survivors.
Now, with the U.S. Eastern Coast slammed by Hurricane Sandy, the U.S. military has been busy assisting federal, state, and local authorities reaching those people still in need and helping to restore services to affected households. As the storm made its way to the U.S. mainland after raging through the Caribbean, the U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) began coordinating operational plans with domestic agencies. http://thediplomat.com/the-editor/2012/10/30/u-s-military-vs-hurricane-sandy/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+the-diplomat+%28The+Diplomat+RSS%29