Seven ships — including the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson — are or have orders to get underway in anticipation of humanitarian relief efforts in Haiti, according to Navy officials.Do good, and do well.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Wednesday afternoon conveyed to U.S. Southern command that providing humanitarian relief “is a very high priority for the president and for this department,” said Geoff Morrell, Pentagon press secretary. The secretary said the Defense Department would do its best to provide “anything and everything they need, be it personnel, equipment, lift, whatever it may be,” as quickly as possible.
The defense secretary has not signed any deployment orders as of Wednesday evening, Morrell said, adding that the Joint Staff was working on manning requests.
UPDATE: More on the way.
The amphibious assault ship Bataan and dock landing ships Fort McHenry and Carter Hall will get underway this afternoon from Hampton Roads to conduct humanitarian relief exercises in preparation for Haiti relief efforts, Navy officials said.22 MEU - I know those guys .... perfect.
Together with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, the force will total more than 3,600 sailors and Marines.
From what I have heard about the condition of the docks at PaP - the Gator Navy and its MSC buddies will wind up saving thousands of lives as that will be the only way to help out beyond what little ramp space is available there for aircraft. Inland? Fugetaboutit - only one way to do it; and it is on the way.
UPDATE II - Electric Boogaloo: No one does it better ..... or for that matter, no one else can do it at all.
About 100 Seabees are gearing up for disaster relief operations in earthquake-stricken Haiti, and are expected to leave by Saturday morning, according to Navy officials.Oh, in case you didn't know - the UN has almost 10,000 people in Haiti ... hear much from the UN? Thought not. This requires both action and leadership - something you are not going to get from the UN.
More than 80 Seabees are from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 7, based in Gulfport, Miss. They currently are prepping 690 short tons of cargo, which includes more than 40 pieces of civil engineer support equipment for road clearing and debris removal. Initial indications are the air detachment will be in Haiti for approximately six months.
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Another 14 Seabee divers from Underwater Construction Team 1 will deploy Friday from Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Va. They will inspect waterfront facilities such as piers and docks as part of efforts to help get relief supplies into the earthquake-ravaged nation, according to Seabee spokesman Daryl Smith.
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The Seabee divers will deploy with other Navy divers from Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 2 and Naval Sea Systems Command, and engineers from Naval Facilities Engineering Command.
