Coordinated response: Coalition forces conduct first joint crash exercise

First responders with the French air force, or l'Armée de l'air, extract a pilot from a Rafale aircraft during a joint crash exercise at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, May 16, 2017. This exercise was the first of its kind at this location, involving first responders across multiple Coalition partners and testing how well they work together. [Faces of French personnel have been obscured at the request of l'Armée de l'air.] (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Marjorie A. Bowlden)

(UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)
05.16.2017
Story by Staff Sgt. Marjorie Bowlden
380th Air Expeditionary Wing
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SOUTHWEST ASIA – Members of the United States, French, Australian and other Coalition air forces recently participated in a joint crash response exercise at an undisclosed location here, May 16, 2017.

This was the first exercise of its kind at this location, said a wing safety officer with the French air force, or l’Armée de l’air. Its purpose was to test how effectively different components of Coalition services were able to work together in the event of an aircraft crash.

“It was the first time everyone [all Coalition partners] participated with multiple services, including medical teams, explosive ordnance disposal and security,” said the French wing safety officer. “This permits us to improve little by little by observing the entire chain of first responders.”

380th Air Expeditionary Wing personnel answered the simulated call with medical and EOD teams to multiple sites. These teams worked hand-in-hand with Coalition partners to get the situation under control.

The exercise was mainly organized by l’Armée de l’air, said Lt. Col. David, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing chief of safety. However, this kind of training is key for the Coalition.

“This is developing relationships,” said David. “We try to deal as often as we can with Coalition partners. We share the airfield, we share the mission, so we want to work as closely with them as we can.”

Staff Sgt. Brad, team leader with the 380th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron EOD flight, had not worked with French military members before, he said. The training was a challenge, especially because of language barriers, but it was also valuable experience for him and his Airmen.

“There’s a lot of workings that go into it, and I think practice is the main thing,” said Brad. “We train all the time so we don’t have to actually have to get into that situation without knowing what to do. If it ever happens in the future, at least we have a general idea of how everything is going to happen.”

Though the final report is not yet complete, and despite a few communication shortfalls, the exercise went well overall, said David. The training opened avenues to pursue further training between Coalition partners to strengthen joint capability.

“We saw a bit of the different processes between what we do, what the Americans do, and how all of it could blend together on the day of an accident,” said the French wing safety officer. “The most important thing is communication and, above all, that we train together regularly.”

Members of the 380th Expeditionary Medical Group medical operations flight transport a patient from the scene of a crash exercise at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, May 16, 2017. Coalition members worked together to respond to two separate exercise sites to test how they would respond in the event of an aircraft mishap. [Faces of French personnel have been obscured at the request of l'Armée de l'air.] (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Marjorie A. Bowlden)

[Editor’s note: Certain quotes have been translated from French.]

[Names of 380 AEW and French personnel have been partially or completely removed for security purposes.]

MCIPAC Firefighters presented Certificate of Commendation

Photo By Lance Cpl. Tayler Schwamb | CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, Japan –The burnt remains of a house that caught fire March 1 stands in Shimabuku, Kitanaka, Okinawa, Japan. The Marine Corps Installation Pacific and Marine Corps Butler Japan, Fire and Emergency Services firefighters were called upon by the local fire department to help put out the fire. The firefighters were recognized for their actions in recovering numerous personal items including passports, a cherished wedding ring, and official documents. (Courtesy Photo)

OKINAWA, JAPAN
05.03.2017
Story by Lance Cpl. Tayler Schwamb
Marine Corps Installations Pacific
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CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, Japan—Firefighters with Fire and Emergency Services Marine Corps Installation Pacific-Marine Corps Base Camp Butler Japan, Fire and Emergency Services were presented with a certificate of commendation by Maj. Gen. Joaquin F. Malavet May 3 aboard Camp Foster.

The certificate was presented in recognition of exceptional performance of duties in response to a structure fire in Shimabuku, Kitanaka Village.
On the night of March 1, the MCIPAC firefighters provided mutual aid to the local fire department. By the time that the firefighters had arrived, the fire had already consumed the house, but the local departments and MCIPAC fire combined their manpower and were able to save the surrounding neighborhood from catching fire.

“The house was leveled, there was nothing but ash,” said John E. Roush, the assistant fire chief at MCIPAC. “In the middle of the night they lost everything, but we made sure no one else did.”

Yet, the selfless actions the following day were even more noteworthy.

In the days following this incident, their efforts to care personally for the needs of this displaced family went far and above the call of duty, according to Malavet. It resulted in the recovery of several items of immense emotional and intrinsic value, including a cherished wedding ring, passports, and important documents.

None of this would have been possible without their personal commitment to do the right thing.

"The professionalism, commitment and absolute courage demonstrated by the MCIPAC Fire and Emergency Services was simply extraordinary!” said Malavet, commanding general of MCIPAC. “In fact, their genuine love for people and deep connection to the local community is what drives their passion for service. Simply stated, their purpose is to save lives and they are the very best.”

Hawaii National Guard’s partnership showcased during exercise Balikatan 2017

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Andrew Jackson | Members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines finish constructing a collapsed structure shoring system during a subject matter expert exchange in support of Balikatan 2017 at Fort Magsaysay in Santa Rosa, Nueva Ecija, May 8, 2017. These skills ensure that first responders and military members can secure and remove victims during a real-life crisis. Balikatan is an annual U.S.-Philippine bilateral military exercise focused on a variety of missions, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and counterterrorism. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Tech. Sgt. Andrew L. Jackson)

PHILIPPINES
05.13.2017
Story by Tech. Sgt. Andrew Jackson
State of Hawaii, Department of Defense, Public Affairs Office

One of the key themes of the 2017 iteration of Balikatan, the annual U.S.-Philippine military bilateral training event, was Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Recovery (HA/DR). The Hawaii National Guard’s Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Explosive (CBRNE) - Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) Search and Extraction team has been participating in Balikatan since 2011. The CERFP’s Soldiers and Airmen have been working alongside the Armed Forces of the Philippines 525th Engineering Battalion and growing each other’s mastery of search and rescue techniques through Subject Matter Exchanges.

“The main goal for me, is that we operate as a team,” said Major James Kanoholani, Officer in Charge, Hawaii National Guard CERFP. “We speak the same language. We use the same techniques so that when the event comes, it will be that much easier to react.”

Each year, both forces bring new techniques that they have learned over the past twelve months to share with each other. Once this knowledge is reviewed and discussed, the skills are then demonstrated, establishing a base-line skill set. All of the training events are very hands-on with very limited lecture. This year soldiers from the AFP’s 2nd, 7th, and 9th infantry divisions along with Sailors, Airmen and Marines from throughout the AFP, participated in the HA/DR search and extraction exercise at Fort Magsaysay, north of Manila. The training facility used this year was an disused hospital site, perfect for standing in as a collapsed structure.

The HING brought 26 soldiers and three Airmen while over 170 members of the AFP participated. Some of the HA/DR activities conducted included: rescue skills such as rope rescue, collapsed structure shoring, manual lifting and hauling techniques, breaching and breaking, and medical treatment of victims. The medical portion of the exchange and training was bolstered as well. A course was added to the curriculum and was taught by three Hawaii Air Guardsmen from the 154th Wing’s, Detachment 1, a unit that makes up the medical treatment arm of the HING’s CERFP team.

“Since this is a HA/DR exercise, and at the CERFP, that is our primary focus because we are the disaster recovery team for the state of Hawaii,” said Master Sgt. Jared Mina, 154th Wing, Detachment 1, Search and Extraction Rescue Operations. “What we bring to the table as the Search and Extraction Rescue Operations group, are full time Emergency Medical Technicians, firefighters, and some paramedics. Plus we are qualified in rope rescue and hazardous material operations. We can operate in the disaster area and in a chem-bio CBRN environment. Those are the skills we are sharing with the AFP to make their overall capability greater. In-turn they are also sharing their capabilities with us, it has been a very good Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE).”

The Balikatan HA/DR portion of the exercise is conducted in a round robin format with small groups. Each spending a day on one of the rescue skill stations performing skill checks for the rescue experts from the 525th and the HING. The next day brings another skill to the forefront.

Disaster recovery in Hawaii is the mission of the state’s National Guard and the CERFP is at the center of that effort. They spend months each year training and maintaining individual proficiency while preparing to respond to a natural disaster, both no-warning events like tsunamis and earthquakes, to hurricanes. For members of the Hawaii Army National Guard, this is actually their secondary duty. They all belong to other units and are required to keep up proficiency in both aspects of their guard jobs, which for most of them is in traditional or part-time status.

The Hawaii National Guard is a force with two main missions, Federal and State. Their federal mission is national security and the state mission is supporting the state during times of emergency. All the while, Hawaii and the Philippines share in their vulnerabilities to certain types of natural disasters, namely hurricanes or typhoons, earthquakes, and tsunamis. They also have similar climates and many members of the HING are of Filipino descent, making the partnership more like a close friendship.

“This is going to help us by not only keeping our training current but also developing a camaraderie with the AFP,” said Sgt. Kage Fergerstrom, Hawaii CERFP. “So if we need to respond here, we already have a good rapport between our two nations.”

Throughout the exchange, safety was on everyone’s mind. Making sure all the participants were properly protected and well hydrated.

“The safety of the rescuer always comes first,” said Sgt. Fergerstrom. “The safety of the team and then the safety of the victim. We always want to make sure we are safe so that we do not become an extra victim.”

During the closing days of the week long SMEE, Brig. Gen. Keith Tamashiro, HIARNG Commander, Brig. Gen. Stephen L.A. Michael, 25th Inf. Div., the AFP and leaders from other countries all toured the site to see the capabilities of the HING and AFP soldiers. This was followed by a media day where over 70 international, national and local journalists were invited to witness the types of HA/DR techniques that had been rehearsed during the 2017 iteration of Balikatan.