The U.S. Defense Department is mobilizing support to assist in the earthquake relief efforts. The U.S. military has a total of 38,000 military personnel, 43,000 military dependents, 5,000 Department of Defense civilians, and 25,000 Japanese civilians working and living on bases throughout Japan. On the main Japanese island of Honshu there are 7 major bases representing. There is also a significant U.S. military presence on Okinawa. The Pentagon reports that all personnel are accounted for and there are no reports of injuries or major damages to U.S. military bases in the region.
The U.S. is sending additional military assets to the region. According to most recent reports, the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, which had been participating in an exercise with Korea, has been diverted to Japan along with two escorting ships the USS Chancellorsville and the USS Preble. The USS Blue Ridge, the Seventh Fleet Flag ship which is homeported in Japan yesterday was loading supplies in Singapore and should be heading back home to Japan to also assist in the operations. A CNN reports indicates at least three other ships, USS Essex, USS Harpers Ferry and the USS Germantown are also en route and preparing to assist.
U.S. military assets have been assisting efforts from day one of the crisis. At least 11 commercial aircraft were diverted to the U.S. Air Force base in Yokota Japan after Tokyo’s major airport, Narita in Tokyo was closed. U.S. military aircraft are also assisting the Japanese in conducting reconnaissance flights to survey the damage and help identify the areas most in need. It is expected that the primary role of the U.S. military assistance will be in the area of logistic, communications and medical support. Lessons learned from similar crisis have shown the necessity of having large numbers of helicopters available to rescue stranded people as well as a setting up a logistics infrastructure to transport food, water and medical supplies to isolated areas. International support is also being mobilized. The UN has reportedly offered search and rescue team support from 45 countries.
The crisis is still unfolding and there is a lot of uncertainty, particularly with the concern over status of the nuclear power plants. Will continue to monitor and provide updates to military assistance efforts.
