The Marine Corps is shipping out the Bataan and two landing ship docks (the Carter Hall and McHenry) to help out in Haiti. About 2,000 Marines from the 22 MEU (which was on leave after a CENTCOM pump) are heading down there with a bunch of gear. Here’s a partial list:
8 CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters
4 UH-1N Hueys
15 7-ton trucks
1 fork lift
81 humvees
8 Light Armored Vehicles
12 Medical Blocks
1 Dental Block
2 Tactical Water Purification Systems (can produce 60,000 gal per day of drinking water from any water source including sea water)
9 assorted large and portable water containers
6 large fuel containers
16 generators
20 tents
Various HA care kits (these kits have basic need items in them)
Notice that there aren’t any Ospreys headed down there. Not sure if that’s because the MEU’s ACE gave up her Ospreys to the 2nd MEB ACE in Afghanistan or what, but one wonders why they didn’t push a few medium lifters onto the Bataan.
So far as I know, one company from the 82nd Airborne has been lifted there. The Coast Guard says it’s deploying:
The Coast Guard Cutter Valiant, a 210-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Miami, Fla.
The Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk, a 270-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Key West, Fla.
The Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma, a 270-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Portsmouth, N.H.
The Coast Guard Cutter Forward, a 270-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Portsmouth, Va.
U.S. Coast Guard C-130, HU-25 and C-144 fixed-wing aircraft and HH-60 and HH-65 helicopters
The Navy sent down the Vinson with 19 Helicopters. I’ve also seen a couple Navy C-2As from Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 out of Norfolk heading down there and some SH-60 Sea Hawks joining with the guided missile destroyer Normandy which is also on its way.
Check out our latest story on the Haitian surge at Military.com.
– Christian
{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
Two of my old Squadrons have personnel running PAP; the 21st and 23rd STS as well as personnel from 10th CWS for meteorology support.
I like the idea of the push toward more CH-53's. Usual compliment is 4. Also I have no problem with the V-22's staying in Afghanistan. The distances are so much greater there that the speed of that airplane is crucial.
Also it seems like they're prepared for civil unrest.
Honest question.
If this happened domestically, this would be a National Guard mission, and presumably the guard trains for earthquake response, where that is a possiblity, or at least more generalized natural disaster response. (If the answer is that the Guard doesn't train for natural disasters, I would be appalled).
Do the Marines specifically train for missions like this one (e.g. training in removing people from collapsed buildings, anticipation of aftershocks, dealing with civilians when no hostilities are in progress, SOPs for prioritizing tasks and assigning Marines to them, and understanding how urban infrastructure can be stablized)?
Or, do they instead just use capabilities developed for other missions (like a robust ability to maintain a cohesive command structure in bad conditions, setting up a base, first aid training, and ample supplies of able bodied people ready to devote themselve to the tasks)?
Natural disaster response has to be much further down the priority list for them than it is for the Guard, so the answer isn't obvious to someone like myself without first hand knowledge.
I don't think there is much in the gaurd for general training as far as natural disaster. There are units of the gaurd that are trained for disaster but I think mostly it's assumed that gaurd units (That are mostly logistic and support units anyway) would just to the job they are trained for (Airlift, transport, medical, command, engineers, MPs, etc). Now I can only speak for what I am seen of the VA gaurd so I can't speak to other states or even every unit. The VA gaurd does do Natural and WDM attack drills at least once a year but mostly thats about training first responders and command.
I don't think the Marine Corps necessarily trains for "humanitarian" operations but they do train for Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations (evacuating embassies, US citizens when a foreign country goes crazy) which probably involve a lot of the same elements as a humanitarian relief operation.
Between other worldwide natural disasters we've helped in and some of our counterinsurgency experience, there is probably a pretty good amount of civil relief experience in that task force.
Thanks. I was aware of the Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations mission (ans presumably training), although I'm not sure how similar it would be. The differences between that mission and the civil relief mission is part of what got me thinking about the training issue.
I like the hardware, but I'm intrigued if there is any contingency plan. I'm aware of the usual natural disaster scenarios (involving military aid), but this one is much larger. So besides pushing gear and troops down the pipeline, I hope that the kit will be used to its best effect according something resembling a strategy.
I hope the Marines can get out of Haiti ASAP and get some home time before deploying again on far more useful missions than this. As for Haiti, let the wholier than thou NGOs pull all the weight on this one. Our warriors should not lose dwell time to help out in that cesspit of a country, regardless what kind of disaster it is this time.
I hope you never need help with an attitude like that.
next the the USA has earthqauke, i hope you are in the center of it. something like a 7.2 should do it
Wow. I express my disdain that combat veterans are pulled off leave at a time that we are fighting wars in two countries to deliver aid to a hell hole of a country with no infrastructure or semblance of order during NORMAL circumstances, and your response is to wish a huge natural disaster on the US centered on me.
Hope you didn't strain yourself too hard trying to generate that response. Get a grip.
The Marines have gone in and out of Haiti too many times…every time its the same crap and no matter how much manpower and treasure is sunk into some of these abortions of a nation state, they will never get their shit together. Its a monumental waste of time and resources for our military to be distracted with.
NGOs and other civilian and international agencies exist just for these kinds of disaster response situations – as I originally said, let them deal with it and keep our military out of it. They are overburdened already fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan, and places of lesser note, without also taking on this feel-good crap in lieu of hard earned leave time.
You *really* need to brush up on your history. To start with, the reason for Haiti being such a — as you term it — "hell hole" is that the marines were in and out of the country. Supporting a coup against a democratically elected leader because he had the temerity to demand reparations from the French.
Sorry for letting facts get in the way of your jabs at "wholier than thou" NGOs.
Wow. I express my disdain that combat veterans are pulled off leave at a time that we are fighting wars in two countries to deliver aid to a hell hole of a country with no infrastructure or semblance of order during NORMAL circumstances, and your response is to wish a huge natural disaster on the US centered on me.
Hope you didn't strain yourself too hard trying to generate that response. Get a grip.
The Marines have gone in and out of Haiti too many times…every time its the same crap and no matter how much manpower and treasure is sunk into some of these abortions of a nation state, they will never get their shit together. Its a monumental waste of time and resources for our military to be distracted with.
NGOs and other civilian and international agencies exist just for these kinds of disaster response situations – as I originally said, let them deal with it and keep our military out of it. They are overburdened already fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan, and places of lesser note, without also taking on this feel-good crap in lieu of hard earned leave time.
does care, you're on decaf from now on (still, it was funny.) 'Don't Care' doesn't sound like he's a particularly good guy.
Depends on who you ask. :) When it comes to my brothers in the Marine Corps, I don't care about being nice so much as only risking them when it serves the true national interest. Delivering food, shelter, and medical aid to morons that are also trying to kill you is not, in any way, in our national interest. Send the Peace Corps/Americorps or those other altruistic groups. Not the military. We have far more important work at the moment.
Who ever you are, you artean AH(What's That?) A.. H…) It's times like these that are prime for people as …….. to recruit. Remember AH that Prior to President Obama and President Clinton, The other presidents were Racist. They placed their pupets in charge knowing fully that a no growth effect would bye in place.
The prior US Policies of Racism,are the cause for the dilema which we face. Stop being a thermometer. What do I mean? Only a thermometer is filled with degrees. If you have a drgree? Use your willingness wisely.
Hell, if the US doesn't contribute much to Haiti, what would the rest of the world say? With leftovers of the Monroe Doctrine still strong in the eyes of American leaders, and in the rest of the world, the US pretty much has no choice in sending aid to Haiti. It's political suicide if we don't take a leading role.
In other words, from a POLITICAL standpoint, and I know this sounds cold, but the US needs all the positive publicity it can get with Iraqistan going on, and Haiti is one hell of a goldmine.
I can't believe they called those guy off of leave. Unbelievable! There are sooo many other units in the Navy, AF, and even Army that they could've used instead of them.
Only one forklift?
No wonder we haven't won a war worth mentioning in sixty years.
My last job, we had three of 'em in one building, serving two loading docks, 10-11 hours a day, 5-6 days a week – and that was a small organization.
Infrastructure!
Dan,
Most of the gear on that list is standard for a MEU, regardless of what they're doing. They have a small medical element, an engineer element, and a logistics element along with the infantry units. That single forklift is probably on their standard load list to move their own equipment around on the ship or the shore. If it turns out they need more, I'm sure they'll be flown in. Haiti isn't exactly on the other side of the world. I'm going to guess you're a longshoreman or something along those lines. You're comparing your job of unloading massive cargo ships to a rapidly deployable infantry strike force with extremely limited cargo space. That list of gear at the top of the article fills their hold to the point where you can barely open a humvee door. Also keep in mind they only had a couple days to receive the mission, unload the ship, and repack it with what they thought they might need. They probably had to decide between that extra forklift you think they need and a water purifier that THEY think they'll need.
Wow, it's Guard, not Gaurd
Why are they sending LAVs? I can see the point of all the other stuff, but IFVs? Don't quite get the reasoning behind that.
All I can think of is that they're probably better off-road than the Humvees. Considering how crappy Haiti's infrastructure is, I'm sure they'll need it.
The LAVs will provide the Marines protection if they need it, and will help them get around. 8 LAVs isn't exactly a lot of firepower. But if their relief mission all the sudden requires them to provide security and a police force, they'll need those LAVs.
IT's the military, when is there ever reasoning or input from the guys on the ground?
The V-22s from the MEU are in Afghanistan, as was reported earlier. Haiti isn't big, so the speed/range isn't as important–moving people and cargo is, so 53s are a decent choice.
Believe me, that MEU is eager to do something–coming off leave isn't a big deal.
MEUs train for humanitarian assistance as part of their pre-deployment training. Not earthquakes per se, but delivering medical aid, food, water, and security thereof is one of their core missions.
Multicam spotted on the ground in Haiti. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=143546&… USS Carl Vinson is Twittering and posting pics of Facebook.
least they wont be any IED's to worry about , and such like
I'm confused why so much emphasis appears to be on airport delivery. Isn't Port Au Prince coastal? Is there no beach that we can offload supplies onto? Can't use LCACs and their ilk for bulk supply delivery?
At some point they're going to need construction equipment, to build and repair infrastructure and to assist with recovery efforts. These things sound like it needs something like the Corps of Engineers to come in.
This might be good biz for American contractors if they can hop onto the gravy train. Now as long as KBR doesn't go building showers that electrocute people; though if they have the guts to do shoddy work for America's soldiers will they care about Haitians at all?
1. The port needs to be repaired. It got trashed by the earthquake.
2. LCACs hold about 60 tons of supplies and they go to and from the assault ship which only has 2 of them. Where would those LCACs get all those supplies from in the first place?
3. C-17s can hold almost 100 tons of supplies, gets those supplies from just about anywhere, and the airport runs next to most of the areas major roads.
Hopefully this helps in your military logistics education. The rest of your post was just useless.
Sure the LCACs can only hold 60 tons but it's 60 tons that they can deliver when an airport is either too damaged or too congested to operate and handle aircraft. As for the supplies themselves, they'd get them from the assault ships themselves which can be packed with things like food, water, medical supplies, generators, etc. Plus 2 LCACs per ship at 60 tons each means at least 120 tons delivered per assault ship. It's also a matter of combined arms answer to logistics delivering by air and sea means a lot more supplies getting delivered than using just one or the other.
most likley the Marines are getting stuff ashore with the LCAC and Helo. Those gator frieghtors all have emergency supplies on board that they will transport. I would also be surprised if the Navy as not already sent a resupply ship to help the marines keep supplies moving. Those ships can unrep the marine/navy ships at sea and then the LSDs air and sea transport will move those supplies where it's needed.
TMB is correct that air transport is key because it's quick and supplies might be scattered all over the world, however the marines ability to get in with the LCACs and LAVs and the amounts of equipment and supplies they have on hand at quick notice is at least as important.
The Haiti occupation is what they are calling it now. Pretty disgusting when US interests and force protection are put ahead of humanitarian concerns. No doubt Halburton and the other carpetbaggers will be along soon.
Any operation of this size and urgency has never and will never run like a Swiss watch. And anyone that thinks it should is deluded.
I haven't heard about what Cuba is doing to assist. We are always hearing about all the Doctors in Cuba, one would think that they could spare a few of them for their communist brothers in Haiti.
The most important thing is to make sure that the Haitians stay in Haiti where they belong, and do not start flooding into the USA.