US and Japan aviators respond during Michinoku exercise

Photo By Kevin Krejcarek | Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members offload a simulated casualty from a Camp Zama, Japan-based UH-60L helicopter as part of the Michinoku response exercise held Nov. 6-9.  

SENDAI, MIYAGI, JAPAN

12.10.2014

Courtesy Story

U.S. Army Japan

By Capt. Patrick Dunphy, U.S. Army Aviation Battalion Japan
SENDAI, Japan – The U.S. Army Aviation Battalion Japan aviators were busy during Michinoku response exercise here Nov. 6-9 working side-by-side with their Japan Ground Self-Defense Force counterparts training to respond to natural disasters.

Michinoku provides the necessary training to respond to disasters like the Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami in March 2011.

Their spirit of Ichi Dan, the U.S. Army Japan’s motto of “One Team,” was alive in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, teaming up with the JGSDF’s Northern Army Aviation Group.

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Chris Hinkle led the planning effort for USAAB-J.

After several months of planning, he was excited to see it all come together. "We did 20 landings on a Japanese ship, island rescue missions for the first time, sling load training, casualty evacuation, mixed multi-ship formation flight, and a staff ride," he said. "Not a bad two days of work," he added.

The exercise began with two UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters conducting landings on the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship Kunisaki. This challenging task served as a valuable skill for resupplying damaged coastal areas from ships.

To enable resupply mission support, USAAB-J also trained with the JGSDF on sling-load operations. By exchanging techniques, the USAAB-J and JGSDF members increased their ability to work together in future disasters.

The culminating event was an island rescue mission on Tashirojima and Ajijima, part in Miyagi Prefecture. Using two Black Hawks and one JGSDF Huey helicopter, the American and Japanese crews delivered emergency kits and recovered two simulated casualties.

"One thing that went well with this exercise was the BART [Bilateral Aviation Response Team]," one Army crew member noted. The BART is a new organization from Japan’s Central Readiness Force that would augment American helicopter crews with Japanese civil-military responders. The crew member also noted, "The Japanese [helicopter] crew was very professional. We sometimes used some different terminology, but mostly we worked the same way."

"This has been an excellent exercise and we look forward to many more training opportunities with Northeastern Army,” said Capt. Andrew Wilson, A Company commander. “God forbid there is a natural disaster like [the tsunami] 2011, but I feel like the response will be much better because of this exercise."

USAAB-J trains humanitarian and disaster relief year-round from its home base at Camp Zama in Kanagawa Prefecture.

• Date Taken: 12.10.2014
• Date Posted: 12.10.2014 22:10
• Story ID: 150024
• Location: SENDAI, MIYAGI, JP