Photo By Sgt. Samuel Guerra | Maj. Jeff Tharp, operations officer for Environmental Services Division, Marine Forces...... read more read more
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UP PARK CAMP, JAMAICA – Marines with Environmental Services Division, Marine Forces Reserve, traveled to Kingston, Jamaica, in support of Exercise Tradewinds 2016 to regulate ecological activity of the training areas utilized by U.S. Marines, June 20-28, 2016.
ESD focuses on mitigating environmental impacts that partner nations may have on the Jamaican environment before traveling back to their respective countries.
“We provide the senior leadership with environmental guidance and ensure they comply with environmental law,” said Maj. Jeff Tharp, ESD’s operations officer. “Keeping the environment clean helps different units [effectively utilize training areas] for the future.”
The unit is also tasked to educate Marines about the importance of preserving the training areas to promote superior working conditions. Additionally, ESD sends its Marines to different training facilities where they inspect the operational environment for any safety deficiencies.
“We inspect a lot of the military gear to ensure there are no health and safety hazards present,” said Staff Sgt. Zachary Wilsey, an assistant team leader with the unit. “We go out there often to make sure the equipment is up to standards to safeguard the environment.”
In Jamaica, ESD took the lead to help coordinate a massive coastal area cleanup June 26.
“All participating nations are scheduled to help us reduce the amount of garbage in six different beaches,” said Wilsey. “The Jamaicans are doing us a favor by letting us train in their facilities, so we should do what Marines do best; leave it better than we found it.”
The beach cleanup is also designed to help strengthen the relationship between the Jamaican Defence Force and local populace, and is the high point to positively finalize the exercise.
Exercise Tradewinds provides the opportunity for participating countries to improve interoperability and effectively execute future maritime and land operations, to include humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
“The best part of this exercise is working with partner nations,” said Capt. Frank Segal, assistant officer in charge for Detachment C in the unit. “It’s an uncommon cultural experience and a great opportunity to [familiarize ourselves] with other allies we may have to work with in the future.”
| Date Taken: | 06.26.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 06.27.2016 11:00 |
| Story ID: | 202500 |
| Location: | JM |
| Web Views: | 161 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Green Warriors: Partner nations collaborate to preserve Jamaica’s environment, by Sgt Samuel Guerra, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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