Photo By Sgt. Derek Kuhn | Gilbert, W.Va., native, Army Sgt. James Harrison, a patriot missile operator...... read more read more
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CAMP ISHINONAKI, Japan—After the March 11 tsunami, much of north eastern Japan’s coastline was ravaged. It was left ruined and twisted. Cars were wrecked, ships impaled buildings and buildings were strewn about as if they were made of nothing more than tin foil.
Thousands are dead and more are homeless. The survivors live in the remains of their former lives. They do not have many of the luxuries most take for granted like a warm meal, personal privacy and a hot shower.
Life is rough for the tsunami survivors. That being said, U.S. Army Japan, in conjunction with Japanese Self Defense Forces, are doing what they can to provide comfort and relief to the weary.
All U.S. military relief projects fall under Operation Tomodachi and one of the latest relief efforts is to provide the displaced citizens a place to shower and clean themselves. This is done by Servicemembers transporting field shower kits to various locations.
“After we finished removing debris from Sendai Airport,” said Army Sgt. James Harrison, a patriot missile operator maintainer with Alpha Battery, 1-1 Air Defense Artillery, “we took our equipment and moved toward the more remote people.”
A Gilbert, W.Va., native, Harrison said, the equipment is made up of field shower sets and each set contains a shipping container retrofitted as several showers and a changing tent which is connected to the shipping container. The equipment has to be convoyed in on military vehicles.
The U.S. Army and JSDF have set up several locations and as of April 8, the daily shower usage is 1,136 people according to reports from Logistics Task Force 35.
Harrison said the shower operations have been going smoothly so far.
“It takes practice setting the showers up,” Harrison said, “especially considering most of us hadn’t had any previous experience with the field shower systems.” He added, “But once we familiarized ourselves with it, it was pretty easy.”
This work ethic impressed JGSDF Capt. Iko Kojiro. He said that it allows him and his men to help the local population quicker and more effectively.
“The Japanese Army and U.S. Army work well together,” Kojiro, a student in the JSDF Command and Staff College, said. “The JGSDF does a lot of the relief efforts but it is not enough. We need help from the U.S. Army and they have provided it.”
And helping the Japanese people is what both countries agree on.
“I’m just glad to be out here helping the people of Japan,” Harrison said. “I wish there was more we could do to help them out. Seeing how much they lost and still have an upbeat outlook and a will to rebuild is inspiring.”
“I’m happy to be here helping,” Kojiro said. “The people really appreciate it because many of them haven’t had a shower since March 11. Plus the water is a way to wash the dirt away and just relax.”
Harrison has seen the appreciation of the Japanese people first-hand.
“They’ve been very gracious.” Harrison said. “Yesterday, a little girl gave me a ‘Thank You’ note she wrote herself. It made all the long hours and hard work put in melt away. I mean really, helping other people is what it is all about.”
Relief efforts by the U.S. military are ongoing.
| Date Taken: | 04.11.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 04.12.2011 01:45 |
| Story ID: | 68603 |
| Location: | ISHINOMAKI, MIYAGI, JP |
| Web Views: | 182 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
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