CAMP SENDAI, Japan - Japanese and U.S. soldiers removed debris from tracks and dirt from schools, provided showers, shelter and kerosene for displaced citizens. To make all of this possible, a bilateral team was created to plan operations between the U.S. Army and the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force.
“Bilateral Coordination Action Team was created to integrate all joint task force operations,” Col. Craig Agena, the host nation affairs chief with U.S. Army Japan, said.
Language can be a wall that impedes progress, but the BCAT enables soldiers to vault the wall and expedite their humanitarian relief efforts.
“The BCAT is the area where we can break down all language barriers and get the finalized requested out,” Lt. Col. Snyder, said. “This creates continuity between the JTF staff and the U.S. staff.”
Through this coordination the soldiers have cleaned 12 schools and 6,525 square meters through two train stations.
“This was an overall coordinated effort,” Agena said. “The Japanese had to contact the local prefectures governments to figure out who needs showers, and which schools needed to be cleaned. It was like a triage. Some schools had to be written-off to determine which ones had a chance to succeed, and open by the first day of school.”
Approximately 13,144 showers were given to displaced citizens throughout seven shower points in the regions. The communication process begins through the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force, to the local governments.
“The two biggest duties we have is to first confirm what we have accomplished during the day and if there are any problems, solve them,” Japanese Col. Toshihiro Takeda, the chief of BCAT with the Japanese Staff College. “We analyze requests that we receive from the local government to decide what the U.S. will do and what the JGSDF will accomplish.”
“The request would change as the phases changed, so we were able to be flexible in receiving and implementing the government’s success,” Takeda said. “That is why the motto of the BCAT is ‘speed and flexibility.’ This mission will be a success after we find all of the missing people, clear all of the debris and make sure the victims of this disaster are safe.”
Takeda takes a moment to offer a message to the displaced citizens affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.
“I know they are greatly affected by the natural disaster but, they have hope and are moving on to the next step,” Takeda said. “The damage among the victims differs, but I hope with our help, they can eventually go back to their normal lives before the earthquake.”
| Date Taken: |
04.21.2011 |
| Date Posted: |
04.26.2011 21:28 |
| Story ID: |
69404 |
| Location: |
SENDAI, MIYAGI, MIYAGI, JP |
| Web Views: |
195 |
| Downloads: |
1 |
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This work, Behind the scenes: Japanese, US form bilateral operations team, by SGT Cody Thompson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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