An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : Media : News : News Article View
NEWS | Nov. 23, 2015

Relief Assistance

By Sgt. Jasmine Higgins

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – Units from across Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, welcomed the Peoples Republic of China’s People’s Liberation Army as it played host to the 11th iteration of the Disaster Management Exchange from Nov. 18-21.

The DME is a bilateral training exchange between the PLA, and U.S. Army Pacific that focuses on humanitarian aid and disaster response missions, all while improving U.S. and Chinese military interoperability.

“The Disaster Management Exchange is one of the key bilateral military-to-military events between the U.S. and China,” said Maj. Gen. Stephen Lanza, Commanding General of I Corps and JBLM. “This year we had an opportunity to have an expert academic discussion, review scenarios, and share humanitarian assistance and disaster relief lessons learned from real world events.”

Before the exchange was officially underway the two nations’ set aside time to further build trust and confidence between the two cultures by allowing the militaries a chance to interact in a relaxed environment by having a cultural exchange.

The cultural exchange was a day of leisure in which the U.S. Soldiers escorted the PAL Soldiers to Seattle giving them a chance to visit various known locations such as the Seattle Space Needle, Pikes Place Market and various shopping locations.

“Exchanges such as this not only build positive cooperative relationships and contribute to mutual trusts,” said Lanza. “But they also contribute to a combined ability to respond alongside each other to the potential next natural disaster in the Pacific region.”
On November 19, The DME was officially in full swing on JBLM, as day one of the exchange began with the two nations’ coming together during an opening ceremony and later getting hands on experience with different equipment used to aid in assisting nations recover from natural disasters.

“I think the biggest take away I have [from the DME] is the similarities between our two teams,” said Master Sgt. Chris Martin, an Air National Guardsman, 141st Security Forces Squadron, Fairchild Air Force Base. “We have similar equipment. We have similar specialties in what we do. So maybe we have a language barrier, but we have a common language -- in rescue.”

For the duration of the Exchange, the two nations continued to learn from one another by participating in various joint field simulations and sharing real life humanitarian aid and disaster relief experiences.
As the DME came to end, the two militaries, combined with the skills sets acquired over the course of the exchange, participated in a joint exchange that simulated a real world natural disaster that encompassed the different scenarios that could transpire while fighting to restore a sense of normalcy to an affected area.

“So disasters happen all around the world,” said Martin “It’s not confined to China, it’s not confined to the U.S. It’s a situation both of our countries can come in contact with, so it’s great for us both to come together and share different methods of responding to those disasters.”

On Nov. 21, the closing ceremony marked the end of the Chinese DME held on JBLM, but it was just another step forward in the Pacific Resiliency as the two nations parted ways, but not without competing in a few friendly games of sports.

“We look forward to the next opportunity to share with our Chinese counterparts in this great bilateral opportunity,” said Lanza.
CONNECT WITH USINDOPACOM
Facebook

Like Us
X
363,233
Follow Us

ENGAGE & CONNECT MORE WITH PACOM

                                                 

IN THE USINDOPACOM NEWS
Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Meeting With President Wesley Simina of the Federated States of Micronesia
Graphic intended for use as a placeholder for Statements and Press Releases without accompanying imagery.
March 22, 2024 - Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout...

AUKUS Trilateral Statement
Graphic intended for use as a placeholder for Statements and Press Releases without accompanying imagery.
March 22, 2024 - The Honourable Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Australia; the Right Honourable Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Defence, United Kingdom; and Lloyd J. Austin III, Secretary of Defense,...

U.S., India launch Exercise Tiger TRIUMPH 2024
Courtesy Photo
March 21, 2024 - Indian and U.S. combined armed forces began Exercise Tiger TRIUMPH 2024 with the arrival of amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25), March 18 and an opening ceremony March 19.This is the third time U.S. and...

USACE: Ensuring Safety Every Step of the Way
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Japan Engineer District (USACE JED) is the premier Department of Defense (DoD) military construction (MILCON) agent in the Pacific, providing facilities-related design and construction work in Japan for all military services and agencies. With over 60 years of experience in designing and constructing facilities in Japan, JED possesses the experience in Japanese standards and specifications, regulations, construction practices, maintenance requirements, and culture needed to ensure facilities are built with the utmost safety and professionalism. Photo by Charles Maib.
March 21, 2024 - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Japan Engineer District (USACE JED) is the premier Department of Defense (DoD) military construction (MILCON) agent in the Pacific, providing facilities-related design and construction work...

THAAD Battery in Guam Successfully Completes Table VIII Evaluation
A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense launcher used by E-3 Air Defense Artillery THAAD Battery as part of their Table VIII certification in Dededo, Guam, March 13, 2024. The THAAD battery, equipped with a state-of-the-art missile defense system, is tasked with defending Guam against ballistic missile threats. (U.S. Army Photo by Maj. Trevor Wild)
March 21, 2024 - In a testament to readiness and operational excellence, Task Force Talon's E-3 ADA THAAD Battery conducted a Table VIII evaluation for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system stationed in Guam, March 11-15,...