22 August 2017 Tempest Express 2017 Opening Ceremony Thailand -- on August 22, Chargé d’Affaires Peter Haymond joined General Tarnchaiyan Srisuwan, Royal Thai Armed Forces Chief of Staff, to preside over the Opening Ceremony of military exercise “Tempest Express” at the Royal Thai Armed Forces’ (RTARF) Center for Strategic Studies at Bang Saen in...
22 August 2017 USS San Diego departs Phuket, Thailand PHUKET, Thailand -- The amphibious transport dock ship USS San Diego (LPD 22) departed Phuket, Thailand, after a routine port visit, Aug. 22.The San Diego is capable of carrying Marines and their equipment and has been at sea conducting training and operations in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region since...
22 August 2017 U.S. Soldier Returns Home to Nepal for Pacific Angel Mission GORKHA, Nepal - When the opportunity arose for engineers to join a team of U.S. Armed Forces traveling to Nepal to provide humanitarian aid to the local Nepali people, U.S. Army Sgt. Rajeev Neupane readily volunteered. Pacific Angel 17-4 in Gorkha, Nepal allowed Neupane to return home and give back...
22 August 2017 Theodore Roosevelt Completes Fueling at Sea PACIFIC OCEAN -- Aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) successfully completed a fueling at sea (FAS) with guided-missile destroyer USS Sampson (DDG 102), Aug. 21.This marked the first time since 2015 an aircraft carrier has successfully fueled another ship."It sets the standard for the...
22 August 2017 US, Thai Soldiers Conduct Joint Training in Jungle Improvised Explosive Devices Course FORT SURASRI, Thailand -- Soldiers from the Royal Thai Army (RTA) Explosive Ordinance Device Center shared principles and tactics of counter-improvised explosive devices (EOD) with the U.S. Army's 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, August 9 through August 14, 2017.The RTA EOD center provided the...
21 August 2017 Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training Enhances Cooperative Maritime Security in South and Southeast Asia SINGAPORE -- The 16th annual Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) exercise commenced Aug 21 in Singapore, Brunei, and the Philippines focusing on shared maritime security challenges of the region.The goal of the exercise is to increase multilateral cooperation and information sharing...
21 August 2017 U.S. Forces Japan commander's Statement on the USS John S McCain SOUTH CHINA SEA -- The guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) was involved in a collision with the merchant vessel Alnic MC while underway east of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore on Aug. 21.There are currently 10 Sailors missing and five injured. Four of the injured were medically...
21 August 2017 Exercise to Strengthen Efforts in Defense of South Korea, Mattis Says WASHINGTON -- A joint U.S.-South Korean computer-simulated defensive exercise set to kick off tomorrow is meant to strengthen joint efforts for the defense of South Korea, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said, Aug. 20, 2017.Ulchi Freedom Guardian, which runs to Aug. 31, is focusing on command post...
21 August 2017 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit Completes Certification Exercise, Certified as Fully Capable SHOALWATER BAY, QLD, AUSTRALIA -- Marines and Sailors with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit completed the twice annual Certification Exercise (CERTEX), Aug. 18, 2017, planning and accomplishing a rigorous series of missions at Shoalwater Bay Training Area, Queensland, Australia.CERTEX is the last...
21 August 2017 Draughon Range Expands Joint, Bilateral Training Limits MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- The Draughon Range is to Team Misawa as Mount Hakkoda is to avid skiers; this expansive plot of land provides the ultimate training ground to an array of service members working to improve their skills in Northern Japan.The 35th Operations Group Draughon Range personnel...