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RAAF completes first OCD sortie

Royal Australian Air Force Flight Lt. Russel Withers, 37th Squadron pilot, adjusts the direction of the RAAF C-130J Super Hercules as it flies toward Micronesian islands during the 66th Operation Christmas Drop, Dec. 10, 2017. OCD is important because if a humanitarian aid or contingency operation in an unfamiliar area arises, the training and experience from this event improves the Air Force’s ability to drop bundles at a fast and efficient rate. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Owsianka)

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RAAF completes first OCD sortie

Royal Australian Air Force Flight Lt. Omar Rigo, 37th Squadron pilot, flies a Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Super Hercules toward Micronesian islands during the 66th Operation Christmas Drop Dec. 10, 2017. Airmen will provide nearly 25 tons of critical supplies to 56 Micronesian islands this year impacting about 20,000 people. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Owsianka)

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RAAF completes first OCD sortie

A bundle sits near the ramp of a Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Super Hercules prior to being delivered to a Micronesian island during the 66th Operations Christmas Drop Dec. 10, 2017. Members of OCD built 120 bundles in order to provide essential supplies people on 56 different Micronesian islands. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Owsianka)

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RAAF completes first OCD sortie

Royal Australian Air Force Leading Aircraftman Stephen Manila, 37th Squadron Avionics Technician, sits next to a bundle on the ramp of a RAAF C-130J Super Hercules as it passes by a Micronesian island during the 66th Operations Christmas Drop Dec. 10, 2017. OCD enhances humanitarian assistance and disaster relief crisis response capabilities between RAAF, U.S. and Koku Jieitai (Japan Air Self Defense Force) Airmen as it lays the foundation for regional cooperation expansion during real-world contingencies in the Indo-Asia-Pacific. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Owsianka)

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RAAF completes first OCD sortie

A bundle glides toward a Micronesian island during the 66th Operation Christmas Drop, Dec. 10, 2017. Over the course of 12 days, members of OCD provided critical supplies to 56 Micronesian islands, impacting about 20,000 people covering 1.8 million square nautical miles of operating area. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Owsianka)

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RAAF completes first OCD sortie

Royal Australian Air Force Sergeant Karl Penny, a loadmaster with the 37th Squadron, left, and Corporal Liz Knauer, a supply technician with the 37th Squadron, watch as the parachute of a bundle opens up as it goes toward a Micronesian island during the 66th Operation Christmas Drop, Dec. 10, 2017. The aircrews airdropped food, supplies and educational materials to islanders throughout the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Federated States of Micronesia, and Republic of Palau. These islands are some of the most remote locations on the globe spanning a distance nearly as broad as the continental U.S. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Owsianka)

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RAAF completes first OCD sortie

A bundle glides toward a Micronesian island during the 66th Operation Christmas Drop, Dec. 10, 2017. OCD is important because if a humanitarian aid or contingency operation in an unfamiliar area arises, the training and experience from this event improves each participant the ability to drop bundles at a fast and efficient rate. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Owsianka)

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RAAF completes first OCD sortie

Royal Australian Air Force Sergeant Karl Penny, left, and Warrant Officer Nicholas Stubbs-Race, both 37th Squadron loadmasters, prepare to release a bundle during the 66th Operation Christmas Drop, Dec. 10, 2017. The aircrews airdropped food, supplies and educational materials to islanders throughout the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Federated States of Micronesia, and Republic of Palau. These islands are some of the most remote locations on the globe spanning a distance nearly as broad as the continental US. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Owsianka)

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RAAF completes first OCD sortie

Royal Australian Air Force Sergeant Karl Penny, 37th Squadron loadmaster, pushes out a bundle as Leading Aircraftman Stephen Manila, 37th Squadron Avionics Technician, looks on during the 66th Operation Christmas Drop, Dec. 10, 2017. OCD is the longest-running Department of Defense humanitarian airlift training operation and will provide nearly 25 tons of critical supplies to 56 Micronesian islands this year impacting about 20,000 people. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Owsianka)

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RAAF completes first OCD sortie

Royal Australian Air Force Leading Aircraftman Stephen Manila, 37th Squadron Avionics Technician, watches a bundle depart a RAAF C-130J Super Hercules and fall toward a Micronesian island during the 66th Operation Christmas Drop Dec. 10, 2017. Members of OCD built 120 bundles in order to provide essential supplies to people on 56 different Micronesian islands. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Owsianka)

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RAAF completes first OCD sortie

Airmen with the Royal Australian Air Force sit on the ramp of a RAAF C-130J Super Hercules as it passes by a Micronesian island during the 66th Operation Christmas Drop, Dec. 10, 2017. Over the course of 10 days, members of OCD provide critical supplies to 56 Micronesian islands, impacting about 20,000 people covering 1.8 million square nautical miles of operating area. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Owsianka)

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Operation Christmas Drop 2017

A U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules takes off during Operation Christmas Drop, Dec. 10, 2017, at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. OCD is a training mission which helps the 374th Airlift Wing along with partners, the Koku Jieitai and Royal Australian Air Force, to maintain and develop combat readiness through sustainable aircraft generation and recovery. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Juan Torres Chardon)

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Operation Christmas Drop 2017

A Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules takes off during Operation Christmas Drop, Dec. 10, 2017, at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. OCD is a training mission which helps the 374th Airlift Wing along with partners, the Koku Jieitai and Royal Australian Air Force, to maintain and develop combat readiness through sustainable aircraft generation and recovery. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Juan Torres Chardon)

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Operation Christmas Drop 2017

A Koku Jieitai C-130H Hercules takes off during Operation Christmas Drop, Dec. 10, 2017, at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. OCD is a training mission which helps the 374th Airlift Wing along with partners, the Koku Jieitai and Royal Australian Air Force, to maintain and develop combat readiness through sustainable aircraft generation and recovery. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Juan Torres Chardon)

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Operation Christmas Drop 2017

Koku Jieitai (Japan Air Self-Defense Force) Staff Sgt. Mayo Ito, 1st Tactical Airlift Squadron loadmaster, poses for a photo during operation Christmas Drop, Dec. 10, 2017, at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. OCD enhances humanitarian assistance and disaster relief crisis response capabilities between RAAF, U.S. and Koku Jieitai Airmen as it lays the foundation for regional cooperation expansion during real-world contingencies in the Indo-Asia Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Juan Torres Chardon)

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West Point cadets experience cultural lessons first hand

West Point Cadet Christopher Clarkin, a Chinese language major, observes and engages with members of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) during the 13th annual U.S.-China Disaster Management Exchange (DME) that took place at the Oregon National Guard’s Camp Rilea Armed Forces Training Center, November 16-19, 2017, in Warrenton, Ore. U.S. Army Pacific hosts the exchange with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) every year to foster mutual trust and understanding while sharing lessons learned to increase disaster response in the Pacific region. This year marked first time U.S. Military Academy West Point cadets participated in the event. (Photo by Sgt. Tyler Meister, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

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Service Members Prepare for Humanitarian, Disaster Missions

Capt. Lisa Pearse, M.D., director of Global Health Engagement, Navy Environmental and Preventative Medicine Unit Six, discusses details of a disaster response planning culmination exercise with U.S. Army Soldier.

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KAMANDAG Closing Ceremony

U.S. Reconnaissance Marines and members of the Philippine Coast Guard pose for a group photo during the closing ceremony of the maritime portion of the KAMANDAG exercise at Port of Manila, Philippines, Oct. 10, 2017. Bilateral exercises such as KAMANDAG increase the ability of the United States and the Philippines to rapidly respond and work together during real world terrorist or humanitarian crises, in order to accomplish the mission, support the local population and help mitigate human suffering.

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USARPAC Humanitarian Mine Action in Vietnam

Soldiers from across U.S. Army Pacific, including EOD technicians from the 303rd Ordnance Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, in conjunction with Golden West Humanitarian Foundation held a closing ceremony and certificate presentation for 11 Vietnam Mine Action Training Center students on July 27, resulting in students' increased UXO De-mining technical knowledge while bringing them one step closer to International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) proficiency.

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Lautoka group photo

Members of the Pacific Angel 17-3 (PACANGEL) team pose for a photo in Lautoka, Fiji, July 24, 2017. The team consisted of service members from five partnering nations aside from the U.S. and Republic of Fiji including Australia, Vanuatu, Indonesia, the Philippines and France. The nations all offered their assistance in the exercise promoting regional military-civilian-nongovernmental organization cooperation and interoperability across the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. The hotel staff joined in the photo as their support for the service members staying at their hotel ensured the PACANGEL 17-3 personnel were well rested, fed and relaxed when caring for their fellow countrymen whether at the health services site or on engineering projects.

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