NOAA

September is National Preparedness Month. Are you ready? Hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Throughout the season, an average of three tropical storms and two hurricanes occur in Hawaii. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announces a below-normal 2022 Central Pacific hurricane season with two to four tropical cyclones predicted this year.

Although forecasters predict less tropical storms than normal, emergency management officials urge residents to make a family plan and to prepare an emergency kit in case of a potential storm.

“One of the most important pieces of advice to prepare for hurricane season is to start now,” said Will Luna, emergency management manager for Navy Region Hawaii. “Oftentimes you see people don’t take hurricane preparation seriously until the hurricane is upon us. It’s better to have an emergency preparedness kit all filled out so you don’t need to worry about fighting the crowd to get supplies.”

One of the most common habits that people often run into is complacency. Warren Ferguson, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam emergency management manager emphasizes the importance to prepare.

“When you’re living in Hawaii with blue skies and wonderful temperature, it is easy to forget about the things that can potentially go wrong, it is very common for people to get complacent,” said Ferguson. “One of the things that I continue to stress to people is to plan ahead – make a plan, build a kit and stay informed during hurricane season.”

“One of the biggest issues we have is that we are on an island, 95% of our supplies come in from the mainland through the Port of Honolulu,” added Ferguson. If during a hurricane that port was taken out or deemed unusable, we could potentially wait for a long time before we get our supplies reestablished, so it’s important in Hawaii for everyone to have a 14-day supply of food and water ahead of time to be prepared.”

The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency website at ready.hawaii.gov provides a plethora of information to get ready such as knowing the nearest hurricane shelters, a boater’s hurricane safety manual, and building a kit.

“Another good thing is to do a lot of research in terms of preparation. There are a lot of good websites, most notably Ready.gov that provides a lot of information such as how to make a plan, how to build your kit and how to understand the different TCCOR (Threat Condition of Readiness) terms on what they mean,” said Luna.

What is TCCOR? TCCOR is a system that is used on military installations to help prepare for destructive weather from a Tropical cyclone.

There are five stages of TCCOR, according to Ready.navy.mil:

– TCCOR 5: Indicates that we are in hurricane season. This is not the absence of threat; it just indicates that any storm/hurricane is greater than 72 hours away.

– TCCOR 4: Indicates that a possible threat of destructive winds will occur in 72 hours.

– TCCOR 3: Destructive winds of force are possible within 48 hours.

– TCCOR 2: Destructive winds of force indicated are anticipated within 24 hours.

– TCCOR 1: Destructive winds of force indicated are occurring or anticipated within 12 hours.

For a complete list on what to include in your emergency preparedness kit, visit the Hawaii Emergency Management website at ready.hawaii.gov.

Article By Hamna Khan, Technology and National Security Fellow (JPRA)

On April 28th, 2022 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Search and Rescue Office Chief, Dr. Lisa Mazzuca, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Satellite Products and Services Division Chief, Mr. Thomas Renkevens, visited the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency (JPRA) Headquarters on Fort Belvoir to meet with its Director, Col Anne-Marie Contreras and her staff to discuss NASA’s second-generation emergency beacons, the Satellite-aided Search and Rescue (SARSAT) program.

As a Chairman’s Controlled Activity of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, JPRA facilitates Personnel Recovery stakeholder activities across the Department of Defense and the Interagency. Beacon and reporting technology is of primary interest to JPRA as a means to continually advance its support to isolated personnel.

Satellite-aided Search and Rescue (SARSAT)

The SARSAT program is an international organization that provides space-based relay of distress signals, or alerts, from emergency beacons that use the 406 megahertz (MHz) frequency. SARSAT provides the alerts to search and rescue (SAR) authorities globally. The original satellite-aided search and rescue architecture has long since provided capability for aviators and sailors. However, NASA has recently identified a need for quicker response times and more accurate location data than the original system could accommodate.

Last week’s meeting was organized by the JPRA J7/9 Division Chief, Mr. Steven Kelly and the Technology and National Security Fellow, Ms. Hamna Khan, who is a researcher focused on 406 MHz emergency distress beacon technologies.

Along with NASA and NOAA, JPRA invited members from the U.S. Coast Guard SARSAT Program, the Department of the Army Personnel Recovery Branch, key policy representatives from the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, and the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center.

Past meetings were arranged at JPRA headquarters to promote collaborative conversations on the future of emergency beacon technologies within the Department of Defense. In particular, Dr. Mazzuca and her team from NASA’s Search and Rescue Office, shared the latest technology developments for 406 MHz emergency distress beacons and discussed the possibilities and challenges ahead for the 406MHz emergency distress beacon ecosystem.

Next Steps

JPRA will continue advocating next generation emergency beacons throughout the Joint Staff for additional research and development as well as defining joint requirements. JPRA looks to assist in any formal acquisition activities to take full advantage of emerging SARSAT technologies as a means to assist the Military Departments with personnel recovery capabilities.

FORT LEE, Va. – During September, National Preparedness Month focuses attention on the merits of planning for the next emergency.

Whether that emergency is manmade or by Mother Nature, service members and their families can count on their commissary benefit to help them save nearly 25 percent on items for their survival kits.

“We’re seeing floods in Eastern Kentucky, wildfires in California, and we know the season’s first major hurricane is right around the corner,” said Marine Sgt. Maj. Michael R. Saucedo, senior enlisted advisor to the DeCA director. “We don’t know when the next disaster will strike, but we do know that eligible shoppers can visit their commissary to get their emergency items now at significant savings.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s theme for this year’s National Preparedness Month is “The life you’ve built is worth protecting. Prepare for disasters to create a lasting legacy for you and your family.”

The Preparedness Month website is separated into several compartments, most notably the following sections:

• Disasters and Emergencies: Subsections explain the disasters and hazards that could impact your location and give information on how to get emergency alerts and where to evacuate.

• Make a Plan: Subsections explain how to build an emergency kit, practice a fire escape plan, prepare for an emergency without going broke, stay “tech ready,” plan for assisting individuals with disabilities, preparing pets for emergencies and more.

To help service members and their families prepare their survival kits, DeCA sets up an annual severe weather promotional package from April through Oct. 31 with discounts on the following items: beef jerky and other assorted meat snacks, soup and chili mixes, canned goods, powdered milk, cereals, batteries, airtight bags, weather-ready flashlights, tape (all-weather, heavy-duty shipping and duct), first aid kits, lighters, matches, lanterns, candles, hand sanitizer and anti-bacterial wipes. Specific items may vary from store to store.

How do you prepare for the next crisis? Planning is the first step and emergency preparedness officials recommend a disaster supply kit that includes the following items:

• COVID-19 protection – reusable or disposable face coverings, disposable gloves, hand sanitizers, disinfecting wipes and hand soap

• Water – at least one gallon daily, per person (three-day supply for evacuation, two-week supply for home)

• Nonperishable foods – canned meats, fruits, vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, raisins, cereal, crackers, cookies, energy bars, granola, peanut butter, and foods for infants and the elderly (three-day supply for evacuation, two-week supply for home)

• Paper goods – writing paper, paper plates, paper towels and toilet paper

• Writing utensils – pens, pencils (manual pencil sharpeners) and markers

• Cooking items – pots, pans, baking sheets, cooking utensils, charcoal, a grill and a manual can opener

• First-aid kit – including bandages, medicines and prescription medications

• Cleaning materials – bleach, sanitizing spray, and hand and laundry soap

• Toiletries – personal hygiene items and moist wipes

• Pet care items – food, water, muzzle, leash, carrier, medications, medical records, and identification and immunization tags

• Lighting accessories – flashlights, batteries, candles and matches

• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)

• Duct tape and scissors

• Multipurpose tool

• Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates and insurance policies)

• Cell phone with chargers

• Family and emergency contact information

• Extra cash

• Emergency blanket

• Maps of the area

• Blankets or sleeping bags

For more information about disaster preparedness, go to the DeCA website for lists of resources. For more resources to prepare for emergencies, go to Ready.gov and the Department of Homeland Security’s National Preparedness Goal webpage.

-DeCA-

About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit, saving authorized patrons thousands of dollars annually on their purchases compared to similar products at commercial retailers. The discounted prices include a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.

The Defense Health Headquarters (DHHQ) located in Falls Church, VA, is part of the main Defense Health Agency (DHA), a joint activity that supports health care offered through the Military Health System (MHS) throughout the Department of Defense (DoD), and across the globe. It serves nearly 10 million servicemembers, families, and retirees through military and private care facilities. Its mission is to provide a medically ready force in both peace and wartime.

But who does the DHHQ turn to when its personnel have optometry needs? For their vision, DHHQ welcomed Naval Medical Readiness Logistics Command’s (NMRLC) Naval Ophthalmic Readiness Activity (NORA) Yorktown, to bring their unique skillsets, techniques, and readiness eyewear to the headquarters to accommodate DHHQ personnel directly.

In February 2024, NMRLC NORA detached a small cadre of military professional opticians (L19As) to provide on-site vision medical attention to all active-duty DHHQ occupants that required optical correction. NORA personnel solicited eyewear requests, took orders for production, and provided multiple Frame of Choice selections for those who had a current optical prescription present during their visit.

NORA personnel were also prepared to take orders for military combat eye pro (MCEP) inserts, XM50 protective/gas mask inserts and Frame of Choice 2024 offerings.

During the visit, 48 eligible individuals at DHHQ took advantage of the opportunity, and 106 pairs of glasses were ordered, fabricated, and delivered within five days of the event. For those who were unable to attend the Vision Readiness Day, they may still visit any DoD Optometry Clinic during normal operating hours to order their readiness eyewear as a walk-in if they present a valid unexpired spectacle prescription or have one on file in their health record. The nearest optometry clinic to DHHQ is the Andrew Rader U.S. Army Health Clinic.

NMRLC NORA Yorktown is the largest of the 22 Army and Navy Optical Fabrication Labs (OFLs) in DoD. It contains all necessary subject matter expertise to support and guide the MHS Optical Fabrication Enterprise (OFE).

As the Executive Agent for all optical fabrication within the DoD, the U.S. Navy Surgeon General recently approved a Navy OFE optimization initiative. This involves formerly establishing the Navy OFE as a program of record with a standing line item in the Program Objective Memorandum (POM) process as required by SECNAVINST 6810.1. More fully, it involves the transfer OFLs that were formerly at Navy, now DHA Military Treatment Facilities (MTF)s, realigning those at value-adding locations as detachments within the NORA directorate and under command and control of NMRLC.

“In terms of Vision Readiness across the DoD at large, vision is the only Individual Medical Readiness (IMR) elements that relies solely on an individual member’s self-reporting to determine their readiness condition,” said Capt. Brian Hatch, Director of NORA. “Using this risk-burdened methodology, the demand for readiness eyewear is around 1.2 million pair per year. This matches the current maximum production capability across the entire MHS OFE. If vision readiness were fully enforced, the demand signal for readiness eyewear would more than double.”

“Therefore,” he continued, “the MHS OFE production capacity must rise commensurately to meet the readiness posture expected if not self-reported. Optimizing and standardizing the Navy OFE through the surgeon general’s foresight is an important first step toward increasing the efficiencies necessary to meet production needs and ready our warfighters for inevitable future conflicts.”

Stationed at the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, VA, Hatch leads one of the U.S. Navy’s most unique organizations. Responsible for providing optical care for all active duty service components, Reserve Component personnel on active duty for 30 days or longer, NATO and several other identified federal beneficiaries as outlined in SECNAVINST 6810.1, AR 40-63, and AFI 44-117, NORA is the DoD Program Executive Office for the OFE providing guidance to all of military optical fabrication worldwide.

NORA deploys Sailors and Soldiers with mobile optical fabrication capability in support of National Guard and U.S. Navy Reserve missions, prefabricate eyewear for overseas humanitarian relief and medical civic action program missions. It is also the only laboratory to produce eyewear for the Coast Guard, Public Health Service, NASA, NOAA, and other Federal agencies. The incredibly important role NORA plays in providing eyewear; not just to warfighters around the world, but in some cases to various indigenous populations, is accomplished through Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) missions.

An IRT is a DoD military training evolution exclusive to the United States and its territories, that delivers joint training opportunities to increase deployment readiness. Medical missions provide these opportunities to military units while providing incidental benefit to communities via no-cost healthcare. Services include optometry, health exams, dental, veterinary care, and public health education. Care is delivered by credentialed healthcare providers, and no one is turned away. These missions are typically conducted as fairs and may last for several days or weeks at a time to ensure maximum benefit during time spent in the community served.

NORA has a long and successful history of supporting warfighters globally dating back to World War II. The Navy Appropriation Act of 1942 established the ophthalmic program and authorized funds to issue prescription eyewear to Navy and Marine Corps personnel serving abroad.

“While all active-duty personnel should maintain their vision readiness, the focus of NMRLC NORA Yorktown’s outreach is for those in operational billets in the tidewater area. Regular vision readiness awareness occurs through health fair events in fleet and force concentration areas as well as onboard carriers or pier-side for other ships,” Hatch said. “We also send teams of opticians to help support the readiness process for deploying operational units in the tidewater area.”

The personnel serving at DHHQ experienced that first-hand support through NORA’s Vision Readiness Day, and they have already received the eyewear they ordered.

For those interested in learning more about the services NORA provides, please visit https://www.med.navy.mil/Naval-Medical-Readiness-Logistics-Command/Naval-Ophthalmic-Readiness-Activity/.

Supporters of the Great Lakes gathered in Washington, D.C., from March 5-7, 2024, for the Great Lakes Commission semiannual meeting and Great Lakes Day on the Hill. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Great Lakes and Ohio River Division, leadership and staff attended various engagements throughout the week. This event plays a key role in addressing important issues and challenges across the watershed while developing shared solutions.

“Partnering with stakeholders on Great Lakes projects and initiatives not only amplifies our collective impact but also ensures that every voice is heard and every perspective considered,” Maj. Gen. Mark Quander, USACE Great Lakes and Ohio River Division commanding general, said. “Together, we are stewards of these precious waters. Through our united efforts, we will safeguard the Great Lakes for generations to come.”

During the week, LRD leaders met with the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Cities Initiative at the Delegation of Mayors for a roundtable about current initiatives happening in the cities. The GLSLCI is a binational coalition representing over 200 mayors and municipal leaders from U.S. and Canadian cities in the Great Lakes Basin.

LRD also provided an update on the Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study, a comprehensive watershed assessment of the Great Lakes coastal areas. It identifies places that could be vulnerable to future storms, flooding, extremely low or high water levels, erosion, and accretion.

“So far, we’ve executed a cautionary agreement with all eight Great Lakes states,” said Dave Bucaro, USACE Chicago District chief of planning. “Together with the Corps of Engineers, the coastal programs from each of the Great Lakes states, along with our other federal partners including NOAA, USGS, FEMA, and EPA, we are working to identify a strategic vision for the Great Lakes coast and simultaneously developing a basin-wide analysis of potential vulnerabilities of existing local resources.”

Great Lakes Day on the Hill kicked off on March 7 with a congressional breakfast reception in the Rayburn House Office Building. Speakers included Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. Afterward, Quander and Joseph Savage, USACE LRD programs director, met with port directors from the American Great Lakes Ports Association to discuss their challenges.

The AGLPA represents the interests of U.S. commercial ports and port users while advocating for maritime commerce. “I appreciate the equities you are bringing to the table and what is first and foremost on your mind,” Savage said. “We want you to know that it is important to us and understanding all the issues you’re dealing with helps us make better, more informed decisions.”

In an historic milestone, after nearly 30 years of extensive remediation, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) deleted Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) from the National Priorities List (NPL), more commonly known as the Superfund Site list.

“Congratulations to the incredible team at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for an accomplishment that was decades in the making,” said Meredith Berger, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and the Environment, and the Department of the Navy’s Chief Sustainability Officer. “Every day, this team comes to work and makes environmental stewardship a core part of their mission. All their hard work has brought impactful results, and I know they’ll continue to keep their focus on protecting the environment in support of the mission.”

Berger was the keynote speaker at today’s shipyard celebration, which also included Shipyard Commander, Capt. Michael Oberdorf; EPA Region 1 Administrator, Dr. David Cash; Maine Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner, Ms. Melanie Loyzim; and Community Co-Chair of the Restoration Advisory Board, Mr. Doug Bogen. “This is an incredible success story of Navy, EPA and Maine working together to protect the health and safety of the community and the environment,” Berger said.

“The Navy, the State, community advocates and shipyard employees were among the most effective team our EPA staff worked with in 28 years,” commented Cash. “Congratulations to everyone for their dedication in protecting public health and ensuring surrounding ecosystems of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard are preserved for future generations.”

“Our environmental program has been meeting the unique challenge of sustained, proactive environmental restoration and cultural resources management of America’s oldest continuously operating naval shipyard,” said Oberdorf. “The success we celebrate today shows our commitment to environmental stewardship, our Seacoast neighbors, and supports the shipyard’s critical mission.”

Commissioner Loyzim spoke to the teamwork necessary to successfully execute environmental restoration work on a 200-year-old, active military installation. “This could not have been accomplished without the extraordinary collaboration between the Navy, EPA, DEP, NOAA, Tetra-Tech consultants, and most importantly the Restoration Advisory Board and local residents,” said Loyzim. “It is this kind of collaboration amongst agencies and with local community members that makes Superfund site work a success.”

Though unable to attend the ceremony in person, Maine and New Hampshire congressional delegations sent representatives to support this achievement.

“The successful cleanup of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is the result of 30 years of collaboration between the state and federal government,” said Senator Susan Collins. “It is great news that the shipyard is no longer considered a Superfund site, and as a longtime supporter of the Superfund program, I am pleased to see those investments paying off.”

“Portsmouth Naval Shipyard plays an important role in our national defense-supporting our shipbuilding priorities and providing good-paying jobs to many Maine people,” said Senator Angus King. “The recent news that PNSY is being removed from EPA’s Superfund list is an encouraging step to know that their efforts to address the toxic threats on its grounds have made a difference. While there is still work to be done, and regular reviews will continue, this EPA decision is a welcome acknowledgement of their hard work thus far.”

“Portsmouth Naval Shipyard performs an incredible service to our country in maintaining and upgrading the Navy’s submarine fleet, while being a critical pillar to Southern Maine’s economy,” said Congresswoman Chellie Pingree. “After nearly 30 years of research, assessment, and clean-up activities, today’s announcement from EPA is exciting and welcome news for the shipyard’s workers, surrounding communities, and importantly—for the environment. As ranking member of the House Appropriations Interior and Environment Subcommittee which oversees funding for this critical clean-up program, I am thrilled that the shipyard is now considered environmentally safe and healthy. Today marks the start of a new chapter for Portsmouth Harbor, where shipbuilding has thrived for hundreds of years.”

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard was first added to the Superfund Site list in 1994. The EPA proposed delisting last August and after a 30-day public review and comment opportunity, no comments were received. The EPA deletes sites or portions of sites from the Superfund list when no further construction is required to protect human health or the environment. Cleanup and remediation are complete, but EPA monitoring will continue. The Navy will conduct follow-up reviews every five years with the agency.

PNSY is a 278-acre restricted-access military facility employing more than 6,600 civilians and 800 active military personnel, including the submarine crews, whose primary mission is to overhaul, repair, and modernize attack submarines for the U.S. Navy. The shipyard was established as a government facility in 1800 on Seavey Island, at the mouth of the Piscataqua River, where shipbuilding dates back to 1690. The first government-built submarine was designed and constructed at the shipyard during World War I, and a large number of submarines have been designed, constructed and repaired at the facility since then. Contamination resulted from shipbuilding and submarine repair work, landfill operations, spills and leaks from industrial operations and piping, storage of batteries and other materials, filling of land, and outfalls to the river. Seven areas on and around the shipyard had been identified for investigation and are now delisted from the NPL. All remedies are successfully implemented and continuing stewardship will maintain institutional controls to ensure the protection of human health and the environment.

PNSY is the Navy’s center of excellence for attack submarine maintenance, repair, and modernization. As a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command, PNSY is committed to maximizing the material readiness of the fleet by safely delivering first-time quality, on time, and on budget.

By Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Crane, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs Office

JACKSON, Ky. – Of the many residents in Eastern Kentucky affected by the historic flooding, some were Soldiers in the 207th Engineer Company working out of the field maintenance shop (FMS) at the Kentucky National Guard armory.

After the shop flooded last year, the Soldiers put together a plan to make sure the equipment didn’t get damaged assuming the creek’s water level would only rise to the same level as it had previously.

One of those Soldiers was Army Sgt. Ronnie Banks, a maintenance section leader with the 207th Engineer Company. He’s a full-time technician as a production controller at FMS 6, which sits on the North Fork Kentucky River, whose waters rose to over 43 feet on July 28.

Banks is originally from Harlan County but recently moved to Jackson in May with his wife Holly and their two children.

When he left his home Thursday morning, there wasn’t water on any of the roads leading to the armory from his house. When the flooding happened last year, a few of the roads had standing water on them, so he wasn’t even thinking it would be an issue for his home or work.

“I first got here (the armory), the water level was maybe three or four feet off the edge of the fence line, and we thought we had lots of time,” said Banks. “So, we just we started working, moving equipment and executing our plan.”

With the rains slowing down after a full night of rain before, the Soldiers at the armory didn’t think anything of the water levels as they continued moving equipment.

“It’s crazy how fast everything happened,” he continued. “Mr. Hudson was tracking the water level projections on his NOAA app and saw that it was projected to rise less than 39 feet, which was about what had happened last year.”

Warrant Officer 1, Jacob Hudson was the incoming supervisor for the FMS shop who wasn’t even officially in the position until Aug. 1. Hudson had spent the night before at the armory since he feared that the river would rise a lot earlier.

Hudson, Banks, Sgt. 1st Class Chadd Robertson and some additional Soldiers who had come over from the Richmond CSMS to help move equipment said they continued doing what they could to move what they could until they realized the water was going to continue to rise higher than projected and they needed to get out of there.

“We were having to wade through waist deep water in the shop as we were still trying to get stuff out,” said Banks. “We were throwing anything we could save in totes to pack out of there.”

With totes in hand, the group gathered what they could and started to make their way to the parking lot which sits about five feet higher than the shop was. As they exited, they made a line and had to push their way out of the door because the water in front of the door was holding it back.

It was by that time the water had reached the road that runs in front of the armory, essentially blocking them from getting out with their vehicles. Cell service had gone down, leaving them without a way to communicate with anyone outside their local vicinity.

As Banks worked, he prayed that his family would be safe since he wasn’t there with them.

“I’m just praying and trusting God to take care of us and everybody else involved just kept praying the whole time,” he said.

After a Soldier with service was able to get a few texts out, they found out the gas station across from Banks’ house was under water and that’s when he knew that his house was probably in trouble.

“I knew if the Go Time station was underwater, my house was underwater,” said Banks. “I just prayed again that the Lord would protect my family and make sure that they’re alive and safe. I trusted that he was going to take care of them and knew they were in good hands. I just had this feeling of peace really come over me about it.”

With a supernatural peace, Banks continued on till the call came for them to get out of the armory.

Meanwhile at Banks’ home, his wife had gotten the children out of the house, as well as their cousin who was in town visiting, up on a hill behind their house where a fellow National Guardsmen who lived nearby, was able to rescue them in his kayak and get them all to a safe dry spot.

The Soldiers, who were there on orders, took a set of railroad tracks to another side of the town where they were picked up by the highway department and taken to safety.

At the armory, Banks and the two other Soldiers sat and watched the water fill their workplace.

“We were thinking that since it was getting dark, we were going to need some kind of shelter,” said Banks. “We had saw a church that had an overhang and thought about crashing on the porch because it was covered but before we could do that, Robertson’s friend reached us and invited us to their place since they had power still.”

And that’s where the three men stayed until later the next morning when they could go back to the armory and see the damage to their shop.

According to Banks, there was nine and a half feet of water that filled the FMS shop and 18 inches of water that had reached the armory. The high waters had also reached the parking lot and the vehicles parked at the armory got waterlogged and ruined, Banks’ truck being one of them.

With his truck a total loss, fellow Soldier Sgt. 1st Class Adam Spencer, husband of Staff Sgt. Deborah Spencer, the one who picked up his wife and two children and brought them back to her house to stay, loaned him his truck.

Finally, with a way to get back home, he was able to see the damage about a day and a half later.

Five and a half feet of water had filled the first floor of his home, destroying furniture, carpet, walls, flooring, food, and boxes of items they had yet to unpack from the move. The waters displaced furniture all around the house making it difficult for Banks to even enter the home.

“Our refrigerator was blocking our back door and a couch was blocking

the front door so we had to climb in over the furniture to get into the

house,” said Banks.

With all the damage to his house, Banks has been able to find many resources and funds to help him rebuild.

He has received help from USA Cares which he heard about from Sgt. 1st Class Adam Spencer. USA Cares is a non-profit organization founded in 2003 in Radcliff, Kentucky, that exists to help bear the burdens of service by providing military families with financial and advocacy support in their time of need.

“We’ve received $3,000 in Lowes gift cards from USA Cares,” said Banks. “It will definitely help me get started faster with the rebuild process getting the drywall, insulation and flooring.”

As the task of clearing out their house is daunting, Banks and his wife find the silver lining to the whole situation as they had talked about remodeling since they moved in three months ago and now will get the opportunity to do so.

He also feels blessed to have some many people reach out and help his family in the past month.

“It means a lot to know that there is help out there”, said Banks. “I’m kind of reluctant to accept help sometimes but I really do need the help and it’s going to help us rebuild so I’m thankful for it.”

While they rebuild, they are living in a camper given to them by a church ministry out of Indiana called Frontline Ministries. The camper is sitting in the Spencer family yard since they had already been staying there at their home.

He also wanted to be able to thank the many others who were involved personally since the flooding last month.

“I’d like to thank Larry Thompson (brother of Staff Sgt. Joanna Thompson in the unit) who was the neighbor that got my wife and kids out of the house.”

Mike and Cynthia Feltner, the family who housed us the night of the flood.

The Spencers for taking my family in and letting us stay on their land in our camper

The Spencer’s dad who helped me do a lot of work to the house as well as Sgt. 1st Class Adam Spencer and Staff Sgt. Kevin Barrett.

Samaritan’s Purse who stepped in and helped us a lot.

The lady with a real estate agency in Lexington who bought $500 worth of lumber to help fix my subfloor and floor joists.

My friends from my previous active duty units that donated money to a GoFundMe account set up by my brother to help us out.

Several members of my family that have donated clothes, money, gift cards, and food to us.

My family member who is currently active duty who took leave and drove

up from Fort Bragg to bring us supplies.

The family in Alabama that drove up with donations from their church, twice already.

My church, Jackson Church of God that has helped us with food, supplies and helped me set up dehumidifiers to get my house ready for drywall.

They have also been giving supplies to anyone affected by the flood, despite having been flooded as well.

My commander, Capt. Matthew Peterson, and his wife who brought clothes, shoes, and toys for my kids, which really helped them. They call him Captain America now.

And the We Care for America foundation with assistance from Kimberly Adkins, the Soldier and Family Readiness Specialist.”

“I pray that the Lord blesses them exceedingly and abundantly beyond what they can imagine, just like He is doing for us,” he said.

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Alaskan Command invited federal and state emergency response partners to participate in exercise Arctic Resolve 2022 at the combined headquarters of Alaska North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, Alaskan Command, and 11th Air Force, Aug. 26.

The ALCOM-hosted, interagency exercise aimed to create a shared understanding of each organization’s roles and responsibilities through all stages of disaster response and defense support of civil authorities.

“Over the last several months, Alaskan Command collaborated with federal, state, and local emergency response partners to create a realistic training scenario,” said U.S. Army Col. Jacob Peterson, ANR and ALCOM chief of staff. “This was an invaluable experience to establish best practices and help everyone involved understand how we can work together if our command is called upon to assist in a real-world natural disaster or with emergency response. While we hope that day never comes, and recognize the ability of the state to expertly respond, it is part of the Alaskan Command mission to be ready if and when needed.”

The first of the three-day exercise consisted of a series of academic briefings pertaining to the nature of seismic activity, natural disaster emergency preparation, and the Alaska Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management’s role in disaster response.

The Alaska DHS&EM provided exercise attendees the opportunity to experience Alaska’s Earthquake Simulator, a mechanized environment that allows individuals to safely experience a simulated 8.0-magnitude earthquake.

Jeremy Zidek, the Alaska DHS&EM public information officer, said many individuals come to Alaska from places that don’t experience earthquakes often, and it is critical that they are trained on one of the biggest risks of the state.

“We brought out the earthquake simulator to educate people about the risks and hazards we face in Alaska,” said Zidek. “We have more earthquakes than the rest of the United States combined and we’ve had the second largest earthquake ever recorded. This is certainly earthquake country, so people really need to know what to do.”

Day two of the exercise shifted toward an interagency tabletop exercise where key personnel from ALCOM staff and emergency response partners walked through a simulated joint response to natural disaster scenarios.

Organizations such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency Region 10, the DHS&EM, and the U.S. Coast Guard, discussed protocol for their respective operations.

“This exercise provided a shared understanding of our partners’ capabilities and actions in response to a crisis, and it informed our staff how we could best support their efforts if called upon,” said U.S. Army Maj. Christopher Behm, chief of Joint Training and Readiness Division for ALCOM and Arctic Resolve 2022 exercise planner.

Maintaining that relationship is a necessity as ALCOM is responsible for conducting DSCA activities within the joint operations area. The sheer size of the Arctic region and the distance between first responders and areas outside of the southern region of Alaska pose significant challenges, making synergy between emergency response partners essential.

During the final day of the exercise, ALCOM staff met emergency response partners at the National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer to study how seismic activity in the region is monitored and responded to not only in Alaska, but across Canada and the continental United States.

The exercise will continue over the following week with additional exercise scenarios and further collaboration between ALCOM and interagency partners.

BALTIMORE – Ships from around the world sailed into the Port of Baltimore, kicking off Maryland Fleet Week and Flyover Baltimore (MDFW), Sept. 7, 2022. This year’s MDFW includes ship tours, Baltimore Inner Harbor flyovers, static displays, and Fleet Week festivals at multiple locations throughout Baltimore Sept. 7-13, both in-person and online. This is the third time Baltimore has hosted Fleet Week.

Participating ships include dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50), Freedom-variant Littoral Combat ship USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS 21), Military Sealift Command (MSC) Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport USNS Newport (T-EPF-12), Canadian Royal Navy Kingston-class coastal defense vessel HMCS Moncton (M-708), U.S. Coast Guard Cutter James Rankin (WLM-555), and Danish Tall Ship Danmark. National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA), and Army Corps of Engineers vessels are also available.

Flyover units include Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 2, Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 1, Fighter Squadron Composite Twelve (VFC-12), Training Air Wing 4 (TW4), Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadrons 14 & 15 (HM-14; HM-15), and Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 (VMM-365) with flights scheduled Sept. 9-11.

Rear Adm. Nancy S. Lacore, Commandant, Naval District Washington, discussed the partnership between the Navy and Baltimore.

“Fleet Week is a tradition for Baltimore and the U.S. Navy that goes back years,” said Lacore. “Past Fleet Weeks proved just how magnificent this historic city, its port, and its people are and how skilled you are as partners to the Navy and planning and executing such a complex event. We are glad to be back for Fleet Week.”

MDFW is an opportunity for the citizens of Maryland and the City of Baltimore to meet Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen, as well as see firsthand the latest capabilities of today’s maritime services. More than 2,300 sea service members are expected to participate this year.

For more information on ways to enjoy MDFW fleets, flights, and festivals, visit mdfleetweek.org. Follow @mdfleetweek on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter for an insider perspective through virtual ship tours and behind the scenes experiences.