Guam Airmen Practice Joint Disaster Response

Based side-by-side on the island of Guam, the 36th Mobility Response Squadron and Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 practiced cooperation vital to disaster relief and humanitarian assistance in the Pacific region. Their joint field exercise focused on coordinating evacuation steps between Navy flight crews and airmen on the ground, including passing location information, preparing landing zones, and utilizing common communication procedures. Tasked with coordinating US disaster response in the Pacific, the 36th MRS would coordinate military aid to disaster victims, while the forward-deployed MH-60S helicopters of HSC-25 would provide continual medical evacuation and search and rescue. “Today we hope to gain the type of understanding that will bring our two units closer together and advance our already strong relationship,” said Lt. Col. Ebe Toro, 36th MRS commander, when discussing the Oct. 13 exercise. (Andersen report by A1C Anthony Jennings)