U.S. Military Support Continues in Chile
WASHINGTON, March 18, 2010 – U.S. military support to relief efforts in Chile continues in the wake of a magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck the country Feb. 27.
“U.S. military personnel have been working with local and international responders to provide relief to the hard-hit areas,” Air Force Col. Byron Mathewson, commander of U.S. military forces deployed to Chile, said during a “DoDLive” bloggers roundtable yesterday.
Shortly after the earthquake, the Chilean government requested support from the U.S. military, which provided two C-130 transport aircraft, naval assessment experts and an expeditionary medical support team.
“They needed help with some specific challenges,” Mathewson said. The U.S. team began operations March 7.
The C-130s were brought in to augment the Chilean air force’s air bridge of relief supplies. In seven days, the colonel said, the U.S. team completed 17 missions and flew more than 37 hours evacuating 205 Chileans and moving more than 300,000 pounds of cargo in support of the relief efforts.
“The airmen worked closely with the Chilean air force throughout their deployment to integrate into their flight schedule and move the appropriate cargo and passengers,” Mathewson said.
U.S. Navy experts also provided the Chilean navy with assessments of the shipyard and naval base at Talcahuano. The team, composed of 12 sailors and civilians from various commands, was able to provide damage assessment and determine what capabilities were needed to repair the base and the shipyard.
“They were quickly able to integrate with the Chilean navy’s assessment teams, providing a fresh set of eyes and offering their expertise,” Mathewson said.
One of the larger tasks in Chile was building a mobile hospital in the city of Angol after one of the major regional hospitals was deemed structurally unsound.
“Prior to that expeditionary hospital’s completion, local Chilean medics treated members of the local community in a small clinic or referred them to a nearby hospital some 40 miles away,” he said.
Air Force expeditionary medical support airmen and members of the Chilean army built a new mobile hospital for the community in three-and-a-half days. The hospital is equipped to provide surgical, primary care, pediatric, radiological, gynecologic, laboratory and pharmaceutical services to nearly 110,000 Chileans in that region. Mathewson said the hospital has been operational since March 13.
The medical team performed its first surgery two days after opening, and has since treated more than 55 patients and performed six surgeries.
Mathewson added that the personnel deployed with the medical support unit will work alongside Chilean health professionals until March 26, when the United States will turn the facility over to Chilean officials.
Mathewson said the recent earthquake in Haiti helped the U.S. servicemembers know what to expect in Chile.
“We were able to understand what our role here was and how we could best integrate with the Chileans and help them in their time of need,” he said. “It’s been a truly remarkable experience working alongside the Chileans to bring help to those most in need.
“The U.S. and Chile have a long history of partnership and friendship,” he continued. “We’re honored to be a part of this important mission.”
(Christen N. McCluney writes for Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity.)
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You rock Melina!
I would say other considerations have to be considered. During many of the time frames you pick in the far past most of the world was at war with another nations, the british, french. All were trying to colonize the rest of the world under their flag.
We tried to stay out of both WWI and WWII but were forced into them and then we became a superpower out of it and the only ones strong enough to stand up to the Soviets.
I can not say all the wars were just, I am part Native American also. I can only say that No war is really just and No nation is exempt from it or its horrors.
Every Nation at one time or another was the same way. Now we have our hands tide for we agreed to not be isolationist after WWII. Now the world complains when we wanted to be Isolationist from 1900-1945, and were forced into TWO word wars. So I think we are no better or worst than any other major nation that does or has existed.
Afghanistan was retaliatory also! Revolution was the colonies fighting against england for independence. So there are many flaws in what you are saying but some merit as well.
Things are just not as simple to say that in my belief.
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Now in the Abbey: The Chilean Navy pay its annual tribute to Admiral Cochrane, the 10th Earl of Dundonald (1775-
yo jackass, it doesn’t matter whether your an corpman or an army medic, you do the same job: saving lives, stfu and respect ALL battlefield docs.
how hard is that to do? im tryn to be super soldier haha 68w hooah!
San Reo è una miniera di meteore, domi, speriamo pure per quello die laghi e dei luoghi
jajaja. Argentina con qué, tirando cañonazos con muertos de hambre…Tienen una armada que se cae a pedazos y que más encima es de maricones, que arrancan din dar pelea.
How can Ireland claim 2b a neutral country when its allowing its airspace and airports 2b used by US military planes transporting troops and weapons.I am sure someone in the govt is getting a backhander.
All countries need some form of upgraded defense every once in a while regardless of their type of government. Socialism also has nothing to due with military in Venezuela. Socialism is just an economic practice not a form of government.
What I'm trying to say is that why let all the big boys upgrade their military with all their fancy toys and sit around and just become completely defenseless to their technology? All those third world countries need to do every thing they can to stay caught up with the rest of the world. Even if the technology is from the previous generation of arms every bit helps to defend their country.
good luck! so hard to get drugs right, am on my own journey of exploration with medics, tweaking, tweaking…
1.d
2.All of the following except C
3.b
4.b
6.c
7.d
8.c
9.c
10.c
11.a
12.c
13.d
14.c
15. the patriot act, forming the homeland security department, invaded Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban