The amphibious assault ship Bataan. (U.S. Navy file photo)
Posted on 01/13/2010 4:54:55 PM PST by csvset
Navy, Coast Guard deploying forces to Haiti
NORFOLK
Thousands of Hampton Roads sailors received orders this morning to prepare to deploy to Haiti as part of a massive U.S. effort to deliver humanitarian assistance in the wake of Tuesday’s devastating earthquake.
At least four Norfolk-based ships are getting ready to leave for the impoverished country, said Ted Brown, a spokesman with Norfolk’s Fleet Forces Command. The amphibious assault ship Bataan, the guided missile cruiser Normandy and the dock landing ships Fort McHenry and Carter Hall will likely leave port by Friday, the Navy said.
Expeditionary forces based at the Little Creek campus of the Joint Expeditionary Base also are preparing to deploy, Brown said.
Additional Navy ships that will deliver humanitarian assistance include the frigate Underwood, based in Mayport, Fla., and the hospital ship Comfort, homeported in Baltimore.
The San Diego-based aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, which left Norfolk on Tuesday after finishing its midlife overhaul, has been redirected to load equipment and supplies to assist in the recovery, Brown said.
Several U.S. Coast Guard ships also have been deployed to the area, including the Portsmouth-based cutter Forward, which arrived in Haiti early this morning, said Senior Chief Petty Officer Steve Carleton. The Coast Guard’s first order of business will be to assess whether main ports near Port-au-Prince are clear to receive ships carrying aid, Carleton said.
The amphibious assault ship Bataan. (U.S. Navy file photo)
I’m curious as to how the Muslim countries are recting to this disaster...or do they even care?
Thankfully, the West is trying to help, but I’m not so sure if the tragic events here even matter to some populations around the world, do they?
“but I’m not so sure if the tragic events here even matter to some populations around the world, do they?”
They matter to us; that’s really all that counts. When the chips are down, the United States is the one that can be counted on.
These are our neighbors essentially; we have to take care of our backyard.
Vinson Deploys to Respond to Haiti Earthquake
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Robert A. Wood Sr., U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Public Affairs
MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) -- USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) has been ordered to deploy to Haiti to conduct Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Response (HA/DR) missions Jan. 13. Currently, Vinson is underway in the Atlantic Ocean, and will briefly loiter off the coast of Mayport to receive equipment and supplies.
Along with Vinson, USS Bataan (LHD 5) embarked with Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU 22), USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43), and USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) were ordered to get underway as soon as possible. Additionally, USS Normandy (CG 60), USS Underwood (FFG 36) and USS John L. Hall (FFG 32) will deploy from their homeports and stand ready to assist, while USNS Comfort (T-AH-20), homeported in Baltimore, Md., is preparing to get underway, if required.
A Navy P-3 Orion aircraft from the Patrol Squadron (VP) 26 detachment operating from Cooperative Security Location (CSL) Comalapa, El Salvador, took off early this morning to conduct aerial surveys of the area affected by the earthquake.
USS Higgins (DDG 76) based out of Naval Station San Diego will arrive on station off the coast of Haiti tomorrow to provide afloat logistical services for the Coast Guard helicopters.
Additionally, various units are prepared to provide assistance with sea-based helicopters, to include H-53 Sea Stallions and H-60 Seahawks.
As the Navy component command of U.S. Southern Command, NAVSO's mission is to direct U.S. Naval forces operating in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions and interact with partner nation navies within the maritime environment. Routine operations include counter-illicit trafficking, theater security cooperation, military-to-military interaction and bilateral and multinational training.
For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet visit www.navy.mil/local/cusns.
091213-N-0808V-083 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Dec. 13, 2009) The Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Laramie (T-AO 203) performs an underway replenishment (UNREP) with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). This is the ship's first UNREP since completing a scheduled refueling complex overhaul at Northrop Grumman Shipbulding. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Third Class Ashley Van Dien/Released)
Well honestly I don’t think they care a whole lot; they don’t seem to value human life a great deal.
By the CNN has some riveting stuff on right now. Sanja Gupta is there, and it seems things are coming apart on the streets during his live interview.
Gunshots and crowds gathering.
Thanx for letting me know about CNN. I just turned to it, & it’s @ a break right now.
“Thanx for letting me know about CNN. I just turned to it, & it’s @ a break right now.”
From what little I know of this country; I was afraid it might quickly go to anarchy. Lets hope it doesn’t go that way.
From what we could see, it seems as if much of the Haitian government is dead.
Prepare for the worst & pray for the best...if there is a “best” in this case.
How about the other “neighbors” attached to the same backyard pony up a little something?
The idea that because we have it, we have to give it to someone who didn’t earn it is no different from the ideas underlying some taxation, “social justice” and zero’s redistribution of wealth.
We don’t “OWE” Haiti anything. If any one “owes” Haiti anything, it’s the French. If we decide to GIVE aid because we want to, fine.
Haiti may matter to you personally for some reason, and that’s your business. But please don’t presume to speak for me as an American and what my responsibilities, as an American citizen, are to Haiti or any other parasitic country.
I strongly object to our military resources being dispatched to Haiti. The theme of Haitian ‘entitlement’ has already started with rat congressional politicians.
“I strongly object to our military resources being dispatched to Haiti. “
Disagree with you there. Powerful countries do this kind of thing. Weak ineffective ones don’t.
You don’t just sit back in an event like this and do nothing. It solidifies our position as a leader and a superpower to take care of our back yard.
Disagree with you there. Powerful countries do this kind of thing. Weak ineffective ones don’t.
You don’t just sit back in an event like this and do nothing. It solidifies our position as a leader and a superpower to take care of our back yard.
Many times God blesses us because we bless others. The more we give away (willingly and cheerfully) to help those who really need it the better off we seem to get.
We were founded relying on God's providence. The least we can do is share that blessing.
Our military was not formed as an intended Meals-on-Wheels organization. We took care of Indonesia, too, and they are hardly in our backyard. China, Japan, the EU, eastern Europe, etc.......how much did they do? How about the Islamic world? They are mostly muzzie, as is Indonesia. What did they do besides sit back and laugh at us for doing all the heavy lifting? How about the UN, whom we are the largest funder of? This is supposed to be what they do, but those assholes couldn’t organize a trip to the bathroom if their lives depended on it. I am sick and tired of propping up, feeding and rescuing every victim and every damned loser on the globe. Haiti was a $#!+hole before the quake, it’s a $#!+hole now, and it will be a $#!+hole 50 years from now.
Humanitarian aid should be given privately, end of story. It is not the business of the government to take our money and give it away in emergency aid to other countries. I would not object to the State Department assisting the private organizations through assessment of the event and by utilizing their communication channels to convey logisitical planning, etc., but no taxpayer expenditures. Our “leaders” are able to pick and choose who they will help, how much and so forth, and often it’s done for political show (which seems to be what you advocate) and thrown down a rathole because of the political factors and features inherently associated with payments from one country to another.
We need more grassroots, more local control and less government in all aspects of life. This is no different.
No argument.
But we were founded without a government, in addition to God’s providence as you mentioned. We gave to charity through our communities and churches.
GIVE all you want. Forcing money out of my pocket and giving it to Haiti is no different from forcing it out of my pocket and giving it to AIG or Chrysler. “Force” is the operative word. You will not be happy when your federal tax dollars, forced out of your pocket, are used to pay for abortions, will you? Some may think that atrocity is a worthy cause - poor, distressed, confused young women, blah blah etc. - just as you think this is a worthy cause.
Forcing money from our pockets is all fine until it’s spent on something YOU don’t want it spent on or can’t be shamed into agreeing with, isn’t it?
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