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Bataan ESG, 26th MEU Conduct NEO Drill

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS061207-04
Release Date: 12/7/2006 11:02:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Joanne De Vera, USS Bataan Public Affairs

ABOARD USS BATAAN, At Sea (NNS) -- Sailors from the Norfolk-based amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) conducted a noncombatant evacuation operation (NEO) drill with Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Dec. 3 while underway off the Atlantic Coast.

A NEO is the safe evacuation of American civilians and Embassy officials in the event an emergency situation arises in a foreign country. Bataan and 26 MEU conducted the drill to train personnel in case the need to conduct such an operation arises during their upcoming deployment.

“As an ESG [Expeditionary Strike Group], we’re going to deploy to an area where the possibility of conducting a NEO exists,” said Lt. Cmdr. Andrew Charles, Bataan’s intelligence officer. “In case the situation does occur, the process has got to run smoothly. There’s a potential that we could bring on a couple thousand evacuees, and to get them through all of the different stations efficiently, we have to train our people.”

Bataan’s hangar bay was divided into separate stations, such as supply, medical and security, for the NEO exercise. Supply personnel provided food and water while security created an identification database for all of the “evacuees.” Each evacuee filled out census forms to account for themselves and their families.

“We stay in contact with the local embassy, and we also want to make sure the names, phone numbers and contact information the embassy has [and] we have is accurate,” said Intelligence Specialist 3rd Class Chris Robinson of Bataan’s operations department. “We don’t want to leave anybody who’s there, especially in a situation that’s deteriorating.”

Medical personnel were on hand to provide the evacuees with care and treatment if needed.

“We’ll screen the evacuees for any serious medical conditions or injuries they might have as they come in,” said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class (SW) Melvin Stewart, from the ship’s medical department. “We’ll provide them quality medical care so that they can walk about the ship.”

One of Bataan’s Chaplains, Lt. Cmdr. David Brown, helped provide spiritual relief from a tense situation.

“From a danger zone, people are going to be worried, anxious and stressed,” said Brown. “They’re going to be out of communication with their loved ones back home or with their home country, so the best way that we can greet them is to let them know that we’re here to take care of them.”

As an all-hands joint effort, Bataan Sailors and 26 MEU Marines worked together to run the NEO drill smoothly.

“This was literally a ship-wide event,” said Charles. “Air department cleared out the hangar bay for the different stations, executive department made files for everyone and weapons department provided security. Along with the MEU processing evacuees before they even get to the ship, we provided a wide range of humanitarian capabilities and showed what the Bataan ESG can do.”

Bataan, commanded by Capt. David Hulse, is the flagship of the Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group, comprised of embarked elements of Amphibious Squadron 2, the 26 MEU, based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., Bataan, USS Shreveport (LPD 12), USS Oak Hill (LSD 51), USS Underwood (FFG 36), USS Nitze (DDG 94), USS Vella Gulf (CG 72), and USS Scranton (SSN 756).