• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

USS Bataan Completes Hurricane Exercise

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080906-01
Release Date: 9/6/2008 8:04:00 AM

By Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- Approximately 1,000 Sailors aboard the USS Bataan (LHD 5) completed a four-day hurricane exercise, HURREX 08-002, Sept. 5.

The exercise was a short-notice 2nd Fleet event which enabled the ship and crew to demonstrate at-sea readiness for disaster response.

"This exercise has put us in position to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efficiently and effectively if called upon, and it also allows my staff to gain valuable and realistic training," said Capt. Jack Sotherland, commander, Amphibious Squadron 2. "The bottom line is that at-sea preparedness is critical to executing our national Maritime Strategy, and the Bataan and her crew are ready to execute."

"Once underway, Capt. Rick Snyder, Bataan's commanding officer, and his crew did a fantastic job developing a detailed schedule of events and we have executed it successfully…they performed mass casualty drills, small craft drills, practiced medical evacuations and generally made sure Bataan is ready to respond to any mission that is ordered by higher authority," said Sotherland.

Bataan's crew was able to successfully accomplish their drills in a real-world environment simulating as closely as possible the conditions that would be encountered during actual disaster relief operations.

"The best place to test a ship's readiness is at sea, and HURREX provided us an opportunity to get the ship underway in short notice and conduct valuable training in all aspects of providing relief efforts following a natural disaster," said Capt. Rick Snyder, Bataan's commanding officer.

Supporting civil authorities with military capabilities that can help stabilize and improve the situation in the wake of natural and man-made disasters is a core Navy mission. If required, Navy forces are ready to deploy in support of civilian authorities.

"I would estimate that a quarter to a third of the crew was on board in 2005 when Bataan supported Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, but now the whole crew has a better understanding of the ship's role and what it takes to be successful," said Snyder. "If we're called upon to respond during the 2008 hurricane season, I know we'll be ready to perform that mission."

For more news from USS Bataan, visit www.navy.mil/local/lhd5/.