Today's Focus:
Exercise Makani Pahili 09 Tests Interagency Hurricane Preparedness
SENIOR LEADERS ARE SAYING
"You, the veterans of that landing, are why we still remember what happened on D-Day. You remind us that in the end human destiny is not determined by forces beyond our control. Our history has always been the sum total of the choices made, and the actions taken, by each individual man and woman. It's always been up to us."
-President Obama, honoring veterans of the D-Day invasion and World War II at the 65th anniversary commemoration of D-Day at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, France, June 6
Obama joins heads of state to honor D-Day veterans
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
Year of the Noncommissioned Officer
"We Soldiers lose a great deal every time we leave and come back changed every time. Programs such as Pets of Patriots help to whittle the stack of unsettling events surrounding deployments down to a bare minimum and let us concentrate on the business at hand."
- Staff Sgt. Roxanne Pratt, servicemember based in Hawaii
'Pets of Patriots' program assures care of Soldiers' pets
INFORMATION YOU CAN USE
- Early Bird News Site
- Information Papers with "2009 Army Posture Statement"
- Stories of Valor
- Army Public Affairs Portal
- Strategic Communication Coordination Group (SCCG) Workspace
- 2009 Strategic Communication Guide - Read the 2009 Army Strategic Communication Guide for key messages and updates
CALENDAR
June 2009:
- National Safety Month
June 6: D-Day Anniversary
June 13: 90th Anniversary Transcontinental Motor Convoy
June 14: 234th U.S. Army Birthday
2009 Commemorations :
Year of the NCO
Year of the Military Family
100th Anniversary of the Chaplain Assistant
TODAY'S FOCUS
Exercise Makani Pahili 09 Tests Interagency Hurricane Preparedness
What is it?
Exercise Makani Pahili (MP), which translates into "strong wind" is an interagency exercise designed to test the plans and procedures for synchronized recovery efforts among all levels of government and private sector organizations. It is designed to enhance Pacific region disaster management authorities' response to any hurricane.
What has the Army done?
U.S. Army, Pacific (USARPAC), as the executive agent for the U.S. Pacific Command's Joint Task Force Homeland Defense (JTF-HD), used MP09 to emphasize DSCA operations and mission assignment (MAs) processes of request, receipt and resource of MAs and knowledge management and information sharing processes and tools.
JTF-HD's mission is to help Hawaii and other mid-Pacific island communities prepare for and recover from hurricanes and other major disasters.
The state of Hawaii and FEMA exercised the Catastrophic Hurricane Response and Recovery Plan for the state of Hawaii during MP09.
The exercise spanned three days, June 2 -June 4 and covered pre- and post-landfall. It included more than 40 organizations, units and interagency partners. It showcased the capabilities of all these agencies providing expertise in medical response, air evacuation and communications.
Of note, as part of this exercise the Deployable Assessment Team (DAT) deployed to the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai as part of the exercise. The DAT can provide an assessment of a disaster relief/humanitarian assistance type scenario in any austere environment, especially important for USARPAC's role as the lead element for JTF-HD.
The DAT is one part of USARPAC's newest element, the Contingency Command Post. The CCP has taken the place of the Operational Command Post as USARPAC becomes leaner and capable of going anywhere in the theater with a trained and ready force.
Why is this important to the Army?
Natural disasters are a real threat. Exercising cooperation and coordination between DoD and our interagency partners to conduct defense support to civil authorities operations is essential for our nation. Preparing now can limit the severity of a natural disaster and save lives.
U.S. Army, Pacific is the executive agent for the U.S. Pacific Command's JTF-HD, whose mission is to help Hawaii and other mid-Pacific island communities prepare for and recover from hurricanes and other major disasters.
Resources:
USARPAC
Related article: Hurricane Preparedness Exercise Deployment Assessment Team
STAND-TO! NEWS
ABOUT THE ARMY
- Army cracks down as drug, alcohol cases rise (AT)
- Army partnership helps Wounded Warriors pursue higher education (ARMY)
- Medal of Honor recipient to be honored at new museum June 12 (ARMY)
- CERDEC and Microsoft share research for multi-touch technology (ARMY)
- Worried they will miss the war (NW)
- Love is a battlefield (ARMY)
- Opinion Intolerable rise in Soldier suicides (NYT)
OVERSEAS OPERATIONS
- U.S. to weigh returning North Korea to terror list (WP)
- U.S. troop buildup in Afghanistan is in full force (LAT)
- Pakistan military campaign has broad support, but for how long? (LAT)
- Angry Pakistani villagers fight, surround Taliban (WP)
- Sunni insurgents now using teenagers, grenades in strikes against military in Iraq (CT)
OF INTEREST
- D-Day: Recalling the longest day (AJC)
- Robert Gates plays offense on acquisitions (POLITICO)
- Major problems found in Iraq spending (HC)
- In Iraq, Colbert does his shtick for the troops (NYT)
- Military spouses seek residency benefits (WP)
- Military families seek uniform academic rules (SDT)
- Report: U.S. weighs guilty pleas in some 9/11 cases (USA)
WORLD VIEW
- Military spending sets new record (BBC)
- America a weapons supermarket for terrorists, inquiry finds (GRD)
- N. Korea warns of 'extreme measures' (AJ)
- S. Korea draws up N.Korea counter-attack plans (AO)
- N. Korea sentences U.S. journalists to hard labor (AA)
- Scenarios- Further retaliation North Korea may take (Reut-U.K.)
- Pakistani government victory as public opinion turns against the Taliban (LDT)
- STAND-TO! Home
- Subscribe/Unsubscribe to STAND-TO!
- Send Feedback
- Privacy & Security
- U.S. Army Homepage
External Links Disclaimer - The appearance of hyperlinks to external sites does not constitute endorsement by the Department of the U.S. Army of the linked web site or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities such as military exchanges and Morale, Welfare and Recreation sites, the Department of the U.S. Army does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this DoD web site.
SOCIAL NETWORKING