That Global Force for Good
The Washington Post reports that the US Navy is involved in grim job of recovering the bodies from that AirAsia Flight 8501;
The USS Sampson, a destroyer, is in the Java Sea southwest of Borneo. The ship, which has 330 U.S. troops aboard, recovered two bodies around 3 p.m. Thursday, and more since, officials said. It was running 24-hour search operations using two MH-60R search-and-rescue helicopters, radar, sonar and binoculars.
Reuters released a few photographs of one of the helicopters as it delivered remains to the Indonesian government, which asked for U.S. help. They were returned to an airport in Pangkalan Bun in Central Kalimantan, which is just north of the Java Sea.
According to the Navy;
“Sampson will remain on station as long as the Indonesian government feels they are providing useful assistance,” said Capt. Christopher Budde, operations director for U.S. 7th Fleet.
“The Indonesian government and Indonesian Rescue Coordination Center have done an outstanding job in very quickly organizing this multi-national search effort,” said Budde. “We are preparing additional equipment and assets in case the Indonesian government requests them, but they are doing a tremendous job and additional U.S. Navy assistance may be more than they require.”
Authorities in the region continue to lead the search and recovery effort. The U.S. Navy is working closely with the government of Indonesia to identify additional surface or airborne capabilities to best assist.
Category: Navy
“Reuters released a few photographs of one of the helicopters as it delivered remains to the Indonesian government, which asked for U.S. help.”
Good, then Indonesia can foot the bill for the cost of US Navy operations there.
Consider it an investment in making sure aircraft don’t fall out of the sky.
A worthwhile investment IMHO (even if the craft in question was an Airbus and not the better designed and crafted American made Boeing).
except out ship was sailing in the area anyway showing the flag and practicing regular seamanship so its not really coasting us anything.
Troops? On a ship? It’s SAILORS, wapo, SAILORS. If they’re in the Navy, they are sailors, plus maybe a few Marines. They are not troops. That’s Army.
Must I spikka da lingua to the editor of wapo? Obviously, we all look alike to them.
We’re all “military” now, which drives me nuts because naval forces by definition can’t be military. And when did people start saying “I’m in/was in the military” instead of I’m in/was in (name a branch)? It’s almost as if they’re ashamed of being a soldier, sailor, or whatever.
When I was in boot camp at Bainbridge, there was talk from everyone that there was a move under way to turn the all branches of the military force into a single structure, because Canada had done that.
This is some 48 years later and I think that’s what the government still wants to do. I don’t see the point. Army is land-based, Navy is ocean-going, Marines are land-sea, and AirForce is air-based. What would be the point to mixing these components together? Are they planning to put soldiers on ships? That’s what Marines are for.
Its easy to do when your force is so “tiny” comparatively.
While it “might” make the Pentagon work more efficient, it’ll cause malfunctions at the lower levels. (Less Good Idea Fairies at Echelons Above Reality)
What frustrates me is when “we” change something to what someone else does because it works for them. Whether we’re different countries, different branches, etc., just because it works for one doesn’t mean it’ll work for the other.
I’d heard the same thing in the 90s about the Army and the Marines. Both weren’t “sustainable” because they are boots on the ground that can do the same job. (Eventhough we have totally different functions and missions)
A few years ago I even heard the Navy talking about implementing “Naval Infantry” though I think the Marines are Naval Infantry myself. (Zing!) It might’ve even been just something someone said in the hall, which another person took as gospel. (Happens all the time at Bragg)
That’s a very expensive favor. The sea will return those it doesn’t want and keep those it does. I really don’t see the point in it.
Good practice for Search and Rescue.
Whoa, WAIT A MINUTE, important things first, those Personnel involved in this search and rescue, is their Sexual Harassment Training up to date? /sarc
is Indonesia stuck in the 12th century or some shit? I know they have ships and helicopters.
Can we stop being the bitch of the universe and jumping up to clean up everbody else’s messes? Oh military doesn’t exist for charity or to be a “force for good”. It’s purpose is for defense and for achieving national interests. Our nation achieves jack shit when we do this sort of thing except increased debt.
except a hell of a lot of good will and upholding certain international norms that do help our nation, such as everyone helping in SAR. Our military exists to advance our nations interests and that does mean more then killing people and breaking stuff sometimes. Besides it is a rule of the sea that everyone helps in SAR and ultimately this benefits us, what if a US plane crashes in the Indian ocean or a US ship sinks in the north sea, don’t we want other nations to help look for them? and that’s leaving out the moral questions, reminds me of when we had wounded civilians come to our fob and we had to get into a fight with some higher ups about treating them, we had the ability and it didn’t hurt our mission and we like to think of ourselves as good people so guess what we did treat them, F*^K higher.
Navy or Coast Guard people, an assist please.
Is there an unwritten code for Sailors, to make great effort to fish the other guy out of the water, without reguard to flag or uniform or service?
I would think that rescuing or recovering wreckd/crashed civilians would fall under this.
Do most other nations’ ships join SAR efforts like this? Or are we a significant minority?
beat me to my comment. SAR is everyone’s responsibility, if your ship is in the area you help. That has been the case as long as man has gone to sea.