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Joint Task Force 505 coordinating military relief efforts in Nepal

U.S. Marines from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force board a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker headed for Nepal on Kadena Air Base, Japan, May 6, 2015. Two KC-135s from Kadena’s 909th Air Refueling Squadron transported more than 60 Marines, soldiers and Airmen to Nepal to provide humanitarian assistance following the devastating earthquake that took place there April 25. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Zade C. Vadnais)

Okinawa Airmen, Marines, soldiers head to Nepal

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Brad Fultz, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade foreign area officer, boards a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker with members of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force on Kadena Air Base, Japan, May 6, 2015. Two KC-135s from Kadena’s 909th Air Refueling Squadron transported approximately 50 Marines and a handful of Army personnel to support of the Department of Defense’s humanitarian efforts for Nepal following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake there April 25. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Zade C. Vadnais)

Okinawa Airmen, Marines, soldiers head to Nepal

U.S. Army Col. Charlie Jenks, 351st Civil Affairs Command civil affairs planning team lead, hands a trunk to U.S. Marine Corps Private 1st Class Austin Cunningham, 3rd Transportation Spot Battalion landing support specialist, while loading cargo onto a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker on Kadena Air Base, Japan, May 6, 2015. A joint team of Marines, soldiers and Airmen loaded the jet before travelling to Nepal together in support of the Department of Defense’s humanitarian efforts following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake there April 25. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Zade C. Vadnais)

Joint Task Force 505 coordinating military relief efforts in Nepal

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Michael A. Minihan, commander of Joint Task Force 505’s Joint Air Component Coordination Element, pauses for a moment to take one last look at Kadena Air Base before stepping onto the C-130J Hercules, May 7, 2015. The element departed for Thailand in support of the humanitarian mission in Nepal-- working closely with the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development, and other U.S. agencies to ensure continued, timely and swift responses to requests by the Government of Nepal. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Zackary A. Henry)

Joint Task Force 505 coordinating military relief efforts in Nepal

Published May 6, 2015
By Staff Sgt. Marcus Morris
18th Wing Public Affairs

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- The U.S. military is playing a crucial role in the "whole-government" approach toward humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in support of the government and armed forces of Nepal following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake April 25.

U.S. Pacific Command activated Task Force 505 on May 1 to work closely with the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development, and other U.S. agencies to ensure continued, timely and swift responses to requests by the Government of Nepal. The task force is led by U.S. Marine Lt. Gen. John Wissler, III Marine Expeditionary Force commander on Okinawa.

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Michael A. Minihan, commander of the task force's Joint Air Component Coordination Element, transited this week to Nepal through Kadena Air Base, where members of the18th Wing continue to facilitate the movement of needed personnel and supplies. Minihan explained that the task force will use its strengths, including outstanding joint air assets, to help coordinate and conduct military relief efforts as needed.

"We are going to harness all of those capabilities," Minihan said. "We're going to get it going in one solid direction for the people of Nepal, and then use air power to rapidly bring that aid into the country."

He said the task force's command and control capabilities, along with its ability to integrate with other organizations, will help get that aid outward to where the people who have been devastated by the earthquake need it most.

Minihan said the U.S. military assets already on the ground in Nepal, including Okinawa-based U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys, are currently focused on getting aid from the international airport in Nepal's capital of Kathmandu to hard-to-reach areas across the country.
He stressed that coordination with Nepal's government and the other U.S. agencies is key to mission success.

"The joint aspect of this operation is the most critical," he said. "When we can work together and perform ... then the people of Nepal benefit and we show that we understand the issue there and we are working toward a common goal."

He also said the joint work already showcased on Okinawa helps illustrate the strength of the task force.

"We've brought forward some air and space capabilities, we're able to easily integrate with the Marine Corps function here and all the different military organizations to instantly provide that joint answer to a problem set that requires a joint solution," Minihan said.

He said that Kadena's Airmen continue to play a big role in the Nepal efforts.

"Being here, forward deployed, being close to where we need to be with all the capabilities that Kadena has to offer, from airlift to air refueling ... the full spectrum of air power can be brought to bear from this single base," Minihan said. "It's vitally important."

Joint Task Force 505 will continue to support Nepal's government as long as needed.