Sasebo, Okinawa servicemembers
to help with projects in East Timor
By Greg Tyler, Sasebo
bureau chief
SASEBO NAVAL BASE, Japan — Sasebo’s USS Essex Amphibious
Ready Group and Okinawa’s 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived off the coast of
Dili, East Timor, on Monday.
The USS Essex, USS Fort McHenry and USS Germantown are there to
assist U.S. Support Group East Timor with humanitarian and civic assistance projects,
according to Amphibious Group ONE statements.
The visit focuses on improving basic health and social conditions and
the East Timor residents’ quality of life.
“Aside from being able to conduct combat operations, we have the
capability to support a wide range of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief
efforts,” said Rear Adm. Paul Schultz, commander of Task Force Group 76, who commands
all the amphibious operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet.
Approximately 1,000 sailors and Marines from the ships are providing
medical and dental assistance, general engineering and construction, and transport and
delivery of equipment and infrastructure materials in Dili, Suai and Oecussi.
“Our Marines and sailors are well-trained to assist,”
Shultz added. “In the past two years, more than 22 U.S. Navy ships have visited Dili
to help the people of East Timor. The visit by the Essex ARG/31st MEU is a continuation of
this effort.”
The forces will remain for approximately three days before continuing
their current training period while under way.
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