31st MEU takes lead of typhoon response task force on Tinian

01 November 2018

From Gunnery Sgt. T. T. Parish, 31st MEU

More than 150 U.S. service members, including U.S. Navy Seabees, have arrived on Tinian in the wake of Super Typhoon Yutu.

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TINIAN, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (Nov. 1, 2018) Sailors assigned to the U.S. Navy’s Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1 place an emergency power generator at a de-energized location during recovery operations following Typhoon Yutu. Service members from Joint Region Marianas and Indo-Pacific Command are providing Department of Defense support to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands' civil and local officials as part of the FEMA-supported Typhoon Yutu recovery efforts. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Matthew R. White /released)

Sailors assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1 place an emergency power generator at a de-energized location during recovery operations following Super Typhoon Yutu. (U.S. Navy/MCC Matthew R. White)

TINIAN, Northern Mariana Islands - More than 150 U.S. service members arrived on the typhoon ravaged island of Tinian, Oct. 29-31, in the wake of Super Typhoon Yutu, led by the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit commander and Combat Logistics Battalion 31.

Taking shelter at the international airport, Marines with the 31st MEU arrived to lead Defense Support of Civil Authorities efforts to aid local leadership and the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency. Before stepping off, the units’ leaders met with local officials and FEMA representatives to gauge storm damage and response approaches.

The 31st MEU trains year-round to respond to crises across the vast Indo-Pacific region, including the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, to which Tinian belongs.

U.S. Navy Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1 also arrived to aid in relief efforts. NMCB-1 is stationed in Gulf Port, Miss., and is currently deployed to Guam; and the Guam-based 36th Civil Engineer Squadron, U.S. Air Force.

“The 31st MEU is honored to help the great Americans of Tinian. We are teamed up with local officials and supporting FEMA to prevent a wider humanitarian disaster,” said Col. Robert “Bams” Brodie, 31st MEU commander. “The 31st MEU is the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific and our Combat Logistics Battalion, led by Lt. Col. Chris Johnson, is the unit of choice for DSCA operations. I am exceptionally proud of his leadership and amazed by the tremendous performance of his Marines and Sailors.”

SLIDESHOW | images | 181101-N-WR252-080 A Seabee assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1 removes debris from a road on Tinian during recovery operations following Super Typhoon Yutu. (U.S. Navy/MCC Matthew R. White)

Super Typhoon Yutu made a direct hit on the tiny U.S. territory Oct. 25 – the storm packed sustained winds in excess of 170 MPH, leaving the approximately 2,000 residents of the island without power and running water, and leaving many roads and public facilities waterlogged and surrounded by downed trees. It is the strongest storm to ever hit a U.S. territory and the strongest storm to his U.S. soil in 2018.

“This storm is historic – it had devastating effects on this island – but the people of Tinian are resilient and we’re glad to lend a hand to help them get back on their feet,” said Brodie.

The Marines from the 31st MEU and CLB-31, along with the Seabees of NMCB-1, U.S. Coastguardsmen with U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Washington and the soldiers with the Army Corps of Engineers, are partnering with both local agencies and FEMA to conduct an assessment of critical shortfalls of material and supplies to determine the best way to support the people and local authorities on Tinian.