Included in the more than 11,000 U.S. Navy, Marine, Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard personnel who have lent a hand in the Unified Assistance relief effort were the men and women of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 30 (VRC-30), the "Providers." The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), to which VRC-30's Detachment Two (Del Two) is attached, was one of the first larger resupply-capable ships on scene. Det Two C-2A Greyhounds' initial relief mission involved flying critical supplies such as fresh water, food, medical aid, and personnel to the Abraham Lincoln so helicopters on board the carrier could retransfer the supplies to the areas hardest hit by the tsunami.
In the days following the touchdown of the tsunami, after the airfields in the stricken region were judged operationally safe, VRC-30 carrier on-board delivery (COD) aircraft were able to transport supplies not only to the carrier, but also directly to the damaged areas in country, augmenting the ongoing helo efforts.
VRC-30's commitment to do all they could to help in the relief efforts propelled them to call in their Del Five from Atsugi, Japan, to augment Det Two's life-saving work. Det Five returned home after a second detachment from San Diego arrived. In an unprecedented VRC community team effort, 40 personnel from both VRC-30 and VRC-40 made up the relief detachment. VRC-40 provides COD services to the Navy's Atlantic and Sixth Fleets and is homeported at Naval Station, Norfolk. Within hours of the call, both VRC commands aggressively worked together and successfully built a hardcharging team of COD experts and, with the assistance of the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) providing a ride to Hawaii, flew both C-2A aircraft and aircrews to Singapore to assist in the relief effort.
Sailors assigned to Carrier Air Wing Two unload boxes of water from a VRC-30 C-2A on board the Abraham Lincoln for delivery to Sumatra by helicopters.
Ms. Lee works in the Naval Air System Command's E-2/C-2 Program Office.