Haiti SITREP

USS BATAAN and the 22 MEU reached its staging point off the coast of Haiti approximately 1500 yesterday. We are currently providing support to humanitarian efforts on the ground, via our helos and landing crafts, and have sent marines and aid throughout yesterday afternoon. The Comfort has been on our tail since this thing started and should arrive tomorrow.

The USNS Comfort is ready and capable. The floating hospital has a total patient capacity of 1,000, and is complete with its own intensive ward, radiology, casulty reception, dental, and optometry lab. Another great feature of the ship is its capability to make up to 300,000 gallons of fresh water daily. USS Bataan has similar capabilities. I have personally toured the ship myself and I am confident in its abilities to provide support in this endevour. This isn't the first time the ship has been sent to Haiti. Operation Sea Signal 1994, Operation Uphold Democracy 1994, and Operation Continuing Promise since 2007.

Researching on internation efforts; apparently a plane, originally from Iran, landed in Haiti on January 18. Open Source (news) reports the cargo plane left Saturday and via-Caracas, Venezuela, landed on Monday, bringing 30 tonnes of food, medicine, tents, and a 30 medical and search-and-rescue team. No reporting from any major news source yet, and anything out of Iranian or Arab news reporting is always viewed cautiously. Hopefully nothing has been exagerrated or lied about, for no matter where it comes from, Haiti needs all the help it can get.