YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Airmen from the 320th Special Tactics Squadron from Kadena Air Base, Japan, are deployed here supporting humanitarian relief operations after an earthquake measuring 8.9 in magnitude that hit the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Northeastern Japan March 11.
The 320th STS is comprised of pararescuemen, combat controllers, special operations weathermen and highly trained support personnel who can conduct search and rescue; survey and open airfields and helicopter landing zones while providing air traffic controllers to control the airfields and landing zones; provide emergent medical care to injured people; gather, assess and interpret weather and environmental data from forward deployed locations and assist the Japanese government and other relief agencies with a variety of highly-trained support personnel during humanitarian operations.
Airmen of the 320th STS have conducted surveys of the damaged areas, met with Japanese officials to discuss plans for future missions, assisted Japanese officials in opening two key runways to support relief operations in Northern Japan and provided air traffic control for aircraft at the two runways.