WEBVTT

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(rotating helicopter blades)

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- So Hurricane Irma came through,

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came across the Atlantic

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and

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was gaining in quite of bit on intensity.

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Got up to about a Cat 5.

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At one point

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sustained winds were 185 miles an hour.

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Gusts 215.

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^So of the leeward islands were hit pretty hard.

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It continued

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in towards the Gulf.

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In towards Florida.

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And Iwo Jima was called upon to

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come down and offer some humanitarian aid.

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Team Iwo Jima left Mayport, Florida.

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Headed up to Norfolk where we were able to on load

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a DSCA package.

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The Defense Support of Civilian Authorities.

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Carrier Striker 10 embarked

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and we headed down with a compliment of Marines.

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Headed down to the Florida Keys

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and a

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went out in town.

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We were able to provide some support.

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- We provided a lot of

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relief through

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the different aspects that the ship can provide.

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^With air support.

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^Providing them food, water.

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^Just aid in that sense as well as a

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we were coordinating with the people on the ground.

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We had

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some of the organizations such as FEMA

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with us,

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trying to

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organize everything that was on land.

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- Being from Houston and knowing that my family

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just experienced Hurricane Harvey

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and I wasn't there to help or assist.

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^It felt like a blessing going

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^and helping out

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^for Hurricane

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^Irma

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and assisting with those families.

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It helped me feel at ease.

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Even though I didn't get to help my own family

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I got to help others

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that were just affected.

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Just like my family was.

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- We were able to fill

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^960 water bladders

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^with fresh

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ship service water.

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And we pushed that ashore.

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I think it ended up being around 4,800 gallons of water

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that we were able to get over there.

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(upbeat music)

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- This is more of a crisis situation so

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things had to happen rapidly for us to be able to get

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to Norfolk.

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Load what we needed to get down here

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fairly quickly

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and to support this.

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So I'm very proud of those sailors

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and Marines.

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- It can be difficult

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to feel like you're part of the team.

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But even the basic watch stander provided the opportunity

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for the ship to stay afloat.

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Ship to stay in theater.

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Ship to stay in the Op area.

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So that other forces

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could go ashore

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to provide that level of support.

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If if weren't for

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Seaman Timmy on the Bridge Wing

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standing that watch.

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We don't have that opportunity for the ship to be here

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and for us to implement that level of aid and support.

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There was not a single sailor

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out here embark

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that didn't have a critical role to play.

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- This is a tremendous opportunity.

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I am from the state of Florida.

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There is nothing I'd rather be doing

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than helping my fellow Floridians

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in a time of need.

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Hurricanes have come and gone

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over the last ten years and have

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wreaked havoc through certain parts of the state.

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And it's

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very.

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I'm very grateful to be able to be here and helping them.

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Because I know that if I were in their shoes

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I'd want somebody such as the U.S. Navy on my side.

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(upbeat music)