Shipmates,
This is the first in a series of progress reports on our Arctic Trip. Our party departed Washington DC on Monday morning and flew 7 1/2 hours to Nome, AK. Enroute we had several discussions and briefings on the various aspects of the Arctic and related policy issues such as climate change, Implications of increased marine traffic, changes in the ecosystems of living marine resources, and threats to existing native communities that occupy narrow strands of land north of the Bering Straits.
We arrived in Nome and transferred to three H60 helos, one Coast Guard and the other two provided by the Air and Army National Guard. We flew to the small town of Shismareff which lies north of the Bering Strait near the Arctic Circle. There we met with local leaders, citizens, and deployed Coast Guard and other armed forces personnel who were providing health care, dental, care and veterinary services.
We were briefed on coastal erosion which is threatening the existence of the town and the steps being taken to mitigate the loss of land on the ocean and lagoon sides.
There were also Auxiliarists deployed to work with local subsistence hunters on ways to improve water safety.
We then returned to Nome which is being used as a forward operating location for Operation Arctic Crossroads our summer deployment operation.
We are posting pictures to Flickr and I invite you to follow us there.
More to follow ....
ADM A
