Sgt. 1st Class James Lee, Operations NCO, 18th Medical

Sgt. 1st Class James Lee, Operations NCO, 18th Medical Command, U.S. Army Pacific, speaks with Bangladesh Fire and Civil Defense personnel during search and rescue operations at the third annual Pacific Resilience Disaster Response Exercise and Exchange 2012 held by the U.S. Army Pacific and Bangladesh Armed Forces Division that was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh from Sept. 17-20. The exercise tested the capabilities of disaster response organizations and personnel in the event of a catastrophic earthquake event. More than 180 personnel representing more than 70 organizations participated in a two-day table top exercise, analyzing and planning how to deal with various scenarios that may occur in the wake of a major disaster. Over 1,250 personnel then participated in a city-wide field training exercise, reacting to real-world scenarios ranging from search and rescue to evacuation of casualties to local hospitals. Led by the USARPAC G-9, Civil-Military Operations and the Bangladesh AFD, the DREE focused on supporting civilian authorities and the Government of Bangladesh in a disaster response scenario. Without civil-military interoperability, disaster management can quickly slow and become less effective. (Photo by Angela Kershner)