MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- In the event of a natural disaster or military action, it may be necessary for all non-essential personnel and family members to evacuate the station.
To help them get out of harm's way as fast as possible, it is essential they have a completed Noncombatants Evacuation Operation package.
"Basically, all noncombatants will be processed and flown out," said Capt. Thomas Holley, Station NEO coordinator. "The bottom line is when your flight leaves, you want to be on it."
If a resident comes to a NEO without a package, it will be at least 24 hours before he or she can get out. The difference between leaving now, and leaving two days from now is having the paperwork completed.
Station residents should not wait until a NEO occurs to complete their package. Instead, they should prepare it as soon as they arrive on station.
The first step in the NEO process is to get the package from a designated NEO coordinator. Service members and civilians have coordinators they can contact to receive a package and explain any questions that may arise.
The NEO package is important because it answers all the questions anyone may have when a NEO occurs, such as what will happen to personal cars and family pets.
In addition to the explanations in print, there are also NEO nights held each year for everyone aboard the station. The briefs at the NEO night cover everything in the package that anyone may have questions about.
For more information on getting a NEO package and NEO nights, receiving a list of all unit coordinators or filling out forms, contact Holley at 253-3623.