Due to the remote location of a number of Chugach contracts, being a good neighbor is vital part of our goal to foster community. That is especially the case on the many contracts we manage in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
The U.S. Army Vessel Worthy, operated from Kwajalein by Chugach Management Services, Inc. (CMSI), recently evacuated four U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) personnel from Johnston Island in response to a U.S. Coast Guard request for emergency assistance. The Worthy was in route to a west coast shipyard for maintenance when they received a request from the U.S. Coast Guard to evacuation U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel due to Hurricane Hector projected path through Johnston Island.
The Worthy’s crew were able to rescue the USFWS field crew and transport them safely to Honolulu. “We’re just glad to be in a position that we could provide some help,” said Captain James Rowe. Assuming a different course, the vessel remained approximately 260 nautical miles from the storms epicenter while traveling to Hawaii. The field team spent 6 days on the Worthy and stated that they, “could not have asked for a more hospitable rescue.”
The CMSI Kwajalein Project Manager, Mr. Robert Raines, received a letter of thanks from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, “Please relay our heartfelt gratitude to your U.S. Army Vessel Worthy crew and leadership team. The families of the rescued biologists are also grateful for the care provided while aboard the ship. The support of our Department of Defense partners is vital to our ability to work in these remote places to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.”