Marines board a KC-130J Hercules aircraft Nov. 10 at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, moments before departing for a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission to the Philippines. Typhoon Haiyan has impacted more than 4.2 million people across 36 provinces in the Philippines, according to the Philippine government’s national disaster risk reduction and management council. Since 1990, the U.S. Government has responded to more than 40 disasters in the Philippines at the request of that country’s government, ranging from volcanic eruptions, drought, and population displacement. MCAS Futenma is a mission ready air station capable of continuous aviation and base operating support for tenant organizations and follow-on U.S., Allied, and United Nations forces during combat or contingency operations in the Western Pacific Theater of operations, to include U.S. Pacific Command, Marine Corps Forces Pacific and Marine Corps Installations Pacific.