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Auxiliary Chinese interpreters, Steven Wang (left) and Jimmin Chang (right) explained how T cards worked in Incident Command System to a Chinese delegate. |
Qualified Auxiliary interpreters from all around the country were assembled to assist in the 2011 North Pacific Coast Guard Forum (NPCGF) Multi-Mission Exercise (MMEX) held in Honolulu, Hawaii, during the second week of August.
They were selected based on interpreting skills, technical capability, and availability. Seyoung K. Kim (Flotilla 48, D11-SR) and Jihwan M. Baek (Flotilla 22-1, D5-SR) served as Korean interpreters. Alexei V. Duhovic (Flotilla 24-8, D5-SR) and Oleg Kushelev (Flotilla 14-1, D1-SR) were the Russian interpreters. Ian von Gordon (Flotilla 47, D8-CR) was the Japanese interpreter. Steven K. Wang (Flotilla 48, D1-SR) and Jimmin Chang (Flotilla 48, D11-NR) were the Chinese interpreters.
USCG Pacific Area Operational Planning Division hosted the 2011 "Unified Response" MMEX and designed the exercise to focus on international oil spill response. International coast guard delegates from member countries, Canada, People's Republic of China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation and United States, congregated at Marriott Hotel in Waikiki Beach for technical exchanges, oil spill clean up demonstrations, and table top exercise.
Interpreters not only served as language translators, but also become key liaison personnel, acting as the primary representation of the United States as the host nation. Adhered to exact social and military protocols the interpreter team hosted the visiting delegates, and provided airport pick ups and send offs, hotel check-in assistance, and activity coordination.
During after hour social events, some interpreters added a personal dimension by escorting delegates with trips to local restaurants and shopping malls. In this particular mission, interpreters were also involved as drivers for transporting the international delegates to and from the airport.
In addition, due to the technical nature of this exercise, additional preparation were made to prepare the interpreter team to be proficient in the technical aspects of pollution, oil spill response and clean up technologies. Training materials for the Assistant Pollution Investigator qualification were used to orient the team on the subject matter.
The first day of the MMEX was a seminar day where power point presentations were made. USCG Training team and Incident Management personnel described the Incident Command System (ICS), our Oil and hazardous substance pollution response authorities (OPA-90 and CERCLA) and capabilities, and shared the gulf Deepwater Horizon Response experience. Then each of the other NPCGF member countries presented their oil pollution response authorities and capabilities. Because not all of the delegates were fluent in English, and because the subject matter was technical in nature, interpreters played a key role in effective information exchange by consecutively interpreting the presentations to the different target languages.
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Auxiliary Korean Interpreter, Jihwan Baek (center) and CAPT Greg Buxa (1st left) welcomed members of Korean Coast Guard delegation at Honolulu International Airport. |
The second day was an Activities field day. NPCGF delegates visited the Clean Islands Council, a cooperative Oil Spill Response Organization, and toured their Emergency Operations Center and their emergency oil spill response equipment.
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MMEX delegates gathered on the MONOA. In the background was M/V AMERICAN ISLANDER setting up Vessel of Opportunity Skimming System. |
The third day started with the Japanese Coast Guard presentation of their response experience in the March 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami. Then, a pollution response table top exercise was conducted to test the six NPCGF member countries' response capabilities.
The 3-day MMEX concluded with a Hawaiian cultural event, a laua at the Hale Koa Hotel Laua Gardens. The evening program was filled with Hawaiian music, hula, Polynesian and live fire dances, coconut tree climb demonstration, and a traditional Hawaiian feast.
The MMEX provided a chance for representatives of six neighboring member countries to interact on a personal level. Interpreters played a critical role in breaking down language barriers, and allowed efficient information exchanges. Auxiliary interpreters handled the mission professionally, adhered to exact military protocols, and provided high quality consecutive and sometimes simultaneous interpretation during the 3 day event. The Korean delegation even commented, "They had the best interpreter hosts ever."
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Auxiliary Russian Interpreter, Oleg Kushelev (right) interpreted for the Russian Border Patrol delegation on the Seminar Day. |
Auxiliary Russian Interpreter, Alexei Duhovic (left) interpreted during the Russian Border Patrol presentation. |
Auxiliary Korean interpreters, Seyoung Kim (3rd left) and Jihwan Baek (1st right) were working with the Korean Coast Guard delegation on the Seminar Day. |
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