Fukushima Reactors Reaction:Navy Keeps Residents Indoors

Airborne radiation detected Tuesday at Tokyo-area bases resulted in naval base commanders advising residents to stay indoors.Low level radiation had drifted 200 miles south from the crippled Fukushima reactors-or 321.868 kilometers.
The aircraft carrier USS George Washington(CVN 73)had detected the radiation at 0700 hours at Yokosuka Naval Base.The Atsugi base also detected the radiation,along with civil authorities in Tokyo.
Base residents were advised to shelter in place,stay indoors and close all ventilation sources and windows.Military activities continued during the advisory.
The radiation was 50 times more than the level found in nature.This is not a health hazard,but the commanders decided to be on the conservative side.
Also on Tuesday,the U.S. Marines were negotiating to set up a base at Yamgata in northern Japan.Lieutenant Colonel Michael Coletta said they were ready to fly search and rescue and supply missions.
Yamgata is in a valley which gets about 491 cm of snow a year-or 193.3 inches.
Update:The Navy is now giving potassium iodide pills to helicopter pilots and crews before certain missions over Japan,a Pentagon spokesman said Wednesday.Before,the pills,which protect against radiation-induced thyroid cancer,were being given to some crews after their missions.

Carrier Nears Japan

The USS George Washington(CVN 73) is nearing her new home just south of Tokyo.The Nimitz class aircraft carrier is scheduled to dock in Yokosuka on Thursday.Bringing up to 5600 crew members and 70 aircraft,the nuclear-powered vessel replaces the USS Kitty Hawk(CV),a conventionally-powered ship which will be decommissioned.About 200 protesters are expected to be on hand for the George Washington's arrival,which is welcomed by the Japanese government.The protesters object because the GW will bring more service members to Japan,and they fear a nuclear accident or radiation leak.The USS Houston(SSN 713),an attack submarine,was found to have discharged radioactive water in Japanese waters between July of 2006 and April of 2008.Although the leaks were extremely small,they have agitated some of the Japanese public.The George Washington will be the only forward-based U.S. aircraft carrier.She is part of the Seventh Fleet.