Lance Cpl. Elijah L. Gates loads a pallet of gear onto a KC-130J Hercules aircraft Nov. 10 at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, during preparation for a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission to the Philippines. Super 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. Philippine officials will have a better idea of the damage and death toll in the coming days as transportation and communications systems are repaired. 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.