Cmdr. Mike Barea (left), U.S. Navy, confers with Turkish, U.S. Navy and Marine Corps air traffic controllers at the Turkish Naval Air Station near Izmit, Turkey, on Aug. 23, 1999. The Kearsarge Amphibious Readiness Group and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit are in Izmit to aid victims of the recent earthquake as part of Operation Avid Response. Avid Response is the U.S. military contribution to relief efforts following the earthquake that hit Western Turkey in the early morning hours of Aug. 17, 1999. Barea is the air operations officer for Amphibious Squadron 2 on board the USS Kearsarge (LHD 3).