Brig. Gen. Scott West, 13th Air Force vice commander, fields questions from the media before boarding a C-17 preparing to depart on a humanitarian mission to Japan Mar. 12 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The plane will visit various Air Force bases in Japan during its mission to to provide support for Japan relief efforts in the wake of tsunami and earthquake damage there. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen)