As residents struggled in the wake of Hurricane Helene, about 1,500 active-duty U.S. Army troops deployed to aid relief efforts, supporting thousands of National Guardsmen. U.S. ARMY
THE WATCH STAFF
As another massive hurricane bore down on Florida in October 2024, thousands of active-duty U.S. Army and National Guardsmen had already been working for nearly two weeks to aid relief efforts in devastated communities after Hurricane Helene’s landfall. U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) synchronized its efforts with the lead federal organization, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as Helene approached to assist in rescue efforts and deliver crucial supplies like generators. “The assistance will include delivering support and commodities [needed items] to impacted and isolated communities, assisting with supply point logistics at commodity staging locations, and removing debris from affected routes,” a USNORTHCOM news release stated.
About 1,500 Soldiers were deployed from Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and were led by Brig. Gen. Wes Morrison, a member of the North Carolina National Guard who is a dual status commander jointly managed by the leaders of USNORTHCOM and the National Guard Bureau. He may, by law, serve in two statuses — federal and state — simultaneously, the release stated. Morrison also commanded 6,500 Guardsmen, hundreds of high-water vehicles, dozens of helicopters and rescue boats from 12 different states, according to the release. The U.S. Army troops eventually included detachments from the 82nd Airborne Division and the 20th Engineer Brigade from Fort Liberty as well as the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
By mid-October 2024, that force had increased to mitigate the damage caused by Helene’s destructive path, which crossed parts of Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina. The storm has been blamed for more than 230 deaths, according to The Associated Press. “I am incredibly proud of what our soldiers of the 18th Airborne Corps are doing to assist our fellow citizens of North Carolina in support of the North Carolina National Guard, FEMA, [non-governmental organizations], first responders and other volunteer organizations,” Army Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue, the 18th Airborne Corp’s commander, said in a statement, according to the Stars and Stripes newspaper.
The troops cleared roads, repaired damage and performed search-and-rescue operations in remote sections of the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina. As another major storm, Hurricane Milton, threatened Florida in October 2024, USNORTHCOM officials were planning for any contingency. “We are a member of the whole-of-government, federal family of resources serving to better position the people on the ground to alleviate human suffering. We have been fully engaged with FEMA and the whole-of-government relief efforts related to Hurricane Helene, and will continue to work with our federal, state and local partners to ensure we are supporting and coordinating response efforts,” the release stated. “At USNORTHCOM headquarters in Colorado Springs, in partnership with FEMA, we are anticipating future needs, thinking through scenarios, and lining up capabilities and resources.”
Many of the operations performed by the troops saved lives and alleviated suffering. In Tennessee, three UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters with the Tennessee National Guard’s 1-230th Assault Helicopter Battalion arrived at Unicoi County Hospital, where more than 50 people including hospital staff and patients were trapped due to flooding. The troops were able to rescue dozens of people from the roof of the hospital in an area devastated by flooding, according to Task & Purpose, a military affairs news site.