USNORTHCOM provides disaster relief after two major hurricanes

THE WATCH STAFF

U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) positioned troops, supplies and other equipment in advance of Hurricane Milton in October 2024 as part of its mission of supporting civil authorities during natural disasters. USNORTHCOM’s disaster response was the second in two weeks after troops from Fort Liberty in North Carolina coordinated with the National Guard to reach isolated mountain communities in search and rescue operations and provided crucial supplies in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

U.S. Army North, under the direction of USNORTHCOM, deployed 100 general-purpose troops from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The response also included 60 high-water vehicles from Fort Stewart, Georgia; four search-and-rescue helicopters; light/medium rotary wing aircraft from the 3rd Infantry Division and command-and-control support personnel, according to a USNORTHCOM news release. Staging areas were Naval Air Station Whiting Field and Elgin Air Force Base in Florida, and Moody AFB, Fort Moore and Fort Stewart in Georgia.

Meanwhile, recovery efforts continued in North Carolina. Active-duty personnel provided over 650,000 pounds of food, water and fuel to affected areas and cleared approximately 125 miles of routes, according to the release. “Our scalable and flexible response structure allows us to manage multiple disaster response missions efficiently, ensure continuous, dedicated support to Helene recovery efforts while positioning resources for Milton. We will continue providing necessary capabilities in both North Carolina and Florida for as long as required by FEMA and the respective states,” the release stated.

Ahead of Milton’s landfall on October 9, 2024, U.S. Army North received mission assignments for 30 high-wheeled vehicles, helicopters for search and rescue operations, 100 active-duty forces for nontechnical logistics support to FEMA’s search and rescue teams, medium-lift helicopters for moving personnel and equipment, and command and control and sustainment for Department of Defense forces, according to a U.S. Army news release. “U.S. Army North has unique capabilities, including the ability to deploy on short notice into austere environments, to support communities and the American public when needed,” said Maj. Gen. Scott M. Sherman, U.S. Army North and Joint Force Land Component Command commanding general. “Our priority is to be ready to assist and respond to help alleviate suffering in the impacted areas as quickly as possible.”

Once Hurricane Milton hit Florida, troops swung into action along with more than 6,500 National Guardsmen, 26 helicopters, over 500 high-water vehicles and just over a dozen watercraft from 12 states, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told the media. Ryder added that approximately 250 people are providing support with debris control, temporary roof support, waterway clearance and flood control.

Working closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, USNORTHCOM demonstrated its ability to provide crucial hurricane relief during back-to-back major hurricanes affecting the Southeast. “We have been fully engaged from the beginning with FEMA and the whole-of-government relief efforts related to Hurricane Helene, and with additional capabilities now being provided for Hurricane Milton response, we will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to ensure we are in coordination and supporting response efforts,” the release stated.