At the request of FEMA, the Secretary of Defense has authorized the movement of up to 1,000 active-duty Soldiers to support the delivery of food, water, and other critical aid "over the last mile to the point of need" to communities impacted by Hurricane Helene.
These soldiers are part of an Infantry Battalion Task Force, formed from the XVIII Airborne Corps, to include members of the 82nd Airborne and other units stationed at Fort Liberty, NC. The task force includes a Forward Support Company with the necessary support structures (fuel, water, mechanics, etc.) to support FEMA in stabilizing critical lifelines and essential services for communities in North Carolina.
Employment of these Soldiers will provide additional manpower and logistics capabilities, enabling FEMA and other interagency partners to reach the hardest hit areas as quickly as possible. Their mission will include delivering support and commodities to impacted and isolated communities, assisting with supply point logistics at commodity staging locations, and removing debris from affected routes.
To streamline effectiveness and provide unity of command, the Secretary of Defense authorized and the Commander of U.S. Northern Command, Gen. Gregory Guillot, appointed Brig. Gen. Charles Morrison of the North Carolina Army National Guard as the Dual Status Commander for North Carolina. A dual-status commander is an officer who is allowed by law to command active duty and National Guard troops and serve in federal and state statuses simultaneously.
These soldiers are assembling and moving to the affected areas within the next 24 hours, and will join other servicemembers from the Department of Defense who are already supporting FEMA's response to Hurricane Helene, including:
- US Army and US Navy helicopters, Soldiers, and Sailors providing critical capability to move personnel and supplies in areas where access via roads is not available or viable.
- US Air Force aircraft, helicopters, and Airmen providing search-and-rescue capabilities.
- US Army Soldiers and high wheeled vehicles moving personnel and supplies over roads and terrain damaged or impassable to normal vehicles.
- Army Corps of Engineers Temporary Power Teams and subject matter experts supporting debris removal, water and wastewater management, and bridge inspections.
Additionally, and significantly, the National Guard has activated more than 6,500 Guardsmen, hundreds of High Water Vehicles, and dozens of helicopters and rescue boats from 12 different states in State-Active-Duty statuses. These Guardsmen have been spearheading the response effort across the impacted region in support of their Governors, providing critical life-saving and life-sustaining support to the victims of this historic natural disaster.
The DoD has 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.
