One thousand active-duty soldiers were mobilized by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Wednesday as part of the recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
In a Wednesday statement released by the Pentagon, Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon’s press secretary, said, “At the request of FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency], 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.”
Ryder noted that the 1,000 soldiers mobilized by the Pentagon are from the Infantry Battalion Task Force, which is formed from the XCIII Airborne Corps and includes troops from the 82nd Airborne Division and other units currently stationed at Fort Liberty, North Carolina.
The Pentagon press secretary explained, “These soldiers are assembling and moving to the affected areas within the next 24 hours, and will join other service members from the Department of Defense who are already supporting FEMA’s response to Hurricane Helene.”
According to the Pentagon, the active-duty troops will assist FEMA’s operations by providing the “necessary support structures,” such as fuel, water, and mechanics.
READ MORE: Videos: Tennessee, North Carolina homes, roads, and more destroyed by hurricane
Ryder added, “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.”
According to Ryder, the National Guard has activated over 6,500 Guardsmen, hundreds of high-water vehicles, and dozens of rescue boats and helicopters from across 12 states. The Pentagon press secretary said the National Guardsmen are “spearheading the response effort” across the southern United States and are “providing critical life-saving and life-sustaining support to the victims of this historic natural disaster.”
Military.com reported that Ryder told reporters on Tuesday that almost 3,500 National Guardsmen had been activated in Florida, roughly 1,400 National Guardsmen had been activated in Georgia, and approximately 500 National Guardsmen had been activated in South Carolina in response to Hurricane Helene.
Additionally, 130 members of the National Guard and seven helicopters have been deployed by Tennessee, while 60 National Guardsmen, one helicopter, and multiple high-water vehicles have been activated in Virginia, according to Military.com.
