Airmen continue flow of nation-wide distribution of flood relief supplies in Pakistan

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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AFNS) --  Three and a half weeks after their arrival in Pakistan, Airmen with the 621st Contingency Response Element continue to work in close partnership with the Pakistan government and military at Pakistan Air Force Base Chaklala to support the nationwide distribution of international aid to flood-affected Pakistanis.

More than 30 Airmen from the 621st Contingency Response Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. arrived in Pakistan Aug. 28 to support humanitarian assistance airlift operations at PAF Chaklala. Since then, they have worked around the clock to assist Pakistan's National Disaster Management Agency and the Pakistan air force with managing the distribution of incoming international relief supplies by building aid pallets for onward transportation, loading and unloading aircraft, and scheduling U.S. military C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft relief flights to deliver aid throughout Pakistan.

"We became incredibly busy as soon as we arrived (in Pakistan) and began operations," said Lt. Col. Shawn Underwood, the CRE commander. "The contingency response element is trying to build pallets of flood relief supplies a day in advance and, in turn, build contingency pallets to allow for more flexibility and efficiency of operations."

To date, U.S. military personnel and aircraft, working in partnership with the Pakistan military, have delivered more than 3.8 million kilograms of relief supplies and rescued more than 16,000 people throughout the flood-stricken areas of Pakistan. The average daily cost of Department of Defense support is about $1.2 million a day.

(Courtesy of the U.S. Embassy Islamabad)