U.S. military delivers 2 million pounds of aid to Georgia

  • Published
After two weeks of high-tempo humanitarian relief operations, the U.S. military reached another milestone by delivering more than 2 million pounds of aid to Georgia in the wake of conflicts there earlier this month.

The U.S. military's role in the overall humanitarian assistance effort, dubbed "Operation Assured Delivery," has delivered 2,174,000 pounds of food, water, bedding, and medical supplies to displaced persons and people in need at the request of the government of Georgia.

Since Aug. 13, there have been 55 sorties flown by C-17 Globemaster IIIs, C-130 Hercules aircraft, and Navy C-9 Skytrain and C-40 Clipper. Airmen and Soldiers loaded pallets full of medical supplies and bedding from Ramstein Air Base in Germany to be sent to Tbilisi and unloaded for the displaced persons of Georgia.

The Navy sent the destroyer USS McFaul to the port of Bat'umi Aug. 24 with 155,000 pounds of humanitarian supplies, including baby food, bottled water and personal hygiene kits.

The Marine Corps sent 8,000 cots Aug. 26 from prepositioned stock piles located in storage caves in Norway.

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dallas arrived in the port city of Bat'umi Aug. 27 with 76,000 pounds of humanitarian aid for displaced persons as a result of the fighting and occupation of Russian forces.

USS Mount Whitney is scheduled to depart for Georgia at the end of the month with more humanitarian supplies.
 
The supplies have come from a variety of sources including the U.S. State Department's supplies and equipment stored at the U.S. Army Medical Material Center Europe humanitarian assistance program warehouse in Pirmasens, Germany, USAID warehouse in Piza, Italy, Defense Security Cooperation for Humanitarian Assistance warehouse in Albany, Georgia, Defense Logistic Agency warehouse in Garmisch, Germany, and World Food Aid.
 
At the direction of the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. European Command forces continue to provide logistical assistance as required to save lives and alleviate human suffering during this humanitarian crisis.

Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link)

View the comments/letters page