U.S. Military Support to Hurricanes Irma and Maria Relief in the Eastern Caribbean

From Sept. 9 - Oct. 5, Joint Task Force–Leeward Islands (JTF-LI) provided disaster relief support to St. Martin and Dominica in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. In support of USAID, JTF-LI transported more than 340,000 pounds of relief supplies, desalinated 83,020 gallons of water, and evacuated more than 2,200 U.S. and foreign citizens left stranded by the hurricanes.

U.S. and Dominican personnel stand in front of a Dominica Marine Unit vessel.
U.S. citizen David Shargel embraces his son, Naya Shargel, at Douglas-Charles Airport in Melville Hall, Dominica
A Soldier helps load rice on a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter at the port of Roseau, Dominica.
A Soldier  helps load kitchen sets and bags of rice on a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter at the port of Roseau, Dominica.
U.S. service members with members of the U.S. Agency for International Development and local citizens load water piping on a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter
A Soldier helps load kitchen sets on a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter at the port of Roseau, Dominica.
A Soldier coordinates air support for relief operations with the crew of a helicopter in Roseau, Dominica.
A U.S. Marine CH-53E Super Stallion prepares to land in Dominica.
U.S. officials and service members unload aid from helicopter for distribution to the people of Dominica
Two people carry a box of supplies from a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter at a supply distribution point in Dominica
Soldiers head to a meeting with the U.S. Agency for International Development to discuss air operations, Roseau, Dominica.
U.S. service members load water into a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter
A U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter flies over the Caribbean Sea
A Soldier looks out of the window of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter
U.S. service members unload supplies from a helicopter in Dominica.
U.S. troops unload water from a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter in Roseau, Dominica, Sept. 30, 2017.
U.S. Marines with Joint Task Force - Leeward Islands unroll a tarp as they prepare supplies for distribution in Dominica
U.S. Marines stack boxes of tarps as they prepare supplies for distribution in Dominica.
U.S. service members unload supplies from a U.S. Army helicopter in Dominica.
U.S. officials discuss humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in Roseau, Dominica.
Jamaican Defense Force disaster response team soldiers exit the back of an aircraft in Dominica,
A U.S. Army helicopter disembarks relief personnel in Roseau, Dominica.
View from inside a U.S. Army helicopter as it flies over Roseau, Dominica.
A Sailor signals the take off of a U.S. Army helicopter from the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp
A U.S. Navy helicopter on the ground prepares to transport evacuees off Dominica.
Sailors escort a rescued resident of French Guadalupe from a helicopter on the flight deck of USS Wasp.
An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter flies over the island of Dominica during U.S. citizen evacuations and humanitarian relief following the landfall of Hurricane Maria.
A sailor leads residents with suitcases to a helicopter for evacuation.
A helicopter flies above a damaged tree.
Men in uniform carry a person on a stretcher.

FINAL UPDATE

October 5

Joint Task Force-Leeward Islands (JTF-LI) completed missions in Dominica on Oct. 5 and ended its support to USAID/OFDA relief efforts in the Caribbean. (RELEASE: Joint Task Force completes support to relief mission in Caribbean)

Final Numbers:

  • JTF-LI transported more than 340,000 pounds of relief supplies, including plastic sheeting, hygiene kits and water containers provided by USAID.
  • JTF-LI desalinated 83,020 gallons of water in St. Martin.
  • At the request of the U.S. State Department and partner-nation governments, JTF-LI also evacuated more than 2,200 U.S. and foreign citizens left stranded by the category five storms in Saint-Martin, Sint Maarten, Dominica, Anguilla, and the British Virgin Islands.

Overview of USAID Caribbean Hurricanes Relief

About Joint Task Force-Leeward Islands

U.S. Southern Command established Joint Task Force-Leeward Islands (JTF-LI) Sept. 9 to support U.S. disaster relief operations led by the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA).

JTF-LI deployed to the region after Hurricanes Irma and Maria struck the Caribbean and responded rapidly with critically-needed capabilities to deliver assistance and aid to areas identified as priorities by USAID/OFDA in coordination with the governments of Dominica, Saint-Martin and Sint Maarten. 

At its peak strength, the task force included more than 300 Marines, Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen, as well as 10 Army and Marine helicopters, four U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft, the U.S. Navy’s amphibious ship USS Wasp, the expeditionary fast transport vessel USNS Spearhead, and support from Navy P8 Poseidon and P3 Orion aerial reconnaissance aircraft.

Background on U.S. Military Support to Foreign Disaster Relief Efforts

Any U.S. military foreign disaster relief mission is in support of U.S. Agency for International Development/Office of U.S Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA), which serves as the lead U.S. federal agency for foreign disaster relief efforts. 

Support must be requested by the host nation. U.S. military forces support the comprehensive U.S. government disaster response approach led by USAID/OFDA. 

Historically, U.S. military capabilities are needed most in the critical early stages of a disaster relief operation, when fewer resources, capabilities and disaster-response experts are available to help victims and impacted communities. As a disaster relief mission progresses and more experienced experts arrive to aid longer-term recovery and reconstruction, U.S. military capabilities are typically no longer requested and the roles previously performed by military units are assumed by other relief organizations.

Over the last several years, SOUTHCOM has provided disaster assistance in the Caribbean, most notably in Haiti (Hurricane Matthew relief in 2016 and earthquake relief in 2010).

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