SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (Nov. 10, 2014) -- The U.S. Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command's 832nd and 842nd Transportation Battalions, located at the ports of Jacksonville, Florida, and Beaumont, Texas, respectively, loaded shipments of over 1,740 pieces of equipment and U. S. military vehicles this week in support of Operation United Assistance.
Operation United Assistance is a humanitarian aid and assistance operation in West Africa aimed at stopping the spread of Ebola. The Department of Defense is coordinating the movement of the equipment for the U.S. Agency for International Development, known as USAID, which is the lead agency in charge of the government's efforts against Ebola. Operation United Assistance also provides support for the World Health Organization and other international partners working in the West Africa region.
Equipment being loaded and transported include medium lift trucks, water purification and water storage equipment, fuel storage equipment and refrigeration units. The wheeled equipment arrived at the ports by rail and truck weeks prior, from various U.S. military installations.
The 832nd and 842nd Transportation Battalions provide single port management and transportation solutions to DOD military installations, training centers and depots. Over the past 12 months, these two units have managed more than 60 percent of redeploying unit and retrograde equipment into the U.S.
The Ports of Jacksonville and Beaumont are two of 17 Strategic Seaports managed by SDDC in the movement of military cargo for national defense, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
The 832nd Transportation Battalion is responsible for port management throughout Florida, Puerto Rico, Central and South America. The 842nd Transportation Battalion is responsible for port management along the Gulf Coast and Pacific Northwest regions, and Alaska.
Related Links:
U.S. Army news, information about Army's response to Ebola threat
<b>Army.mil: Humanitarian Relief -- Medical</b>
STAND-TO!: Ebola epidemic response efforts
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