CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - In July, disaster struck the people of Pakistan after heavy monsoon rains flooded the region and left thousands killed or injured and millions homeless. Within days, U.S. Forces were on the ground ready to help and ready to provide life-saving services and support.

This is the second time this year the Expeditionary Contracting Command has exercised its expeditionary capabilities in support of humanitarian relief efforts. The first response was to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts in support of the earthquake in Haiti.

The 408th Contracting Support Brigade provides operational contracting support to Third Army and is designed to support Title 10 U.S Forces and their contracting requirements in the Central Command's area of responsibility.

"This mission is the pinnacle event for Contingency Contracting Officers," said Col. Michael J. Rogers, who serves as the 408th CSB commander and Principle Assistant Responsible for Contracting -Southwest Asia. "It's a real-world contingency mission."

The 408th CSB was notified of the need for contracting support in Pakistan and deployed two CCOs to the region within 48 hours, both from the Army Contracting Command - Kuwait offices at Camp Arifjan.

"This represents a new paradigm shift in the expeditionary nature of Army contracting, which provides Contingency Contracting Teams in response to contingency missions," Rogers said.
U.S. military helicopters are currently operating out of Ghazi Airbase in northern Pakistan, Pano Aqil Air Base in southern Pakistan and Chaklala Airbase near Islamabad.

At the same time, U.S. military C-130 and C-17 cargo aircraft continue to provide airlift support to Pakistan, delivering relief supplies to multiple locations throughout the country including Skardu, Sukkur, Quetta, Jacobabad, Sharea Faisal and Gilgit.

The 408th CSB CCO team will continue to provide day-to-day sustainment support for the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, fulfilling vital humanitarian assistance support to Pakistan, during their initial entry into the region until which time the crisis response effort is complete.

"This initial response capability is vital to the Forces enabling HA efforts because units in support of crisis events rarely deploy with all their organic assets to sustain themselves," Rogers said. "Essential resources such as food, water and hygiene maintenance, if not taken care of, can quickly incapacitate personnel and hinder the vital support they provide, making the unit operationally inefficient."

The 408th CSB will continue to be on the leading edge of these missions in the future and continues to posture itself for full spectrum contract support by remaining focused, determined and Ready Tonight.