The U.S. Army Security Assistance Command has processed an expedited foreign military sales amendment in support of counter ISIL operations.
In November 2016, the United Arab Emirates submitted an urgent Letter of Request for the diversion of Guided Enhanced Missiles-Tactical from Army stock using a "borrow-payback" transaction.
But when the U.S. government granted the diversion request in September 2017 is when the real work began. USASAC people led the initiative, coordinating with a host of organizations at home and abroad, that would ultimately help save lives and thwart terrorist activity.
GEM-Ts are a series of the highly successful, combat-proven Patriot missile variants that are used to defeat tactical ballistic missiles, aircraft and cruise missile threats.
USASAC Country Program Manager Deborah Boyd kicked the time-sensitive operation into high gear, holding weekly meetings with the enterprise participants to ensure the operation went smoothly. Serving as team lead, she traveled to the Middle East to oversee the diversion of the GEM-Ts to the UAE.
Boyd said UAE, grateful for the quick-turnaround security assistance support, immediately put the missiles into combat operations.
"I have been doing security assistance for a very long time," Boyd said, "and this was one of the highlights of my career. It truly was an incredible experience to work hand-in-hand with our Soldiers to fulfill such a critical mission."
"This is a real demonstration of security assistance enterprise stakeholders coming together to accomplish a mission that benefited not only our partner nation, but U.S. Soldiers in harm's way," USASAC CENTCOM Regional Operations Director Col. William Krahling said.
UAE's Brig. Gen. Rashed AlMehrzi, a staff engineer and director of logistics for the UAE Air Force and Air Defense, recognized U.S. security assistance enterprise employees for their assistance during a gathering in Huntsville.
"We could not have accomplished this mission without our team stateside members who worked behind the scenes," Boyd said. "It took 'one team, one fight,' and we did it together."
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