20th Public Affairs Detachment

Story by Staff Sgt. Anthony Taylor

In response to specific requests for support from the Pakistani government, the Department of Defense has arranged for immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to Pakistan.

The aid is aimed at caring for the estimated 1.7 million Pakistani internally displaced citizens in the country's northwestern provinces.

The initial response is being conducted based on the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State's coordinated efforts to respond as directed by President Obama to the humanitarian crisis that is ongoing in Pakistan.

"Lt. Gen. Nadeem Ahmad, [from the Pakistan army] has been placed in charge of the Pakistan response," said Brig. Gen. Peter Lennon, director of U.S. Central Command Deployment Distribution Operations Center.

"Lt. Gen. Nadeem is assessing the situation and determining the amount of relief that is required. We're working in support of him as directed by Chief, Office of the Defense Representative, Pakistan, Rear Admiral Michael LeFever."

According to Lennon, LeFever and Nadeem have a historic relationship. They worked together in response to the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan.

"They have a mutual respect there and they will work hand in hand to determine how the U.S. can best support the needs of the Pakistani people," said Lennon.

Included in the aid provided to Pakistan was 120,000 pre-packaged halal meals, which are prepared to accommodate religious tastes of the region, air-conditioned tents, and large capacity water trailers.

U.S. Army Central in coordination with 1st Sustainment Command (Theater) received the mission to procure and prepare the meals and tents for shipment to Pakistan. The aid was received through the Central Receiving and Shipping Point by the Installation Transportation Office.

The mission at the CRSP was to prepare the aid on pallets for shipment, the documentation to route and track the supplies, and conduct the physical loading of the supplies onto flatbed trucks.

The air-force was responsible for loading and transporting the humanitarian supplies out on a C-17 Globemaster III.

"This is just a perfect example of when you combine transportation and logistics together, it makes the process of shipping cargo a lot easier," said Sgt. 1st Class Gary Brown, ITO non-commissioned officer in-charge.

The aid will reach out to internally displaced persons in the Swat, Buner and Dir Districts of northwest Pakistan, as well as those displaced by earlier conflicts in Bajaur and Mohmand.

"I think it's great because it gives us an opportunity to show what we can do as transporters and logisticians", said Brown. "To be able to support a humanitarian mission is very rare for myself and for my Soldiers."

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