GHAZI AVIATION BASE, PAKISTAN – The U.S. Army soldiers and helicopters of Task Force Denali achieved a significant milestone today in supporting Pakistan’s flood relief efforts, exceeding 10 million pounds of relief supplies delivered since commencing flight operations Sept. 11.
“To reach that mark is a significant event, but more importantly it represents the hard work the soldiers have done flying and maintaining the aircraft. The greatest success story is not only in helping the government and people of Pakistan – it is that the soldiers still seem motivated, still excited to do it. It’s a good mission and we are happy to be here,” said Lt. Col. John Knightstep, commander, 1-52 General Support Aviation Battalion, 16th Combat Aviation Brigade.
As of Nov. 6, TF Denali helicopters and personnel, working in close coordination with the Pakistan military, have delivered 10,183,378 pounds (4,619,103 kilograms) of relief supplies and provided humanitarian airlift for more than 18,000 people in the flood-affected regions of the northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
At present, there are approximately 300 soldiers from 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment here. The general support aviation battalion of the 16th CAB based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska is using the unique lift and movement capabilities of 18 CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to rapidly deliver much needed aid and humanitarian assistance at the request of the Pakistan government.
In addition to humanitarian airlift, the U.S. Government is providing more than $463 million to assist Pakistan with relief and recovery efforts, while USAID and other U.S. civilian agencies continue to provide assistance to flood victims.
According to Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority, the catastrophic floods of the 2010 monsoon season exceeded the magnitude of all recent disasters there in terms of the size of the affected population and widespread damage. The most recent figures from NDMA cite the number of total affected population in excess of 20 million, with 1.9 million houses damaged or destroyed, and an estimated 1,900 deaths.