Ceremony marks end of Pakistan flood relief operations

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Illinois Air National Guard members assigned to the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing push pallets of halal meals onto a C-130H at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Aug. 1, 2010. The humanitarian aid meals were delivered to Pakistan as part of a humanitarian relief mission. The aircrew is a part of 182nd Airlift Wing based in Peoria, Ill. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Boitz)
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WASHINGTON, (12/2/10) -- U.S. troops supporting the humanitarian relief effort to flood-stricken Pakistan ended their mission today.

Pakistani officials hosted a ceremony marking the occasion in Islamabad, the country's capital.

At the end of operations, 18 U.S. military helicopters and about 350 U.S. servicemembers were conducting airlift missions.

"This was not the beginning, and it was not the end. This is a continuation of the U.S.-Pakistan relationship," said Lt. Gen. Asif Yasin Malik, commander of the Pakistan army's 11th Corps.

At the effort's peak, the United States deployed 26 helicopters, multiple C-130 and C-17 cargo aircraft and several hundred servicemembers working in close partnership with Pakistani military forces. The floods affected more than 20 million people in Pakistan beginning in July.

The first flight, flown by Illinois Air National Guard members assigned to the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing from Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, delivered nearly 8,000 Halal meals. Halal meals are similar to the U.S. military’s packaged ready-to-eat meals and they’re prepared according to Islamic tradition.

Capt. Robert Dodson, the C-130H aircraft commander from the 182nd Airlift Wing based in Peoria, Ill., said the mission was a complete success.

“We had a quick response from the time we were notified to the time the pallets were on the airplane,” the captain said. “The whole reason why we’re here is to help others when we can and the whole crew is happy to do it.”

"We have been honored to partner with the military forces of Pakistan to bring aid and comfort for those in need," said Army Brig. Gen. Michael Nagata, deputy commander of Office of the Defense Representative to Pakistan and the deployed Task Force commander. "The support, camaraderie and spirit of cooperation and shared effort have been extraordinary."

U.S. officials stressed that while the military humanitarian effort is ending, the United States will continue financial relief. The U.S. government is providing more than $571 million to assist Pakistan with relief and recovery efforts for flood victims.

The Islamabad ceremony was a chance to thank the combined and joint task force of U.S. and Pakistani military and civilian aid agencies, who provided food, shelter and aerial evacuation for tens of thousands of Pakistanis affected by the floods.

American helicopters delivered humanitarian aid to villages cut off by the flooding of the Indus River. Choppers also rescued more than 40,000 Pakistanis during the past five months of operations. Air Force C-130s and C-17 cargo aircraft delivered bulk goods to distribution sites around the country.

U.S. aircraft delivered more than 25 million pounds of relief supplies during the operation.

When the floods struck, Army helicopters from neighboring Afghanistan were among the first international aircraft on the scene. Marine helicopters from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard the USS Peleliu replaced the Army helicopters by the end of September. Helicopters from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit joined the effort in September.

The U.S. military humanitarian effort worked closely with Pakistani military and civilian authorities to ensure the aid got where it was needed, when it was needed, Defense Department officials said. Servicemembers also worked closely with international aid organizations to transport goods and people.

Unusually heavy monsoon rains triggered the floods through the Swat River Valley -- an area that was a key battleground against the Pakistani Taliban last year. Flooding proceeded downstream, spilling out of the country's tribal areas to its more populous provinces.

The effort now shifts to recovery and reconstruction, and U.S. embassy officials promised to help in the tasks that lie ahead.

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