Guardians,
As a follow on to the ALL HANDS email (/EarthquakeResponse.pdf) we released yesterday, here is an update of the Coast Guard assets involved in the Haitian relief efforts. As of 20 January, these assets were supporting the Homeland Security Task Force - South East (HSTF-SE) which is being led by RADM Branham. Not all of these assets are in the immediate vicinity of Haiti but they are supporting the broader federal government effort to provide humanitarian assistance to those impacted by this terrible tragedy.
AIRSTA Clearwater (their units provided the first overhead damage assessments and MEDEVACs)
AIRSTA Miami
OPBAT
AIRSTA Elizabeth City
HITRON Jacksonville
ATC Mobile
AIRSTA Detroit
AIRSTA Sacramento
AIRSTA Barbers Point
CGC TAHOMA
CGC FORWARD
CGC MOHAWK
CGC VALIANT
CGC OAK
CGC LEGARE
CGC ALERT
CGC THETIS
CGC BEAR
CGC DEPENDABLE
CGC VIGOROUS
CGC HAMILTON
There are thousands of active duty and civilian support personnel working very hard behind the scenes to ensure these operational assets have the resources they need to execute the mission. We are also activating Coast Guard reservists from several different units. Further, I know many units are backfilling for those assets deployed to the HSTF-SE and the Auxiliary is contributing in their local areas as well. This has been a total team effort and I am incredibly proud of our Guardians.
Your actions have been noted by every level of the federal government including Lieutenant General Ken Keen, the Commander of Joint Task Force Haiti.
As of early 20 January, our Coast Guard team has evacuated 737 American citizens, medically evacuated 77 injured personnel, and delivered 558 first responders. All of these numbers are expected to increase. For more information and photos of our Guardians in action, please visit http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/.
