DLA Distribution Expeditionary deploys in support of Hurricane Helene relief efforts

The Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Expeditionary team deployed in support of a Federal Emergency Management Agency mission to establish a forward Incident Support Base at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, following Hurricane Helene to receive, track and ship lifesaving commodities to aid those impacted by the storm's destruction.

The Category 4 storm made landfall Sept. 26 in Florida, bringing isolated tornadoes and hurricane-force wind gusts exceeding 80 mph. The storm caused extensive damage in Georgia, South Carolina, western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee as it traveled through the Southeast.

DLA Distribution Expeditionary, conducts distribution activities during a deployment in response to natural disaster recovery or in providing logistical and operational support during contingency operations. Multiple training academies are conducted throughout the year ahead of hurricane season to prepare the team to deploy in response to a natural disaster recovery.

"The DLA Expeditionary Academy provides training to assigned DLA Distribution Expeditionary civilians and service members, to include members of the DLA joint reserve forces that support DLA Distribution's contingency missions, and includes the areas of distribution center support, whole of government mission support, and overseas contingency operations," said Army Lt. Col. Kimberly Ellenburg, commander, DLA Distribution Expeditionary. "Specific training also includes FEMA Incident Support Base operations that are designed to replicate the core commodity management functions that DLA will perform when operating at a FEMA ISB location under a FEMA Mission Assignment during a hurricane, other humanitarian assistance or disaster response event."

Within 24 hours of the hurricane passing through the area, members of the DLA Distribution Expeditionary, advanced team arrived at Fort Campbell and began coordinating with the garrison personnel to establish the ISB. To date, the 34-member DLA Distribution Expeditionary team processed over 80 trailers of supplies on site, containing over 417,000 cases of MREs, more than 40,000 cases of water and other commodities.

Additional equipment supplied from DLA Distribution Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, arrived on site between Oct. 1-2 including a maintenance truck, RTVs and yard jockeys.

"DLA Distribution Expeditionary is a prime example of our agility and ability to provide adaptive logistics support to our whole of government partners," said Navy Rear Adm. Michael York, commander, DLA Distribution. "Our support of this disaster response mission not only aids those impacted by Hurricane Helene but is a demonstration of the critical readiness that DLA delivers as the nation's logistics combat support agency."

The DLA Distribution Expeditionary, team will remain on site and continue to support the FEMA Mission Assignment as directed.

"DLA Distribution is actively prepared to support a contingency mission or FEMA Mission Assignment whenever activated," Ellenburg said. "We constantly prepare DLA Distribution Expeditionary and joint reserve force participants to experience distribution operations in an austere environment."