Blog Posts tagged with "Israel"

There are often times where you see headlines of stories but they don’t explain some of the behind the scenes work that goes on with major events. I wanted to share some of the efforts that occurred at U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and specifically the Logistics Directorate that explains our support to Israel during their recent wildfire disaster. I think it serves as a great example of our commitment to our partner nations.

The Mount Carmel region of Israel was being ravaged by wildfires creating the greatest natural disaster in the country’s history. The US Ambassador to Israel declared a disaster and on Dec. 2 the President gave verbal authorization for the United States to provide support to the Government of Israel (GoI). Headquarters, US European Command (EUCOM) assembled an operational planning team (OPT) early the next day. The OPT considered options for support ranging from firefighting equipment to humanitarian assistance to evacuees.

Airmen at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, load pallets of firefighting equipment onto a C-130 at bound for Israel Dec. 4. EUCOM routinely provides foreign humanitarian assistance in times of crises. (Photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Rob Hazelett)

The OPT, through discussions with the Israeli Defense Attaché’s office, determined the best way to support the GoI was to provide aerial dispersed firefighting foam. The EUCOM Logistics Directorate, (ECJ4) immediately began researching availability of firefighting foam within the EUCOM area of responsibility (AOR). A query of EUCOM components quickly found foam available in Naples, Italy. Unfortunately, they type of foam identified did not meet GoI’s needs.

The ECJ4 Joint Logistics Operations Center (JLOC) cast a wider net to identify stocks of firefighting foam from other US agencies and commercial sources. The JLOC contacted the Fire Protection office at Installation Management Command-Europe (IMCOM-E) and the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) for assistance. IMCOM-E was able to provide a commercial source in Hamburg and DLA identified stocks in their warehouse in Germersheim, Germany. Now that stocks were identified, it was a matter of purchasing and transporting the foam to Israel.

The EUCOM commander, Admiral James Stavridis, looked for ways to help Israel as the fires had already claimed more than 40 lives and consumed thousands of acres. There is authority under Executive Order 12966 to provide disaster assistance “in emergency situations in order to save human lives, where there is not sufficient time to seek the prior initial concurrence of the Secretary of State.” Clearly meeting these criteria, the EUCOM commander directed the immediate transfer of firefighting foam to the GoI.

The time between the Commander in Chief giving his verbal order to the first shipment departing for Israel was less than 36 hours. This shipment was the first US Government cargo to arrive supporting the Israel firefighting effort. SECDEF authorization was granted for continued support and the JLOC coordinated and synchronized movement of more than 60 short tons of fire fighting foam to Israel. United States Air Forces Europe purchased and moved the foam on 5 C-130 cargo aircraft missions over a 3-day period.

Through a whole of government approach the JLOC employed reached beyond normal EUCOM supply sources to procure the required products. The JLOC coordinated with EUCOM staff, USAID, Joint Staff, DLA, IMCOM-E, commercial sources, ANG, AFRC, and GoI. EUCOM’s forward location allowed rapid assimilation of information enabling EUCOM to provide the right product, in the right quantity, to the right place, at the right time.

Maj. Collin S. Gilbert, US Air Force
EUCOM J4/Joint Logistics Operations Center (JLOC)