The Department of Defense continues to monitor Hurricane Matthew closely in order to assess impacts on our installations and our personnel and to be prepared to provide assistance if needed.

Secretary Carter met earlier today with senior military leaders, including National Guard Bureau Chief Gen. Joseph Lengyel and U.S. Northern Command Commander Gen. Lori Robinson, to receive an update on DoD preparations for the storm.

As Hurricane Matthews continues, we will provide a daily update with the most relevant changes.

ARMY

Hunter Army Airfield continues mandatory evacuation.

Fort Stewart will release all non-mission essential personnel.

Fort Gordon is standing by to shelter Fort Stewart personnel if requested.

Army Support to JTF Matthew

·      4 UH-60s, 3 CH-47s

·      46 Army Aviation personnel

·      10 Medical personnel

Point of contact for additional information about the Army:  Office of the Chief of Public Affairs duty officer 703-220-9044

NAVY

All coastal bases in the Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina areas are in mission essential personnel status beginning Oct. 6. Evacuation orders given for coastal regions within 200 miles.

USS Mesa Verde with 300 Marines on board has received orders to support SOUTHCOM with humanitarian efforts in Haiti.

Vessels have been moved to safe berths in the Mayport basin and other areas.

Guantanamo Bay is returning to normal operations. Plans being developed to return evacuated spouses and children from Pensacola, Florida.

Point of Contact for additional information about the Navy:  Navy Chief of Information duty officer 703-850-1047

AIR FORCE

Aircraft/Personnel Relocations

Moody Air Force Base relocated 28 A-10s to Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, and three HC-130s to Keesler, Air Force Base, Mississippi.

Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida relocated 13 F-26s to Carswell Joint Reserve Base, Texas.

Jacksonville, Florida (Air National Guard unit) relocated 21 F-15s to Georgia, Louisiana, and Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

Savannah, Georgia relocated eight C-130s to Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia.

Patrick Air Force Base relocated four C-130s and three HH-60s.

Charleston Air Force Base evacuated 29 aircraft on Oc.t 6 to refuge bases including Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Barksdale Air Force Base and Campbell Army Airfield, Kentucky to continue missions from there. Sections of the base began closing Oct. 6 and personnel were evacuated from the zoned areas given by the state of South Carolina.

Joint Base Langley-Eustis evacuated 44 F-22 Raptor and T-38 Talon aircraft, along with 100 support personnel, to Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Ohio.

Seymour Johnson evacuated 45 F-15s and six KC-135s to Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.

Shaw evacuated 48 F-16s to Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.

Base Closures

Patrick Air Force Base closed

Response Operations

Moody Air Force Base has been tasked to provide HH-60 and CH-47s to support relief operations.

The 621st Contingency Response Wing deployed a 34-member team this morning from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, whose specialties include command and control, airfield assessment, aerial port, aircraft maintenance, contracting, and security forces to Port Au Prince International Airport, Haiti.

Point of Contact for additional information about the Air Force: Media Desk 703-695-0640

MARINES

Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort authorized the evacuation of non-essential personnel; MAG-31 aircraft hangared w/ limited number executing fly-away.

Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) Parris Island authorized the evacuation of non-essential military personnel, non-essential civilian employees and their families residing in the local area.

Approximately 6,000 recruits in training evacuated from MCRD Parris Island to Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany.

Point of Contact for additional information about the Marines:  Contact USMC Public Affairs, OnTheRecord@usmc.mil

NATIONAL GUARD

More than 6,000 National Guard men and women are in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina aiding their communities by providing the following function: search and rescue, security, infrastructure assessment, communications support, restoration of life support, route clearance, and shelter support. 

The National Guard trains year-round to ensure they are ready to protect and assist citizens during disasters and emergencies.

South Carolina has requested Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) support from Tennessee, Louisiana, and Texas.

South Carolina and Florida have identified dual status commanders. Both have been approved by the secretary of defense. 

Points of contact for additional information about the National Guard:

National Guard Bureau                                               703-627-7273    ngbpa.oncall@mail.mil

Florida National Guard Public Affairs                        904-823-0164

Georgia National Guard Public Affairs                       678-569-3957

South Carolina National Guard Public Affairs           803-299-4327                        

North Carolina National Guard Public Affairs           984-664-6244

Virginia National Guard Public Affairs                       804-236-7892   ngva.pao@mail.mil                                                                           

NORTHERN COMMAND

Four facilities have been identified as FEMA ISB/FSAs (Installation Support Base).  These areas will provide marshaling area / hardstand areas, trucks, trailers, other equipment and personnel. 

- North Auxiliary Field, north of Charleston, South Carolina

- Albany Marine Corps Logistics base, Georgia

- Ft Bragg, North Carolina

- Fort AP Hill, Virginia

NORTHCOM's representative is in Nassau, Bahamas to support their request for U.S. assistance.

Point of Contact for additional information about Northern Command:  Public Affairs Main Line 719-554-6889 

SOUTHERN COMMAND

Secretary Carter approved $11 million of overseas humanitarian, disaster, and civic aid funds for SOUTHCOM to support missions such as:

            - transportation support in the Caribbean

            - conducting airfield and port assessments

            - providing airfield operations support

Joint Task Force Matthew, led by Rear Adm. Cedric Pringle, was established to oversee U.S. military relief efforts in Haiti. The team arrived at Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Oct. 5.with approximately 250 Marines and nine helicopters.  The helicopters are scheduled to begin flight operations in support of USAID-led relief operations later today.

A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon is also scheduled today to conduct aerial assessments of areas in Haiti impacted by the storm to support disaster assessment experts on the ground.

The U.S. Army has provided the 581^st ASMC Health Response Team, from Fort Hood, Texas.

Point of Contact for additional information about SOUTHCOM:  U.S Southern Command,

Public Affairs Office, Jose Ruiz, 786-239-1996