Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Wednesday authorized the mobilization of as many as 1,000 soldiers to assist with recovery efforts in the aftermath of the storm, which has been responsible for more than 170 deaths as hundreds more remain missing throughout the Southeast.
The troops will be stationed at Fort Liberty, N.C., and will help bring food, water and aid to affected communities in response to a request for assistance made by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The service members will be deployed by Thursday morning and will provide the extra personnel and logistics needed to help victims in areas hit the hardest by Helene and its torrential, flooding rains.
The soldiers will assist FEMA relief efforts, which include using other service members to help hard-hit communities recover from the extensive storm damage.
"These soldiers are part of an Infantry Battalion Task Force, formed from the XVIII Airborne Corps, to include members of the 82nd Airborne and other units stationed at Fort Liberty," Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Wednesday in a Department of Defense news release.
"These soldiers will provide additional manpower and logistics capabilities, enabling FEMA and other inter-agency partners to reach the hardest hit areas as quickly as possible," Ryder said.
"Their mission will include delivering support and commodities to impacted and isolated communities, assisting with supply point logistics at commodity staging locations and removing debris from affected routes."
President Joe Biden is traveling to North Carolina and South Carolina on Wednesday to conduct aerial tours of devastated areas, receive operations briefings and meet with first responders and local officials.
More than 4,800 federal workers are deployed and supporting state-led efforts to recover from the hurricane and help with search and rescue efforts being done by up to 1,250 personnel.
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has declared public health emergencies for South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida and Georgia.
The declaration enables the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to better assist with the emergency healthcare needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
The Biden administration said crews are "working around the clock" to restore power, communications capabilities and road access in affected communities.
Vice President Kamala Harris has scheduled visits to Georgia and North Carolina starting Wednesday.
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