Alaska National Guardsmen delivered nearly 14,000 pounds of frozen meat, including beef, chicken, and pork, to Toksook Bay, Alaska, to support residents recovering from losses caused by Typhoon Merbok in September 2022. The storm and subsequent power outages had spoiled essential food supplies.
In collaboration with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the rural Alaska community action program, and the Nunakauyarmiut Tribe, funding was secured to facilitate the recovery effort, resulting in the substantial meat delivery.
This operation was part of the Defense Department’s innovative readiness training program, which pairs military units with U.S. communities in need, allowing them to provide critical services while gaining real-world training. The Alaska Air National Guard transported the meat via an HC-130J Combat King II from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson to Bethel, Alaska. These aircraft are also regularly used for civil search and rescue missions across the state.
Army Maj. James Goddard, program manager for the innovative readiness training initiative, emphasized the unique capability of the Alaska National Guard to handle such missions due to their access to fixed-wing and rotary aircraft for rapid response.
This mission is one of many successful initiatives under the program, which has also delivered medical care, construction support, cybersecurity assistance, and transportation services to communities across Alaska.
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