For outstanding meritorious service as NAVCENT N4/Combined Task Force FIVE NINE (CTF-59) Noncombatant Evacuation Operation, Lebanon Logistics Team for Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, N4, from July to September 2006, in support of the planning and execution of the swift evacuation of approximately 15,000 American citizens from Lebanon in both permissive and non-permissive environments.
Shortly after hostilities erupted in Lebanon on July 12 between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah, the American Ambassador to Lebanon requested U.S. military assistance to facilitate the Non-Combatant evacuation of American citizens from Lebanon.
Underpinning an unprecedented build-up of U.S. Power Projection, strategic lift, and Humanitarian Assistance forces, these logisticians provided vital operational and tactical logistics support throughout the rapid build up and deployment of 9 ships, 40 aircraft, more than 900 U.S. Joint Forces ashore on Cyprus, and 6,000 Sailors and Marines at sea in the Eastern Mediterranean.
These gifted professionals immediately tapped into their extensive logistics expertise, leveraged joint and commercial solutions, then maximized technology and organizational efficiencies to streamline logistics support of this operation. Within twenty-four hours, members of the team deployed to Akrotiri, Cyprus, to stand-up a Forward Logistics Support Site, where they established on-the-ground contingency contracting procedures and prepared the foundation for the follow-on movement of sustainment packages.
Overnight, in the aftermath of increasing tension ashore, their duties increased exponentially as they planned, coordinated and executed distributed sea, air and land logistics operations simultaneously across geographic combatant command boundaries.
In addition, they developed and populated a website for all stakeholders to have access to timely and accurate transportation and movement information. Providing round-the-clock visibility of critical logistics data elements allowed this staff the freedom to focus on essential NEO logistics execution and planning rather than wasting valuable time providing routine information to multiple sources and answering queries. This innovative and resource-saving step is a model for future contingency efforts to emulate.
The team immediately developed and sourced a significant portion of the humanitarian assistance and transportation requirements with the Coalition Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC) C4. This joint solution drove the expeditious, in-theater release of humanitarian assistance items and health and comfort items to the evacuees with forty-eight hours of notification.
NAVCENT N4 established a singly spokesperson to communicate directly with the CENTCOM Deployment Distribution Operations Center (CDDOC) in order to control all aspects of intra-theater transportation and to set and synchronize priorities for the evacuation effort.
The team’s tenacity, experience and organizational skills resulted in the rapid and safe movement of nearly 15,000 evacuees and over 314,000 pounds of humanitarian support items.
The NAVCENT N4/Combined Task Force FIVE NINE (CTF-59) Noncombatant Evacuation Operation, Lebanon Logistics Team responded flawlessly to the NEO execution order to evacuate the American citizens and deserve high praise for their dedication.
Consistently displaying exceptional initiative, interoperability, and cooperation while supporting U.S. military forces, these logisticians flawlessly served as the center of gravity and ‘life blood’ for Joint Forces operating from Cyprus and Lebanon.
The team’s distinctive performance characterized by access, speed, agility and adaptability reflects credit upon themselves, their command, and the United States Department of Defense.