Despite an overwhelming number of deployments, a surge, and an over-taxed force, the US is still sending 3,500+ troops to Haiti. Again.
The United States will send up to 3,500 soldiers to Haiti from the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division to assist with disaster relief and security, a U.S. Army official on Thursday.
Major Brian Fickel told Reuters that the first company of 100 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne were scheduled to arrive in Haiti by the end of Thursday and would begin preparing for the arrival of the larger force.
"The first 100 will be leaving in the next few hours," Fickel said.
"They'll get on the ground and they'll receive the rest of the troops coming in and make contact with an assessment team already there."
He said about 600 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne would be in Haiti by Friday.
Separately, the Pentagon is also sending an aircraft carrier and three amphibious ships, including one that can carry up to 2,000 Marines.
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By: Brant
Yippee! We wouldn't want to let actual warfighting, or letting the troops catch a breath from 8+ years of near-continuous deployments, get in the way of another meals-on-wheels mission, would we?
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