SAN ANTONIO – U.S. Army North has requested an additional 800 units to provide defense support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency amid the COVID-19 pandemic, military officials said Saturday.
Officials said the units will provide medical, planning, communication, transportation and logistics support and will not directly participate in civilian law enforcement activities.
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“At the direction of U.S Northern Command, and as the COVID-19 response mission expands, U.S. Army North has requested additional units deploy to provide defense support of civil authorities,” officials said in a news release. “These additional mobilizations will further enable the Department of Defense to rapidly employ military capabilities to support our whole-of-nation response.”
The reservists from Joint Base San Antonio will join reservists from bases in other cities across the U.S.
“I have requested this additional deployment to further expand the use of our military capabilities, in support of FEMA, to the communities which need us most.” said Lt. Gen. Laura Richardson, who leads U.S. Army North.
Read more in the news release below: