82nd Airborne Winds Down Haiti Relief Ops

Among the first assistance to arrive at the airport in Port-au-Prince Haiti after the earthquake on January 12, 2010, were the troops of the 2nd BCT of the fabled 82nd Airborne. Tasked as the Army's Global Reaction Force just a few weeks previously, the paratroopers of the 82nd went right to work.

The troops found a nation in chaos on their arrival. The Haitian government and police has suffered losses in both personnel and infrastructure, and the United Nations peacekeeping force, MINUSTAH, has lost its headquarters and many soldiers. The security situation in Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince was dire.

Moving quickly, the paras did what they were sent to do. They established security, set up relief stations and began stability operations. One of the units secured a golf course, formerly the playground of the rich and famous, and established a relief center to provide food, water and medical care for the tens of thousands of displaced Haitians in the vicinity.

The U.S. Air Force had secured the airport on the 13^th, enabling the 82^nd to land in planes. If necessary, however, they were fully prepared to execute an airborne landing. Much of their equipment would follow them in the coming days, by barge from Jacksonville, Florida. By January 24, 3,100 troops were in Haiti, including many volunteer Haitian-American augmentees from throughout the Army who were acting as interpreters.

Col. Tim McAteer is currently commander of the 2^nd BCT of the 82^nd Airborne. He spoke with me and other reporters recently to discuss the latest news from his forces in Haiti.

The majority of the BCT is now back in the United States. The security situation is stable and Col. McAteer reports he has about "900 paratroopers left, and they are built around Taskforce 2nd of the 325, augmented with an additional MP company, additional engineer assets. They've got tactical PSYOP teams, civil affairs teams and a few extra interpreters."

Among the highlights of the mission that the Colonel spoke about was a rubble clearing project that his engineers put together with an Italian Army engineering unit and a Haitian government heavy equipment operation. Rubble was obstructing roads, and blocking drainage, creating a series of problems and potential problems. The Italians brought heavy equipment and the Haitians hauled the rubble away. Airborne engineers operated smaller earth moving machinery and worked with the Italians in identifying needs.

He was also very upbeat about the way his troops and the people from the various non-governmental agencies interacted. His description: "We're from two different tribes". But the paratroopers worked hand-in-hand with the NGOs and broke down some preconceived notions about the military.

Col. McAteer told us that around 55 to 60 percent of the brigade have had at least one rotation into Iraq or Afghanistan. He said that they brought back with them the tactics, techniques, procedures that are used in counterinsurgency and those are very applicable in a humanitarian-assistance type operations.

The 82nd's mission in Haiti will be over by the end of March. It provided the Haitians and the MINUSTAH forces with the time that they needed to recover and adapt, and resume their roles as security providers.