Military support to mitigate oil spill continues

By Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

The leak has been plugged, but military efforts along the Gulf Coast continue as part of the federal response force to clean up the oil spill.

About 1,900 Defense Department and associated personnel are deployed to the Gulf, including four Airmen from the Wisconsin Air National Guard who deployed to the area last week. Service members are providing ongoing support to contain the leak and clean up the spill, including military-owned skimmers and pollution control equipment, Pentagon spokesman Army Lt. Col. Robert L. Ditchey II said July 15.

The military also is funding National Guard support to state governors in the region, as well as staging areas for boom and logistical coordination along the coast and at sea, Ditchey said.

National Guard troops are supporting local, state and federal authorities with aviation transportation, reconnaissance, security, hazardous materials training and other assets, he said. The Guard has 15 dedicated helicopters for transportation and reconnaissance missions.

National Guardsmen are also assisting BP to take claims from Gulf residents affected by the spill, Ditchey said.

The Coast Guard has been leading the federal response there since April when the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded. The explosion resulted in hundreds of millions of gallons of oil gushing from the sea floor.

"We have been working together closely with the U.S. Coast Guard from the beginning," Ditchey said. "We are committed to supporting the response effort for as long as we are needed."