Special to IFN

RALEIGH — President Biden on Wednesday approved Gov. Roy Cooper’s request for active-duty military personnel and equipment to support ongoing rescue, relief and recovery operations in Western North Carolina.

The governor previously requested Department of Defense aviation resources which were approved to surge personnel and equipment to Western North Carolina communities as state, federal and local partners work together to effectively use all resources.

The active-duty military personnel are in addition to more than 1,000 N.C. National Guard soldiers currently deployed who are surging food, water, supplies and conducting search and rescue operations. The N.C. National Guard has already performed more than 1,400 rescues and delivered more than 700,000 pounds of supplies.

“We are bolstering our massive relief and rescue effort in communities impacted by Hurricane Helene, and I am grateful for President Biden’s approval of our requests,” said Cooper said. “The North Carolina National Guard is already on the ground working with federal, state, non-profit and local emergency responders around the clock to save lives, deliver critical supplies, and restore communications and utilities.”

President Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III have authorized the movement of up to 1,000 active-duty military personnel to support the delivery of food, water and other critical aid to communities impacted by Hurricane Helene.

The active-duty soldiers are part of an Infantry Battalion Task Force, formed from the XVII Airborne Corps to include members of the 82nd Airborne and other units stationed at Fort Liberty, N.C. The task force includes a Forward Support Company with the necessary support structures (fuel, water, mechanics, etc.) to support stabilizing critical lifelines and essential services for communities in North Carolina. Soldiers are assembling and moving to the affected areas within the next 24 hours.