Special Forces parachuted over St. Lawrence Island on the eve of the storm
Late on Saturday, September 10, an Alaska Army National Guard UH60 Blackhawk helicopter and a CH47 Chinook helicopter landed in Nome. With a maximum carrying capacity of over 75 people, the two helicopters were bringing a team of Special Operations Forces to practice as part of an exercise run by the North American Aerospace Defense Command, NORAD. The exercise, called Operation Noble Defender, was announced on September 6. Special Operations Command North flew on Alaska National Guard Blackhawk helicopters in May from Nome to St. Lawrence Island to explain and ask permission for the exercise. Just days before ex-typhoon Merbok hit the region, the Special Forces parachuted onto St. Lawrence Island in the shape of the Big Dipper.
“The whole town came to see. It was exciting for the kids,” said Native Village of Savoonga President Ben Pungowiyi.
Major Daisy Bueno, of Special Operations Command North, out of Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado,
visited Nome, Gambell and Savoonga. Combined, she said, “we are less than 60 people total here,” which includes planners, communications, and logistics in Nome, as well as Navy SEALs and their parachute riggers, medical teams and communications.
Prior to the storm, Director of Communications for the Alaska National Guard Alan Brown had explained that the National Guard was involved to provide “support for a naval special warfare unit training on St. Lawrence Island.” Naval Special Warfare is the name of the command which houses the Navy SEALs. “Our aircraft and crews will provide transportation on and off the island and assist the unit with some of their training objectives. While on the island depending on the weather, both units plan to conduct joint search and rescue training and practice hoist techniques with our medevac crew.”
Asked about that weather as the storm approached, Brown wrote in an email that “generally speaking, if there are sustained winds of 45 mph or more, it’s very unlikely our helicopter crews will be able to safely fly. The Alaska National Guard will be in regular contact with the State Emergency Operations Center and the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center as this storm pushes through.” And then the storm hit.
The National Guard is regularly called into assist in emergency situations, and this was no exception. Since the disaster declaration on September 17, 164 members of the Alaska National Guard, Alaska State Defense Force and Alaska Naval Militia have been activated. The same Chinook helicopter that was flying SEALs back and forth to St. Lawrence Island was used to shuttle members of the Congressional Delegation and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell to and from villages to survey damages.
According to Brown, as of Monday, “since arriving Thursday, Sept. 22 the Golovin team of 12 service members has logged nearly 300 work hours and removed more than 60,000 pounds of debris to include cleaning out the post office and assisting with muck out and debris removal in 18 homes. More than 50,000 pounds of that debris was removed by a certified heavy equipment operator with our team using one of the community’s front-end loaders. The team was also able to help troubleshoot the washeteria’s dryer to get it working again.”
The Guard normally gets deployed after the State Emergency Operations Center requests their presence or the Governor gives the directive to do so. The U.S. Coast Guard was making overflights at the same time as the National Guard was being authorized, as they have a different activation mechanism after a potential disaster. Special Forces have another different way to be called into action in these situations.
“Special Operations Forces are not typically activated for disaster response, however the U.S. military has an extensive capability to provide Defense Support to Civil Authorities after natural disasters. If not officially tasked, Special Operations Forces cannot use DoD equipment or resources to assist, but many SOF operators volunteer and provide assistance as members of the local community. Many of our SOF operators have volunteered to assist with the clean-up in Nome.” Bueno wrote.
On St. Lawrence Island, the assistance was going in both ways. During the storm, the camp that the SEALs had created at North East Cape was damaged, and they sought shelter nearby. Raynard Toolie confirmed that they had stayed in his cabin, saying “I’m glad they are OK and survived the storm in my cabin.”
In the July Nome Port Commission meeting, Harbormaster Lucas Stotts said that the U.S. Navy was interested in renting portions of the Garco building for exercises between Nome and St. Lawrence Island in late September/early October. “We are not using the Garco building during the training nor have boats here in Nome,” Bueno wrote. This could mean that another exercise is to take place soon, but several attempts to reach the right part of the Navy did not return an answer.