Department of the Army - Comptroller

“The Army in Transformation—Responsive to the Needs of the Nation”
attack, the exercise required soldiers and civilian
dock workers in the strategic port of Pusan to perform
their duties in full chemical protective gear.
In addition to exercises and its high-profile missions
in regions such as Bosnia and Kosovo, the
Army also conducts live missions in areas that
typically receive less international attention. In
FY 2000, for example, U.S. soldiers participated
in Operation Central Skies, aimed at sweeping
through Costa Rica's Talamanca Valley to eradicate
1.3 million marijuana plants. Supporting the
host nation's Special Support Police, the Army
provided command and control and air support to
get the police to the right place at the right time.
In East Timor, Indonesia, Army theater signal
communications forces provided state-of-the-art
command and control capability to the multinational
force operating there, enabling the
Australian-led force to conduct a complicated
peace-support operation. The Army also provided
civil affairs forces from the U.S. Army Reserve to
assist the multinational force in dealing with
many complex civilian issues.
U.S. Army South and the U.S. Southern Command personnel deliver
water to areas in Venezuela affected by flooding and mudslides.
(Photograph reproduced with the permission of ARMY Magazine.)
Around the world, civilians have also benefited
from the Army's readiness to respond to natural
disasters. In Venezuela, for example, the Army
recalled hundreds of soldiers and civilians from
Christmas leave for Operation Fundamental
Response. Air crews, medical specialists, logistics
experts, and communications specialists joined
Army National Guard water purification units in a
flood-relief operation that saved the lives of thousands
of Venezuelans.
Domestic Aid
In addition to its overseas operations, the Army
was called on repeatedly in FY 2000 to assist
domestic authorities in times of crisis. From
fighting fires to digging out from blizzards and
protecting life and property, the Army was there
when needed.
"[The Army] protected the community
and our natural
resources, putting 500 people on
the ground when we needed
[them] most."
—Debbie Austin
Forest Supervisor
Lolo National Forest
Missoula, Montana
The extraordinary summer wildfires, for example,
became a major natural crisis for the western
states. With more than 6 million acres already
burned and fires racing across six states, the
nation turned to the Army for help. Troops from
Soldiers of the 588th Engineer Bn., 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood,
Texas, clear a trail along the fire line on their first day of training under
the watchful eye of their firefighter trainer.
7