Kevin Robinson

Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal

PENSACOLA, Fla. — As hundreds of thousands of Floridians trek north to escape Hurricane Irma, tens of thousands of military personnel are heading south to prepare for rescue and recovery efforts.

Army Lt. Col. Jamie Davis, a spokesman for the Pentagon, said Friday afternoon it was too early yet to know where and how much support Florida would need in the wake of the historic storm, but he said Department of Defense assets would be "very ready and willing to assist if called upon."

The Department of Defense reported it has identified several possible bases to serve as staging areas for post-Irma support operations on the East Coast — including Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.; Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.; Fort A.P. Hill, Va.; Moody Air Force Base, Ga.; Fort Bragg, N.C.; and Robins Air Force Base, Ga.

“Right now, majority of this is preparation,” Davis said. “We’re identifying where bases are and ideal possible bases, but until things actually shift we can’t actually respond.”

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On Friday afternoon, Hurricane Irma was still trekking west-northwest between Cuba and the Bahamas. Though Irma's path is still subject to change, forecasts currently show the hurricane making landfall as a Category 4 storm Sunday morning on the southern tip of the Florida peninsula. From there, current models have Irma lumbering northwest through the center of the Florida peninsula and into Alabama, Georgia and beyond.

In advance of the hurricane, Florida Gov. Rick Scott activated the entirety of the Florida Army and Air National Guard — some 7,000 guard members — to support with planning, logistics and support. The governor advised that 1,000 high water vehicles, 13 helicopters, 17 boats and more than 700 generators were on standby.

The Illinois National Guard assisted Florida with the air transport of prepackaged "Meals Ready to Eat" rations, and the New Jersey National Guard prepared 130 soldiers and more than 50 vehicles to provide transportation assets for movement of troops, supplies and equipment to aid during Hurricane Irma operations.

Elsewhere, the National Guard reported about 120 troops were assisting in Puerto Rico, and about 140 troops from Kentucky and New York were assisting in the Virgin Islands. The support assets include two UH-60 Black Hawks equipped for medical evacuations.

All told, the National Guard Bureau has identified approximately 30,000 troops, 4,000 trucks, 100 helicopters and air evacuation crews that are standing by for Hurricane Irma support.

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Additionally, U.S. Northern Command deployed three vessels — the USS Wasp and USS Kearsarge amphibious assault ships and the USS Oak Hill dock landing ship — to the U.S Virgin Islands with 20 medium- and heavy-lift Marine Corps and Navy helicopters to aid in transporting people and supplies.

The fleet brings a host of capabilities, such as medical support, maritime security, logistical support, assessment tools, security and water purification systems.

Rep. Stacey Plaskett, the Virgin Islands' delegate to Congress, told USA TODAY the hurricane had "devastated" and ripped the roof off the only hospital on St. Thomas, shutdown the islands' 911 system and crippled roads and airports.

In the Southeastern U.S., various military organization are moving people and equipment into place in case Irma brings similar conditions to the continental U.S.

The military is sending 65 Army helicopters and two Navy surveillance planes to Pensacola Naval Air Station, and the U.S Coast Guard has a "flood punt team" stationed in Mobile, Ala., to assist with operations in shallow flood areas.

Still, not all military personnel are moving toward the storm.

On Wednesday, Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar, commander of Navy Region Southeast, directed the evacuation of non-essential personnel and family members from Naval Air Station Key West,, noting in a statement, "Their safety and security is a top priority."

Approximately 50 to 60 personnel are remaining behind to maintain essential functions on the installation.