NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — More soldiers from Hampton Roads are headed to the coast of the Gaza Strip.
Approximately 100 men and women from the 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary) left Joint Base Langley-Eustis on Tuesday morning as part of the effort to deliver aid to Gazans.
"They can provide sustainment support over the water," said Brigadier General Brad Hinson. "They are trained to do this."
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It's the second round of soldiers leaving JBLE on this mission. They will help construct a temporary floating pier which will provide humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Private First Class Luke Johnson said months of training had prepared him for his role in the mission.
"I will be moving the supplies onto the forklifts. I’m also responsible for making sure the deck is clear and safe," he explained.
Four Army watercraft systems departed the pier on Tuesday. Hinson said a total of 500 people will deploy for this mission.
"Once we get fully mission-capable, we will be able to push up to two million meals or two million bottles of water ashore each day," Hinson stated.
The brigadier general said it is expected to take about 30 days for the soldiers to reach Gaza and will take roughly 60 days to construct the floating pier.
Base officials said the first group of soldiers left 36 hours after President Joe Biden announced the plan to assist Gaza in his State of the Union Address. Other vessels are expected to deploy at a later time.
Right now, there's no timeline for when the troops will return home.