Dual-Status Commander Role Paying Off in North Carolina Storm Relief

Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida and caused devastation across the southeastern United States, National Guard and active duty troops in North Carolina are working as one team under a dual-status commander to bring relief to citizens of the state.

"Today, the citizens of North Carolina have a joint task force that's made up of over 3,300, both active duty and National Guard military forces," said Army Brig. Gen. Charles Morrison, the dual-status commander of both Title 10 and Title 32 troops in North Carolina.

During a briefing this morning at the airport in Asheville, North Carolina, Morrison said the military presence on the ground includes 918 vehicles and over 41 aircraft. The military presence includes not just Guard personnel from the North Carolina National Guard, but Guard personnel from other states and active duty personnel as well.

"Just yesterday, we received two more engineering task forces from both Michigan and Virginia to add that critical need here to our relief efforts," he said.

The general spoke highly of the partnership with active duty forces, under his own command as a dual-status commander.

"The active Army integration ... has been seamless," he said. "Early communication between senior leaders allowed us to make sure that these active duty forces were equipped properly for the mission at hand. ... Task Force Castle, which came right out of Fort Liberty here in North Carolina, arrived in Marion, North Carolina, and with probably three or four hours of sleep, was conducting missions."

Now, he said, that task force is on its third day in North Carolina, conducting route clearance missions and delivering commodities to citizens in need.

A dual-status commander commands both active duty or "Title 10" forces, and National Guard forces who are under state control, or "Title 32" status. Right now, Morrison is commanding both in his state as part of the relief mission there.

In North Carolina, Morrison said, "you have soldiers, both National Guard and active duty alike, helping organize the massive amount of donations from generous people from all across this nation," he said. "And at the same time providing relief as we continue to push humanitarian assistance relief."

Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot, commander of United States Northern Command, said the dual-status leadership role in North Carolina provides the right kind of leadership to get aid and troops where needed most.

"As the commander of [Northcom] we're honored to support the state, FEMA and the dual-status commander, Brig. Gen. [Charles] Morrison, by providing active duty forces in a number of areas that can fall under his command and control, using the dual-status commander role ... which allows him, uniquely, to command and control both state and federal forces at the same time," he said. "That will bring the citizens of North Carolina a unity of effort and response, where we can provide the types of capabilities that are needed, that will fall side-by-side with the North Carolina National Guard troops under his able and forward-thinking leadership."

Guillot said the active duty 18th Airborne Corps, based out of Fort Liberty, is providing the majority of the 1,500-person Title 10 response in North Carolina. He also said there are Navy helicopters supporting FEMA and aircraft from Tennessee conducting search and rescue missions in western North Carolina, providing basic medical care and wellness checks throughout the region.