Latest news with #OperationNeptuneSolace
American Military News
08-05-2025
- Politics
- American Military News
1 US service member killed, 62 injured in Biden's Gaza pier failure
A new Defense Department Office of Inspector General report shows that former President Joe Biden's failed Gaza pier mission resulted in the death of one U.S. service member and left 62 other service members injured. The report also showed that the failed Gaza pier mission caused at least $31 million in military equipment damage. According to the Defense Department Office of Inspector General's report, U.S. Central Command reported 62 injuries as part of the Biden administration's humanitarian aid Gaza pier mission, which was labeled 'Operation Neptune Solace.' The report indicated that it was not clear whether the 62 injuries occurred 'during the performance of duties or resulted off duty or from pre-existing medical conditions.' The Pentagon watchdog's report claimed that the U.S. Army and Navy were not properly prepared for the Biden administration's Gaza pier mission and faced 'low equipment mission-capable rates and low manning and training levels.' 'The Army and Navy did not allocate sufficient maintenance, manning, [or] training,' the report stated. The Pentagon watchdog also claimed that the Army and Navy 'did not organize, train, and equip to a common joint standard' for the Gaza pier operation. READ MORE: Pics: US soldier dies from failed Gaza pier injury The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General determined that the Gaza pier mission resulted in 27 watercraft and other military equipment sustaining damage that cost the U.S. military roughly $31 million to repair. 'Army- and Navy-specific equipment, including watercraft, piers, and causeways, as well as command, control, and communications systems was not interoperable,' the report stated. Following the release of the Defense Department Office of Inspector General's report, CNN commentator Scott Jennings tweeted, 'One of the biggest Biden embarrassments – the half baked Gaza Aid Pier. $230 million. 20 days in use. And now we find out it injured 60+ US soldiers. One soldier died! All to placate terrorists & their sympathizers in the Democratic Party. Insane scandal.' The Defense Department Office of Inspector General warned that the Pentagon faces 'potential challenges in global operations' that require Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) capability. The report noted, 'Insufficient manning, training, and materiel readiness at the Military Service level, coupled with the lack of integration and the interoperability of JLOTS capability and capacity at the Joint level, reduced the DoD's effectiveness by repeatedly encountering known challenges and inefficiencies in JLOTS operations and exercises, including Operation Neptune Solace in Gaza.'
Gulf Insider
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Biden's Floating Pier Debacle In Gaza Was Even Worse Than We Thought; IG Report
Joe Biden's floating aid pier in Gaza, which was only operational for 20 days in the summer of 2024, was a much bigger failure than initially reported, according to new Pentagon Inspector General report. The ill-fated pier system, dubbed 'Operation Neptune Solace' and operated by an Army and Navy outfit known as Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS), took about 1,000 U.S. forces to execute at a cost of $230 million. More than 60 service members were injured and one died during non-combat duties on the mission, according to the Pentagon IG, although the manner of the injuries was not clear. 'Based on the information provided, we were not able to determine which of these 62 injuries occurred during the performance of duties or resulted off duty or from pre-existing medical conditions,' the report said. Army Sgt. Quandarius Stanley was 'critically injured in May when high winds and heavy seas damaged the pier, causing four Army vessels to become beached,' The Air Force Times reported. Stanley died from the injuries he sustained months later. The Navy reported damage to 27 boats and (Improved Navy Lighterage System) INLS equipment totaling about $31 million, according to the Times. The Army's damage assessment is redacted. Plagued by bad weather, the 1,200-foot-long floating pier reportedly had to be removed multiple times due to high winds and sea. The Pentagon IG found that mission planners failed to identify such environmental factors, and that Army and Navy equipment malfunctioned because it was 'not interoperable.' Lack of training and resources also reportedly hindered the operation's success. The Inspector General said that the U.S. military under Biden failed to 'organize, train, and equip their forces to meet common joint standards.' The pier debacle became a major embarrassment to the Biden administration, with congressional Republicans branding it a political stunt to placate the Democrats' pro-Hamas base during an election year.
Sky News AU
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Joe Biden Gaza pier fiasco left 62 US forces injured, one dead and caused $48 million in damages: report
Former President Joe Biden's failed floating Gaza pier plan left 62 US personnel injured, one service member dead and caused at least $31 million (AUD$48 million) in damage to military equipment, according to a scathing Pentagon watchdog report that found the Army and Navy failed to properly plan, train for, prepare for and coordinate the mission. The project, which Biden announced during his 2024 State of the Union address amid mounting protests on the left over Israel's war against Hamas, sought to deliver humanitarian aid to the terrorist-controlled enclave — but ultimately was functional for just 20 days before being abandoned. The Defense Department Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG) report, released late Tuesday, found that the military services were not adequately prepped for the mission — dubbed Operation Neptune Solace — but the project moved ahead despite the Army and Navy facing 'low equipment mission-capable rates and low manning and training levels.' 'The Army and Navy did not allocate sufficient maintenance, manning, [or] training,' according to the report, which also found that the services 'did not organize, train, and equip to a common joint standard' for the so-called 'joint logistics over-the-shore' (JLOTS) operation. The disjointed nature of the effort contributed to 27 watercraft and other paraphernalia suffering damage costing $31 million to repair, the report found, as 'Army- and Navy-specific equipment, including watercraft, piers, and causeways, as well as command, control, and communications systems was not interoperable.' This week's report follows a similar review by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of the Inspector General from August 2024 — which found Biden charged ahead with the $230 million pier despite the urgings of multiple federal aid workers. Army officials interviewed by the DoD OIG noted that 'the lack of interoperability created challenges during (the Gaza operation), resulting in equipment damage and communications security risks,' according to the report. US Central Command reported 62 injuries during the course of Operation Neptune Solace, though the report said it was unclear whether they happened 'during the performance of duties or resulted off duty or from pre-existing medical conditions.' The Pentagon had previously confirmed that three service members were injured May 23, 2024, as the result of a non-combat incident during the operation. One of those injured, Army Sgt. Quandarius Davon Stanley, 23, died Oct. 31 while under long-term medical care. The Biden White House had expected that it would allow delivery of enough provisions to feed an estimated 1.5 million Palestinians over a three-month period. But the pier ultimately delivered less than a third of that for roughly 450,000 Palestinians before it was decommissioned on July 17, according to the USAID report. The report also found serious issues with the planning of the operation, noting the pier's designers 'did not fully consider mission-specific information requirements, such as beach conditions, average sea states, and other factors that affect the ability to successfully plan and conduct JLOTS operations.' A Pentagon spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. Originally published as Joe Biden Gaza pier fiasco left 62 US forces injured, one dead and caused $48 million in damages: report
New York Post
07-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Biden Gaza pier fiasco left 62 US forces injured, one dead and caused $31M in damages: report
WASHINGTON — Former President Joe Biden's failed floating Gaza pier plan left 62 US personnel injured, one service member dead and caused at least $31 million in damage to military equipment, according to a scathing Pentagon watchdog report that found the Army and Navy failed to properly train, prepare, coordinate and plan for the mission. The project, which Biden announced during his 2024 State of The Union address amid mounting protests on the left over Israel's war against Hamas, sought to deliver humanitarian aid to the terrorist-controlled enclave — but ultimately was functional for just 20 days before being abandoned. The Defense Department Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG) report, released late Tuesday, found that the military services were not adequately prepped for the mission — dubbed Operation Neptune Solace — but the project moved ahead despite the Army and Navy facing 'low equipment mission-capable rates and low manning and training levels.' 'The Army and Navy did not allocate sufficient maintenance, manning, [or] training,' according to the report, which also found that the services 'did not organize, train, and equip to a common joint standard' for the so-called 'joint logistics over-the-shore' — or JLOTS — operation Advertisement 3 Army Soldiers assigned to the 7th Transportation Brigade use a rope to stabilize humanitarian lifted by a crane aboard the MV Roy P. Benavidez during the floating pier initiative. U.S. Army photo / Staff Sgt. Malcolm Cohens-Ashley The disjointed nature of the effort contributed to 27 watercraft and other paraphernalia suffering damage costing $31 million to repair, the report found, as 'Army-and Navy-specific equipment, including watercraft, piers, and causeways, as well as command, control, and communications systems was not interoperable.' This week's report follows a similar review by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of the Inspector General from August 2024 — which found Biden charged ahead with the $230 million pier despite the urgings of multiple federal aid workers. Advertisement Army officials interviewed by the DoD OIG noted that 'the lack of interoperability created challenges during (the Gaza operation), resulting in equipment damage and communications security risks,' according to the report. 3 Former President Joe Biden directed the creation of a humanitarian pier for Gaza. POOL/AFP via Getty Images US Central Command (CENTCOM reported 62 injuries during the course of Operation Neptune Solace, though the report said it was unclear whether they happened 'during the performance of duties or resulted off duty or from pre-existing medical conditions.' The Pentagon had previously confirmed that three service members were injured May 23, 2024, as the result of a non-combat incident during the operation. Advertisement One of those injured, Army Sgt. Quandarius Davon Stanley, 23, died Oct. 31 while under long-term medical care. 3 The pier ultimately operated for just 20 days and delivered less than a third of the intended amount. AP The Biden White House had expected that it would allow delivery of enough provisions to feed an estimated 1.5 million Palestinians over a three-month period. But the pier ultimately delivered less than a third of that for roughly 450,000 Palestinians before it was decommissioned on July 17, according to the USAID report. Advertisement The report also found serious issues with the planning of the operation, noting the pier's designers 'did not fully consider mission-specific information requirements, such as beach conditions, average sea states, and other factors that affect the ability to successfully plan and conduct JLOTS operations.' A Pentagon spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ill-fated Gaza pier mission lacked sufficient training, equipment: IG
In March 2024, then-President Joe Biden announced the U.S. would create a new pathway for international aid into war-torn Gaza: a floating pier system operated by the Army and Navy known as Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore, or JLOTS. Later that month, construction was underway on the pier; but it was unceremoniously shut down for good in July, having spent only 20 days active amid equipment failures and insurmountable sea conditions. Now, a new report from the Defense Department's independent watchdog reveals just how ill-prepared the military services were to build the floating pier to Gaza. It found, among other things, mission planners failed to identify environmental factors, such as beach conditions and sea states, likely to affect the success of JLOTS; Army and Navy equipment was not interoperable and caused damage when combined; and cuts to training and resources further challenged the operation's success. The DOD Office of Inspector General report, dated Friday, recommends the creation of a new working group focused on JLOTS, a report to the defense secretary and the Joint Staff identifying gaps in its capabilities and better communication between the services, particularly through U.S. Transportation Command, which coordinated the mission. What did the US military's Gaza aid pier actually accomplish? The JLOTS pier, built under the mission name Operation Neptune Solace, was not a complete failure. During its operational period, it delivered some 19.4 million pounds of food aid to Gaza, enough to feed half a million Palestinian civilians for a month. But the IG found that its usefulness was badly curtailed by planning and resourcing failures, some of which had been observed for years prior to the mission. While DOD had run 11 JLOTS exercises in the decade prior to the Gaza operation, the 84-page report found, neither the Army nor the Navy JLOTS packages met service standards for mission readiness, including equipment mission-capable rates. The actual readiness rates and unit manning shortages are redacted in the report, but it does note that the lack of resourcing had clear consequences. 'According to [U.S. Army 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary)] officials, manning shortages delayed the deployment of some Army watercraft for Operation Neptune Solace,' investigators wrote. Officials with Navy Beach Group One, investigators added, said the unit 'had to pull together every person they could to sufficiently staff vessels in accordance with Navy requirements.' Between 2018 and 2023, the Army and Navy had completed major divestments of equipment the JLOTS system required, it found, including roughly half the Army's watercraft, or 64 out of 134, and one of the Navy's two JLOTS-capable units, Amphibious Construction Battalion 2. Officials in units involved with the deployment to Gaza 'expressed concern at the Services' divestment of JLOTS capabilities and stated their belief that the DoD's current JLOTS capabilities were not sufficient to meet projected needs,' the report found. And the JLOTS training that had occurred at the DOD level had not trouble-shot a major problem with the Gaza deployment: the fact that the Army and Navy equipment was not meant to be used together. Both Army and Navy officials, the report said, had cited issues with the other service's pier gear. The Improved Navy Lighterage System, or INLS, and the Army's roll-on, roll-off discharge facility — both versions of floating docks — sat at different heights in the water. The Navy gear warped Army boat ramps, while the Army boats punched 'a bunch of holes' into Navy docks, officials told investigators. An image published in the report shows an Army vessel with gouges in the base and the words 'total loss' spray-painted on the side. While the Army's damage assessment is redacted, the Navy reported damage to 27 boats and INLS equipment totaling about $31 million. U.S. Central Command reported that 62 U.S. personnel were also injured during Neptune Solace, the IG reported, although the manner of the injuries and how they took place was not provided. One service member died as a result of injuries sustained during non-combat duties on the mission. Army Sgt. Quandarius Stanley died in October after being critically injured in May when high winds and heavy seas damaged the pier, causing four Army vessels to become beached, The Associated Press reported at the time. A photo published in the DOD IG report shows damage to an Army boat inflicted by a Navy dock component during the Gaza pier mission. (U.S. Army 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary) via DoD IG.) Army and Navy communication systems weren't interoperable either, the report found — a problem highlighted in earlier JLOTS exercises. As a result, the services were sometimes left without secure communications, according to the IG. On top of insufficient training and equipping, planning also fell short, the IG found. Despite clear sea state limits established for JLOTS, planners in the services and Geographic Combatant Commands 'did not fully identify or consider mission-specific requirements, such as beach conditions, average sea states, and other factors likely to affect the ability to successfully conduct a JLOTS operation,' and lacked information specific to the Gaza region. The report recommended the Army and the Navy individually review their JLOTS capabilities and determine what changes need to be made to meet mission requirements, which service leaders agreed with. It also called on U.S. Transportation Command to develop JLOTS mission-essential task lists and establish other measures to ensure JLOTS missions had the resources they needed. While TRANSCOM partially concurred, the IG stated its responses did not address how the command planned to better fulfill its coordinating responsibilities for JLOTS. It requested TRANSCOM submit a full report detailing such a plan within 30 days. Editor's note: This report has been updated to reflect the date of Sgt. Quandarius Stanley's death.
