Transportation Command nominee promises review of Gaza pier mission

The nominee to lead U.S. Transportation Command on Tuesday promised a comprehensive review of the military’s recent humanitarian pier mission in Gaza, to better prepare for similar missions in the future.

Under questioning from members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Air Force Lt. Gen. Randall Reed said that if confirmed into the new role, reviewing the successes and shortfalls of the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore, or JLOTS, mission will be among his top priorities.

“It’s my understanding that folks are already looking at it, and if confirmed, I’ll have visibility on exactly what’s being done,” he said. “I’m committing to this committee to share with you what I discover and the impacts of that.”

The controversial Gaza pier project, which involved eight military vessels and more than 1,000 soldiers and sailors at its peak, helped transport about 20 million pounds of food and humanitarian aid into the war-torn region over a three-month period this summer.

But it ended abruptly in mid-July after officials from U.S. Central Command recommended against rebuilding the pier following its separation from shore during bad weather. That was the latest setback in the troubled effort, which was frequently bedeviled by weather and logistics issues.

Three U.S. service members sustained non-combat-related injuries during the mission, and Republican lawmakers repeatedly criticized the White House for potentially putting troops in danger by stationing them near fighting in Gaza.

Reed, who currently serves as deputy commander of Air Mobility Command, did not offer any assessment of the mission during Tuesday’s Senate hearing, but said those kinds of logistics capabilities are critical to long-term planning and strategy for Transportation Command.

Lawmakers echoed that sentiment.

“We’re going to have to do joint logistics over the shore, in all likelihood, in the future,” committee member Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va, said. “Everyone on this committee noticed some good, like the 20 million pounds of aid delivered … but there were also many problems.”

Reed faced no significant resistance to his nomination from the committee during Tuesday’s hearing and is expected to be confirmed as head of Transportation Command in the next few weeks.