Dozens of U.S. military personnel arrived in Jamaica today to provide humanitarian and disaster assistance after Hurricane Melissa tore through the country.

The advance wave of troops arrived in the country’s capital of Kingston today, with three CH-47 Chinooks from 1st Battalion, 228 Aviation Regiment bringing 40 service members from different branches as well as an initial cache of supplies. The advance team is there “to provide immediate, lifesaving and humanitarian support,” the U.S. military said.

The forces are part of Joint Task Force-Bravo, U.S. Southern Command’s forward-deployed force based out of Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras. The force is not part of the large build-up of ships and aircraft in the Caribbean as part of the anti-narcotics U.S. military campaign in the region.

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