Admiral Stanley R. Arthur Award for Logistics Excellence for the Evacuation of U.S. Citizens from Lebanon Through Cyprus

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The 2006 Logistics team of the year, Comnavcent N4 Combined Task Force Five Nine (CTF-59) Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) Lebanon Logistics Team, which “supported the planning and execution of the swift evacuation of approximately 15,000 American citizens from Lebanon due to hostilities between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah in July 2006” was awarded the Stanley R. Arthur Award for Logistics Excellence. The Admiral Stanley Arthur Awards for Logistics Excellence are bestowed annually to individuals and teams who epitomize logistics professionalism and excellence.

The 13-person team included CDR Peter Stamatopoulos, SC, USN and a Greek Cypriot, Mr. George Solomonides, Area Manager for Greece and Cyprus of the Cypriot company MLS International Logistic Services, Ltd., which provides ship and logistic services to the U.S. Navy.

“The team’s efforts included a rapid build-up and deployment of 9 ships, 40 aircraft, more than 900 U.S. joint forces ashore on Cyprus, and 6,000 sailors and marines at sea in the eastern Mediterranean. Within twenty-four hours, members of the team stood up a forward logistics support site, where they established on-the-ground contingency contracting procedures and prepared the foundation for the follow-on movement of sustainment packages. Other team achievements included a Website development effort that allowed Stakeholder access to critical transportation and movement data. The team also sourced a significant portion of the humanitarian assistance and transportation requirements with the Coalition Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC). This joint solution drove the expeditious, in-theater release of humanitarian assistance items and health and comfort items to the evacuees within forty-eight hours of notification.”

AHI President and Founder, Gene Rossides and AHI Executive Director, Nick Larigakis were invited to attend the award ceremony, which took place at the Pentagon on June 26, 2007.

“Cyprus is an important and reliable strategic partner for U.S. interests in the region. The extraordinary logistical assistance that Cyprus and its people provided in the evacuation of American citizens from Lebanon last July is only one example that underscores its value to the U.S.,” commented Gene Rossides.

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For additional information, please contact Georgia Economou at (202) 785-8430 or georgia@ahiworld.org. For general information regarding the activities of AHI, please view our Web site at https://www.ahiworld.org.