In early 2000, southern Africa experienced heavier than normal seasonal rains. Then two separate storms, Cyclone Connie and Cyclone Eline, hit the region within 17 days of each another, causing flooding in Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The weather contributed to the deaths of around 400 people and affected the lives of more than two million. Headquarters, Third Air Force, under the leadership of then–Maj Gen Joseph Wehrle, was tasked with forming the core of JTF–Silent Promise, which was subsequently renamed JTF-AR. This JTF, which focused most of its efforts on Mozambique, sought to coordinate and synchronize disaster assistance efforts, conduct search and rescue, distribute relief supplies, and provide aerial assessment of conditions on the ground. It was the first major deployment of U.S. military forces in Africa since the completion of Operation Restore Hope in Somalia in 1993.
See this History of the JTF Operation Atlas Response.