" Call in the Army" is the stock in trade of politicians feeling heat and pressure to do something to avoid seeming powerless / clueless. The efficacy of deploying military resources to address civilian problems is usually questionable, and rarely the most effective or efficient solution to a problem, but is a lever which is available for politicians to pull. No criticism of the military intended or warranted, it is simply a case of horses for courses.
We have world class logistics capability in this country, most of it in the hands of our supermarkets.....