NATIONAL GUARD RESPONDS TO CALLS FOR HELP DURING FLOODS

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

Right:  Working with first responders, engineers from the 111th Engineer Battalion of the Texas Army National Guard rescue three people from a stalled vehicle stuck in a low water crossing near Granbury, Texas, May 26, 2015. Texas Guardsmen have rescued more than 100 Texans in need during flooding across the state since mid-May. U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Max Perez.

National Guard Responds to Floods in Texas, Oklahoma
By Army Capt. Martha Nigrelle
Texas National Guard

GRANBURY, Texas, May 28, 2015 – Texas National Guard engineers rescued three people here May 26, and searchers continue hunting for survivors and victims of raging flood waters.

Working with local and state first responders, Texas Guard members spent the Memorial Day weekend responding to calls for help all over Texas as heavy rain pounded the region.

“We got a call around midnight from the local sheriff’s department,” said 1st Lt. Max Perez of the Texas Army National Guard’s 236th Engineer Company, 111th Engineer Battalion. “They asked us to check a neighborhood near the Brazos River for flooded homes and anyone in need.”

Perez took his team of engineers and split into two groups to better search the neighborhood for citizens in need.

“The soldiers responded very quickly. They only took 10 or 15 minutes to get ready to go,” Perez said. “They were pretty motivated about the mission –- eager to save lives.”

With the help of a police officer and a firefighter, the engineers combed through the neighborhood, checking on residents.

Stranded Car

“We found a stranded car that couldn’t move,” Perez said. “There was water up to the window of the car.”

The engineers immediately stopped and got out to help, being sure to first secure themselves to a safety line attached to their military vehicle or another stationary object, Perez said. “We saw a family –- a woman, her daughter, about 3 or 4, and a man -- stuck in the car,” he added.

Army Staff Sgt. Thomas Kennington, 111th Forward Support Company, 111th Engineer Battalion, along with several other soldiers, pulled the girl and her mother from the car and brought them to safety, then returned for the man. Once all three people were safe, the team pulled the vehicle to dry land to ensure that it wouldn’t wash away, Perez said.

“This is the first time I’ve ever done anything like this,” Kennington said. “When you’re in that moment with lights flashing, water rushing and soldiers around you whose safety you are concerned for, it’s an adrenaline flow.”

Grateful to Help

The engineers said they were grateful to have been able to help their fellow citizens in need that day.

“The little girl thanked me over and over for saving her and her mama,” Kennington said. “That’s what this is all about.”

Perez said he was just thankful to have been asked to help and that he was proud of his soldiers.

“They showed me the reason why they put on the uniform that night,” said Perez. “Their bravery and dedication was amazing.”

Texas Guard members have rescued more than 100 Texans in need during flooding across the state, since mid-May. Figures from the National Guard Bureau indicate that about 240 personnel are on duty in Texas during this emergency.

In Oklahoma, about 10 National Guard personnel were on duty during that state’s flooding emergency. Guard units in both states conducted helicopter rescues, and in Oklahoma, a helicopter crew provided feed to stranded cattle.

NORTH DAKOTA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD BATTLES WILDFIRES

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
North Dakota Army Guard helicopters battling wildfires
By North Dakota National Guard | April 14, 2015

BISMARCK, N.D. — The North Dakota Army National Guard launched two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters Monday to help first responders battle a wildfire south of Bismarck, near the residential area of Briardale.

Gov. Jack Dalrymple extended an executive order which authorized the adjutant general, Maj. Gen. David A. Sprynczynatyk, to activate North Dakota National Guard resources in support of local and tribal governments fighting wildfires.

The first Black Hawk launched at 3:57 p.m. CDT from the Guard’s Army Aviation Support Facility south of the Bismarck airport. The second helicopter took off at 5 p.m.

The Black Hawks are assigned to the Bismarck-based Company C, 2nd Battalion, 285th Aviation Regiment and will use 600-gallon water buckets to help control the wildfire.

The helicopters will scoop water out of the Missouri River and will assist as fuel and flying conditions allow or until the mission is complete, according to a National Guard news release.

RETIRED NATIONAL GUARD COLONEL AND SERGEANT PLEAD GUILTY FOR ROLES IN RECRUITING FRAUD SCHEME

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Retired National Guard Colonel and Former National Guard Sergeant Plead Guilty in Connection with Recruiting Fraud Scheme

A retired colonel and a former sergeant from the U.S. Army National Guard both pleaded guilty today for their roles in a recruiting fraud scheme that caused approximately $14,000 in losses to the U.S. National Guard Bureau, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

Retired Colonel Isaac Alvarado, 75, and former Sergeant First Class Travis Nau, 41, both of Albuquerque, New Mexico, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen B. Molzen of the District of New Mexico.  Sentencing hearings will be scheduled at a later date, and will take place before U.S. District Judge Judith C. Herrera of the District of New Mexico.

According to court documents, in approximately September 2005, the National Guard Bureau created the Guard Recruiting Assistance Program (G-RAP), which was designed to offer monetary incentives to soldiers who recruited others to join the National Guard.  Through this program, a participating soldier, known as a recruiting assistant, could receive bonus payments for referring another individual to join the National Guard.

According to the plea agreements entered today, between February 2008 and February 2012, Alvarado served as a recruiting assistant in the G-RAP.  During that time, Nau, who is Alvarado’s son-in-law, worked in a National Guard recruiting office and assisted individuals who were interested in joining the military.  The defendants admitted that Nau provided Alvarado with the personal identifying information of potential soldiers, including their names and Social Security numbers.  Alvarado then used that information to falsely claim that he was responsible for referring the soldiers to join the military, and to fraudulently claim referral bonuses through the G-RAP.  In addition, Alvarado and Nau admitted that Nau advised at least two potential soldiers to falsely report that Alvarado had assisted in their recruitment even though he had not.  As a result, Alvarado received approximately $12,000 in fraudulent recruiting bonuses.

The case is being investigated by the Fort Bliss Army Criminal Investigation Command.  This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Sean F. Mulryne and Heidi Boutros Gesch of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.

DOD PHOTOS: NATIONAL GUARD HELPS REMOVE SNOW IN NEW YORK

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

Soldiers help remove snow at a senior care center in Orchard Park, N.Y., Nov. 22, 2014 New York National Guard photo by U.S. Army Maj. Paul Hernandez

 Soldiers use heavy equipment to assist with snow removal in Buffalo, N.Y., Nov. 22, 2014. The soldiers are assigned to the New York Army National Guard's 152nd and 827th engineer companies. New York National Guard photo by U.S. Army Maj. Paul Hernandez

DOD VIDEO: NATIONAL GUARD RESPONDS TO LAVA FLOW

U.S. NATIONAL GUARD BATTLE FIRES IN NORTHWEST

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Right:  An Oregon Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook helicopter returns to the Madras Airport after successfully dumping water on a target area in the Logging Unit fire west of Madras, Ore., July 20, 2014. Two CH-47 Chinook helicopters and two HH-60M Black Hawk helicopters of the Oregon Army National Guard arrived at the Madras Airport the day before to assist local authorities in suppressing the wildfire west of Madras. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jason Van Mourik  
Guardsmen Help to Battle Northwest Blazes

By Army Staff Sgt. Darron Salzer and Army Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy
National Guard Bureau

ARLINGTON, Va., July 22, 2014 – Aircrews from the Wyoming Air National Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing, who fly C-130 Hercules aircraft equipped with the Modular Airborne Firefighting System, are among the latest National Guard members to join in the response to wildfires in Oregon and Washington state.
The aircrews from the 153rd AW join Guard members from four states in assisting state and local authorities with quelling wildfires raging since lightning strikes ignited the blazes July 14. This also marks the first activation of MAFFS aircraft in the 2014 wildfire season.

“We’ve been activated to ensure the [U.S.] Forest Service has enough aerial assets to fight fires in Oregon, Washington and other regional states,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Todd Davis, commander of the Wyoming Air Guard’s 153rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

The crews from the 153rd AW flew to Idaho from their home station in Wyoming to Gowen Field, near Boise, where they will be able to support firefighting efforts in Washington and Oregon.

“They provide a surge capability to civilian air tankers,” said Deirdre Forster, of the Wyoming National Guard. “They can drop fire retardant or water onto fires and they were relocated to Boise to [decrease] response time.”

Members of the Washington National Guard began responding July 16 with UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters, and members of the Oregon National Guard began responding with Black Hawk and Chinook aircraft to wildfires in that state July 18, National Guard Command Center officials said.

The Montana Army National Guard also has sent aircrews and CH-47 helicopters to assist with firefighting efforts in Washington.

“Our neighbors needed help,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Tim Crowe, with the Montana National Guard. “Just like Colorado did last year with the floods and we sent down an engineering unit to help with their natural disaster, we work with Washington as well.”

The wildfire response mission remains ongoing, and is projected to last for several weeks.

“We don’t have a timeline at this point,” Crowe said. “We sent out this first [aircrew and helicopters], and depending on the mission and the requirements, we’ll make adjustments as we move forward.”

The fires in Washington have burned through more than 300,000 acres and destroyed about 150 homes, according to reports. Meanwhile, fires in Oregon have burned roughly 530,000 acres.

Anticipated cooler temperatures and rains in the coming days may help in the effort, officials said, but Guard members stand ready to provide further assistance if needed.

“It’s what the National Guard is about -- helping each other out when disaster strikes,” Crowe said.

NATIONAL GUARD HELPS DURING RECENT SNOW EMERGENCIES

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

Soldiers prepare vehicles and equipment on Camp Fretterd Military Reservation near Reisterstown, Md., to help first responders during a declared state of emergency, Feb. 13, 2014. The soldiers are assigned to the Maryland National Guard. Maryland National Guard photo by Army Sgt. Edwin Gray.

Soldiers push a stranded vehicle while providing emergency service and support to civil authorities and to residents during a winter storm, Fredericksburg, Va., Feb. 13, 2014. The soldiers are assigned to the Virginia National Guard's 116th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 116th Brigade Combat Team. Virginia National Guard photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Meghan Skrepenski.

DOD PHOTOS: LEAVING AFGHANISTAN

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
12/26/2013
U.S. Soldiers Prepare To Leave Afghanistan

U.S. Army Master Sgt. Duane Perez, foreground, carries duffel bags and leads troops to a CH-47 Chinook helicopter as they depart Camp Phoenix in Kabul, Afghanistan, Dec. 25, 2013. Perez is assigned to the Guam Army National Guard's Company E, 1st Battalion, 294th Infantry Regiment. He also was part of Task Force Guam, which concludes its historic Operation Enduring Freedom mission. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Eddie Siguenz.

U.S. soldiers load equipment and duffel bags onto a CH-47 Chinook helicopter on Camp Phoenix in Kabul, Afghanistan, Dec. 25, 2013. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Eddie Siguenza.

GUARDSMEN RESUME MISSION AFTER BEING STRANDED

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Guardsmen Stranded by Rising Waters Resume Their Mission
From a Colorado National Guard News Release


CENTENNIAL, Colo., Sept. 17, 2013 - Sixteen Colorado National Guard members and first responders who were unable to evacuate themselves after they were stopped by rising flood waters Sept. 15 have resumed their regularly scheduled mission.

A mix of 51 Colorado National Guard members, Urban Search and Rescue personnel and civilians, along with five pets and six high-mobility military trucks, were reported to be stopped by rising waters in Lyons, Colo.

Fort Carson aviators piloting two helicopters evacuated all 10 civilians and their pets, along with a number of Guard members and Army Reserve personnel, before weather took another bad turn and aviation operations were suspended for the night. Flights were limited for most of the day, as heavy rain and low ceilings hampered visibility, causing flight safety issues.

Rather than wait out the storm, the remaining 16 service members -- seven Colorado Guard members and nine Army Reserve soldiers -- spent several hours going door to door in the flood area, looking for anyone else who may have needed help. As the stranded rescuers were knocking, a family offered the group a warm place to stay overnight.

The group headed back out early yesterday to search for more people in distress. Later, they teamed up with Colorado Department of Transportation and Boulder County professionals to build a makeshift bridge that would allow the Guard and Army reserve members to leave the area, along with one evacuee.

As of 5:45 p.m. MDT yesterday, more than 700 military members in tactical trucks and helicopters had rescued more than 2,400 people and hundreds of pets displaced by flooding in Colorado, and all 21 military helicopters scheduled to perform evacuation operations were in service.

In addition to ground and aerial evacuation operations, Colorado National Guard members also are manning more than 40 traffic control points in several affected counties to ensure public safety and protect property.

The Colorado National Guard, Wyoming National Guard, and the Army's 4th Combat Aviation Brigade from Fort Carson are working in direct support of civilian authorities, officials said.

Lance Blyth, U.S. Northern Command historian, said the military response to the Colorado floods, dubbed "Operation Centennial Raging Waters," likely is the biggest rotary-wing airlift mission since the 2005 Hurricane Katrina response.

GUARDSMEN, FIRST RESPONDERS EVACUATED IN COLORADO

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
Army Evacuates Guardsmen, First Responders in Colorado
From a Colorado National Guard News Release

CENTENNIAL, Colo., Sept. 16, 2013 - As rain and cloud cover hampered military aviation operations in Colorado yesterday, the rising waters added Colorado National Guardsmen and first responders to the list of flood evacuees.
At about 4:20 p.m., a mix of 51 Colorado National Guardsmen, first responders and civilians, along with five pets, were reported to be stopped by rising waters in Lyons, Colo. Flood waters rose so high that even the half-dozen Light Medium Tactical Vehicles deployed with the group -- the "go-to" high-mobility trucks that have become the staple of the military's ground search-and-rescue efforts -- couldn't ford them, officials said.
In the meantime, the weather in Boulder County broke, so U.S. Army aviators from the 4th Infantry Division from Fort Carson resumed flight operations from the Boulder Municipal Airport. Among their priority missions was to evacuate the 51 people stranded in Lyons.

Aviators flying two helicopters -- a CH-47 Chinook and a UH-60 Black Hawk -- were able to evacuate all 10 civilians and their pets, along with a number of first responders and Guardsmen, before weather took another bad turn and aviation operations were suspended again.

"It's great to provide support to our neighbors and work with such great professionals," said Army Col. Robert Ault, commander of the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade. "The first responders have the desire, we have the capabilities and it's great when we can all come together to help make a difference."

Of the original 51, 15 first responders and Guardsmen, along with the high-mobility vehicles, are waiting out the flood on higher ground until flight operations resume or the waters become passable, officials said.

Twenty military helicopters and crews were scheduled to conduct evacuation operations yesterday, but most were grounded for much of the day as heavy rain and low ceilings hampered visibility, causing flight safety issues for much of the day.

SUMMER WILDFIRE BATTLES RAGE ON THE HOMEFRONT

Photo:  A C-130J from the 146th Airlift Wing in Port Hueneme, Calif., drops fire retardant over the trees in the mountains above Palm Springs, Calif., July 19, 2013.  Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Nicholas Carzis 

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
California National Guard Battles Several Wildfires
California National Guard
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 20, 2013 - Nearly a dozen aircraft and crews from the California Air and Army National Guard are battling wildfires across Northern California.
Currently, nine California Army National Guard helicopters and two California Air National Guard air tankers are working in coordination with CAL FIRE and U.S. Forest Service firefighting crews to battle the American, Swedes and Rim fires.
The aircraft have dropped more than 250,000 gallons of water or fire retardant since the first crews were activated Aug. 13.

National Guard units also are involved in fighting fires in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Utah.

"We train for this fight every year," said Army Maj. Gen. David S. Baldwin, the adjutant general of the California National Guard. "Our ongoing coordination with CAL FIRE and CAL OES ensures that the right people, with the right training, are in the right place when the lives and property of our fellow Californians are on the line."

Three UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters are battling the American Fire, two Black Hawks are assigned to fight the Rim Fire, and three helicopters -- two Black Hawks and one CH-47 Chinook – are engaged in battling the Swedes Fire. Meanwhile, one Black Hawk helicopter is staged in Redding, Calif., on call for medevac support.

Each Black Hawk is equipped with a 660-gallon water bucket, while the Chinook's bucket has a 2,000-gallon capacity. The medevac helicopter is equipped with a specialized crew and a hoist for extracting injured personnel from rugged terrain.

The helicopters have completed more than 229 drops, releasing about 111,500 gallons of water since their Aug. 17 activation.

The two C-130J air tankers are fighting the Rim fire. Both aircraft are equipped with the Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems II (MAFFS) and are capable of discharging 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant along the leading edge of a fire in less than five seconds, saturating an area one-quarter of a mile long by 100 feet wide.

Since their activation Aug. 13, the air tankers have completed more than 53 drops, releasing about 142,000 gallons of retardant.

DOD EXPLAINS HOMELAND DEFENSE AND CIVIL SUPPORT STRATEGY

FROM: U.S DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Official Explains New Homeland Defense/Civil Support Strategy
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 1, 2013 - The Defense Department incorporated hard lessons learned when it codified its new homeland defense and civil support strategy, said Todd M. Rosenblum, DOD's top homeland defense official.

Rosenblum, the acting assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and Americas' security affairs, said the new strategy is a recognition that the operating environment has changed.

"We face new threats, we have new vulnerabilities, we have new dependencies, most importantly we have a new way to do business," Rosenblum said during a Pentagon interview. "We have to capture that and make sure the department is prepared and directed toward being more effective and efficient as we can be."

The Defense Department is charged with defending the homeland from attack. U.S. Northern Command is further charged with working with state and local entities and other federal agencies to provide support in times of natural or man-made disasters. In the first instance, DOD has the lead. In the second, another federal agency -- such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency -- has the lead.

The strategy, released in February, looks at the lessons learned from past experiences. DOD officials charted lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina through Hurricane Sandy.

They also looked at changes including the growth of network and communication dependence on private-sector capabilities and "the rising expectations from the president and from the secretary and certainly from the American people that we will be prepared to provide support to civil authorities within a 24- to 48-hour window to provide life-saving, life-sustaining support," Rosenblum said.

This is an incredibly short period of time, he said, and it forces a change in the relationship between DOD and other agencies. The old paradigm was to have civil partners "pull assistance" from DOD, to one where DOD actually "pushes assistance" where it is needed.

"So we are postured to provide assistance as fast and rapidly as possible," Rosenblum said.

The change between Katrina in 2005 and Sandy in 2013 shows the effectiveness of the new strategy, he said.

"We were more efficient, timely and effective in our support to Hurricane Sandy," Rosenblum said. "This is because we did integrated planning within DOD, with our federal partners, and with our state partners. We recognized the need to not wait to be called upon, but to pre-position our support capabilities knowing there's going to be audibles and ad hoc requests."

Planning is at the heart of the strategy, he said. Integrated planning -- with state and local officials, with other federal agencies, with non-governmental entities -- has increased visibility and prominence. The National Guard -- an organization that bridges state/federal efforts -- continues to play a crucial role. But the strategy recognizes that response to disasters requires an all-of-government approach.

The homeland defense mission codifies requirements to provide cyberdefense, Rosenblum said.

"The threats to networks and critical infrastructure increase when we are engaged in operations overseas," he said. "The physical effects of cyberattacks can impact our military operation capabilities and response capabilities."

The attacks themselves, he said, also could produce the type of man-made disaster that would require DOD assistance.

The fiscal environment impacts this -- and all other -- strategies.

"The sequester is real and effecting DOD through readiness, training," Rosenblum said. "It is difficult for the department to plan and budget intelligently, when we don't have budget certainty."

Officials devised the strategy when the department had already committed to $487 billion in reductions over 10 years.

"Sequester has changed the calculus tremendously," Rosenblum said. "But this strategy is not about buying new capabilities: It's about our planning, our processes and our integration."

U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT UPDATE ON RESPONSE TO HURRICANE SANDY

Photo Credit:  U.S. DOD.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Pentagon Provides Sandy Response Update
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2012 - The Department of Defense is a fully integrated partner in the federal, state, and local response to Hurricane Sandy and the northeaster that swept through the mid-Atlantic and northeastern United States, defense officials reported today.

DOD still maintains significant capacity in the region to provide emergency temporary power and pumping capability and to distribute fuel, food, cold-weather clothing, and other comfort items as requested by civil authorities.

DOD's response to Hurricane Sandy continues, officials said. Significant updates over the past 24 hours, as of 11 a.m. EST, include:

DOD:
-- U.S. Northern Command has nearly 4,000 personnel supporting Hurricane Sandy relief operations in the affected area.

-- Air Force teams completed unwatering operations at Rockaway Wastewater Treatment facility, and East School in Long Beach, N.Y., and provided teams to support fire departments conducting unwatering operations in Breezy Point, N.Y.

-- Army divers repaired the pier system at Caven Point, N.J. Additionally, divers continue to assist the New York City Fire Department unwater the PATH tunnel at the World Trade Center and unwater the Long Beach High School and Recreation Center, N.Y.

-- Marines continued assessments with Army engineers in Far Rockaway, N.Y., and pumped 90,000 gallons of water from apartment buildings there. About 750,000 gallons were pumped from affected homes and parks in Breezy Point, N.Y.

-- Navy dive detachments continue to support the World Trade Center site and Marine Corps pump teams are assisting pumping operations at Breezy Point.

-- Helicopters from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit are transporting and relocating generators in the area at the direction of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Navy Seabees and Marine personnel restored the beach at Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook; and supporting debris clearance operations at locations in Bayonne, N.J. and the Battery, N.Y.

Defense Logistics Agency:
-- More than 1.8 million gallons of fuel have been delivered to FEMA distribution points in the New York/New Jersey region. Nine generators were delivered to the Army Corps of Engineers to power apartment buildings in New York City. Seven more generators and seven transformers are en route. Seven additional generators have been provided to the New York City Housing Authority.

-- Contracts are in place to support waste water clean-up, hazardous material removal, and debris removal operations. Two contracts have been awarded for 330 roll-off dumpsters and 34 trucks for overland trash hauling. In the last 48 hours, 2.5 million pounds of debris have been removed.

Army Corps of Engineers:

-- More than 500 generators are now staged at forward locations.

-- A total of 570 power generation and restoration taskings have been received. Five-hundred forty-five assessments have been completed, three are in progress and 22 are not yet started.

National Guard:
-- There are 6,618 National Guard personnel from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and West Virginia assisting in response and recovery efforts across their affected states.

-- The following states are supporting the response efforts through Emergency Management Agreement Compacts: Florida, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maine, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

-- Forty-seven chaplains and chaplain's assistants are providing trauma intervention/counseling, shelter visitations, worship services and other support.

-- There are 3,237 New York National Guard personnel on state active duty supporting relief operations in New York. Guardsmen have distributed 1,439,654 meals from 21 points of distribution sites since Nov 1. Fifty personnel are supporting Red Cross shelters at six sites in sites in Nassau County, N.Y. Guardsmen are also sorting and distributing donated goods from the Javits Center and delivering them to three points of distribution sites.

-- There are 1,957 New Jersey National Guard personnel on state active duty supporting relief operations in New Jersey. Since Nov. 1, the guardsmen distributed 12,590 blankets, 1,740 cots and 3,648 towels. Since Nov. 2, they also have distributed 93,229 gallons of fuel to emergency responders from four distribution points in support of FEMA and DLA. The New Jersey National Guard is providing tents and mobile kitchen trailers to shelter and feed emergency management personnel. Guardsmen continue to assist civil authorities at state-run shelters with transportation, meals, water and power generation in Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties, at the Jersey City Armory, and in Glen Gardner borough. Unarmed Guardsmen are providing safety and security support to law enforcement agencies in Monmouth and Ocean counties.

-- The West Virginia National Guard has 364 personnel on state active duty conducting community assessments; medical evacuations; snow and debris removal; and food, water and generator distribution.

U.S. AIR FORCE HURRICANE SANDY RELIEF PHOTOS

 

FROM: U.S. AIR FORCE
New York Air National Guard Master Sgt. Thomas Moade from the 174th Attack Wing out of Syracuse leads other members of the 174th as well as members of the New York Army Guard from Newburg in taking water and cases of food to local residents in Staten Island on Nov. 2. The food and water was provided to people who needed assistance after Hurricane Sandy took down power lines and caused massive destruction to many homes in the area leaving families desperate for help. Moade and the others were taking the food to those who could not make it to the Emergency Response location.

Staff Sergeant Jennifer Bartkus and Airman First Class Ryan Culp from the 161st Air Refueling Wing Aerial Port, Phoenix help guide a vehicle being loaded on a C-17 Globemaster III, Nov. 2, 2012. The 161st ARW will facilitate the loading and transportation of Salt River Project and Arizona Public Service line crews, support staff and required vehicles in efforts to restore power in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

NATIONAL GUARD SERVING VALIANTLY DURING HURRICANE ISAAC DISASTER

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Soldiers prepare to depart the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Aug. 28, 2012, to support potential emergency operations arising from Hurricane Isaac. The soldiers are assigned to the Louisiana National Guard's 2nd Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Tarell J. Bilbo
　

National Guardsmen Serving 'Admirably' During Isaac
By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2012 - As Tropical Depression Isaac bounds northward into the Mississippi River valley, National Guardsmen continue to provide critical support to local emergency officials and citizens throughout the Gulf states, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said in a briefing here today.

"Even through the storm has moved up from the Gulf, there's still work to be done," Little said. "There are still more than 3,600 National Guard personnel on duty in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama."

Little said Louisiana-Mississippi National Guardsmen are "serving admirably during the storm," and have already rescued or evacuated more than 3,400 citizens during ongoing search and rescue operations.

In addition to delivering pallets of generators, water and supplies to key facilities throughout the state, guardsmen have also set up distribution sites to provide meals, ready-to-eat, water and ice, Little said.

Military aircraft evacuated from Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Duke Field, Fla., Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., have returned to base or are in the process of returning to base, Little added.

READY TO HANDLE ISAAC AFTERMATH

FORT RUCKER, Ala. - Soldiers from the 7th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 159th Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division land at Cairns Army Airfield, Fort Rucker, Ala., as a staging area awaiting the call to assist relief efforts resulting from Hurricane Isaac. The Soldiers and a combination of HH-60 Alpha Plus Black Hawk and CH-47F Chinook helicopters stand ready to support our federal and State partners.
(U.S. Army photo by Kelly Pate)

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

National Guard, Northcom Support Isaac EffortAmerican Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 30, 2012 - Governors of four states have activated more than 7,500 National Guard soldiers and airmen to deal with the aftermath of Tropical Storm Isaac, Defense Department officials said today.

In Louisiana, where the storm made landfall yesterday as a hurricane, 5,761 Guardsmen have been activated. Alabama has activated 177 Guard members, 17 are activated in Florida, and Mississippi has activated 1,547 citizen-soldiers and airmen.

The Louisiana National Guard has 5,761 soldiers and airmen on duty to support citizens, local and state authorities. The governor yesterday authorized activation of all Louisiana Guardsmen, which would bring total forces in the state to more than 8,000, officials said. The Louisiana Guard has already assisted in the rescue or evacuation of more than 3,400 people.

In Orleans Parish, Guardsmen delivered more than 34,500 bottles of water to an emergency operations center in New Orleans as well as a 350-kilowatt generator to the Padua Skilled Nursing facility, also in New Orleans. In Plaquemines Parish, Guard members rescued 141 people while assisting local authorities in Braithwaite, conducting search and rescue missions with 14 high-water vehicles and five boat teams.

The Louisiana Guard also has 14 Humvees assisting the parish in evacuating a nursing home in the Belle Chasse area. As of this morning, Guardsmen had delivered 6,336 packaged meals and 17,280 bottles of water and had transported 400 cots, along with linen and pillows, to the Belle Chasse YMCA.

Guardsmen also transported 1,200 meals and water to the naval air station-joint reserve base gym in Belle Chasse, along with 150 cases of water and 1,500 meals to the base itself. The Guard also delivered a 350-kilowatt generator to a nursing home in Belle Chase.

Mississippi National Guard missions include presence patrols, traffic control points, search and rescue, commodity distribution, and emergency communications. The Mississippi Guard is assisting local authorities in evacuating residents from flooded areas and is helping others as needs are determined by the governor and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency.

Military aircraft have been flown out of Naval Air Station Pensacola, Tyndall Air Force Base, Duke Field and Eglin Air Force Base, all in Florida, and Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans in Louisiana.

U.S. Northern Command is coordinating Defense Department support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and to state and local response activities. Northcom has staged four UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from Fort Campbell, Ky., and two SH-60 Seahawk helicopters from Norfolk Naval Air Station, Va., to Fort Rucker, Ala., to assess and support potential search and rescue efforts.

A search and rescue planner also has been activated and deployed to the Baton Rouge Emergency Operations Center in Louisiana. Four emergency planner liaison officers are deployed to the National Response Coordination Center in the nation's capital in support of FEMA, and Fort Polk, La., has been designated as a federal team staging area.

The command has activated its Region 6 defense coordinating officer and defense coordinating element to Baton Rouge to validate, plan and coordinate potential DOD support of FEMA's hurricane response operations and to aid support for federal and state partners.

Northcom also deployed portions of its Region 1 defense coordinating officer and defense coordinating element assets to Clanton, Ala., and Region 7 defense coordinating officer and defense coordinating element members are in Pearl, Miss., to backfill Region 4 defense coordinating officer and defense coordinating element members deployed to the Florida Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee.

Additionally, Northcom has designated Meridian Air Station, Miss., as an incident support base, and Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., as a federal support area.

NATIONAL GUARD PREPARES FOR TROPICAL STORM ISAAC

Weather Map:  NOAA
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
National Guard Prepares For Tropical Storm Isaac


By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 24, 2012 - National Guard Coordination Center officials are stepping up efforts to prepare for the possibility that Tropical Storm Isaac, now in the Caribbean, could strengthen and affect the U.S mainland.

"Though no states have yet sought assistance, we're planning on a Gulf strike at Category 1 [hurricane] level in Mississippi, Alabama or the Florida panhandle," said Air National Guard Col. Matt Wessel, the Coordination Center's operations director. "We've identified Army Guard aviation rotary assets from numerous states, including Gulf region states outside of the storm's path, as well as fixed wing C-23s and 38 helicopters within the local region ready to respond."

Wessel said state and Guard officials will closely monitor the course of the storm to determine what assets may be needed and how to quickly to respond.

The National Weather Service reports the center of Isaac will move near or over southeastern Cuba Saturday and is expected to strengthen. While the exact track is uncertain, residents in South Florida and the Florida Keys are being told to monitor Isaac's path.

"National Guardsmen are on a 'prepare-for-deployment' status, in that they're not yet being called into the armories but ready to assemble into a brigade-size, regional response force that can fulfill states' required needs should they escalate to a Category 3 or Category 4 status," Wessel said.

Lt. Col. Al Gorman, Army National Guard current operations director, said NGB officials are prepared for a worst case scenario and will act swiftly to coordinate troop movement should it cross state lines.

"If the storm looks to be greater than a Category 2, we'll start moving people," he said.