By Jamie Findlater
Special to American Forces Press Service
Dec. 9, 2008 - Wounded servicemembers are finding an unlikely resource for care at Arkansas State University in a new program officials there hope will catch on at other college campuses. Susan Tonymon, director of the Beck Pride Center at the university's Jonesboro campus, described the program in an "ASY Live" interview on BlogTalkRadio.com.
The university opened the center in October 2007 as a supplement to Veterans Affairs programs, Tonymon said. The campus is an ideal place to reach out to wounded troops, she said.
"Arkansas State University is a very military-friendly campus," Tonymon said. With a National Guard armory on campus, an ROTC program and the development of a student veterans group, the campus "provides a service for them to connect with others in this area for social interaction and cohesiveness."
The center provides services such as physical and occupational therapy, mental health counseling and social services to combat-injured servicemembers, veterans and their families. It was funded for 50 participants and now has 62, Tonymon said.
"We don't want to duplicate a service," Tonymon said. "Many of our servicemembers have heard about the vet centers, but sometimes they are too far away and they will choose to come to a center on our campus."
Participants often go to Arkansas State for services not offered at VA centers near them, Tonymon said. And, with mental health providers trained to help combat veterans, they find the care specific to their needs.
Most participants come from outside the Jonesboro area, some from as far away as California and Washington state, to take advantage of the program's unique opportunities, Tonymon said.
Program officials recently helped a wounded warrior relocate to Jonesboro from Missouri, where he faced a 70-mile commute to the nearest VA center. The center provided him with temporary housing and got him financial resources because he had not yet been discharged from the military, Tonymon said.
"We have an area on campus where military servicemembers can live in a community with day care and get physical therapy right here on campus," she said.
Tonymon said she is interested in helping other campuses start their own programs.
"Universities like Arkansas State are in a unique position to help, mainly because we can centralize many of the services that the wounded servicemember may need for recovery," she said. "The university itself provides a safe therapeutic and healing environment."
(Jamie Findlater works in the New Media directorate of the Defense Media Activity.)
Showing posts with label arkansas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label arkansas. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
Guard Members Gear Up for Hurricane Ike
By Army Sgt. S. Patrick McCollum
Special to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 12, 2008 - Although Hurricane Ike is expected to lose power after hitting Texas tonight, National Guardsmen in four other states are preparing for the worst when it becomes a tropical storm later this weekend. Guard members in Oklahoma, Arkansas
, Kansas and Missouri have anticipated the problems associated with heavy rain and winds and will be ready to respond, state officials said.
Heavy rains of up to 15 inches are projected for the hardest-hit areas and flooding and tornadoes are anticipated.
"Rain is what we're worried about," said Pat Scully, spokesman for the Oklahoma National Guard. Much of the state is under a flood watch, he added, because forecasts indicate that a cold front from the north will join forces with the tropical storm.
"We're confident that if we are called, we'll have the personnel and equipment to handle the situation," Scully said.
The Oklahoma governor has not declared a state of emergency, but more than 1,000 Guard members are standing by as a quick-reaction force, he said.
"We'll be using our quick-reaction force and our follow-on force," Scully said. "After that, we'll have our on-station National Guard soldiers ready to respond, both Army and Air." The state is now in a "planning mode," but expects to respond to missions ranging from search and rescue to delivering relief supplies.
Scully said the state has more than 2,000 Guard members available for these missions. Several units from the state are deployed or preparing for deployment, including the 45th Brigade Combat Team, a force of about 2,600 soldiers, which is in Iraq; about 800 soldiers from the 45th Fires Brigade, which is training at Fort Hood, Texas, for an upcoming deployment; and 300 airmen from the 138th Fighter Wing in Tulsa, which deployed to Iraq earlier this week.
Flood watches are in effect for more than 50 counties in Arkansas.
"What Arkansas is looking at is the possibility of the after-effects of the hurricane, which could bring tornadoes into the state," Army Capt. Chris Heathscott, spokesman for the Arkansas National Guard, said.
Despite the deployment of Arkansas' 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team to Iraq, Heathscott said, the state has about 6,000 Guard members available.
The Arkansas Guard has responded to many floods and tornadoes this year, so Ike's effects are nothing new. "2008 has been one of the heaviest years for natural disaster responses for our state," Heathscott said. "It's unfortunately becoming routine business for us."
In Kansas, the Guard's concern also is flooding "and making sure people are not driving through high water and in need of rescue," said Sharon Watson, a Kansas Guard spokeswoman.
About 5,000 Guard troops are available at the request of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, and 2,000 are on alert, she said. Six hundred of those will be well prepared for the experience, since they are returning from hurricane relief duties in Louisiana.
With experience and clear objectives, Kansas will be well prepared, Watson said.
Experience will also benefit Missouri, where 2,000 Guard members, who are also returning from relief missions in Louisiana, can be called up if needed. The 8,000 Guard members in the state also have experience because of the Mississippi River's flooding in June.
(Army Sgt. S. Patrick McCollum serves at the National Guard Bureau.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 12, 2008 - Although Hurricane Ike is expected to lose power after hitting Texas tonight, National Guardsmen in four other states are preparing for the worst when it becomes a tropical storm later this weekend. Guard members in Oklahoma, Arkansas
, Kansas and Missouri have anticipated the problems associated with heavy rain and winds and will be ready to respond, state officials said.
Heavy rains of up to 15 inches are projected for the hardest-hit areas and flooding and tornadoes are anticipated.
"Rain is what we're worried about," said Pat Scully, spokesman for the Oklahoma National Guard. Much of the state is under a flood watch, he added, because forecasts indicate that a cold front from the north will join forces with the tropical storm.
"We're confident that if we are called, we'll have the personnel and equipment to handle the situation," Scully said.
The Oklahoma governor has not declared a state of emergency, but more than 1,000 Guard members are standing by as a quick-reaction force, he said.
"We'll be using our quick-reaction force and our follow-on force," Scully said. "After that, we'll have our on-station National Guard soldiers ready to respond, both Army and Air." The state is now in a "planning mode," but expects to respond to missions ranging from search and rescue to delivering relief supplies.
Scully said the state has more than 2,000 Guard members available for these missions. Several units from the state are deployed or preparing for deployment, including the 45th Brigade Combat Team, a force of about 2,600 soldiers, which is in Iraq; about 800 soldiers from the 45th Fires Brigade, which is training at Fort Hood, Texas, for an upcoming deployment; and 300 airmen from the 138th Fighter Wing in Tulsa, which deployed to Iraq earlier this week.
Flood watches are in effect for more than 50 counties in Arkansas.
"What Arkansas is looking at is the possibility of the after-effects of the hurricane, which could bring tornadoes into the state," Army Capt. Chris Heathscott, spokesman for the Arkansas National Guard, said.
Despite the deployment of Arkansas' 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team to Iraq, Heathscott said, the state has about 6,000 Guard members available.
The Arkansas Guard has responded to many floods and tornadoes this year, so Ike's effects are nothing new. "2008 has been one of the heaviest years for natural disaster responses for our state," Heathscott said. "It's unfortunately becoming routine business for us."
In Kansas, the Guard's concern also is flooding "and making sure people are not driving through high water and in need of rescue," said Sharon Watson, a Kansas Guard spokeswoman.
About 5,000 Guard troops are available at the request of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, and 2,000 are on alert, she said. Six hundred of those will be well prepared for the experience, since they are returning from hurricane relief duties in Louisiana.
With experience and clear objectives, Kansas will be well prepared, Watson said.
Experience will also benefit Missouri, where 2,000 Guard members, who are also returning from relief missions in Louisiana, can be called up if needed. The 8,000 Guard members in the state also have experience because of the Mississippi River's flooding in June.
(Army Sgt. S. Patrick McCollum serves at the National Guard Bureau.)
Friday, August 29, 2008
States Support States as National Guard Prepares for Gustav
By Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 29, 2008 - Through Emergency Management Assistance Compacts, National Guard members from around the country are signing up to support states in the path of Tropical Storm Gustav. "EMAC provides a responsive and straightforward system for the National Guard in unaffected states to send lifesaving capabilities, such as personnel and equipment, to help in affected states," Rick Breitenfeldt, a public affairs officer at the National Guard Bureau, explained.
Approved by Congress in 1996, EMAC is a mutual aid partnership agreement among the 54 states and territories that allows state-to-state assistance during governor-declared or federally declared emergencies.
"EMAC is about governors helping fellow governors in time of need," Breitenfeldt said.
In 2005, EMAC deployed more than 65,000 personnel to the affected states after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. "That was the largest deployment of state-to-state aid in history and stands as a testament to EMAC's effectiveness and efficiency," Breitenfeldt said.
So far this year, the Louisiana National Guard has requested 20 aircraft from eight states, because their UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and about 360 soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 244th Aviation Regiment, are currently deployed to Iraq, said Army Sgt. First Class Melaine Rowton with the Louisiana National Guard.
During Hurricane Katrina three years ago, the battalion rescued about 16,000 people in the area.
The 1st Battalion, 114th Security and Support, of the 77th Aviation Brigade based at Camp Joseph T. Robinson in North Little Rock, Ark., will deploy more than 40 soldiers to Pineville, La. The group also will include five Air National Guard members from the 154th Weather Flight at Little Rock Air Force Base, according to a news release from the Arkansas National Guard.
The 114th will provide airspace management and command and control of all aviation assets supporting the relief effort if required. The 154th will support the 114th with weather briefings and forecasts as well as providing resource protection for the airfield.
In preparation for another potential mission, the Fort Chaffee Maneuver Training Center near Fort Smith, Ark., has identified temporary emergency sheltering for up to 4,000 evacuees, the Arkansas Guard announced.
With the support of federal, state and emergency responders, Fort Chaffee's role potentially would include evacuee reception and accountability, housing and shelter, subsistence, medical care, transportation, information management and public safety, along with command and control of all operations through the establishment of an emergency operations center.
According to the Arkansas Guard, the state has a detailed operations plan in place to support all operations, many of which were either developed or improved through the lessons learned with Hurricane Katrina, when more than 10,000 evacuees were processed through the post.
In Texas, the governor has requested aeromedical support. The 137th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron from Oklahoma City, Okla., will provide five crew members, who will stage at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and transport special-needs personnel from communities threatened by the storm. About 30 aeromedical crewmembers from the 166th AES in New Castle, Del., also will depart today for Texas.
"This is the right thing to do. Our men and women are highly trained for these tasks, and our Delaware National Guard troops are ready to help if American lives are at risk and our assistance is called upon," Army Maj. Gen. Frank Vavala, adjutant general of the Delaware National Guard, said.
The Indiana National Guard also has been alerted for possible duty in the Gulf Coast region. The 38th Sustainment Brigade from Kokomo, Ind., and Headquarters, 38th Infantry Division from Indianapolis may be activated for command and control and other rapid-response operations, Army Lt. Col. Deedra Thombleson, the state public affairs officer, said.
(Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke serves at the National Guard Bureau.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 29, 2008 - Through Emergency Management Assistance Compacts, National Guard members from around the country are signing up to support states in the path of Tropical Storm Gustav. "EMAC provides a responsive and straightforward system for the National Guard in unaffected states to send lifesaving capabilities, such as personnel and equipment, to help in affected states," Rick Breitenfeldt, a public affairs officer at the National Guard Bureau, explained.
Approved by Congress in 1996, EMAC is a mutual aid partnership agreement among the 54 states and territories that allows state-to-state assistance during governor-declared or federally declared emergencies.
"EMAC is about governors helping fellow governors in time of need," Breitenfeldt said.
In 2005, EMAC deployed more than 65,000 personnel to the affected states after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. "That was the largest deployment of state-to-state aid in history and stands as a testament to EMAC's effectiveness and efficiency," Breitenfeldt said.
So far this year, the Louisiana National Guard has requested 20 aircraft from eight states, because their UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and about 360 soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 244th Aviation Regiment, are currently deployed to Iraq, said Army Sgt. First Class Melaine Rowton with the Louisiana National Guard.
During Hurricane Katrina three years ago, the battalion rescued about 16,000 people in the area.
The 1st Battalion, 114th Security and Support, of the 77th Aviation Brigade based at Camp Joseph T. Robinson in North Little Rock, Ark., will deploy more than 40 soldiers to Pineville, La. The group also will include five Air National Guard members from the 154th Weather Flight at Little Rock Air Force Base, according to a news release from the Arkansas National Guard.
The 114th will provide airspace management and command and control of all aviation assets supporting the relief effort if required. The 154th will support the 114th with weather briefings and forecasts as well as providing resource protection for the airfield.
In preparation for another potential mission, the Fort Chaffee Maneuver Training Center near Fort Smith, Ark., has identified temporary emergency sheltering for up to 4,000 evacuees, the Arkansas Guard announced.
With the support of federal, state and emergency responders, Fort Chaffee's role potentially would include evacuee reception and accountability, housing and shelter, subsistence, medical care, transportation, information management and public safety, along with command and control of all operations through the establishment of an emergency operations center.
According to the Arkansas Guard, the state has a detailed operations plan in place to support all operations, many of which were either developed or improved through the lessons learned with Hurricane Katrina, when more than 10,000 evacuees were processed through the post.
In Texas, the governor has requested aeromedical support. The 137th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron from Oklahoma City, Okla., will provide five crew members, who will stage at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and transport special-needs personnel from communities threatened by the storm. About 30 aeromedical crewmembers from the 166th AES in New Castle, Del., also will depart today for Texas.
"This is the right thing to do. Our men and women are highly trained for these tasks, and our Delaware National Guard troops are ready to help if American lives are at risk and our assistance is called upon," Army Maj. Gen. Frank Vavala, adjutant general of the Delaware National Guard, said.
The Indiana National Guard also has been alerted for possible duty in the Gulf Coast region. The 38th Sustainment Brigade from Kokomo, Ind., and Headquarters, 38th Infantry Division from Indianapolis may be activated for command and control and other rapid-response operations, Army Lt. Col. Deedra Thombleson, the state public affairs officer, said.
(Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke serves at the National Guard Bureau.)
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Northern Command Sends Coordinating Cell to Texas for Storm Response
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
July 22, 2008 - U.S. Northern Command has deployed a defense coordination unit to the Joint Operations Center in Austin, Texas, in anticipation of the landfall of Tropical Storm Dolly in southern Texas. As of 3 p.m. EDT today, the storm packed sustained winds of 70 mph, and meteorologists expect it to attain hurricane status before it makes landfall tomorrow.
The 12-man NorthCom cell deployed yesterday from Denton, Texas, and is coordinating with federal, state and local officials. The cell is collocated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency's regional office.
Civilian agencies are the lead elements. If the civilian agencies need help from the military, the NorthCom cell is on scene to speed that assistance. "We only work in support of civilian agencies," said Army Col. Laverm "Bullett" Young, commander of the cell and the defense coordinating officer.
The cell also has been working with the U.S. defense attaché in Mexico to cooperate with the Mexican armed services. Dolly is forecast to hit north of Brownsville, Texas, but northeastern Mexico also will experience hurricane or tropical storm winds. "There will be a lot of aircraft flying down there doing search and rescue, if the need arises, and we've been talking in advance of that," Young said.
Forecasters expect between 10 and 20 inches of rain from the storm. "We anticipate flooding will be the biggest problem, but we're preparing for any contingency," Young said.
Fort Sam Houston, Texas, has been designated as a staging area for supplies for the area if needed. Texas has not asked for any aid from the military yet. About 1,200 members of the Texas National Guard have been called to state active duty, and state officials are keeping in close touch with affected communities and with federal and nongovernmental agencies.
The defense coordinating cell normally reports to the U.S. Army North. When called up like this, the cell reports directly to the commander of U.S. Northern Command in Colorado Springs, Colo.
This is not the first time the team has deployed. They worked on coordinating efforts for Hurricane Dean last year and for the series of tornadoes that decimated the community of Eagle Pass, Texas, in April 2007. In addition to Texas, the unit provides support to Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Mexico and Arizona.
American Forces Press Service
July 22, 2008 - U.S. Northern Command has deployed a defense coordination unit to the Joint Operations Center in Austin, Texas, in anticipation of the landfall of Tropical Storm Dolly in southern Texas. As of 3 p.m. EDT today, the storm packed sustained winds of 70 mph, and meteorologists expect it to attain hurricane status before it makes landfall tomorrow.
The 12-man NorthCom cell deployed yesterday from Denton, Texas, and is coordinating with federal, state and local officials. The cell is collocated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency's regional office.
Civilian agencies are the lead elements. If the civilian agencies need help from the military, the NorthCom cell is on scene to speed that assistance. "We only work in support of civilian agencies," said Army Col. Laverm "Bullett" Young, commander of the cell and the defense coordinating officer.
The cell also has been working with the U.S. defense attaché in Mexico to cooperate with the Mexican armed services. Dolly is forecast to hit north of Brownsville, Texas, but northeastern Mexico also will experience hurricane or tropical storm winds. "There will be a lot of aircraft flying down there doing search and rescue, if the need arises, and we've been talking in advance of that," Young said.
Forecasters expect between 10 and 20 inches of rain from the storm. "We anticipate flooding will be the biggest problem, but we're preparing for any contingency," Young said.
Fort Sam Houston, Texas, has been designated as a staging area for supplies for the area if needed. Texas has not asked for any aid from the military yet. About 1,200 members of the Texas National Guard have been called to state active duty, and state officials are keeping in close touch with affected communities and with federal and nongovernmental agencies.
The defense coordinating cell normally reports to the U.S. Army North. When called up like this, the cell reports directly to the commander of U.S. Northern Command in Colorado Springs, Colo.
This is not the first time the team has deployed. They worked on coordinating efforts for Hurricane Dean last year and for the series of tornadoes that decimated the community of Eagle Pass, Texas, in April 2007. In addition to Texas, the unit provides support to Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Mexico and Arizona.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Interactive Web Site Helps Pilots 'See and Avoid' Midair Collisions
By William Murray
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 20, 2008 - General aviation officers and military safety officers are using an interactive Web site created and run by the Air National Guard to help eliminate midair collisions and close calls. Each year, on average, there are 30 midair collisions and thousands of near midair collisions internationally, and the number of unreported close calls in the United States alone may be much higher, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
In 2005, a military training aircraft collided with a civilian crop duster, resulting in destruction of both aircraft and the death of the civilian pilot. Following that tragedy, the Air National Guard created the SeeAndAvoid.org Web site portal to help make the skies safer for pilots and passengers.
Adopted for use throughout the Defense Department in 2006, the SeeAndAvoid.org portal offers a centralized, credible Web site for civilian pilots and military safety officers. The site offers reciprocal information and education on airspace, visual identification, aircraft performance and mutual hazards to safe flight, with the ultimate goal of eliminating midair collisions and reducing close calls.
The portal features an easy-to-use graphical interface that permits aviators to locate reported midair collisions and near midair collisions on a Google-driven map, and then directly link to the FAA or National Transportation Safety Board official report on the incident.
"Open communication is paramount in aviation safety," said Lt. Col. Ed Vaughan, combat fighter pilot and the creator and program manager of the SeeAndAvoid portal. "We built this portal to communicate vital information that saves lives."
The Defense Safety Oversight Council funded the portal to help to reduce accidents in the military.
"One general aviation pilot in Arkansas told us that the SeeAndAvoid site helped him avoid flying across military low-level training routes where he had been having near-misses for years," Vaughan said, "As that pilot told us, without this information, the question was when, not if, he was going to collide with a fighter jet."
General aviation pilots, by and large, use the Internet to get their most important flight planning information, such as weather, Notices to Airmen – known in the aviation world as NOTAMs -- and routing. The SeeAndAvoid portal provides key information for flight planning, as knowing where military operational flying areas are and how to avoid that airspace is crucial to a safe flight.
For military safety officers, SeeAndAvoid.org provides the opportunity to create a Web-based midair-collision-avoidance educational and public-outreach program. The site integrates and links with related sites such as FAA Special Use Airspace, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association's Air Safety Foundation, and others to create a comprehensive online flight-safety community.
The Air Force's Air Combat Command joined as a major contributor in 2007 and promotes the Web site internationally. Efforts to integrate a new FAA deconfliction program will provide further value to military pilots under a new low-level deconfliction project jointly sponsored by the FAA and DoD.
The goal is to eliminate midair collisions and reduce close calls through continuous flight safety and proper flight planning, officials said.
SeeAndAvoid.org allows users to find and link to all existing military mid-air collision-avoidance programs on a single Web site, while also enjoying new access to information from government agencies and military bases that previously did not have Web-based content.
By promoting information exchange between civilian pilots and the military flight safety community, SeeAndAvoid.org provides one-stop shopping to help all pilots safely share the skies.
(William Murray is a public affairs specialist with the New Media directorate of American Forces Information Service.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 20, 2008 - General aviation officers and military safety officers are using an interactive Web site created and run by the Air National Guard to help eliminate midair collisions and close calls. Each year, on average, there are 30 midair collisions and thousands of near midair collisions internationally, and the number of unreported close calls in the United States alone may be much higher, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
In 2005, a military training aircraft collided with a civilian crop duster, resulting in destruction of both aircraft and the death of the civilian pilot. Following that tragedy, the Air National Guard created the SeeAndAvoid.org Web site portal to help make the skies safer for pilots and passengers.
Adopted for use throughout the Defense Department in 2006, the SeeAndAvoid.org portal offers a centralized, credible Web site for civilian pilots and military safety officers. The site offers reciprocal information and education on airspace, visual identification, aircraft performance and mutual hazards to safe flight, with the ultimate goal of eliminating midair collisions and reducing close calls.
The portal features an easy-to-use graphical interface that permits aviators to locate reported midair collisions and near midair collisions on a Google-driven map, and then directly link to the FAA or National Transportation Safety Board official report on the incident.
"Open communication is paramount in aviation safety," said Lt. Col. Ed Vaughan, combat fighter pilot and the creator and program manager of the SeeAndAvoid portal. "We built this portal to communicate vital information that saves lives."
The Defense Safety Oversight Council funded the portal to help to reduce accidents in the military.
"One general aviation pilot in Arkansas told us that the SeeAndAvoid site helped him avoid flying across military low-level training routes where he had been having near-misses for years," Vaughan said, "As that pilot told us, without this information, the question was when, not if, he was going to collide with a fighter jet."
General aviation pilots, by and large, use the Internet to get their most important flight planning information, such as weather, Notices to Airmen – known in the aviation world as NOTAMs -- and routing. The SeeAndAvoid portal provides key information for flight planning, as knowing where military operational flying areas are and how to avoid that airspace is crucial to a safe flight.
For military safety officers, SeeAndAvoid.org provides the opportunity to create a Web-based midair-collision-avoidance educational and public-outreach program. The site integrates and links with related sites such as FAA Special Use Airspace, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association's Air Safety Foundation, and others to create a comprehensive online flight-safety community.
The Air Force's Air Combat Command joined as a major contributor in 2007 and promotes the Web site internationally. Efforts to integrate a new FAA deconfliction program will provide further value to military pilots under a new low-level deconfliction project jointly sponsored by the FAA and DoD.
The goal is to eliminate midair collisions and reduce close calls through continuous flight safety and proper flight planning, officials said.
SeeAndAvoid.org allows users to find and link to all existing military mid-air collision-avoidance programs on a single Web site, while also enjoying new access to information from government agencies and military bases that previously did not have Web-based content.
By promoting information exchange between civilian pilots and the military flight safety community, SeeAndAvoid.org provides one-stop shopping to help all pilots safely share the skies.
(William Murray is a public affairs specialist with the New Media directorate of American Forces Information Service.)
Monday, May 12, 2008
Guard Answers Calls in Weather-Battered States
By Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 12, 2008 - National Guard members in four states were called out by their governors to assist civil authorities today after tornadoes crossed the southwestern United States on May 10 and flooding on the Delaware coast left communities in need of emergency assistance. Since May 7, the National Weather Service has confirmed at least 42 tornadoes in the southern plains and the southeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the nation, with the strongest tornado recorded May 10 as an F-4. It developed from a super-cell storm that tracked through three states.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency reported that Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and South Carolina were affected by severe weather during the weekend, with at least 22 confirmed deaths, many homes destroyed and thousands of people without power. The Guard also is responding to flooded areas in Delaware after heavy rains on Mother's Day.
In Oklahoma, Gov. Brad Henry called out the National Guard to assist emergency responders after five confirmed tornadoes touched down in the state. At least 25 Army Guard members are providing security support in the town of Picher after an F-4 tornado churned up a 63-mile swath of damage from Oklahoma to Missouri.
Soldiers reportedly are assisting local law enforcement in securing the area, which includes routes in and out of the town four miles south of the state's border with Kansas. An Army Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew is flying aerial assessment missions for the governor.
In Arkansas, where at least two tornadoes touched down and tracked through the central part of the state the evening of May 10, homes were destroyed in the town of Stuttgart.
"We've deployed 50 Guardsmen from the Guard's 875th Engineer Battalion," said Air Force Maj. Keith Moore, a National Guard spokesman. Moore said the soldiers traveled from their station in Jonesboro and are providing security support at traffic control points and conducting patrols to prevent looting.
The soldiers are working two shifts during an around-the-clock operation and are expected to be on station through May 14. The Army Guard is flying Gov. Michael Beebe and emergency management agency personnel on a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter out of Camp Robinson to assess damaged areas.
"This is one of the key roles of the Guard, being a dual-mission force, that we are here to support our local communities [and] respond to the governor," Moore said.
After severe storms and tornadoes swept through southwestern Missouri, nearly 20 Army Guard soldiers deployed on state active duty to support Gov. Matt Blunt in his emergency response efforts for the towns of Newtonia and Grany. The soldiers are assisting local law enforcement agencies with security. Eight soldiers and two military vehicles deployed to each town.
In Delaware, tidal flooding and heavy rains led to Guard members deploying in six light medium tactical vehicles and one 2.5-ton truck to assist in flood evacuations at South Bowers Beach, Kitts Hummock Beach, Woodland Beach and Slaughter Beach.
"The LMTVs can carry up to 15 people and have a high ground clearance, which allows them operate in up to 4 feet of water," said Lt. Col. Len Gratteri, Delaware National Guard spokesman. Gratteri said the state's Guard members are deployed from the 262nd Maintenance Company, the 261st Signal Brigade and the 72nd Troop Command.
The Delaware Guard is coordinating emergency assistance through the state's emergency management agency with its Joint Operations and Emergency Operations Centers. A shelter area is also set up in Kent County.
(Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith serves with the National Guard Bureau. Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill of the National Guard Bureau contributed to this report.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 12, 2008 - National Guard members in four states were called out by their governors to assist civil authorities today after tornadoes crossed the southwestern United States on May 10 and flooding on the Delaware coast left communities in need of emergency assistance. Since May 7, the National Weather Service has confirmed at least 42 tornadoes in the southern plains and the southeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the nation, with the strongest tornado recorded May 10 as an F-4. It developed from a super-cell storm that tracked through three states.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency reported that Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and South Carolina were affected by severe weather during the weekend, with at least 22 confirmed deaths, many homes destroyed and thousands of people without power. The Guard also is responding to flooded areas in Delaware after heavy rains on Mother's Day.
In Oklahoma, Gov. Brad Henry called out the National Guard to assist emergency responders after five confirmed tornadoes touched down in the state. At least 25 Army Guard members are providing security support in the town of Picher after an F-4 tornado churned up a 63-mile swath of damage from Oklahoma to Missouri.
Soldiers reportedly are assisting local law enforcement in securing the area, which includes routes in and out of the town four miles south of the state's border with Kansas. An Army Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew is flying aerial assessment missions for the governor.
In Arkansas, where at least two tornadoes touched down and tracked through the central part of the state the evening of May 10, homes were destroyed in the town of Stuttgart.
"We've deployed 50 Guardsmen from the Guard's 875th Engineer Battalion," said Air Force Maj. Keith Moore, a National Guard spokesman. Moore said the soldiers traveled from their station in Jonesboro and are providing security support at traffic control points and conducting patrols to prevent looting.
The soldiers are working two shifts during an around-the-clock operation and are expected to be on station through May 14. The Army Guard is flying Gov. Michael Beebe and emergency management agency personnel on a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter out of Camp Robinson to assess damaged areas.
"This is one of the key roles of the Guard, being a dual-mission force, that we are here to support our local communities [and] respond to the governor," Moore said.
After severe storms and tornadoes swept through southwestern Missouri, nearly 20 Army Guard soldiers deployed on state active duty to support Gov. Matt Blunt in his emergency response efforts for the towns of Newtonia and Grany. The soldiers are assisting local law enforcement agencies with security. Eight soldiers and two military vehicles deployed to each town.
In Delaware, tidal flooding and heavy rains led to Guard members deploying in six light medium tactical vehicles and one 2.5-ton truck to assist in flood evacuations at South Bowers Beach, Kitts Hummock Beach, Woodland Beach and Slaughter Beach.
"The LMTVs can carry up to 15 people and have a high ground clearance, which allows them operate in up to 4 feet of water," said Lt. Col. Len Gratteri, Delaware National Guard spokesman. Gratteri said the state's Guard members are deployed from the 262nd Maintenance Company, the 261st Signal Brigade and the 72nd Troop Command.
The Delaware Guard is coordinating emergency assistance through the state's emergency management agency with its Joint Operations and Emergency Operations Centers. A shelter area is also set up in Kent County.
(Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith serves with the National Guard Bureau. Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill of the National Guard Bureau contributed to this report.)
Monday, February 11, 2008
Virginia Wildfires Bring Out More Guard Responders
By Tech. Sgt. Mike R. Smith, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 11, 2008 - Fighting wildfires in Virginia became the newest mission for members of the National Guard, who were dealing with many domestic emergencies as the new week began. More than 500 members of the National Guard were on weather-related duty in the South and West, as well as in Virginia, because of call-ups from governors in nine states for emergency assistance to communities hit by tornadoes, heavy snow and floods.
Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine declared a state of emergency yesterday when high winds fanned wildfires across the state. The Virginia Department of Forestry estimated that at least 200 fires had burned nearly 6,000 acres from Virginia Beach to Roanoke to Fairfax County.
Virginia Guard soldiers responded with two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters equipped with 2,000-gallon buckets to spread water over the flames. At least 110 soldiers reported to Fort Pickett, southwest of Richmond, for firefighter training today. They're expected to help the Virginia Department of Forestry beginning tomorrow.
National Guard units in Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana continued recovery operations in their communities through the weekend and into today, six days after thunderstorms and tornados crippled the states with power outages, destroyed infrastructure, homes and businesses and flooded multiple counties across Indiana.
In Kentucky, four Guard members continued to operate a mobile command post in Muhlenberg County, while 82 soldiers from the 307th Maintenance Company continued to support state and local law enforcement agencies at traffic control points.
At least 50 Arkansas Guard soldiers and airmen continued their recovery missions in Stone and Van Buren counties through the weekend. Guard officials said the state's five ongoing missions are anticipated to last through this week as the Guard continues to support civil authorities.
Arkansas Guard soldiers are providing emergency power for the courthouse and city hall in Mountain View and for the county landfill and Irving Clinic in Stone County. Soldiers in Clinton and Van Buren counties are supporting security operations by state and local law enforcement agencies.
The Tennessee National Guard had 146 Guard members supporting civilian emergency response agencies with debris removal in Macon, Trousdale and Sumner counties. Many are operating from a support base and civilian shelter at the Lafayette Armory.
At least 24 soldiers in Indiana were called out after a tornado and other high winds caused damage in Jackson, Decatur and Putnam counties. Guard officials said flood conditions were taking a toll on the infrastructure, with numerous reports of damaged and washed-out roads, bridges and railroad tracks.
Soldiers were positioning a sandbag machine in Kokomo, and 18 soldiers deployed to areas in Sullivan County to assist with sandbagging operations. Officials expected to shift operations to the southern part of the state today.
In the West, nearly 70 Guard members in Idaho, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington continued snow removal operations.
In Idaho, where snow levels deepened to dangerous levels, 45 Guard members were shoveling snow from the roofs of 30 buildings and operating loaders and other heavy equipment in Bonner, Shoshone and Kootenai counties.
(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Mike R. Smith serves at the National Guard Bureau.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 11, 2008 - Fighting wildfires in Virginia became the newest mission for members of the National Guard, who were dealing with many domestic emergencies as the new week began. More than 500 members of the National Guard were on weather-related duty in the South and West, as well as in Virginia, because of call-ups from governors in nine states for emergency assistance to communities hit by tornadoes, heavy snow and floods.
Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine declared a state of emergency yesterday when high winds fanned wildfires across the state. The Virginia Department of Forestry estimated that at least 200 fires had burned nearly 6,000 acres from Virginia Beach to Roanoke to Fairfax County.
Virginia Guard soldiers responded with two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters equipped with 2,000-gallon buckets to spread water over the flames. At least 110 soldiers reported to Fort Pickett, southwest of Richmond, for firefighter training today. They're expected to help the Virginia Department of Forestry beginning tomorrow.
National Guard units in Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana continued recovery operations in their communities through the weekend and into today, six days after thunderstorms and tornados crippled the states with power outages, destroyed infrastructure, homes and businesses and flooded multiple counties across Indiana.
In Kentucky, four Guard members continued to operate a mobile command post in Muhlenberg County, while 82 soldiers from the 307th Maintenance Company continued to support state and local law enforcement agencies at traffic control points.
At least 50 Arkansas Guard soldiers and airmen continued their recovery missions in Stone and Van Buren counties through the weekend. Guard officials said the state's five ongoing missions are anticipated to last through this week as the Guard continues to support civil authorities.
Arkansas Guard soldiers are providing emergency power for the courthouse and city hall in Mountain View and for the county landfill and Irving Clinic in Stone County. Soldiers in Clinton and Van Buren counties are supporting security operations by state and local law enforcement agencies.
The Tennessee National Guard had 146 Guard members supporting civilian emergency response agencies with debris removal in Macon, Trousdale and Sumner counties. Many are operating from a support base and civilian shelter at the Lafayette Armory.
At least 24 soldiers in Indiana were called out after a tornado and other high winds caused damage in Jackson, Decatur and Putnam counties. Guard officials said flood conditions were taking a toll on the infrastructure, with numerous reports of damaged and washed-out roads, bridges and railroad tracks.
Soldiers were positioning a sandbag machine in Kokomo, and 18 soldiers deployed to areas in Sullivan County to assist with sandbagging operations. Officials expected to shift operations to the southern part of the state today.
In the West, nearly 70 Guard members in Idaho, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington continued snow removal operations.
In Idaho, where snow levels deepened to dangerous levels, 45 Guard members were shoveling snow from the roofs of 30 buildings and operating loaders and other heavy equipment in Bonner, Shoshone and Kootenai counties.
(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Mike R. Smith serves at the National Guard Bureau.)
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Guard Units Respond to Tornadoes, Snowstorms
By Tech. Sgt. Mike R. Smith, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 8, 2008 - Nearly 300 members of the National Guard responded to call-ups from governors in seven states over the last week after tornadoes hit the South and snowstorms blanketed the West. National Guard units responded in Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee after an unseasonable string of winter thunderstorms and tornadoes charged through communities Feb. 5 and left large swaths of destruction, death and injuries.
In Kentucky, up to 139 guardsmen with 32 humvees, two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, a heavy equipment wrecker, a fuel tanker and a bus deployed to tornado damaged areas.
The Kentucky Guard provided emergency power for the Muhenberg Water Company and operated a mobile command post in Muhenberg County. Soldiers of the 307th Maintenance Company supported state and local law enforcement agencies at traffic control points.
In Arkansas, Army National Guard soldiers aided victims of a devastating tornado that touched down in Atkins. Arkansas National Guard troops from the 142nd Fires Brigade were called out late Feb. 5, and reported to disaster sites in the early hours of Feb. 6.
The soldiers provided a 5,000-gallon water truck to Clinton and two 500-gallon water trailers and a generator to the Town of Mountain View. Guard aviation assets provided aerial reconnaissance for Gov. Mike Beebe and the state's Department of Emergency Management. Twenty-eight guardsmen performed search and rescue missions in Atkins on Wednesday and aided with cleanup missions, through Friday.
The Tennessee National Guard operated five UH-60s in aerial assessment missions. In addition, 24 guardsmen supported civilian emergency response agencies with debris removal. Many are currently operating from a support base and civilian shelter at the Lafayette Armory.
Additional Tennessee guardsmen are planning to supply emergency power for the Red Boiling Springs Water System and a hospital in Hartsville. Up to 150 guardsmen are also planning to support debris removal operations in Macon, Trousdale and Sumner counties.
In the West, where heavy snowfalls stranded residents and motorists, National Guard units in Wisconsin, Oregon, New Mexico and Idaho were slowing or halting their operations Friday after several days of emergency response missions.
After the winter storms stranded an estimated 800 motorists on a 19-mile stretch of Interstate-90 in Wisconsin, 68 Wisconsin National Guard soldiers and airmen deployed and conducted health and wellness checks and delivered about 5,000 bottles of water and about 350 packaged meals to stranded victims. The Guard also flew aerial surveillance missions for emergency response personnel.
Thirty-four members of the Oregon National Guard cleared snow away from roadways and utilities. Soldiers were operating two Army Guard mine detectors to locate fire hydrants, water covers and pipes.
New Mexico National Guardsmen provided assistance to the town of Chama after Gov. Bill Richardson declared a state of emergency for Rio Arriba County. Twenty-seven Soldiers were assisting local residents with snow removal.
In Idaho, 63 Guardsmen deployed Feb. 2 to remove snow from the roofs of nine schools in the northern part of the state after four feet of snow crippled school systems in three counties.
(Tech Sgt. Mike R. Smith is assigned to the National Guard Bureau.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 8, 2008 - Nearly 300 members of the National Guard responded to call-ups from governors in seven states over the last week after tornadoes hit the South and snowstorms blanketed the West. National Guard units responded in Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee after an unseasonable string of winter thunderstorms and tornadoes charged through communities Feb. 5 and left large swaths of destruction, death and injuries.
In Kentucky, up to 139 guardsmen with 32 humvees, two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, a heavy equipment wrecker, a fuel tanker and a bus deployed to tornado damaged areas.
The Kentucky Guard provided emergency power for the Muhenberg Water Company and operated a mobile command post in Muhenberg County. Soldiers of the 307th Maintenance Company supported state and local law enforcement agencies at traffic control points.
In Arkansas, Army National Guard soldiers aided victims of a devastating tornado that touched down in Atkins. Arkansas National Guard troops from the 142nd Fires Brigade were called out late Feb. 5, and reported to disaster sites in the early hours of Feb. 6.
The soldiers provided a 5,000-gallon water truck to Clinton and two 500-gallon water trailers and a generator to the Town of Mountain View. Guard aviation assets provided aerial reconnaissance for Gov. Mike Beebe and the state's Department of Emergency Management. Twenty-eight guardsmen performed search and rescue missions in Atkins on Wednesday and aided with cleanup missions, through Friday.
The Tennessee National Guard operated five UH-60s in aerial assessment missions. In addition, 24 guardsmen supported civilian emergency response agencies with debris removal. Many are currently operating from a support base and civilian shelter at the Lafayette Armory.
Additional Tennessee guardsmen are planning to supply emergency power for the Red Boiling Springs Water System and a hospital in Hartsville. Up to 150 guardsmen are also planning to support debris removal operations in Macon, Trousdale and Sumner counties.
In the West, where heavy snowfalls stranded residents and motorists, National Guard units in Wisconsin, Oregon, New Mexico and Idaho were slowing or halting their operations Friday after several days of emergency response missions.
After the winter storms stranded an estimated 800 motorists on a 19-mile stretch of Interstate-90 in Wisconsin, 68 Wisconsin National Guard soldiers and airmen deployed and conducted health and wellness checks and delivered about 5,000 bottles of water and about 350 packaged meals to stranded victims. The Guard also flew aerial surveillance missions for emergency response personnel.
Thirty-four members of the Oregon National Guard cleared snow away from roadways and utilities. Soldiers were operating two Army Guard mine detectors to locate fire hydrants, water covers and pipes.
New Mexico National Guardsmen provided assistance to the town of Chama after Gov. Bill Richardson declared a state of emergency for Rio Arriba County. Twenty-seven Soldiers were assisting local residents with snow removal.
In Idaho, 63 Guardsmen deployed Feb. 2 to remove snow from the roofs of nine schools in the northern part of the state after four feet of snow crippled school systems in three counties.
(Tech Sgt. Mike R. Smith is assigned to the National Guard Bureau.)
Thursday, February 07, 2008
National Guard Responds to Tornado Disaster
By Tech. Sgt. Mike R. Smith, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 6, 2008 - More than 160 National Guard members turned out today to support recovery missions in three states hit by a violent string of tornadoes last night. The National Guard Bureau reported that Guard members were called out to perform search and rescue missions, provide security at traffic control points, and to support civilian authorities in other ways in Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee.
Many of the Guard soldiers who responded were undergoing pre-deployment training at the Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center in Greenville, Ky., about five miles from one of the areas hit by a tornado.
At least 52 deaths have been blamed on the unseasonably early storms that swept across Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky.
In Kentucky, 112 Guard members with 16 Humvees and other equipment responded to emergency support requests after the tornados and severe thunderstorms caused widespread power outages and damage to homes and businesses. Central City officials called for Guard support after a tornado struck Muhlenberg County. The Kentucky Guard Mobile Command Post is being deployed to Muhlenberg County to provide phones and data capability to the county government.
Thirty-three soldiers from the Louisville-based 223rd Military Police Company, which was in Greenville for pre-deployment training, assisted the Kentucky State Police and local law enforcement in Central City. They were later relieved by 24 soldiers from the 307th Maintenance Company.
The 307th also is operating Guard heavy equipment, including 15 Humvees, a wrecker and a bus. Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery, were on standby with four Army Guard helicopters: two UH-60s and two OH-58s.
In Monroe Country, the 623rd Field Artillery is providing 22 soldiers and four Humvees for security support to the Kentucky State Police and local law enforcement in Tompkinsville and Gamaliel. The unit will provide 24-hour security operations there.
The 63rd Aviation Brigade has provided 10 soldiers and two UH-60s to fly Gov. Steve Beshear as well as Kentucky Guard and Emergency Management officials to assess the disaster areas.
The 149th Brigade Support Battalion, located in Bowling Green, was tasked to provide six soldiers to prepare equipment for a potential response in western Kentucky and as a possible relief force for the 307th and 623rd.
In Tennessee, about 20 Guard members with two heavy wreckers were helping local crews restore power by transporting support vehicles through storm-damaged areas to work sites. The Tennessee Guard also had one UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter providing aerial search and damage assessment for Gov. Phil Bredesen and emergency management personnel. The Tennessee Guard also set up three armories as Red Cross shelters.
In Arkansas, officials reported that 28 soldiers from the 142nd Fires Brigade, stationed at Fort Smith, were dispatched with nine Humvees to the town of Atkins, northwest of Little Rock. There, Guard members were assisting search and rescue personnel and removing debris from the area where officials said the first tornados touched down in the state. A half dozen counties were hit by the storms.
Maj. Keith Moore, an Arkansas Guard spokesman, said Gov. Mike Beebe declared states of emergency for some of the damaged areas. He said the Army Guard was operating two UH-60s to assist the governor and emergency management personnel who were assessing the damage.
In Mississippi, officials at the state Army Guard's Southaven Armory reported minor damage from a tornado that struck in Southaven. Mississippi Guard members were assessing damage to the armory and its equipment, but no requests for Guard support have yet been reported.
(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Mike R. Smith serves at the National Guard Bureau.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 6, 2008 - More than 160 National Guard members turned out today to support recovery missions in three states hit by a violent string of tornadoes last night. The National Guard Bureau reported that Guard members were called out to perform search and rescue missions, provide security at traffic control points, and to support civilian authorities in other ways in Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee.
Many of the Guard soldiers who responded were undergoing pre-deployment training at the Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center in Greenville, Ky., about five miles from one of the areas hit by a tornado.
At least 52 deaths have been blamed on the unseasonably early storms that swept across Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky.
In Kentucky, 112 Guard members with 16 Humvees and other equipment responded to emergency support requests after the tornados and severe thunderstorms caused widespread power outages and damage to homes and businesses. Central City officials called for Guard support after a tornado struck Muhlenberg County. The Kentucky Guard Mobile Command Post is being deployed to Muhlenberg County to provide phones and data capability to the county government.
Thirty-three soldiers from the Louisville-based 223rd Military Police Company, which was in Greenville for pre-deployment training, assisted the Kentucky State Police and local law enforcement in Central City. They were later relieved by 24 soldiers from the 307th Maintenance Company.
The 307th also is operating Guard heavy equipment, including 15 Humvees, a wrecker and a bus. Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery, were on standby with four Army Guard helicopters: two UH-60s and two OH-58s.
In Monroe Country, the 623rd Field Artillery is providing 22 soldiers and four Humvees for security support to the Kentucky State Police and local law enforcement in Tompkinsville and Gamaliel. The unit will provide 24-hour security operations there.
The 63rd Aviation Brigade has provided 10 soldiers and two UH-60s to fly Gov. Steve Beshear as well as Kentucky Guard and Emergency Management officials to assess the disaster areas.
The 149th Brigade Support Battalion, located in Bowling Green, was tasked to provide six soldiers to prepare equipment for a potential response in western Kentucky and as a possible relief force for the 307th and 623rd.
In Tennessee, about 20 Guard members with two heavy wreckers were helping local crews restore power by transporting support vehicles through storm-damaged areas to work sites. The Tennessee Guard also had one UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter providing aerial search and damage assessment for Gov. Phil Bredesen and emergency management personnel. The Tennessee Guard also set up three armories as Red Cross shelters.
In Arkansas, officials reported that 28 soldiers from the 142nd Fires Brigade, stationed at Fort Smith, were dispatched with nine Humvees to the town of Atkins, northwest of Little Rock. There, Guard members were assisting search and rescue personnel and removing debris from the area where officials said the first tornados touched down in the state. A half dozen counties were hit by the storms.
Maj. Keith Moore, an Arkansas Guard spokesman, said Gov. Mike Beebe declared states of emergency for some of the damaged areas. He said the Army Guard was operating two UH-60s to assist the governor and emergency management personnel who were assessing the damage.
In Mississippi, officials at the state Army Guard's Southaven Armory reported minor damage from a tornado that struck in Southaven. Mississippi Guard members were assessing damage to the armory and its equipment, but no requests for Guard support have yet been reported.
(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Mike R. Smith serves at the National Guard Bureau.)
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Communities Embrace Texas Family After Tragedy
By Toni Maltagliati
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 6, 2007 - Troops in Iraq know too well how quickly life can take a wrong turn. An outpouring of goodwill and support from the public is helping one wounded soldier and his wife cope with a tragic loss. For Army Spc. John A. Johnson, the fifth improvised-explosive-device blast he experienced in Iraq, in August, was the one that caused traumatic brain injury that landed him at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio for treatment.
Two months later, when he was being discharged, his wife and three children left El Paso and headed east to meet him. Then fate took a deadly turn.
Driving in the Dallas area Oct. 13, the Johnson family vehicle crashed and rolled. Two-year-old Logan and 5-year-old Ashley perished in the wreck. Tyler, age 9, was critically injured with brain injuries that left him comatose at Children's Medical Center in Dallas, where he later died. Johnson's wife, Monalisa, was in the intensive-care unit of an adjacent facility, Parkland Hospital, with back injuries.
With electric speed, the military and civilian communities pulled together to carry the soldier and his family through their losses.
The Warrior and Family Support Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, part of the military's wounded warrior transition network, worked to get Johnson to his family in Dallas quickly. Meanwhile, in San Antonio, the Brooke Army Medical Center Warrior Transition Battalion was doing all it could to help Johnson. Calls were made to community groups, including groups that support the Defense Department's America Supports You program, which connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
The Fisher House Foundation's Hero Miles program, an ASY supporter, provided an airline ticket for Johnson to fly to Dallas within hours of the accident. Army Staff Sgt. Eugene Schmidt, a platoon sergeant with Company C of the Warrior Transition Battalion, accompanied the Army cavalry scout. The two men stayed at the Ronald McDonald House, near the two hospitals.
"His wife was in the hospital for two days," Schmidt said. "So we went back and forth between the two hospitals."
The Army sent Wounded Transition Battalion Chaplain (Capt.) Bryan VanPelt to join the family.
Operation Homefront has chapters in many states and is a supporter of America Supports You. "The case manager at the hospital (in Dallas) contacted our Arkansas chapter," said Amy Palmer, Operation Homefront Texas interim chief executive, and executive vice president of operations and development, referring to Operation Homefront Arkansas. The Johnson family is from Benton, Ark.
"First we set up a fund for the family and put a notice on the Texas chapter Web site," Palmer said. "We're one of the charities of the PGA Tour. They got the information and distributed it through their contacts. Within 24 hours they had raised $45,000."
Soldiers' Angels, also an ASY supporter, provided hotel stays as needed for the Johnson family, including the soldier's mother and grandmother, in Dallas, according to a Brooke Army Medical Center official. Soldiers' Angels officials went to the hotel to give the family funding for food and other necessities. Another group, Operation Comfort, paid for gas the family needed for a rental car.
The Dallas Veteran Service Organization and the Veterans of Foreign Wars prepared meals for the family.
Monalisa Johnson recovered and was discharged. The Johnsons buried their two youngest children in Benton, Ark., Oct. 23, then returned to their son, Tyler's, bedside.
As doctors reduced the boy's circulation to prevent brain swelling, his limbs were cut off from oxygen and it looked like he would require several amputations. Johnson was able to spend time with Tyler as he lay in the hospital bed.
"He was at the hospital with him, talking to him," Schmidt said. "Every day the doctors said, 'He won't make it through the night; he has only a 2 percent chance of making it.' After a while they accepted it."
On Nov. 3, three weeks after the crash, Tyler died.
The cavalry scout and his wife are determined to prevail over this tragedy, Operation Homefront's Palmer said. "They're amazing," she said. "To see them holding hands and comforting each other is amazing. I'm really impressed."
The outpouring of support has been extremely helpful, Schmidt said.
Nobody takes care of wounded American soldiers better than Fort Sam Houston, he said, adding that corporations and the troop-support organizations have spared no expense to ease the Johnsons' burden.
"PGA Tour has raised $95,000," Schmidt said. Some of the money raised was donated to Operation Homefront Texas, which in turn bought the Johnsons a car. Another car company donated a second vehicle, Schmidt said.
American Airlines gave them tickets; Hertz and National provided rental cars, Schmidt said. Another nonprofit group, Hope for the Warriors, paid for the hotel room in Dallas, he said.
Many in the extended military family are reaching out to the Johnsons, he said. "The first lady called, then the vice president's office," Schmidt said. "They have been checking on them. People at the Pentagon are checking on them."
Though Johnson has been discharged from Brooke Army Medical Center, it's not clear if he will rejoin his unit, 1st Battalion, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.
"He'll be re-evaluated," Schmidt said, "because of everything that's happened."
America Supports You was launched three years ago this month with a handful of home front groups and corporations willing to reach out to the extended military family.
"If this tragedy had happened before we had the America Supports You program in place, we wouldn't have been able to energize the community to provide the support required," said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison. Barber is also the architect of America Supports You. "Now, even though we can't make everything right for the family, at least we can help connect them to as much assistance as humanly possible."
A permanent memorial is planned at the school where the Johnson children were students, at Fort Bliss, in El Paso, Palmer, of Operation Homefront Texas, said.
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 6, 2007 - Troops in Iraq know too well how quickly life can take a wrong turn. An outpouring of goodwill and support from the public is helping one wounded soldier and his wife cope with a tragic loss. For Army Spc. John A. Johnson, the fifth improvised-explosive-device blast he experienced in Iraq, in August, was the one that caused traumatic brain injury that landed him at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio for treatment.
Two months later, when he was being discharged, his wife and three children left El Paso and headed east to meet him. Then fate took a deadly turn.
Driving in the Dallas area Oct. 13, the Johnson family vehicle crashed and rolled. Two-year-old Logan and 5-year-old Ashley perished in the wreck. Tyler, age 9, was critically injured with brain injuries that left him comatose at Children's Medical Center in Dallas, where he later died. Johnson's wife, Monalisa, was in the intensive-care unit of an adjacent facility, Parkland Hospital, with back injuries.
With electric speed, the military and civilian communities pulled together to carry the soldier and his family through their losses.
The Warrior and Family Support Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, part of the military's wounded warrior transition network, worked to get Johnson to his family in Dallas quickly. Meanwhile, in San Antonio, the Brooke Army Medical Center Warrior Transition Battalion was doing all it could to help Johnson. Calls were made to community groups, including groups that support the Defense Department's America Supports You program, which connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
The Fisher House Foundation's Hero Miles program, an ASY supporter, provided an airline ticket for Johnson to fly to Dallas within hours of the accident. Army Staff Sgt. Eugene Schmidt, a platoon sergeant with Company C of the Warrior Transition Battalion, accompanied the Army cavalry scout. The two men stayed at the Ronald McDonald House, near the two hospitals.
"His wife was in the hospital for two days," Schmidt said. "So we went back and forth between the two hospitals."
The Army sent Wounded Transition Battalion Chaplain (Capt.) Bryan VanPelt to join the family.
Operation Homefront has chapters in many states and is a supporter of America Supports You. "The case manager at the hospital (in Dallas) contacted our Arkansas chapter," said Amy Palmer, Operation Homefront Texas interim chief executive, and executive vice president of operations and development, referring to Operation Homefront Arkansas. The Johnson family is from Benton, Ark.
"First we set up a fund for the family and put a notice on the Texas chapter Web site," Palmer said. "We're one of the charities of the PGA Tour. They got the information and distributed it through their contacts. Within 24 hours they had raised $45,000."
Soldiers' Angels, also an ASY supporter, provided hotel stays as needed for the Johnson family, including the soldier's mother and grandmother, in Dallas, according to a Brooke Army Medical Center official. Soldiers' Angels officials went to the hotel to give the family funding for food and other necessities. Another group, Operation Comfort, paid for gas the family needed for a rental car.
The Dallas Veteran Service Organization and the Veterans of Foreign Wars prepared meals for the family.
Monalisa Johnson recovered and was discharged. The Johnsons buried their two youngest children in Benton, Ark., Oct. 23, then returned to their son, Tyler's, bedside.
As doctors reduced the boy's circulation to prevent brain swelling, his limbs were cut off from oxygen and it looked like he would require several amputations. Johnson was able to spend time with Tyler as he lay in the hospital bed.
"He was at the hospital with him, talking to him," Schmidt said. "Every day the doctors said, 'He won't make it through the night; he has only a 2 percent chance of making it.' After a while they accepted it."
On Nov. 3, three weeks after the crash, Tyler died.
The cavalry scout and his wife are determined to prevail over this tragedy, Operation Homefront's Palmer said. "They're amazing," she said. "To see them holding hands and comforting each other is amazing. I'm really impressed."
The outpouring of support has been extremely helpful, Schmidt said.
Nobody takes care of wounded American soldiers better than Fort Sam Houston, he said, adding that corporations and the troop-support organizations have spared no expense to ease the Johnsons' burden.
"PGA Tour has raised $95,000," Schmidt said. Some of the money raised was donated to Operation Homefront Texas, which in turn bought the Johnsons a car. Another car company donated a second vehicle, Schmidt said.
American Airlines gave them tickets; Hertz and National provided rental cars, Schmidt said. Another nonprofit group, Hope for the Warriors, paid for the hotel room in Dallas, he said.
Many in the extended military family are reaching out to the Johnsons, he said. "The first lady called, then the vice president's office," Schmidt said. "They have been checking on them. People at the Pentagon are checking on them."
Though Johnson has been discharged from Brooke Army Medical Center, it's not clear if he will rejoin his unit, 1st Battalion, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.
"He'll be re-evaluated," Schmidt said, "because of everything that's happened."
America Supports You was launched three years ago this month with a handful of home front groups and corporations willing to reach out to the extended military family.
"If this tragedy had happened before we had the America Supports You program in place, we wouldn't have been able to energize the community to provide the support required," said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison. Barber is also the architect of America Supports You. "Now, even though we can't make everything right for the family, at least we can help connect them to as much assistance as humanly possible."
A permanent memorial is planned at the school where the Johnson children were students, at Fort Bliss, in El Paso, Palmer, of Operation Homefront Texas, said.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
