Mar 19th, 2010
The U.S. military response to the January earthquake in Haiti was almost immediate.
Within hours, equipment, supplies and personnel began to arrive in Haiti to assist those affected by the earthquake and its aftershocks.
Many Air National Guard units and personnel were among the first to respond to the disaster.
For some, it was a matter of being [...]
There are some very simple ways that the people of Haiti can be helped. There are actions that all of us can take to provide that help. And, sadly, there are a great many ways that our work and our money can be used in ways that will not benefit the Haitians.
Most of us will never see a place with more basic needs than Haiti. Providing those needs means more than just a shipping container full of old clothes. It means that the work and the money we donate must go to groups that are effective, expert in their filed, on the ground in Haiti right now, and will use the resources we provide to aid the Haitians the the ways they need aid. We can see all their needs, but we must assist them through their choices and their involvement in the relief and reconstruction process.
Mar 18th, 2010
The system requires little to set up and is very efficient. The water purification system can filter water at a maximum rate of 60 gallons every minute.
Its ability to run with very little effort from the user makes the system simple. Because it is low maintenance and runs on solar energy, the only thing the user needs to do is change filters as they get dirty.
“The simplicity of the system makes this a great opportunity for these people to have clean water,” said McCormick. “The clean water will be rid of most of the bacteria and diseases it [typically] contains.”
Haiti has been awash in visitors for the last two months. The relief effort after the earthquake brought thousands of people to the country that had never been there before. Few had any understanding of Haitian traditions, Haitian customs and the way things were done in Haiti up until January 12, 2010. That was both a good thing and a bad thing.
On January 11, 2010, Haiti was a cesspool. Its people were among the poorest on the planet and its government was dysfunctional in all of the traditional ways of a third world country. It had no army, and its police were supported and supervised by United Nations military forces.
Mar 17th, 2010
The National Weather Service (NWS) released a late winter / spring forecast today describing the threat of "imminent Midwest flooding", as well as flooding in the South and East. The risk map they have provided shows the highest risk to be in the Red River valley and the upper Mississippi River valley running through North and South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa.
Instead of going to Officer Candidate School for the Navy, Grados attended OCS to become an officer for the Army in January of 2009 where he also met his wife.
“We have plans to see what happens. If everything goes right and we follow the track, we’ll be OK. Sometimes you have to put the balance between your family and work,” he said.
Grados plans to join the Special Forces and make a career out of the military. He also wants to someday write a book about his experiences.