MV Green Wave arrives at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, on Feb. 14, 2012, carrying over 300 units of United States Antarctic Program cargo representing the program's annual food, parts and other supplies during Operation Deep Freeze, the DoD’s support activity to the National Science Foundation-managed USAP.

U.S. Air Force
by Maj. Jonathan Hannon
Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica

Following the redeployment of the last two C-17 Globemaster IIIs to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., and Stewart Air National Guard Base, N.Y., the personnel participating in the 2011-2012 edition of Operation Deep Freeze can lay claim to yet another successful and history-making season.

ODF is the U.S. military’s support to science and research activities conducted by the U.S. Antarctic Program. ODF is a joint, inter-agency operation under the direction of the National Science Foundation and led by Lt Gen Ted Kresge, Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica commander.

“Deep Freeze is one of our toughest missions, requiring strong leadership and precise teamwork by the deployed joint force on the ice in Antarctica and at Christchurch, New Zealand. Year after year, the JTF-SFA proves it can excel and successfully operate in any environment and take on any challenge,” said Lt. Gen. Kresge. “I’m rarely surprised at the extraordinary accomplishments of this team, but this year is truly an exception and I’m beyond proud of all the hard work this team has done for the National Science Foundation.”

During the 2011-2012 season, six ski-equipped LC-130 Hercules aircraft from the 109th Airlift Wing, Stratton Air National Guard Base, N.Y. flew 359 missions between McMurdo Station, Antarctica, and 18 inland Antarctic destinations, transporting more than seven million pounds of cargo and fuel and more than 1,600 passengers. In addition, C-17A aircraft from the 62nd and 446th Airlift Wings at Joint Base Lewis-McChord flew 72 inter-continental missions between New Zealand and McMurdo Station, carrying over six million pounds of cargo and more than 5,000 passengers.

Tasked with providing a major component of logistical support to many Antarctic locations, JTF-SFA aircraft also responded to requests for assistance on multiple occasions in support of the NSF and New Zealand Rescue Coordination Center.

On June 28, for the first time in history, a C-17 aircraft performed an operational mid-winter landing at McMurdo Station with the aid of night vision goggles. Having to navigate around massive ash clouds from volcanic activity in Chile and facing -42° F temperatures in McMurdo, the crew, in cooperation with a Pacific Air Forces Critical Care Air Transport Team, performed an evacuation of a critically-ill program participant to New Zealand.

In August during winter fly-in missions, JTF-SFA was instrumental in coming to the aid of a seriously-ill program participant at the US Amundsen-Scott South Pole station where air temperatures below -60° F prohibited any aircraft landings. The C-17 airdropped two bundles of urgently-needed medical supplies.

On Dec. 15, the Russian fishing trawler Sparta became stranded in heavy sea ice and struck a submerged iceberg, tearing a hole in its hull. An LC-130 aircraft was called upon to provide aerial reconnaissance of and communication links to the vessel, allowing for a Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 aircraft to later airdrop three parcels on an ice floe next to the ailing ship. Less than a month later, seven crew members severely injured in a fire aboard the South Korean-flagged fishing vessel Jeong Woo 2 were transported to McMurdo Station, where they were triaged and treated by U.S. Air Force and contracted medical personnel, and airlifted to Christchurch via an LC-130 aircraft.

Throughout the season, C-17 and LC-130 aircraft carried participants from the Australian, Italian, New Zealand, and South Korean Antarctic programs under scientific collaborative agreements with the NSF.

Transportation was also provided to such dignitaries as the Prime Minister of Norway, King of Malaysia, U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa, Director of the National Science Foundation, the commanders of U.S. Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command, and a Congressional delegation, among others.

Maritime activities in Antarctica began in January with the arrival of the NSF-contracted Russian icebreaker, Vladimir Ignatyuk. The icebreaker cut through 12 miles of ice in preparation for the arrival of the Military Sealift Command-contracted fuel tanker, Maersk Peary, on Jan. 27. The Peary off-loaded more than 6.75 million gallons of fuel and departed McMurdo Station on Feb. 2.

Following the departure of the Peary, the MSC-contracted MV Green Wave arrived McMurdo on Feb. 14, carrying over 300 units of USAP cargo representing the program’s annual food, parts and other supplies. Peary also carried the 331st Transportation Company’s Modular Causeway System. Unusual winter conditions resulted in McMurdo’s seasonal ice pier being insufficient for supporting cargo operations (it was sound enough to allow fuel off-load to proceed normally). The ice pier situation resulted in an urgent request by NSF for assistance through U.S. Transportation Command, answered by the U.S. Army.

True to their motto “causeway or no way”, 42 soldiers assembled the causeway in challenging weather conditions. It was the first construction of its type in extreme cold-weather and icing and permitted the off-load of nearly seven million pounds of cargo and a backload of more than 8.7 million pounds of retrograde cargo. This substantial cargo transfer was assisted by the Navy Cargo Handling Battalion-One sailors from Williamsburg, Va., who worked around-the-clock to complete the cargo transfer in just eight days while battling sub-freezing temperatures and sustained Antarctic winds.

“You cannot say enough about the dedication of these Soldiers and Sailors. Their actions speak volumes about their character and their caliber,” said Gen Kresge. “Really, it’s been a remarkable season–from beginning to end. The whole JTF-SFA team displayed unprecedented flexibility in accomplishing the mission. After two years with JTF-SFA, I’ve certainly learned there are no limits to what this joint force can do.”

For 54 years the NSF has depended on the skills and unique abilities of Airmen, Soldiers, and Sailors to ensure safe delivery of life-sustaining fuel and cargo for research scientists and residents in Antarctica. The 2012-2013 ODF season will begin in August 2012 or as directed by the NSF.

U.S. Air Force
by Sandra Pishner
446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

Reservists from the 446th Airlift Wing and active-duty Airmen from the 62nd Airlift Wing completed a record-setting season for Operation Deep Freeze.

As the 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, McChord Air Force Base, Wash., aircrews and maintainers conducted 74 missions in support of ODF, six more than any previous season. Squadron members also donated a record $10,000 to charities in Christchurch, New Zealand, where they stage ODF C-17 Globemaster III missions.

Operation Deep Freeze is a joint service, inter-agency activity that supports the National Science Foundation, which manages the United States Antarctic Program. Airlift support began Aug. 20, 2011, and ended with the return of the Airmen in early March.

Continuing the theme of firsts for this season, McChord AFB Airmen conducted a C-17 operational South Pole airdrop and a mid-winter medical evacuation out of McMurdo using night-vision goggles. And for the first time in ODF, a reservist was commander of the 304th EAS.

Lt. Col. Bill Eberhardt, from the 728th Airlift Squadron here, commanded the squadron of 35.
“Aircrew wise, it’s a 50-50 split (between 446th and 62nd AWs),” Eberhardt said. “Generally, the 446th Operations Group mans the staff of the 304th EAS. We (the 446th AW) have the (director of operations), superintendent, and chief loadmaster. The only non-reservist on the staff is from the 62nd Airlift Wing, the commander of the squadron.”

This year, unit members flew 2,524 passengers south, 2,631 passengers north and more than 6.3 million pounds in cargo.

“Pretty impressive for one small squadron with one airplane,” Eberhardt said.

At the end of the season the McChord AFB contingent was extremely busy, flying almost every day, Eberhardt said.

“Weather and fuel planning are the primary challenges of flying ODF missions,” Eberhardt said. “When you go down there to McMurdo or airdrop on the South Pole, there’s only one runway within about 2,200 miles you can land on. So you have issues with mission planning; if you lose an engine or something like that you don’t have a lot of options.”

This season, Eberhardt said, was one of the most successful to date. And they get to do it all again Aug. 20, 2012.

Navy Ensign Darius Mercer, right, and sailors assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones transfer six rescued Filipino mariners to U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Baranof in the Persian Gulf, March 15, 2012. U.S. Navy photo

Central Command March 15 2012

Crews of the Navy guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones and Coast Guard Cutter Baranof rescued 24 Filipino mariners here today, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command officials reported.

The John Paul Jones, assigned to Combined Maritime Forces Task Force 152, responded to a distress call from the Liberian-flagged motor vessel Stolt Valor, operating in international waters 48 nautical miles southeast of Farsi Island, Iran, officials said.

When the John Paul Jones’ crew spotted one of two life rafts signaling with a small light and launched the ship’s rigid-hull inflatable boat to investigate, they found 16 people in the first raft and eight more in the other.

“We were ready to assist, and we were fortunately in the position to help,” said Navy Cmdr. Jon Duffy, the John Paul Jones’ commanding officer.

Stolt Valor’s master confirmed one crew member died during an explosion. The 24 rescued mariners were in good health and did not require medical help, officials said. Their rescuers gave them food, water and blankets.

“Coming to the aid of fellow mariners in trouble and conducting search and rescues at sea are critical skills that the Navy trains us to get right,” Duffy said. “I couldn’t be more proud of how our crews reacted from the initial distress call to when every survivor was safe on deck.”

At about 7:30 a.m., the 24 survivors were transferred from the John Paul Jones to the Baranof to be taken to Manama, Bahrain.

Stolt Valor is a chemical tanker carrying about 13,000 metric tons of methyl tertiary butyl ether, which is used to increase oxygen content in gasoline throughout the United States to reduce carbon monoxide and ozone levels caused by auto emissions, officials said. It is considered soluble, but not biodegradable, they added.

The Combined Maritime Forces battle watch officer reported the incident to the Marine Emergency Mutual Aid Center, which sent firefighting tugboats to the scene.

The USS John Paul Jones is conducting maritime security operations in the Persian Gulf. Coast Guard Cutter Baranof is assigned to Task Force 55 and U.S. Coast Guard Patrol Forces Southwest Asia, supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

An SH-60F helicopter assigned to Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 14, supports members of the Humanitarian Assistance Survey Team and the Royal Thai Armed Forces in assessing damage caused by flooding in the Bangkok area. U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Jennifer A. Villalovos

Defense officials are carefully monitoring the situation in Thailand as that nation faces the worst flooding it’s had in more than 50 years.

Recent flooding across Thailand has killed more than 360 people, and more than 2.5 million people have been affected, Thai government officials said.

When the flooding started, U.S. Pacific Command ordered the George Washington Carrier Strike Group, which was conducting a port visit to Singapore, to get underway earlier than scheduled to pre-position in case assistance was required. The command sent a 10-Marine humanitarian assistance survey team from Okinawa, Japan, to Bangkok, Thailand, to assess the situation in the country.

After meeting with Thai officials, the team determined that U.S. military assistance was not needed.

“The Thai government and military have led a tremendous effort to protect and help its citizens during the recent flooding,” Pentagon officials said.

The Navy ships have been released to participate in a previously scheduled annual exercise with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force, Pentagon officials said. The destroyer USS Mustin now plans a previously unscheduled port visit to Laem Chabang, Thailand, to conduct community service events and military-to-military engagements.

Pacific Command officials are working with the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok to determine if U.S. military assets are needed to support the Thais.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

A child from the local community holds a sign thanking the U.S. Sailors from the guided missile destroyer USS Mustin (DDG 89) and members from the Royal Thai Armed Forces during a community service event organized by the Princess Pa Foundation, Thai Red Cross Society. More than 40 Sailors from Mustin volunteered their time with the local community and members from the Royal Thai Armed Forces with assisting in preparing more than 5,000 packages. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jennifer A. Villalovos

The guided missile destroyer USS Mustin (DDG 89) arrived here Oct. 21 for a port visit and to participate in community service events in order to strengthen ties between the U.S. and the Kingdom of Thailand.

The U.S. Navy extends its sincere condolences to the people of Thailand in the aftermath of the recent flooding that has affected the nation.

While in port, the crew of USS Mustin will participate in community service projects in an effort to build upon existing ties between our two nations. The crew will also engage with their Royal Thai Navy counterparts to build on the relationship they have established with their ally.

Personnel Specialist 2nd Class Blanca Marin, assigned to the guided missile destroyer USS Mustin (DDG 89), sits with members from the Royal Thai Navy and seals prepare packaged goods kits organized by the Princess Pa Foundation, Thai Red Cross Society, during a community service event. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jennifer A. Villalovos

“Our ship visited Thailand earlier this year and received a very warm welcome from the Thai people,” said Mustin’s Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Scott A. Tait. “The men and women of Mustin are truly looking forward to return their kindness. We are looking forward to engaging the community in any way we can.”

Seventh Fleet
US Navy

Contractors lift the brow from USS George Washington -CVN 73- prior to the ship getting underway from Changi Naval Base in Singapore. The George Washington Carrier Strike Group departed early from Singapore Oct. 16 to better position themselves for potential humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, if needed, in support of the government of Thailand following significant flooding there. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jacob D. Moore

The nuclear aircraft carrier USS George Washington and its strike group are cutting short a port visit in Singapore. The U.S. Navy ships are moving to be in position to assist the Kingdom of Thailand with the heavy monsoon flooding it is now experiencing. Deploying with the Washington are USS Dewey, USS Mustin, USS Kidd and USS Wayne E Meyer.

The ship movements come after the arrival of a U.S. Marine Corps humanitarian assistance survey team from Okinawa in Bangkok, Thailand, on October 15. The ten Marines are part of the pre-planning team from the Third Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF). Their assessment will provide the groundwork for any Marine humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

The George Washington Strike Group and the III MEF played vital roles in the aftermath of the March 11 Japanese earthquake and tsunami. The United States military, as a whole, has been a key component of relief efforts worldwide.

Southeast Asian nations have been suffering from the combination of a heavy monsoon season and the impacts of three tropical storms since September 26. Thailand has suffered the greatest impact and the most flood related deaths. The UN reports at least 269 flood deaths in Thailand. The American Embassy in Bangkok warns that flooding in and around the Thai capital is expected to peak between October 16-18.

The Thai capital of Bangkok straddles the Chao Phraya River. An ancient network of canals adds to the glamour of the city as well as to the threat from flooding. The Kingdom is engaged in extensive efforts to prevent urban flooding in Bangkok.

The flooding extends to other SE Asian nations. Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam are all experiencing deaths and damages from the high water. At this time, only Thailand has requested U.S. assistance. The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok has released $100,000 from its emergency fund to the Thai Red Cross for flood relief.

The USS George Washington and its strike group have the distinction of being forward deployed, home ported in the city of Yokosuka, Japan. The carrier last made a port call in Thailand in early August 2011. The ships of the strike group will be able to provide nearly two dozen helicopters for rescue, survey and humanitarian efforts, as well as personnel, supplies and pure drinking water.

The impact of the flooding on the city of Bangkok and the Kingdom of Thailand continues and can only worsen. The U.S. Consul General in Chiang Mai, Thailand, writes on his blog that rumors and poor communication are causing a great deal of uncertainty in the Kingdom. If and when the U.S. military receives orders to assist the Thais, the uncertainties ought to be markedly reduced.

Coast Guardsmen from Coast Guard Cutter Walnut fill containers with fresh water for a small island nation in the South Pacific suffering from severe drought conditions October 7, 2011. Crews from Coast Guard Cutter Walnut and New Zealand assessment teams traveled from American Samoa to the island-nation of Tokelau for a joint humanitarian relief effort. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

As the island nation of Tokelau, a territory of New Zealand, entered severe drought levels, the approximately 1,500 residents looked beyond its shores for assistance.  Isolated from their nearest neighbor by roughly 300 miles of ocean with the dire outlook of only seven days left of available drinking water, the U.S. Coast Guard answered the call for help.

The mission to support Tokelau started when the U. S. Embassy in Wellington, New Zealand, contacted Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu to discuss the operation of transporting a New Zealand assessment team and fresh drinking water to Tokelau.

“Like New Zealand, the United States is committed to helping our Pacific neighbors when they are in need,” said U.S. Ambassador David Huebner. “This is a very real humanitarian need here. We are talking about approximately 1,500 people who could be out of fresh water within a week.”

A Coast Guard buoy tender from Honolulu, Coast Guard Cutter Walnut, happened to be on routine patrol in the Pacific servicing aids to navigation when they received the call for the humanitarian mission.

With no useable airfield on the islands an air mission was impossible, making the Walnut the perfect means to deliver and fill Tokelau’s available water tanks with drinkable water.

“The Coast Guard routinely supports the Pacific island countries in this region during search and rescue cases and fisheries patrols,” said Rear Adm. Charles W. Ray, commander of the 14th Coast Guard District. “Our existing relationships between Pacific island countries are essential to facilitate rapid response during times of need.”

Over the weekend the crew of the Walnut departed after a successful distribution of more than 32,000 gallons of fresh water between each of the three island atolls that make up the nation of Tokelau.

This swift response to a unique mission is nothing new to the crew of Walnut.  In the past decade, their missions have taken them around the globe, including: deploying to support Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, assisting the U.S. Army and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in recovering more than 62,000 pounds of marine debris from the Pacific and recovering more than 270,000 gallons of oily water from the Gulf of Mexico in support of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. All of this in addition to their primary missions.

“We are a military service whose mission is multi-operational; not only do we service aids to navigation, perform search and rescue and law enforcement, we also have the capability to respond to humanitarian missions,” said Lt. Cmdr. Brian Huff, commanding officer of  Walnut. “We are fortunate to be in the position to work with foreign and local governments and help the people in Tokelau.”

Posted by: PA2 Kelly Parker with contributions from Petty Officer 3rd Class Angela Henderson, 14th Coast Guard District public affairs specialist.
U.S. Coast Guard

U.S. Army Capt. Jill Lynn, 490th Civil Affairs Battalion Functional Specialty Team veterinarian, and community animal health worker Mohammed Isaq -second from left- work together to treat a young camel during an eight-day Veterinary Civic Action Program in Negele, Ethiopia, Aug. 23, 2011. Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force Capt. Jennifer Pearson

More than 25,000 cattle, camels, chickens and other animals received necessary veterinary treatments Aug. 16-24 in an effort to help livestock in the Miesa and Siminto, Ethiopia, region survive the current drought.

A partnership between local Animal Health Assistants (AHAs), Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs), the district veterinary office of the Negele Borena Region of Ethiopia, and members of the 490th Civil Affairs Battalion Functional Specialty Team (490 CABN FXSP) from the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa conducted a Veterinary Civic Action Program, or VETCAP.

According to Dr. Dejene Taye, Negele Borena District Veterinary Officer, a similar VETCAP in December helped more than 90 percent of the livestock in the region survive a drought, and the current support will continue to help the livestock make it through the next drought.

“It is very satisfying working with the Americans and it is good for the communities,” said Dr. Dejene. “Thanks to the government, this support helps the pastoralists and will help to save more than 20 thousand breeding cattle.”

The CAHWs gave multivitamin injections as well as treatments for trypanosomiasis, the most economically important livestock disease of Africa, especially in cattle. Trypanosomiasis, known as sleeping sickness in humans, affects all aspects of animal production – fertility, birth weights, lactation, growth and survival.

The CAHWs also cleaned and treated animal’s wounds and administered injections of antibiotics and medications for other parasitic diseases.

Gera Huka, a local villager, traveled more than 10 kilometers to have his livestock treated against worms and to receive multi-vitamins. “Some of my cattle are sick or have wounds,” said Huka. “I thank the government and America for helping my cattle.”

Dr. Dejene Taye -right- and Animal Health Assistant Behailu Fekede -center- clean an infected head wound on a calf while U.S. Army Capt. Jill Lynn, 490th Civil Affairs Functional Specialty Team veterinarian, assists during an eight -day Veterinary Civic Action Program in Negele, Ethiopia Aug. 24, 2011. Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force Capt. Jennifer Pearson

The VETCAP was also a good learning experience for the Civil Affairs team to better understand the types of illnesses and injuries of the livestock and how the CAHWs identify and treat the animals.

“Dr. Dejene, the AHAs and the CAHWs have been great to work with in the classroom and in the field,” said U.S. Army Capt. Jill Lynn, 490 CA BN FXSP veterinarian and mission commander. “Working together we have made a difference for the animals and the community. I know Dr. Dejene and his team will continue to do good things to help keep the livestock healthy for the community.”

During the completion ceremony, Boru Cherfole, an AHA, stated, “Though you could not understand the people at the crush site because they speak a different language, it echoed throughout the day that everyone was very happy that you were here to help with the treatment of animals. It was great to see the U.S. Army Civil Affairs vet team side by side with us treating animals. You weren’t just sitting there; you were out there with us helping our community.”

Other community health workers echoed the sentiment by thanking the team and their hard work.

“You showed great commitment in the field when we worked together,” said AHA Behailu Fekede. “You helped us at the beginning and now it is up to us to continue and help our community.”

By Capt. Jennifer Pearson, USAF
Combined Joint Task Force — Horn of Africa Public Affairs
U.S. Army

Female Engagement Team 13 member Lance Cpl. Jacqueline Veres smiles as she gives a backpack full of school supplies to an Afghan girl at the closing of the Sangin Youth Outreach Shura at Forward Operating Base Jackson, Aug 17. With a literacy rate of seven percent in Sangin, District Governor Mohammad Sherrif has recognized the need for education here. Through his outreach shuras to the community he impresses on the people the need for the children of Sangin to become educated so one day they will be able to assume leadership roles within the up and coming Sangin government. Sherrif realizes and tells the people “children are the future of Sangin.” Veres is from Canton, Ga.

More than 85 children from around Sangin attended the Sangin Youth Outreach Shura held by Female Engagement Teams assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, at Forward Operating Base Jackson, Aug. 17.

“It is important to work with the youth of Sangin because just like the kids in the U.S., they want to grow up to be something,” said Sgt. Juanita Towns, the FET 13 team leader. “So it is just best that we try to start them off on the right path at a young age vice letting them join the (insurgency) now.”

When on patrol with the battalion’s infantry squads the team members spread the word about the youth shuras and have recently had Afghan Uniformed Police officers help them in their endeavor to reach out to the children of Sangin.

The children, ages 1-14, were split into three groups in which they participated in age-appropriate informative stations and activities. This enabled the FETs to reach out to each age group more effectively, and is modeled after the cultural breakdown the children often gravitate towards on their own.

“It’s the first activity in Sangin for the kids, focused on the kids,” said FET member Lance Cpl. Jacqueline Veres. “So we are just trying to get them to see that we are here to help them, they can come to us and they can trust us.”

“The first one we had was a hygiene shura. The shura that we just had was a healthcare, education and activities shura,” said Towns, a Richmond, Va., native. “They played soccer, they did their time tables and the smaller kids just played with educational toys.”

With a literacy rate of seven percent in Sangin, District Governor Mohammad Sherrif has recognized the need for education here. Through his outreach shuras to the community he impresses on the people the need for the children of Sangin to become educated so one day they will be able to assume leadership roles within the up and coming Sangin government. Sherrif realizes and tells the people “children are the future of Sangin.”

“Children are the innocent ones in most cases,” said Towns, a parent herself. “If they are not educated there is just a repetitive cycle of insurgency and drugs. If you educate them when they are small there is an opportunity for them to be better than that and do positive things.”

Until last year, these children had not been afforded opportunities to break the trend and reach new levels. However teaching children how to do this is a challenging task since they lack the focus levels of adults. So the team had to mix things up to captivate their young audience and keep them interested in the shura.

“We know that they have a short attention span and if we talk to them for an hour like we do with the women then we are not going to get anything accomplished,” explained Towns. “If we have different activities and different things for them to do, they are going to participate, we are going to hold their attention longer and they are going to come back.”

Sometimes when the children do come back to the gates of the base they are looking for free hand outs and naturally are not interested in discussion of long term solutions. Other times the children show up wanting just to spend time with the teams. This requires the engagement teams to improvise and make the best of each situation.

“Even in between shuras we go to the gate and have 20 to 30 kids wanting to just come and talk to us,” said Veres a Canton, Ga., native. “We don’t really have anything planned sometimes, but we will just sit down and hold a mini-shura.”

The youth shuras in Sangin will continue to further expand their horizons to a new way of life that breaks the trend that plagues the region. In short, the activities give the youth something better, which is important to developing and educating the next generation of citizens and leaders in Sangin.

Youth shuras take place in several locations across Helmand province including the districts of Musa Qal’eh, Now Zad, Garmsir and Marjah.

“I think as soon as we stop having youth shuras we will see more insurgent activity, because we have actually given them something to look forward to every two weeks,” said Towns. “If they didn’t have that outreach on life then they would just do something bad that we are not ready to take the fall for.”

First Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, is currently assigned to Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), which heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghan National Security Forces and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces, and enabling ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its area of operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.

Story by Cpl. Benjamin Crilly
DVIDS

San Francisco Earthquake of 1906: Stockton Street from Union Square, looking toward Market Street. ARC Identifier: 524403 NARA National Archives and Records Administration. Photographer: Chadwick, H. D. US Gov War Department. Office of the Chief Signal Officer.

In 1906, Marines were more than the first to fight. They were first to fight fires, rescue earthquake victims and restore order.

The Bay area’s military ran toward the fray, working to secure the fractured city, quench fires and save lives. Reports filed by Navy and Army officials after the earthquake testified to the military’s response when the earth shifted and one of the greatest natural disasters struck.

The San Andreas fault groaned to life about 5:15 a.m. on Apr. 18, 1906. Among the immediate damages were toppled buildings, ripped open cobblestone streets and wounded and dead citizens across the hilly city. Worse yet, gas lines burst open and raging fires. Water mains also burst, hampering the city’s firefighters in their task to fight the blaze. The city’s fire chief sent the urgent request for military assistance to U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Frederick Funston, the ranking military authority in the area. He promptly sent word back to the city’s mayor troops would assist. Although martial law was never declared, Marines were among the soldiers and sailors who mobilized across the city.

Lt. Col. Lincoln Karmany was the commanding officer of the Marine Detachment on Mare Island and Capt. Arthur T. Matrix commanded the Marine Barracks Naval Training Station San Francisco. Together they organized their Marines to restore order and being firefighting operations.

According to a 2006 article in “Prologue” by Rebecca Livingston, Marines from USS Independence and recruits from the Marine Barracks at Mare Island arrived landed ashore within three hours after the earthquake struck. From letters collected at the time, their performance was admirable.

Arthur H. Dutton was the editor of the San Francisco News Letter and a member of the Press Club of San Francisco. In a letter to Navy Rear Adm. Bowman H., McCalla, now part of the collection of the Museum of the City of San Francisco, he praised the Marines’ actions, noting their discipline.

“I was at Fort Mason when the Marines arrived, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Lincoln Karmany,” Dutton wrote in his letter. “I have been much in contact with troops, both American and foreign, but I never saw a finer looking, better disciplined body of men. From the moment of their arrival, the Marines performed their duties like clock-work. Stoves were up, coffee being made and served out, latrines built, prisoners guarded, refugees succored, and everything else done to meet the situation,–and all quietly, methodically and thoroughly.”

Accounts of Dutton’s letter were reported May 8, 1906 in the New York Times.

The accounts of Marines in action after the 1906 earthquake were reported by Navy Lt. Frederick N. Freeman, stationed aboard the torpedo boat destroyer, USS Perry. The ship was moored at Mare Island when the quake struck. Freeman organized firefighting parties and patrols for security in the city, which was rapidly deteriorating.

“My force was unarmed with the exception of the officers, who carried revolvers; and the police, of whom I only saw two, were absolutely helpless,” Freeman stated in his report. “The crowds rushed saloon after saloon and looted the stocks becoming intoxicated early in the day.”

Freeman was infuriated with locals who took advantage of the situation. The scene was grim, he stated. Women and children needed rescuing in the Rincon Hill neighborhood after the fire swept through in less than a half hour. Even more infuriating, he said, were men who refused to aid “old and crippled men and women,” and refused to work for nothing less than 40 cents an hour.

But with a few Marines, Freeman started to clean up the waterfront.

He wrote, “I instructed First Lieutenant Smith, U.S.M.C, who had been in charge of a small squad of five men from the Active, to organize a patrol for the waterfront. This he did with excellent results, stopping all looting along the water front, closing all saloons, and assisting the relief work along the waterfront.

It wasn’t all security patrols. Marines were battling blazes, too.

“The fire would have been communicated by a number of coal sheds and cooper-shops,” Freeman reported. “A detachment of Marines at this time made its appearance, on their way back to Fort Mason, under command of Lieut. [sic] Brewster, U.S.M.C., and gave valuable aid in impressing men to assist the firefighters. About three hundred men were impressed into the service, and soon reduced the buildings under the lee of the burning houses on Telegraph Hill to ruins pulling down fences, removing fuel, etc., and when the fire did get through it was easily extinguished with one stream of water.”

Freeman singled one Marine out, Pvt. William P. Burton for his actions. It was likely that Burton particularly enjoyed his work. Burton was noted for his ability to demolish things with dynamite in order to reduce the inferno.

“He was cool and collected and possessed of great bravery, and I recommend that he be commended for his zeal and skill,” Freeman stated.

It wasn’t just Burton who stood out among the Marine contingent. Livingston’s Prologue article singled out 1st Lt. Fred. A. Udell, who was a patient at the Mare Island Naval Hospital suffering from a kidney disease. When the earthquake struck, he climbed out of his sick bed and fought fires for two days, rescued people and even guarded a bank from looters. Only when the control was restored did he climb back into his bed. His suffering was bad enough that he was medically retired later that year.

The earthquake even came a chance for one Marine to redeem himself. Livingston also wrote about 2nd Lt. John H. White, who was a courts-martial prisoner at Mare Island Marine Barracks. He was in pre-trial confinement for public drunkenness and profane language. When the quake hit, he was pressed into service. He performed so admirably, in fact, his charges were dropped on April 21, just days after the crisis hit. He didn’t get off completely unscathed though.

Livingston wrote, “He received a stern letter that warned him not to take advantage of the situation and that further drunkenness would not be tolerated.”

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Mongolian Ophthalmologist Mirankhjin Naasantser prepares to test the eyesight of a patient during a consultation at the Buynt Uhaa Complex in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on Aug. 9 during Khaan Quest 2011, a combined joint-exercise hosted by the Mongolian Armed Forces in partnership with U.S. Pacific Command forces. Medical Civil Action Programs like this enable the countries involved to become familiar with one another in addition to helping the community of the host country. Khaan Quest officially started July 31 and continues until Aug. 12.

Military doctors, nurses and medics from five countries came together to deliver general healthcare, optometry and dental services to a small suburb of Ulaabaatar, Mongolia from Aug 6-9, while participating in Khaan Quest 2011, a U.S. Marine led exercise designed to strengthen the interoperability of U.S., Mongolian and other participating nations’ forces in humanitarian civil action projects and multinational joint peace keeping missions around the world.

The temporary clinic held inside the Buynt Uhaa Complex, has averaged at least 900 patients each day since the joint multinational team has been working, according to Lt. Col John Boston, a native of Wasilla, Alaska and a member of 176th Medical Group, Alaska Air National Guard.

The exercise enables partner nations to become familiar with one another.

Khan Quest helps build relationships with the U.S., Mongolia and the other countries that are represented so that we may work better together in the future,” said U.S. Navy Cmdr. Steve Kriss, a doctor assigned to 3rd Marine Logistics Group, Camp Kinser, Okinawa, Japan.

More importantly than helping the multinational medical team become familiar with one another is the service that is provided to those in the community as they get treated.

“Access to care and education to care is sometimes different outside of the United States,” said Boston. “We’ve been seeing people that might not have had access to pediatric care or gynecology or ultrasounds technology”

The 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force has taken this medical outreach to another level. They aren’t just helping, but they are teaching and exchanging techniques so that the Mongolian healthcare system improves as well.

Mongolian Armed Forces Lt. Col Elbegjargal Buyantogtoich examines the cornea of an elderly Mongolian woman during a consultation at the Buynt Uhaa Complex in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on Aug. 9 during Khaan Quest 2011, a combined joint-exercise hosted by the Mongolian Armed Forces in partnership with U.S. Pacific Command forces.

“The service that we are providing right now will only benefit the community for a short time,” said Criss. “We’re also providing training in areas that will endure and last long after we’re gone.”

The exchange in information has been in trauma care, combat injures and in some cases new equipment was introduced to some of the Mongolian doctors.

“I had the opportunity to use a tonometer, which measures the ocular pressure of the eye,” said Mongolian ophthalmologist Ms. Mirankhjin Naasantser. “We don’t use this kind of new equipment here at our hospital, but I can see the benefits if we had it at our disposal.”

Many of the translators at the clinic are doctors themselves, which makes it easy when medical terms need to be explained to the patient. The doctors were thrilled to be part of such a great exercise.

“It’s been an honor to work as a team with the MAF and U.S. doctors,” added Naasantser. “We’re learning from each other.

This exercise is about helping the host country improve on their medical practices, which is a huge benefit to all that are involved. The medical portion of Khaan Quest has participants from Canada, the Republic of Korea, India, the United States and Mongolia.

The medical portion will conclude on Aug. 11 and the overall exercise will end on Aug. 12 with a ceremony held at the Five Hills Training Area.

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Phtotos and Story by Master Sgt. Cohen Young

North Dakota National Guard troops are receiving some relief after assisting state and local authorities with flood mitigation and disaster relief efforts for some 75 days so far in 2011. About 120 soldiers from the Minnesota National Guard will be arriving in Minot and assuming some of the duties now being performed by their North Dakota counterparts.

Guardsmen continue patrols in the flooded areas of the city as well as patrolling the many dikes and levees. If weaknesses are discovered, the Guard is responding with heavy equipment and sandbags to shore up the threatened dike.

816th Engineer Company loads sand removed from HESCO barriers taken down south of the river in Minot, N.D. July 1, 2011. Photo by Sgt. Jesica Geffre, 116th Public Affairs Detachment

Some of the temporary barriers are coming down. HESCO barriers in parts of the downtown Minot are being removed by the National Guard. These barriers consist of cardboard and wire mesh holding dirt so removal is easy though a bit messy.

HESCO barriers emptied in downtown Minot, N.D. July 1, 2011. Photo by Sgt. Jesica Geffre, 116th Public Affairs Detachment

The flooding from the Souris River in Minot, North Dakota, is slowing subsiding. At the Minot 4NW river gauge, also known as the Boy Scout Bridge, the water is eight feet above flood stage but down over two feet in the last week. At the Broadway Bridge river gauge the water is also eight feet above flood stage but down over two feet from its record crest.

Downtown Minot, N.D. July 1, 2011. Photo by Sgt. Jesica Geffre, 116th Public Affairs Detachment

By Friday, the water level is projected to reach 1,555 feet which would put the river below the original level of the dikes and levees. The City of Minot has set that level as the criteria for opening much of the evacuation zone to the residents. Some areas are already open for a part of the day.

Former water levels visible on the buildings around East Central Avenue and 2nd Street East in Minot, N.D., July 1, 2011. Photo by Sgt. Jesica Geffre, 116th Public Affairs Detachment

The ACE Hardware in the photo, according to the data on Google Earth, is at 1,560 feet in elevation. The flood water mark is about three feet higher.

The “boil water” order for residents and businesses using municipal water in Minot remains in effect. The water conservation order also continues in effect with loss of pressure and flow being seen in many areas on both North and South Hill. Until the flooding recedes the city cannot locate all the water and sewer breaks and make repairs. The two orders are expected to remain in effect for the indefinite future.

North Dakota National Guard members monitor flood water along the Broadway flood levee as they remain on alert with one-ton sandbags June 24. The one-ton sandbags are at the ready to patch any breaches in the earthen levee should they occur. The flood levee work being done along Broadway in Minot is in hopes of keeping the main arterial road open that connects north Minot to south Minot. DoD photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp

You gotta laugh, or you’d cry.

Minot is under water. As I write this piece, the water level at Minot 4W, the Boy Scout bridge, is at 24.12 feet. The record was 23 feet and the projection is for the Souris River to rise to 27.5 feet.

This data needs to be converted to be compared to the gauge at Broadway in Minot. That gauge is measured in feet above sea level, and it is currently showing the Souris River at 1,560.13 feet. That is two feet above the previous record and three feet below the projected crest.

Converting the Minot 4W gauge to feet above sea level gives us a current value of 1,569.87 feet with a projected crest of 1,573.25 feet. There’s ten feet of difference in the two crests. From the 4W gauge to the Broadway gauge, the projected crest drops ten feet. Both the projections and the gauge readings have varied during the flood due to changes in data and the physical condition of the gauge, so take all of this with a grain of salt.

The North Dakota National Guard has activated about 800 troops for duty in Minot and Ward County. They are doing just about everything:

levee patrols, two Quick Reaction Forces (QRFs), Traffic Control Points, TrapBag and Hesco installation, dike building, security patrols, evacuation support, air boat evacuation, rescue support team and have four humvee ambulances and medical personnel responding, and a fire truck loaded on a tractor-trailer for high-water emergency response. Two NDNG UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters are operating…

Minot Air Force Base is assisting the Guard and civilian authorities with about 150 airmen and two UH-1 Huey helicopters.

Maj. Greg Pieper, nurse practitioner for the medical readiness training exercise from the Army Reserve 256th Casualty Support Hospital, screens a young patient as her mother comforts her during a visit, June 14. Columbian, Canadian and American military medical and dental professionals treated more than 2,200 Haitian patients at Hospital Saint Pierre de Grande Desdunes, near La Hatte, Haiti, by the end of day two of a 10-day MEDRETE as part of New Horizons 2011.

Colombian, Canadian and American military medical and dental professionals treated more than 2,200 Haitian patients during a New Horizons medical and dental training exercise June 14 at Hospital Saint Pierre de Grande Desdunes, near La Hatte, Haiti.

Task Force Bon Voizen, New Horizons Haiti 2011, a U.S. Southern Command sponsored, U.S. Army South conducted, combined humanitarian exercise under the command of the Louisiana National Guard, provides an opportunity for real-world training while providing humanitarian assistance at the request of the government of Haiti.

As part of Task Force Bon Voizen, this group of 48 professionals melded together to create a team dynamic to not only meet their mission of conducting humanitarian relief missions and medical training exercises June 11-25, but to exceed expectations in care and services provided. June 13, day one of the 10-day medical readiness training exercise, set the tone for doing just that.

“We were able to treat 1,049 patients,” said 2nd Lt. Matthew Wright, the officer in charge of this exercise from the 369th Minimal Care Detachment in Sharonville, Ohio. “That number exceeded all Day 1 totals for 2011 Haiti MEDRETEs.”

As the fourth of four MEDRETES for this region, the momentum continued as day-two totals ended at 1,158 Haitian patients receiving medical and/or dental care. Proactive measures taken by the Government of Haiti’s Ministry of Health was a significant contributing factor for the volume of patients seen.

“The government of Haiti has been very accommodating with space and other requests,” said Sgt. 1st Class Mary Huffman, noncommissioned officer in charge of the exercise from the Ohio Army Reserve 369th MCD. “We were able to expand beyond the original rooms allocated and provide more areas for treatment and a dedicated obstetrician/women’s clinic with a sonogram.”

The ability to employ more of the medical and dental professionals than planned added to the efficient streaming of patients. The vetting process also helped improve the flow of incoming patients from staging, to preventative-measures classes, to triage and ultimately to appropriate medical services.

The commitment to care from the nine Colombians, five Canadians and 34 Americans seemed to energize their efforts as team members rolled up their sleeves and bore the 99 degree Fahrenheit heat and 60 percent humidity. The team members’ 10-hour day on site continued once they returned to task force headquarters as they prepared for the next day’s patients.

For some the compassion runs deeper than a commitment to service.

“Being here for this MEDRETE is the first time I have been back in Haiti since my family left,” said Canadian Capt. Whitney Dagrain, a dentist who has seen more than 50 patients in the two days since this exercise began. “My parents left when I was 16, and coming back, for part of me, is like coming home. I am glad I am able to be here and help.”

In addition to medical training exercises, Task Force Bon Voizen has deployed military engineers to build a technical school, two medical clinics and a latrine facility. These projects are also nearing completion as New Horizons 2011, which also includes projects and MEDRETEs in the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Suriname, draws to a close.

Task Force Bon Voizen is a Commander, U.S. Southern Command sponsored, U.S. Army South conducted, joint foreign military interaction/humanitarian exercise under the command of the Louisiana National Guard. Task Force Bon Voizen is deploying U.S. military engineers and medical professionals to Haiti for training and to provide humanitarian services. Task Force Bon Voizen will build a school, two medical clinics and a latrine facility, as well as staff three medical clinics and one dental clinic between April 28 and June 25 in the Artibonite Department.

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Homes in the Bismarck - Mandan area are surrounded by water as the Missouri River continues to rise. On June 3, about 2000 North Dakota National Guard Airmen and Soldiers are working to prevent harm to people and property across the state. Photo by Spc. Jess Raasch, 116th Public Affairs Detachment

By Army Sgt. Darron Salzer
National Guard Bureau

In the aftermath of severe storms that have brought devastating tornadoes to areas of Missouri and Massachusetts and major flooding across the Midwest and other parts of the U.S., the number of Citizen-Soldiers who are answering the call for help has risen to about 5,000.

Guard members are performing domestic operations for flood relief support in the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Vermont and Wyoming.

Operations in these states include transportation and aviation support, levee patrols and security, assisting local and federal civilian emergency management agencies, evacuation support, search and rescue operations and sandbag operations.

In areas of Montana, Vermont and Wyoming, heavy rains mixed with the melting of larger-than-usual snow packs, has created a recipe for rising waters to occur and the evacuation of citizens in Washington County, Vermont.

North and South Dakota have about 3,000 Guard members who are still battling flood waters after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened oversaturated up-river dams earlier this week along the Missouri River.

Louisiana and Mississippi Guard members remain vigilant in their battle against the waters of the Mississippi River after severe storms swelled the river earlier this year. Operations continue in both states, where about 1,200 Guard members are currently operating.

Tornados have been another part of these heavy storms recently, and parts of Massachusetts and Missouri have both seen unbelievable damage.

About 450 Citizen-Soldiers and -Airmen were on duty the morning after tornadoes tore across the Massachusetts area on June 1, and currently about 675 are on state active duty.

Officials have confirmed three deaths from the storms and said a fourth death, an elderly man who died of apparent cardiac arrest, may not have been tornado-related, said a Reuters report

Dozens were also injured and damage hit 19 Massachusetts communities and tens of thousands of residents were without power after the severe weather, according to civilian media reports.

The Missouri National Guard has about 275 Missouri Guard members performing various domestic operations in the Joplin area after a major twister leveled large portions of that city May 22, which resulted in the deaths of about 140 Citizens and devastated the local hospital.

Operations in both Missouri and Massachusetts include search and rescue, debris removal and cleanup, health and wellness checks, assisting local and federal emergency responders and damage assessment, said Guard officials.

Fighting floods:

Illinois Guard assists with South Dakota flooding

Illinois National Guard report

SPRINGFIELD, IL (6/3/11) – The Illinois National Guard sent one CH-47 Chinook helicopter with five crew members from Company B, 2nd Battalion 238th Aviation based in Peoria to help the South Dakota National Guard battle flood waters today.

“Our Soldiers and Airmen are always prepared and willing to help our neighbors,” said Army Maj. Gen. William L. Enyart, adjutant general of the Illinois National Guard. “Rising floodwater is something that we completely understand here in Illinois.”

Approximately 1,000 South Dakota National Guard Soldiers and Airmen have been helping to hold back the flood waters in the upper plains state for nearly a week.

The Illinois National Guard Aircraft and crew will sling load one-ton sandbags to secure the levy along the Missouri River near Sioux City, Iowa.

Soldiers from Company B, 2nd Battalion 238th Aviation were among the 550 Illinois National Guard Soldiers and Airmen who helped to battle the floods in southern Illinois in April and May of this year.

National Guard helps South Dakota city prep for flooding

By Army Spc. Manda Walters
South Dakota National Guard

PIERRE, S.D. (6/3/11) – Pierre city workers from the fire, water, and electrical departments gathered at Steamboat Memorial Park’s Well House 1 on Thursday morning to test a generator that will be activated should flood waters surpass a levee that South Dakota National Guard Soldiers are reinforcing just 35 feet away.

Rex Newling, a City of Pierre electrician, other city workers, and SDNG service members have spent many hours preparing the city, their friends and neighbors for the impending rising flood waters.

“I wish the high water would get here, then the anticipation would be over with,” said Newling, “but if normal power goes out, this generator will keep the well going.”

The well is one of several which provide water to the city’s potable water reservoirs.

Army Sgt. Michael H. Ordal, a heavy equipment operator with Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 147th Field Artillery said he is doing his best to keep the city and residents from experiencing a power outage.

Ordal and fellow service members are reinforcing the existing levee at Steamboat Park with the help of a crane, 4,000-pound sand bags, and guidance from the Army Corps of Engineers.

“The Army Corps of Engineers places fill and cut line markers to aid in the construction of levees,” said Ordal.  These markers are used to designate how much dirt is needed to hold back the projected water levels, he said.

The levee, measuring more than 12 feet across, approximately 5 feet in height and stretching the length of the park, is expected to keep water away from area structures. A fill line marker near the levee and well house shows that its current height will be more than adequate if projected water levels are accurate, Ordal said.

The Army Corps of Engineers plans to release water from the Oahe Reservoir beginning at 8 a.m. today. If the levee is successful, there will be no need for the generator to pump water from Well House 1 to one of the city’s water reservoirs because the power will remain on.

North Dakota Guard helps neighborhoods with levee systems

North Dakota Guard report

BISMARCK, N.D. (6/3/11) – North Dakota National Guard members that are part of Civil Military Assistance Teams are hard at work building levee systems throughout the Bismarck-Mandan and Morton and Burleigh county areas.

Army 1st Lt. Matthew Voeller, with Battery A of the 1st Battalion,  188th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, is the officer-in-charge of a CMAT constructing a levee system north of Memorial Bridge on the Mandan side of the Missouri River.

The objective of the CMAT here is to keep back overland flooding by building a levee system that spans the entire neighborhood to the north. The south part of the levee links in with HESCO barriers placed by contractors that will buttress the bridge.

“The majority of residents already had some type of existing structure,” Voeller said. “However many were inadequate and needed strengthening.”

Those dikes that were not up to standard were re-enforced by Guard members with the guidance of the U.S. Army Engineer Corps and the civil engineers from Morton County.

Voeller said that while some people did a very good job of building their structures to protect their homes, his team needs to ensure that they meet the height and width requirements necessary to hold back the anticipated floodwaters, as well as keep the integrity of the system throughout the length of the area.

This will protect the residents’ homes and keep the water from coming overland and flowing further south. Voeller said this particular mission is close to completion and that the locals have been extremely supportive and expressed their gratitude for the help of the National Guard.

Mike Aubol, Morton County civil engineer, is working along with the National Guard and going through the whole development doing what he hopes will be a final inspection. Aubol will be giving recommendations to the crew as to what needs to be improved upon and taking measurements to ensure the levee is constructed to the correct level.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Bill Kilmer is a platoon sergeant in the North Dakota National Guard but says that he’s had many different jobs while working flood duty so far.

“I’ve done traffic control points, filled sandbags and now building this levee system,” Kilmer said.

Kilmer has served on flood duty previously in Valley City in 2009. He says quite a few of his crew has a decent amount of experience on flood duty.

“They’ve been doing a good job, and staying motivated,” Kilmer said.

CMATs have also had a lot of support from the residents that they are helping protect.

“The people have been great, very appreciative and bringing us water and snacks,” Kilmer said. “They’re very grateful to have the security from the structures that we’ve been putting up.”

North Dakota Air Guard patrols evacuated areas

North Dakota Guard report

MINOT, N.D. (6/3/11) – Members of the North Dakota Air National Guard’s 219th Security Forces Squadron began a new mission Thursday as they continued with flood operations here.

About 50 Guard members began providing presence patrols in the city’s nine evacuated zones.

The Guard members’ presence will help deter possible theft or vandalism while the homeowners are away. The Guard members also are tracking residents who did not evacuate after the mayor issued the order to do so.

“A lot of people are excited we’re here,” said Air Force Staff Sgt. Brandan Ressler, a member of the 219th SFS. “There’s a sigh of relief that the Guard is here to help with things.”

Ressler is serving his third consecutive year on flood duty. Today, he was watching for suspicious personnel in Minot’s evacuated areas and recording license plate numbers and locations to report to the authorities.

“It’s a definite hometown mission,” said the Minot native. “It feels really good to help out my home. Our main purpose here is to prevent looting. We’re trying to protect the people who have followed orders and left.”

As they checked in with folks, they visited with Mike Neva, a homeowner in one of the evacuated areas who had returned home for some last-minute waterproofing. He said with the work the North Dakota National Guard has done, he feels 95 percent confident that his home will be saved. He won’t, however, build a house with an 8-foot-deep basement again, he says.

“I’m glad you guys are doing this,” Neva said. “I feel secure with them being here. They’re here for our protection and people sometimes don’t give them the credit they’re due.”

Simply being visible in the community goes a long way toward preventing looting, said Air Force Master Sgt. Nathan Anderson, with the 219th SFS.

“I think it’s good that we’re out here deterring events,” he said. “The public likes to see us out here and know that we’re around. For the situation they’re in, the public seems pretty upbeat. They’re just doing what they have to do.”

All together, about 600 North Dakota National Guardsmen are serving on flood duty in the Minot area, with nearly 1,400 more serving in Bismarck and Mandan, N.D.

Residents, Soldiers, Airmen come together to provide Missouri River flood relief

By Air Force Capt. Michael Frye
114th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

PIERRE, S.D. (6/3/11) – Deloren Krieger isn’t taking any chances. By 7 a.m. Tuesday, he was already picking up more sandbags. As the waters began to encroach on the local golf course near his home, this Pierre resident continued to build the berm that surrounds his residence.

Krieger said although there is some distance that separates his home from the river, he feels that with the golf course so close, his home may be in danger.

“I don’t have that big of a house,” said Krieger. “But even a 1,000-square-foot house with a 5-foot berm surrounding it takes a lot of sandbags.”

Sandbagging efforts continue as many volunteers have answered the call for protecting homes like Krieger’s, even though their own homes aren’t in harm’s way.

Local residents like Donna Brown-Glow and her husband share their time between Wood and Fort Pierre. Although Brown-Glow’s homes aren’t in danger, she feels it’s important to help those in need.

“South Dakota is a great state,” said Brown-Glow. “We are all neighbors throughout South Dakota, and I want to help my neighbors out.”

She also said she is grateful for the Airmen and Soldiers who are in the communities helping with the sandbagging efforts in this historic flooding event.

“I’m an Army brat and have a great respect for the military,” Brown-Glow added. “I am very pleased to see them here. They are who we depend on.”

Lindsey Rogers, a Fort Pierre resident, shared Brown-Glow’s same sentiment. She said the Fort Pierre Pool, where she has been the manager the past two years, has already been closed indefinitely. Since her summer plans changed, she has taken that turn of events to help support the Soldiers and Airmen who have been called to support the flood fighting efforts along the Missouri River.

Rogers has been spending her time at the Expo Center sandbagging with volunteers and South Dakota National Guard members.

“We are spending a lot of our time laughing and telling funny stories to keep our minds off sand,” said Rogers with a smile.

Rogers has also brought her management skills to the fight. As food donations come in from the community, she’s making sure that food reaches the Guard members and volunteers who have come out to work.  She said her personal goal is to aid the Soldiers and Airmen as much as possible, as without their support, helping the community would be more difficult.

“It’s unbelievable,” adds Rogers. “You hear of these Guardsmen going overseas and supporting our country, but when small communities like Pierre and Fort Pierre are in trouble, being able to see these guys come in and give up their summers to help us like this, you can’t be thankful enough that they are here.”

Pierre resident Mark Barnett has felt the need to step up to the sandbagging challenge, as well. His home isn’t in the flood zone, but he has picked up loads of sandbags throughout the past five days.

When asked where the sandbags were going while picking up his third load on Wednesday, he simply answered, “Friends.”

Barnett echoed the common theme amongst Pierre and Fort Pierre residents, “We’re glad to see the National Guard here. We need their help.”