Some facts about how the U-S military is responding to Hurricane Katrina.

Associated Press katc3 ^ | September 3, 2005 | The U-S Army

[mdittmar]

WHAT'S NEW

-- More National Guard and active-duty troops are being sent to the hurricane region.

THE NUMBERS

-- Ten-thousand more National Guard troops are going to Louisiana and Mississippi.

-- That brings the total to about 40-thousand.

-- The chief of the National Guard said Saturday they would be arriving in the coming days.

-- President Bush Saturday ordered 72-hundred more active duty forces to the region within 72 hours.

-- That's in addition to 4,000 already there.

-- About 2,500 of the new troops are from the 82nd Airborne Division.

-- About 2,700 are from First Cavalry Division.

-- One-thousand are from First Marine Expeditionary Force.

-- One-thousand are from Second Marine Expeditionary Force.

WHAT ARE THEY ASSISTING WITH

-- Security and traffic control, including guarding critical facilities, preventing looting and apprehending curfew violators.

-- Distributing food, water and ice.

-- Conducting searches and rescues.

-- Providing generator support.

-- Carrying out other missions to support life and property.

(Active-duty soldiers will provide variety of security and humanitarian assistance, but not be involved in law enforcement.)

CORPS OF ENGINEERS

-- The Army Corps of Engineers is battling to repair breaches in the 350 miles of hurricane protection levees surrounding New Orleans.

OTHER EFFORTS

-- Idaho Air National Guard will deliver handheld radios donated by the National Firefighting Service to help ease communication problems throughout the region due to downed cellular nets.

-- All units arrive in the region self-sufficient and ready to operate with no need for food, water, medical or fuel support.

-- Every National Guard except those in Hawaii and Guam either is supporting the relief effort or is prepared to respond if needed.

-- The Department of Defense has 1.5 million cases of field rations available if needed.

DEPLOYED SOLDIERS

-- The Army has a toll-free number for families of deployed soldiers to get a message to the military members. (1-888-777-7731)

(Sources: The U-S Army)

On the Web: http://www.army.mil

[cwb]

Yeah...I definitely want to know the timing and exactly how this occured. When Chertoff was asked this today by a reporter, he wasn't exactly clear on this. Thanks

[Tank-FL]

The Citizen-solider to the rescue!

One important early figure in Rome was Cincinnatus, who epitomized the citizen-soldier for many American revolutionaries. In 458 BC (according to tradition), Cincinnatus was plowing his fields when messengers arrived to tell him he had been named dictator to defend the city againt an uprising. He took up the supreme command, defeated Rome's enemies and returned to his farm, all within 16 days. He also refused the honors that came with his military victories. George Washington was sometimes called an American Cincinnatus because he too held his command only until the defeat of the British and, at a time when he could have chosen to exercise great political power, instead returned as soon as he could to cultivating his lands.

[hsalaw]

Thanks very much for the additional info. And, thanks to Canada!

[R.W.Ratikal]

"But, but, that's not enough. It's also not fast enough" This will be the whine of the usual suspects.

Most of those criticizing relief efforts don't have a clue about which they are talking about and know little or nothing about what has or is being done.

Actually, the relief efforts have been as quick and as plentiful as could be expected under the conditions that exist.

The mayor and his administration obviously lacked any basic plan for such an emergency knowing the condition of the levees, the low level of the city, and the predicted violence of the storm.

The mayor should be held criminally liable for his complete lack of preparations for the storm.

After having failed utterly he now blames others for his failure.

[AliVeritas]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-crittenden/up-next-teddy-roosevelt-_b_6605.html