Posted on 09/06/2005 4:40:50 PM PDT by SandRat
NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY MID-SOUTH, Millington, Tenn. (NNS) -- Commander, Naval Reserve Forces Command (COMNAVRESFOR) evacuated the greater New Orleans area at the end of August and has relocated to Naval Support Activity Mid-South at Millington, Tenn., following the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina.
Alternate headquarters were established there at Navy Operational Support Center Memphis.
Cmdr. Rick Russell, Reserve Personnel Administration Department Head and acting PERS49 Division Director said that prior to Katrina touching ground they had already sent a small contingent of personnel to begin setting up operations.
“We facilitated getting computers, phones and work spaces required,” said Russell. “We also prepared to provide emotional and physical assistance for folks who would need it.”
Russell also said one-hundred percent accountability of their forces, including officer and enlisted personnel, civilians and their family members was a top priority for the command.
“We’ve started to stand up a 24/7 watch,” said Russell, “because the primary focus right now during this crisis response phase has been to make sure we know where all our service members are.”
Russell continued, “We have been assisting [Navy Reserve Personnel Command] in making sure their immediate needs are met; that food, clothing, shelter and money are being made available.”
Many decisions have yet to be made regarding COMNAVRESFOR, including which functions are critical to their mission.
“[Once this has been determined], we will bring those people here in our designated spaces,” said Russell. “We will get them set up so we can continue to serve our customers, which includes the retired reserves.”
“Some of the things that we are trying to do over the long haul,” he added, “is get the reserve forces to a stable position where we have the right number of Sailors and civilians here so we can support critical functionality with very minimal break in service.”
For more Navy information related to Hurricane Katrina, visit www.news.navy.mil/local/hurricane/.
Navy taking care of business and family
Memphis needs to get the Holiday phone tree going again.
Wasn't the plan to relocate the Naval Reserve Operation to metro Memphis anyway?
Navy ping. I know a lot of the guys working in their PAO shop. I've been a bit worried about them.
You mean >gasp< someone planned ahead?
Hey, sailors know any hurricane is bad news. If I were COMNAVRESFOR, I would've ordered my crew out of town, too.
BTTT!!!!!!!
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