That the reason why helicopters from Fort Rucker have not been used for rescue and to drop food and water to Katrina survivors is because the Commander of the National Guard has said that he wants no help from the Army until it has been shown that the National Guard can’t handle it anymore. He seems to be the only one who doesn’t know that THEY HAVE BEEN SHOWN THAT THEY CAN’T HANDLE IT! How has this kind of insanity fruited on the vine?
I can’t even begin to understand this Commander. When we lived in Colorado Springs and the blizzard of 1996 occurred, the Army out of Fort Carson landed helicopters in the parking lots of Walmart and loaded up baby formula, medicine, food, and diapers and dropped them into very specific locations for very specific people. The only people who perished in that blizzard were two people in a car outside of town who pulled over on the side of the road. A house was very close by but they couldn’t see it in the blizzard.
There was a huge blizzard in 1977 also. I was just a kid then. It was a horrible blizzard though, killed all the cattle for miles. They suffocated in the snow. Fort Carson troops drove tanks around some of the streets and rescued people trapped in their cars. I have seen Army troops called in right in line with National Guard for two natural disasters that can’t even begin to compare to this. I just don’t understand!
I have also spoken today on post here with Army pilots really pissed off that when the helicopter was shot at yesterday at the Superdome, they suspended operations. What I have been told is IT IS A MILITARY HELICOPTER AND YOU ARE PREFORMING A KIND OF MILITARY MISSION AND YOU ARE TAKING FIRE SO WHAT’S THE FUCKING PROBLEM? I heard this from pilots who have served in Iraq. They are really upset right now that it is okay to take fire to liberate Iraqis but it isn’t okay to take fire attempting to rescue and save people in your own country!
I went on post to take photos of the helicopters sitting there but found out there really wasn’t any need. They have been told to stand down by the National Guard Commander.
