God bless the U.S. Military.

[rcajun90]

I just got back from Slidel where the eye passed. My inlaws have a house in Eden Isles which was on the lake front. Out National Guards men where every place. Not just keeping order but helping people in the subdivisions clear trash, trees and even stripping homes. My newphew sliped in the two inch thick mud in his home and twisted his knee. At first we thought it was broke and we were getting a bit scared because getting around that place isn't easy. We had also heard that hospitals would only take life threating patients. Well we asked one of the guardsmen if there was a medic in their crew and young woman from Florida came running down the street to take a look. Turns out he was fine which was much relief to all of us. If I ever hear anyone say any crap about our military with what I saw today I will knock their block off.

BTW Slidel looks like a giant bomb went off there but the other areas around New Orleans is starting to come back to life.

 

[Annie]

I just got back from Slidel where the eye passed. My inlaws have a house in Eden Isles which was on the lake front. Out National Guards men where every place. Not just keeping order but helping people in the subdivisions clear trash, trees and even stripping homes. My newphew sliped in the two inch thick mud in his home and twisted his knee. At first we thought it was broke and we were getting a bit scared because getting around that place isn't easy. We had also heard that hospitals would only take life threating patients. Well we asked one of the guardsmen if there was a medic in their crew and young woman from Florida came running down the street to take a look. Turns out he was fine which was much relief to all of us. If I ever hear anyone say any crap about our military with what I saw today I will knock their block off.

BTW Slidel looks like a giant bomb went off there but the other areas around New Orleans is starting to come back to life.

One stands in awe and wonder at how so many 18-24 year olds, a few years out of being PIA's turn into such magnificent heroes. Thank you! :usa:

 

[CSM]

My son just got back from NO last night. He was very very tired and soooo depressed. I found it really odd that being in NO seemed to have more of an impact on him (PTSD??) than being in Iraq. His unit was tasked with providing security somewhere in the suburbs of NO and he tells me he did not have a direct hand in rescuing anyone. From what I can gather, the amount of devastation really got to him and he felt so bad that he could not do more to help. I spent quite a few hours with him, just talking. He seem to feel a bit better by the time we were done.

On a fine point, he indicated to me that what bothered him most was people saying that the Feds were prejudiced in their allocation of aid. He indicated that the active duty military and the Guard (particularly from other states) are the Feds; nowhere did he see ANY sign of prejudice among the military.

 

[rcajun90]

My son just got back from NO last night. He was very very tired and soooo depressed. I found it really odd that being in NO seemed to have more of an impact on him (PTSD??) than being in Iraq. His unit was tasked with providing security somewhere in the suburbs of NO and he tells me he did not have a direct hand in rescuing anyone. From what I can gather, the amount of devastation really got to him and he felt so bad that he could not do more to help. I spent quite a few hours with him, just talking. He seem to feel a bit better by the time we were done.

On a fine point, he indicated to me that what bothered him most was people saying that the Feds were prejudiced in their allocation of aid. He indicated that the active duty military and the Guard (particularly from other states) are the Feds; nowhere did he see ANY sign of prejudice among the military.

Tell your son thank you, thank you, thank you. Where I was I only heard good things about the guardsmen. Everyone is angry at the slow reaction but only an idiot would direct that towards a guardsmen.

BTW Slidell yesterday kind of reminded me what Iraq would look like. Houses destroyed everywhere with BlackHawks flying all around.

 

[CSM]

Tell your son thank you, thank you, thank you. Where I was I only heard good things about the guardsmen. Everyone is angry at the slow reaction but only an idiot would direct that towards a guardsmen.

BTW Slidell yesterday kind of reminded me what Iraq would look like. Houses destroyed everywhere with BlackHawks flying all around.

Yah, that is what my kid said too. I guess the realization that the devastation involved US citizens was pretty hard to accept. I suppose that same realization is a lot of the impetus behind the various reactions we are seeing all over the country.

I sincerely hope you and yours come throught this ok.