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Heh, and here I said we weren't going to be...

By The Armorer on September 5, 2005 | | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (2)

...all Katrina, alla time.

Since the services are taking hits for not being there fast enough with enough (leave aside who has responsibility for what) I've been harvesting pics of military participation in the relief effort - this batch harvested from the service websites. I know - the uncharitable will say all these photos are just a Potemkin village. If that's how you feel, go be angry somewhere else, okay?

I'm just opening a little window, in a very little corner of the Internet.

Hosting provided by FotoTime

(Sept. 4, 2005) – Hurricane Katrina survivors are stacked five-high as they are medically evacuated from New Orleans to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla., aboard a U.S. Air Force Reserve Command C-130 Hercules aircraft configured for medical evacuation flights. The Navy's involvement in the Hurricane Katrina humanitarian assistance operations is led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in conjunction with the Department of Defense. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Andrea Decanini

Click the picture to visit the album.

If you've got pics of your own, or have public domain pics you'd like to share, send 'em along and I'll add 'em to the album.

I'll try to keep up on captioning, but no promises there. I do have a life outside of this space, odd as that may seem!

Even though I've taken to watermarking pics (just to track who's stealing what, and how they're using 'em) these are public domain pics, freely distributable. If you'd like one that is watermark-free, just ask.

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7 Comments

By Jack on September 5, 2005 11:44 AM
John, I think it is safe to say that the breakdown occurred outside of the Armed Forces, whom I believe reacted as soon as they were authorized to do so. I had a question that I think you might be the right person to answer. I was wondering, is our logistical support orientation towards projecting power *outside* of the United States? In other words, is it more difficult to mount *within* the US major relief operations such as was performed for the tsunami victims on the other side of the world? This is a serious question, not a looking for blame, because any blame in this lies in the civilian government, NOT with the military, active duty, Reserve, or National Guard. The military are doing their job well, as they always do, while continuing to respect the authority of the civilian government. It is that civilian government that failed.
 
By John of Argghhh! on September 5, 2005 2:46 PM
Jack - of course it is. Airplanes are only restricted by thickness and length of runway. Ships by port facilities - and our power-projection vessels, the whole amphibious warfare crowd... aren't restricted by that. Yes, assets aren't available right now because of the war, and those assets normally forward-based aren't readily available... but some of *that* is coming home over the next 6 years, anyway - partially because we *have* the capability to move them back, should we need to. There are some limitations, imposed by geography. Hulls in port on the west coast are going to have to go through the Panama Canal. And vice-versa for a west coast disaster. The war does reduce the number of airframes and troops available, but not by as much as you might think. One of the aspects of our power-projection ability is the CRAF. Civil Reserve Air Fleet. Essentially, IIRC, we help buy a number of aircraft for the airlines (how we do that and what we spend, I have no idea) in return for being able to call on them at need. The recent diversion of civil airliners and cargo aircraft for relief efforts is part and parcel of that system. So - mostly I think the power-projection capability is a net plus.
 
By Jack on September 6, 2005 11:23 AM
I wasn't thinking in terms of the war in Iraq, more of a general thought of "The Armed Forces need to project power, and our governmental philosophy is that the Armed Forces are mandated to project that power outside of the country, with the civilian agencies intended to handle things within the country." That was my understanding of how things were set up, and I was wondering if that understanding was correct, and if it was correct, how much of an effect it would have on capabilities to provide relief type efforts on the same scale we did with the tsunami disaster. I agree the power projection capability is a net plus (I wasn't trying to imply otherwise), and it is one of the reasons I am concerned at recent moves by China to gain assets such as a *real* navy that would allow them to project significant power beyond their borders.
 
By John of Argghhh! on September 6, 2005 12:11 PM
Ah. Yes, the civilian agencies have always been primary in stateside relief actions. The only time the Regular military establishment would have anything approaching that would be if the President invoked the Insurrection Act, unlikely in a disaster situation. Unfederalized National Guard or State Militias (there *are* state militias independent of the Guard) have varying roles, state to state. China. Depends on what kind of power China chooses to project. Self defense of her maritime assets is one thing... significant troop haulage becomes another.
 
By StinKerr on September 6, 2005 3:14 PM
I visited the album but when I tried to view the large version of the pics I got "This account does not allow guest logins." Is this intentional? Do I have to subscribe to the service? If I subscribe will I be able to view the pics? Am I asking too many questions? ;-)
 
By patd95 on September 7, 2005 12:31 AM
My Uncle was airlifted out of New Orleans on a C-130 to Lackland AFB - San Antonio, Texas. he is doing well. He walked to the airport about 5 miles from his assisted living home in Metairie, LA. He is in better shape than most Americans and walks miles each day. He could not take living without electricity or water and his assisted living facility was flooded. Thank God for all who are helping those in need. This was his first airplane ride since he was in the Navy in the 40s. What a way to go!
 
By patd95 on September 7, 2005 12:31 AM
My Uncle was airlifted out of New Orleans on a C-130 to Lackland AFB - San Antonio, Texas. he is doing well. He walked to the airport about 5 miles from his assisted living home in Metairie, LA. He is in better shape than most Americans and walks miles each day. He could not take living without electricity or water and his assisted living facility was flooded. Thank God for all who are helping those in need. This was his first airplane ride since he was in the Navy in the 40s. What a way to go!
 
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