The United States Army
10/13/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/13/2024 21:36
State National Guards Help Florida Guard Respond to Storms
[Link] New Jersey Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to 42nd Regional Support Group arrive at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center in Starke, Fla., Oct. 11, 2024. Following the impact of Hurricane Milton, more than 3,000 National Guardsmen from various states volunteered to provide support to Florida. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Brooke Keisler) (Photo Credit: Senior Airman Brooke Keisler)VIEW ORIGINAL
CAMP BLANDING JOINT TRAINING CENTER, Fla. - In times of need, the National Guard stands ready to assist. Whether it's Army or Air National Guard units, they are always prepared to respond. After enduring three hurricanes, Florida called on National Guard units from neighboring states for support.
For the first time, following Hurricane Milton, the South Carolina Army National Guard took on the role of command and control for a designated area of operations in Florida as a part of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.
The command element manages operations in its assigned area, but it doesn't work independently. Each command team coordinates closely with the Headquarters Joint Operations Center to ensure that all field units operate with a shared understanding of the mission.
"As a command and control unit, we're a higher headquarters," said Command Sgt. Maj. Chris Williams, 678th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, South Carolina National Guard. "We give information to the downrange forces, and they report back up to us."
Following the impact of Hurricane Milton, more than 3,000 National Guardsmen from more than 20 states volunteered to provide crucial support to Florida. These missions included search and rescue, route clearance, handing out food and water, and more.
"Their help has been extremely beneficial," said U.S. Army Lt. Col Arthur Gaines, Florida Joint Force Headquarters deputy director of military support. "The reason we sent out such a large call is because we were preparing for a Category 5 storm and, fortunately for us, it did not impact Florida to that scale."
One strength of the National Guard's response lies in the fact that each Guardsman is embedded in their community, bringing a variety of backgrounds and abilities in addition to their military expertise.
"We have a chaplain, a lawyer, police officers, and judges," said U.S. Army Col. Larry Saunders, commander, 678th Air Defense Artillery Brigade. "We have a host of different civilian occupations represented here, all coming together to do a common mission in uniform."
Their primary area of operation covered a four-county region impacted by Hurricane Milton. The teams are expected to be there for more than a week.
This operation enabled collaboration between the Army National Guard EMAC units and Florida Air National Guard, enhancing their interoperability and joint effectiveness.
"It's been seamless," said Saunders. "The Florida Air National Guard have been fantastic to work with."
Such opportunities strengthen cooperation between Air and Army National Guard units across states, allowing them to support each other more effectively in times of future need.
"Everybody's had a great attitude and jumped into the fight," said Saunders."It's difficult for an individual state to do all that needs to be done on their own. When our sister states call, we come and help."