25 OCT 2017 (05:28 UTC-07 Tango 06) 03 Aban 1396/04 Safar 1439/06 Geng-Xu (9th month) 4715
“We’re here for the win, and the win is providing the best assistance we can to the people of Puerto Rico and to help rebuild their lives, rebuild their communities and help them to move on to a brighter, happier day.”-Sergeant First Class Jeremiah Canter, U.S. Army
“We worked 14 days straight on Hurricane Katrina (a decade ago on the U.S. Gulf Coast). That was hard. This is far harder. This is us.”-Senior Master Sergeant Raul Vidal, 198th Airlift Squadron, Puerto Rico Air National Guard
What all the whiners about there not being enough federal government response to the massive hurricane damage in Puerto Rico don’t realize is they’ve inadvertently opened the door to massive militarization of the island territory.
Taxpayer funded contractors repair a bridge in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, 24 OCT 2017
Despite what the U.S. mainstream (fake) news reporting a ‘lack of response’ there is a massive military operation taking place all over Puerto Rico, and to a smaller extent on U.S. Virgin Islands. The military is even using the U.S. Postal Service!
Army North/FEMA Joint Force Land Component Command post in San Juan
While FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) is officially in charge of responding to the hurricane damage, it’s actually U.S. Army North (a component of U.S. Northern Command) who’s in charge. However, the Department of Defense claims Army North is there to “support FEMA”.
U.S. Army North, U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard units deliver drinking water in Lares, 10 OCT 2017
U.S. Air Force cybersecurity personnel work to restore radio and cell phone communications
Damaged cell phone tower
Even the U.S. Air Force (USAF) admits U.S. Army North is in charge: “We’re working with a bunch of different mission partners out here like FEMA, and Army North. It has been a lot of coordination and figuring things out as we go.”-Captain Ryan Headrick, 85th Engineering and Installation Squadron-38th Cyberspace Engineering Installation Group-68th Cyberspace Wing, USAF
U.S. Army’s 14th Combat Support Hospital-44th Medical Brigade set up a hospital in Humacao
The USA (U.S. Army) set up field hospitals: “All of the destruction has been really, really damaging to our efforts here. Imagine trying to set up a modern technology hospital with Civil War communication methods.”-Major Manuel Menendez, attached to 14th Combat Support Hospital, USA
Reverse Osmosis Water Purification delivery in Fortuna
USA water purification units are using massive 11-thousand liter (3-thousand gallon) Reverse Osmosis Water Purification systems to turn plentiful ocean salt water into fresh drinking water. It’s then pumped into the 7-thousand liter (2-thousand gallon) water tanks of M977 Tactical Trucks for delivery: “We’ve been getting extremely positive feedback from the community. Just knowing that I’m helping has been very rewarding.”-Specialist Wade Scamehorn, 127th Quartermaster Company-3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command
U.S. Army active and reserve soldiers set up water purification systems near Guajataca Lake, 09 OCT 2017
A Red Horse C-17 delivers a second Disaster Relief Beddown System, 10 OCT 2017
The Ohio National Guard’s 200th Red Horse (engineers) Squadron deployed to Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin islands. The Red Horse has the ability to deploy anywhere in the world within 72 hours.
Video, Montana Air National Guard’s 219th Red Horse Squadron building tent city, 19 OCT 2017:
Nevada’s High Roller Aerial Porters loading U.S. Postal Trucks for deliveries of supplies, the trucks still carry an old USPS slogan “We Deliver For You”
Nevada Air National Guard’s 152nd Logistics Readiness Squadron High Roller Aerial Porters arrived on 04 OCT 2017. Since then they’ve worked twelve-hour shifts and processed way more than 884.6 short tons (U.S. tons) of cargo, including cell phone towers and 40 fully loaded semi-trucks.
FBI agents team up with Army Reservists to deliver food in Adjuntas, 11 OCT 2017
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is in on the act, joining USA reservists to help deliver food: “We are using our own law enforcement vehicles, which aren’t really conducive to carrying large payloads, so we coordinate with them to bring as much aide to the people.”-Special Agent Phillip Irizarry, from New York
Sergent Ashley Green, with the 393rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion-166th Regional Support Group-1st Mission Support Command, revealed why the Army Reserve teamed up with the FBI: “They have the good intelligence; we aren’t just going around not knowing where to go.”
Taxpayer funded fuel truck delivers diesel to a hospital in Cayey, 10 OCT 2017
Defense Logistics Agency, FEMA, Task Force Americas, the Foster Fuels Team and the Puerto Rican Police Department work to provide more than 113-thousand liters (30-thousand gallons) of diesel fuel everyday, to power generators across the island: “I never imagined that I could come back to my hometown and do disaster relief. This has been the most meaningful mission in my whole Navy career, up to this point. I’m thankful that I’m able to use my background, in the military, to assist, not just people that are in need, but my town; my island.”-Lieutenant Commander Jose Varjs, deputy commander Task Force Americas Puerto Rico, U.S. Navy
Taxpayer funded truck delivers taxpayer funded generator
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineer is one of the many federal agencies working to restore electrical power, so far more than 270 industrial generators have been deployed, and hundreds more are being shipped in for Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands: “Ideally, we shoot for 25 generator installs per day. Realistically, if we can get between 15 and 20 installations per day, we’re doing well.”-B.J. Parkey
USN and Hospital Menonita personnel evac patients to the hospital ship Comfort, 06 OCT 2017
The U.S. Navy (USN) hospital ship has already responded to generator failures at local hospitals: “We are a mobile platform that can respond to the greatest area of need or act as a strut to help the Puerto Rican health system.”-Captain Kevin Buckley, commander USNS Comfort
USNS Comfort (T-AH 20)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has been making food and water deliveries to remote locations using UH-60 Blackhawks
NGO American Red Cross conducting recon ops to remote locations
Even the non-governmental organization American Red Cross has been conducting reconnaissance missions in remote rugged terrain, at the request of FEMA/Army North: “We had a mass distribution for the people of Lares yesterday. They had 250 to 500 families who picked up water, snacks and meals.”-USA Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Tom Corrigan, current volunteer for the Red Cross in Puerto Rico
Indiana Air National Guard deploys security forces, 23 OCT 2017
On 23 OCT 2017, the Indiana Air National Guard’s 181st Intelligence Wing-181st Security Forces Squadron deployed, for the purpose of providing airfield security and protection of personnel and resources in Puerto Rico, suggesting there’s a growing security problem.
New York military police deployed to Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands
New York Army National Guard’s 442nd Military Police Company deployed 118 MPs to support Puerto Rican police and National Guard MPs to maintain order on the island. Another 97 New York MPs are patrolling the U.S. Virgin Islands, 77 on Saint Thomas and 20 military cops on Saint Croix. All those military cops are on top of the more than 6-hundred New York militia-personnel deployed around 29 SEP 2017.
Video of Alaska, Connecticut, Nevada, Puerto Rico and Wisconsin Air National Guard delivering 18 pallets of U.S. mail:
Also around 29 SEP 2017, the Mississippi National Guard deployed more than 2-hundred Soldiers and Airmen to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin islands. The Louisiana National Guard deployed more than 3-hundred personnel. South Carolina National Guard deployed about 150 engineers. The Pennsylvania National Guard deployed two Chinook helicopters and their crews.
Puerto Rico National Guard loads up a Blackhawk with food and water
The Illinois Air National Guard sent a special communications unit: “We are bringing laptops, phones, radios and even webcams for video teleconferencing. We can allow the rescue teams to coordinate in real time through video and voice calls. We’re also bringing extra laptops to set up an internet café. We hope to allow people to contact families and friends to let them know they’re safe.”-Staff Sergeant Helmut Woodberry, 126th Communications Flight
Video, newbie Puerto Rico National Guardsman’s baptism by hurricane:
Compromised Guajataca Dam, 23 OCT 2017
Georgia Army National Guard has been delivering supplies via helicopter to shore up the damaged Guajataca Dam. North Carolina Army National Guard personnel have been cleaning up the Escuela de la Comunidad Matilde Rivera Amadeo.
On the U.S. Virgin Islands it’s called Operation Island Restore, begun after Hurricane Irma and extended because of Maria, so far involving more than 19-thousand militia personnel from 37 U.S. states.
Video, U.S. Virgin Islands National Guard cleanup Saint Croix schools:
What I’ve mentioned here is only the tip of the iceberg.
PUERTO RICO MILITIA DEPLOYED TO VIRGIN ISLANDS WHEN MARIA STRUCK!