[EEmain]

Found this interesting


A Response From a General in the National Guard

Last week, in response to some ad hoc comments in my weekly letter about why it took so long to get soldiers into New Orleans, I received a thoughtful, articulate response from Brigadier General Gregory Zanetti of the New Mexico National Guard. I think you will find the full- unedited letter to be of some interest. Feel free to forward it to your friends, as it reminds us of the commitment and training of our National Guard.

*********

Dear Mr. Mauldin,

I command a Maneuver Enhancement Brigade in the New Mexico Army National Guard.

I understand your frustration and perhaps anger at the seemingly slow response to the disaster in New Orleans and Mississippi.

Let me offer a re-cap from a soldier's perspective.

First, New Mexico Guardsmen arrived in Louisiana on Friday. It's important that you understand that over 80 percent of the New Mexico National Guard has been deployed. Many of our soldiers who are now trying to restore order in the Superdome have already been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, or the National Capital Region in D.C. They volunteered for this duty...as they volunteered after 9-11.

Next, please recall the first two days following Katrina there was very little visibility regarding the extent of the damage. We were flying blind with little or no communication. Nonetheless, my Adjutant General put us all on alert (without orders) with the quote, "I am not going to sit around and let Americans die, while we wait for orders." Thus, we started getting ready.

At this exact same time, my brigade was deploying soldiers to Iraq and we were trying to get them out the door with all their equipment, records, medical supplies, etc. That mission could not be put on the back burner. We have Americans dying in Iraq, too.

Then, we found out the news that set us back two days -- we couldn't simply send our remaining soldiers to Louisiana, because there was no command center or means of support. Our soldiers had to take everything they needed to sustain themselves for 10-14 days on the ground. We were told, "If you don't bring it, you don't get it."

The reason for this was a good portion of the Louisiana Guard was also currently deployed the Mid-East, so those who were left behind were short on both personnel and equipment. They had no support to offer any incoming troops.

Mr. Mauldin, sending troops can be done quickly. Creating a supply line -- sending soldiers with Humvees, water, MRE's, Deet, tents, weapons, ammo, commo, updated shots, and everything it takes to support a battalion takes a little planning. Do it wrong and you are more of a hindrance than a help.

The staff and soldiers of the New Mexico National Guard worked around the clock to make a rapid deployment possible. We are a large state. Bringing soldiers from Farmington to Las Cruces (after they have been released by their employers (hopefully), and getting their families squared away) takes time. We got the official go-ahead on Thursday. Friday morning our soldiers were gone. I couldn't be prouder.

Beyond this, we coordinated transportation with our Air National Guard brethren who came through like champs. We do not have air lift capability organic to NM. Therefore, the good men and women of Kansas, Delaware, South Dakota, and Arizona came to our assistance. Yes, our soldiers traveled in KC135 refueling vehicles instead of the preferred C-130s. But the Air Guard got us there and even made multiple runs to make sure we got everything on the ground that we needed. Meanwhile, the "Red Chile Express" is convoying across your great State of Texas at this moment to make sure we can sustain our soldiers for what looks like the long haul.

Right now, I have soldiers defending the National Capital Region as Air Defenders. Many of the soldiers who just got back from Iraq volunteered to go to New Orleans and place their "boots are on the ground" or in the water as the case may be. Plus, we have soldiers in route back to Iraq and Afghanistan. Oh, and Kosovo is next for more of our soldiers before year end. One last thing: my soldiers also have civilian jobs and usually take pay cuts (or risk losing their jobs despite legislations that supposedly protects them) when they deploy.

My guess is that any soldier in any state could write this same basic letter to you. We are all stretched thin.

So, forgive me if I sound a little testy. Still, I felt compelled to defend my soldiers, their admirable performance, and amazing sense of duty. If you knew them as I know them your chest would swell with pride.

Gregory Zanetti
Brigadier General
Commander, 111th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade

[kwyckemynd00]

[Ghosting]

Hard to call it a race issue now.

Areas hardest hit by hurricane:

Jefferson, LA
White 69.8%
Black 22.9%

Orleans, LA
White 28.1%
Black 67.3%

Plaquemines, LA
White 69.8%
Black 23.4%

St. Bernard, LA
White 88.3%
Black 7.6%

St. Tammany, LA
White 87.0%
Black 9.9%

Hancock, Miss.
White 90.2%
Black 6.8%

Harrison, Miss.
White 73.1%
Black 21.1%

Jackson, Miss.
White 75.4%
Black 20.9%

Source: Investors Business Daily, page A4, Wednesday September 7.

[Ghosting]

Mockery of the media. 2nd pic by Tech N9ne @ BBD.

[Matthew D]

Like I said before the response to this hurricane was NOT a race thing it was/is a POOR thing.. if you look at most of the counties hit hard by this storm you will find a vast number of individuals that live below the poverty line, down here in the South we have so really poor people. Great people but poor and there is nothing wrong with being poor and working you ass off to try to make things better for you and your family but that is not what the media plays up, to vanilla for them... they have to find the broken ****, gutter trash, trailer trash poor to show on tv because that is the precieved way that things are down here. As for Ghosting's post, while on first glance looks racist, if you really look at what he is trying to point out, you will see that he is trying to show the same thing that a good many people have pointed out, that the media seems to have a racist problem when it comes to the way that people are protrayed.

[Ghosting]

The media shows a few black people doing wrong, and all black people are guilty too. The numbers show that the majority are white. So like Matt D said "its a poor thing."

[Ghosting]

Exactly as Mattew D said, the media is making it a racial issue. The 2nd picture is just to make fun of the media.

[kwyckemynd00]

Originally Posted by Ghosting

Mockery of the media. 2nd pic by Tech N9ne @ BBD.

The first pic came from a shoddy site, it looks like a photoshop to me. "Finding food from" is not a sentence that you would see in a major publication

The second pic is kinda funny though...

The media is sickening to me, as an entity. They're making it a race issue for ratings. And, politicians are doing it for political gain; I just can't believe people would sink this low

[Matthew D]

I can

[kwyckemynd00]

Well...I guess I can too, but I wish I couldn't is what I was trying to say

[DarkFalcon]

Originally Posted by Ghosting

Exactly as Mattew D said, the media is making it a racial issue. The 2nd picture is just to make fun of the media.

I miss you buddy come back home.

[Ghosting]

Originally Posted by DarkFalcon

I miss you buddy come back home.

BRO!! Im posting mostly at BBD where you are the National Polka Champion. PM me there when you get a chance.

[asap nutrition]

Originally Posted by Big_E

Jesus Christ....a ****ing tub of Heineken and one in the back pocket....just to be sure. Thats right, go ahead and dehydrate yourself some more there, buddy......What a ****ing fool.

Beyond a freaking fool this guy is. He is just greedy. When you see somthing that you can just take and it has some mind numbing value to it then some will take advantage as this guy has.

[QUICKRYDE]

Well, we don't know his story but all we can do is ASSUME. He might have gone to the store to take some water, juice or ice but someone beat him to it. So, he looks to the side and see the beer and he went for it. I guess NO one thought about that possibility to this beer story.

Now, if you didn't have no water, juice or ice...What would you drink to stay alive and remember, these people was waiting for over four days to rec'v water and the human body need some type of fluids to stay alive. I guess a lot of you guy's would had died of thirst because I'm reading only negative comments about the man with the beer.

When you are place in a situation to survive...you will do what you have to do to survive or you will die. Those are the only two choices you have, in a situation like Katrina or any catastrophe.

So, let's stop thinking one way and think what would you have done to survive because some of you don't have no basic survival skills to live. { Hmmm, I guess I’ll drink this filthy water full of germs, dead creatures, debris, urine, **** and any other sickness that could be mix in this water but I will not touch this case of beer. } Or {I guess I’ll wait till someone come to rescue me…………four day later, they kick in your door and find you dead. You died of thirst but the policemen look to the side and see an unopened case of beer. } <<<<-----

Originally Posted by asap nutrition

Beyond a freaking fool this guy is. He is just greedy. When you see somthing that you can just take and it has some mind numbing value to it then some will take advantage as this guy has.

[foo.c]

Originally Posted by QUICKRYDE

Well, we don't know his story but all we can do is ASSUME. He might have gone to the store to take some water, juice or ice but someone beat him to it. So, he looks to the side and see the beer and he went for it. I guess NO one thought about that possibility to this beer story.

Now, if you didn't have no water, juice or ice...What would you drink to stay alive and remember, these people was waiting for over four days to rec'v water and the human body need some type of fluids to stay alive. I guess a lot of you guy's would had died of thirst because I'm reading only negative comments about the man with the beer.

When you are place in a situation to survive...you will do what you have to do to survive or you will die. Those are the only two choices you have, in a situation like Katrina or any catastrophe.

So, let's stop thinking one way and think what would you have done to survive because some of you don't have no basic survival skills to live. { Hmmm, I guess I’ll drink this filthy water full of germs, dead creatures, debris, urine, **** and any other sickness that could be mix in this water but I will not touch this case of beer. } Or {I guess I’ll wait till someone come to rescue me…………four day later, they kick in your door and find you dead. You died of thirst but the policemen look to the side and see an unopened case of beer. } <<<<-----

[BigVrunga]

Then he should have grabbed the Non-Alcoholic beer because the ethanol in that Henkeiken is just going to dehydrate him further:P

Seriously though - maybe the guy's family got killed and all he felt like doing was drowning his sorrows in alcohol - know knows. We really dont have the right to judge the dude just from looking at a picture.

BV

[EEmain]

Originally Posted by QUICKRYDE

Well, we don't know his story but all we can do is ASSUME. He might have gone to the store to take some water, juice or ice but someone beat him to it. So, he looks to the side and see the beer and he went for it. I guess NO one thought about that possibility to this beer story.

Now, if you didn't have no water, juice or ice...What would you drink to stay alive and remember, these people was waiting for over four days to rec'v water and the human body need some type of fluids to stay alive. I guess a lot of you guy's would had died of thirst because I'm reading only negative comments about the man with the beer.

When you are place in a situation to survive...you will do what you have to do to survive or you will die. Those are the only two choices you have, in a situation like Katrina or any catastrophe.

So, let's stop thinking one way and think what would you have done to survive because some of you don't have no basic survival skills to live. { Hmmm, I guess I’ll drink this filthy water full of germs, dead creatures, debris, urine, **** and any other sickness that could be mix in this water but I will not touch this case of beer. } Or {I guess I’ll wait till someone come to rescue me…………four day later, they kick in your door and find you dead. You died of thirst but the policemen look to the side and see an unopened case of beer. } <<<<-----