New Orleans

[RampFreeze]

AlbieF15's comments are right on target! In a previous life I worked in an Ops Center just like Albie F15 is talking about (after a different disaster.) One of the loads we were working was to move a civilian fire department's urban search and rescue equipment half way around the world. The fire department told us that they could absolutely "guarantee" that their load would be 110,000 lbs of vehicles and equipment. We literally threw the mission together as the fire department was driving, lights and sirens blaring, to the nearest AFB. When they showed up they had 190,000 lbs of vehicles and equipment. (they decided to throw in a bunch of "nice to have" equipment) We loaded what we could into the planned C-5 and launched it ASAP and then pulled a miracle out of our a$$es to launch an alert C-5 from a nearby base to come and pick up the overflow. The alert C-5 took about 3 hours to get to the place where the overflow people/equipment/etc were waiting. (unbelivably fast timing based on the situation) Waiting with the overflow people/equipment was a Washington Post reporter who interviewed the overflow firemen waiting for the extra C-5. Guess what quote made the Washington Post the next day - (fireman to reporter) "I don't know what the deal is, we got here as fast as we could with lights and sirens. The Air Force just wasn't ready."

Bottom line, hold onto your comments until you've walked a mile in their shoes. Never confuse what you see/read in the media with the truth.

 

[Twasilew]

I'll say I'm a little pi$sed off that things were so F'd up in the beginning. There is absolutely no reason why babies were starving at the superdome and convention center up until day 6. Why the hell could we not get food and water to people in the city when the media could easily drive in and out. This is what really ticked me off.
On day two we sent an empty Herk from OK city to Andrews. When they arrived, their cargo was one pallet, 1800 lbs, which consisted of two air conditioners. When they finally got to MSY, the unloaders looked at them like they had their heads on backwards. Who is the idiot that fragged this mission!!! What a waste of time and resources in these critical days.
I know everyone is working their ass off right now and I applaud you 100%. All I am saying is, when things finally slow down, and order is restored, people need to be held accountable for the breakdown in leadership so this $hit does not happen again. My heart hurts when I see Americans in such pain when I know we can do better.

OK as you can see I'm also a little pi$sed and overstressed right now, not to mention the upcoming deployment to the AOR in 3 weeks. However, I am looking forward to tomorrows mission back to MSY so I can help in any way. Maybe I'll post again when I calm down a bit.

God bless all those who are making a difference down there.

 

[RampFreeze]

Were the Air Conditioners useless cargo? Maybe. Or, maybe they were a high priority delivery for a medical function that can't be evac'd or to cool electronics at a vital communications node. My point is that the only people who know are the ones in the command and control centers (the guys who would rather be flying an airplane instead of "piloting" a nifty telephone) who have the big picture, use the airlift priority system and separate the wheat from the chaff. The operators, aerial port guys, etc. are simply hauling the mail. The importance of each load is determined somewhere else and will probably never be readily apparent to those on the ramp. That's why we don't cut our own frags...

 

[SUNDOWN]

What Tony meant to say was "Shut the **$& up" when you don't know what you are talking about.

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A bit strong huh ALBIE. So we are not suppose to comment or wonder about anything we see on the news unless we are involved in it ( medical reform, etc). I don't think he was off base at all, he was just curious. He totally prefaced his remarks in his statement. Relax dude, your comments are usually insightful, that was totally out of line.

Thanks to all you guys and gals out there making a difference and saving lives.

 

[TonyC]

A bit strong huh ALBIE. So we are not suppose to comment or wonder about anything we see on the news unless we are involved in it ( medical reform, etc). I don't think he was off base at all, he was just curious. He totally prefaced his remarks in his statement.

Reread Mamma's post:

I did not hear the Lt Col remarks, but if true, he sure is a piece of work! ... WTFO!

That doesn't sound like "just curious" to me. And if there was a preface, I missed that, too. He condemned the guy, and he admitted he hadn't even heard the guy's remarks. Go figger.


Maybe it's just the internet thing.










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[Mamma]

Look guys...relax a bit. How about this....I went overboard and I am sorry. Does that work for you? We are all sounding just like our idiot politicians playing the blame game and getting off track while a catastrophe is going on. How about putting a post or two worth a damn on here instead of hashing over the wording of a post? All I was saying is that I was upset at the time when all these people were stranded/dying and the AMC spokesperson came out and said they cannot help them with airlift because it was uncomfortable. From the post I got the info from, the Lt Col did not go into the fact that the aircraft are busy doing other things or other resources were being used for this task...he just told the media that the aircraft were uncomfortable. That is bung and he should know better. But, I am sorry for my comments and hope all you "offended" folks could forgive me and move on!

Cheers.

 

[TonyC]

I did not hear the Lt Col remarks, ... What an idiot.

...he just told the media that the aircraft were uncomfortable. That is bung and he should know better.

He didn't say they were uncomfortable.

Which is it? You're retracting what you said and you're sorry, or you're standing by what you said and you want us to forget about it?



Either way, I'm movin' on.





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[SIG600]

To all those critisizing the military response (non mil types), first educate yourselves on the logistical nightmare of getting a massive effort like this rolling with zero notice. Not to point fingers, but the local politicians, govenor, etc. had NO plan worked out before hand for this situation, which has been studied ad naseum for YEARS as a "worst case scenario."

ANYWAY, we had an AOM on Friday morning and were briefed as to the role our installation (Meridian NAS, in Meridian MS about 2.5 hours north of N.O.) was playing in the relief effort. Mind you Meridian is a SMALL training base, and our flight line is smaller than most municipal airports. That said here's what was briefed to us, and what I saw last Friday...

Half our flight line is packed with 18 wheelers. About 200 Fri morning, supposedly to be 450+ soon. The base has become a staging area for supplies, and a base for FEMA and supposedly the 4 star heading up the JTF will be setting up shop too.

Half our maint. hangar has been cleared out and cleaned spotless. It's being turned into a 1000 bed MASH hospital. Anyone that knows the base, the old T-2 simulator bay is being turned into a surgery ward.

6 blackhawks are setting up shop, and a C-2 det is supposedly on the way for shutteling casualties from N.O. to NMM... a large section of the ramp has been alloted for C-5 and C-17 loading/off loading. Base housing is supposed to be occupied to full capacity to accomodate families from the USCG station down there, and Navy Pascagoula.

There's also rumor of a 13,000 person tent city going up on the ramp. So far every rumor that we've heard has come true so I'm not doubting that this will actually happen.

This morning the place was a zoo, and all the jets were packed at the south end of the ramp, and as of today we're gonna be up and running among the midst of all of this. Should make for an interesting few months... there was talk of a possible 30,000 bed tent city but their thinking that will be going to Jackson.

 

[ArcherII]

I am currently deployed to NAS New Orleans unloading inbound aircraft. Things are pretty hectic but are running pretty smooth. Shoot me some questions if you have any. I am happy to be here supporting the relief and would love to let you guys know what is going on.

 

[peter185]

Archer II how do you like being in the TX ANG? I hear you guys are a bunch of cool dudes doing great work down there, I just hope that you are talking about something besides aviation.