Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Leticia Samuels | RALEIGH, NC – U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Greg Lusk, the Adjutant General of North Carolina...... read more read more
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RALEIGH, NC – Gov. Roy Cooper expressed his gratitude to senior leaders and service members from each Major Subordinate Command of the North Carolina Army and Air National Guard during a gathering at the Executive Mansion Oct. 22, 2018.
Cooper carved time out of his schedule to speak with Soldiers and Airmen about their experiences in response to Hurricane Florence. He also thanked each service member for their service to the community.
“We live in an amazing state with great people,” said Cooper. “North Carolinians are permanent. The National Guard has been at the forefront of that leadership for decades and decades. I know the work that you do every day and first let me say thank you to your families. They take that great risk of having you go out there when you are deployed. I am grateful for them.”
Numerous Guardsmen put their knowledge and experience to work for the community resulting in the delivery of over 3 million pounds of supplies to affected counties, and completing 346 missions, including swift water rescues, high-water truck support, aviation operations, animal rescue and hasty road repair. Service members also worked hand in hand supporting entities of the North Carolina Emergency Management.
“I was nested in with Diane Curtis,” said Sgt 1st Class Elliot Westbrook, the liaison to NCEM – Eastern branch. “I served as a conduit between her team and the Joint Task Force. The true pleasure of my experience was getting to articulate the buffet of skillsets the National Guard brought to the fight.
There were 2,800 NC National Guard Soldiers and Airmen activated to support hurricane Florence disaster recovery, fulfilling the dual role of a citizen soldier helping its community.
“When this storm was coming, I talked with the secretary, the general and the emergency management director Mr. Sprayberry,” said Cooper. “We knew that the National Guard would be an integral part of our response, but we didn’t know how much.”
Cooper later said he traveled throughout the state after the storm subsided to ask NC natives, volunteers and personnel from emergency management about their well-being.
“Almost in variable, the Guard would come up,” said Cooper. “I can’t even sit here and list all of the things that you did. Your mere presence settled people. They felt comforted and secure knowing that you were there.”
| Date Taken: | 10.23.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 10.26.2018 12:25 |
| Story ID: | 297745 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 43 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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