- [Michael] The Texas Military Department held
its annual Open House at Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas
this weekend, showcasing the partnerships
between the National Guard and civil authorities.
Events like these continue
to make these relationships fluid
as they train and learn together.
- We work hand-in-hand with the Texas National Guard,
specifically the Army National Guard along the borders.
We supplement each other in stateside missions,
including floods and fires.
And then they supplement us in border security.
Oftentimes, I'll work hand-in-hand with another aircraft
while they're in the air at the same time.
We'll coordinate with each other in the air
for operations on the ground.
- [Michael] This partnership helps both entities prepare
for real world disasters and security missions.
- Those really help bring our two agencies
and governmental agencies together to learn
and to see what we can do to change things
and improve our services to the military
and to the citizens of Austin.
- [Michael] The 36th Infantry Division Combat
Aviation Brigade helicopter pilots help with a multitude
of missions to include wild fire support.
- We have a bamboo bucket system
that holds about 600 gallons of water.
So, we lift it down into a lake or water source,
and we can pull up all the water,
and then use it to fight fires all over the state.
- [Michael] The Texas Military Department
and Austin Police Department, their training
and techniques to better serve our communities.
- We bring in what we've learned, and what we trained,
and what we do, and we work with the military,
and they help us with how they us
with how they train and what they do.
And I think as a result of all of that,
the citizens of Austin live in a much safer community,
a community they deserve to live in.
- [Michael] For the Texas Military Department
at Camp Mabry in Austin,
I'm Sergeant First Class Michael Leslie.