AJC.com > Iraq coverage > Blog > Archives > 2005 > September > 24 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USGuardsmen help fellow soldiers from Louisiana
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Camp Taji, Iraq — When Capt. Kevin Hamm heard Army National Guard soldiers from Louisiana talk about seeing their houses under water after Hurricane Katrina, he felt compelled to help.
The Louisiana soldiers had spent a stressful year in Iraq and were returning home, not to a heroes’ welcome, but to a tragedy of enormous proportions.
Hamm, Staff Sgt. Amos Edwards and Spc. Ryan Copeland of the 48th Brigade Combat Team’s 1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery Regiment began taking up a collection that would help fellow field artillerymen from New Orleans.
“The command sergeant major of 1-141 Field Artillery Regiment told us that three of his soldiers had seen their houses underwater on TV in the news coverage of Katrina aftermath,� Hamm said. “Later we were told that about one hundred soldiers have been affected by the hurricane.�
Hamm, a pharmaceutical sales manager from Middleburg, Fla., said the 118th soldiers raised roughly $2,600 that will be sent to a charitable fund to help needy soldiers.
The Louisianans’ plight tugged at the heartstrings of Georgians at Camp Striker, too. At first, 48th brigade soldiers thought about sending non-perishable food items they had received from families and friends, but that proved to be logistically difficult.
Instead, Georgia’s citizen soldiers raised $1,600 to send to the American Red Cross.
“It’s a drop in the bucket, I know,� Command Sgt. Major James Nelson. “But we couldn’t do anything else from here.�
The week that Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, several units from the Louisiana Guard’s 256th Brigade Combat Team were stationed at Camp Striker on their way home. Georgia soldiers watched the devastation with them on television sets in the dining hall and recreation facilities.
Many said they wished they could be back home to help with hurricane relief effort, as they did after a series of hurricanes that hit Florida last year.
“What brought it home for us was the 256th coming through here,� Nelson said, adding that raising money “was the humanitarian thing to do.�
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Marie
September 24, 2005 08:13 PM | Link to this
Does anybody know what happened to the last photographer….did I miss something here?
By Sgt. Kirchner
September 25, 2005 09:08 AM | Link to this
The AJC is swapping out reporters and photographers. They have shorter rotations in theater than us… must be nice. Best wishes Jeremy.
Sgt. K
By LuvMySoldier
September 25, 2005 10:14 AM | Link to this
That’s a great story. The 48th is an entire group worth being proud of. And I promise all of us back home are! God bless the Louisana and Mississippi soldiers affected by the storm and God bless our guys for being kind enough to help. Come home safe and soon guys. I love you Spc. Thomas Clark.
By A
September 26, 2005 10:38 AM | Link to this
The 108th CAV also gave to help the victims of Katrina. They took up a collection of supplies they could live without and sent 3 boxes to a church in Houston collecting donations. They sent these supplies out of their own pocket. They don’t have a PX to go to everyday and finicial services only come out periodically, but they did what they could. It makes you so proud of these guys (including the ones from your covered story)!
By Dawn
September 26, 2005 08:17 PM | Link to this
Does anyone know where donations for the soldiers affected by the hurricane can be sent
By M
September 27, 2005 02:27 PM | Link to this
Dawn,
The National Military Family Association (NFMA) us a starting point.
http://www.nmfa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=hurricane_katrina#ng
If I locate an address I will post.
By Im in IRaq
September 28, 2005 01:24 AM | Link to this
I think this was a great chance to help our fellow soldier. As one of the organizers I appreciate evryone chipping in. To all the others soldiers deployed with me, Keep your head up.