Unfortunately and sadly the question must now be asked..

[Check12]

How many lives could have been saved by getting a large National Guard presence quickly into evacuation routes to assure people of the seriousness of the predicament. Nothing like a National Guard truck telling me I got to go NOW to motivate my lazy ass. Has this not been done in previous disaster scenarios?

Scream at the top of your lungs;

BRING OUR NATIONAL GUARD BACK TO GUARD THIS NATION,

US Get it? You and me you idiots.:grr:

[Erika]

1. Hopefully there will be a lot of questions asked about the NG

The NG was meant to protect us here in national emergencies.

[Lorien]

2. It's been done that way here in Florida before major hurricanes

the Guard goes through neighborhoods with a megaphone and bangs on front doors to tell people to leave. Of course, the last time I saw that on the news the Iraq invasion had not occurred yet.

[The Traveler]

3. I think you summed that up rather nicely.

When you charge off to fight optional wars, it is hard the summon the treasure and muscle to properly defend the homeland. Necessary (read unavoidable) wars happen often enough on this miserable mudballl we call Earth. Only an idiot picks a fight when there is no compelling need. Now, we reap a portion of the rewards of that folly.

[politicat]

4. Don't just scream, write.

Your senators and representatives.
Your governor.
The White House.
The Joint Chiefs.
Your local newspapers.

Make it clear that one of the major reasons that New Orleans and the Gulf Coast is going to be in such dire straits for the next year is because they did not have their National Guard to call upon in a time of crisis. Every state in the union is liable to crises of some sort that would need the Guard - point it out as a necessary safety measure.

The Guard can fill in at local offices and still do their guard jobs. (My father, who is retired military, but still IRR, is currently serving his IRR time as a paper pusher at the National Guard Armory in Phoenix; he's too old and infirm to go to Iraq, but he's fine with paper. Other Guardsmen can do the same. There's no reason at all to send the National Guard overseas when we still have undeployed regular forces in country. *Note* that is my father's opinion - and he was career military; fairly high up.)

We need to also change the definition of Guardsmen.... the fact is that there's far more need for Emergency Response corps than for Artillery units. I think we need to have dual MOS units - in case of invasion, we're an artillery unit; in case of disaster, we're a logistics and provisions unit. (This is my DH's suggestion; he is retired WV Nat Guard.)

But we won't get any of it unless we start making some noise that pols hear. So fire up the fax, mail 'em some letters, call up their Washington offices and make appointments with their local ones. (don't bother emailing... they get so many of them).

[fortyfeetunder]

5. Well, I think this is the beginning of more calamity

We're only midway through the hurricane season. FL hasn't got their share yet. Did FEMA get enough funds to recoup from last year and build for this? I don't think so....

[wli]

6. the sad fact is this magnitude probably means tens of thousands

I'm not going to get into fact, because this is literally pulled out of my arse and I'm saying it up front. It's an impression. You don't see stuff like what we're seeing on TV over such a wide area with only a couple hundred dying.

[ngGale]

7. I've always lived in a flood zone and....

have been awakened by the big 5 ton trucks coming in, the Guard kept us safe. Last flood, on of my friend's almost drowned. One lonely policeman woke her up beating on her door. The water was already up to her bed. She was lucky, we need the Guard - for a fact.
Sad times indeed.:cry: