STATE ACT DUTY



State Act Duty



State Act Duty

I was called for State Active Duty to help with the evacuation of people from their homes and property. The river had begun to crest, and, it posed major destruction for all who lived in the delta of eastern Arkansas. The call came from the NCO personnel who were asking that I would like to volunteer for this detailed information. I immediately said yes. I had just worked a twelve hour day and honestly I could not wait to get myself ready to deploy with my fellow soldiers. I was anxious and very nervous because this is what you sign up for, to help those who are in need. It is late in the night when we arrive to the local high school gym. As we were unloading our things, a man comes in with tears in eyes and panic in his voice. He stated that he had been working to save his house and need some help with sand bags. I was one of many who raced to the door when our commander called out wait. Let's get the names of the ones who are going. As we arrived at the house, I could not believe what my eyes was showing me. The water was everywhere in the midst of the neighborhood. The water was at least six foot high in some areas. We rushed to move sand bags in place to build a barricade to hold back the water from washing away this neighborhood. Everyone worked hard into the night carrying and placing sandbags where needed. (Buchheit, 1978)

The next day we went house to for letting people know that our Governor had issued a mandatory evacuation because of the river cresting and sending water that would flood the city and farmland. Some people had already begun to leave, but there were the ones who stated that they would be staying because they had nowhere to go. My heart was very saddened because of this statement that Mr. Jones said to us as his wife and three kids stood by his side. Our days and nights were long and hard. We walked and rode through five and six feet water to get to people. We manned check points to keep would be looter out, and, this was a very humbling experience. I am on this earth to serve, and, the National Guard has allowed me to do that. When any disaster occurs, it becomes very difficult for people to face the consequences of it. I faced one of the most difficult periods of my life. It certainly became a challenge for me to handle this situation, but because I went a rigorous training to prepare for myself for these incidents, so I would be able to handle it effectively in the end. The natural disasters which occur in any city cause lots of destruction for the people. There are various kinds of disasters that take place in many parts ...