Expert Advice on Disaster Relief CAPT Jason Van Steenwyk is an expert on military logistics:
I've been a battalion S4 in combat, an HHC XO for dozens of major moves of a hundred miles or more, and an HHC company commander for six hurricane mobilizations.
Which means he's moved more people, more miles in a coordinated, effective manner than just about anybody you know who isn't a professional truck dispatcher. Pay attention to
what he has to say about moving people or sound like an ass. Your call…
But suppose you stripped the evac effort dry and got enough busses to support a 5,000 man move. Well, a few hundred of them would show up driving the brigade's vehicles (armed with fuel cards to use at pumps that don't work, so the army would also have to transport in its own bulk fuel).
Well, in order to move 4,400 soldiers by bus in 48 hours, with a 1-day turnaround time, you would need 100 busses. Which is most of the FEMA effort right there. The available truck transportation would be hauling food, water, tents, portable kitchens, and other gear -- not troops.
Well, I think FEMA came up with 140 busses. You want to strip 70 percent of the FEMA effort to bring in National Guard? I didn't think so.
I hope that more people will be listening to reason in the coming days and not just spouting off about the lack of response. Keep reading Jason and keep things in perspective.
