Navy operations in the wake of Rita

The Navy is also involved in post-Rita relief efforts.

Navy Exchanges are providing assistance.

Navy Exchanges (NEX) began distributing health and comfort items, or comfort kits, Sept. 29, free to the many military members and their families affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

These comfort kits are available to people located within the federally declared disaster areas in and around the Gulf Coast.

The hospital ship Comfort arrived in New Orleans.

The U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) arrived here Sept. 28 at the request of the Department of Health and Human Services and Louisiana government state officials.

The ship, one of the largest trauma facilities in the nation, is preparing to act as an emergency trauma center for New Orleans as its citizens begin to repopulate the Crescent City.

During this mission, Comfort will be under the operational control of Joint Task Force Rita.

Interestingly enough, mine warfare ships are supporting recovery efforts.

USS Gladiator (MCM 11), USS Avenger (MCM 1) and USS Pioneer (MCM 9) are conducting unit level training and sonar calibration operations in the Gulf of Mexico.

These ships are on standby to conduct survey operations of the Galveston and Houston safety fairways to help determine if they are free of any storm-related debris and to ensure the safety of deep-draft traffic transit.

“We are looking forward to supporting Hurricane Rita recovery efforts,” said Capt. Jonathan Tobias, commodore of Mine Countermeasures Squadron (MCMRON) 3 and tactical commander for mine warfare assets that previously surveyed the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) and safety fairways of south Grand Isle. “We successfully applied our mine warfare skills in support of Joint Task Force Katrina, surveying more than 250 nautical miles of safety fairways and 35 oil platforms. This was a critical tasking in support of putting U.S. oil production and shipping back into play.”

Other mine warfare ships are also preparing to assist in survey operations should they be called, as well as MH-53E helicopters from Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM) 15. Mine warfare assets standing by to support Hurricane Rita recovery efforts are under the tactical command of MCMRON 1, commanded by Capt. Kevin Scott.

Here is a photo essay about some Marine Life Oceanarium dolphins rescued after Katrina allowed them to escape.

Here is a photo essay about Army medical evacuations.

-----
Austin Bay links to an article that tells how useful Navy communications equipment was after Katrina.