Oklahoma National Guard Completes Hurricane Ida Relief Mission Returns Home

RESERVE, LA (KOKH) – Nearly 500 Oklahoma Army and Air National Guard members volunteered their Labor Day weekends in order to aid with Hurricane relief in Louisiana.

Over the course of two and a half weeks, Task Force Oklahoma provided food, water, ice, and other supplies to more than 77,000 families at more than 30 points of distribution sites across 14 parishes.

“We got the call from Louisiana [asking for help from the Oklahoma National Guard] and [all of you] answered the call,” said Maj. Gen. Michael Thompson, adjutant general for Oklahoma, while visiting Oklahoma Guardsmen in Louisiana. “For me, it’s a little sentimental being down here today, because 16 years ago, pretty much to the day, I deployed to New Orleans after [Hurricane] Katrina left a path of devastation like few people had ever seen. Now, to have so many Soldiers [and Airmen] volunteer to be here, it’s just the spirit of the National Guard.”

This mission involved Soldiers and Airmen alike. Airmen from the 137th Special Operations Wing and 138th Fighter Wing helped 7,879 families at five PODs in three parishes. The Airmen on this mission agree this type of operation is what they expected to do when they raised their right hand.

We volunteered to be here,” said Airman 1st Class Jordan Terry, a crew chief with the 138th Fighter Wing. “It’s just taking care of our neighbors, and that’s why we volunteered and that’s why we joined.”

The Soldiers and Airmen of Task Force Oklahoma concluded operations on Sept. 14 and returned to Oklahoma in small groups over the following two days.