WASHINGTON - As remnants of Hurricane Isaac bound northward into the Mississippi River valley, National Guard members continue to provide critical support to local emergency officials and citizens throughout the Gulf states, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said in a briefing.
"Even through the storm has moved up from the Gulf, there's still work to be done," Little said. "There are still more than 3,600 National Guard personnel on duty in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama."
Little said Louisiana and Mississippi Guard members are "serving admirably during the storm," and have already rescued or evacuated more than 3,400 citizens during search and rescue operations.
In addition to delivering pallets of generators, water and supplies to key facilities throughout the state, Guard members have also set up distribution sites to provide food, water and ice, Little said.
Military aircraft evacuated from Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Duke Field, Fla., Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., have returned to base or are in the process of returning to base, Little added.