UPDATE: More than 2,000 Texas Guardsmen Activated for Hurricane Harvey Operations

Texas Military Department News

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FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLIC RELEASE:

UPDATE: More than 2,000 Texas Guardsmen Activated for Hurricane Harvey Operations

AUSTIN, Texas (August 27, 2017) – At the direction of Gov. Greg Abbott more than 2,000 members of the Texas Military Department’s Army National Guard, Air National Guard and Texas State Guard are assisting in recovery efforts following landfall of Hurricane Harvey.

Soldiers and Airmen are currently providing support to flooding regions of Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast. Partnering with local first responders Guardsmen are assisting in search and rescue operations, swift water rescues and evacuations of flooding areas.

Members of the Texas State Guard are mobilized to provide local shelter operations and provide a tracking system that helps evacuees locate loved ones checking into shelters

Additional Guardsmen are on standby and will join operations as requested by the Texas Department of Emergency Management.

“We are here to help our communities,” said Brig. Gen. Patrick M. Hamilton, Commander of Domestic Operations Task Force. “working alongside our partner agencies, and local first responders, we are focused on deploying Guardsmen and resources where they are needed to save lives.”

Hurricane Harvey is the first hurricane to make a direct landfall on the Texas coast since 2008.

“Nothing is more important to our Guardsmen that the chance to serve their local community.” Hamilton said. “Helping our neighbors when they need us most is the heart of The Guard, and why we choose to become Citizen Soldiers and Airmen.

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The mission of the Texas Military Department (TMD) is to provide the Governor and the President with ready and trained forces in support of the citizens of Texas and State and Federal civil/military authorities at home and abroad.

The Texas Military Department is commanded by the Adjutant General of Texas, the state's senior military official appointed by the governor, and is comprised of the Texas Military Department (formerly the Adjutant General's Department), the Texas Army National Guard (TXARNG), the Texas Air National Guard (TXANG), the Texas State Guard (TXSG) and the Domestic Operations Command (DOMOPS).

For more information about the Texas Military Department visit our Website at https://tmd.texas.gov.

Texas Military Department Public Affairs
P.O. Box 5218, Building 10
Camp Mabry (Austin), Texas 78703

Phone: 512-782-5620
E-Mail: ng.tx.txarng.mbx.pao@mail.mil
Web: https://tmd.texas.gov