Three weeks after sending troops to Texas to respond to Hurricane Harvey, the Michigan National Guard is now deploying 1,100 soldiers to Florida.
About 425 soldiers are staging at Camp Grayling, where they’re packing gear on more than 120 vehicles bound for Florida.
The Guard is also deploying an eight-person Chinook helicopter crew and about 60 troops with heavy equipment on a C-17 cargo plane.
“You know, we’re manned and trained and equipped for the war fight, but all those skill sets we can apply to an actual disaster,” says Michigan National Guard Commander Maj. General Gregory Vadnais. “We have large formations of trained, equipped soldiers and airmen that are going to go out and take care of their fellow Americans.”
Some 600 more soldiers will leave Michigan next weekend.