Fort Chaffee sent to support Gustav evacuees

By ArkansasOnline

The Arkansas National Guard has opened the doors of the Fort Chaffee Maneuver Training Center to Hurricane Gustav evacuees.

About 165 soldiers and airmen will support the mission. The center, near Fort Smith, will offer shelter, subsistence, medical care, transportation and information management.

Fort Chaffee is expected to receive about 4,000 evacuees over the next few days.

The Camp Robinson based 1st Battalion, 114th Security and Support of the 77th Aviation Brigade received the state's first mission with over 40 soldiers called to deploy to Louisiana under a hurricane-preparedness agreement. Four to five airmen from the Arkansas Guard's 154th Weather Flight, from the Little Rock Air Force base, were called to deploy with the team in support of the

operation.

The 114th will provide airspace management and control of all aviation assets supporting the relief effort. The 154th will support the 114th by providing weather briefings, forecasts and resource protection for the airfield.