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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend September 8, 2005 Oregon Army National Guard Sgt. Daniel Hanson says goodbye to his fiancee, Joanne Robertson, at the Ashland Armory on Wednesday before leaving for duty in hurricane-stricken New Orleans. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Last troops head out Tearful farewells are evident as the last of a local Guard contingent leaves for duty in New Orleans By PARIS ACHEN Mail Tribune ASHLAND — With a pained look on his face, National Guard Sgt. Daniel Hanson of Medford embraced his tearful fiancee, Joanne Robertson, before filing onto one of three chartered buses bound for Klamath Falls. The bus ride Wednesday was the first leg of a journey to New Orleans to help restore order and relieve the misery of those affected by Hurricane Katrina. Robertson, who was engaged to Hanson in June, had to stay behind. "I do believe what he is doing is extremely important, but on the personal side, I’m torn to pieces," Robertson said. "I love him very much, and I don’t want to be away from him." Hanson was among the last contingent of the Oregon Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion of the 186th Infantry, headquartered in Ashland, to leave for New Orleans since the battalion was ordered to deploy last Friday. About seven flights from Klamath Falls Airport/Kingsley Field were scheduled to deliver 225 troops, 45 from Ashland and Medford, to New Orleans Wednesday. Advertisement The troops followed a convoy of about 100 battalion members who went to the city Tuesday. Dressed in Army fatigues, troops piled baggage and supplies on the floor of the Ashland Armory early Wednesday morning as they waited for buses to take them to Klamath Falls. They had been going to the armory daily to prepare for the mission since receiving deployment orders Friday. Some of the full-time personnel worked 16-hour days in the effort. "Seeing all the people crying for water and help, I felt angry," said battalion Chaplain Ron McKay, pastor of Ruch Community Bible Church. "I felt we needed a more robust response. When I got the call to deploy, I felt it was an answer to my prayer." The mission is scheduled to last 15 days, but officials warn it is likely to last up to two months. Troops expect to do a variety of tasks, which could include mopping up the city, providing security, delivering supplies and recovering bodies. Their area of operation will be just off Bourbon Street. Command Sgt. Maj. Roy Striley said troops who arrived in Louisiana Tuesday reported smelling a foul stench eight miles away from New Orleans. "It gets worse and worse the closer they get to New Orleans," Striley said. "That’s why the sooner we get the water pumped out of the city, the sooner we’ll be able to fix things, and that is serious health issues." Sgt. Jeremy Warren of Eagle Point said after reading news accounts of disease, devastation and violence in the aftermath of the hurricane, he felt nervous about what he would encounter in New Orleans. In 2002, Warren served in the Sinai, Egypt, with the 1/186th, and other battalion members recently returned from tours in Iraq. "I think (New Orleans) is a good type of mission," Warren said. "When I joined up, this is what I thought I would be doing, not going to Iraq." Warren’s wife, Michelle, said it has been a challenge convincing her 7-year-old son, Sammy, that his father is not going off to war. "What they’re doing in New Orleans is awesome," Michelle Warren said. "But no matter how many times they go, it’s difficult on wives and kids, especially children because they don’t understand the dynamics of it. "The way I explained this mission to Sammy was there are people in the country who need Daddy’s assistance." Reach reporter Paris Achen at 776-4496 or e-mail Last troops head out ">[email protected] . Events raise money for disaster relief Local businesses and other groups are holding the following events to raise money for disaster relief on the Gulf Coast: Craig Wright and Friends will present a benefit concert at 8 p.m. Friday at the Siskiyou Micro Pub, 31B Water St., Ashland. Donations will be accepted at the concert. All 13 Human Bean coffee stand locations in Jackson and Josephine counties will donate sales receipts on Friday to hurricane relief efforts. Donations for the American Red Cross and Salvation Army will be collected during the 21st annual Rogue Eagles Remote Control Club Air Show, planned from 9:30 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Agate Skyways on East Antelope Road. From Medford, take Highway 62 north to Highway 140 and turn left. Continue east to East Antelope Road and turn right. Admission is $3. Two Pines Smokehouse in Shady Cove will donate 50 percent of all restaurant revenues from Saturday and Sunday to the Red Cross for disaster relief. Employee contributions and restaurant funds will be consolidated and matched (up to $20,000) by the Boehm family (owners of Two Pines) and Aquila Foundation’s "We Care" program. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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