1221st deploys to Louisiana

Over 80 men and women of Dexter's 1221st Unit of the Missouri National Guard departed Dexter shortly after noon on Monday. Photo provided [Click to enlarge]

Over 80 men and women of Dexter's 1221st Unit of the Missouri National Guard departed Dexter shortly after noon on Monday, headed for the flood ravaged state of Louisiana once again, just a couple of days following the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

The Dexter unit expands the presence on the of Missouri's guardsmen and women to 1,300 in the gulf area ravaged one more time by hurricane strength winds, although the current system, Gustav, did not pack nearly the punch of its predecessor.

The Dexter unit was part of a total mobilization of about 600 members who left for Louisiana on Monday, called upon by Gov. Matt Blunt to aid the newest flood victims as a result of the storm that slammed the gulf coast over the Labor Day holiday.

Major General King Sidwell, Adjutant General for the Missouri National Guard, was on hand in Dexter on Monday afternoon as the 1221st prepared to head out in convoy fashion.

"As the needs of Louisiana increase," Sidwell said, "the Missouri National Guard continues to provide support."

Sidwell said that plans called for the Dexter unit to make a stop at a Guard Armory in Henderson, Ark., near Little Rock late Monday evening in order to be inoculated before proceeding into the flooded areas of Louisiana.

"When we're involved in an operation with flood waters, we have to make sure that everyone going in is protected against the bacteria that is present in these situations."

The 1221st joins a task force of military police from across the state, led by the 205th Military Police Battalion out of neighboring Poplar Bluff, along with an aviation maintenance team from Springfield, the 7th Civil Support Team from Fort Leonard Wood, and Guard members from Portageville, Sikeston, Nevada and Lamar.

Blunt ordered the additional 700 Guard members to be deployed on Tuesday. Those units will be departing from Joplin, Kansas City, Carthage and Anderson, Festus, Perryville, Lexington and Trenton.

The duration of the 1221st's stay in Louisiana is uncertain, but family members say they expect their loved ones to be involved in the clean-up effort on the coast for at about a month.

Along with support from National Guard units across the state, Missouri is also providing assistance for Gustav's victims in the way of shelters for the state's evacuees. Blunt has ordered the state's Department of Public Safety to update the governor's office with any future needs to which Missouri may respond.