Phin, posting at Confederate Yankee, brought Operation Enduring Service to our attention about a month ago. Here is a brief look at what OES is all about:

A record breaking hurricane season has opened our eyes and brought to the forefront our need for improvement in response time to areas damaged by these massive storms. The first hours after a hurricane has made landfall are the most crucial. Without immediate relief those who’ve survived the massive winds and driving rains may very well succumb to rising waters, heat, water born illnesses and as well as fatigue and stress.

Beauchamp Tower Corporation has created Operation Enduring Service which will utilize obsolete military ships to provide emergency relief and disaster response at no cost to the taxpayers and a savings to the government of at least $100 million.

From the OES website:

We are preparing to receive at least two ships (if everything goes as planned) to begin the conversion to Fast Attack Emergency Cargo Ships to respond to disaster incidences in Coastal States (East Coast, Gulf Coast, and in some instances West Coast). It is estimated that we can removed about 27% of the federal burden for Ice, Water, and food within the first 10 hours following a CAT-4 landfall. There is also the ability of providing climate controlled medical and staging facilities for up to 40 percent of the same disaster area.

This is a very good idea, so naturally things are working against it. CY recieved an email with this information:

..yesterday I received an overnight letter informing me that we had until January 6, 2006 to tow the USS Howard W. Gilmore out of the fleet or they were going to scrap her. That is two months ahead of our donation hold schedule and only gives us two weeks to move her due to the Christmas holidays. MARAD knows that this is impossible and only offers this time because they know it can’t be done–you can’t get a tow company that fast during the holidays. This way, they can look like they are “trying to work with us” and still make sure we can’t perform.

I urge everyone to get behind this very good plan. Action is needed. Won’t you tell your elected representatives to get behind this project?

Be sure to tell your elected representatives. that the men responsible for this travesty at MARAD are William H. Kahill, Deputy Director, Office of Ship Operations (202-366-1875 ext. 2122), and Eugene Magee, Division of Reserve Fleet Chief (202-366-5752 ext. 2112).

Cross posted at Pyjamas Media

Linked with breakfast at basil’s blog.