Early november brought catastrophic destruction to Western North Carolina when hurricane helene hit the region leaving 96 dead and many missing in its wake. The storm-ravaged mountains showed un-ending scenes of devastation that stretched for miles
The tight-knit appalachian communities (known for their self-reliance and neighborly spirit) faced overwhelming challenges; however help arrived from an unexpected source. Ex-military personnel became the back-bone of relief operations
This is what we do when we go to war We go into bad scenarios with towns turned upside down; the only difference is weʼre not getting shot at here which makes it a thousand times easier
The Christian Rangers group - named after a green beret training exercise includes many former special forces members Their mission: teaching locals recovery and self-sustaining skills. Mark Elkhill and his team spend days cutting fire-wood helping communities prepare for winter
At a relief center in Swannanoa Steve Santos - an air-force special tactics operator with 17-years experience works side-by-side with his father Errol Santos a former NYPD detective and 9-11 responder. The father-son duo handles various tasks:
- Clean-up operations
- Logistics management
- Search missions with cadaver dogs
- Community support coordination
Its coded into me to be a servant I cant just sit by when someone is in need
Many veterans find new meaning here - the disaster zone becomes their new mission field where military skills meet humanitarian needs The shared language of service creates an effective response team: giving orders taking action and working towards common goals