Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    Posture Statement

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        National Guard Office of Special Victims' Counsel

    Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Article View
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 Sandy rescues: 'That is why I joined the National Guard," Soldier says By Staff Sgt. Jerry Saslav
                Massachusetts National Guard
 NEW YORK - "When we saw it coming down, we couldn’t believe it," said Rose Miller, 85, recalling how Hurricane Sandy battered the Rockaway section of Queens. Rose and her husband Leonard Miller, 95, lived in a house one block from the roiling Atlantic Ocean. "It was scary," she said. "Well, you better get out today," said 2nd Lt. Michael Nuttall, platoon leader, 2nd platoon, 772nd Military Police Company, Massachusetts Army National Guard, as he stood in the  family’s second-floor apartment. "When it rains again there’s going to be a little more flooding." Nuttall and some of his men had been stationed at a nearby Catholic church that was being used as a distribution point for residents to receive aid. Spc. James Maltais, a military police officer in Nutall’s platoon, was helping to distribute some of the aid when a woman approached him. "She said she had two elderly ... in-laws stuck in their upstairs apartment and couldn’t get out down the street," said Maltais. "The street was all blocked with trash and debris; they weren’t going to be able to walk out of there." The woman was Alice Miller, Rose and Leonard’s daughter-in-law. She and her husband Jeff lived in the downstairs apartment. When the warning went out that residents should leave before Hurricane Sandy reached shore, Leonard Miller refused to leave. He had grown up in his house. So Leonard, Rose, Alice and her husband Jeff rode out the storm in the house. "We lost our cars," said Jeff, who walks with a cane, "we were basically stranded." For over a week they lived in their home, with no heat or electricity and survived on what supplies they had and what they could receive from the local distribution centers. When they heard that a storm was supposed to hit the area late Tuesday or early Wednesday, Alice went to look for help. Maltais found Nuttall and briefed him on the situation. They quickly went into the church and asked to borrow some shovels. Alice gave the Guardsmen directions to the house and went to find her vehicle. After gathering another military police officer, Spc. Joseph Pollini, the three set out to the house. The street was filled with debris and the sand from the beach had been piled over four feet high in some places. A large front-end loader from the city’s sanitation department was slowly making its way down the street, piling the sand on the sides of the street. Nuttall approached the driver, explained what they were trying to do and asked if he could clear part of the Miller’s driveway so the residents could evacuate. As the truck driver began the slow process, Nuttall and his men waited for Alice before entering the house to evacuate Rose and Leonard. "Her eyes lit up when we walked into the room," said Nuttall, "she was so happy to see us." After a brief conversation, Pollini and Nuttall took Rose and Leonard’s bags downstairs while Maltais stayed with them in their apartment. "These folks really needed our help. It was cold in there," Maltais said. "They were bundled up. They definitely needed our help. Both of them told me that they thought that they were going to die there, that they were going to freeze to death there. So getting them out of there, keeping their spirits up ... telling them that ‘you know what, this may be bad but it will get cleaned up and that things will get back to normal; just give it time.’ It made me feel good to see them smile and realize that this isn’t the end of days for them." Alice entered her own home to gather her husband and their belongings. While they were inside, the front-end loader cleared enough of the area in front of the home that the Miller’s vehicle was able to enter the sand-filled driveway. After seeing how the piled sand made walking the short distance from the front steps of the Miller’s house for anyone, let alone an elderly couple who both needed canes to walk -- Pollini grabbed discarded cabinet doors and other pieces of wood that had been damaged and began to construct a walkway. When everything was in place, Pollini helped Leonard down the steps and toward the vehicle. Together he and Nuttall carefully helped Leonard into the vehicle across the back seat.  Maltais helped Rose toward the vehicle and together he and Pollini gently helped her in. "This is too much work," said Rose, "maybe I should stay." No, said the Soldiers, you are two thirds of the way in. Eventually Rose made it into the vehicle, but before the door closed she insisted on taking each one by the hand and thanking them. "Stay well," said Rose, "be safe." After the Miller’s had left; Nuttall, Maltais and Pollini headed back to distribute more relief supplies. "You know what?" Nuttall said to Maltais and Pollini, "That right there is why I joined the National Guard."
 SHARE
 PRINT
 
 Pennsylvania Army Guardsmen Complete Combat Lifesaver Course
 By Sgt. 1st Class Shane Smith,
  38th Infantry Division Soldiers Conduct Warfighter Exercise
 By Master Sgt. Jeff Lowry,
  Puerto Rico Air National Guard Trains at Red Flag-Alaska
 By 156th Wing
  More
 Pennsylvania Army Guardsmen Complete Combat Lifesaver Course Guard News • 4 hours ago
 38th Infantry Division Soldiers Conduct Warfighter Exercise Guard News • 11 hours ago
 Puerto Rico Air National Guard Trains at Red Flag-Alaska Guard News • 12 hours ago
 Air National Guard Conducts Sentry Savannah Exercise Guard News • yesterday
 Hawaii Air National Guard Hosts Sentry Aloha Joint Exercise Guard News • yesterday
 2024 (196)  2023 (427)  2022 (526)  2021 (697)  2020 (936)  2019 (387)  2018 (323)  2017 (346)  2016 (245)  2015 (356)  2014 (399)  2013 (469)  2012 (556)  2011 (533)  2010 (1071)  2009 (357)  2008 (638)  2007 (295)  2006 (188)
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil