While no Guard Soldiers or Airmen have deployed for Hurricane Gustav or Hanna operations, Guard leaders are in constant contact with state emergency management officials and the Guard's Emergency Operations Center continues its 24/7 365 day a year operations.

The North Carolina National Guard has approximately 11,500 Soldiers and Airmen in its ranks with nearly 400 on federal active duty either here in the United States or overseas.

The North Carolina National Guard has mobilized for numerous hurricanes and brings a great deal of knowledge and expertise to hurricane relief. All Soldiers and Airmen are trained in relief operations and coordinating with state, county and local civilian agencies.

The N.C. National Guard maintains a 300 Guardsmen Rapid Reaction Force (RRF) available to the State in 24 hours with the full compliment available in 48 hours. The RRF is available for a wide variety of security, command and control or support missions that might be needed in an emergency.

The RRF is not generally used for hurricanes, however it can be deployed quickly as it has been in the past using N.C. Air National Guard C-130s when they deployed within 24 hours to Louisiana in the aftermaths of Katrina.

Recent N.C. National Guard Hurricane Operations:

1999 - Mobilized for Hurricane Floyd: Approximately 6,500

2005 - Mobilized to support Hurricanes: 1,367

Katrina - 900 Guardsmen with the first 300 within 48 hours of the storm. Other Hurricane support: Wilma-24, Ophelia-416, Rita-12, Trop. Dep. Tammy-15 2006 - Mobilized for tropical storm Ernesto Approximately 220