\"Helping Hands\"\r\nOn Sunday, 18 September 2005, the United States Air Force celebrated its 58th birthday of being the world’s greatest air power and at that same time a group of students from the University of Texas at San Antonio learned just how proud it was to be part of that family. Just weeks before the Air Force birthday one of our Nations worst natural disasters struck the southern coastline of the U.S. leaving hundreds of thousands homeless without food, water or even clothing. This disaster became known and feared to us all as Hurricane Katrina. \r\n\r\nWithin a week of the hurricane thousands of evacuees were on their way to San Antonio to find comfort and help from this great storm. Kelly USA, formerly known as Kelly Air Force Base, became one of the main staging grounds for taking in evacuees and it was the job for the residents of San Antonio to answer that call for help. \r\n\r\nThe local Air Force ROTC DET 842 based out of UTSA was there waiting with opens arms. As the plan was put into effect to transport volunteers to the Kelly USA warehouse to aid in the efforts put forth by the Salvation Army, the American Red Cross, and FEMA the amount of volunteers was overwhelming. Over fifty of the detachments enrolled corps stood up ready to help in any way they could and one of the Air Force’s fundamental components “Service before Self” was indeed put to the test. \r\n\r\nWithin twenty four hours of evacuees arriving in San Antonio, members of Detachment 842 were there setting up what would soon become to some what they call home for the next few weeks. Military cots were set up no more than three feet apart with limited blankets and pillows to comfort evacuees. \r\n\r\nIn a warehouse ran by the Salvation Army hundreds of volunteers including those from DET 842 wiped the sweat off of their foreheads as they sorted through what seemed tons of donated goods and loaded hundreds of crates full of water, food, clothing and toys to be distributed right next door where the 8,000 plus evacuees slept, ate and showered. \r\n\r\nThough what happened just a week earlier was a horror, the sight inside of these shelters was that of hope; for San Antonio was a community coming together, opening their doors and their hearts for those who had lost everything. As the clean ups began and lives started over the Texas/Louisiana coast fell deafly silent at the news of yet another category five hurricane soon to hit, but this time we would be prepared. \r\n\r\nPutting all aside volunteers once again stood up ready to help. It is because of the hundreds of volunteers that dedicated their time to helping the victims of these disasters and those who found it in their hearts to give that we as a nation continue to go on today.