The Happy Face Of The Military

We are supposed to believe that the American military is a benevolent force, used only to usher in good to the "dark" parts of the world. They are the liberators of Iraq, the keepers of peace in Kosovo, the defenders of Granada. And we Americans are chided to "support our troops" in everything they do, Abu Ghraib or not.

For once, I have found a story about troops whose actions I "support" and wouldn't it figure that they are the ones who are in trouble.

The two lieutenants were each piloting a Navy H-3 helicopter - a type often used in rescue operations as well as transport and other missions - on that Tuesday afternoon, delivering emergency food, water and other supplies to Stennis Space Center, a federal facility near the Mississippi coast. The storm had cut off electricity and water to the center, and the two helicopters were supposed to drop their loads and return to Pensacola, their home base, said Cmdr. Michael Holdener, Pensacola's air operations chief.

But as the two helicopters were heading back home, the crews picked up a radio transmission from the Coast Guard saying helicopters were needed near the University of New Orleans to help with rescue efforts, the two pilots said.

Out of range for direct radio communication with Pensacola, more than 100 miles to the east, the pilots said, they decided to respond and turned their helicopters around, diverting from their mission without getting permission from their home base. Within minutes, they were over New Orleans.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/07/national/nationalspecial/07navy.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1126199334-urpy9PwvZTl4RIkl6AXcfQ

After rescuing more than 100 victims of the hurricane, they returned to their home base. But they were not greeted as heroes. They were reprimanded for failing to return and one of the officers has since been demoted to working in a kennel that houses the pets of service members.

What happened to supporting our troops? Especially when, for once in a blue moon, they actually help Americans.