Military heavy equipment and teams began arriving onshore here Sept. 18 as part of a tremendous assistance effort for an area devastated by Hurricane Ike.

Approximately 100 medics from Lackland Air Force Base worked around the clock Sept. 12 through 14 to assist with Hurricane Ike evacuees from the Gulf Coast region who arrived at Port San Antonio.

A military response team arrived here Sept. 15 to begin cleanup operations in the wake of Hurricane Ike.

Ten reservists and an Air Force Reserve C-130 Hercules from here flew to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Sept. 17 to begin aerial spray missions throughout that state in the wake of Hurricane Ike.

As troops bring help to the Houston area in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, Army & Air Force Exchange Service officials are currently doing their part to support them with a Mobile Field Exchange.

President George W. Bush shakes hands with military members Sept. 16 at Ellington Field, Texas, before assessing the damage from Hurricane Ike from the Marine 1 helicopter around the Gulf Coast. Active duty, Reserve and Guard servicemembers are assisting with the relief effort after the storm ravaged the region. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Master Sgt. Marcus Falleaf)

Air Force reservists assigned to the 331st Air Expeditionary Group, a inter-agency search and rescue unit based at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, rescued 17 people from Hurricane Ike flood waters Sept. 13 in a small Texas town.

The commander of U.S. Northern Command and other senior military leaders surveyed the Gulf Coast areas affected by Hurricane Ike Sept. 15 from HH-60G Pave Hawks. 

Airmen from the Texas Air National Guard and Soldiers from the Texas Army National Guard banded together with civilian emergency responders to help people affected by Hurricane Ike in Galveston, Texas, Sept. 14. 

Airmen from the 129th Rescue Wing took off from Kelly Field in San Antonio Sept. 13 and helped rescue stranded victims of Hurricane Ike near Galveston, Texas.