Operation Enduring Service

Your phone call to the senators listed below will free the USS Orion AS 18 and the
USS Howard W. Gilmore AS 16 to become emergency relief and disaster response vessels at
no cost to taxpayers.

A record breaking hurricane season has opened our eyes and brought to the forefront our need for improvement in response time to areas damaged by these massive storms. The first hours after a hurricane has made landfall are the most crucial. Without immediate relief those who've survived the massive winds and driving rains may very well succumb to rising waters, heat, water born illnesses and as well as fatigue and stress.

Beauchamp Tower Corporation has created Operation Enduring Service which will utilize obsolete military ships to provide emergency relief and disaster response at no cost to the taxpayers and a savings to the government of at least $100 million.

Due to time constraints the legislation required to make this happen is dangerously close to falling by the wayside-in fact it has to pass before Congress ends this Session (less than 14 days). BTC has obtained the support of a number of Congressmen and Senators. Each of the senators has the ability to submit this legislation for Operation Enduring Service and should be contacted via phone, fax or electronically and encouraged to submit this legislation immediately.

Senator Cochran, (R-MS) (Chairman of Appropriations)
Phone: (202) 224-5054
Internet Contact Form

Senator DeWine, (R-OH)
Phone: (202) 224-2315
Fax: (202) 224-6519
Becky Watts has the legislation for his office
Internet Contact Form

Senator Shelby, (R-AL)
Phone: (202) 224-5744
Fax: (202) 224-3416
Ryan Welch has the legislation for his office
senator@shelby.senate.gov

Senator Sessions, (R-AL)
Phone: 202) 224-4124
Fax: (202) 224-3149
Stephen Boyd has the legislation for his office
Internet Contact Form

This is not a partisan exercise; each and every one of us has been directly affected by the recent hurricanes and will be affected again. This requires immediate action from every one, contact with your House Representative and Senators, let them know the senators above have the legislation to make this happen and to support it or to submit it themselves.

Without this legislation the Corporate Donors will withdraw, the ships will no longer be available and the emergency relief program will collapse; thus leaving the disaster response efforts to be further mishandled by FEMA.

Directly from the O.E.S. Project Weblog:

We are preparing to receive at least two ships (if everything goes as planned) to begin the conversion to Fast Attack Emergency Cargo Ships to respond to disaster incidences in Coastal States (East Coast, Gulf Coast, and in some instances West Coast). It is estimated that we can removed about 27% of the federal burden for Ice, Water, and food within the first 10 hours following a CAT-4 landfall. There is also the ability of providing climate controlled medical and staging facilities for up to 40 percent of the same disaster area.

So, you want to see what these old girls will be able to do? Here's a list of only a few things we can provide during a Coastal State disaster (such as flooding or a hurricane)
----Service a disaster area of up to 10,000 square miles (up to 100 miles inland) with minimal (if any) outside support
----Provide complete berthing facilities for up to 400 emergency responders "on scene" at a disaster site
----Fully integrated communications system serving all local, state, and federal agencies, as well as cell phone coverage and military band frequencies--allowing for seamless communications between all disaster scene personnel, no matter what radio frequency or cell phone is being used.
----Daily provide 110 tons of bagged and palletized ice to the disaster region
----Daily generate, bottle, and palletize up to 50,000 gallons of fresh water
----Provide refueling station and loading platform for helicopters operating in the disaster area
----Carry over 7,000 tons of food and supplies for a disaster area
----Store (and provide delivery of) 700,000 gallons of diesel, gasoline, and aviation fuel for use in the disaster area on emergency vehicles and critical needs generators (hospitals, emergency operation centers, etc)
.......and that's just one ship.

It's time to realize that the government can't do it all during a disaster--we've got to roll up our sleeves and get to work to make sure the needs get met--one way or another.

Best part? The first two ships can be ready before next hurricane season--if things go as planned and all of you help us as we've asked.

It will only take a couple of minutes to provide comfort for someone that has had their life devastated by a natural disaster. Your immediate support by contacting your governmental representatives or by spreading the word about this project is greatly appreciated; because tomorrow may be too late.

If you have questions, leave a comment or send an e-mail, I'll find out the answer and get back to you. Or if you like contact O.E.S. directly:
Ward Brewer, CEO
Beauchamp Tower Corporation

Email: info at btcorp.us
Website: www.btcorp.us
Weblog: www.btcorp.us/mt

Note: In true naval fashion I've pirated Confederate Yankee and posted this.

Update: Added photo of USS Orion.