NEWTON COUNTY, Mo. (Army News Service, May 12, 2008) - Soldiers from the Missouri National Guard provided emergency aid to locals after a tornado ripped through the area on Saturday.
George Philliber couldn't put into words how much he appreciated the presence of Missouri Guard Soldiers in his neighborhood after a tornado destroyed several outbuildings and vehicles on his property in Newtonia Saturday.
"We are so blessed that most of our home was spared, but many of our neighbors are digging out of the debris of their homes today. In fact, the roof of my neighbor's house here to the west is in the back of my pick-up truck, right where the tornado put it," Philliber said. "These Soldiers are out here watching the entrance to our neighborhood, making sure no one comes in that doesn't live here. I can't even say how much I appreciate their presence."
Nearly 20 Citizen-Soldiers with the Missouri National Guard's 203rd Engineer Battalion arrived in Newtonia and Granby early Sunday morning - two cities hardest hit by the tornado that killed 12 people in Newton County alone.
Read the rest about how the Mo. NG is helping after those horrible storms...