By Wayne Gates – 

Hurricane Irma hit Florida on September 10 and 11, causing an estimated $100 billion worth of damage.
The Indiana and Ohio National Guard arrived immediately afterward to help the citizens that remained who were out of basic necessities like running water and food, as well as search and rescue and support to civil authorities.
Brown County Sheriff Gordon Ellis is a Brigadier General in the Ohio National Guard.
He deployed with his unit to Florida for ten days to help provide those services, helping to take command of about 7000 guardsmen.
“For me it’s a very satisfying mission not only for me, but all the soldiers who attended. This is a unique situation because we are providing direct support to the citizens of the United States of America,” Ellis said.