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Guardsmen Support Efforts to Restore East Tennessee Communities, Flying Flag as Symbol of Unity

  • 118th Wing, Tennessee Air National Guard
  • Oct. 13, 2024 | 0:24

1st Lt. Robert Mehlhorn of the 230th Engineer Battalion, Tennessee Army National Guard, explains why his team flies the Tennessee flag each day while working to remove Hurricane Helene flood and storm damage in Cocke County, Tennessee Oct. 13, 2024. The flag serves as a symbol of unity as they clear bridges to ensure structural soundness for inspection. Joint Task Force Castle, comprised of engineers from the 230th Engineer Battalion, 134th Civil Engineer Squadron, 118th Civil Engineering Squadron, and 164th Civil Engineer Squadron, are using bulldozers, dump trucks, chainsaws, skid steer loaders, and other equipment to clear roads and other critical locations. They have already removed more than 420 truckloads of debris across several East Tennessee counties. (U.S. Air National Guard video by Staff Sgt. Yonette Martin)