We were very well supplied at the Superdome. No one missed a meal at the Dome. If you heard differently, you were misinformed. The Convention Center is at the feet of a particular national guard officer and the national media - there were never supposed to be evacuees at the CC - there was a small guard unit (Engineers) and when the folks got word of all the horror stories about the dome,they started to redirect themselves - by word of mouth to the CC. It is just fortunate that situation didn't turn out worse.

Back to the dome - some folks didn't like the fact they were given MREs and water. However, the VAST majority were grateful.

I tell this story, occasionally. This was, I believe, Friday after the storm - a commander that I don't particularly like, but this was the right call, made a decision, "We're not going to try to feed, then get on the buses - give them a choice - everybody who wants to get on the buses, get in line. If you want to eat, then evacuate later, get in the other line." Most got in line for the buses - they did have some bottled water and (I think) fruit and snacks for the bus riders.

Only a few wanted to delay leaving to get another MRE. Anyway, after the bus line was way down, I went with another soldier to see how the bus loading was going - it was so much quieter than it had been all week, it was surreal. As we were coming back, a tall, thin man, maybe 50 to 55 stopped us, shook our hands and said, "Thank you" - then made his way to the dwindling bus line.

He may not know it, but that meant a lot to me at the time.

Now, the wheels of progress roll slowly, and sometimes things work out funny - on Saturday (almost all the civilians had been evacuated) - a helicopter FULL of Krispy Kreme's showed up - I ate at least a dozen doughnuts that day. We had boots and clothes showing up - had the crisis continued, the logistics piece at the Dome would have gotten better and better.