Guard fuels efforts one gallon at a time

By Staff Sgt Gina Vaile-Nelson (Army National Guard)March 13, 2012

120306-Z-SP213-001
1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Staff Sgt. Chris Traylor walks up the line of a Kentucky National Guard convoy March 6 in West Liberty, Ky., while Pfc. Mary Lewis waits for her turn to fuel up her humvee at a fueling checkpoint. Both Soldiers spent the day patroling the area to ens... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
120306-Z-SP213-02
2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Kentucky National Guard Pfc. Lance S. Cox, a refueler assigned to the Maysville, Ky.-based 299th Chemical Company, fules a Humvee March 6 in West Liberty, Ky., during tornado relief efforts. Elements from the 103rd Chemical Battalion responded hours ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
120306-Z-SP213-003
3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Kentucky National Guardsmen Spc. Gary A. Lucas and Pfc. Lance S. Cox, both assigned to the 299th Chemical Company, prepare to fuel power trucks from the Elliot Electrical Company March 6 in West Liberty, Ky. The fuel was pumped from Kentucky National... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
120306-Z-SP213-004
4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Kentucky National Guard Pfc. Lance S. Cox, a refueler assigned to the Maysville, Ky.-based 299th Chemical Company, fules a Humvee March 6 in West Liberty, Ky., during tornado relief efforts. Elements from the 103rd Chemical Battalion responded hours ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
120306-Z-SP213-05
5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A Kentucky National Guard convoy, made up of Soldiers from the 103rd Chemical Battalion, stage at a refueling point in West Liberty, Ky., March 6. The Guardsmen reported for duty hours after an EF3 tornado ravaged the Appalachian community and provid... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

The sound of falling debris, scratching metal and diesel-powered engines filled the demolished streets of West Liberty, Ky., March 6 as contractors erected power lines and telephone poles following the deadly EF3 tornado that tore across 95 miles of Appalachia March 2.

Keeping the efforts going were two Kentucky National Guardsmen assigned to the 299th Chemical Company, 103rd Chemical Battalion. Spc. Gary Lucas and Pfc. Lance Cox were instrumental in supplying diesel fuel to the city -- the lifeline for the recovery.

"We got here on Sunday and found a bulk supply of diesel fuel," Cox, a petroleum supply specialist, said.

"We got electric to the pump and started filling our truck," he said. "Then we just started helping people," he said.

The M978 Oshkosh Refueler truck holds 2,500 gallons of fuel, and Cox said in two days he and Lucas pumped 1,709 gallons into generators, power trucks, ambulances, fire trucks and other heavy equipment necessary to the relief and recovery operations.

"Any person who needs the fuel that we are carrying we give it to them," he said. "The people here have a job. If this is what it takes to do your job, you'll get the fuel you need."

Lucas, a chemical operations specialist, said the ability to cross-level into a refueling specialist for this disaster relief operation is something Guardsmen do to support their communities in times of need.

"In the National Guard we are able to fill many different roles, not just our MOS," he said.

"We were sitting in the truck on the first day and I said to Cox, let's go fill some trucks," he said. "It was the first day and we were just feeling out what was going on.

"We found some trucks that couldn't move. Some were blocked in or holding up new telephone poles and were low on fuel and they weren't able to just unhook, go get fuel and come back," he said. "So that spawned everything. From that point on we would go fuel people up."

More than 100 Kentucky Guardsmen are still on duty providing assistance to the citizens of West Liberty, Ky., patrolling the area, manning checkpoints and providing assistance to residents.

"I'm sure if we weren't here doing it, someone would be," Lucas said. "But we got chosen and we'll do [our job]."