FORT GREELY, Alaska -- 4,756. That's the approximate number of miles that separates Fort Greely, Alaska, from Puerto Rico.
For the 49th Missile Defense Battalion's Puerto Rican Soldiers, the vast distance from home might make it seem impossible to lend a hand to their countrymen suffering in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria -- but that is exactly what they have done.
From gathering donations of much needed items, to bonding together in support groups, to helping others make contact with their families, the Soldiers and family members here are working to help in any way they can, all with the support of their command.
"Puerto Ricans are resilient," said Staff Sgt. Jamie Montes, the training noncommissioned officer of Company A, 49th Missile Defense Battalion. "You can be dying and still have a smile on your face, so this has not been any different. We are blessed because we can provide."
Roughly one quarter of 49th Soldiers, including military police, missile defenders, and staff Soldiers hail from Puerto Rico. When news about the devastation of their homeland reached Fort Greely, it prompted these Soldiers and colonial residents of this tiny community in the Alaska Interior to respond.
"Maria came to Puerto Rico on Wednesday and we got clearance from the 49th command to start a collection of items including water, food, clothes, diapers, etc. the next day," said Irmgard Gonzalez-Colon, the Family Readiness Group leader for Company A.
Gonzalez-Colon's husband, Sgt. Miguel Melecio serves as a military policeman in Company A. Melecio was planning a trip to Puerto Rico in October, but in the aftermath of Maria, which made landfall Sept. 20, he had not been able to make contact with his pregnant daughter who lives on the island.
"As soon as Maria happened," said Melecio, "I called my commander and said, 'I haven't heard from my daughter, can I switch my leave days?' He said, 'Yes, find a ticket and go.'"
Melecio took 10 boxes with him, each weighing 100 pounds and packed with food, water, batteries, fans, emergency radios, and other supplies he purchased. Upon arrival, he found his daughter well, but he also discovered his homeland a mess of damaged infrastructure and debris.
"I went there and found that a lot of places were destroyed," said Melecio. "After 5 p.m., everything is dark because there is no power. Every person looks miserable, they are trying to find food and water for their families."
The 49th is an element of the 100th Missile Defense Brigade (Ground-based Midcourse Defense), a multi-component brigade made up of active-component Army and Army National Guard Soldiers in Colorado, California and Alaska, who are tasked with the mission of defending the homeland from ballistic missile attacks with ground-based interceptors. The military police of Company A guard the missile defense complex where the GBIs are emplaced, 24/7/365.
"We focus on the mission up here, but sometimes you're sad because your hands are tied," said Melecio. "I don't want to say it's easy because it's not. But when we enter that gate, we leave our problems at home until we're done."
Montes also made the journey home, to Guayama, Puerto Rico. He took leave in conjunction with temporary duty following a course at the Army Professional Education Center at Camp Robinson, Arkansas. Like Melecio, he brought extra baggage with him -- a chainsaw.
"I'm going to fix my house first and then help anyone else who needs help," said Montes. "Our command has been flexible letting people go. There's other things they've done as well, getting addresses of family members who need help down there and contacting peers from the National Guard there so they can get help.
"I was the one to build roster with addresses and information on how bad they were hit."
Though not every Soldier in the 49th will return to Puerto Rico to help rebuild, Montes says the ones who do will help out whoever they can.
"The cohesion that we have as a group here at Fort Greely, it's tight," said Montes. "So even if you're in that position that you're not able to go back, you know whoever is going that way is going to take care of your people."
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