As a public affairs specialist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, my job is to help tell the story, but I’ve never been one to make myself part of it. In fact, I’ve never written a commentary before. But after spending the last month deployed to western North Carolina as part of the Hurricane Helene recovery mission, I realized that sometimes the most honest way to tell the story is to share the view from the ground, through my own experience and perspective.
My goal is to help the public understand the scale, complexity and humanity behind this mission. With my deployment soon coming to an end, and another public affairs professional rotating in to continue telling this story, it felt like the right time to reflect on what I’ve experienced and why this work matters.
First impressions on the ground
When I arrived here, it had already been more than six months since Hurricane Helene carved its way through the region. As a 20-year Air Force veteran, I’m no stranger to deployments or disaster zones, but I was still taken aback by the scale of devastation that remained. Piles of storm debris filled riverbanks and blocked access to homes and businesses, but just as striking as the damage was the recovery already underway. There were visible signs that, with the help of FEMA, USACE, and our contractors and partners, communities were finding their footing again.
One of my first stops upon arriving was a temporary debris management site. The sheer volume of material was staggering, with massive mounds of both vegetative and manmade debris. Trucks came and went in a constant flow, unloading raw debris and hauling away mulch by the ton. I had seen news footage before I arrived but seeing it in person gave me a new respect for what it takes to move a community toward recovery. Not just the scale of the effort, but the coordination, the endurance and the heart behind it.
Understanding the complexity of disaster response
Each day since then has deepened that understanding. In my role, I have the privilege of traveling to different sites throughout the region, such as waterway debris removal operations, water treatment facilities, meetings with local leaders, and everywhere in between. I get to see the full picture, both figuratively and literally, as I document the mission through photos and stories for the public and our stakeholders. And from that vantage point, I’ve learned something that I believe more people need to hear.
From the outside, disaster response may seem simple: see a problem, send help. But the reality is far more complex. There’s a structure, a chain of requests and assignments, and a deliberate process in place to ensure resources are used efficiently, fairly and in accordance with the law.
In the aftermath of a disaster like Hurricane Helene, federal agencies like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are ready and willing to help, but we are limited in what we can do initially. The process starts with a presidential disaster declaration, followed by state and local governments identifying specific needs. FEMA then assigns missions to various federal agencies, including USACE, based on those needs. That’s how we end up where we are, doing what we’re doing. It’s not about picking and choosing; it’s about fulfilling a very specific role within a much larger response framework.
Stewardship, accountability and urgency
I’ve also come to see the importance of something that often gets overlooked, which is stewardship. The funding that supports these recovery efforts comes from taxpayers across the country. That means someone in Kansas, Delaware or even Alaska, is contributing to the cleanup here in North Carolina. And with that comes a responsibility to be accountable. That’s why eligibility rules exist for what can be removed and how contractors are paid. It’s also why we have safeguards in place to help prevent fraud, waste and abuse.
That same sense of responsibility applies to the environment. Many of the areas we’re working in are ecologically sensitive: waterways with nesting birds, vegetation that supports wildlife, and communities that rely on natural beauty to fuel their tourism economies. And while we’re mindful of those concerns, we also have to balance them with urgency. Every day that work is delayed, livelihoods hang in the balance. The contractors working here are operating under agreements that require steady progress. The funding that supports these recovery efforts is tied directly to performance milestones. If work stalls, it doesn't just affect a schedule, it can jeopardize the resources available to continue the mission, slow down the recovery for entire communities, and prolong the hardship for families and businesses that are depending on us.
The clock is always ticking; not just for us, but for the people whose lives and futures are still shaped by what Hurricane Helene left behind.
Unique circumstances
This mission has also presented challenges that most hurricane responses don’t. Coastal regions often have disaster plans in place. They’ve seen these storms before and are equipped to act quickly. But the mountains of western North Carolina aren’t where you would expect to experience a hurricane. This storm hit, leaving state and local officials, residents, and even federal partners navigating unfamiliar territory. The learning curve was steep, and decisions had to be made in real time. That led to frustration, misinformation and, at times, assumptions that didn’t reflect the full picture. But through it all, one thing has been clear. Every person here, from government employees to contractors to local leaders, is here to help. That’s the common theme in every conversation, every challenge, and every cubic yard of debris cleared.
The people behind the mission
One of the greatest privileges of this deployment has been meeting the people behind the mission. I get to talk to contractors, Corps employees and local officials every day. Not just about what they do, but why they do it. Through a series we call Responder Spotlight, I’ve had the chance to interview individuals who volunteered to deploy here from across the country, many leaving behind families, home districts and daily routines to support a community they had never visited before. Their reasons vary. Some are drawn by duty, others by curiosity, and many by a deep desire to serve. But whatever the reason, their impact is unmistakable.
Each person has a story worth telling. And while I can’t highlight them all here, one interaction during a site visit reminded me of just how connected this mission is to the people we’re here to help.
During a visit to the region by the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Mr. Lee Forsgren, we stopped at one of our private property debris removal sites where the owners had requested and been approved for assistance in removing debris left by Hurricane Helene. In addition to scattered vegetative debris, a historic structure on their land had been severely damaged — a tobacco barn that had stood on the family property for more than 100 years.
As we stood there, we watched an excavator operator carefully begin the demolition. He removed wooden planks from one corner of the building, then moved to the opposite side and, with a final push, brought the structure down. The barn crumbled in a cloud of dust and splintered wood, collapsing onto itself.
What made the moment so impactful was seeing the property owners look on as it happened. This wasn’t just an old shed or garage that could easily be replaced. It was a piece of their family’s history. A place filled with memories, tied to generations of work, pride and tradition. It needed to come down for safety reasons, but its loss left a void both physically on the property and emotionally in their lives.
Being able to share in that moment, and to capture it through my camera lens, will stay with me long after this deployment ends. And for Mr. Forsgren, witnessing that scene firsthand, I’m sure offered a powerful, undeniable reminder of what the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is doing here, and why this mission matters so deeply.
Mr. Forsgren was accompanied on his visit by Maj. Gen. Jason Kelly, the USACE deputy commanding general for Civil and Emergency Operations. While speaking to some local media, Kelly explained that when you wear the military uniform, you’re often playing the “away game,” deploying overseas to protect our country and interests. But here, in North Carolina, we’re playing the “home game.” We’re helping Americans, in America. For me, there’s something special and deeply fulfilling about that.
Why we keep showing up
There are frustrating days, of course. Particularly when managing social media. Most of the feedback is positive, but occasionally someone will misunderstand what we’re doing, or use the comments to spread misinformation. We try not to let it get to us. Sometimes it’s an opportunity to clarify and educate. Other times, our followers jump in and offer support themselves. But in those moments, I’m reminded why it’s so important to keep telling the story. Because even while other parts of the country face new emergencies — wildfires in the West, floods in the South, hurricane season on the horizon — the work here isn’t finished. There are still people hurting, still communities trying to recover, and still lives waiting to be put back together.
At the heart of it all, I guess what I would want people to know is that we’re still here. USACE and our partners are still on the ground, still clearing debris, and still helping communities in western North Carolina recover from a storm that changed everything. This isn’t just about logistics, equipment or contracts; it’s about people.
Disaster response doesn’t end when the cameras leave or the headlines change. It continues quietly, behind the scenes, carried out by individuals who care deeply about doing the right thing whether anyone notices or not.
If I could bring the public out here for just one day, I’d want them to see what I see. Not just the debris or the cleanup, but the resilience and the commitment. The business owner getting ready for the summer season. The kayaker asking when the river will be safe again. The contractor working weekends and holidays to finish a job because he knows it matters. This region is filled with beauty, both natural and human, and the urgency to restore it is real.
And with hurricane season approaching and wildfire risks rising, we know this work is about more than just recovery. It’s about readiness. Helping one community recover quickly makes space for us to help the next.
That’s why we’re still here, that’s why we keep showing up, and that’s why we’ll keep telling the story until the last load of debris is cleared, and long after.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Michael Davis is a 20-year U.S. Air Force veteran, now serving as a Public Affairs Specialist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District. He is currently deployed supporting FEMA-assigned missions in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.
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