The Virginia National Guard is sending about 40 soldiers and tactical vehicles to support the North Carolina National Guard in recovery efforts, its public affairs office said.
Hurricane Florence brought downed trees, catastrophic rains and major flooding along the Carolina coast. It has since been downgraded to a tropical storm.
Soldiers assigned to Virginia Beach-based 1173rd Transportation Company, 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group are traveling south to link up with the North Carolina National Guard. The soldiers departed Saturday.
"We are incredibly fortunate that Hurricane Florence seems to have missed Virginia, so now we will turn our attention to supporting our neighbors to the south," said Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia.
"We will keep a small force on standby in Virginia in case the Southwest Virginia area needs any assistance. I am incredibly proud of the great team effort that enabled us to have personnel and equipment ready to respond here in Virginia, and we welcome the opportunity to lend a hand in North Carolina. We know they would do the same for us if we needed the help."
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