There are those that consider our country as war-mongers and we spend excessive amounts of our resources in supporting a strong national defense system. It is seldom mentioned the amount of our taxes that is budgeted to the Department of Defense goes to humanitarian projects.
Regardless of what country is involved, whether it is a natural disaster or an act of terrorism, the United States military forces are always the first to respond and the first on the scene.
To wit, after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the U.S.S. Carl Vinson (CVN-70), one of the largest nuclear powered aircraft carriers in our fleet and her task force are en route to Haiti to provide assistance. The Vinson will be arriving in the area on Thursday. Due to her size and capabilities, the U.S.S. Carl Vinson will provide rescue assistance as well as hospital facilities until temporary medical facilities can be established on shore. Countless number of military aircraft from all branches of the military will also be playing a role int he rescue operation. Two thousand U.S. Marines are also on their way to Haiti to assist in search and rescue operations.
Next time, when someone wants to "slash" the budget for the Department of Defense, you may want to consider the many roles that our military plays.