Watching In Shock From Afar
Soldiers from the Louisiana National Guard are in New Orleans, taking part in rescue and relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
But nearly 3,000 of their comrades can't help. They're thousands of miles away, deployed in Iraq.
CBS News correspondent Lara Logan reports from Baghdad that many have lost their houses back home, and they're anxious about the safety of loved ones.
When they're not out on combat operations or doing their jobs in Iraq, Logan says, they've been glued to the TV, "watching in shock from afar."
One is Capt. Terence Ryan, who
, "We're still just looking at each other, goin', 'Is this really happening?' We know about it. We've seen pictures. But it really hasn't hit yet."Ryan and his fellow soldiers from the Louisiana National Guard have endured a long and difficult year in Iraq and, says Logan, just as they were gearing up to go home, the disaster hit.
Asked if it's the most devastating thing that's ever happened to him, Ryan says, "Most definitely. I've been to (Operation) Desert Storm (in the first Gulf War) and deployed overseas prior to this, but this pretty much takes the cake."
Ryan was looking forward to being home in his newly-rebuilt house, but the whole parish of St. Bernard, where he lives, is now gone, and he's just relieved his family is safe.
"I saw some aerial photos of my house," he says. "The water's over the roof."
Noting that Ryan said that with a smile on his face, Logan says, "I know you're not smiling inside, though."
"No," Ryan says, "you're not smiling inside, but you just gotta — what can you do? You go home and you work through, day to day, whatever each day offers, and you take it and try to rebuild."
As grueling as their time in Iraq has been, Capt. Ryan says what they've learned there is patience. And that patience is helping them deal with the crisis back home.
Logan puts it simply: "No one would ever doubt your commitment to your mission here. You guys have been here a long time and made a lot of sacrifices. But, if you could choose where you could be right now, where would that be?"
"Most definitely being home with my family," Ryan says, "and helping the Louisiana soldiers, and the other soldiers from around the states, helping out with the tragedy back home."
The last few weeks are always a tough time of a deployment for soldiers, Logan says, but these will be especially tough for the Louisiana National Guard.