About 200 soldiers and airmen from the Colorado Army National Guard and Colorado Air National Guard flew out of Buckley Air Force Base on Monday to the Gulf Coast aboard six military planes.
They were preceded by a convoy of about 60 trucks that had left over the weekend.
The 30 civil engineers from the Air National Guard were to build temporary housing for 7,000 people in Gulfport, Miss.
About 180 soldiers from the Army National Guard headed to New Orleans to provide security and assist with rescue efforts. But most understood the duty probably would involve body recovery.
Superiors warned them to be safe and clean and to watch for wild dogs, alligators and fetid water.
“There will be a lot of situations that will bother you,” Lt. Col. Gregory Dominguez told the soldiers.
“I don’t think you can ever prepare for something like that,” said Staff Sgt. Hans Blenkers from Fort Collins. “You just have to see it, do it and drive on.”
