Many military families at Hampton Roads are without power this morning in the wake of Hurricane Irene, according to the Washington Post. Still, the Pentagon Channel reports military bases, ships, and aircraft escaped relatively unscathed from Hurricane Irene's fury this weekend, thanks in part to careful planning and preparation.
While officials at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia sent scores of ships out to sea in advance of Irene, the USS Enterprise was sent Norfolk because it was still in the process of undergoing post-deployment maintenance. According to the Navy, the USS Enterprise had on board a skeleton crew, and the 50-year-old aircraft carrier survived the hurricane without any noticeable damage. In fact, Indiana-born Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment) 3rd Class Jacob R. Blackmore said he felt quite safe aboard the USS Enterprise:
The Pentagon Channel has more on the effect of Irene on the military's East Coast families, bases, and equipment:
