Nevada Guardsmen back from New Orleans duty

Thursday, Sept. 15, 2005 | 11:19 a.m.

Weary Nevada National Guardsmen came home Wednesday night from the steamy stench of New Orleans into a dry armory where their excited loved ones waited to take them home.

About 130 members of the 440th Signal Company in Las Vegas, the 72nd Military Police Company in Henderson and 152nd Security Forces Squadron in Reno returned after two weeks spent at the New Orleans Convention Center keeping the peace.

The members of the 72nd Military Police Company arrived in New Orleans Sept. 1 and at 5 a.m. on Sept. 2 donned riot gear and raced to the Superdome to quell civil unrest, said Lt. Lee Gaston.

Lucky for them, it was a nasty rumor. There was no riot.

"There were just a lot of desperate, hungry, thirsty people," Gaston said.

So the military police headed for the convention center where they stayed two weeks until 30,000 people had been evacuated.

Mechanic Carleigh Borchers said conditions in New Orleans reminded her of Iraq.

"It felt like we were in a foreign country," Borchers said, not an American city.

The military police called the Delta Steamboat parking garage down the street home while guarding the convention center, Borchers said. The members of the Army and Air National Guard cleaned up in mobile showers.

Borchers planned to go to the Pit Stop in Boulder City Wednesday night for "the best hamburgers in town."

Favorite food choices varied.

"First ice cream in two weeks," said Sgt. Todd Simmons as he stepped into the Henderson Armory waving a Styrofoam cup filled with the treat.

For the first week the unit lived on MREs (Meals Ready to Eat), but the American Red Cross delivered hot meals to the troops during the second week, he said.

Every type of person gathered inside the convention center to escape the floodwaters in the wake of Katrina, from indigents to wealthy residents, along with children and pets.

"We had it all," Simmons said, along with the a stench of sewage, that was "pretty horrible."

Wives, mothers and children said they were thankful to see their loved ones home and to see that they were safe.

For 10-month-old Jessica Steele, the sight of her daddy, Jason Steele, brought a squeal of delight.

"She's excited," her mother, Tiffany Steele, said. "I missed him so."

For one weary soldier, coming home meant a chance to choose outfits different than military uniforms.

"I'm tired of wearing greens," Amy Gallegos said. "I want to wear pink." "It's hard to be away from our families, but we're proud of what we did."

Staff Sgt. Robert Bordeax said he called his wife, Andrea, two or three times a day.

"Oh, God, I missed him terribly," said Andrea Bordeax as their 5-year-old daughter, Marissa, twirled in circles like a tiny ballerina.

The Bordeaxs are from Los Angeles, but make Las Vegas their home. When at home, he works at the armory.

Bordeax got one day's notice before going to New Orleans. He had already served eight months in Iraq during 2003.

"It wasn't as bad as Iraq, but it was pretty bad," Bordeax said.

The couple said they were pleased that the Nevada National Guard could help the victims of the disaster.

"At least he was over there doing something good," Andrea said, and "for now" he's safe.

The families stayed in touch through a support group headed by Amy McLoughlin, who cradled 2-month-old Jeremiah Jr., in a baby carrier.

Her husband, Jeremiah McLoughlin, helped store riot shields, weapons and duffle bags in the back of the armory as his family waited.

When asked if she had missed her daddy, 3-year-old Shannon McLoughlin nodded solemnly, then brightened.

"I think we're going to go out to dinner," she said.

Lila Wing, mother of military policeman Kenneth Wing, said she cooked one of his favorites, roast beef, as a welcome home.

"He's so tired, he told me he just wants to go home and sleep," Wing said. So she called her daughters waiting at home and told them to turn down the temperature on the roast.

"I'm so proud of him, so proud of what they did down there," Wing said.