Soldiers from the 868th Engineer Company conduct a high-water rescue operation in Live Oak, Fla.,

As Hurricane Milton bears down with all the subtlety of a freight train, more than 5,000 troops from the Florida National Guard are gearing up for impact, hot on the heels of the mayhem left by Hurricane Helene across the Southeast. Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh laid it out plain and simple: these soldiers are locked, loaded, and ready to leap into action at FEMA’s beck and call, or any cry for help from state leaders caught in Milton’s path.

But it’s not just Florida staring down the barrel. Over in Georgia, the Army’s not taking any chances—beefing up Fort Moore with extra boots and tools, including those beasts of burden, the high-water vehicles, prepped and waiting to plow through whatever mess Milton they will have to wade through.

And let’s not forget the grunt work already done by about 7,000 National Guard members and 1,500 active-duty troops still slogging through the aftermath of Helene. Singh’s words were a clear signal: more muscle is on standby to dive into the thick of Milton’s aftermath, ensuring logistics and aid flow as fast as the storm’s own fury.