Aircraft Evacuated, Bases Closed as Debby Batters Southeast US

Military bases in the path of Hurricane Debby were moving equipment, closing facilities and warning residents to be prepared as the storm made landfall Monday and started to move across the southeast United States.

National Guardsmen in Florida, South Carolina and Kentucky were prepared to help with storm relief in Florida, where Debby hit as a Category 1 hurricane Monday morning, while the governor of Georgia also prepared his National Guard to respond in that state.

Debby was downgraded to a tropical storm Monday afternoon as it moved north, but the National Weather Service is still warning of heavy rainfall and powerful winds as the storm progresses through coastal areas in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.

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Prior to the storm making landfall, at least two Air Force bases moved aircraft to avoid damage.

MacDill Air Force Base, which is just south of Tampa, Florida, moved its KC-135 Stratotankers on Saturday before potentially damaging winds hit, base spokesperson Laura Anderson told Military.com in an email Monday. All other aircraft on the base were secured inside hangars, she added.

Anderson declined to say how many aircraft were moved, where they were moved to or exactly when they would return, citing operational security, but explained that they would come back when "flying conditions are favorable and the airfield is safe to receive aircraft."

Moody Air Force Base in Georgia also said Sunday it was evacuating 23 A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft and four HC-130J Combat King II aircraft to Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama to wait out the storm. The aircraft were evacuated because they were "unable to fit into available hangar space," the base said on Facebook, but added that all other aircraft have been secured in hangars to protect them during the storm.

Navy bases in Florida had not had any evacuations as of Monday morning, service officials told Military.com.

While other bases on or near Debby's path did not declare evacuations, several announced that only essential personnel needed to report to work Monday and that some gates and facilities such as recreation areas, child care centers and commissaries would be closed. Among the bases with closures were Naval Air Station Jacksonville and Naval Station Mayport in Florida, and Fort Stewart and Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Georgia. Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina said it would be closed Tuesday.

Other bases in South Carolina said Monday they were starting to monitor the storm's potential effects on their areas later in the week but had so far not announced any changes in operations. Joint Base Charleston warned its residents Monday to start preparing for when the storm hits the area, including by picking up sandbags on base or at a local sandbag station, while Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island said on social media Sunday that it was "working collectively with local and state emergency services to determine the best course of action."

Several other bases in Florida said they expected minimal effects from the storm and were operating as normal Monday, including Tyndall and Eglin Air Force Bases and Hurlburt Field.

Meanwhile, the National Guard is already preparing to respond to any emergencies or damage caused by Debby. The Florida National Guard activated 2,673 Guardsmen, while South Carolina is sending 70 troops and some vehicles and Kentucky is sending 12 Guardsmen and two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to Florida, according to Pentagon spokesperson Lt. Col. Devin Robinson.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp also signed an executive order Monday authorizing up to 2,000 Georgia National Guardsmen to respond to the storm as needed.

-- Thomas Novelly and Konstantin Toropin contributed to this story.

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