In the Storm’s Aftermath
By Camille Weston, Public Affairs Officer
The roof was torn open. A tree had crashed through the home. Inside, a Marine Veteran and his wife sat in the dark with no power, no clear plan and little left untouched by the storm.
That is what Dave Snider walked into after hearing about the couple from volunteers at a local church.
Snider, emergency manager for the G. V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center, had spent the day moving between supply distribution sites after tornadoes ripped through southwest Mississippi in early May. The storms carved a path of destruction through Bogue Chitto and Brookhaven, damaging hundreds of homes and leaving entire neighborhoods in pieces.
But one conversation at a local church changed the course of his day.
“They told me there was a Veteran who had come by just looking for water,” Snider said. “He wasn’t asking for anything else.”
The church gave Snider the address.
What he saw there stayed with him.
A Storm That Changed Lives
The tornado outbreak left widespread destruction across Lincoln County, where homes were flattened, trees blocked roads and families were forced to sift through debris for anything they could save. Emergency officials reported injuries across the region as crews worked around the clock to restore power and clear damaged areas.
For Veterans already dealing with medical conditions, limited mobility or financial hardships, the storm created even greater challenges.
The Jackson VA Medical Center deployed its Emergency Outreach Team into the community to make sure Veterans did not lose access to care, medications or support during recovery efforts.
“This is bigger than paperwork or appointments,” Snider said. “These are people’s lives.”
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Snider said the Marine Veteran reminded him of his own grandparents. He could not shake the feeling that he needed to go back and help.
So he did.
“We got neighbors to come down there to take the tree off his house,” Snider said. “I went inside, took pictures of the damage and sent them to the county emergency management director.”
Within hours, local partners, including Samaritan’s Purse and the Cajun Navy, stepped in to help. Tarps were placed over the damaged roof the next morning before additional rain moved into the area. Neighbors brought over a generator so the couple could keep food cold and power essential items inside the home.
The Veteran had not missed his medications, but Snider said making sure Veterans stayed connected to care remained a major priority during the response.
“He and his wife knew the process and stayed on top of his medications,” Snider said. “But when you’re standing in a damaged house after a tornado, sometimes people just need somebody to show up.”
Care Beyond Hospital Walls
The outreach mission brought VA employees directly into affected communities near the Red Cross shelter in Brookhaven. Staff assisted Veterans with enrollment, health guidance and social service support without requiring appointments. The medical center also partnered with staff from the Veterans Benefits Administration to help Veterans navigate benefits-related questions and access additional recovery resources following the storm.
The medical center encouraged Veterans to use the VA Health Chat app to connect quickly with staff members from home during ongoing recovery efforts.
For Snider, the deployment was never just about emergency management. It was about making sure Veterans knew someone was willing to stand beside them when everything around them changed.
“We showed up because that’s what Veterans deserve,” Snider said. “When they need help, we go.”