Rich E.

The Red Cross is now, and for decades has been, using disasters to raise money. The organization will only help if there's media coverage.

In 1970 there was an earthquake in the mountains of Peru. I was one of two US Air Force CCT sent into Anta, Peru to turn a road into a landing strip to bring in supplies and take out injured. For the first 16 days the only ones allowed in were relief support folks.

When I was finally relieved after 16 days, I went to my hotel in Lima. I stopped by the bar to get a drink to take up to my room with me. Now, sure, I was pretty dirty and my uniform unkept after 16 days.

There were several men in some sort of uniforms sitting at the bar. One of them told me what a disgusting example of US military I was in my filthy uniform.

I asked who in the world he was and he told me that they were from the Red Cross.

I then asked why they weren't in the mountains helping and I'll always remember the answer;
"We don't go in until the media can"