My brother is in the Marines and he is stationed in the Pacific. He was due to be back in the States before Christmas but due to the typhoon in Bangladesh they have been re-deployed. There has not been an official call yet by the Bangladesh government for help, but they are going to ready in case they are required. Depending on the situation they may / may not make it back in time for the holidays.
The military is capable of many things, but its use in humanitarian efforts is something that doesn't get talked about as much as it should.
I know that the States gets a bad rap for many things, but the actual people are good people. I have spent time with some of my brothers colleagues and they are wonderful people. They sacrifice a lot for their country.