Just before the storm came ashore, I heard an interview with the 2nd (Atlantic) Fleet Commander (4-star admiral) who said they had an assault ship task force laying off Texas and ready to go in as soon as the storm was over. This type of ship looks like a small aircraft carrier and carries a 600-bed medical unit as well as a number of helicopters and can carry a large detachment of marines. Just after the 1989 earthquake here in San Francisco, they docked one at a city pier and provided housing for hundreds of people onboard. But the assault ship will be accompanied by an oiler (essentially, an oil tanker) and other ships. I have not yet seen evidence of these personnel other than I did see one report on CNN of an oil tanker pulling into NO with fuel for the generators being used all over town and wondered if that was a Navy oiler (they didn't show pictures so I couldn't tell).

Aside from that, Gulfport MS is a major Seabee (CB = (Navy) Construction Battalion) base and they would be ideal people to help with the cleanup and restoration of services. Seabee rates include construction electricians, heavy equipment operators and all the other construction trades. One assumes they will be employed all over the affected area.