Story highlights Veterans from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are in Puerto Rico to help out

Communities welcome them, but FEMA says a mass military effort is not needed

Mayaguez, Puerto Rico (CNN) The cavalry is here, at an abandoned airport in the far west of Puerto Rico.

Not a traditional military unit, but a bunch of guys who call themselves the Warfighter Disaster Response Team.

They're veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and when they see a need, they just go. Red tape frustrates them, especially when people are hurting and they can help, so they deploy themselves -- for free.

They've made an abandoned airport in Mayaguez their base, bedding down here and using it to collect aid and work out how to get it to remote communities.

Veteran Eric Carlson, left, discusses volunteer aid operations with Nesky Hernandez at an abandoned airport in Mayaguez.

Eric Carlson, one of the volunteer first responders, gauges the impact they have had so far.

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