September 2015
Remembering Our Fallen The Georgia National Guard Since 9/11 Plus: 1-121st in Germany | 165th Airlift Wing in Puerto Rico | And so much more
Contents ISSUE: September 2015
cover story
w w w. g a d o d . n e t
Features 03| 165th Airlift Wing AT
Georgia National Guard Airmen participate in annual training in Puerto Rico.
05| Signal corps careers
The various careers in the signal corps.
16| welcome to the 648th meb
17| Remebering our Fallen
The 420th NSC transitions to the 648th MEB.
19| CDTF assists city of atlanta
The Counter Drug Task Force helps reduce drug activity in the city of Atlanta.
News
11
We will never forget our fallen Georgia Guardsmen.
11|110th CSSB in Korea
Members of the 110th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion conduct training in Korea.
13| 1-121st infantry in Germany Soldiers of the 1-121st Infantry participate in joint exercise in Germany.
16
columns
07
07| Blast from the past
All about the 48th Armored Division.
14| NCO Notepad Remembering 9/11.
15| Book Review
“Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall.
20| Chaplain’s Corner
19
1 | The Georgia Guardsman
13
The Georgia National Guard and strengthening marriages.
21| Around the Guard
Georgia National Guard Commander-in-Chief Gov. Nathan Deal Adjutant General Brig. Gen. Joe Jarrard State Public Affairs Director Lt. Col. Thomas Lesnieski State Public Affairs Officer Capt. William Carraway Operations NCO Master Sgt. Gerard Brown Editorial Staff Managing Editor Desiree Bamba Contributors Second Lt. Jeffrey Bezore Master Sgt. Gerard Brown Sgt. James Cardwell Capt. William Carraway Lt. Col. Israel Ham Technichal Sgt. Shaeaita Johnson Lt. Col. Dave Simons Staff Sgt. Tracy J. Smith Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Phillip Stringfield Senior Master Sgt. Roger Parsons Chaplain Capt. Jon Pirtle Contributing DOD Organizations 124th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, 116th Air Control Wing Public Affairs Office, Army National Guard Unit Public Affairs Representatives, Air National Guard Wing Public Affairs Representatives, Georgia State Defense Force Public Affairs.
Georgia National Guard Channels
Flickr
Youtube
Facebook.com/GeorgiaGuard Flickr.com/GaNatlGuard
Twitter.com/GeorgiaGuard Youtube.com/ GeorgiaNationalGuard
Disclaimer The Georgia Guardsman is published monthly under the provisions of AR 360-81 and AF 6-1 by the Georgia Department of Defense Public Affairs Office. The views and opinions expressed in the Georgia Guardsman are not necessarily those of the Departments of the Army, Air Force or the Adjutant General of Georgia. The Georgia Guardsman is distributed free-of-charge to members of the Georgia Army and Air National Guard, State Defense Force and other interested persons upon request. September 2015 | 2
165th AW Conducts AT In Puerto Rico
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Story By: Lt. Col. Dave Simons | 165th Airlift Wing Georgia Air National Guard
lements of the 165th Communications Flight, 165th Airlift Wing, Georgia Air National Guard completed a two-week training mission at Muniz Air National Guard Base in Puerto Rico assisting the Puerto Rican Air National Guard. Deploying from their home station in Savannah, the 165th CF cyberspace specialists were tasked with program management assistance, technology implementation and cyberspace compliance support for the 156th Airlift Wing, PRANG, according to Senior Master Sgt. Ronald Jackson, plans superintendent for the 165th CF and the mission noncommissioned officer in charge. “We are here in Puerto Rico to train with and assist the members of the 156th AW Communication Flight,” said Jackson. “We were able to launch communications with other units, train
3 | The Georgia Guardsman
together, assist with trouble tickets and help correct deficiencies. We also worked with them on their SIPRNET infrastructure and conversion to iPads for aircraft maintenance management (known as Etools). In addition, we provided assistance with running wire and fiber optic cable.” Jackson added that the Puerto Ricans had a very open culture and were incredibly hospitable, even through some language and culture differences. “I was proud of our men and women of the 165th CF to overcome those issues,” he said. According to Staff Sgt. Daniel Watkins, cyberspace security specialist with the 165th CF, “We furnished training and helped stand up a vulnerability assessment system.” In the meantime, Tech. Sgt. Roderick Symister, cyberspace operations specialist, assisted on basic help desk functions - including virtual private network for the command section, helping with the application of
Photos by: Technical Sgt. Shaealita Johnson | 1 6 5 th Airlift Wing | Georgia Air National Guard
the electronic flight charts (electronic flight bag) for aircraft flight crews and collaboration on the pending migration of all ANG units to the Defense Enterprise Email that serves as a Total Force email application. Senior Airman Joshua Harvey, SIPRNET administrator, integrated Voice Over Secure IP technology and configured a management server for all General Dynamics communications equipment used by the PRANG, while completely revising some network management structures for more efficient operations. He also upgraded software for their network management devices. According to Harvey, “Being able to work with others and networking with the PRANG has been very rewarding.” Staff Sgt. Joshua Patterson worked with the wireless transmission systems and programmed duress capabilities on all security forces radios, while also programming radio identification functions. But Patterson didn’t leave Puerto Rico empty-handed. He received training on procedures to program the emergency services band radios and will bring back this expertise to the 165th AW. The team’s newest member, Airman 1st Class William Martins, worked in the Communications Focal Point’s help desk function, where he assisted with trouble tickets, updated iPads, created user accounts and installed software. Martins, a traditional Guardsman and a student at Georgia Gwinnett College, commented on his first deployment, “I want to go on a deployment ever year. This was great training for all of us.” A team of experts in Cyber Transport Systems included Master Sgt. David Hoffman, Tech. Sgt. Willie Remigio and Tech. Sgt. Joshua Miracle. They spent their deployment working through infrastructure trouble tickets, AFSC training, performing inspections, troubleshooting network issues, and connecting new network capabilities. Master Sgt. Hoffman commented, “It was a beautiful place to work and help a sister unit out and exchange experiences.” Technical Sgt. Maurlen Flanders, a Knowledge Operations
Specialist, helped reorganize the 156th CF’s file plans and electronic records. This was her first time in Puerto Rico. She observed, “It’s hard to find a better place to work.” Fifteen personnel, half of the 165th CF, participated in this mission in order to obtain readiness skills training, duty related training and to ensure professional proficiency. Although individual members of the 165th CF have deployed on a regular basis, this was the first time the unit has conducted a deployed for training, as a group, in about ten years. Lt. Col. Will Newson, commander of the 165th CF, says “The Air National Guard is now at a point where DFTs are truly value added for cyberspace units. In the past, the cyber and information systems used throughout the ANG were very diverse and dissimilar. Today, we have a unification of technologies and effort. For instance all USAF and ANG units are migrating to a single network (AFNET), have standardized data center systems and are implementing consistent telecommunications technologies and structures. This consistency offers greater opportunity to deploy and train with other wings in a manner that is far more effective than in previous years. In the past, Airmen would return from a DFT with many ideas for new IT equipment that could be purchased (i.e.…more shiny objects). Now, the net impact is Airmen returning to the unit with better ideas for process improvement, more effective and efficient use of technologies, better program management skills, improved leadership skills, and enhanced mission effectiveness.” Lt. Col. Newson continued, “As we continue to unify our cyberspace technologies throughout the USAF, the more our cyberspace professionals will be able to concentrate and train on operationally focused tactics, techniques and procedures. DFTs such as this will occur more frequently, as they now provide the capability to directly support training for the way we operate. We are grateful to the 156th Communication Flight for their tremendous support and to Senior Master Sgt. Ron Jackson for orchestrating this event.”
September 2015 | 4
Signal cor Story by: Capt. William Carraway | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army NAtional Guard
Lieutenant Col. John Gentry, commander of the 648th MEB welcomes Sgt. Amanda Pike and Soldiers of the 420th NSC to the brigade.
5 | The Georgia Guardsman
Photo by: Capt. William Carraway | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard
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here is a strong signal corps heritage in the Georgia National Guard. The 106th Signal Battalion was among the first Georgia units to train for World War I. During the Berlin Crisis of 1961, the only Georgia Guard unit mobilized by order of President John Kennedy was the 111th Signal Corps Battalion. While the Signal Corps has an impressive past in Georgia, it has an even more promising future. There are numerous careers within the signal corps career field. Among these is the 25U Signal Support Specialist, 25Q Multichannel Transmission Operator, and the 25S Satellite Communications Systems Maintainer / Operator.
Careers
25U: Signal Support Specialist Sergeant Amanda Pike is a 25U with the 420th Network Signal Company based in Cumming Ga. In her 18 months as a 25U, Pike has seen direct impact on her civilian career. “The training and experience really helped and made me more motivated to get certifications, said Pike. “Being a part of a signal unit can really help you with your education.” Signal support systems specialists work with battlefield signal support systems and terminal devices. In order for the Army to maintain contact with and direct movement of units, the equipment maintained by the 25U must always function. Training for the 25U is 16 weeks at Fort Gordon. 25Q: Multichannel Transmission Operator Information is key on the battlefield. Commanders at the tactical and strategic level must have accurate up-to-date information on which to base decisions. The 25Q is responsible for ensuring that information flows securely. The MOS requires 20 weeks of training at Fort Gordon in radio, cable, computer and satellite communications. The successful 25Q also sets up antennae and modems to facilitate rapid and secure communication of information. Sergeant Paul Leyva has been a 25Q with the 420th NSC since 2014. Employed at a software company where he helps troubleshoot networking issues, Leyva recalls his reason for choosing the signal career field. “I wanted to go into signal field when I first joined the Army in 2009,” said Leyva. “I wanted more background in (information technology) and the Army was offering a bonus for 25Q.” Leyva served with the 55th Signal Company at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and deployed to Afghanistan for a year before transitioning to the Georgia Army National Guard. 25S: Satellite Communications Systems Maintainer / Operator On the modern battlefield, information observed by a corporal on a dismounted patrol may be communicated to decision makers at the Pentagon in short order. This is made possible by satellite communications systems maintained and operated by the 25S. After training at Fort Gordon for 28 weeks, the 25S can facilitate satellite communications with a variety of Army equipment including the satellite transportable terminal. “In college, didn’t know what I wanted to do,” said Spc. Nicole Vaynshtok, a 25S with the Cumming-based 420th NSC. “I took the ASVAB and got a high score. The recruiter got really excited and told me he had the perfect career field for me.” Specialist Vaynshtok enlisted in 2012 and served with the 101st Signal Battalion in New York before transferring to Georgia. The Signal Soldiers agreed that the signal field offers attractive training and experience for high-tech civilian employers. All three are employed in the communications industry and credit their Guard signal experience and training. With more than 100 years of signal experience, the Georgia Guard’s Signal units offer Soldiers and civilian employers opportunities for growth in today’s increasingly complex information environment.
September 2015 | 6
Blast from the past:
48th Armored Division S t o r y b y: C a p t. W i l l i a m C a r r away | P u b l i c A f fa i r s O f f i c e | G e o r g i a A r m y N at i o n a l G u a r d
48th Armored Division
Maj. Gen. Joseph Fraser
48th AD tanks at Fort Stewart
Members of Company C 162nd Tank Battalion at Fort Stewart
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The Creation of the 48th Armor
ed Division
In August 1955, th e units of the 48th Infantry Division completed annual 10 8t h A A A m ob training maneuve ili ze d to Ch ic ago rs at Ga. and Fort McClel Camp Stewart, w ith th e m iss ion providing antiairc lan, Ala. The next m of raft defens e. At th on th, the National Guard Bureau appr e conclusion of th Chicago mobiliza oved a radical rede e tio sig n, n Fr combat unit of the of the primar y 48 aser was given com Georgia Army Natio th ID. mand of the na l Gu Infantry Division ard. The 48th had completed its last annual trainin 19 56 w ou ld he ra g. Transitio ld th e fir st en ca m n to Armor pm ent of th e 48 th Armored Division . Fraser guided the 48th ID through its transition to an armored division in 19 55. He commande Brief History division during its of the 48th In d the armored fantry Divisio first annual trainin The 48th Infantry D n 1956 before re g at Fort Stewart in ivision was constitut tiring at the rank of At the time, the un ed July 3, 1946. lieutenant general. its of the 48th ID Under Maj. Gen. Fr were split betwee aser’s guidance, ne Georgia and Florid n arly 100 Georgia Guard un its we re a, with two thirds of re organi ze d and the division’s troop in Georgia. Maj. G re de sig nate d in th s conversion fro en. Henry D. Russell e m an infantry to an , former commande of the 30th Infantry armored division. r the decision wa Division, was appo While s announced in Sept inted commander the 48th ID. ember 1955, the offi of transfer began cial in November, 1955 The establishmen . Prior to the conver t of the 48th ID sa sion, the 48th ID ha w the return of decorated World War II units to th d an authorized strength of 9,803 offi e Georgia Guard. cers and enlisted. 121st and 122nd The Division wo Th e Infantry Regimen 48th Armored uld be authorized ts were incorp orat into the division an 7,727 officers and ed but the crea d the 118th Field Ar enlisted, tion of a non- divi tillery played a key role in Division Ar siona l Armored Co G roup woul d prov tillery. mbat id e slots for 2, 91 Russell commande 1 pe rs on ne l. Th group, desig nate d d the 48th ID fro is the 160t h Ar mor m 1947 to 1951 whereupon Maj. G ed Group would commanded by Lt en. Joseph Hutch be . Col. Wesley Will inson of the Florid N at io na l G ua rd ingham and compr a eight new units as su m ed co m m an ise . d of th e di vi si on Hutchinson presid . ed over the first divi In addition to the es sion annual trainin ta ev ent at Fo rt McC blishment of the 16 g Group, the tw le lla n, A la . He re 0th Armored o infant ry regimen tir ed in 19 52 an d command was pass ts of the 48th ID designated as com ed to Maj. Gen. Jo were bat commands. Th seph Fraser. e 121st Infantry wa designated Comba s t Command B while The Fraser Er the 122nd Infantry was designated Co a m ba t Co mmand C. Fraser enlisted as a New Commands, private in The Libe New Commanders rty Independent Troop in 1915 at the age of 19. He The shift to ar mor would remain in military for 38 ye prompted ne w as the m aj or st af f signments and ars. During World ch an ge s. W hi le War I, Fras er, then an artiller y officer Maj . G en . Jo se ph retained overal l co , served with the Fr as er 129th Field Artiller mmand of the divi Regiment alongsid y of the combat sion, the creation e future presiden commands create t Har ry S. Tr uman Re tu rn ing from Fr d new opportunitie . combat-tested ance, Fr as er ro se s for senior leaders of th th roug h the rank and in 1936 was pl e division. Colone s Hogan assumed co aced in command l Roy of the 108th Cavalry mmand of Comba Regiment. At the tim t Command B an C ol . Ed w ard Mac e, Fraser was the yo d ke y w as pl ac ed in ungest regimental commander in the ch arge of C omba Command B. U.S. Army. t In 1941, Fraser com Colonel Roy Hog manded the 101st Co an Batta lio n co mpr is co as tal Artillery 121s mmande d the 3rd ed of fo rm er el em t Infantry Regimen Batta lion ents of th e 10 8t h t in World War II Cavalry. Following and received the Silver Star, Bronze the attack on Pearl Star and Combat In Harbor, the 101st CA was sent to Australi fantry Badge durin his service with th a, then Papua New g e regiment. Prior Guinea where, as th first U.S. troops on to e his appointment as commander of the island, they de Combat Comman fended Port Mores against relentless Ja d B, Hogan served by regimental co panese bombing ra as mmander of the 12 ids. Transitioning the European Thea 1s t to Infantry. Regimen Combat Comman ter, Fraser comman t d B headquarters ded the 23rd AAA Group. remained in Macon home of the 121st , In fa nt ry . Returning from th Colonel Edward M e war, Fras er assu ackey, former exec med command of the 108th AAA utive officer and commander of th and was promoted e 122nd Infantry to brigadier genera During the Korean Re l. gi m in com m an d of th ent was placed War, Fraser, and tw e At lant a- ba se d C o battalions of the ombat C om m an d C. Macke y en liste d as a pr iv ate in Company B, 12 2n d
September 2015 | 8
Infantry Regiment in 1929 and advanced to the rank of master sergeant before commissioning as a 2nd Lt. in 1939. During World War II, Mackey commanded Headquarters Company, 30th Infantry Division. As a member of the 119th Infantry Regiment, Mackey served in the European Theater campaigns from Normandy to Germany. He was awarded two Bronze Stars and the Combat Infantry Badge for his service. After the war, Mackey rejoined the 122nd Infantry Regiment. Colonel Wesley Willingham assumed command of the 160th Armored Group headquartered in Forsyth. Willingham enlisted in the Georgia Guard’s 30th Tank Company in 1924. He commanded Company A of the Georgia Guard’s 193rd Tank Battalion in 1940 and served as a tank battalion commander during World War II. Returning from the war, Willingham was promoted to colonel. He accepted a one-grade reduction to Lt. Col. In order to serve as battalion commander of the 190th Tank Battalion. Upon assuming command of the 160th Armored Group, Willingham was again promoted to colonel. Equipping the Division In the intervening months between the conversion and the 48th Armored Division’s first annual training in 1956, units across the state received hundreds of M-41 Walker Bulldog light tanks and M-47 Patton medium tanks. Drivers, gunners, and vehicle commanders trained on new
tanks, self-propelled howitzers and artillery pieces. In November 1955, curious attendees of the Coastal States Fair in Savannah could view the first M-7 tank-mounted selfpropelled howitzers assigned to the 118th Field Artillery and Division Artillery. Massive self-propelled 155 mm howitzers would add additional firepower and range at a cost of $194,000 per howitzer. Infantry of the former 121st and 122nd Infantry Regiments adapted to their new mechanized role as armored infantry battalions. They were joined by the 171st AIB and 144th AIB. By July, 1956, the division’s transition was complete. But more changes would follow. The division upgraded to M-48 Patton heavy tanks in 1958. In 1963, the division reorganized into a three-brigade structure with all units belonging to Georgia. The 121st Infantry expanded to four battalions and the 108th Armored Regiment was composed of five battalions. The 748th Cavalry Squadron, 560th Engineer Battalion and 148th Aviation Battalion rounded out the division while Division Artillery was composed of three battalions from the 118th Field Artillery, and a battalion each from the 179th and 214th Field Artillery. For the remainder of its existence, the 48th Armored Division conducted annual training at Fort Stewart. Next Month: The Berlin Crisis
48th Armored Units
Units of the 48th Armored Division, September, 1955 Headquarters Company, Band, and Medical Detachment – Macon Headquarters Company, Combat Command B – Macon Headquarters Company, Combat Command C – Atlanta 48th Armored Signal Company – Atlanta 48th Military Police Company – Atlanta 48th Replacement Company – Newly created unit 48th Reconnaissance Battalion Headquarters and Service Company – Jackson Company A – LaGrange Company B – Newnan Company C – Griffin Company D – Marietta Medical Detachment – newly created unit 121st Armored Infantry Battalion Headquarters Company – Albany Company A – Dawson Company B – Albany
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Company C – Thomasville Company D – Bainbridge Medical Detachment – newly created unit 162nd Tank Battalion Headquarters and Service Company – Macon Company A – Perry Company B – Thomaston Company C – Macon Company D – Montezuma Separate Detachment, Company D – Reynolds Medical Detachment – Macon 163rd Tank Battalion Headquarters and Service Company – Calhoun Company A – Rome Company B – Cedartown Company C – Canton Company D – Dalton Medical Detachment – Calhoun 190th Tank Battalion Headquarters and Service Company – Americus
Company A – Hawkinsville Company B – Fitzgerald Company C – Cordele Company D – Moultrie Medical Detachment – newly created unit 48th Armored Division Artillery Headquarters and Headquarters Battery – Savannah Medical Detachment – Savannah 179th Armored Field Artillery Battalion Headquarters and Service Battery – Atlanta Battery A – Atlanta Battery B – Atlanta Battery C – Atlanta Medical Detachment – Atlanta 118th Armored Field Artillery Battalion Headquarters and Service Battery - Savannah Battery A – Savannah Battery B – Savannah 230th Armored Field Artillery Battalion Headquarters and Service Battery – Savannah Battery A – Savannah Battery B – Savannah Battery C - Springfield 560th Armored Engineer Battalion Headquarters and Service Company – Columbus Company A – Columbus Company B – newly created unit Company C – Reidsville Company D – Columbus Company E (Bridge) newly created unit Medical Detachment – Columbus 122nd Armored Infantry Battalion Headquarters and Service Company – Atlanta Company A – Atlanta
Company B – Atlanta Company C – Gainesville Company D – Douglasville Medical Detachment – Atlanta 160th Armored Group (Non Divisional) Headquarters Company, 160th Armored Group – newly created unit 160th Tank Battalion (90 mm) Headquarters and Service Company – Dublin Company A – Lyons Company B – Sandersville Company C –Louisville Company D – Eastman Medical Detachment – Dublin 161st Tank Battalion (120 mm) Headquarters and Service Company – Milledgeville Company A – Covington Company B – Forsyth Company C – Eatonton Medical Detachment – Milledgeville 144th Armored Infantry Battalion Headquarters and Service Company – Brunswick Company A – Brunswick Company B – newly created unit Company C – newly created unit Company D – newly created unit Medical Detachment – newly created unit 171st Armored Infantry Battalion Headquarters and Services Company – Waycross Company A – Valdosta Company B – Douglas Company C – newly created unit Company D - newly created unit Medical Detachment - newly created unit
Soldiers of the 121st Infantr y regiment, 48th Armored Division line up for hot chow in the field. Photo coursey of the Ga. Guard Histor y Archives
September 2015 | 10 september
110th C trains in
Story by: Capt. William Carraway | Public Af 11 | The Georgia Guardsman
Photos Courtesey of: Lt. Col. Israel Ham | Georgia Army National Gaurd
I
n August 2015, the Georgia National Guard had Gu ards me n on m iss i ons across the globe. Georgia Guardsmen were mobilized to Pacific Command, South Command, Central Command, and performed missions in Germany, Canada and the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Calif. During that busy month, 25 personnel from the Tifton, Ga.-based 110th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion travelled to South Korea to participate in the 8th Army’s Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise. “The exercise is the world’s largest c omput e r e x e rc i s e a n d f o c u s e s on defending South Korea,” said Lt. Col. Israel Ham, commander of the 110th CSSB. “The exercise has been conducted annually since 1976.” Arriving in Daegu, South Korea, the members of the 110th CSSB had the opportunity to meet the unit they would support in the event of actual conflict on the Korean Peninsula. “We served as the CSSB for a cavalry regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division during the exercise,” said Ham. “They are our war trace. If there was an actual conflict in Korea, and they were to activate us, we would serve with the cavalry unit that we trained with during the exercise.” In addition to the headquarters company, the 110th CSSB is composed of the 82nd Maintenance Company and the
1230th Transportation Company. Units of a The Guardsmen brought real-world CSSB are designed to deploy independently sustainment operations experience to to augment higher units. The CSSB plans, the exercise following Operation Patriot prepares, executes and assesses logistics Bandoleer, a multi-state sustainment operations within an area of operations. In operation conducted from March to May a combat scenario, a CSSB would provide 2015. The exercise involved all elements sustainment for forward-deploying combat of the 110th CSSB. Headquarters provided units. command and control for Patriot Bandoleer While they had expected to conduct while the 1230th Transportation Company sustainment operations in Korea, the provided transportation assets and the 82nd Georgia Guardsmen received a surprise Maintenance Company kept the vehicles upon arriving for the exercise. on the road. As Ham notes, the experience “When we got to Korea, they asked for working on Patriot Bandoleer was critical to our experience and bios,” said Ham. “Upon the unit’s success in Korea. reviewing the experience of the 110th “ We w e r e s o u s e d t o w o r k i n g personnel, the Guardsmen were invited to together by the time we got to Korea that participate at the Army level of the exercise.” we seamlessly integrated. We were used Ham, and his Guardsmen were elevated to working with National Guard, Army three echelons above their normal level of Material Command, Contractors and Army operation. They supplied nearly 50 percent personnel. For a small unit from the Georgia of the staff for sustainment operations National Guard to go so far and contribute and worked 12 hour shifts pairing so much, everyone benefited from ” forest Georgiasenior Guardsmen spent part of April learning howthat. to fight personnel with junior Soldiersfires to maximize near Athens with a 660-gallon water bucket attached to a Black training value. For the Guardsmen, it was a in an effort to protect life and property from wild Hawk helicopter once in a lifetime training opportunity. fires. “We briefed the two star and three star regularly during the exercise,” said Ham. “It was very enlightening. We got training we had never seen before. This experience was invaluable to the Guard because not only do we know our job, we know what the active component does as well and that makes it that much easier for us to integrate.” Being able to move into an Armylevel exercise and participate at such a high level speaks volumes for the proficiency of the Guardsmen of the 110th CSSB.
CSSB n Korea
ffairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard September 2015 | 12
121st Infantry Returns to Germany Story by: Capt. William Carraway | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard
A
ugust was a very busy month for the Georgia Army National Guard’s 121st Infantry. In addition to sending infantrymen to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin and to Canada for Exercise Northern Strike, the 121st also sent Soldiers to Germany to participate in Exercise Allied Spirit II. Arriving at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, the Guardsmen of Company C, 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry found themselves among more than 4,500 participants from eight nations taking part in Exercise Allied Spirit II. Captain Brian McKenna, commander of Company C, 121st Infantry was notified of the mission in April 2015. In order to prepare, McKenna and Company C focused training on their core mission essential task list tasks such as squad attack and squad defense. During the exercise, the Guardsmen were assigned to the 1st
13 | The Georgia Guardsman
Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment and served as opposing forces for more than 500 Soldiers belonging to three nations. For eight days, the Guardsmen lived in austere field conditions and conducted day and night missions on combat lanes. “Some lanes called for a squad while others called for two platoons,” noted McKenna. The Georgia Guardsmen, were pitted against allied forces including the U.S. Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, An armor unit of the Czech Army and a British infantry battalion. At the conclusion of the training lanes, the Guardsmen had one day of rest before the beginning of a five-day field exercise involving more than 500 infantry, armor, and mechanized forces. The Guardsmen of the 121st had performed so well during the lanes that the battalion commander of 1st Battalion. 4th Infantry Regiment made Company C a key part of a combined arms task force under command of Capt. McKenna. In addition to two platoons of eighty Georgia Guardsmen, McKenna received a platoon of armor and a mechanized platoon with which to seize three objectives. The Georgians successfully seized two objectives, on the first day but were unable to seize the third because the allied force had placed their entire task force on that objective. Outnumbered by more than three to one, McKenna withdrew his forces to a strong point. On the second day, the Georgians maintained defensive positons, emplacing and observing obstacles and preparing for attack. At this point, the armor platoon was separated from McKenna’s task force and by the fifth day, all tracked vehicles had been returned to the 4th Infantry Division as the Georgia Infantrymen took up strong defensive positions in two villages. The two defending Georgia platoons fought a British infantry battalion in a stand-up urban operations fight, while enemy forces conducted air assault operations into the second village. Reflecting on the exercise, McKenna was pleased with the performance of the Georgia Guardsmen and the value they provided to other units. “We got to accomplish everything we set out to do,” said McKenna. “(The Guardsmen) have a better understanding of why we train the way we do. Rather than PowerPoint, we focus on squad level lanes and we saw the difference that made in Germany.” Perhaps the best compliment for Company C came from the exercise observer controllers. “The OCs noted how we more or less devastated everyone they went up against,” said McKenna.” Photo by: Sgt. James Cardwell | Georgia Army National Guard
O By Command Sgt. Major Philip Stringfield State Command Sgt. Major Georgia Army National Guard
NCO Notepad Words of wisdom from one to another
n September 11, we take time out to remember the lives lost on 9/11/2001 in the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks. Nearly 3000 people were killed, to include firefighters, E M T ’s , S e r v i c e Me mb e rs an d families. This was the worst attack in U.S. soil since Pearl Harbor. I greatly appreciate the people who lost their lives while fighting to save another. Their courage and selfless service showed this country that we are here for each other. A moment of silence is necessary at a time like this, but while we are mourning the deaths, we have to remember that we are still, and will remain, at risk of terroristic threats and terrorist attacks. This was a tragic event that we never saw coming. We thought we had been applying enough pressure, to stop something like this from happening but instead, our guard was down. September 11 was the largest attack on U.S soil in history, and all of our security strategies and military tactics were changed because of it. We have taken a different approach to training. We are making our soldiers aware of the damage that can be done right here on our home soil. We must never forget that there are numerous threats made towards our country and because of that, we must remain vigilant. There are things going on around us every day, and although not a day goes by that someone doesn’t thank us for our service, there are individuals amongst us who are plotting against us. There is always something that can be done to prevent terrorist attacks. Prevention starts at the lowest level. Soldiers must be aware of their surroundings and if they see or hear something that doesn’t seem right, they need to report it to someone in their chain of command so that the situation can be handled before it persists. Another way to protect ourselves is to be mindful of what we post on social media sites. Although privacy settings can be altered, there are ways that information about yourself can still be viewed. Try your best to post as few pictures as possible, of yourself in uniform. The enemy can locate you by name, rank, unit patch, etc. Lastly, please secure you computers to include Government as well as personal laptops. There have been several incident reports in reference to people breaking into cars and stealing computers. These computers contain personally identifiable information and although they are secured by a CAC card password, or regular password, hackers can still get into them and obtain information that no one needs to know. This puts you and others at risk of becoming a victim of fraud. My condolences go out to all of the lives lost in the most recent alleged terrorist attacks and shootings; the four Marines killed in the Tennessee recruiting station shooting and the nine civilians killed during bible study in a South Carolina Church. These things are happening in our sister states and can easily happen here in Georgia, or any other state for that matter. The frequent senseless acts of violence need to come to an end and we can make that happen by protecting our nation. Although it has been 14 years since September 11, we cannot become complacent. Always remember that our uniform is a target. Try your best to go home and change clothes before you go grocery shopping, or to take your children to the park. Look around when you’re driving. Make sure you’re not being followed. ISIS terrorist groups are after our friends and families. They will stop at nothing in order to follow through with an attack. We cannot assume that 9/11 won’t happen again. It is when we are at our weakest point that the enemy decides to attack. We fix that by never getting down that low.
September 2015 | 14
Professional
Development
reviews of books that teach us about our craft By: 2nd Lt. Jeffrey Bezore| Public Affairs Office | Georgia Air National Guard U l t r a Marathons, an alcohol-based economy, science l a b s of Har v ard , the bushmen of t he Kalahar i and Caballo Blanco are just a fe w of t he common topics in Christopher McDougall’s “Born to Run.” No, it is n o t a Hu n t e r S . Thompson gonzostyle book or even a work closely related to being fictional. It is the true story of runners who can traverse over 100 miles at a time without stopping or injury and how modern science is beginning to show that we have all been born to run. Running is something we all must do. The Army Physical Fitness Test requires a two-mile run and the Air Force Fitness Test requires a one and a half mile run (insert AF PT joke here). Some of us love this part of the test while the overwhelming majority of us loath it. Whether we like it or not, our duty demands that we run. Christopher McDougall’s book takes us on his personal journey to discover a way to run and avoid injuries. At six feet four inches and two hundred thirty pounds, McDougall was told his body type wasn’t supposed to run after visiting countless doctors about his running injuries. His story covers the full spectrum of the running world, from the Nike factories where our shoes are made to the fuel we put into our bodies to propel us forward, no subject is left untouched. One of the most interesting parts of the story is the culture of the Tarahumara Indians who inhabit Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons. These are some of the healthiest people on the planet. There is no obesity, drug addiction, heart disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes. Fifty-year-olds can outrun teenagers, and eight-year-old great-granddads can hike marathon distances up mountainsides. This is all made possible because they run so much.
The book covers several stories about marathon and ultramarathon runners and how they mentally condition themselves to run those distances. It all comes down to their love of running. No matter how much you train you have to have a deep respect and love of running to continue and not get overwhelmed with the distances and inner demons telling you to stop. McDougall’s journey finally brings him to offices of scientist’s at MIT and Harvard who have been studying the evolution of the human body. Homo sapiens beat out the Neanderthal in the evolution lottery because we were more efficient at running long distances. Research has shown that early humans two million years ago participated in “persistence hunting.” We would basically run down our prey to the point of exhaustion. Unlike other animals we are able to regulate our body heat by sweating and continuing to run. Our quadrupedal prey does not have this luxury so they have to stop and pant to cool their bodies. This practice is still conducted by the bushmen of the Kalahari and the Tarahumara. So next time you hit the trail to train for that PT test remember that you were born to run and that running truly does make us better at everything else.
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Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the lion or a gazelle-when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.
Welcome to the MEB: 420th NSC
Transfers to the 648th MEB
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Story by: Capt. William Carraway | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard
ommanders of two brigades joined the Soldiers of the 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade for a ceremony officially transferring the 420th Network Signal Company from the 560th BFSB to the Columbus-based 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade on September 13, 2015. “Welcome to t he MEB,” s aid 648t h Commander Lt. Col. John Gentry as he shook the hands of the newest members of his command. The ceremony is the first of many to come as the 560th BFSB transitions to the 560th Battlefield Coordination Detachment. Colonel Jeff Dickerson, commander of the 560th BFSB, and Command Sgt. Major Roy Marchert shook hands with every member of the 420th NSC and bade their Soldiers good luck in their new command. The 560th command team was followed by Lt.Col. Gentry and Command Sgt. Maj. Samuel McCord who affixed the patch of the 648th MEB to the shoulder of each service member and welcomed them to The Hydra Brigade. Organized in October 2007, the 560th was the first BFSB in the Army National Guard. Assigned the mission of providing intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance operational capability at the division level or higher, the 560th BFSB is composed of highly specialized units, including the 420th NSC. Since 2007, Guardsmen of the 560th BFSB have deployed five times to Iraq and Afghanistan and mobilized to Kosovo on four separate occasions. Guardsmen of the 560th BFSB are currently deployed in support of combatant commands overseas. In addition to its combat rotations, the 560th BFSB has participated in more than 20 overseas training deployments to Asia, Africa, South America and Europe. Members of the 420th NSC provided specialized signal expertise on missions to Korea and Malaysia. Transitioning to the 648th MEB will bring a new mission set and new opportunities for the 420th NSC. Organized in 2007, the 648th MEB is one of 18 MEBs in the nation. The MEB is designed to provide command and control functions to a division or corps. In 2012, the 648th proved its capability when it assumed responsibility for the Kabul Base Cluster mission in the Afghan capital. The 648th’s Task Force Hydra provided mission command, security and support operations for approximately 9,000 coalition force members during its 12 months in Kabul. Units of the 648th MEB have deployed multiple units to Afghanistan including the 810th, 876th and 877th Engineer Companies; the 878th Engineer Battalion; the 190th Military Police Company and the 1st Battalion, 214th Field Artillery Regiment. Photo by: Capt. William Carraway | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard
The 876th Engineer Company was the last Guard engineer unit deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Although it is moving to a new brigade, the 420th NSC will remain at the Cumming Regional Readiness Center. Addressing the 420th NSC for the final time, Col. Dickerson praised the work of “the best signal company in the Guard.” “It is bittersweet, but it is a great day,” said Dickerson. “It has been a true pleasure to serve with you. What you have done in your time in the 560th has been phenomenal.” Col. Dickerson also praised the 648th MEB. “You are going to a great command team, a unit with a great deal of history,” said Dickerson. “The MEB has completed combat deployments, ODTs and is about to take on a strategic relationship with the 2nd Infantry Division. Get ready to work.”
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17 | The Georgia Guardsman
Photo by Staff Sgt. Tracy Smith | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Department of Defense
Remembering our Fallen Soldiers
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Story by: Desiree Bamba | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Department of Defense
his year marks the 14th anniversary of 9/11. Since that tragic day, the Georgia National Guard has fought to protect the right of freedom for the people of the United States of America. The cost of freedom does not come free. Since the Global War on Terrorism began, the Georgia National Guard has lost 42 service members. They were fathers, sons, brothers, sisters, daughters and friends. But, they are not forgotten. They live on in the hearts of those who knew them. They are honored and remembered on the Georgia National Guard Freedom Calls Memorial Wall at Clay National Guard Center in Marietta, Georgia. The memorial serves as a special place for reflection and remembrance for both the family members and the public. Time may go on, but we will never forget their sacrifice and the sacrifice of all those lost protecting our freedom.
The following is the inscription on the memorial wall that serves to honor all the fallen:
To the fallen, In grateful memory of the men a n d w om e n o f th e G e o r g i a National Guard who gave their lives in the name of peace and freedom during the Global War on Terrorism. We shall remember them.
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CDTF Assists City of Atlanta Story By: Capt.William Carraway | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Gaurd
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s the heat and humidity rose in the nor t hwe st At l ant a E ng l ish Ave nu e community, a vacant, dilapidated, graffitiscarred structure came crashing down under the weight of a Georgia Guard hydraulic excavator. The demolition project represents the latest joint effort between the Georgia National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, the City of Atlanta and the U.S. Attorney’s office to reduce drug activity in the area. “This is a unique opportunity through the Counter Drug Program for National Guard resources to support the Drug Market Intervention Initiative,” said Lt. Col. James McNair, commander of the Georgia National Guard Counter Drug Task Force. “The goal is to rid the community of areas that provide safe havens for criminal activity to take place.” The DMII is a coalition of state and local law enforcement agencies, community leaders, Federal and Georgia Bureaus of Investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s office, dedicated to eradicating drug markets and the violence associated with narcotic trafficking. DMII has worked to target individual drug dealers as well as the areas in which they operate. The Georgia Guard has assisted the State of Georgia in the effort to control illegal narcotic activity since 1982. Following the formation of the Governor’s Task Force on Drug Suppression, the Georgia Guard participated in missions assisting The U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs as well as State and local law enforcement officials in counter drug efforts. In 2002, the Georgia National Guard’s Counter Drug Task
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Force provided demolition services at the request of the City of Atlanta to eradicate derelict structures that were being used for illegal drug activity in Northwest Atlanta. Engineers of the Augustabased 878th Engineer Battalion provided the personnel, equipment and expertise for the project. On August 19, 2015, the Georgia Guard Counter Drug Task Force, City of Atlanta and U.S. Attorney’s office announced the pending demolition of derelict properties that were being used for illegal drug activity. The homes were identified by DMII officials and community members as hubs for drug related criminal activity. “There have been repeated flagrant violations of the city code ordnances for these properties,” Said John Horn of the U.S. Attorney’s Atlanta office.” From Aug. 19 to Sept. 11, 2015, engineers of the Georgia Army National Guard’s 877th Engineer Company demolished 15 houses, hauled away more than 1,000 tons of debris, cleared and seeded the problem properties with grass seed to replace blighted property with green space. “It sends the community a notice that drug activity will not be tolerated,” said McNair. Through the Counter Drug Task Force, the Georgia Guard can extend engineering support to law enforcement agencies and community organizations for projects that have a counterdrug nexus. Throughout the engineering support to DMII, mission, demolition sites were secured by the City of Atlanta Police Department before the arrival of Georgia Guard engineers and CDTF personnel. The City of Atlanta also provided contract specialists to assess properties for hazards prior to demolition and monitor environmental conditions during demolition. Photo by Capt. William Carraway | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army NationalGuard
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training
The Chaplain’s Corner
B y : C h a p l a i n C a p t. J o n P i r t l e | 3 - 1 0 8 t h C ava l r y | G e o r g i a A r m y N at i o n a l G ua r d
ecently, I had the opportunity to serve as an instructor at a marriage retreat for military personnel (and their spouses) in the hills of north Georgia. Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors and Marines assembled at a scenic spot a short drive north of Atlanta for three and a half days to begin the process of reinvesting in their marriages. Eleven couples gathered in a spirit of teachability. We discussed moral injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. We discussed grief and anger issues. We discussed hyper-vigilance and stress. We discussed forgiveness. We discussed communication barriers. But it was not all lectures or Power Point presentations. Couples were able to “take a knee.” We’d built in time for couples to stroll the lake, to launch canoes and kayaks into the lake, to swim, to spend quality time with one another. We ate meals together as a group. We had other speakers come in to speak on how their marriages have endured decades and decades of life’s struggles, and the marriages are better than they’ve ever been. We had one overarching goal as a team: to equip families to reinvest in their marriages. Why? Because as goes the family, so goes the nation. For most of us in uniform, it’s easy to become calloused regarding programs that have good intentions. We have all been to mandatory briefings on sensitivity, sexual harassment or workplace environment classes, resilience, suicide prevention and interdiction. That’s where the culture is. We’ve strayed so far from what is healthy that we’re now required to relearn what was heretofore commonplace knowledge: to treat all people with dignity and respect, that families are foundational, that resilience involves issues deeper than platitudes. But as goes the family, so goes the nation. Do you remember when you first met your beloved? Gary Chapman calls that stage of relationship “the tingles.” I remember it. I had a blind date with a girl from Albany, Georgia. She’d already
met my parents a few weeks before when they’d moved to Albany from Savannah. I had driven down to see their new house, and had gone upstairs to shower before going on a blind date. When I came down the stairs, this lovely girl was in a pair of jeans, sandals, and a simple blouse. She was sitting on a loveseat in the living room talking with my parents. I looked at her, and that was it. I knew. Tingles? Yep. You could say that. Now, I concede that may sound sentimental to some readers, but that was my experience. Five months later, we were married. That was almost 20 years ago now. One of the ways we instructors tried to have families reinvest in their marriages is by teaching them to remember what that experience was like for them. They (and you, if you’re married) presumably loved that other person, and they loved you, right? Then, remember that. Cherish that. Reinvest in that, and long-term, it will pay dividends. Marriages endure not because they chase the tingles every day, but because they reinvest in the institution that is greater than they are as individuals. I certainly am not as trim as I was all those years ago. And my wife, though more beautiful to me today than even then, looks different than she did after children and our many years together. We all go through valleys. Suffering comes to all households and families. However, together we are stronger. Scripture teaches that “a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Eccl 4:12 ESV). If the family foundation is strong, other structures follow suit. If the family is decimated, so is the culture. As goes the family, so goes the nation. Your chaplain corps has a three-pronged mission you may’ve seen on placards or billboards. It reads, “Nurture the living, care for the wounded, honor the fallen.” A crucial part of nurturing the living means equipping ourselves in strengthening marriages and family life. To nurture means to care for the development of something. We chaplains are here to help encourage you to keep first things first. As goes the family, so goes the nation. Let us lead by example, therefore, and that begins with our homes.
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Around the Georgia Guard Combined Federal Campaign Master Sgt. Reginald Harden, a member of the Georgia Air National Guard, meets with a representative of the USO during the Combined Federal Campaign Kickoff at the Clay National Guard Center, Marietta, Georgia.
Republic of Georgia Soldiers meet with Adjutant General Key leaders of the Georgia National Guard meet with military personnel from the Country of Georgia to discuss plans for our state partnership program.
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Adjutant General Makes Remarks at PGA Tour Brigadier General Joe Jarrard, The Adjutant General of Georgia, speaks at the opening ceremony of the 2015 PGA TOUR Championship Finale and military appreciation day at the East Lake Golf Club.
Rendering Honors The Georgia National Guard Honor Guard renders honors at the ‘Funeral for 13,000’ in Andersonville, Georgia. The ceremony was in conjunction with the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.
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Exercise Allied Spirit II 1-121st Infantry participate in joint exercise
Public Affairs Office Georgia Department of Defense 1000 Halsey Ave. Bldg. 447 Marietta, Ga. 30060