January 2014
It’s just
A day at the office guardsmen train on chinooks
Plus: 1-214 Returns | A Korean Adventure | And so much more
CONTENTS ISSUE: January 2014
cover story
w w w. g e o r g i a g u a r d . c o m
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Features 04| National Guard birthday
The National Guard turned 377 years old in December.
11| Hydra in korea
The 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade runs 24-hour operations in support of the 2nd Infantry Division.
05| Chinook Training
Georgia Guardsmen train to fly their Chinook helicopters in the most demanding of conditions.
13| keep fueling the mission
This month’s MOS story features a fuels specialist with the 116th Air Control Wing.
14| training with law enforcement 190th Military Police Company conducts joint riot control and mobile field force training with the Kennesaw State University police.
News
16| remembering the fallen
03| Granite Battalion returns
Georgians honor their fallen service members with the “Remembering Our Fallen” memorial wall.
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1-214th Field Artillery Battalion returns home from a nine-month deployment to Afghanistan.
09| 48th IBCT in afghanistan
The brigade deploys over 200 Guardsmen to Afghanistan to conduct a variety of training and security missions.
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columns
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06| Chaplain’s Corner Beginning the new year.
07| Historic Battle Review
The universe of Battle: 1864 overview.
10| Book Review
“The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” By Stephen Covey.
15| NCO Notepad
Planning your goals for the new year.
17| Around the Guard 1 | The Georgia Guardsman
Georgia National Guard Commander-in-Chief Gov. Nathan Deal Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Jim Butterworth State Public Affairs Director Lt. Col. Thomas Lesnieski State Public Affairs Officer Capt. William Carraway Operations NCO SFC Gerard Brown Editorial Staff Managing Editor Capt. William Carraway Creative Director Steven Welch Contributors Desiree Bamba SFC Gerard Brown Master Sgt. Bucky Burnsed Maj. Will Cox Chaplain Lt. Col. Blair Davis Chief Master Sgt. Joseph Greene Sgt. Jasmine Jacobs Master SGt. Roger Parsons Ashlie Shrewsbury Staff Sgt. Tracy Smith Lt. Col. Tiffany Sneed Tech Sgt. Regina Young Contributing DOD Organizations 124th Mobile Public Af fairs Detachment, 116th Air Control Wing Public Affairs Office, Army National Guard Unit Public Affairs Representatives, Air National Gu ard Wi n g P u b l i c A f f ai r s 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. January 2014 | 2
Welcome Home Granite Battalion
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By Sgt. Jasmine Jacobs 124th MPAD | Georgia Army National Guard
amily members, friends and honored guests welcomed more than 200 Georgia Guardsmen of the 1-214th Field Artillery Battalion home from a nine-month deployment to Afghanistan Saturday, Jan. 10 during a driving rain. “You professionally represented this battalion and state on foreign soil and brought hope to a war-torn nation where little hope existed,” said Lt. Col. David Casey, commander of the 1-214th as he addressed the Guardsmen and family members assembled at Elberton High School. “The security provided by this task force allowed US and coalition forces to operate unimpeded in western Afghanistan and prevented a determined enemy from holding the high ground. The Elberton-based 1-214th Field Artillery Battalion conducted base-defense operations in western Afghanistan from May to Dec. 2013. The unit was responsible for command and control of all base defense activities in an area covering approximately 315 square kilometers. Operation of the base entry-control point, flight line security and patrolling were major components of their operations. Casey noted the achievements of the Guardsmen of the unit and also recognized the contributions of the families in the effort. “To our family and loved ones, thank you for your service,” said Casey. “Without your love, support and sacrifice our mission would have been much more difficult. Your support from home made our mission overseas more tolerable.” Throughout this deployment, families and spouses were able to
3 | The Georgia Guardsman
come together and depend on one another through the help of the Family Readiness Group. “When your husband is gone and there is an issue with your family or in your home, there are people you can call 24 hours a day,” said Merre Price, family readiness group chair for the unit. “You can always get in contact with someone in the same position as you that understands what you are going through. Although as National Guard family members, and therefore a little more spread out than an active duty FRG would be, we use the phone and social media to be there to support each other.” This strong network of spouses and family members not only gave the families someone to depend on, but also instilled a sense of peace in the deployed Soldiers. “It was comforting knowing that my wife had a family while a part of her family was away,” said Sgt. Roy Romesburg. “The FRG really reached out to her and made sure she knew she wasn’t alone and I was able to really focus on the mission at hand, knowing she had help with the day-to-day issues back home.” It was this focus on the mission and dedication to the tasks at hand that allowed 214th to accomplish their goals and return home safely. “The 214th really made a difference (where we were stationed),” said 1st Sgt. Ryan Peterson. “Everyone pitched in and came together to contribute to our overall success. I can say that we were a positive contribution to the overall mission in Afghanistan, and that we truly made a difference.” Photo by Sgt. Jasmine Jacobs| 1 2 4 th MPAD | Georgia Army National Guard
National guard turns 377
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By Desiree Bamba | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Department of Defense eorgia Guardsmen and retirees filled the Joint Force Headquarters assembly hall to mark the National Guard’s 377th birthday. “At commemorative times like this, it is appropriate to reflect on our history, review our present status, and plan for our role in the future,” Maj. Gen. Jim Butterworth, Georgia’s Adjutant General said. “We must take good measure of the requirements we must fill and ensure there is no gap which will leave our state or nation vulnerable.” The National Guard is the oldest component of America’s armed forces and one of the oldest military organizations in the world, dating back to the first militia chartered by the Massachusetts colony in 1636. The Georgia National Guard traces its lineage to early militia units created by Lord Oglethorpe in 1732. The Georgia Guard was first called to service in 1742 to drive Spanish invaders from the Georgia colony’s shores at the battle of Bloody Marsh. Before the ceremony, Soldiers, Airmen and retirees socialized and discussed war stories and the military as it was then and is today. Images of the Georgia National Guard from the 1940s to present day were displayed to provide a visual history of the Georgia Guard’s mission then and now. Major Gen. Butterworth noted that everyone present had a reason to reminisce about the organization and to celebrate it. “The National Guard has preserved its time-honored qualities as a community-based force, and we pledge to continue that support into the future,” said Maj. Gen. Butterworth. “Your National Guard has been and is, always ready, always there and always on target to Photo by Desiree Bamba | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Department of Defense
serve this nation for liberty, protection and peace.” As is customary for these events, the ceremonial cutting of the cake was done by the youngest and oldest service members in attendance. Army and Air Guardsmen, past and present, and members of the Georgia Guard civilian work force cheered and applauded as the 88-year-old twins John and Al Quante cut the cake made for the occasion. The brothers, who first saw service with the Navy during WWII and later retired from the Georgia Guard at the rank of master sergeant were the oldest in attendance. Joining them at the table were Lt. Gov Casey Cagle, Maj. Gen Butterworth and Spc. Charles Jones, who was identified as the Guard’s youngest member at the ceremony. “It means a lot to be here today,” said Al Quante. “It is an honor to have been able to serve this country, and I am glad that we can once again participate in the celebration of the establishment of the National Guard.” His brother, John Quante, agreed with him and added: “Serving our state and our nation in times of need is something we are both proud of. I am also honored to have been able to meet the men and women who are defending our country today.” As the ceremony concluded, Maj. Gen. Butterworth stated: “Our units have performed admirably in combat over the centuries and during the past decade, successfully serving alongside or relieving the full-time force in the battle. Almost four centuries later, the men and women of the National Guard are still protecting and defending their neighbors – and their nation -- beyond our borders and within our borders.”
January 2014 | 4
A day at the office for chinooks
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By Maj. Will Cox | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard hile some people are figuring out how to make one more sale, some Georgia Guardsmen are figuring out how to fly their Chinook h e l i c opt e r i n t h e m o s t demanding of conditions, to land in the most precarious of places,while often carrying our most precious cargo. Georgia Army National Guard’s Detachment 1, Bravo Company , 1-169th General Support Aviation Battalion (B/1-169th GSAB) recently flew near their headquarters in Savannah in preparation for deployment to Afghanistan in the spring of 2014. This will be the third time many of these crew members have deployed to Afghanistan with this unit since 2005, but it will be the first time they have deployed with the CH-47F Chinook helicopter. Georgia recently received the newest Chinook model, the CH-47F, which is an advanced multi-mission helicopter that contains a fully integrated digital cockpit and advanced cargo-handling capabilities. “While the aircraft flies the same as a CH-47D model, it gives the crew an amazing amount of situational awareness through the moving map display in the cockpit,” said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Billy Johnson, standardization officer for B/1-169th GSAB. “The automation that was built into this helicopter significantly reduces
5 | The Georgia Guardsman
pilot workload in the cockpit.” These crewmembers are training for missions they will be tasked with once in Afghanistan. “The Chinook was made to move things like troops, supplies and equipment. If you can fit it in a Chinook, I have probably moved it,” said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Duane Sandbothe, maintenance test pilot for B/1-169th GSAB. “The Chinook was designed for high, hot and heavy missions.” The power available, engineering and cargo carrying capacity make the Chinook a versatile platform capable of taking personnel and cargo where other U.S. military helicopters simply cannot go. The newest model has many automated safety features built-in as well. “Our pilots are trained to fly the CH-47F model without any of the automation, but the built in safety factors, like a hover-hold can assist the crew to keep from drifting while in a dust cloud or brown-out conditions,” said Sandbothe. Afghanistan is not known for its level terrain; in fact it is home to the Hindu Kush Mountain range with peeks over 25,000 ft tall. The crew members know this all-too well and are conducting mission specific training to prepare for it. “We conduct pinnacle landing training to prepare for mountain or ridge-line landings where we will let troops off in Afghanistan. Sometimes there simply is no other place to drop the troops and equipment off at,” said Sandbothe. Photo by Maj. Will Cox | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard
the Chaplain’s Corner
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By: Chaplain Lt. Col. Blair Davis | Georgia National Guard s we move quickly into the new year, different emotions, perspectives and outlooks may flood our minds. The one that comes to my mind is that I’m glad that God is the God of new beginnings. I’m glad because, like you, I experience fear, anxiety and uncertainty. But with God I feel eagerness, excitement and peace. Which provides me with a deep sense of relief, a sigh of thankfulness that the old year is over and a new one is waiting with all its newness and anticipation of it being better than the last. We know that there are the possibilities of troubles and problems in the new year, but we also remind ourselves of the good and blessed opportunities ready to unfold. So the question may be how do we face the new year, or even each new day and hour, not knowing what the future will bring? I believe we face the unknown in much the same way as Abraham, Moses and Joshua faced the future. We look back on the past and see the places where God has worked in our lives; we see how He has rescued us from dangerous situations, and we remember the times we felt His presence when He strengthened us and enabled us to move forward during difficult times. His guidance and His strength made it possible. We look back and remember. Our faith tells us that if God has been with us before, He will not leave us now. If He has been our strength in the past, He will not walk away from us in this New Year. Where is God? There may be times this coming year when we wonder where God is in our lives. Yet, we only need to look back to Christmas to see where God is. Christmas is the affirmation that God did not leave us to our own time, an endless, meaningless cycle of one thing after another. God entered our time. God stands and walks with us. He gets us through the days and nights of uncertainty and brings us out on the other side into the “newness” of his kingdom. But
he does it in his own time. It is because of God sending his son Jesus to us at exactly the right time that we can live the new year joyously. As we go through this new year, we will undoubtedly find ourselves doing many of the same things we did in the old year. We will follow the same schedules, think many of the same thoughts and have many of the same challenges from the past year. And yet, by the grace of God, there just may be some newness. God is continually stepping into our time and our personal world, and when He does, He offers us something new; a new grace, a new opportunity, a new way to live. The new year always seems to bring hope. That is why we make resolutions and promises to ourselves, to others and to God. There is always that hope that we will have a better year, that we will accomplish more, and that there will be more happiness than sadness. The hope of better things is a gift from God along with trust: trust that the hope that we have will turn into reality. But we must understand that the key to the
realization of our hope lies in where we look for fulfillment. If we look entirely within ourselves, to other people, or to self-help programs and material things, we have a real possibility for failure in making things better. Our hope lies outside of ourselves, outside of our world. Philippines 4:13 reads “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” That verse reminds us only complete trust in God will provide the fresh, new resources that we need to start over and make things better in the year to come. Maybe we can hear God saying to us, “Let go of the past. Don’t hold on to the old way of doing things, old way of thinking, old attitudes and behaviors, even if they seem comfortable and good enough. “I have new ways for you to learn. I want you to follow me to new blessings and new possibilities. I will change the wilderness and desert of your life and lead you into a land of blessing and endless possibilities. I will make all things new.” May this be the year of new beginnings for you.
January 2014 | 6
The Universe of Battle: 1864 Overview
By Capt. William Carraway Public Affairs Office Georgia Department of Defense Background: 1863
1863 had been a pivotal year in the American Civil War. Following the crushing Union defeat at Fredericksburg, Va. In December 1862, the spring campaign of 1863 began with promise as Union Maj. Gen. Joe Hooker deftly maneuvered to flank Confederate Army positions along the Rappahannock River. Detecting the movement, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee defied long odds and defeated Hooker at the battle of Chancellorsville. Emboldened, Lee struck north on a gambit to achieve foreign recognition of the Confederate States of America. His hopes of winning a battle on northern soil were dashed at Gettysburg. Meanwhile, the western theater had also seen pivotal actions, most notably at Vicksburg, Miss., where Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s siege forced the capitulation of the vital river fortress. With the Vicksburg garrison defeated and the Mississippi River under Federal control, President Abraham Lincoln was able to dispatch Grant and his most trusted subordinate Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman east to the Tennessee theater of operations. While Grant and Sherman had been designing the defeat of Vicksburg, Union Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans had through brilliant maneuver driven the Confederate Army of Tennessee out of the Volunteer State. Moving into Georgia, Rosecrans suffered a resounding defeat at the hands of Confederate General Braxton Bragg on the banks of the Chickamauga River. Pursuing Rosecrans north, Bragg laid siege to Union forces at Chattanooga. The November 1863 arrival of Grant and Sherman provided combat power and leadership to demoralized Union forces, and in late November the Union crushed Bragg’s forces and drove them in disarray back to Georgia. The Union
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pursuit was halted by a desperate defense by Confederate Maj. Gen. Patrick Cleburne at Ringgold Gap. This rearguard action prompted Grant to withdraw his forces to Chattanooga and winter quarters. The Confederates meanwhile settled into winter quarters near Dalton, Ga. Both armies rested and refitted and waited for the coming spring. Task Organization in 1864 The Army of Northern Virginia, 60,000 strong under command of General Robert E. Lee opened the 1864 campaign encamped along the Rappahannock River. Opposing the ANV was Grant and the 110,000 man Army of the Potomac commanded by Maj. Gen George Meade, the victor of Gettysburg. To Lee’s south, protecting the Confederate capitol of Richmond were 30,000 Confederates under command of Gen. Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard. Threatening Beauregard from the East was statesenator turned Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler commanding the 40,000 man Army of the James The Confederate Army of the Trans-Mississippi operated in Louisiana and Arkansas with 14,000 men commanded by Lt. Gen. Kirby Smith, the general whose fractured relationship with Bragg was a factor in the Confederate defeat atPerryville, Ky. Also in Louisiana were 30,000 Union Soldiers commander by former Massachusetts governor turned Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks who had been soundly defeated by Stonewall Jackson in the 1862 Valley Campaign. Lieutenant Gen. Leonidas K. Polk, cousin of President James Polk and former Episcopalian Bishop of Louisiana commanded the Confederate Army of Mississippi and its 15,000 Soldiers. Polk had no previous military experience, but what he lacked in military training he made up for in personal connections. A close friend of Jefferson Davis, Polk was elevated to corps and eventually army command. Polk was one of the most critical voices raised in opposition to Bragg’s generalship. The toxic leadership environment in the Army of Tennessee prompted Davis to transfer Polk to Mississippi where he became the de facto commander of all forces in the State. The Confederate Situation in Georgia With Bragg’sNovember resignation, command of the Army of Tennessee was temporarily entrusted to Lt. Gen. William Hardee, former West Point instructor and author of the Infantry tactics manual used to train Soldiers north and south. By the third week of December, President Davis installed General Joseph Johnston as commander of the Army of Tennessee. Johnston’s predilection for caution had suited him in defensive operations on the James River Peninsula in 1862 where he commanded Confederate forces in defense of Richmond but would be sorely tested against the aggressive offensive operation of Maj. Gen. Sherman. Johnston reorganized his army into three corps: Two Infantry corps commanded by Hardee and newly promoted Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood, and a cavalry corps under Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler for an aggregate strength of approximately 60,000 men. Johnston’s army would be strengthened in May 1864 by the addition of the Polk and his 15,000
troops. Union Situation in Tennessee In March 1864, Grant was promoted to Lt. Gen. and the office of General in Chief of the Armies of the United States. He devised a plan to strike the numerically inferior Confederate armies simultaneously rather than piecemeal. Co-locating with the Army of the Potomac in Virginia, Grant would manage his strategic objectives from the Virginia theater where the Army of the Potomac would launch a series of attacks against Lee. Simultaneously, Union armies would threaten Richmond, New Orleans and Atlanta. Grant entrusted Sherman with the Atlanta campaign. Sherman’s mission was to move south from Chattanooga, paralleling the railroad and road network where possible to maintain his vital supply route. Sherman’s objective was the railroad hub of Atlanta. To achieve his objective, Sherman had three maneuver armies at his disposal. The largest of the armies, the Army of the Cumberland, numbering 75,000, was commanded by Maj. Gen. George Thomas. Sherman’s remaining armies were much smaller than the Army of the Cumberland. Sherman’s close friend Maj. Gen. James MacPherson led the 24,000 Soldiers of the Army of the Tennessee while the 13,000 man Army of the Ohio was commanded by Maj. Gen John Schofield, for whom Schofield Barracks is named. Scheme of Maneuver Sherman’s Army would follow the Western Atlantic Railroad which
traveled south from Chattanooga and aimed like a dagger towards Atlanta. Nearly 200,000 Soldiers would fight, maneuver and die along the path currently traced by I-75. Johnston’s intent was to place his army in strong blocking positions in hopes of luring Sherman to attack. Meanwhile, the cavalry of both armies would engage in screening operations and raids of supply routes. Sherman’s greatest risk was the tenuous supply line which connected his front-line trace with his supply depots in Chattanooga. Johnston, for his part, had to balance the risk of a decisive engagement with a much larger army against the risk of being out maneuvered and separated from his lines of supply to Atlanta. If the Union Army could, by maneuver, get between him and Atlanta he would have no choice but to attack on ground less favorable to his smaller force. The Stage is Set Throughout the months of 1864, enormous battles of a scale almost unfathomable to modern consciousness would play out over the fields of Virginia and the mountains of North Georgia. At risk was much more than armies or territory. 1864 was an election year in the North and President Lincoln was facing a stiff challenge from former Commanding General of the Army of the Potomac George McLellan whose promise of a negotiated peace appealed to war-weary northerners. Aware of the stakes, Sherman was prepared to usher in a new chapter of warfare. In a telegram to Grant, Sherman would state that he was prepared to “make Georgia howl.” Photos courtesy of the Library of Congress.
January 2014 | 8
48th IBCT heads to afghanistan By Maj. Will Cox | Public Affairs Office
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| Georgia Army National Guard |
acon’s own 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) of the Georgia Army National Guard deployed over 200 Guardsmen to Afghanistan to conduct a variety of training and security missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Buses departed from the ceremony in Macon led by the Georgia State Patrol and the Patriot Riders. Macon’s Mayor Robert Reichert, Georgia National Guard’s Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Jim Butterworth, 48th IBCT Commander Col. Randall V. Simmons and others stood in front of over 1,000 family members and friends to honor the courage and sacrifice of the deploying Guardsmen prior to goodbye hugs and the bus convoy departure. “Our primary mission is going to be security in the Kabul area and to close the bases as part of the drawdown in Afghanistan,” said Simmons. “We have handpicked this team to go down range. Many of these Guardsmen are deploying with civilian experience in security and law enforcement and we look forward to bringing their skills to the table as we conduct the security mission during the drawdown.” Family members hugged their Georgia Guardsmen one more time before they lined up to get on the buses to depart for Afghanistan. Family members and friends then lined the street to wave to their deploying Guardsmen as they were escorted by the Patriot Riders and the Georgia State Patrol to their mobilization site and then onward to Afghanistan. “I am proud of my husband’s choice to serve and will support him while he is deployed,” said Lauren Hodges, 48th IBCT Family Readiness Group (FRG) leader. “The FRG is so important. No one understands quite what a deployed spouse is going through like another deployed spouse. The FRG also helps connect spouses with government services and non-profit agencies that can help meet their individual needs.” The 48th IBCT spent most of 2013 preparing for their future overseas deployments to Afghanistan. Additionally, the 48th IBCT was the first Army National Guard unit selected to support the Department of Defense’s Regionally Aligned Forces mission and will deploy select units to Central America to advise and train partner nations’ militaries in 2014. The IBCT is made up of more than 3,500 Citizen Soldiers who operate out of 26 hometown armories throughout the state.
9 | The Georgia Guardsman
Photos by Maj. Will Cox| Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard
Professional Development Bookshelf: Reviews of books
By Lt. Col. Tiffany Sneed
that teach us about our craft
G4/J4 Plans, Policy and Operations Branch Chief
he 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, written by Dr. Stephen Covey has sold more than 15 million copies in 38 languages worldwide. It was published in 1989 but even as late as 2011, Time magazine name it one of “The 25 Most Influential Business Management Books�. This self-help business manuscript forces the reader out of his comfort zone into a world of questioned paradigms and synergistic relationships. It uses basic life-truths and principles as foundation and builds on this knowledge taking you to an interdependent destination of maximum effectiveness. In a nutshell, it helps all people including leaders restore the character ethic in their daily transactions and lives. The book begins by setting groundwork for the presentation of each of the 7 habits. Foundational principles, as they are called, are introduced as a way to prime the reader for the sometimes drastic change in thought required in grasping each of the seven habits. For example, Dr. Covey carefully introduces the concept of a paradigm where he continually challenges the reader to be aware that everything that he/she does is based out of their own way of seeing the world. And that each individual has his personal method for doing so. He further believes and asserts that when one is knowledgeable of this fact, he/she will be better able to resolve any interpersonal conflict that may arise. Another principle addressed by the author early on is what is called the P/PC (Production/ Production Capability) balance. This idea essentially relays the message that there can never be longterm effectiveness in any area of life unless a careful balance is struck between what you produce and the resources you employ in the process. After laying out a firm principle base, Dr. Covey then delves into each habit of effectiveness. Habit number 1: Be Proactive, urges individuals to realize that they are not the victim and that they can choose the behavior they wish to display. Covey urges
the readers to begin with the end in mind, the second habit states that you are programmer of your life and must have a vision of where your life is going. The third habit, Put First Things First, simply asserts that once you have written the plan, you should follow that plan and prioritize those most important items in your life by placing them on your schedule first. Habit number 4: Think Win/Win, displaces the scarcity mentality that there is only enough for one and states that with high courage and consideration, two people can win concurrently. Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood; underscores the importance of active listening and the value one gains with another when, as a result, that person feels truly heard. Habit 6: Synergize, stresses the point that one-plus-one does not indeed equal two but something far better and helps us to realize the need to collaborate with others regularly. The final habit aids in bringing the whole book together. Sharpen the Saw is a habit of continuous improvement and encourages us to maintain ourselves in all areas of life—mental, physical, socio-emotional and spiritual. It emphasizes the P/PC principle mentioned earlier and helps to ensure pro-activity in this renewal. The maturity continuum also bridges various concepts in the book specifically each of the habits one to another. This idea argues that all seven habits are an integrated whole, that build on each other and moves the student from dependence to independence to ultimately, interdependence. It suggests then, that true effectiveness has an ordered process on the path to greatness. The 7 Habits is one of the best books ever written and has applicability to daily work here at the Ga. DoD. All that we do is based on and affected by the relationships we keep, whether with ourselves or with others. Personal integrity to our values and stated goals and the requirement for us to collaborate across war-fighting functions, various brigades, functional areas, and military components demands that we create reputations that prove we are leaders who produce. This feat can only be accomplished by being willing to challenge the ineffective paradigms of days gone by and embrace the powerful lessons in personal change, The 7 Habits.
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January 2014 | 10
Hydra soldiers bring support to korean peninsula By Capt. Will Carraway | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Department of Defense
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he mercury hovers at 12 degrees as snow silently falls through the Korean night. A Georgia Guardsman makes tracks through the six-inch snow, her breath steaming in the frigid air. Reaching her duty station, she passes through security and is ushered into a world of frenetic activity. She joins a room of battle-staff members who are busy tracking convoy movement while coordinating air and sustainment assets and plotting fire missions in support of troops-in-contact. It may be 0200 on a frigid December day, but she and nearly 90 Soldiers of the 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade are running 24-hour operations in support of the 2nd Infantry Division, the only permanently forwarddeployed combat division in the U.S. Army.
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Photos by Capt. Will Carraway | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Department of Defense
While Georgia Guardsmen at home were celebrating the 377th birthday of the National Guard, Headquarters Company of the 648th MEB was participating in Warpath III near Seoul, South Korea. Warpath III is an annual combined command-post exercise conducted by the 8th Army, 2nd Infantry Division, and Republic of Korea Army. Designed to enhance readiness and coordination, this year’s exercise involved more than 5,000 Republic of Korea Soldiers and U.S. forces from on and off the Korean Peninsula. Warpath III is the largest exercise conducted on the Korean Peninsula since the armistice of 1953. “We are the crucial link between the point of the spear and the corps during the war fight,” said Col. Scott Carter, commander of the 648th MEB. “In this exercise, we conducted area distribution center operations to support the front line of troops and were prepared to conduct follow-on missions on-order from the 2nd Infantry Division commander.” The 648th MEB was tasked by the 2ID with operating a logistical supply area and providing command and control for seven battalions during the computer simulated exercise. The MEB performed so well at its initial LSA assignment that it was ordered by the commanding general to establish a second LSA even closer to the front line and operate two LSAs simultaneously. Specialist Kwaderrian Rouland, a 20-year-old geospatial engineer from Americus, Ga. was on his first overseas assignment and found himself responsible for manning the engineering station on the night shift. “This has been a great opportunity for me to expand my knowledge of the engineering branch beyond geospatial engineering,” said Rouland who joined the Georgia National Guard right out of high school. “My first overseas assignment and I am helping train with an active-duty Army division.” Sitting next to Rouland was Master Sgt. Kevin Neal, 55, a veteran of active duty and Guard deployments who was serving as the non-commissioned officer in charge of military police operations for the night-shift. “Our job is to anticipate the questions and resource
requirements of lower echelon units,” said Neal, a resident of Covington, Ga. “We are getting a lot of value out of this exercise.” “What we learn here applies in Afghanistan and at home during natural disasters,” said Carter. “This mission will grow our junior leaders. If our (captains) and NCOs are much better than when they got here, then our mission will have been a success.” At the conclusion of the exercise, the Soldiers were afforded the opportunity to visit Seoul and learn about the history of the Korean War during a staff ride for the battle of Chipyong-ni. The Soldiers also traveled to Paju and Observation Post Dora on the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea. From OP Dora the Guardsmen looked down on the snowy fields and darkened buildings of Kaesong, North Korea and later descended 300 meters underground in a tunnel dug by North Korea beneath the DMZ. The North Korean tunnel, one of four to have been discovered traveling beneath the DMZ is large enough to accommodate the movement of 30,000 Soldiers per hour.
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My first overseas assignment and I am helping train with an active-duty Army division.
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The 648th MEB became operational in 2007 and deployed elements to Afghanistan in 2011. The symbol of the 648th MEB is the Hydra, a mythological serpent with three heads. “The three-headed hydra symbolizes the military police, chemical, and engineering capability of the MEB,” said Lt. Col Reginald Neal, deputy commander for the 648th MEB. The Hydra Soldiers who participated in Warpath III represented more than 20 military service specialties. The Soldiers came from more than 60 different Georgia communities representing all regions of the state. “We appreciated the opportunity to be here to assist the 2nd Infantry Division with Warpath III,” said Maj. James Collie, operations officer of the 648th MEB.” “We hope to be able to work with the division again in the future.”
January 2014 | 12
Guardsman keeps fueling the mission
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he days of pulling your car up to the gas pump where you were greeted by a friendly gas station attendant, have become a thing of the past—unless you are an E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Bradley Barreth, Georgia Air National Guard, a fuels specialist working as a dualstatus civil service technician with the 116th Air Control Wing, has been that attendant for the JSTARS aircraft. A fuels specialist is responsible for the operation of equipment used in the storage and transfer of petroleum products for use in Air Force vehicles, aircraft and support equipment on the flight line and throughout the base. Most vehicles can use the base refueling station, but special trucks are used to deliver fuel to the aircraft on the flight line. “Working with fuel is not a career field a lot of people get excited about but what we do is vital to mission success,” said Barreth. During the week, while working as a civil service technician, Barreth is not only responsible for pumping the fuel that keeps the E-8C’s flying but also receiving, storing and accounting for petroleum products used by the wing. When monthly unit training assemblies roll around, Barreth puts on his supervisor-trainer hat and mentors traditional Guardsmen ensuring they receive the hands-on training and experience needed to excel in their jobs. Barreth brings a wealth of experience to his role having
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By Master Sgt. Roger Parsons 116th ACW | Georgia Air National Guard
previously served on active duty in the Air Force and garnering experience from multiple deployments and temporary duty assignments around the world. “Right after earning my 5-skill level in fuels I deployed for operation’s Desert Shield and Desert Storm,” shared Barreth. “I learned how to get the job done in a tense and crazy environment. It was good experience that applies to my current job.” His experience was called upon during Hurricane Katrina when Barreth was deployed to ensure National Guard and active duty helicopters participating in the rescue efforts were continuously fueled and ready for service. “When I got to Gulfport, Miss.it looked like a bomb had gone off,” said Barreth. “Helicopters were flying 24/7 and we had to keep them gassed up because people’s lives were at stake. “Serving during Katrina gave me a real sense of pride. As Guardsmen, we contribute a lot to the federal mission and deploy overseas on a regular basis. It’s nice to be able to make a difference right here at home when domestic emergencies occur.” Making a difference doesn’t stop at the front gate for Barreth. After 9/11, he felt compelled to do more in his community. “After watching the response of the fire fighters during the attacks, I thought about what else I could do in my community,” said Barreth. “I trained to become a volunteer fire fighter and have been serving in my community for the past seven years.” When asked what he enjoys most about being in the Air National Guard, Barreth replied, “I like the people. It’s a family atmosphere where you build lasting relationships.” The 116th Air Control Wing provides joint airborne command and control, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and combat support forces to meet state and national objectives. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Regina Young | 1 1 6 th ACW | Georgia Air National Guard
165th ASOS conducts exercise unit trains with localquarterly law enforcement
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By Staff Sgt. Tracy Smith | Georgia Army National Guard he Georgia Army National Guard’s 190th Military Police Company, located in Kennesaw, Ga. conducted joint riot control and mobile field force training with Kennesaw State University Police Department, as an extension of the National Guard initiative to reinforce relationships within Georgia’s communities. The partnership between KSU and Georgia’s citizen-soldier police forces began in January of this year identifying similarities and learning differences with training focusing on the most basic maneuvers. The training opportunity proved successful, and the organizations committed to routinely training together to give a more substantive approach to public safety when crowd control was needed. Law enforcement officers have long used less-than-lethal methods for crowd dispersement and to detain rioters. Working in concert, the joint law enforcement training force used verbal and hand signals to unify themselves against a crowd of ‘agitators,’ portrayed by the National Guard Soldiers. Once assembled, the force began to chant, “Move back” stepping forward in unison with their left feet toward the crowd, a maneuver designed to send a message that compliance is necessary without being demeaning or harmful to the crowd. “Many of these men and women are from the community and people we know, that we are responsible to,” KSU Uniform Patrol Unit Leader and Marine Corps veteran, Lt. Phillip W. Mings said. “We both use the same basic (crowd control) tactics, and with budget concerns it just makes sense to turn to our neighbor, if the need arises.” Recently, budget concerns have given rise to more ‘out-of-thebox’ thinking in managing responsibilities for public service and safety. The traditional National Guardsman’s duality as Citizen and Photos by Staff Sgt. Tracy Smith | Georgia Army National Guard
Warrior creates a fluid extension of manpower management to proactively respond to this responsibility. Sergeant Christopher J. Hallgrew up in Lilburn, Ga. joining the Lilburn Police Department and subsequently, the Army National Guard. As a squad leader in the 190th Military Police Company, he advocates community involvement because of the Citizen-Soldiers dual role status. “It’s another benefit of this type of ongoing training with community law enforcement like the Kennesaw State University police department,” Hall said. “Many of us work in law enforcement, so we are getting the training to reinforce our capabilities as Guardsmen and taking our Guard training back to our civilian jobs.” The synchronized movements and emphasis on safety gives the situation a realism that both organizations agree will make them a viable force when called upon. “Getting some experience in this scenario and applying that knowledge benefits our communities,” Phillips said. “But when it’s done like this it will prevent more serious injury from happening in the field because we are getting hands-on knowledge that we can apply as public safety professionals.” Sergeant. Michael L. Centola, a New York native who now calls Georgia home, worked as an Atlanta police officer for nearly ten years before finding a home in the KSU criminal investigative unit. Never having served in the military, Centola is comfortable interacting with his Guardsman counterparts. He believes each joint-training exercise aids in creating a solid force. “These are becoming common tactics by keeping everyone on the same sheet of music and familiar with proper procedures,” Centola said.“By training together we reinforce relationships, understand what is needed and can bring the extra muscle when our communities need us.”
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T By Chief Master Sgt. Joseph Greene Senior Enlisted Advisor Georgia Air National Guard
NCO Notepad Words of wisdom from one to another
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he holidays have come to an end and the new year is generally a time most people think about creating a fresh start. There is no time like the present to begin focusing on your career and thoroughly planning your goals to generate a successful year. Although the path to career success is not the easiest, proper planning plays a large role in ensuring the best possible outcomes are reached when striving toward desired future accomplishments. Taking the time to list what your long term goals are in the Georgia National Guard will give you a much better visual of what your short term goals should look like, thus providing an improved sense of direction in what steps should be taken to accomplish the listed goals. Once long term and short term goals have been defined, find a good mentor. A mentor can not only give you more counseling on best possible ways to achieve your goals but, also assist in ensuring you maintain a high level of motivation so your dream does not become one deferred. Make certain that you keep in constant communication with your selected mentor, as having a person hold you accountable is a great way to make sure you remain on the path toward your desired accomplishments. Another important task to integrate during this time is research; a good leader researches making sure to arm themselves with facts and knowledge to aide in mission completion. For example, if your long term goal is to become a command sergeant major, research what it takes to become a command sergeant major. What schools do you need to have? Do your NCOER’s present a positive reflection helping you be seen as a strong competitor for the position you want? Are you passing your physical fitness test or are you attempting to excel? Discover what tasks you will need to complete to get you where you want to be. Most important‌ you have to do. By do, I am referring to being proactive. A person can sit on their sofa and dream all day long about having a successful career, but dreaming without action will show no progress. Make it your mission to volunteer for the difficult missions. Go above and beyond ensure you are academically and physically competitive with the most skilled contenders in your field. Acquire as much training as you possible can and continue to encourage yourselves. It is by implementing these things that you will begin to define your development professionally and have an outstanding year. As you persist in your growth into senior leaders and future leaders, continue to share information with one another. The more reach out to help our peers, the stronger we become as a unit. I look forward to seeing you all thrive this year. The more you all develop, the stronger we become as the Georgia National Guard. Let us make this an awesome new year not only for ourselves but for our families as well.
Remembering the fallen
By Desiree Bamba | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Department of Defense
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ince October 20, 2013, the “Remembering Our Fallen” memorial wall has provided Georgians with an opportunity to honor their fallen service members. The wall has been on display at the National Infantry Museum, Georgia National Guard armories and Georgia Military College. On January 13, 2014, it arrived at the state Capitol. The Georgia “Remembering Our Fallen” memorial wall is the eleventh of its kind in the United States. Each memorial wall is different; people can submit personal mementos, making each wall unique. These mementos come in many forms ranging from short letters to personal effects. Georgia’s memorial displays photographs of uniformed soldiers, red, white and blue ribbons and American flags stretching the length of the walkway inside the James (Sloppy) Floyd Veteran Memorial Building’s plaza. The wall honors nearly 200 of Georgia’s service members from all branches and components of the military lost in action during the War on Terror. The memorial tells the collective story of service and sacrifice through images and through mementos left by family members, friends and fellow service members. For example, the memorial image of Sgt. 1st Class John Photo byAshlie Shrewsbury | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Department of Defense
Beale is adorned with the patch of Beale’s Georgia Guard unit, the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Left by a fellow service member, the patch is a reminder of sacrifices made and service that endures. The memorial wall incorporates images of other fallen Guardsmen as well as members of other service components from Georgia or who were stationed in Georgia. The Georgia National Guard has deployed more than 16,500 Guardsman since 2003 and currently has more than 1,600 Guardsmen mobilized overseas. Thirty-eight Guardsman assigned to Georgia Guard units have been lost in service since that time. The “Remembering Our Fallen” memorial wall will be on display in the James H. (Sloppy) Floyd Veteran Memorial Building at the state Capitol until January 27. Patriotic Productions, the company that created Georgia’s memorial wall, was founded by Bill & Evonne Williams of Omaha, Nebraska. The couple had a desire to honor the United States military and now presents others who wish to do the same with the opportunity to pause and reflect on the sacrifice of Georgia service members. Though not veterans themselves, or children of veterans, the Williams’ four children currently serve in different branches of the U.S. military.
January 2014 | 16
Around the Georgia Guard TWIN RETIREES HELP CELEBRATE NATIONAL GUARD BIRTHDAY Twin brothers John and Al Quante visit Clay National Guard Center for Retiree Day. The brothers, who first saw service with the Navy during WWII and later retired from the Georgia Guard at the rank of master sergeant were the oldest in attendance at the birthday celebration.
COUNTRY OF GEORGIA NATIONAL GUARD COMMANDER VISITS Colonel Levan Gamkrelidze, the Country of Georgia’s National Guard commander visited Clay National Guard Center and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) to discuss the Georgia State Partnership Program.
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FULL MOON BEHIND DAWG 1 The 165th Airlift Wing Ga. Air National Guard capture some amazing moonrise images in Savannah.
CLARK’S CHRISTMAS KIDS 2013 Over 40 Georgia State Defense Force volunteers participate in Capt. Clark Howard’s Christmas Kids Campaign.
January 2014 | 18
Silent Sentinel
M-46 Patton medium tank guards 2nd Infantry Division museum
Public Affairs Office Georgia Department of Defense 1000 Halsey Ave. Bldg. 447 Marietta, Ga. 30060