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Contents ISSUE: November 2014
cover story
w w w. g a g u a r d . c o m
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Features 05| Building Brighter Futures
878th Engineers work with partners in the country of Georgia
11|Training in the Americas
48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team combats crime, drugs in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras
13| new 48th IBCT headquarters Ceremony marks the opening of the new Macon Readiness Center
14| Honoring Veterans
Georgia’s military community gathers to celebrate veterans [Photo taken January 2014]
News 03| Gema Winter Exercise
Preparations heat up as temperatures drop in Georgia
12| 116th ACW Logistics Planners 116th Logistics Flight acts as deployment control center
16| Search and Extraction
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810th Engineer Company maneuvers through state-of-the-art training facility to earn CBRNE certification
columns
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04| Chaplain’s Corner The views of western logic
07| Battle Review
Columbia to Spring Hill: Setting the Stage for the Destruction of an Army
10| Book Review
“True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership” by Bill George
1 | The Georgia Guardsman
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15| NCO Notepad
Coming together for the holidays
17| Around the Guard
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 Sgt. 1st Class Gerard Brown Editorial Staff Managing Editor Sgt. Ashley Sutz Creative Director Desiree Bamba Contributors
Spc. Steven Bennett Sgt. 1st Class Gerard Brown Capt. William Carraway Maj. Will Cox 1st. Sgt. Rachel Dryden 1st. Lt. Sean McCulley Capt. Jon Pirtle Tech. Sgt. Julie Parker Ashlie Shrewsbury Staff Sgt. Tracy J. Smith Command Sgt. Maj. Phillip Stringfield
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Disclaimer
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.
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. November 2014 | 2
winter exercise prepares gema, ga guard
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Story by: Staff Sgt. Tracy J. Smith | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Department of Defense
eather systems like January’s Winter Storm Pax and Leon showed that extreme winter weather is a real possibility in the state of Georgia, and we need to be prepared. This year, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency kicked off the season with a statewide winter weather exercise involving more than 600 local and state agencies including private sector and volunteer organizations. Dubbed ‘WinterEx’ by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, the two-day drill partnered military best practices with those of other first responders to ensure the safety of Georgia’s citizens. “WinterEx 2014 allows GEMA and all of our emergency response partners to understand each other’s roles and ensure a timely, well-coordinated response is executed,” said GEMA Director Charley English. “This gives the State team the opportunity to rehearse many of the improvements made by the Governor’s Winter Weather Task Force.” Command and control was facilitated by agency liaisons embedded at the GEMA state operations center which also improved tracking of weather and environmental changes and synchronized recovery actions. At the core of the preventative measures taken to maintain safe
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roads is the addition of equipment specific to handling snow and ice conditions. Georgia Department of Transportation introduces several new multi-lane snowplows, tankers and roadside sensors that transmit weather updates in real-time. “The sensors allow us to have weather data that helps us to know where resources need to be allocated,” says Ken Davis, GEMA public information officer GEMA also introduced the concept of the ‘Strike Team,’ another empowerment asset for GDOT combining the capabilities of seven agencies including Georgia Forestry, Department of Natural Resources and Department of Defense. “This is a concept that was formed during the unexpected snow storms earlier this year,” Davis added. “The refinement is another preemptive measure for road clearance and (utilities) monitoring procedures. The uncharacteristically severe winter weather of early 2014 is still fresh in the minds of Georgia’s residents. Stranded vehicles, gridlock and power losses compounded response delays. With WinterEx first responders will be better prepared. “When you know what’s coming, that’s another layer of planning so that we are prepared,” said Maj. Bobby Brookshire, current-operations officer for the Georgia National Guard. “With this walk through we will have synchronization in managing public safety.” Photo by Staff Sgt. Tracy J. Smith | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Department of Defense
Chaplain’s corner
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By: Chaplain Capt. Jon Pirtle | Georgia Army National Guard
avi Zacharias tells the story of a lunch meeting he had scheduled with another philosophy professor. Their topic of conversation was logic. Ravi’s guest was a philosophy professor who had taken issue with what he called “Western logic.” He said he did not believe in Western either/or logic, but rather believed in Eastern both/and logic. The day of the luncheon finally arrived. For the first few minutes, the philosophy professor stressed that either/or logic was too limited; it excluded things; it did not allow for the nuances of thought that both/and logic allowed. Apparently disregarding Ravi’s being a native Indian who was raised a Hindu and whose training is also in philosophy and logic, the other professor kept repeating, “You see, your logic is just too limiting; it’s not inclusive. You need to see how our logic is more nuanced.” Finally, Ravi just asked a simple question: “Do you mean that I either have to accept one system or the other, sir?” Did you catch it? Either one or the other, but not both. The other professor capitulated under the weight of just that one question and said, “The either/or does seem to emerge, doesn’t it?” Ravi replied, “Yes. Even in India, before we cross the street, it’s either the car or me, but not both of us!” Here’s the upshot and what it has to do with all of us. Every worldview has to answer basic questions of origins (where life came from), meaning (where meaning in life has its roots), morality (answers the questions of how we should live) and destiny (ultimate issues of what happens after physical death, judgment, afterlife, etc.). Logic is not Western or Eastern. Logic simply is. Truth is that which corresponds to reality. In the military, there is a plurality of
worldviews. How well does each one correspond to reality? The individual chaplains comprising the Chaplain Corps are endorsed by particular faith groups. Each faith group comes with its own overarching worldview. How well each worldview answers those basic questions is a test for its veracity. For example, the worldview I espouse teaches that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, that he was born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, was buried, and three days later, he rose again. He later appeared physically to both men and women at different times, ate with them, was touched by skeptics, and commissioned his followers. But other worldviews claim Jesus was just a prophet, who only appeared to die by crucifixion. It was just a hoax. Logically, several issues arise: 1) both worldviews hold different claims, so at least one of them has to be wrong; 2) if a prophet is one who tells the truth, and Jesus claimed to be God, how can you disallow his claims?; 3) why have skeptics not produced the body of Jesus?; 4) why would Christians knowingly die for something they knew to be false?; 5) why does extra-biblical history attest to the empty tomb of Jesus, and why even did the most powerful army in the world at the time (the Romans) fail in guarding the tomb in Jerusalem? Are we really to believe that Roman soldiers were afraid of being overpowered by poor Jewish disciples? You see how logic comes into everything? Worldviews matter. Logic matters. And your Chaplain Corps can assist in equipping Soldiers, families, and the military family with thinking through these issues with the goal of bringing clarity in a world that increasing is buried in a relativistic fog. In a fog, it’s difficult to see, but when the light of logic and coherence are brought to bear, worldviews must ante up with answers. It’s not both/and; it’s either truth or deceptions. Your Chaplain Corps is here to help.
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SPP Building for brighter futures Story by: 1st Lt. Sean McCulley | 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade | Georgia Army National Guard
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ince 1994, the Georgia National Guard has partnered with the countr y of Georgia’s Ministry of Defense through a collective known as the State Partnership Program. In it’s 20 year history the Georgia-Georgia partnership has brought the two militaries together for more than two-dozen joint training missions. On September 1, 2014 the Augusta-based 878th Engineer Battalion deployed 15 Citizen-Soldiers to the small mountain town of Sachkhere in the country of Georgia. The mission, to renovate local a school to enhance access for physically and mentally disabled students, was the first humanitarian civic assistance mission in the history of the partnership. The small city of Sachkhere (population 5,000) sits nestled in a green valley with a river running through the center of the town and is less than 10 miles from the territory currently held by Russian forces. In many ways Sachkhere is still recovering from the invasion of 2008 when Russian forces bombed and shelled much of the town’s infrastructure and industry. Most of those not evacuated were forced to seek shelter at the Sachkhere Mountain Training
School. The Sachkhere School for the Disabled is a small school serving 24 students aged eight to 32 with physical and mental disabilities. The school does not have its own facility but leases a corner of another elementary school where the amenities were not designed for those with disabilities. The angle of the existing wheelchair ramp, for example, permitted a hazardous entry and exit for students in wheelchairs. The interior doorways of the school were too narrow to allow a wheelchair to pass through without first removing the student and collapsing the chair. The portion of the school leased to the School for the Disabled consisted of only four large rooms with inadequate heat supply in the winter. The 878th Engineers arrived at the Sachkhere Mountain Training School on September 4th where they made contact with local contractors to plan and complete the project. Project manager 2nd Lt. Christopher Blackburn and civil engineer Master Sgt. Richard Vickers ironed out last minute changes to the plans with the contractors and local government officials in preparation for the first day of construction. Construction on the school began on the second day in Sachkhere. In spite of starting a full day behind due to flight delays
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Photos by 1 st Lt. Sean McCulley | 6 4 8 th Maneuver Enancement Brigade| Georgia Army National Guard
and finding several changes to the original plan that ultimately required additional work, the engineers began work and quickly started to make up for lost time. On the first day of construction the 878th cleared rubble and rebar debris from the future ramp site, poured a concrete retaining wall, removed cracked PVC sewage pipes, made preparations for replacement of the removed sewage pipes, new sinks and toilets to be installed and they began laying block for both of the interior walls installation. The local contractors were very skilled and just as passionate about completing the project for the children as the 878th. “Initially the local contractors seemed reluctant to accept our assistance and to work alongside us,” said 1st Lt. Sean McCulley, a member of the 878th team. “But the shared dedication to the benefit of the children and mutual strong work ethic helped to mitigate the language barriers and reluctance.” McCulley called the jovial spirit on the project site infectious, inspiring their embassy driver Mr. Giorgi Namgalauri and Georgian Army Brigade Sergeant Tchabuki Zarnadze to both volunteer their time to assist in the work. After nine days of hard work the combined workforce had laid 40 feet of block wall (9 feet tall), poured five cubic yards of concrete, mixed and poured 38 cubic
yards of concrete and grout, assembled 140 feet of form works, ran 290 feet of electrical conduit and wire, moved 10 cubic yards of debris, moved 15 cubic yards of sand and gravel, and installed 6 new natural gas heaters, 7 doors and 9 windows. On the last work day, Maj. Thompson, the Georgia Army National Guard civilian affairs officer for the country of Georgia, Brig. Gen. Chachibai of the Georgian Army, representatives of the local government, representatives of the school, as well as many of the students and their families met the engineers at the school for a celebration of the completed work as well as the improvements yet to come. All were delighted with the improvements to the accessibility and serviceability of the school and showed their great appreciation in true Georgian style: a feast of freshly bake breads stuffed with cheese and beans, a homemade cake made with bananas and a lightly coffee flavored icing, fresh fruits, chocolates and cold drinks. At the end of the mission, the team returned home with confidence and a renewed belief that the Geogia Army National Guard is capable of doing more than just waging war; on this trip they accomplished an inherently worthwhile mission and made a positive impact on the future of children and a community.
November 2014 | 6
Columbia to Spring Hill: Setting the Stage for the Destruction of an Army
By Capt. William Carraway Public Affairs Office Georgia Department of Defense November 1864
As Sherman’s armies set forth from Atlanta on their March to the Sea, their former adversaries, the 39,000 Confederate Soldiers of the beleaguered Army of Tennessee were in north Alabama preparing to strike into Tennessee. Confederate General John Bell Hood’s battle plan was to march north rapidly and place his army between two Federal armies hoping to destroy them in detail. Federal Maj. Gen. George Thomas commanded 30,000 men in Nashville while in Pulaski, Maj. Gen. John Schofield commanded the 27,000 man Army of the Ohio. While their combined strength nearly doubled Hood’s, the Confederate commander hoped to finish off Schofield before moving on Thomas and capturing the supply depot at Nashville. Hood also hoped that by achieving a victory in Tennessee he could swell his ranks with Southern recruits. This had also been the hopes of Confederate commanders who had taken the war to Maryland and Kentucky only to have those hopes dashed. Hood’s plan depended on striking swiftly into Tennessee while concealing his intentions. But having arrived in Tuscumbia, Ala. November 1, 1864, Hood’s invasion of Tennessee was delayed for weeks as he waited for Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest and his force of 6,000 cavalry to return from raids in central Tennessee. By the time Forrest had arrived it was November 21, 1864. Rain was freezing into sleet as the Army of Tennessee completed its crossing of the Tennessee River. Hood marched north with his army in three corps-level columns. His objective was Columbia and its vital bridge crossing of the Duck River. If he could seize Columbia he could trap Schofield, then 30 miles south of Columbia, on the south side of the Duck River and prevent him from linking up with Thomas in Nashville. 7 | The Georgia Guardsman
Map courtesy of Hal Jeperson.
Where Hood had lost time he gained the element of surprise as Forrest’s veteran cavalrymen screened ahead of the advancing army preventing the Federals from discerning Hood’s intent. Thus, the Confederates had marched within 20 miles of Pulaski before detection. Upon learning of Hood’s proximity, Schofield ordered an immediate retreat to Columbia. The retreating Federal columns were constantly attacked by Forrest’s cavalrymen whose lightning raids struck supply wagons and disrupted the Federal march. Federal cavalry commander Brig. Gen. James Wilson attempted to contest Forrest’s raids, but his men were outnumbered and inexperienced. Nevertheless, the bulk of Schofield’s five divisions organized into two corps reached C olumbia November 24, 1864 and began fortifying. Federal Soldiers entrenching south of Columbia faced three Confederate corps. Worse, the Federals had the Duck River to their back. Perceiving the danger, Schofield evacuated to the north destroying the bridges to prevent Confederate pursuit. Snow was falling in the
air November 27 as Schofield consolidated his army on the north bank of the river and pondered his next course of action. The next day, Forrest’s cavalr ymen forded the river, drove back Federal cavalry and secured the north bank for Confederate engineers to lay pontoon bridges. Leaving the corps of Stephen D. Lee – The Confederacy’s youngest lieutenant general in Columbia to hold Schofield in position, while Hood sent his remaining two corps under Maj. Gen. Benjamin Cheatham and Lt. Gen. A. P. Stewart on a flanking march across the bridges. It was early morning of November 29 before Schofield realized the danger. Despite warnings from Wilson, he had not acted on intelligence that Confederates were landing on the north bank. The effective demonstrations by Lee’s Corps which included two brigades of Georgia Infantry and a battery of artillery convinced Schofield that the main body of the Confederate Army was still facing him across the river. Now he dispatched two
of his divisions north on the Columbia Turnpike to Spring Hill along with his supply train. The Confederates cavalry arrived in Spring Hill first and scattered the few Federal cavalry present. Nonetheless, the lead Federal division was able to deploy infantry and artillery in sufficient force to check Forrest’s advance and secure the ground. The 5,000 Federals began desperately to improve their positions in hopes that the rest of Schofield’s troops could reinforce them before the arrival of the Confederate infantry. By late afternoon, the leading infantry elements of Cheatham’s Corps arrived at Spring Hill. In the vanguard of the march was the vaunted division of Irish-born Maj. Gen. Patrick Cleburne who had twice received the thanks of the Confederate Congress for gallantry on the field. Cleburne’s troops were easily recognized from a distance for their distinctive battle flags which depicted a white moon on a solid blue field. With a two-to-one numerical superiority,
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the Confederates appeared to hold the upper hand. But Cleburne’s attacking brigades were exposed to murderous flanking fire compelling them to withdraw. As daylight faded into twilight, Cheatham’s other divisions under Maj. Gen. William Bate and John C. Brown with ten Georgia regiments deployed on line but were unable to locate the Federal line. Darkness fell over the battlefield before additional Confederate assets could be funneled into the fight. Nevertheless, Hood was confident that Schofield’s route of retreat was blocked and that he could be annihilated the next day. Fortunately for Schofield, The Confederate lines paralleled but did not cross the turnpike. Incredibly, that night, Schofield’s entire army was able to pass within campfire-light’s distance of the encamped Confederate forces and slip away. It was perhaps the greatest escape of the war. On the morning of November 30, 1864, after a forced night march of 12 miles, Schofield’s exhausted Soldiers reached Franklin. The Federal commander
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did not like what he saw. Franklin occupied a horseshoe bend in the Harpeth River. Although strong defensive works from an 1863 engagement were available for him to fortify, once again, Schofield would face the Confederates with a river to his back. Two damaged bridges required repair before they could permit wagon traffic and Schofield was uncertain whether his engineers could complete the repairs before Hood arrived with six infantry divisions. Schofield was able to ford a portion of his artillery across the river where he established them in a redoubt known as Fort Granger. Meanwhile, Schofield’s infantry worked diligently to improve the year-old defenses, digging two lines of entrenchments capped off with head logs. The center of these defensive line was bisected by the Columbia Turnpike, the road leading directly from Spring Hill to Franklin. As Federal wagons and troops poured into Franklin along the pike, three Confederate corps were converging on their position. The ensuing Battle of Franklin would be the five bloodiest hours of the War.
Professional Development
reviews of books that teach us about our craft By: Sgt. 1st Class Gerard Brown | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Department of Defense Tr u e N o r t h : “Discover your authentic leadership” is a book written by Bill George. The author of this book takes a different ap p r o a c h w h e n i t comes to leadership models that are commonly referenced in other books that focus on leadership. Mr. George suggests when managing large organizations, there is no set path to leadership or any defined template to use
for a leadership model. “There is no such thing as a instant leader,” said Bill George. The books central theme gravitates around defining an authentic leader as a leader that has the ability to use his or her own experiences with both challenges and success and use them to benefit the organization as a whole. The author suggests that by leaders overcoming challenges throughout their lives as well as careers, they are able to transfer those experiences into the areas of purpose, practice of core values, passion, committed relationships and self-discipline which in the end, assists the organization as whole. The current Harvard Business School professor and former Medtronic CEO conducted interviews with 125 managers from varying companies which range from Palm co-founder Donna Dubinsky to Daniel Vasella, CEO of Novartis. From these interviews, the author shows how these managers were knocked off their standard career paths through personal tragedies, regrets and failures yet still succeeded through finding their authentic leadership.
Mr. George breaks down True North in three distinct sections. The first section is focused on anecdotes from CEO’s who describe how they achieved their level of success while others discussed how they lost their way. The author writes how Kevin Sharer, chairman of Amgen learned patience and humility after he realized that leaving General Electric for MCI was a mistake and how Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric would not allow him to come back. In the second portion of the book, Mr. George breaks down the five components that leaders use in developing their authentic leadership. The five components consist of purpose, practicing solid values, heart, relationships and selfdiscipline. This section touches on authentic leaders being self-aware and knowing their authentic self ’s. The third section of the b o ok fo cuses on the empowerment of the people that are in your circle of influence. This section goes into areas where mangers had to motivate their subordinates during extremely dire times. In this book, Mr. George focuses more on managers embodying their authentic form and style of leadership compared to becoming the perceived organizations ideal leader. This book can be beneficial to members of the Georgia National Guard through exercises that are at the end of each chapter assisting them as leaders by evaluating their priorities and practices, but also through understanding how to achieve their authentic leadership style. “Any of us can figure out ways to drive a business for two years and make a boatload of money and move on. That’s not leadership. That’s playing a game. Leadership is leaving something lasting, whether it is how you treat your people or how you deal with a problem.” said Bill George.
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There is no such thing as an instant leader
November 2014 | 10
Making a difference in the americas
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Story by: Maj. Will Cox | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard
he Georgia Army National Guard deployed Soldiers to Central America for the first nine months of 2014 to build regional partners’ military capacity in order to enhance the host nations’ capability to combat transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and drug trafficking organizations (DTOs). Regional partner military forces were trained on best practices concerning border control operations, command post operations, intelligence support operations and brigade sustainment operations. “The Georgia National Guard’s 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) is well-suited to promote partnership between U.S. Southern Command, Army South, and the government of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras,” said then Lt. Col. Matt Smith, 48th IBCT deputy commander. “We believe Guard Soldiers are uniquely qualified to partner with other nations due to the extensive civilian skill sets and experiences they bring to the process in addition to their military training.” The Georgia’s 48th IBCT was the first National Guard IBCT to execute missions under the regionally aligned forces program in an effort to forge strong regional partnerships across the Americas. The training was so successful in Guatemala that the governments of Guatemala and the United States funded an additional 75 days for the Georgia National Guard lead Task Force (TF) Warrior to better train the Guatemalan Inter-Agency Task Force (GIATF) composed of both Guatemalan police and military servicemen designed specifically to combat drug trafficking organizations operating inside of Guatemala. “TF Warrior is not only training the GIATF in vehicle and personnel search techniques, but we are training them also in crime scene investigation and evidence processing procedures,” said Lt. Col. Anthony Fournier, 2-121 Infantry Regiment’s battalion commander and TF Warrior commander. “TF Warrior is not just composed of the National Guard, it also includes the men and women of the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and local Guatemalan agencies to help provide the best training possible.” Regionally aligned forces are prepared to support combatant
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commands like SOUTHCOM with mission-ready forces and capabilities. Regionally aligned forces also receive cultural, regional and language focused training. Forces can be drawn from the Army, Army National Guard, Army Reserve and Department of the Army civilians, in order to operate within the current Army budget. “We were there to train the Honduran Military on combat life saving techniques; the 13 basic combative maneuvers (in case someone resists arrest); and conduct weapons training from the four basics of marksmanship (breathing, body position, site picture and trigger control) all the way through a live-fire shoot-house event,” said Capt. Jacob Stimson, company commander for Alpha Company, 1-121 IN. To accomplish the RAF missions, Georgia Guardsmen were chosen with local law enforcement experience in addition to their military training to best train our regional partners’ military forces to combat DTOs and TCOs. Bravo Company, 2-121 Infantry Regiment, headquartered out of Newnan, Ga., was one of the units that went to Guatemala. “As an employee of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (in Glynco, Ga.), I get to conduct advanced training for agencies such as the U.S. Marshals, Secret Service and Customs and Border Protection,” said 1st Sgt. Timothy Sperry, senior enlisted advisor to Bravo Company, 2-121 Infantry Regiment and TF Warrior Sgt. Maj. “My 26 years of military experience, combined with 16 years of law enforcement experience as a police officer and defensive tactics and arrest techniques instructor, gives me a breadth of experience to pull from and relate to both the military members and police agents.” Georgia National Guard members represent the nation’s demographics and are the face of the military in their local community. Eighty five percent of the National Guard serves part time in the military while working and living full time in almost every community around the state. “Our partner nations gain from our Guardsmen’s military and civilian experiences, while our Guardsmen sustain their expeditionary mindset and broaden their professional experiences,” said Smith.
Photo by: 4 8 th Infantry Brigade Combat Team | Georgia Army National Guard
116th ACW Logistics Planners
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By: Tech. Sgt. Julie Parker | 116th ACW | Georgia Air National Guard
ave you ever wondered how military units deploy aircraft, equipment and thousands of people each year, many times on short-notice? Anyone who has ever deployed knows there is an incredible amount of planning that goes into military operations. That is especially true for the members of 116th Logistics Readiness Squadron Deployment Distribution Flight who are responsible for implementing plans to move people, cargo and military assets downrange. Short notice or otherwise, the 116th Deployment Distribution Flight plans, processes, and deploys resources 100 percent on time, every time. The Airmen who comprise the flight are a mixture of Georgia Air National Guard and active-duty members, who in 2014 alone processed more than 1,300 Airmen and Soldiers who deployed to forward operating locations around the world - and with zero discrepancies. According to Capt. Christopher Swann, the officer in charge of the 116th Air Control Wing deployment section, they are responsible for ensuring the right people and gear make it to the right place at the right time. “During deployment operations, the flight becomes a deployment control center where the logistics planners are responsible for delegating and monitoring the execution of all things deployment related,” said Swann. “And there is very little room for error.” According to Swann, missing a deadline could mean missing an airlift. “We ensure the left hand talks to the right and no one
Photo by Tech. Sgt. Julie Parker | 1 1 6 th ACW | Georgia Air National Guard
gets left out,” said Master Sgt. Darrin Srader, a logistics planner with the 461st Air Control Wing, the 116th’s Active Associate unit. Logistics planners implement first-hand knowledge of aerospace expeditionary force requirements, current contingency operations, installation deployment readiness and local deployment exercises. “The job is rewarding and challenging at the same time,” said Tech. Sgt. Adam Adair, who has been a fulltime Guard member with the 116th ACW since August 2008. Adair also added, “Anyone thinking of becoming a logistics planner must be proficient at multi-tasking, have excellent communication skills, and have the ability to learn and adjust quickly to ever-changing processes.” “It’s their job to think outside the box,” added Swann. “Whether the task is deploying a pallet of equipment, a team of people, or a squadron of aircraft, the planners figure out how to get it there with as little airlift support as possible, as soon as possible.” When Airmen and Soldiers return home from deployment, the planners switch gears to the reintegration phase of their job, ensuring all members have the necessary resources for a successful transition. According to Swann, each deployment presents a different set of challenges, and one of the keys to successful logistics planning is the ability to adapt and overcome. “At the end of the day, it’s about getting things done quickly and efficiently,” said Adair.
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new Macon readiness center Story by: Staff Sgt. Tracy J. Smith | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Department of Defense
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he ribbon cutting for the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team’s state of the art readiness center harkened back to days of grandstands and small town celebrations. Speeches and bands officially welcomed home the 48th IBCT and celebrated the new $17 million federally funded headquarters building that reaffirms the brigade’s status as a force-multiplier on an international scale. Looking back on the past twelve months, the 48th IBCT has committed its Citizen-Soldiers to ten countries engaging in critical training and exercise missions that, according to the 48th Brigade commanding officer, Col. Randall V. Simmons, has been “essential to our nation’s security interest.” The cluster of buildings which the 48th IBCT occupied had previously served as home to the Macon School for the Blind, Georgia Military Institute and the Georgia Regional Training Institute. The new headquarters building is phase one of construction with additional expansion for the 48th’s modernization efforts complementing the Macon Readiness Center and incorporating a new drill hall as well as supply stores. Brigadier General Jim Blackburn, deputy commander of the 3rd Infantry Division was present to not only congratulate the brigade on the new readiness and operations center, but to speak first-hand of the professionalism of the 48th IBCT’s Task Force Volunteer, having served as deputy commander of the International Joint Assistance Force Joint Command during the 48th IBCT’s 2014 deployment. Expounding on the brigade’s adaptability, he lauded their deftness in relating to the needs of the Afghans while empowering their security forces to manage guarding their own. “War is a human endeavor (and) the most gruesome team
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sport known to mankind,” Blackburn said. “(Task Force Volunteer) served in the heart of Kabul for the hearts of Kabul in a way that, uniquely, only they could provide.” Macon-Bibb County Mayor Robert Reichert, himself a veteran of Vietnam, cited the significant role the 48th has played in the central Georgia community and noted, on the eve of Veterans Day, the global community is obliged to show thanks to their homegrown volunteer warriors. “Whether we agree or disagree with the war itself, we must always remember to thank and express appreciation to our warriors,” Reichert said. “What we see here is more than bricks and mortar, (The readiness center) allows you to better train for the times you are called upon and better able to serve our community in times of peace.” Simmons described the new headquarters building as representative of all the 48th IBCT strives to emulate as a center for excellence in combat readiness. “This is why we will propose, through the Georgia General Assembly, to rename the headquarters building in memory of Major Kevin Jenrette,” he announced before the receptive crowd. Killed during a small arms conflict in Afghanistan’s Kapisa Province, Jenrette has been described as one of the most dynamic leaders to ever wear the 48th IBCT patch, and his professionalism and tenacity were reflected in those who served with him. “These grounds will always be known as Volunteer headquarters and home to the Macon Volunteers,” Simmons concluded. “But our desire to call this the Major Kevin M. Jenrette Readiness Center will reflect the nearly two-centuries-old history of our brigade, and clearly illustrate our modern capabilities in future missions.” Photo by: Staff Sgt. Tracy J. Smith | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Department of Defense
The georgia National Guard honors veterans day Story by: Maj. Will Cox | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard
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eterans day is observed around the world and is known as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day, and to mention a few. It once was a celebration of, “the war to end all wars” World War One. Now it marks a day when nations around the world pause in silence at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month with solemn pride in the remembrance of the heroism of those who have served, those who are currently serving, and those who died in our country’s service. The nation does not pause each year as a celebration of victory; but rather, as a celebration of the men and women who made victory possible. It’s a day during which the nation remembers the brave men and women of all the generations who swore to uphold the ideals set forth in our constitution. Thank you veterans for serving. Thank you for taking time away from your family, your career, and your community to protect the freedoms of the United States of America.
Photos by: Desiree Bamba, Maj. Will Cox and Staff Sgt. Tracy J. Smith | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Department of Defense
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T Command Sgt. Maj. Phillip Stringfield State Command Sergeant MajorGeorgia Department of Defense
NCO Notepad Words of wisdom from one to another
15 | The Georgia Guardsman
he holidays tend be the most exciting times of the year for most people. Many citizens plan all year around to ensure they create a wonderful and memorable ambiance for their loved ones. Planning holiday parties… hiding gifts… and feasting like there will never be another military physical fitness test in life, are just a few of the indulgences I’m sure most of us enjoy. Between the shopping, cooking, and numerous events it is easy to lose ourselves in the festivities. Being a Soldier who has deployed several times, I too have shared the hardship of what it’s like to be away from loved ones during the holidays. On many deployments, I can recall several nights when I wished I could sit by the fireplace holding my wife while watching our grandchildren tear the wrapping paper off gifts they have begged for all year. I reference this moment to convey this message to you all… enjoy spending time with your loved ones. Too often I have witnessed Soldiers who devote themselves to their duties, the mission, and every Soldier within their ranks; while their families continuously suffer from neglect caused by their absences. Please do not misunderstand; duty, mission, and Soldiers are extremely important to the success of this organization. Conversely, so are the loved ones who provide us with unconditional support. Let us make time to show our families and friends just how much we appreciate their sacrifice. Let us not forget that we would not be the leaders and warriors we are without the support and care of those who surround us daily. Not only do our families and friends deserve our time and undivided attention but so do the service members whose loved ones [for whatever the reason] cannot actively be a part of their lives. Over the course of 2014 we as the Georgia Army National Guard have experienced quite a few traumatic losses due to suicide. Sadly, the reasons behind many of the unfortunate passings remain a mystery. It is my personal belief that if we continue to show our fellow brothers and sisters in arms they are not alone in this world; we may be able to prevent similar incident from occurring in the future. What better time to display such an important message than during the holiday season? There is no greater sacrifice, than that of a member serving in the military. We sign up to protect those we love and treasure voluntarily. In this uniform we experience triumph and we also experience loss. Time passes faster than we realize and loss happens much quicker than we expect. Every moment of life is one to be cherished for we are not promised tomorrow. So take this holiday season to be with those who matter most to you. Rest, relax, and celebrate all the effort each and every one of you has put into making this organization great. Most importantly, stay safe and have joyous holiday.
810th Engineers: Three days of disaster Story by Spc. Steven Bennett | 124th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment | Georgia Army National Guard
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uardsmen from the Swainsboro-based 810th Engineer Company participated in a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive search and extraction training program at the Guardian Centers located in Perry, Georgia. According to the Guardian Centers’ website, the facility is America’s premier 830-acre disaster preparedness and tactical training validation center. Guardian Centers modern cityscape enables realistic, largescale disaster response and kinetic operations training. “The facility is amazing,“ said Capt. Daryl T. Oehrlein, commander, 810th Engineer Company. “It’s realistic training and it’s not something you can do at home station.” Teams from the 810th practiced rope techniques, metering and monitoring, entry shoring and breaching, heavy lifting and
Photos by: 1 st Sgt. Rachel Dryden | 1 2 4 th MPAD | Georgia Army National Guard
technical search methods. “Everyone’s favorite part has been the ropes,” said Staff Sgt. Gary L. Johnson, Jr., a combat engineer and squad leader for the unit. “The climbing and rappelling was great, but everything else is equally as exciting as it’s something new, something we haven’t done before.” The three-day training was a gambit of tasks and missions set in realistic environments with collapsed structures, highways and tunnels. Soldiers faced 10 to 12-hour training days, in the classroom and in the field. “The instruction that we got is definitely going to better prepare us for our stateside mission to respond under hazardous material conditions or to a natural disaster,” said Oehrlein. The 810th received CBRNE s earch and extrac tion familiarization in support of the Region 4 Homeland Response Force’s continued mission to provide exceptional training and maintain readiness for future CBRNE incidents.
August 2013 | 16
Around the Georgia Guard BEST WARRIOR COMPETITION Sergeant Javas Hall, a military police officer assigned to the 1177th Transportationl Company, 201st Regional Support Group, is congratulated for his strong effort as he finishes a rain drenched six mile road march the final event of the unit’s “Best Warrior” competition.
UGA Honors Purple Heart Recipients During the game against Charleston Southern, the University of Georgia held their annual Military Appreciation Day. Members of the U.S. military that have earned a Purple Heart lined up on the field and were recognized for their bravery during the halftime performance.
17 | The Georgia Guardsman
New containerized kitchens Timothy Barber, a 22-year Army Veteran , works with Sgt. 1st Class Wilfred Martin, to startup the expandable containerized kitchen. he ‘CK’ replaces the Mobile Kitchen Trailer and is fully self-sustaining with upgrading to include running water, refrigeration, blackout lighting and enclosed serving lines.
WARRIOR SOFTBALL CLASSIC Baseball All-Star pitcher, John Rocker, and other storied Braves alumni including Kevin Millwood, Johnny Estrada and Otis Nixon stepped up to the plate for a pick-up game against the Military All-Stars to raise awareness of Veteran homelessness at the Gwinnett Braves’ Coolray Field.
September 2013 | 18
Paying Tribute to our Veterans Brig. Gen. John King salutes retired Air Force Col. Paul Koshewa
Public Affairs Office Georgia Department of Defense 1000 Halsey Ave. Bldg. 447 Marietta, Ga. 30060