November 2015

Exercise Didgori Building a strong state partnership

P l u s : 2 0 1 s t R S G B e s t Wa r r i o r | Tr a n s f e r o f Au t h o r i t y | F o r c e S t r u c t u r e C h a n g e s

Contents ISSUE: November 2015

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13| Exercise Didgori

Features

05| Cyber Systems Operator

This month’s story features an Airman mastering deployable cyber capabilities.

03

08|Any given weekend

News

15|Force Structure Changes

03| 201st Rsg best warrior

17| Veterans Day

09| Transfer of Authority

The Georgia National Guard and drill weekend.

Brigadier General Carden answeres questions about force structure changes.

Honoring our Georgia Guard veterans.

Front Cover

Georgia Guardsmen conduct exercise with Country of Georgia’s military forces.

The 201st Regional Support Group conducts Best Warrior competition.

The Georgia National Guard continues transfer of authority ceremonies as the 560th BFSB converts to a detachment.

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columns

06| Chaplains Corner A Purpose of Blessings.

07| NCO Notepad The New STEP Policy.

12| Book Review “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho.

19| Blast from the Past

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1 | The Georgia Guardsman

09

Georgia Guard Force Structure Changes.

21| Around the Guard

Georgia National Guard Commander-in-Chief Gov. Nathan Deal Adjutant General Brig. Gen. Joe Jarrard State Public Affairs Director Lt. Col. Thomas Lesnieski State Public Affairs Officer Capt. William Carraway Operations NCO Master Sgt. Gerard Brown Editorial Staff Managing Editor Desiree Bamba Contributors 1st. Lt. Jeffrey Bezore Master Sgt. Gerard Brown Capt. William Carraway Staff Sgt. Mike Perry Chaplain Capt. Jon Pirtle Sgt. Shye Stallings Sgt. Nicole Steib

Command Sgt. Maj. Philip Stringfield

Contributing DOD Organizations 124th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, 116th Air Control Wing Public Affairs Office, Army National Guard Unit Public Affairs Representatives, Air National Guard Wing Public Affairs Representatives, Georgia State Defense Force Public Affairs.

Georgia National Guard Channels

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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.

November 2015 | 2

W

hat does it take to be named the 201st Regional Support Group’s best warrior? Three days of mentally and physically demanding events, while competing against the best of the best in the subordinate command.

The 201st RSG b egan t he competition on Nov. 21, 2015 with nine Soldiers. On Nov. 22, 2015 only four remained. Heart, dedication and motivation is what every Soldier striving to be named the top non-commissioned officer and top Soldier of the best warrior competition needs to have.

In the end, Staff Sgt. John Willis from Headquarters Detachment, 201st RSGand Spc. Cody Paul from the 810th Engineer Company were given the honor of being named the best warrior NCO and Soldier of the year. Both Soldiers will represent their command in the state’s best warrior competition Feb. 29 through Mar. 5, 2016 at Fort Stewart.

Staff Sgt. Richardo Blount from the 810th En. Co. and Spc. Sean Masters from the 190th Military Police were the two runners up and were named the alternates for the state competition.

“It was an honest and good competition,” remarked Staff Sgt. Javas Hall who competed in last year’s competition. “Even though we had Soldiers drop out, it didn’t affect the motivation or will to win in the others.”

The first day of the competition was by far the most mentally tough portion of the competition.

The first event to kick off the competition was the Army Physical Fitness Test. Following lunch, the Soldiers completed the written land navigation exam and the essay portion.

3 | The Georgia Guardsman

The second day brought the physically demanding events of the competition. Soldiers competed the 9mm pistol and M4 carbine rifle marksmanship qualification range, the obstacle course and a timed land navigation course.

Prone supported, unsupported and kneeling are the standard marksmanship positions required to qualify on the M4 carbine rifle.

Prone unsupported, kneeling, and standing are the standard marksmanship position required to qualify on the 9mm pistol.

The obstacle course event: not only is it timed but it is grueling.

You could hear the exhaustion of the Soldiers as they completed each obstacle. At their side was Sgt. Major Moore and Capt. Jonathan Mallet, the officer and noncommissioned officer in charge of the obstacle course event.

On day three, the competitors had an early wakeup call to complete a timed nine-mile road march wearing a weighted rucksack. Only one more event was left for the competition.

The board, which is arguably the most nerve racking event in the competition consisted of several questions ranging from The Army Values to Army regulations. The Soldiers also had their Army service uniforms inspected as they entered the board room.

Staff Sgt. Willis and Spc. Paul as well as the two alternates will continue to prepare with help from their leadership for the next step in becoming the 2016 Georgia Best Warrior.

“They must continue to study and better their physical fitness,” said Staff Sgt. Hall. “I expect all of our Soldiers to do great.”

201st Regional Support Group Best Warrior

Story By: Sgt. Shye Stallings | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

Photos by: Sgt. Shye Stallings | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Department of Defense

November 2015 | 4

Cyber Systems Operator Story By: 1st Lt. Jeffrey Bezore | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Air National Guard

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h e m i s s i o n o f t h e 2 8 3 r d C o m b at Communication Squadron, located at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, is a mission to provide deployable cyber capabilities supporting joint forces and the state missions as directed by the Adjutant General, and to provide personnel and equipment to protect life and property, preserve the peace, order and safety of the general public.

The Airmen of the 283rd are some of the most highly trained technicians in their field. The unit possesses stateof-the art communications equipment. Its multi-skilled Airmen who are functional communications experts with the ability to facilitate rapid deployment of scalable information systems supporting Command and Control (C2), Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Information Operations (IO).

This highly-skilled mission set requires equally skilled operators to successfully accomplish the mission. The Airmen of the 283rd pride themselves on their outstanding achievements and accomplishments.

Senior Airman Kory Cooper, a cyber systems operator with the 283rd, he is very proud of his squadron’s record.

Cooper decided to pursue a career as a Cyber Systems Operator in April of 2013 when he entered the Georgia Air National Guard. This particular career field offers him the ability to work in several areas.

“Because of the type of unit we are, we pretty much do everything,” said Co0per. “I don’t just manage the servers; I can do anything from programing switches, to working with

5 | The Georgia Guardsman

the firewall, to deploying Motorola radios. I get to see the full spectrum of what is going on.”

Senior Airman Cooper’s path to become a cyber systems operator began with three months in the 116th Air Control Wing’s student flight prior to attending his Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

Three days after his graduation from BMT, Cooper attended his initial skills training course at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. The course ended up lasting a little over five months in total with a couple of holiday breaks.

“The first couple of weeks we had IT fundamentals,” said Cooper. “I then went to a security plus class to get a civilian certification.”

The civilian certification qualifies Cooper to perform the same duties in the civilian sector.

Cooper then completed several follow on training courses culminating in a 283rd specific course in Savannah that lasted one month, where he was tasked with building a server from scratch.

Senior Airman Cooper’s day to day tasks can range from updating servers to a complete rebuild of servers. The state mission requires Cooper to manage the Joint Incident Site Communications Capability (JISCC) daily.

Cooper knows his role is important in the overall federal and state missions of the 283rd.

“Combat communications are designed to go out and help stand up a base, and we provide that initial communications element that actually will allow an airfield to thrive.”

Cooper continues to hone his craft and is reminded every day how important his role is when he performs his duties.

Photo by: 1 st Lt. Jeffrey Bezore | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Air National Guard

the Chaplain’s Corner

By: Chaplain Capt. Jon Pirtle | Georgia Army National Guard

H

ave you ever sneezed and heard someone nearby say, “Bless you,” or “God bless you”? Isn’t that an interesting phrase? We often solicit blessings. But what does that reveal? Doesn’t this idea of blessing summon a deeper issue—namely, that we long to encourage other people in the form of blessing them?

Psalm 67 begins, “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations” (Ps 67:1-2 ESV).

Historically, Psalm 67 is a petition to God on behalf of Israel. The imagery is of a person or community petitioning God to turn his face towards their nation. Having God’s face shine towards them is a sign of favor; it’s a sign of blessing them. But do we notice why the poet asks for God’s blessings? It is so that God’s way “may be known on earth” (v.2a). In other words, it is proper to petition God for his blessings, but it is not only that we may receive them in private. Blessings are to be received with the understanding that we will pay them forward. Properly understood, we are blessed in order that we may bless others.

A few months ago, one of our Georgia Guardsmen retired from his military career. He’d been in the Marine Corps, active duty Army, and in the GaARNG. For the last ten or fifteen years of his career, he’d served as a Chaplain Assistant (CA). Many of us in the Chaplain Corps (Chaplains and CAs) gathered in the

drill hall to celebrate Sgt. 1st Class Franklin’s retirement. We had all the normal farewell ceremonies: snacks, photos, handshakes and embraces, etc. Many Soldiers lined up behind the lectern to tell stories of how Sgt. 1st Class Franklin had blessed them. Many Chaplains spoke of how Sgt. 1st Class Franklin’s gentle spirit and servant’s heart were manifested through his many acts of kindness and time. Chaplain Assistants spoke of how Sgt. 1st Class Franklin had blessed them by mentoring them, very often at the expense of his own time. A clear pattern emerged: Sgt. 1st Class Franklin had been blessed by God, but he (Sgt. 1st Class Franklin) in turn blessed many others. He served as a conduit of blessings.

Finally it came time for Sgt. 1st Class Franklin to speak.

True to his nature he kept his comments short. He walked up to the microphone and said, “Thank you all for coming today. I’m especially grateful to my family, but most of all to God. I’ve always wanted God’s favor [blessings] on my life. In order to ask for God’s blessings, I’ve aimed to please God first. Thank you all for allowing me to be part of God’s plan.” Then he stepped away from the lectern, away from the microphone. That was it. But he said so much.

Scores of us lined up afterwards to shake his hand, to embrace him, to wish him blessings in his future endeavors. And we all had similar stories: he had blessed us by way of his life and ministry. We all long for blessings. We understand that intuitively.

What is much harder to inculcate and live out, however, is to bless others. It is right and proper to petition for God’s blessings, but may we understand another purpose of doing so: to enable us to bless others.

November 2015 | 6

Command Sgt. Maj. Phillip Stringfield State Command Sergeant MajorGeorgia Department of Defense

NCO Notepad Words of wisdom from one to another

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ne of the greatest accomplishments of being a service member, is the opportunity of b e c o m i n g a l e a d e r.

We become leaders by gradually accepting and carrying out more and more responsibilities.

Our superiors gain trust and confidence in us when we prove that we are capable of leading, thus comes promotions to greater ranks. We all know, that in order to be promoted, there are certain tasks that must be accomplished before we are eligible. With that being said, we have to make ourselves aware of policy changes in order to stay on track for the career paths that we have created for ourselves. The Georgia Army National Guard is implementing a new policy, effective March 1, 2016, called STEP. STEP stands for “select, train, educate, and promote”. My interpretation of the STEP policy is that we should be physically fit, educated, and responsible, in order to be selected for promotion.

Physical Fitness should be a service member’s number one priority. Not only do we have to be ready mentally, being ready physically is 50 percent of our job. The lack of physical training, causes a lack of promotion eligibility. I encourage all service members to take a little time out of your day to work on your physical fitness. The “select” in the STEP policy basically means that the first way of being selected for promotion, is being physically ready.

The promotion world is extremely competitive. You cannot be promoted without the appropriate primary military education course. For example, if you are an E-5 looking to be promoted to an E-6, you must have completed Basic Leader Course, formally known as Warrior Leader Course. Soldiers who are an E-6 looking to be promoted to E-7, must have Advance Leader Course completed. The cycle continues as you move forward. Stay informed. Be aware of what it is that you need in order to progress. The Georgia National Guard has tuition assistance programs and the Montgomery G.I. Bill was put in place for you to use. If you are not sure of how to go about applying for these programs, ask your chain of command. I want to see every last one of my service members, receive every benefit they can, from this organization. The more educated you are, both military and civilian, the greater your chances for promotion will be.

The “educate” in the STEP policy, means just that.

Lastly, be responsible. Hold yourself accountable for the things that you should be doing to prepare yourself for promotion. Check your iPerms periodically so that you can see where you stand. Know that, in order to be promoted, there are mandatory online courses that you must complete.

Before you can be slotted for schools, you must complete the appropriate self-structured development modules. As soon as you are promoted, start checking off things on your new to-do list to prepare for your next promotion. Do not let your lack of time in grade, detour you from completing you primary military education courses. The “promote” in the STEP policy, is the final stage in the process. Promotions are granted to those individuals who are physically fit, educated, and responsible. If you keep that in mind, I can guarantee that you will be successful.

Any Given Weekend

Story by: Capt. William Carraway | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

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ny given weekend, Georgia Guardsman are conducting training, supporting overseas contingency missions or responding to overseas training deployment requests. November was a notable example. Spanning the weekend of November 13-15, 2015, Georgia Guardsmen were training across Georgia, and across the globe.

Fort Stewart The staccato sounds of small arms fire echoed over ranges of Fort Stewart as Infantrymen of the 2nd Battalion 121st Infantry conducted small-arms weapons qualifications. In addition to the 2-121, the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team was represented by the 148th Brigade Support Battalion, also conducting weapons qualification and supplying the sustainment requirements for range operations. Guardsmen fired M4 carbines, M203 grenade launchers and the new M320 grenade launcher. At small arms ranges Lima and Quebec, Guardsmen engaged day and night targets with M249 Squad Automatic Weapons, M240B and M2 machine guns as well as the Mk 19 grenade launcher which fires 40 mm grenades.

The Georgia Army National Guard’s field artillery units were also engaged at Fort Stewart. The 48th IBCT’s 1st Battalion 118th Field Artillery Regiment executed firing tables with their 105 mm and 155 mm towed howitzers. The 1-214th Granite Battalion of the Columbusbased 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade also executed fire missions with their M109 Paladin 155 Self Propelled Howitzers. They received sustainment support from the Washington, Ga. based 1214th Forward Support Company.

Fort Gordon While the Infantry and Artillery were engaging targets at Fort Stewart, the 202nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company and 870th

Engineer Detachment conducted explosive safety training at Fort Gordon. The Marietta-based 202nd EOD Company and 870th Engineer Detachment of Decatur are part of the Marietta based 201st Regional Support Group which supplies specially trained Guardsmen and units for the Homeland Response Force Region IV mission.

Forsyth Combat medics of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2-121 conducted refresher training on their 68W military occupation specialty skills at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center near battalion headquarters. The training was conducted by HHC in order to recertify the medics and keep their skills sharp.

Camp Atterbury, Ind. While many units conducted weekend unit training assemblies in Georgia, nearly 200 Guardsmen were in the middle of an eightday Warfighter exercise at Camp Atterbury, Ind. Approximately 120 members of the 648th MEB provided freedom of maneuver and logistical support to the 29th Infantry Division during Warfighter.

Joining the MEB were approximately 40 Military Police of the 201st RSG’s 170th MP Battalion. Led by Lt. Col. Erik Andersen, the Decaturbased MPs provided a response cell for the 43rd MP Brigade of the Rhode Island Army National Guard. Also performing 24 hour support to division operations were Airmen of the 165th Air Support Operations Squadron who provided joint tactical air control support for the exercise.

Georgia Guardsmen Overseas While all this training was underway, Georgia Guardsmen were deployed in harm’s way across the globe. The 161st Military History Detachment, 139th Chaplain Detachment, 248th Medical Company and 221st Military Intelligence Battalion had Soldiers deployed to Central Command theater of operations while Air Guardsmen were conducting missions for U.S. Central, Africa, and U.S. Pacific Command.

November 2015 | 8

Transfer of Authority Story by: Sgt. Shye Stallings | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Department of Defense

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nits from the 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade conducted transfer of authority ceremonies over Nov. 7-8, 2015. This continues the deactivation of the 560th BfSB as it transitions to the 560th Battlefield Coordination Detachment.

The 221st Military Intelligence Battalion, 165th Quartermaster Company and Charlie Company 3-108th Cavlary each transferred from the 560th BfSB to the 78th Troop Command.

9 | The Georgia Guardsman

The 560th BfSB, commanded by Col. Jeffery Dickerson and Command Sgt. Maj. Roy Marchet, is one of the six major commands in the Georgia Army National Guard.

The 560th BfSB is one of ten battlefield surveillance brigade in the Army. The brigade’s mission is to provide intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance operations in support of a division, corps or joint task force.

The 560th BfSB is comprised of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 221st Military Intelligence Battalion, 3-108th Cavalry Squadron, 165th Quartermaster and 230th Brigade Support Company.

Units of the 560th BfSB have deployed five times in support Photos by: Sgt. Shye Stallings | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Department of Defense

of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. They also deployed four times to Kosovo and participated in more than 20 overseas training operations.

“As the Army deactivates battlefield surveillance brigades, we are moving forward with our transition,” said Brig. Gen. Thomas Carden. “I am proud to have served in the 560th BfSB and I appreciate all the brigade has accomplished.”

The transfer of authority ceremonies officially passed the responsibility from one major subordinate command to another.

During this ceremony units conducted the changing of the unit patch. Each Soldier had their former unit patch removed by their current command team and replaced with their new unit patch by the gaining command team.

The units relinquished responsibility and care of their unit and put faith and trust into the hands of the gaining command. This marked a monumental milestone in the units’ history.

“Soldiers will continue to be supported by a superb team of leaders in the 78th Troop Command, some of whom will be more then familiar to them than others,” said Col. Dickerson. “Command

560th BfSB unit patch from Maj. Weeks and Command Sgt. Maj. Willecke. The gaining command team from the 78th TC, Brig. Gen. McGalliard and Command. Sgt. Maj. Ulysses Batteast, stepped forward and replaced it with the 78th TC patch.

“Change is not always bad, it’s very good and exciting. Not only is the 221st MI transferring, they will also convert to the Expeditionary Military Intelligence Battalion. This opens up amazing opportunities for our Soldiers to excel and further their knowledge in the world of Military Intelligence,” said Maj. Weeks Sunday morning, Nov. 8, 2015, the 165th QM and Company C 3-108th Cav. performed a joint transfer of authority ceremony at the Paulding County Airport. Both units transferred from the 560th BfSB to the 78th TC. Command teams for 165th QM and Company C 3-108th Cav. stood in front of their respective units. The 165th QM’s command team is Capt. Craig Henderson and 1st Sgt. John Ballenger. Charlie Company 3-108th Cav. is led by Capt. Christopher Pulliam and 1st Sgt. Karon Hubbard.

After the removal and replacement of the unit patches the

Sgt. Maj. Marchert will transfer over to join the command team of the 78th Troop Command alongside Brig. Gen. McGalliard.”

On Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015, the 221st MI conducted the transfer of authority ceremony. In front of the battalion stood Maj. Samuel Weeks, 221st MI Deputy Commander. Major Weeks stood in for the unit commander Lt. Col. Patrick Watson who is currently deployed with a portion of the 221st MI in Support of Operation Inherent Resolve.

The 221st MI Command Sgt. Maj. Alberto Willecke joined Maj. Weeks in preparation for the patch ceremony.

Colonel Dickerson and Command Sgt. Maj. Marchet stood and approached the 221st MI command team and removed the

commanders of their respective unit gave the orders to each squad leader to conduct the patch ceremony to every Soldier in their squad.

A loud round of applause was given once every Soldier was wearing their 78th TC patch. Brigadier General McGalliard addressed his newest Soldiers.

“It’s a round patch, it’s the seal of James Oglethorpe who founded the colony of Georgia. It’s not the tip of the spear like the 560th BfSB patch, but ya’ll can be the tip of the spear for the 78th Troop Command,” said Brig. Gen. McGalliard. “You all look great, and I am very excited to have you.”

Transitioning to the 78th TC will bring a new mission set

November 2015 | 10

and new opportunities for every unit, especially for Company C 3-108th Cav. This transition converted them to the H Company, 1-121st Infantry Regiment, Long-Range Surveillance.

The 78th Troop Command is a major command in the Georgia Army National Guard and is based at the Oglethorpe Armory in Ellenwood, Ga. It was first organized on Oct. 1, 1978 in Atlanta, Ga. as the Command and Control Headquarters, Georgia Army National Guard.

“Change is a constant,” said Brig. Gen. Carden. “Moving forward, all of the 560th BfSB Soldiers will assume roles in new units across the organization. I look forward to seeing what they continue to accomplish.”

The 78th TC is comprised of nearly 2,000 Soldiers. In addition to a headquarters company, the 78th TC is home to the 265th Regional Support Group and its 1148th Transportation and 277th Maintenance Companies. Also part of the 78th TC is the Tifton-

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based 110th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion with its 1230th Transportation Company and 82nd Maintenance Company.

Providing training support to the entire state are the 122nd Regional Training Institute and Georgia Garrison Training Center. The 78th TC is also home to a number of direct reporting units with unique capabilities and missions from finance and contracting to public affairs and trial defense. One of the busiest of these direct reporting units is the 116th Army Band.

The 78th TC continues to support operations overseas.

The 139th Chaplain Detachment and the 161st Military History Detachment are presently deployed to Kuwait and Afghanistan in support of combatant commands.

“Our Organization is full of professionals who understand the need for seamless transitions”, noted Carden. “We will continue our legacy of success as we navigate change. I believe the best is yet to come.”

Professional Development

reviews of books that teach us about our craft B y : S g t. Ni c o l e St e i b | G e o rg ia A r m y Nat i o na l Gua rd “The Alchemist,”

by Paulo C o elho, pu b l i s h e d i n 1 9 8 8 , is a b ests eller b ot h domestically and internationally. It has sold over 65 million copies in 70 different languages. “The Alchemist” holds the Guinness World Record as the most translated book by a living author.

In this book the reader follows a young shepherd a long his jour ne y to f ind his hidden treasure. As the shepherd meets significant people along the way, he begins to realize things that he had not been able to see in himself prior to embarking on his journey. The book proves to the reader that “there is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure”.

Throughout the book, the shepherd is faced with many adversities, much like the kind in which we are faced with on a dayto-day basis. The key is to keep moving forward. There are several moments throughout the book when the shepherd contemplates giving up on everything and going back to what he is used to doing.

Instead, he continues his journey. The challenge for a guardsmen to continue on, is very understandable. However, we must always keep in mind that everyone is put on Earth for a purpose and it is our responsibility to find that purpose. Guardsmen must always remain positive and know that the reward will always be greater than the sacrifice.

It takes the shepherd years to finally reach his destination.

During his journey he learns of good and bad omens. He learns to believe in himself and never accept defeat. He learns the true meaning of love. The shepherd learns so many lessons that he begins to retain the mindset that he will be happy, even if he does not find his treasure because he is so proud that he was able to keep

going despite all of the bad situations in which he found himself.

Much like a Guardsmen, the shepherd could not become complacent. If a Guardsmen is complacent he or she loses sight of the things that are important. A successful Guardsmen cannot have a fear of failing. Soldiers and Airmen have to make numerous sacrifices along their career journey such as leaving their families for extended periods of time, leaving their civilian jobs, etc. Guardsmen also have to make big decisions like accepting promotions and responsibilities that they may believe are too much for them to handle. “The Alchemist” reassures the reader, that human beings are capable of handling much more than we think we can withstand. The key is, to keep moving forward during times of adversity.

If you are seeking personal growth and development, but are worried about the obstacles along the way, this is a great read for you. Fear is a characteristic of weakness and having it will not allow you to find your destiny. The shepherd finds his treasure in the end, and sets off on a backwards journey to kindly repay everyone who helped him along. Chase your dreams! Go for the things that you want to accomplish. If you do not go for them, someone else will.

Continue to make yourself proud. You can do just as much with your life, as anyone else that is living.

“

T h e re i s o n l y one thing that makes a dream i mp o s s i b l e t o achieve: the fear of failure.

November 2015 | 12

Exercise Didgori 2015

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Story by: Capt. William Carraway | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard midst a pouring rain, mi lit ar y and government of f icials f rom the Countr y of Georgia, Georgia Army N a t i o n a l Guardsmen and U.S. Army personnel gathered together at the Krtsanisi Training Center for the official opening ceremony of the 2015 Didgori Exercise, the latest joint training endeavor between the U.S. and Country of Georgia. Major

13 | The Georgia Guardsman

General Vakhtang Kapanadze, Chief of the General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces welcomed Soldiers of the Georgia National Guard, Utah National Guard, 75th Training Command and the Special Warfare Center and School to the Country of Georgia.

Didgori 2015 is a command and staff exercise designed to improve Georgian military and civil agency coordination in times of crisis and war.

The exercise centers on a simulated attack by a fictional country. Over the next nine days, the Georgian military

were presented with realistic scenarios to plan for and react to while testing their ability to communicate and coordinate interagency responses to crises.

Following the opening ceremony, the Georgians conducted a combined arms rehearsal to identify potential planning shortfalls and identify areas where civilian agency coordination is advantageous to minimize impact on civilian populations. Over the next few days, subordinate military units also conducted rehearsals and refined their plans before the initiation of the exercise

Photos by: Capt. William Carraway | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

Georgia National Guard personnel have traveled to the Country of Georgia to share information on U.S. military best practices and ways to increase capacity and capabilities with the Georgian Military and civilian agencies.

Representatives of the Countr y of Georgia have also visited the State of Georgia to observe U.S. military and civilian agencies at work. This investment has paid off in several ways.

For many years, The Country of Georgia was the largest non-NATO contributor of forces to the war in Afghanistan, and Georgia continues to be a significant contributor to overseas contingency operations. In 2014, the Georgia Army National Guard and Soldiers from the Country of Georgia served side by side in Afghanistan.

T h e G e o r g i a A r my Nat i o n a l Guard delegation was composed of veteran Soldiers with multiple combat deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Guardsmen offered advice to the Georgian OCs based on their decades of experience in unit leadership, logistics, aviation and other capabilities. The Guardsmen worked with Georgia Army personnel at military installations near Tbilisi, Vaziani, Krtsanisi and Senaki, Georgia. More than 500 members of the Georgian Armed Forces and government agencies participated in Didgori 2015.

scenario on Oct. 20, 2015. At the conclusion of the exercise, the Georgians reviewed the observations made in a formal after action review, then implemented the recommendations in order to improve overall performance.

The United States has supported previous iterations of Didgori, and in the current exercise, Georgia Army National Guardsmen, Utah National Guardsmen and Special Forces personnel participated as observers. In previous iterations of Didgori, U.S. Military and contract personnel conducted the

exercise for the Georgians. This year, the exercise was entirely run by Georgians, and specially trained Georgian observer-controllers (OCs) monitored the exercise and provide feedback and suggestions for improvements. The Georgia Guardsmen, and other U.S. military personnel, worked with the Georgian OCs to mentor and assist in the observation process.

T h e G e o r g i a A r my Nat i o n a l Guard has shared a mutually beneficial state partnership with the Country of Georgia since 1994. In the past 21 years,

November 2015 | 14

Brigadier General Thomas Carden answers questions about force structure Changes Story By: Capt. William Carraway | Public Affairs Office Georgia Army National Guard

Brigadier General Thomas Carden, commander of the Georgia Army National Guard travels around the state visiting Georgia Guard units and fielding questions from Guardsmen, family members and recruits. Recent force structure changes in the Georgia Army National Guard have been a source of questions and Brig. Gen. Carden wanted to address likely questions on the mind of Guardsmen, Guard employees, families and community members.

Georgia Guardsman: What changes are occurring to the force structure of the Georgia Army National Guard?

BG Carden: The Army was tasked to reduce in size so they took a look at force structure across the total force. During the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Army needed modularity. They needed to be able to take a headquarters like a Battlefield Surveillance Brigade and plug in different capabilities to that headquarters node.

As the Army downsizes, there is less need for modularity. The major changes involve the Army standing down all Battlefield Surveillance Brigades, two in the Active Army and eight in the National Guard.

Other changes impacting us in Georgia include the deactivation of the 265th Regional Support Group, the 177th Engineer Company (TOPO) and the 278th Military Police Company. The good news is that we have are gaining force structure such as the Mission Command Operational Detachment (MCPOD) to replace the 265th RSG, the 560th Battlefield Coordination Detachment, 3rd Battalion, 121st Infantry, and the 177th Engineer Support Company. Compared to other states, we came out of the most recent force structure rebalance very healthy. This success is a direct result of the hard work of our Soldiers and leaders on readiness generating activities.

How many units are affected?

Between re-flagging, deactivations, and activations we have a total of 26 actions on our current stationing “shoot out list.� Currently, we expect nine units to deactivate but this will be balanced by the

15 | The Georgia Guardsman

Photos by: Capt. William Carraway | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

activation of nine additional units. Eight units are projected to convert from now through fiscal year 2018.

Are personnel cuts coming?

We are losing 17 AGR positions and three technician positions in fiscal year 2016. Overall, we lost approximately 300 M-day positions overall. This is approximate because some units have not received their full MTOE (modified table of organization and equipment) yet. However, we have maintained an assigned strength of more than 10,000 positions. In addition, our successes in recruiting and retention has led the National Guard Bureau to allow us to man our formations at a higher rate than the authorized number. This gives us an additional 1,000 positions. As of today, we have more than 11,000 Soldiers assigned to our formations. Keep in mind, Georgia faired very well. Some states lost brigade combat teams. All BCTs were in discussion, but due to the readiness of the 48th IBCT it was never really at risk.

How long has this been in the works?

The current force structure changes have been in the planning phase for over a year. We are currently evaluating changes for fiscal year 2018. This process is ongoing and will continue for the foreseeable future. Our focus on readiness and taking care of people will help us navigate these changes successfully.

Are these changes confined to Georgia?

No, the Army National Guard is working to bring the overall force structure from 350,800 to 335,000. Every state took some personnel and structures cuts to contribute to this effort as did the Active Army and reserve.

Will I have to change MOS? There will be some MOS conversions; however, almost every MOS we currently have can be used in current units that we will keep or in units coming on line.

Will I have a choice in whether or not I relocate / change MOS? Yes. Soldiers are our most important asset. You will get a vote on your future. We want to align every Soldier to reach their full potential. This process will be collaborative.

What future force structure changes do you anticipate?

I believe we will see a few more engineer assets and some

additional mission command assets. We would like to see as much “dual use� structure as we can bring to the State.

How much control / input did Georgia have in the process?

The largest voice in this process was our readiness. The Soldiers and leaders who do the hard work of building readiness day in and day out set us up for success. We have done a good job in Georgia of maintaining readiness, accepting challenges and missions, and anticipating emerging opportunities. Two good examples are our Cyber Protection Team and the 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade. We fielded one of the first three CPTs this year and that is not only a recognition of the skill sets possessed by our Guardsmen, but of their potential to continuously do more. The 648th will be the MEB for the 3rd Infantry Division. This is significant when you look at the number of divisions in the Army, it says a lot about our relevance.

Do you anticipate cuts to benefits?

I do not foresee cuts in benefits.

How will the deployment cycle be impacted?

I don’t see any impact on our ability to answer the call at home or aboard. It is impossible to forecast demand, but if you keep track of current events you know that events are unfolding which have the potential to involve us.

What is the impact to the full-time force? Will AGR in affected units be retained?

We can manage cuts through normal attrition.

How will this impact promotions, ETS, schools?

We will have additional training requirements in some cases.

Our normal schools process will apply.

Based on your time in the Guard, what is your perspective on the force structure changes?

Looking back over nearly 30 years in the Georgia Army National Guard, I have seen a lot of changes over time. From hindsight looking back, these structure changes helped us keep pace with the Army. Sometimes restructuring can be unsettling and uncertain, but at the end of the day, this sort of thing makes us better and makes us more relevant. I assure you, the end state will see us more capable and more relevant than when we started.

November 2015 | 16

Veterans Day “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.�

- Johhn F. Kennedy

O

n Veterans Day w e h on or a n d celebrate the contributions our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen, past and present, have made to this country. We celebrate with parades, speeches and ceremonies around the state and country to remind us of the tremendous sacrifice those before us have made in service to our great country.

(Above) FORT STEWART, Ga. July 21, 1967 - Governor Lester Maddox salutes the Soldiers of the 48th Armored Division as they pass in review.

(Right) 1960 - Float entered by Company A 111th Signal Battalion, Sandersville Ga. during the Kaolin Festival Parade. The float won second place. Left to right: Pvt. Roy Layton, Spc. Jesse Hatcher, Pvt. Machael Ebron, Lt. Charles Sirisky, Pfc. Bernard E. Doolittle and Pfc. Bobby Duggan in the flight suit.

17 | The Georgia Guardsman

Veterans of American Legion Post 307 observe the first flag ceremony held at the Cumming Regional Readiness Center.

Georgia Guardsmen from the 878th Task Force Dynamite stand in formation in Afghanistan.

November 2015 | 18

Blast from the past:

Force Structure

S t o ry b y: C a p t. W i l l i a m C a r r away | M i l i ta ry H i s t o r i a n | 1 6 1 s t M i l i ta ry H i s t o ry D e tac h m e n t

Guard force Structure

19 Guardsman 19|| The TheGeorgia Georgia Guardsman

A century of changes for the Georgia national guard

The 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade is finalizing plans for deactivation as part of ongoing federal force structure changes brought on by continuing budget wrangling. The deactivation of the 560th BfSB is the largest force structure change for the Georgia Guard since 2007. But a review of the history of the Georgia Guard finds that force structure changes have occurred constantly. While space precludes a complete listing of all past units of the Georgia Army National Guard, the following sketch provides and overview of changes over time.

The Civil War to World War I In 1870, five years after the conclusion of the American Civil War, Georgia was readmitted to the Union. The Georgia Constitution of 1877 directed the general assembly to provide for the training, arming and equipping of the militia that served as the ancestor of the modern Georgia Guard.

In the early decades, militia companies came into and out of existence with regularity. An examination of the Annual Report of the Adjutant General in 1889 finds that six companies were added to the force while six were disbanded of their own motion.

Upon signature by President Theodore Roosevelt, the Militia Act of 1903 recognized the National Guard as the successor to the organized militia. The text of the Act was published as General Order No. 4 by the Adjutant General of Georgia April 8, 1903.

Subsequent legislation by the Georgia Legislature reorganized the former Georgia State Troops as the Georgia National Guard. The National Defense Act of 1916 further codified training requirements for the National Guard.

By 1916, the entire Georgia Guard had been federalized and sent to the Mexican Border as part of the punitive expedition against Pancho Villa. This experience hardened the officers and men of the Georgia Guard and prepared them for the coming conflict in WWI. Nevertheless, when Guard units were sent overseas, only the 151st Machine Gun Battalion composed of companies of the 121st Infantry Regiment remained intact. The remaining Georgia Guard units were dispatched as replacement units.

Pre WW II Years In 1920, the entire Guard structure was reorganized. The years leading up to World War II saw continuing force structure changes driven by technological advancements. The Georgia Guard received tank companies and signal units as well as coastal artillery units tasked with the defense of Georgia’s coast. The Guard became more mobile with the addition of trucks, no longer dependent on foot marches and horseflesh for transportation. As a result of these changes, units underwent constant changes to manning and equipment.

World War II through 1968 World War II had a profound impact on the Georgia Guard with units such as the 121st Infantry Regiment, 118th Field Artillery and 122nd Infantry participating in critical engagements in the European theater while the 101st Antiaircraft battalion was making history at Port Moresby, New Guinea. Following World War II, the Georgia Guard received an influx of combat veterans whose experience would impact force structure designs. One of the first impacts was the creation of the 48th Infantry Division in 1946. The division was split between Georgia and Florida with two-thirds of the division strength coming from Georgia.

In 1955 the 48th Infantry Division became the 48th Armored Division. A detailed examination of this reorganization was recounted in the September 2015 issue of the Georgia Guardsman Magazine. Over the next 13 years, the units of the 48th would change to meet the needs of a rapidly changing Army. The Georgia Army National Guard would field rocket artillery units and motorized tank killing specialty units while anti-aircraft battalions practiced against remote controlled drones over the skies of Fort Stewart.

On January 1, 1968 the Georgia Army National Guard underwent a massive reorganization including the loss of the 48th Armored Division. Troops of the 48th were assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 30th Division, a division split between three states. The Georgia Army National Guard lost nearly 30 percent of its units, reducing from 97 to 65. The reorganization was prompted by the Army’s desire to realign and retain only those units considered necessary under the nation’s contingency war plan.

Return of the 48th The Georgia Guard was affiliated with the 30th Division until December 1, 1973 when the 48th Brigade Mechanized was formed.

This reorganization resulted in the addition of 278 Guardsmen.

Through the 1980s, the Georgia Army National Guard was comprised of four major components – the 48th Brigade, Command and Control Headquarters (later 78th Troop Command), 265th Engineer Group and the 118th Field Artillery Brigade. In 1993, the 118th FA Brigade was deactivated along with the 2nd Battalion, 214th Field Artillery Regiment, 122nd Infantry Battalion, and 450th Aviation Detachment. As a result, the total strength of the Georgia Army National Guard fell from 11,500 to 10,000. Reductions continued through 1996 with the loss of the 560th Engineer Battalion despite the unit’s successful domestic response to historic flooding in South Georgia two years previous. The 151st Military Intelligence Battalion with its OV-1 Mohawk aerial reconnaissance aircraft was also deactivated.

With the loss of the 560th Engineer Battalion, the 265th Engineer Group was placed under the 78th Troop Command. The Georgia Army National Guard would be comprised of the 48th Brigade and the 78th Troop Command until January 1999 and the formation of the First Aviation Group (provisional).

Transformation of 2007 2007 was a watershed year for the Georgia Guard. In addition to the acquisition of the property that would become the Clay National Guard Center, Air and Army headquarters consolidated to form the Joint Forces Headquarters. The 48th Brigade continued its transformation from a heavy mechanized brigade to a light Infantry Brigade Combat Team. The 170th Military Police Battalion was established in November 2006. Georgia added two regional support groups as well as the 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade and the 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade. The 1st Aviation Group became the 78th Aviation Troop Command with headquarters at Dobbins Air Reserve Base.

Going Forward As the U.S. Army balances fiscal constraints in the era of persistent conflict, we may expect reorganizations to continue; however, as history has shown us, the trend of the Georgia Guard over more than a century has been one of increasing relevance, increasing force strength, and increasing adaptability.

November 2015 | 20

Around the Georgia Guard Logistics Awards Soldiers of the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team are recognized for their excellence in logistics operations.

The 48th IBCT received the award as the best logistics MACOM in the Georgia National Guard.

Warfighter Exercise Headquarters tents of the Ga. Army National Guard’s 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade during Warfighter 16.2 exercise at Camp Atterbury, Ind.

Military Appreciation Luncheon Brigadier General Jarrard, along with members from all branches of service, stand during the singing of the National Anthem at the Atlanta Regional Military Affairs Council’s Annual Military Appreciation Luncheon at the Cobb Galleria Centre located in Marietta, Ga.

21 | The Georgia Guardsman

Native American Heritage Month Brigadier General Joe Jarrard, The Adjutant General of Georgia and senior Ga. National Guard commanders met with Dr. Charles Coleman of the Thlopthlocco Tribal Town for a Native American Heritage Month presentation on Native American service in the U.S. Armed Forces.

116th ACW and the Blue Angels Members from the 116th Air Control Wing, Georgia Air National Guard, provide fuel servicing to the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, at the Atlanta Regional Airport-Falcon Field.

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201st RSG Best Warrior Competition Staff Sgt. Willis makes his way through the weaver

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