Q1 / 2018

Q1 / 2018

2018 Best Warrior Georgia Army National Guardsmen compete to be the best

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A Two-Star Promotion

Brig. Gen. John King Promoted to Maj. Gen.

Plus: Guardsman Gerber Spokesbaby | Change of Responsibility | And soq1much more / 2018 | A1

CONTENTS ISSUE: Q1 / 2018

Facebook.com/GeorgiaGuard

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2018 Georgia Best Warrior Competition

Soldiers and NCOs from the five Georgia Guard major commands compete in the 2018 State Best Warrior Competition.

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columns 08| NCO notepad

Change of responsibility for the Georgia Army National Guard.

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16| The Chaplain’s Corner

Chaplain Major Leslie Chandler discusses her trip to the country of Georgia.

Features 06| Guardsman Gerber Spokesbaby

Lucas Warren, son of Georgia Army National Guard Spc. Jason Warren, was named the 2018 Gerber Spokesbaby.

10| Women in the Georgia Guard

History of women in the Georgia National Guard.

12| Female Leaders in the Ga Guard

Georgia Army National Guard Col. Lanita Kuhn and Command Sgt. Maj. Callie Leaver discuss their careers in the National Guard.

14| A Two-Star Promotion

Brigadier General John King gets promoted to Major General.

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22| Professional development

“Road to Huertgen: Forest in Hell” by Paul Boesch.

News 04| New MP Battalion Commander

24| Blast From the Past

The Georgia National Guard 170th Military Police Battalion welcomes a new commander.

30|Around the Guard

05|Veteran Guardsman Promoted to Brigadier General

“A history of the 151st Machine Gun Battalion” See what’s going on around the Georgia Guard.

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Colonel Reginald Neal gets promoted to the rank of Brigadier General.

20| Georgia Air Guard Unit Participates in Medical Training

Georgia Air National Guard’s 116th Medical Group participate in the national medical training at Nellis Air Force Base.

23|A new Bandmaster

The 116th Army Band welcomes new bandmaster.

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Georgia National Guard Commander-in-Chief Gov. Nathan Deal Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Joe Jarrard State Public Affairs Director Maj. Jeff Freeman State Public Affairs Officer Capt. Charles Emmons Operations NCO 1st Sgt. Gerard Brown Editorial Staff Managing Editor Desiree Bamba Contributors Maria Balderas 1st Sgt. Gerard Brown Capt. William Carraway Tiffany Irene Coulibaly Capt. Charles Emmons Sgt. Gary Hone Sgt. Amy King Staff Sgt. Robert Lannom Pfc. Isaiah Matthews Spc. Tori Miller Maj. Chaplain Leslie Chandler Sgt. Shye Wilborn

Georgia National Guard Channels

Contributing DOD Organizations

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 quarterly 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. q1 / 2018 | 3

Georgia Guard welcomes new mP battalion commander

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Story by: Capt. Charlie Emmons | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard oldiers of the Georgia Army National Guard’s Decatur-based 170th Military Police Battalion stood at attention as their outgoing commander passed the unit colors to the organization’s new leader before a crowd of visitors that included past senior leaders from the unit.

Lieutenant Colonel Copeland J. Rowell assumed command of the battalion March 11, officially taking over as commander of a unit that traces its lineage back to the 19th century. Elements of the battalion have deployed overseas since World War I and throughout recent campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Your legacy lives on in the Soldiers that stand in this formation and the two great leaders that we are here to honor today,” said Brigadier General Randall Simmons Jr., commander of the Georgia Army National Guard.

Outgoing commander, Lt. Col. James D. Collie served as the battalion commander since April 2016 and led the Soldiers through Georgia National Guard’s response to Hurri-

4 | The Georgia Guardsman

canes Matthew and Irma as well as the large-scale Vigilant Guard training exercise in 2017. Under his leadership, the battalion also improved their field craft during annual training exercises.

“I couldn’t have asked for more,” said Collie. “What an awesome time to be a (military policeman).”

Military police support Georgia’s law enforcement during training and real world emergencies, and under their parent command, the Marietta-based 201st Regional Support Group, the battalion plays a key role in emergency response missions throughout the state.

Rowell’s new responsibility for the battalion coincides with an increased focus on readiness for units in the National Guard under their ARNG 4.0 model. The purpose of this initiative is to provide combatant commanders with units that can respond rapidly to a number of worldwide missions.

“We are our state’s 911 service,” said Rowell. “We will be trained and ready when called upon by our state or our country.”

Photos by: Capt. Charlie Emmons | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

Veteran Georgia Guardsman Pins on One Star Story by: 124th MPAD| Georgia Army National Guard

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eneral Joseph Lengyel, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, joined the Soldiers and Airmen of the Georgia National Guard at the Clay National Guard Center to witness the promotion of Col. Reginald Neal to brigadier general. “[Neal] is respected, admired, and sought out as a mentor for others,” said Lengyel. “He is everything you want in a senior leader. He knows how to build bridges and that is a valuable skill set for all of us.”

In his more than 30-year military career, Neal has commanded from the battery to brigade level. He assumed command of the 1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery Regiment in 2007, and commanded the battalion through its 2009-2010 Afghanistan deployment. He subsequently commanded the Georgia Army National Guard’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion and, in 2015, assumed command of the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

In 2016, Neal was selected to serve as the executive officer to Gen. Lengyel. The following year, Neal returned to Georgia to serve as the Director of the Joint Staff for the Ga. ARNG. After receiving the Defense Superior Service Medal from Gen. Lengyel, Neal was pinned with the rank of brigadier general. Neal invited influential individuals from his past to participate in the pinning ceremony. Members of Neal’s high school Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps class and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5408 were recognized,

along with Doris Chavers, who was one of the first people to tell Neal he would be a general someday. The presentation of the general officer’s belt was made by Neal’s father, retired Army Master Sgt. Richard Neal.

“My father always kept me in uniform,” said Neal. “Uniforms were a means of equalization, a representation of being a part of something greater than yourself. Being an American is a privilege and being a citizen of this great country is a team sport.”

During his remarks, Neal credited his wife, Kim and daughter, Alexandria, for their continuous support in achieving his numerous awards and accomplishments.

“I would not be here without the love and support of my family,” said Neal.

“My wife has been there for me even in the best of times and the worst of times.”

Photos by: Sgt. Amy King and Spc. Isaiah Matthews | 124th MPAD | Georgia Army National Guard

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Guardsman Gerber Spokesbaby Story by: Staff Sgt. Robert Lannom Jr. | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

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eorgia Army National Guard Spc. Jason A. Warren, an aircraft powertrain repairer with the Marietta, Ga., based Company D, 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment and his wife, Cortney, garnered national media attention Feb. 9, when their son Lucas was named the 2018 Gerber Spokesbaby.

The Warrens were amazed when they received the news of Lucas’ win.

“Absolute shock,” said Jason. “It was hard to believe he won out of 140,000 entries.”

Lucas, diagnosed with Down Syndrome, is the eighth Gerber baby since the contest began in 2010. Inspired by the original Gerber baby sketch of Ann Turner Cook, families began sharing their baby photos with Gerber. In response, Gerber launched its first official photo search competition in 2010.

“We hope this opportunity sheds light on the special needs community and educates people,” said Cortney. “Individuals with special needs have potential to

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Photos Courtesy of: The Warren Family

change the world just like our Lucas.”

The Warrens hope other families with special needs children can look to Lucas as a source of inspiration.

“We hope this will help people kick-start their own lives and give them more confidence,’ said Jason. “They might think, if Lucas can do this, what can I do in my life?”

The winning photo shows Lucas, sitting in an overstuffed chair grinning from ear to ear, wearing a black and pink polka-dot bow tie.

“He is very outgoing and never meets a stranger,” said Cortney. “He loves to play, loves to laugh and to make other people laugh.”

“He is just the absolute cutest thing ever,” said Staff Sgt. Misty D. Crapps, supply sergeant with Company D, 171st. “He always smiles at everybody he sees.”

Jason looks forward to continued service in the Georgia Guard. He feels a sense of pride and family being part of the organization.

“I absolutely love the Guard; the ability to help my community and serve my country,” said Jason. “The benefits of service are always great to have, and it allows me to serve my country the way I want to.”

The fellowship of his teammates in his aviation unit also reinforces the feeling of family.

“The Guard has been with me with everything I’ve ever done,” said Jason. “Through my grandmother’s passing, when I had shoulder surgery, they’ve helped Cortney and me a lot, and they are a second family to us.”

The aviators and Guardsmen in Jason’s unit share his feeling for service in the Guard and look forward to his continued service.

“He always volunteers to do the little things, which are not part of his job description, to make the unit better,” said 1st Sgt. William W. Adcock of Company D, 171st. “Specialist Warren is a fantastic Guardsman; he does what we all do: dedicates his time and personal energy to serve the people of this state and the United States.”

Warren plans to re-enlist in March for another six years and hope Lucas sees him and understands the importance of service.

“I hope one day Lucas will see I was in the military and has a sense of pride,” said Jason.

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A Change of Respon Story

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by:

S g t . A m y K i n g | 1 2 4 t h M P AD | G e o r g i a A r m y

Photo by: Sgt. Amy King | 124th MPAD | Georgia Army National Guard

nsibility

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National Guard

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ommand Sergeant Major Shawn D. Lewis of Powder Springs, Ga., assumed responsibility as the ninth Georgia Army National Guard senior enlisted leader during a change of responsibility ceremony at Joint Force Headquarters, Marietta, Ga. Lewis takes on this role as the Georgia Army National Guard Command Sergeant Major from Command Sgt. Maj. Phillip Stringfield, who is retiring after 27 years of service.

“These events are steeped in military history and tradition,” said Brig. Gen. Randall V. Simmons Jr., Assistant Adjutant General, Georgia Army National Guard. “They’re also bittersweet. It’s never easy to come to an event like this to say good-bye, or so long, or farewell to a leader like Phillip Stringfield after so many years and all that he has done for our organization.”

The change of responsibility ceremony is a tradition in which the passing of the noncommissioned officer’s sword symbolizes the relinquishing of responsibility from the outgoing to the incoming command sergeant major.

As the new command sergeant major of the Georgia Army National Guard, Lewis has the appointment of responsibility and care for all Georgia Army National Guard Soldiers.

“Impress the people you work with now,” said Lewis, speaking of his leadership philosophy. “Train with a focus on building teams and building trust and confidence within each other.”

The ceremony highlighted the career of both the outgoing and incoming command sergeants major.

Lewis has proven he is up for the task and has demonstrated an ability for up-and-out leadership, said Brig. Gen. Simmons. His potential for a position such as this was evident during his 2014 deployment to Afghanistan with the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

Lewis began his career in the Army Reserve in 1987, and was initially assigned to the 207th Military Intelligence Brigade, Company F, 51st Long Range Surveillance Company in Stuttgart, Germany. During this time, he was deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Lewis’s most recent assignment was as the command sergeant major of the State Recruiting and Retention Battalion. Previously, he served as the command sergeant major for the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and deployed with them as their senior enlisted leader of Task Force Volunteer in the Kabul Base Cluster region.

In his speech during the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Joe Jarrard, Adjutant General, Georgia Department of Defense, recalled his appointment of Stringfield to State Command Sgt. Maj. “When I came on board I made a few personnel decisions,” said Maj. Gen. Jarrard. “That’s one that I don’t know I could have gotten any better.”

Stringfield was appointed state command sergeant major in November of 2012. Prior to this appointment, he held a number of key leadership and staff positions ranging from squad leader to command sergeant major of the 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, the 48th IBCT and the 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade.

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Women in the Georgia National Guard Story by: Capt. William Carraway | 161st Military History Detachment | Georgia Army National Guard Background In 1955, a decade removed from World War II, women served on active duty in the U.S. military as well as in the Army and Air Force Reserve; however, there were no billets for women in the National Guard. For a time, Air National Guard units bolstered their ranks, particularly in critical medical fields, with female Reserve augmentees.

But since Reserve augmentees did not mobilize when a National Guard unit was deployed, this arrangement created a readiness gap.

In 1956, the United States Congress advanced legislation authorizing women to join the National Guard, but only as commissioned officers in medical fields. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the bill into law on July 30, 1956 and two days later Capt.

Norma Parsons of the New York Air National Guard became the first woman

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to serve in the National Guard as a flight nurse with the 106th Tactical Hospital.

Women Join the Georgia National Guard On November 18, 1956, 1st Lt. Ellen Jones was sworn into the Georgia Air National Guard’s 116th Tactical Hospital at Dobbins Air Force Base, Marietta, Ga., and became the first female to serve in the Georgia National Guard. Jones received her training at an infirmary in Vicksburg, Miss. and had been attached to the unit since August 1955 as an Air Force Reserve officer.

The first female to enlist in the Georgia Army National Guard was Pvt. Gail Wagner. Wagner was sworn in on May 17, 1973 by Maj. Gen. Joel B. Paris III, Georgia’s Adjutant General.

“I did it mostly out of curiosity, the challenge of being first at something,” e x p l a i n e d Wa g n e r following the ceremony.

Traveling first to Fort McClellan, Ala., Wagner graduated first in her basic training class and was also the honor graduate of her advanced i nd iv i du a l t r ai n i ng class at Fort Jackson.

She then assumed her duties at the Atlantabased Headquarters D e t a c h m e nt of t h e Georgia Army National

Guard.

The first female graduate of the Georgia Military Institute’s Officer Candidate School was Jimmie Bailey.

“I did it mostly out of curiosity, the challenge of being first at something.”

Photos Courtesy of: 161st Military History Detachment | Georgia Army National Guard

Bailey enlisted in the Georgia Army National Guard’s Decatur-based 180th Signal Company in 1973 as a private 1st class. She had previously served as a U.S. Navy corpsman during the Vietnam War. By 1974, Bailey was employed full-time in the recruiting office of the Georgia National Guard.

Bailey explained that one of the reasons she joined the Guard is that the military afforded women the opportunity to develop their own identity.

“I worked for an insurance company and went as high as I could go,” Bailey said in 1974. “The military, on the other hand, offers more of a chance today for advancement based on opportunity.”

In August, 1974, Bailey enrolled in GMI’s OCS class 14. For 12 weekend training assemblies and two annual training periods of two weeks each, Bailey completed the same physical and tactical training tasks as the male candidates. As the training progressed, nearly half of the 50 officer candidates dropped out, but Bailey refused to quit. On August 30, 1975, Bailey graduated from OCS class 14 and was commissioned a second lieutenant.

Through the years, there have been many more pathfinding women in the Georgia National Guard whose careers have served as beacons for those who followed. Women have deployed overseas in command of Georgia Guard units, flown combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, and engaged in ground combat. Thirtyfour years after Gail Wagner enlisted as a private in the Georgia Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Maria Britt assumed command of the organization and in 2010, was promoted to major general.

In 2018, female Soldiers represented battalions and brigades in the Best Warrior C omp e t it i on . Ne arly one-third of new recruits assigned to Ga. ARNG units at a March 18, 2018

battle hand off ceremony were female Soldiers. These Soldiers will serve in combat arms, logistics, medical and technical fields. Where women were once limited in their military career paths, women enlisting in the Georgia Guard of 2018 have a clear path all the way to the top of the organization.

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Female Leaders of the Georgia Guard

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Story by: Sgt. Amy King | 124th MPAD | Georgia Army National Guard omen have stood in the ranks of the Georgia Army National Guard for sixty-four years of its nearly three-hundred-year-old formation. Those who have walked through the doors opened by the first female Georgia Guardsmen, have seen an evolution of diversity.

“Women initially were allowed to serve in the military only because there was a need,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Callie Leaver, Senior Enlisted Advisor, 201st Regional Support Group. “The opportunities were significantly limited. However, the need allowed women the opportunity to exhibit the ability to complete training and to perform traditional male jobs. As a result of women pursuing these opportunities and serving in various capacities throughout history, military service for women in following generations became a viable option and the options expanded.”

Today, female Soldiers have unlimited possibilities. Since March 2016 when former Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter, approved final plans from military service branches and the U.S. Special Operations Command to open all combat jobs to women, few vestiges of traditionally all-male fields remain. Although, women have been breaking into these fields long before the removal of the ban.

“We flew in with a Black Hawk; I was at the controls, had my copilot and my two crew chiefs in the back,” said Colonel LaNita R. Kuhn, Director of Human Resources, Georgia Army National Guard, as she recalled her days as an aviator. “I landed the aircraft, the tail boom of the aircraft had to land between two stumps, it was a pretty tricky landing.”

Kuhn, a former pilot in the Kentucky National Guard, recollected the teamwork of her flight crew as they lowered a gate over a cave for a civilian partnership mission. After navigating the complicated landing with the help of her crew chiefs, they parked and exited the aircraft.

“No other women were there, except me,” said Kuhn. “They go up to my copilot, automatically, and they say, ‘Great job on the parking of that aircraft, that was awesome.’ He kind of looked over at me and he goes, ‘You know I’d really like to take

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Photos by: 1st Sgt. Gerard Brown and Sgt. Amy King | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

that, but it was her flying it,’ and their mouth just fell open.”

The presence of opportunity has not always guaranteed ease of access or acceptance. While the two highest ranking female leaders within the Georgia Guard have nothing but positive reflections on their careers, a few individuals in their past have remarked about women’s new roles in the military.

“If I allow myself to get spooled up just because you don’t understand how all this works, that I’m just as competent as my male counterparts, I go through the same training, then you know, that’s your learning curve,” said Kuhn. “That’s the way I look at it.”

Women’s History Month allows all Soldiers, male and female, to celebrate diversity within the ranks, and to acknowledge the courage and dedication of the women who blazed the trail to where the Georgia Guard is today.

“I think it is very important for us to recognize the accomplishments of each subgroup of our society and organization to include women,” said Leaver. “It is time for us to celebrate the conscious efforts by all, to include individuals outside the specific subgroup, to welcome and celebrate diversity, and to recognize the positive impact each individual has on our success.”

Leaver, who made Georgia Guard history in 2014 by being the first female appointed as Command Sgt. Maj. of a deployable unit, said she draws her strength, character and guidance from her family.

“As I watch my daughter grow, it is a time of encouragement,” she said. “I know her options are less limited than mine were when I was her age.”

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A Two-Star Promotion

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Story by: Sgt. Shye Wilborn | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard ith an audience of Soldiers, friends and family, The Adjutant General of Georgia, Maj. Gen. Joe Jarrard promoted Brig. Gen. John F. King to the rank of major general during a ceremony held at Clay National Guard Center on February 9, 2018.

King was selected to serve as the new commander of U.S. Army North’s Task Force-51, based out of Fort Sam Houston, Texas. King will be responsible for coordinating domestic federal response to disasters that occur nationwide.

“His promotion is bittersweet,” said Jarrard. “Because getting promoted takes him from the Georgia National Guard, but we are excited that someone outside the organization

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Photos by: 1st Sgt. Gerard Brown and Sgt. Gary Hone | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

who already knew of his excellence has also seen that and have selected him to fill this critical role.”

This promotion and new assignment allows King to follow his passion and continue to promote readiness within the Georgia National Guard.

“My new assignment with Task Force-51, I could not have thought of an assignment more fitted for my passion,” said King. “Not only serving our local communities, but also serving as an Army officer.”

Prior to taking command of TF-51, King filled two positions, serving as the Director of Joint Staff, Georgia National Guard and as the deputy commanding general for the Army National Guard at the Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning, Ga. As Director of Joint Staff, he managed programs and operations supporting more than 15,000 Soldiers, Airmen and civilians. At the maneuver center, he coordinated,

advised and assisted various agencies to include the National Guard Bureau on infantry and armor matters.

King commissioned into the Georgia National Guard in 1985 and has served in multiple troop leading and strategic positions within the organization. King served as a platoon leader, executive officer, company commander, battalion commander, deployed as security force chief of operations and commander of the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, based in Macon, Ga. King said he received support from so many throughout his 33 year career in the Army. He addressed the general officers and sergeants major in attendance, stating so many of them have had an influence on his career development.

“I will continue to do my very best to perform this duty with honor and humility as a servant leader,” said King. “I will never forget it’s not about me, it’s about our country and our citizens.”

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By: Chaplain Maj. Leslie Chandler | 48th IBCT Chaplain | Georgia Army National Guard

I’m so delighted to share in this edition of The Guardsman, and there are literally hundreds of topics I could discuss…but today I’m going to share about a recent chaplain adventure of mine. It’s funny, most people probably don’t think of “chaplaining” as an adventurous profession, but my life as a chaplain is nothing, if not an adventure! I seriously love every single day of work, and I sometimes feel guilty that I get paid to nurture Soldiers and their loved ones, I get to teach classes on topics for which I am passionate, I get to share my faith and my love for others in all my daily activities, and sometimes I even get to travel to other countries and do those same activities for the Soldiers and families of other cultures. More specifically, I get to do all those things in the Country of Georgia! It’s true, I deeply love the Soldiers and families of two Georgias!

It all began four years ago when I got that first fateful email from Lt. Col. Ellington, basically saying, “You’ve been requested by the Georgians to come share family programs best practices with a group of Soldiers and civilians from the Ministry of Defense.” I will never forget it. I was at my desk going through emails, and I read the email, thought, “hmmm…interesting,” moved onto the next email and then went, “WAIT, what?” I reopened the email and quickly responded to Ellington, “Hey sir, just for clarification…did you just tell me I’m going to the Country of Georgia???”

The answer was yes, and it came with more information about our State Partnership Program and our relationship with Georgia. So we traveled to Georgia to talk about family programs for the first time in 2014, and have returned every year since. We have built the most amazing relationships, and they have built their own version of family programs. It thrills my heart to see their success!

This year was a little different for me. We went for our usual week stay, but a few weeks before we left, I received another email that made me say, “WAIT, what?” It was a note asking me to stay for an extra week as the guest of the US Embassy and travel to various locations around the country and share my story as chaplain, how it differs from the chaplaincy in the country of Georgia, and what it’s like to be a female chaplain. I was asked to be the guest speaker at a university, at the Georgian Military Academy, and at a high school where the students were actually refugees from South Ossetia, which is now in Russian control. I was also asked to speak to a group of about 50 social workers, speak at a church, meet with a group of priests, and meet with veterans in several locations. Did I mention that I was also the guest on a TV show called, “Women’s Narrative?”

It was pretty awesome. Literally everywhere we went there were TV cameras, and I lost track of the number of interviews. I really couldn’t believe it was happening, and I was so surprised that anyone was really interested in my story. But the thing about my story is that God is in the center of it, and I just get to play a really cool part in His story. On my own, I’m really not that impressive, but I walk in an amazing and unique level of Grace… not for my benefit, but for the benefit of God’s people, and in case you weren’t sure, He really loves His people, and I get to be one of the conduits of that love. Each place I went, I was able to share my story, but more than that, I was able to make the people feel loved and valued…I was able to remind the Georgians how amazing they are and how unique their culture is, and how much God loves them. It was so moving to see these beautiful people respond. It was life changing and so very humbling for me, and also a reminder to me that I am one of the people God loves!

Of course I’ve returned to my Georgia and continued preparation for deployment to Afghanistan with the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, but I look back fondly on my whirlwind trip, remembering how God showed His loved and faithfulness to His beloved people there, and does it so faithfully here, as well. Many Blessings to all of you!

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end.”

--Lamentations 3:22

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The 2018 Georgia Best Warrior Competiton Story by: Sgt. Shye Wilborn | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard The Georgia Army National Guard held the 2018 Best Warrior Competition at Fort Stewart during the second week of March. Twelve competitors representing each of Georgia’s major subordinate commands battled for the title of noncommissioned officer and Soldier of the year.

Staff Sergeant Kevin D’Aversa, an instructor from the 122nd Regional Training Institute, representing the Ellenwood based 78th Troop Command and Spc. Alexei Joya, an explosive ordnance disposal technician, representing the Marietta based 201st Regional Support Group, grabbed the honored titles.

The competition started on March 5th and spanned what the competitors called a grueling six days. Soldiers were tested mentally and physically each day. Events included a written essay, physical fitness test, three-gun stress shoot, 12-mile ruck march carrying a 50 pound rucksack, board appearance, and warrior tasks and drills.

“This competition taught me new physical limits,” said D’Aversa. “I pushed myself and when I thought, ‘I didn’t have

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any more to give,’ I was forced to dig deeper. It taught me to be more resilient.”

Getting to the state level in this competition was by no means easy. Each competitor had to first win their company, battalion, and brigade level competitions.

“My unit definitely helped to prepare me to get to the place I am in,” said Joya. “I was surprised with the ruckmarch. I did not expect (the rucksack) to be as heavy as it was and I’m happy with the opportunity to learn a wider set of skills and build comradery.”

A good number of Soldiers love this competition and some do back-to-back competitions.

This is the second state best warrior competition for Spc. Cedrick Thomas, an avionics mechanic, representing the 78th Aviation Troop Command, based in Marietta, Ga. He explained how his experience in the competition was a great way to connect and learn things he wouldn’t otherwise learn at his unit.

“In my future I want to move up the ranks and one Photos by: Sgt. Shye Wilborn | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

“It is so important to celebrate these NCOs and Soldiers for their dedication and this achievement. These are the best of the best from our state who deserve to be celebrated and acknowledged.” day be a sergeant major,” said Thomas. “To be here at this competition supporting my own Soldiers and watch them get the same experience and opportunities that I have received through it.”

The best warrior competition serves as a great way to motivate Soldiers, but more importantly as a way to bring them together and learn.

“I love the best warrior competition” said Command Sgt. Maj. Shawn Lewis, state command sergeant major. “It is so important to celebrate these NCOs and Soldiers for their dedication and this achievement. “These are the best of the best from our state who deserve to be celebrated and acknowledged.”

D’Aversa and Joya will move on to the next stage of the competition, the Region III Best Warrior Competition April 23-29, 2018 in Tullahoma, Tenn.

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116th Medical Group Airmen participate in medical training event

Story by: Staff Sgt. Kari Giles | 116th Air Control Wing | Georgia Air National Guard

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irmen from the 116th Medical Group, 116th Air Control Wing, Georgia Air National Guard, joined more than 15 Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear High-Yield Explosive, Enhanced Response Force Package, or CERFP, units for an intensive medical training event aimed at sharpening their skills at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Jan. 26-Feb. 2, 2018.

The event, coordinated by 157th CERFP, brought instructors from the civilian sector, active duty and the National Guard together. Col. Robert Desko, surgeon general of the Air National Guard; Col. David Blake, state chair for Air Force Region 13, American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma; and Col. Louis Perino, commander of the 116th Medical Group, were a few of the high-caliber instructors at this year’s event.

“I am very impressed,” Col. Blake said after one of his instructional panels. “This is an interesting collaborative effort, splitting tasks and sharing job responsibilities. I think we have something good here.”

During the event, personnel attended Advanced Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Trauma Nurses Core Course, Pre- Hospital Trauma Life Support, Emergency Medical Technician Refresher and Basic Life Support Refresher courses.

The high-demand courses offered at the event 20 | The Georgia Guardsman

book quickly and can be expensive for units to attend in the civilian sector making it difficult for traditional Guardsmen to get the training they need.

“Our goal was for this to be a one-stop shop, ensuring the readiness of our CERFP’s by accomplishing all our Individual Training Readiness Matrix requirements as well as bring partner regions together to share ideas, training and resources,” said Capt. Lyndsey Fleming, 157th Medical Group, Detachment 1 medical plans officer.

Being ready at all times with highly trained medical professionals is crucial to the CERFP mission. When a natural or man-made disaster strikes our homeland, CERFP units are designed to deploy within hours to assist the defense support of civil authorities.

“There are numerous training requirements above and beyond our upgrade training that our personnel have to accomplish annually to be a part of the CERFP team,” said Tech. Sgt. Julie Parrott, a medic and training manager for the 116th Medical Group, Detachment 1.

“As a unit training manager and medic who attended the course, it’s very efficient to complete all our training at once instead of splitting it up throughout the year.

This ensures our Airmen are ready to go in the field and perform our mission when called upon.”

The 116th Medical Group, Detachment 1, is a part of the FEMA Region 4 Homeland Response Force.

Photos by: Staff Sgt. Kari Giles | 116th Air Control Wing | Georgia Air National Guard

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Professional

Development

reviews of books that teach us about our craft

F

By: Capt. William Carraway | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard orest in Hell recounts the World War II combat experience of 1st Lt. Paul Boesch, an officer of the 121st Infantry Regiment. The work follows Boesch from his first day of combat as a platoon leader to his leadership as a company commander during the seizure of Hurtgen.

Boesch provides a visceral account of combat from the very first page and combines it with the observations of one man caught within its maelstrom. He vividly describes the sights, sounds and acrid scents of the combat experienced from the perspective of an infantryman hugging the ground while fragments of shell and earth from an enemy artillery barrage rain down upon him. At the same time, Boesch shares inner thoughts and reflections that will be familiar to those who have served “Over There”. The work is not one of grand strategies and generals but of filthy dog faces experiencing the war as a series of personal privations. As a narrative of the personal experiences of war, Boesch rivals Sam Watkins Co Aytch, a memoir of Civil War service.

Boesch does not pretend to offer perspective on events happening beyond his own unit’s line of advance nor does he attempt to provide an impartial account. Rather, Boesch “tells it as he saw it.” Thus, a reader unfamiliar with the history of the 121st or its World War II campaigns will likely struggle to maintain situational awareness of the events depicted.

A valuable supplement to Boesch is U.S. Army. Eighth Infantry Division: a combat history by regiments and special units, 121st Infantry Regiment, originally published in 1946 with subsequent editions published by the 121st Infantry Association. All ten chapters of the book, nicknamed “the blue book” are available to read and download as PDF files from the Friends of the 8th Infantry Division website at http:// www.fatherswar.com/8thinfdiv/books/books.html#BB121 The blue book complements and bookends Road to Hurtgen providing insight on the actions of the 121st as well as adjacent units. Boesch figures prominently in the descriptions of the actions at Hurtgen and the work provides greater insight on the personality and leadership of Boesch and other Soldiers of the 121st Infantry Regiment. Taken together, the works paint a complete history of the World War II experience from the platoon to regimental level.

“

22 | The Georgia Guardsman

If you get wounded you’ll get a nice rest in a hospital. If you get killed, you won’t know any more about it. If neither happens, you have nothing to worry about. Let’s get going!

“

Newest Bandmaster of Guard’s Oldest Military Band

Story By: Staff Sgt. Robert Lannom Jr. | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard Warrant Officer William D. Proctor, of Grovetown, Ga., assumed command of the 116th Army Band from Chief Warrant Officer 3 Omar D. Patterson during a change of command ceremony at Joint Force Headquarters, Clay National Guard Center. Proctor is the newest bandmaster to lead the 116th, the oldest National Guard or Army Reserve band currently in service.

The lineage of the 116th Army Band traces to March 28, 1859 with the founding of the Gate City Guards in Atlanta. Federalized in 1941 for World War II service, the unit served in the European Theater. On Jan. 1, 1968, the unit received its current designation as the 116th Army Band.

Proctor is proud of the history of the unit and the responsibility it brings.

“It’s exciting to be part of an organization that has such a long heritage of service,” said Proctor. “Georgia has such a large military presence, both active and reserve component, and it’s a huge opportunity to be a part of engaging communities around the state and helping to tell the story of what our service members do.”

The 116th Army Band is at the forefront of the Georgia Army National Guard’s community engagement program, playing at over 60 community and holiday programs throughout the year.

“It’s a proud moment for the Ga. Army National Guard as we conducted the first change of command ceremony in the unit’s history,” said Lt. Col. Catherine Cherry, commander, 78th Troop Support Battalion. “Mr. Proctor’s experiences from serving on active duty in the band for 11 years prior to joining the 116th two years ago, will be very beneficial as he steps into the commander’s role.”

Patterson, the outgoing commander, took an opportunity to thank the band and congratulate Proctor.

“Commanding the band has been the highlight of my career,” said Patterson. “The best thing about the band is how they made me feel like a part of the family.”

Bandmasters are customarily a warrant officer or chief warrant officer, usually former enlisted band members themselves who have undergone demanding in-service training for music and military leadership.

Proctor attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and was a trombonist in the “Pride of the Southland Band” while enrolled. In 1998, he enlisted in 129th Army Band (Tennessee National Guard).

After graduation, he enlisted in the Army and served at Fort Benning, Ga.; Fort McPherson, Ga.; and Fort Drum, N.Y., from which he deployed to Kandahar Air Field with the 10th Mountain Division in 2010.

In 2016, Proctor joined the 116th Army Band and began the process of fulfilling the unit’s bandmaster vacancy, he graduated Warrant Officer Candidate School in March 2017 and completed the Warrant Officer Basic Course in November.

The new Bandmaster is looking forward to his assignment and working with the Soldiers of the National Guard’s oldest military band.

“We have some tremendous Soldier-musicians in the 116th,” said Proctor. “I have no doubt that within the next few years this will be the finest Reserve component military band in the country.”

Photos by: Staff Sgt. Robert Lannom Jr. | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

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Blast from the past:

world war I

Story by: Capt. William Carraway | Military Historian | 161st Military History Detachment

Robert Gober Burton

Nov 21-Dec 26, 1917: The 151st MGB arrived by train in Vaucouleurs Nov. 21, 1917. Detraining on Nov. 22, the Bn. split with Co. C taking station in Vaux La Petite while HQ, A, and B moved to Uruffe. The companies remained in place until Dec. 12, when they began a 150 kilometer march to the Rolamport Area. Company C marched from Vaux la Petite to Bure while HQ, A and B marched from Uruffe to Verseignes (location estimated. On Dec. 13, HQ, A and B advanced to Domremy while Co. C marched to Germisay. On Dec. 14, during a heavy snow storm, the battalion assembled in Manois.

Dec 26 1917-Jan 4, 1918: HQ, A, and B marched to Treix Dec. 26, 1917 while Co. C moved to Blancheville. The next day, Co. C advanced to Crenay by way of Chaumont. On Dec. 28, 1917, HQ, and Co. A marched to Vieux Moulins while Co. C and B congregated at Leffonds. On January 14, the battalion was reunited at Villers-sur Suize where they received an additional company from the Penn. National Guard, Company B, 149th MGB. This company became Co. D, 151st MGB. Battalion movements shown in yellow. White indicates Co. C while Green shows the movements of HQ, A and B. Source: “Vaucouleurs.” 48 00’15.49”N 6 16’01.44”E. Google Earth. Landsat/Copernicus. Dec. 31, 2017.

Photos courtesy of Ga. Guard History Archives

24 | The Georgia Guardsman

History of the 151st Machinge Gun Battalion

“If I ever have a son and he says I want to join the Army I am going to beat him nearly to death.” Camp Mills, SeptemberOctober 1917

Editor’s note: in the previous chapter of the 151st MGB history, Cpl. Robert Gober Burton and the 151st had just departed Camp Harris in Macon, bound by rail for Camp Albert Mills, N.Y. and assignment to the 42nd Division.

Camp Albert Mills, N.Y. September 1, 1917 Dear mama, Arrived all OK this afternoon. Was, or has been raining since we left Ga. Saw Rache (Gober’s Brother) at Athens the night we came thru.

I will write a letter as soon as things are straightened out.

Had a nice trip north. Enjoyed it very much.

Co. F 151st MGB Camp Albert Mills Branch PO 12 Hempstead, N.Y. Gober Camp Mills, located near Hempstead N.Y, was established in September 1917.

It soon became the largest training center for troops bound for France from the nearby port of Hoboken, N.J. It was here that the 151st MGB would become part of the 42nd Division.

Burton’s original assignment in Company F, 2nd Georgia was changed to Company A 151st MGB August 13, 1917 while companies B and C of the 2nd Georgia were assigned as Company B and C. Within two weeks of his arrival, the well-traveled Gober wrote of his latest exploits.

C a m p M i l l s , Mo n d ay Ni g h t (September 17, 1917) My dear mama, Well! I have taken in New York and

Coney Island. New York is some big town believe me. I like big crowds and a city, but this suits me most too well. I have ridden on a subway, the elevated and the surface cars. I have seen Broadway by night. I have seen 5th Ave. in the late afternoon. I have seen Chinatown and the Bowery. Also, have seen Central Park, Madison Square Garden, the Flat Iron Building, the Woolworth Building and all the famous parts of N.Y. I have been to Coney Island during Mardi Gras week and have seen all the wonders there. But greater than that would I rather see my little old mother and father way down in Ga. Your devoted son, Gober Over the next few weeks the men of the 151st Machine Gun Battalion trained to build up the physical stamina necessary for combat operations. As the training continued, the approach of overseas deployment was foremost in the minds of the soldiers and families. Burton’s letter of October 27, 1917 is filled with the melancholy and foreboding of a soldier who has received news he cannot relay.

Camp Mills Saturday afternoon, October 27, 1917 My dearest mama, I am going to do the best I can. Will try and write you at least once a week.

I am well and getting along fine.

Feeling good as can be.

From now on, my letters will be kinder short I expect.

I will just tell you how I am. Can’t tell you where we are or anything else.

Your devoted son, Gober Four days later Bur ton along with 569 members of the 151st MGB embarked from Hoboken aboard the U. S. S. Agamemnon bound for France.

“Today, a year ago, I was in Texas. Today I am in France.”

November 1917-January 1918.

When the U. S. S. Agamemnon sailed it carried not only the 570 officers and men of the 151st but the hopes and prayers of thousands of family members who would wait, pray, and scan the newspapers for casualty reports. News would come days late, if at all through letters home, heavily censored by company officers to remove referenced to specific locations, times and casualties.

The voyage of the Agamemnon was largely uneventful for the crammed soldiers who passed the time smoking, playing cards and listening to music on a handful of gramophones. The only event of note took place on the evening of November 9 when the transport Von Steuben collided with the Agamemnon Fortunately, the damage caused by the collision was above the water line and repairs were swiftly made.

L a n d w a s s i g ht e d Nov e m b e r 12, and the Agamemnon sailed into Brest Harbor. Due to the shortage of resources to unload the ships and lack of transportation and lodging, the soldiers remained aboard the Agamemnon an additional five agonizing days.

Finally, on November 17, the men disembarked, received three-days of rations and crowded 40 at a time into railroad cars. The men remained in the cars until the 22nd when they detrained at Vaucouleurs. Without issue of rations, the battalion was split up and elements marched in a pouring rain with Company C going to Vaux la Petite while Company A, B and Headquarters marched to Uruffe.

Having arrived at their initial training stations, the companies of the 151st MGB conducted nearly a month of training before beginning a 110-kilometer foot march to their new station in the Rolamport sector.

Marching in heavy snow on December 14, the entire battalion assembled at

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Manois where it remained through Christmas.

B u r t o n’s c o r r e s p o n d e n c e i s uncharacteristically spotty from the time the 151st MGB boarded the Agamemnon to Christmas with only three letters making their way home. The first letter was a post card informing his family that he was shipping and would write soon. The second letter would not come until he reached Uruffe.

When next he had a chance to write, Gober was in Manois.

Somewhere in France December 18, 1917 My dearest mama, Well, I have another chance to write.

I am getting along fine. Sleep warm at night and get to stay around a stove when we are not at work in the daytime.

Mildred wrote me that she was coming up in Ga. Xmas and that she might come by Monroe. I hope that she does because I want you to know her.

Don’t worry for a minute about me for I am getting along just as fine as can be. Uncle Same is taking care of me.

Will write to you every chance I get.

Write every week.

Your devoted son, Gober

26 | The Georgia Guardsman

The day after Christmas the 151st was again on the march. For these Georgian soldiers, the snow storms and freezing temperatures added a particular layer of misery to an otherwise tedious affair of endless marching with heavy packs and blanket rolls.

By January 1, 1918, Burton was able to write home.

Somewhere in France (Vieux Moulin) January 1, 1918 My dearest mama, Well! Today a year ago I was in Texas. Today I am in France. I am getting along just as fine as possible. The Xmas boxes haven’t been given out yet, but we will get them before long.

How is everything at home? Write to me as often as you can, and I will do the same, but my chances are not so good as yours.

Don’t you worry about me for I shall be OK. I am sitting in the middle of the floor writing this by candlelight. The place is warm, and I am comfortable. You know how I used to write …. On the floor at home.

Write me soon.

Your devoted son, Gober On January 4, the 151st assembled at Viller sur Suize with the addition of a company from the 149th MGB. This company of Pennsylvania National Guard soldiers would form Company D of the 151st MGB. That same day, the 151st lost its first soldier, Private Edgar Coots in an accident.

In Viller sur Suize the battalion received their Hotchkiss machine guns, helmets, gas masks and final equipage. The men also received overdue Christmas packages from home as Burton related in his letters back home.

Somewhere in France (Viller sur Suize) January 6, 1917 (1918) My dearest mama, Well, I received the Xmas boxes last night. All of them came together. They were surely appreciated.

I am getting along just as nicely as possible. Haven’t been sick yet.

I don’t know how much truth there is to it, but we have been hearing peace rumors over here. Here’s hoping that it is so.

I think that it won’t be long before

we come back to the States. Don’t you for a moment worry about me.

Write me as often as once a week anyway, As ever, Your devoted son, Gober Burton paints a cheery picture for his family at home. At no point does he relate the misery of the train ride to Vaucouleurs or the extended road marches, first in freezing rain and then in deep snow, clad in only wool uniforms and a great coat. The next few weeks would pass in relative safety 70 miles from the front, but the 151st would presently enter the front lines, and suffer their first casualty.

“Don’t worry for a minute about me.” Training for the Trenches: JanuaryMarch 1918 The 151st trained for five weeks enduring more severe cold. Weather and hardship took a toll. Private Joseph E. Tucker of C ompany C died of pneumonia shortly after the battalion reached Viller sur Suize. A resident of Brinson, Ga., Tucker told recruiters he was 18.5 years old when he enlisted in Company E, 2nd Georgia Volunteer Infantry June 25, 1917. When he died January 10, 1918, Tucker was just nine days short of his 16th birthday.

While at Viler sur Suize, the soldiers familiarized themselves with gas mask

drills and practiced emplacing and firing their Hotchkiss machine guns.

A squad of nine men was required to maintain and serve a Hotchkiss in combat. The squad was led by a corporal.

A gunner carried the 53-pound weapon in action while an assistant loader bore the 41-pound tripod. A third man was responsible for carrying the 18-pound traversing rod along with an ammunition box containing 30-round strips of ammunition. Three men served as ammunition carriers and two more were detailed to handle mules who hauled the gun cart and ammunition cart.

Burdened with more than 100 pounds of weapon system in addition to ammunition crates, the soldiers were not assigned individual weapons systems.

Their lives on the battlefield would depend on how fast they employed their machine guns and how accurately they could place fire.

On January 23, Robert Burton was promoted to corporal and placed in charge of one of those squads.

By mid-February the battalion was ordered to prepare to move to the front.

The soldiers entrained February 18, 1918 for transport initially to Giriviller, about 20 miles southeast of Nancy. Five days later, Pvt. Homer Terry of Company B was run over by a machine gun cart and killed. Terry was from Porterdale, Ga. He had enlisted in The Jackson Rifles,

Company A, 2nd Georgia Volunteer Infantry June 16, 1916 and had traveled with Burton to Camp Cotton on the Mexican border that year. He was 23 years old.

At Giriviller, the companies of the 151st were attached to the infantry regiments of the 84th Brigade, 42nd Division. Company A and B were attached to the 167th Infantry Regiment comprised mostly of National Guard soldiers from Alabama while Company C was attached to the 168th Infantry Regiment composed of Iowa National Guard soldiers. The newly assigned Company D was attached to a reserve element of the 168th.

Major Cooper Winn, commander of the 151st was assigned as machine gun officer for the 84th Brigade in addition to his battalion command duties. The 27-year-old native of Macon enlisted as a private in the Macon Volunteers March 2, 1899 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the same unit three years later. He served with the Macon Volunteers until 1912 when he was appointed adjutant of the 2nd Georgia, parent unit of the Macon Volunteers.

Promot ion to maj or fol lowe d in November 1912. Major Winn traveled with the Georgia Brigade to Texas in 1916 and was stationed at Camp Cotton at the same time as Burton. Winn assumed command of the 151st in August 1917 after the Georgians returned from Texas.

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For now, Winn’s focus was on rotating his companies through front line positions in the Luneville and Baccarat Sectors, relatively quiet sections of the front but still part of an active combat zone. Here, the 151st and their supported infantry regiments would begin working with the French 128th Division prior to conducting a battlehandoff of sector responsibility.

On March 8, the first elements of the 151st entered the trenches near Badonvillier beginning the first of 167 days spent in combat positions.

March 1918, First Contact: “The Boche haven’t got me yet!!”

O n Ma rc h 7 , P r i v at e R o b e r t Addleton became the first member of the 151st to return from the war. After enlisting April 17, 1917, Addleton had traveled to France with the battalion and ultimately to within 10 miles of the Western Front. Mere days before the 151st entered the front-line trenches, it was discovered that Addleton had been underage at the time of his enlistment.

He was sent home with an honorable discharge. While his comrades were overseas receiving their baptism of fire, Addleton went back to work at the

28 | The Georgia Guardsman

Willingham Cotton Mills in Macon.

In his correspondence from the trenches in March 1918, Burton offers a reassuring version of the war in which he and his fellow soldiers are happy and in high spirits. Perhaps knowing that any correspondence sent home would be widely distributed among family members and shared with the local paper, Burton provides no hint of his location or the fact that soldiers of his unit had been in the trenches for nearly a week. in the Luneville and Baccarat sectors.

Company C, 151st MGB entered the trenches near Badonvillier with the 168th on March 8, 1918. That same day, Pvt. Frank Adkins of Company B succumbed to sepsis at the age of 31.

A resident of Vienna, Ga., Adkins was buried in St. Mihiel Cemetery.

C omp a ny A m ov e d i nt o f i re support positions for the 167th near Ancervillier a few days after Company C. Accompanying the American units to the front were veteran soldiers of the French 128th Division who would serve alongside the American soldiers until they were ready to assume full responsibility for their sectors.

Burton provides a description of the countryside from his vantage point in

Ancervillier in his March 14, 1918 letter: This is a very pretty country suited to raising wheat and vegetables and most all kinds of foodstuffs that is raised over here now. The lay of the country reminds me some of north Georgia on account of the low rolling hills and rich valleys.

Everything is old and settled down.

There are no farm towns like those we see in the States. The people follow in the footsteps of their predecessors. All of the houses are made of stone and the barn and living apartments of the people are all in one building.

Some of the finest stock that I have ever seen are over here. The horses are big Belgian draught horses and the cattle are all kinds. Lots of port is raised than this country.

I would like to have a car over here during peace times. You would never have to worry about being stuck in the mud or about it being too muddy to go.

There are some of the finest roads in the world over here. It is not local because it extends over the whole of France. The part that I have seen is that way and I expect that it is that way all over France.

With love from your devoted son, Gober On March 17, 1918 Company D

began rotating into the positions held by Company C. Aside from ever constant German artillery fire, Company C’s rotation had been relatively uneventful.

A notable exception occurred when the company provided overhead barrage fire in support of raid conducted by soldiers of the 168th.

While Company C completed their time in the trenches without suffering any casualties, Company D would not be as fortunate. Private 1st Class Sylvester Sullivan of Harrisburg, Penn. was killed in an accident on his first day at the front. He was 22.

Corporal Jack Peavy of Company B was wounded in the leg on March 19.

The 20-year-old Macon resident was only slightly wounded and would soon return to duty.

On March 21, Pvt. Robert Foster of Company A was seriously wounded.

Foster, a 24-year-old from Rochelle Ga. would recover and return to the ranks only to suffer a second wound four months later.

Also, on March 21, 18-year-old Pvt. Clifford Evans was mortally wounded.

His body was returned to his hometown of Ooskaloosa, Iowa for burial.

Newspaper accounts in the Walton Tribune and Macon Telegraph recounted the work of the Macon Volunteers in the trenches before Luneville and Baccarat:

March 1918, Walton Tribune “The 151st Machine Gun Battalion – the three Macon Companies in the Rainbow Division – has been in the trenches for nineteen days continuous service of such a nature that the officer writing the tidings to his mother in Macon confided that he had not had a chance to take off his clothing in that time, and that the battalion of Macon and Georgia boys saw real fighting of the sort that was given to them to take over the first little area of German soil won in Alsace-Lorraine, is not the only information that comes in a letter written to a Macon home, and to which the Telegraph has had access.

“Furthermore – after seeing some stiff enough fighting, being under fire for nineteen days and going first over in an attack that took German soil and kept it, the Macon battalion came back to its relief billets without a man being killed or wounded in the whole encounter, except Jack Peavy who was injured in the leg while the ‘show’ was on.”

wounded and lost two to disease and accidents.

Corporal Burton took advantage of the time in Rambervillers to write home.

France (Rambervillers) March 25, 1918 My dearest mama, Well now comes the news. I have been to the trenches and stayed up there a good many days. As you see by this letter, the Boche haven’t got me yet!!

I am afraid that I will be kinder hard to get…

As ever, your devoted son, Gober

Next Chapter: April 1918, Back to Baccarat: “They are putting our names down in history it looks like.”

On March 23, the 42nd Division was relieved from its trench positions and the 151st MGB marched to Rambervillers.

In their first 15 days in the front lines, the battalion had suffered one killed, two

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Around the Georgia Guard BATTLE HAND-OFF Brigadier General Thomas Blackstock Jr., commander of the 78th Troop Command, welcomes the newest members of his unit by placing their unit patch on their uniform during the Georgia Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion battle handoff ceremony at Fort Stewart, Ga.

EQUIPMENT TESTING Georgia Air National Guardsman Senior Master Sgt. David Taylor, security forces, 165th Security Forces Squadron, Savannah, Ga., engages a 100-meter target during the Georgia Army National Guard Small Arms Leader Course. The course specilizes in the tactics and techniques of engagement and training Guardsman in weapons use.

30 | The Georgia Guardsman

PAULDING COUNTY STEM EVENT Students from the Paulding County School District attended a Science, Technology, Engineer and Mathematics (STEM) event held at Paulding County Airfield. Georgia National Guard provided a hands on experience with a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, a decontamination demonstration from the 781st Joint Task Force, and a walk through of a Unified Command Suite from the 4th Civil Support Team. STEM programs approach key educational subjects in an integrated way and prepares the students for the future.

VISITING THE 116TH AIR CONTROL WING U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., met with Team JSTARS and Georgia National Guard leadership during a visit to Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.

PRESENTING THE COLORS Georgia’s Youth ChalleNGe Academy cadets march forward with the American flag and state colors during the recognition of National Vietnam War Veterans Day at the capitol building in Atlanta, March 29, 2018.

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Public Affairs Office Georgia Department of Defense 1000 Halsey Ave. Bldg. 447 Marietta, Ga. 30060 32 | The Georgia Guardsman