Ocean State Guardian - Summer 2009 by Rhode Island National Guard

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Rhode Island National Guard

The Ocean State Guardians

Q & A with the Adjutant General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Summer 2009

Developing the National Guard’s future leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 General Officers’ Promotions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Multi-agency JUICE tests communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Strong Bonds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Ocean State Guardian founding editor retires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

The Governor of Rhode Island and the Captain General of the Rhode Island National Guard

The Honorable Donald L. Carcieri The Adjutant General of the State of Rhode Island and Commanding General of the Rhode Island National Guard

Air Show 2009 was a record setter!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 The 1207th FSC wins this year’s Regional Philip A. Connelly Award for Excellence in Army Food Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 The Rhode Island National Guard launches its official Facebook page . . . . . . . . . . 9

Maj. Gen. Robert T. Bray Assistant Adjutant General for Army and Deputy Commanding General of the Rhode Island National Guard

Brig. Gen. Brian W. Goodwin Commander, Joint Force Headquarters, Rhode Island National Guard

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Brig. Gen. Matthew J. Dzialo

Rhode Island National Guard Open House & Air Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Assistant Adjutant General for Air Rhode Island National Guard

New full-time legal assistance attorney ready to help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Col. Paul L. Ayers Managing Editor State Public Affairs Officer

New Quonset AFFES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Dominician Republic, Beyond the Horizons ‘09. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 R.I. National Guard Soldiers support military values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Lt. Col. Denis J. Riel

The Rhode Island National Guard Equipment in the 21st Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Public Affairs Specialists

I. A.M. STRONG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Sgt. John Cervone Sgt. Megan Burmeister Sgt. Peter Ramaglia

PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE • (401) 275-4038 • ngristaffpao@ng.army.mil

ON THE COVER

Public Affairs Office 401-275-4038 Feedback on The OSG content, please e-mail:

The Blue Angels flying in formation at the Rhode Island National Guard Open House & Air Show.

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Bob Ulin Publisher

Marie Lundstrom Editor

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Cover Composed by Sgt. Peter Ramaglia, Public Affairs Specialists

The Ocean State Guardians is published by AQP Publishing, Inc., a private firm in no way connected with the Rhode Island National Guard, under written contract with the Rhode Island National Guard. This Rhode Island National Guard magazine is an authorized publication for employees and military members of the Rhode Island National Guard. Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the state of Rhode Island, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, or the Rhode Island National Guard. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the state of Rhode

Island, DoD, the Rhode Island National Guard, or AQP Publishing, Inc. of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user, or patron. Editorial content is edited, prepared, and provided by the Office of Public Affairs, Joint Forces Headquarters – RING. All photographs and graphic devices are copyrighted to the Rhode Island National Guard unless otherwise indicated.

Summer 2009 / Rhode Island National Guard

Q&A with the Adjutant General of the State of Rhode Island

Maj. Gen. Robert T. Bray Adjutant General, Commanding General Rhode Island National Guard

Q: With Soldiers being pulled out of Iraq, and the operation tempo focusing mainly on Afghanistan, do you forsee Rhode Island’s National Guard units still being one of the most deployed states in the nation? - Eric Burmeister A: My assessment is “No.” The level of National Guard commitment and requirement has leveled out since the implementation of the Army Force Generation model. ARFORGEN in conjunction with the Air Expeditionary Force model, which the Air National Guard participates in, are designed to ensure that the mobilization and deployment cycle is more predictable. Both seek to ensure that units, Soldiers and Airmen have sufficient “dwell” time between deployment rotations to reset equipment, training, personnel and organizational needs. I expect, however, that the units and personnel of the Rhode Island National Guard will continue to play an important role in all future deployments as an operational force because of the types of organizations we have, which are largely “high demand” for their demonstrated professionalism and dependability, and because of their high degree of readiness. Q: I would like to know when the R.I. National Guard is going to pass out the Combat Action Badges that were earned serving in OIF. Most Soldiers have been waiting since serving in OIF as far back as 2003. They made a special arrangement to get Master Sgt. Wallace his

CAB for the end of his tragic life. So I would assume that they cleared the way to get the rest of the Soldiers the CABs that they have also earned and should have been awarded. In a company of at least 140 Soldiers, there are more than a few Soldiers waiting. So where does a Soldier who is now out of the Guard go to get the medals he has earned? - James Reid A: The award of the Combat Action Badge has been an issue of concern for several of our organizations since their redeployment from Iraq. CABs not awarded in theater, or prior to REFRAD, must go through a rigorous administrative process designed to authenticate eligibility for the award. The CAB is not awarded as a unit award, but as an individual award requiring individual application from the unit of assignment. The request for the CAB will be submitted through the J1-JFHQ-RI, to NGB, then on to the Army Human Resources Command – Alexandria for approval. These awards must be approved by the first general officer in the Soldier’s chain of command prior to being forwarded for approval. Q: For what reason was the 172nd Infantry “Mountain” removed from the Rhode Island National Guard? - John Sampson A: Under the Department of the Army’s “Modularity” initiative to restructure Army organizations, Mountain formations were eliminated. Modularity has focused on building the Brigade Combat Team and Stryker Brigades. These decisions were made through a doctrinal process called Total Army Analysis, which, in brief, seeks to match force structure against future threats and modernization initiatives. The

Ocean State Guardian / Summer 2009

only remaining Mountain structure was retained by the Vermont Army National Guard, where the specialty was trained. The Rhode Island Army National Guard sought and succeeded in retaining infantry structure with an Airborne specialty. Q: With the addition of the C130-J, ASVs, and M777, can the Rhode Island National Guard expect to see more new equipment in the near future? - Megan Burmeister A: Yes. The Department of the Army equipping strategy equips units that are in an available ARFOGEN status to mission. Units in RESET or Trained/ Ready status will be equipped based on their status, additional missions and equipment available. The National Guard Bureau has established ten core Homeland Defense/Defense Support to Civilian Authority capabilities that each state must have in order to accomplish their state mission for the governor, presently supported at 80% of critical dual-use requirements. The NGB, adjutants general, and the National Guard Association of America position continues to be an equipping strategy of 100% for critical dual-use. Fiscal limitations and the wear and tear of persistent conflict will, however, continue to affect the rate and quantities of materials fielded. The Rhode Island National Guard continues to field new systems at an unprecedented rate. Ongoing equipping initiatives for the RING include: heavy engineering equipment, HMTV’s, the Joint Cargo Aircraft, combat communications upgrades, crew-served and individual weapons.

Developing the National Guard’s future leaders By Brig. Gen. Paul L. Ayers, RIANG Assistant Adjutant General for Air

General Officers’ Promotions

The Air National Guard Strategic Plan’s first stated priority is “Provide the right people, in the right places, with the right skills.” The strategic implementation team has developed supporting goals and objectives to meet this critical need. The team will provide guidelines, resources, opportunities and recommendations to ensure we are able to provide for key leadership positions at the Joint Force HQ-state, National Guard Bureau, major commands, and combatant commands. The National Guard provides unique capabilities with our citizen Soldiers and Airmen, and our “culture” will be reflected in this force development plan. However, as we continue to “operationalize” the National Guard to meet the ever increasing demands, our future leaders will require experience beyond the level attained by much of our current leadership.

Force development involves four major areas: education, operational experience, leadership, and staff experience. The education includes technical training, civilian education, and professional military education. The strategic implementation team is aiming to enhance technical school and PME curricula through increased ANG student and instructor presence. The team is developing an exchange program between active duty and ANG units and exploring opportunities to include more ANG officers and NCOs in joint billets. Finally, they are exploring a system to provide field input at NGB with tours ranging from 30-90 days. This proposal would provide much needed field input to the NGB staff while exposing field officers and NCOs to NGB staff experience, without requiring them to fill multi-year state tours. Even if this process was fully developed and implemented today, the results

would take many years to realize. This effort will require a paradigm shift and enormous culture change for the Air National Guard. We can start today by articulating these expectations to our Airmen and junior officers. Our mentorship and development processes should explore opportunities with our star performers. Discuss possible tours at NGB, joint PME, tours at Air Mobility Command, U.S. Space Command Air Force, and Air Education and Training Command. Encourage our Airmen to use the VA benefits they’ve earned. There is no recipe for success and no single way to becoming an effective leader. But all of the paths will include education, operational experience, leadership, and staff experience. Encourage Airmen at all levels to participate and become part of our future leadership.

Brigadier General Kevin McBride promoted to Major General, On Saturday April 4, 2009, Brig. Gen. Kevin McBride and family gathered at the Rhode Island State House for his promotion to major general. Maj. Gen. McBride commanded the 43rd Military Police Brigade during the brigade’s deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 2005-2007. McBride is currently the deputy commanding general, Army National Guard, United States Army Materiel Command, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

Colonel James E. Keighley Promoted to Brigadier General On Sunday, May 3, 2009, Col. James E. Keighley was promoted to brigadier general at the Rhode Island State House. Brig. Gen. Keighley served in Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. Keighley is currently the commanding officer of Rhode Island’s 43rd Military Police Brigade.

Colonel Paul L. Ayers promoted to Brigadier General Rhode Island National Guard celebrated the promotion of Col. Paul L. Ayers to brigadier general with a ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009. Ayers is the Assistant Adjutant General for Air for the Rhode Island National Guard. He is a veteran of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

Summer 2009 / Rhode Island National Guard

Multi-agency

JUICE tests communication

The 281st Combat Communications Group, Rhode Island Air National Guard, helped to break down communication barriers by teaming up with key elements of the Department of Defense community to lead the Joint User Interoperability Communication Exercise 2009, or JUICE 09, at Fort Monmouth, N.J., May 31-June 20, 2009. JUICE participants included over 60 agencies and units from Northern Command, Department of Homeland Security, Joint Forces Command, Defense Information Systems Agency, Air Force, Marines, Navy, Army, industry and other local, state and federal organizations. These participants spanned the globe to include communication links in Korea, Germany and Belgium. The exercise consisted of testing experimental new systems, innovative uses of new technologies, and assessing and validating those systems through field testing by bringing together civilian and government agencies. JUICE 09 provided an opportunity for operational and technical training for the future Warfighter. The objectives of JUICE were to support the Warfighter operating with NATO and coalition forces in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom by addressing existing operational gaps. JUICE also demonstrated the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security interoperability in support of Joint Task

Force-Civil Support. Overall, the exercise answered over 50 significant Warfighter communication gaps and completed nine out of 10 test Pentagon objectives for the implementation of network IPv6 standards. Gaps addressed included air-to-ground, secure voice service, and full-motion video. The primary role of the 281st CCG was to operate the Joint Network Communications Center and ensure timely exercise execution. The JNCC directed information among the 600-plus individual participants and routed to appropriate parties. Daily status updates were provided to the joint staff, informing the command and control commander on interoperability progress. The 281st also played an important role in documenting after- action reports throughout the exercise. The lessons learned will be incorporated into Joint Chiefs of Staff guidance for the communications planners. Further testing will be accomplished in follow-on JCS exercises, including JUICE 2010. The 282 Combat Communications Squadron, RIANG, provided Airmen and equipment for the homeland defense scenario testing. The 281st CCG provided Airmen to direct the entire exercise, ensuring that the communications circuits, links and test execution supported the JCS exercise objectives. Some of these objectives were DHS interoperability with

JTF-CS, assessing Navy ship-to-shore secure and video communication, Everything Over IP capabilities, beyond lineof-sight, green tactical power (solar and wind), and JCS objectives concerning data transmission testing over an IPv6 network. One exercise scenario simulating an east coast hurricane provided a live video feed to essential personnel at NORTHCOM, the Unified Combatant Command responsible for homeland defense and civil support. This live video feed was made possible through a joint endeavor by a Rhode Island National Guard Joint Interoperable Site Communications Center and the Monmouth Country, N.J., fire department’s HAZMAT robot. JUICE is a developmental tool to ensure that the DoD, military and civilian authorities have a forum to evaluate their interoperable capability. It also allows newer technologies to be tested for integration among multiple communication venues. This interoperable capability is essential during a time of war, natural disaster or state emergencies. Communication is the highest priority during emergency or disaster efforts and the coordination of the Warfighters or first responders and rescue teams. Because of the overwhelming success and value of JUICE 09, the 281st CCG has been requested to provide the command and control for JUICE 10 in June 2010.

Members of the Rhode Island National Guard gathered with their spouses May 15 at the Viking Hotel in Newport for an all-expenses-paid weekend aimed at reinvigorating their relationships. The couples were participants in a weekend retreat called Strong Bonds. Strong Bonds is an Army and Air National Guard initiative to empower Soldiers, Airmen, and their loved ones with relationship-building skills, and connect them to community health and support resources. It is a preventive program committed to the restoration and preservation of Army families, even those near crisis. Group discussions included stress management solutions and raising children without denying your marriage the attention it requires. Over twenty couples used the weekend as a way to reconnect with each other without the distractions that normal everyday life can bring. 4

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The program is run by Army National Guard chaplain Maj. Eliseo Nogueras and Air National Guard chaplain Capt. Kip Averett, with support from the Family Readiness Group. The program’s intent is to impart information without preaching or being judgmental. Couples are asked to listen and participate only if they feel comfortable. With or without active participation, couples received valuable information that they can integrate into their daily lives without much effort. The program is proof of the National Guard’s commitment to supporting and maintaining healthy families. With Strong Bonds, participants not only bond with their loved ones; they also bond with other National Guard families, chaplains and the Guard community as a whole. In turn, our Soldiers and Airmen realize that they’re not in this alone.

Ocean State Guardian founding editor retires By Lt. Col. Denis Riel

Sgt. John Cervone, editor of the Guardian since its inception in 2001, left federal technician status in September and will retire militarily in October from the Rhode Island Army National Guard. Cervone was hired as a federal technician in 2001 after transferring to the Rhode Island Army National Guard from the U.S. Navy Reserve in 1995. His contributions to the R.I. National Guard in documenting and chronicling virtually every significant event for the past eight years, are legendary. Very few events did not include him as a main player walking among the principals and spectators with his trusty camera, notebook, and pen. His are no small contributions, considering these have arguably been the busiest eight years in this organization’s 372-year history.

Cervone’s images and stories will serve as cornerstones of the R.I. National Guard story during our response to the Global War on Terror. Visions of homecomings and deployments, exercises and real-world contingencies, enlistments, and sadly, final farewells – all have been captured visually and in words by his perceptive observations and descriptions. Not happy merely to report on our history, Cervone insisted on being a part of it, and capped his career by volunteering for deployment with the 65th Public Affairs Operations Center (now the 110th Public Affairs Detachment) to Baghdad in 2007-2008. Intent on deploying during the same time frame as his son Sgt. Eric Cervone, formerly of the 169th MP Company, Cervone

brought his special brand of skills to the AO. This experience only served to heighten his reporting abilities, and he graced us with his best work after his deployment. In recent months, Cervone has been instrumental in overseeing the Ocean State Guardian’s moves into the world of digital files and social media. But in the finest traditions of the military, the Ocean State Guardian moves on without him, starting next issue. The OSG however, will always have a foundation poured by its first editor regardless of how large the house becomes that we build on that foundation. For this, we thank John Cervone, and as he leaves us, we wish him Godspeed, good health, and much happiness.

Summer 2009 / Rhode Island National Guard

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Air Show 2009 was a record setter! The 19th production of the Rhode Island Open House and Air Show June 27-28 is now behind us but it definitely has left its mark as the best show in the event’s history! Great weather, hard economic times, and plenty of southern New Englanders looking for a unique entertainment opportunity combined to form one of the best attended and most successful shows ever hosted by the Rhode Island National Guard. For the first time, the show featured TWO main events, with both the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the Canadian Forces Snowbirds performing their special brands of precision tactical flying and aerobatics. Additionally, the Rhode Island National Guard Open House and Air Show was selected as one of the very few locations to host a performance by the U.S. Air Force’s premiere 5th generation fighter, the F-22 Raptor, which left more than one spectator comparing the aircraft to “a flying saucer!” Also featured as part of the aerial demonstration were several other notable aircraft: the venerable F-16 Fighting Falcon; the U.S. Marine Corps’ special retrofitted C-130M “Fat Albert,” which serves as the Blue Angels’ support aircraft; the R.I. Air National Guard’s own C-130J; a pair of U.S. Air Force WWII legacy F-51 Mustangs; the R.I. Army National Guard’s C-23 Sherpa and UH-60 Black Hawks and, for the final time, UH-1 Hueys belonging to the Army Guard’s 249th Air Medical Company. And if the military demonstration of Army and Air Force air power weren’t enough, the show continued to host some of the nation’s top civilian aerobatic demonstrations with the likes of Sean Tucker, Mike Goulian, John Klatt and Ed Hamill performing their routines for the awe-stricken crowds. The show also featured the U.S. Army Special Operations Command’s demonstration parachute team, the Black Daggers, who opened the show both days and also performed during the show, as they conducted free-fall operations from 13,000 feet.

“The Rhode Island Open House and Air Show is an incredibly unique event which allows our organization to both display our facilities and host outstanding air and ground display for the community which hosts us and continues to support us as we maintain aggressive operational tempo in support of the Global War on Terror,” said Rhode Island Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Robert T. Bray. “This has truly become one of the top military air shows in the country, and performers continually seek us out for participation. Our reputation as the best host in the air show industry is well-

established, and we are proud to bring in such great talent to share with our neighbors.” said Col. Lawrence Gallogly, commander of the 143rd Airlift Wing and one of the show’s early founders. The show, run in partnership with the Rhode Island National Guard Association, has since 1991 raised more than $1.4 million. Those funds have been donated to local charities, with, most notably, more than $1.2 million to Hasbro Children’s Hospital. To see more photos from the Air Show, check out the centerspread on page 10.

Summer 2009 / Rhode Island National Guard

Ocean State Guardian / Summer 2009

The 1207th FSC wins this year’s Regional

Philip A. Connelly Award for Excellence in Army Food Service The 1207th Forward Support Company has won this year’s Regional Philip A.Connelly Competition. This win will allow them to compete for the National Championship in October. In November 2004, the Mess Specialists of the 861st Engineers also competed in the final phase after winning the state and regional awards. They did not win in the finals but their hard work and perseverance were truly appreciated by all concerned parties. Chief Warrant Officer Joel Zimmerman was instrumental in bringing the engineers to the finals back then and will do his best again this year to help the Rhode Islanders to be fierce competitors. The annual Philip A. Connelly Awards are co-sponsored by the Department of the Army and the International Food Service Executives Association. Evaluators from IFSEA

and the Army Center of Excellence, Subsistence, or ACES, travel around the world to judge food service specialists at work during dining facility and field kitchen operations. The program’s goal is twofold: to stimulate excellence in preparing and serving food to soldiers and to provide added incentive for improved food service operations through unit recognition. Named after a former IFSEA president, the Philip A. Connelly Awards began in 1968 to recognize outstanding Army food service on the job. The late Philip A. Connelly worked throughout his life to promote professionalism in food service, both in civilian industry and the military services. He served on evaluation committees for the Army, Air Force and Navy and was named Father of Armed Forces Food Service Awards. He is credited with more closely aligning military and civilian food service

programs and with unifying goals in education, training, career development and job opportunities. The multilevel competition begins at the lowest military echelon. Because of the number of dining facilities and field kitchens in the Active Army, U.S. Army Reserve and Army National Guard, major commands hold competitions to select finalists to represent their commands. Evaluation committees visit each finalist. The three-person evaluation committees consist of one IFSEA civilian and two military representatives, one senior warrant officer and one sergeant major, from the ACES at the U.S. Army Quartermaster Center and School, Fort Lee, Va.

The Rhode Island National Guard launches its official Facebook page

Sgt. Peter Ramaglia

While looking at the Internet as a platform, the Rhode Island National Guard recently launched its official Facebook page. The page allows people to view the latest press releases and imagery issued by the Rhode Island National Guard on Facebook, as well as to interact with other

fans of the site. Questions and comments can also be posted on the “discussion” application to address public concerns or issues. Facebook is a social networking website with more than 200 million users worldwide. The Rhode Island National Guard’s page will offer the most up-to-date information possible. The Rhode Island National Guard views Facebook as a great tool to stay in communication with retirees, families, friends, Soldiers and Airmen. Since its

creation in June, the Rhode Island National Guard’s Facebook page has 700+ fans, civilian and military. Anyone can become a fan of the page – just go to www.facebook.com and type in: “Rhode Island National Guard” in the search key to view the Rhode Island National Guard’s Facebook page.

Summer 2009 / Rhode Island National Guard

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Summer 2009 / Rhode Island National Guard

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New full-time legal assistance attorney ready to help As the legal assistance attorney, Capt. Michael Jolin fulfills an important role in the state’s Judge Advocate General Office. Jolin provides legal advice and assistance to active and reserve component members of the Armed Forces free of charge. Primarily Jolin works with Soldiers and Airmen preparing to deploy. He helps them create wills, powers of attorney, and family care plans. He is available to any service member for any number of legal concerns; however, he does not act as a personal lawyer and cannot represent a service member in court. Jolin enlisted in the Army Reserve when he was 37 years old. He served

two years as an enlisted infantryman before accepting his commission in 2007. Prior to accepting this position, he had worked since 1998 as an attorney in the civilian sector. Jolin is determined to support the Soldiers and Airmen of the Rhode Island National Guard. “What I do, taking care of the service members, gives commanders less to be concerned about,” said Jolin. “My work helps keep the Soldiers and Airmen focused on the mission.” To Contact: Capt. Michael Jolin (401) 275-4006 Michael.p.jolin@us.army.mil

New Quonset AFFES Sgt. John Cervone

The Department of Defense’s oldest and largest general retailer has set up shop at the Rhode Island National Guard Air Base, Quonset Point. The Army & Air Force Exchange Service celebrated the Grand Opening June 6 of its newest convenience store at Quonset Point, R.I. The ceremony formally launched the inception of the small convenience store. The Shoppette offers a variety of snacks and cold beverages as well as health and beauty items plus commonly needed military uniform items. There will also be a Class Six section of the store to provide a range of liquor products. Because AAFES has a dual mission to provide quality merchandise and services to authorized exchange shoppers and to generate earnings which provide a dividend to support morale, welfare and recreation programs, the future growth of the exchange will be directly proportional to customer demand. “We have high hopes for the Rhode Island National Guard Air Base exchange,” said AAFES Chief

of Corporate Communications Lt. Col. William Thurmond. “This facility is not just for those drilling or working at the base; it’s also for the retiree, Reserve and Guard families who live around the installation. Their support will be critical to the future success of the exchange benefit in Rhode Island.”

The Shoppette/Class Six at Rhode Island National Guard Air Base will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Extended weekend hours will be implemented during drill weekends with the exchange then staying open 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

Summer 2009 / Rhode Island National Guard

Dominican Republic, Beyond the Horizons ‘09 173’rd LRS-D in airborne Annual Training By Staff Sgt. Brian Morey

In May 2009, members of the 173rd Long Range Surveillance Detachment deployed to the Dominican Republic in support of Operation Beyond the Horizons. The concept of the LRS operation was to facilitate basic and intermediate soldiering skills to a newly formed Dominican Republic Special Operations unit composed of highly motivated soldiers selected from the active Army. The main focus of the Special Operations unit is domestic stability operations throughout the country, but their duties and responsibilities vary greatly from stability operations to domestic disaster response. Our presence was well received by our host nation, and we dived immediately into a rigorous training cycle lasting approximately 14 days. In the first few days, the focus was directed

in three critical areas: basic rifle marksmanship, land navigation and hand-to-hand combat. Every squad member from the LRS was given the responsibility to teach and mentor Dominican Republic soldiers in order to establish a firm foundation of rudimentary skills in these three areas. Some of the skills taught were weapons control, situational awareness, use of a map and compass, patrolling methods, basic hand-to-hand skills and personal confidence. All of these skills branch out into every task level within the military. The second phase of our training was centralized around Military Operations in Urban Terrain. This type of combat involves a completely different strategy and operational awareness than any other military operation.

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MOUT can be incredibly complex, but simple tactical knowledge and repetition can pay dividends. Our goal was to teach the DR soldiers the basic tactical, movement, observation, infiltration/ exfiltration and considerations necessary for success in an urban environment. Paintball equipment, a “mock-up” city, and a shoot-house were some of the training aids utilized in order to add realism to the training. Platoons of the Dominican Republic soldiers were

broken up and assigned to one of three LRS squads for the duration of the MOUT phase of training. Throughout this phase, the emphasis was again on building the rudimentary fundamentals of urban combat. Hours were spent on rehearsals to develop these skills and allow us to reinforce their confidence and proficiency. Infiltration/exfiltration training was executed through cooperation with Rhode Island Aviation, which had representatives in the Dominican Republic along with the LRS. Exercises in aircraft familiarization, capabilities, and tactical loading/unloading of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter not only offered an opportunity for training, but added a bit of excitement to the missions. Force-on-force paintball training was the culminating exercise for the Dominican Special Operations soldiers. It offered them the opportunity to face real resistance with actual â&#x20AC;&#x153;roundsâ&#x20AC;? and allowed a more thorough understanding of the skills that needed work. Given the small amount of time allotted for this very complex training, the Dominican Republic Special Forces Soldiers displayed a motivation and dedication that allowed them to operate at a level much higher than anticipated. This was also due, in part, to the leadership and training offered to these Soldiers by the members of the 173rd LRS.

The last event for annual training 09 was a parachute operation along with members of the Dominican Army, Special Operations and Air Force. Members of the Dominican Armed Forces were placed in sticks along side LRS soldiers to facilitate a truly

integrated international airborne mission. Most of the Dominican soldiers had never parachuted from a helicopter, so it was a great opportunity for us to offer them an exciting new experience and close out a very successful annual training.

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R.I. National Guard Soldiers Support Military Values Face fear, danger or adversity – physical or moral Personal courage has long been associated with our Army. With physical courage, it is a matter of enduring physical duress and at times risking personal safety. Facing moral fear or adversity may be a long, slow process of continuing forward on the right path, especially if taking those actions is not popular with others. You can build your personal courage by daily standing up for and acting upon the things that you know are honorable.

ARMY VALUE:

Duty

Staff Sergeant Brian Morey Staff Sgt. Brian Morey is a true Rhode Island National Guard success story. He came into the Guard as a college student in the winter of 2000. While balancing the National Guard and college, he was able to earn his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Rhode Island. He attended airborne school and served admirably in every position on a Long Range Surveillance team from scout to radio transmission operator in the 173rd Infantry Long Range Surveillance Detachment. Morey deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004. After returning from Iraq, Morey graduated from Ranger School and most recently Jumpmaster School. Upon completing Ranger School, Morey was promoted to staff sergeant and put into a squad leader position. There he shared

his tactical and technical knowledge, skills and abilities with all members of the unit and continued to make the unit, his team, and the Army better. Morey was also recently selected into the highly competitive Inter-service Physicians Assistant Program. He will head down to Texas with his family to begin his training where he will continue to improve the Army and help other soldiers. “His expertise and competence will be sorely missed from the unit,” said Capt. Christopher Ahlemeyer, commander of the 173rd LRS. “We wish him and his family good luck in his newest endeavor.”

AIR VALUE:

EXCELLENCE IN ALL WE DO Chief Master Sergeant Lorraine P. Casucci

Chief Master Sgt. Lorraine P. Casucci enlisted in the Air National Guard in 1976. Since that time she has continually worked to improve the situations of Rhode Island’s Airmen by her work as military personnel management officer for the Rhode Island National Guard. Since moving from communications positions in both the 282nd Combat Communications Squadron and 281st Combat Communications Group, Casucci has served in human resource positions, where she focuses on assisting Airmen of the Rhode Island National Guard. Casucci was the first female command chief master sergeant for the Rhode Island Air National Guard in which she served as a member of the Adjutant General’s staff to advise and assist in matters concerning enlisted members of the command or the entire organization. Summer 2009 / Rhode Island National Guard

The Rhode Island National Guard st Equipment in the 21 Century By Sgt. Peter Ramaglia

he 20th century has brought forth the creation and evolution of various types of military equipment, from the UH-1 Iroquois helicopter, also known as the “Huey” during the Vietnam War, to the UH-64 Apache attack helicopter widely used in Iraq today; and the M4 Sherman tank, which over time evolved into the M1 Abrams. The beginning of the 21st century has already brought forward many new vehicles and weaponry to the Ocean State. We’ve seen the Air Guard’s 143rd Airlift Wing receive its C-130J, the Air Force’s newest airlift platform. Now, the 43rd Military Police Brigade of the Rhode Island Army National Guard has received nine M1117 Guardian Armored Security Vehicles, or ASVs. In addition to the ASVs for the Military

Police Corps, the 1/103rd Field Artillery received the word that they will be getting 19 M777 howitzers. Both of these pieces of military equipment are sure to bring solid training and real world use. The ASV is a 4-wheel-drive vehicle equipped with a 260-horsepower diesel engine, sixspeed automatic transmission and allwheel independent suspension which offers a quality ride while providing superior mobility, agility and handling. These vehicles will greatly increase the 43rd Military Police Brigade’s mobility, squad support and firepower. The ASV

Ocean State Guardian / Summer 2009

packs a big punch, wielding an M2 .50 caliber Browning machine gun and Mk 19 40mm grenade launcher. It also has a mount outside the gunner’s hatch ready for either the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon or the M240B machine gun. The vehicle has become very popular with U.S. Military Police units and Convoy Security units in Iraq. It is a more heavily protected and heavily

armed alternative to the armored HMMWV, the Humvee, which was not originally designed to be a protected fighting vehicle. The ASV’s armor is designed to defeat .50 caliber armor piercing ammunition, 12-pound anti-tank mines, and 155mm artillery from 15 meters above. The armor is angled, presenting no vertical surfaces, deflecting many rocket propelled grenade attacks. Angled armor is more resistant to attack than vertical armor because of the V-shaped hulls deflecting explosive forces at angles or even causing ricochet, as opposed to a single-plane hull which takes the entire force impact straight on. ASV’s in Iraq have withstood several IED attacks, some vehicles multiple times. The M1117 Guardian is a great addition to the Rhode Island National Guard’s Military Police Corps.

The M777 howitzer is supposed to replace the M198 howitzer. The M777 is getting much use currently in Afghanistan along with its associated GPS-guided Excalibur ammunition. Weighing in at less than 9,000 lbs., the M777 is smaller and lighter than the M198 by 42%. Most of the weight reduction is from the use of titanium. The lighter weight and smaller size allow the M777 to be transported by helicopter, truck or fixed wing aircraft with ease, so that it can be moved in and out of the battlefield more quickly than the M198. The smaller size also improves storage and transport efficiency. The gun crew required is an operational minimum of five, compared to a previous crew size of nine. The M777 uses a digital fire-control system similar to that found on self-propelled howitzers such as the M109A6 Paladin to provide navigation, pointing and self-location, allowing it to be put into action more quickly than earlier towed and air-transported howitzers. The M777 is also often combined with

the new Excalibur GPS-guided munitions, a pairing which allows accurate fire at a range of up to 40 km. This almost doubles the area covered by a single battery. Testing at the Yuma Proving Ground by the U.S. Army placed 13 of 14 Excalibur rounds, fired from up to 24 km away, within ten meters of their target, suggesting a circular error probability of about five meters. The Rhode Island National Guard is currently gaining the services of two of the newest pieces of military equipment on today’s modern battlefield. As the battlefield evolves, the Rhode Island National Guard continues to evolve with it. The M1117 Guardian Armored Security Vehicle and M777 howitzer both are key to the success of our Guardsmen. These vehicles and artillery pieces are sure to keep the Rhode Island National Guard in the forefront of today’s battlefield warriors.

Summer 2009 / Rhode Island National Guard

EAST GREENWICH, R.I. – The Rhode Island National Guard held the first “I. A.M. Strong” Obstacle Course Competition in East Greenwich June 7. I. A.M. Strong is an Army slogan and tool for remembering appropriate intervention behaviors if confronted by a situation that may lead to a sexual assault. The slogan stands for Intervene, Act and Motivate to be strong, to step up and stop sexual assaults. Sixteen teams of two, both Army and Air National Guard, competed against each other in physical and mental obstacles. Teams maneuvered through a total of seven obstacles, each getting more difficult as they went. As a twist and also a way to educate and bring awareness to the competitors, questions about the facts and myths about sexual assault had to be successfully answered, word puzzles completed and Scrabble® letters used before the team was allowed to progress to the next obstacle. The Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program office issued a statement: “This is not a once-a-year awareness training program. We all need to continuously be aware that everything we do impacts everyone

else. Sexual assault will not be tolerated, and it is our responsibility as bystanders to step up and take action.” The top three fastest teams were awarded trophies. Congratulations to Sgts. Miller and Richards Jr, 88th Army Band – First Place; Staff Sgt. Sirois and Pvt. Morales, 1207th FSC – Second Place; Pfc. Giraldo and Spc. Perez, 861st Engineering Company – Third Place.

Ocean State Guardian / Summer 2009