04 april 2011 by The Dispatch

Epic journey to happiness 4 Soldier saves four lives 9 51st TAG takes command 10

A multi-national combat force, from the Texas Air National Guard and Czech Republic Air Force, descended upon the wild South Texas brush of Yankee Range.

A new commander of the Texas State Guard's army component took charge Sunday, Feb. 27, as the state's defense support soldiers expressed gratitude to retiring Brig. Gen. Victor Ortiz.

As the 1st Infantry Division approaches the homestretch of its 12-month deployment to southern Iraq, another division is just getting ready to take over.

This was the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution, after a six-week-long retreat of the Texian Army following the disasters at the Alamo and Goliad. 2 THE DISPATCH

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Coverâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;The color guards stands tall during the change of command ceremony for the 51st Adjutant General of Texas, here at Camp Mabry on March 12. (Photo by Sgt. Josiah Pugh, 100th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.

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Compare VA Hospitals

Veterans and family members and their healthcare providers can visit the Department of Veterans' Affairs' (VA's) Hospital Compare website at http:// www.hospitalcompare.va.gov/ to compare the performance of their local VA hospital with other VA hospitals. This new service was launched last year. 

New Army Disability Evaluation System

The new Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) streamlines injured Soldiers' benefits. The program, set to begin within the next month, partners the Department of Defense with the Department of Veterans Affairs where responsibilities overlap. Currently, the DoD and VA have two separate systems injured Soldiers must complete before receiving benefits, but where the systems overlap, the program shortens delays so a Soldier can go through the system faster. IDES features a single set of disability medical examinations appropriate for determining both fitness and disability and a single set of disability ratings provided by the VA. All of the steps in IDES are dictated by law. For more information, visit the Army's Stand-To! webpage at http://www.army.mil/standto/archive/2011/02/14/. 

Commander in Chief Gov. Rick Perry Adjutant General of Texas TXANG Maj. Gen. John F. Nichols Public Affairs Officer TXARNG Col. William Meehan Public Affairs Chief TXANG Chief Master Sgt. Gonda Moncada Public Affairs Staff TXARNG Staff Sgt. Malcolm McClendon TXANG Staff Sgt. Eric Wilson TXARNG Sgt. Jennifer Atkinson TXARNG Spc. Maria Moy John Thibodeau Laura Lopez

Managing Editor TXANG Chief Master Sgt. Gonda Moncada Design and Copy Editor TXARNG Sgt. Jennifer D. Atkinson Contributing Writers and Photographers Lt. Col. John E. Olson TXARNG Maj. Steven Keihl TXSG Maj. Michael Quinn Sullivan Officer Candidate Micah Barnes TXARNG Sgt. Jennifer D. Atkinson TXARNG Sgt. Josiah Pugh Sgt. Raymond Quintanilla Sgt. Jason Kaneshiro Beth Danziger

Pets for Patriots

Pets for Patriots helps a veteran or active, reserve, retired servicemember to adopt a mature dog or cat from one of many high-risk shelters around the country. The organization provides the veteran with a gift card for the purchase of food, supplies, toys and other basics for the new pet plus discounts on veterinary fees. For more information, visit the Pets for Patriots website at http://www.petsforpatriots.org/. 

April 2011

Nursing Home Improvement Campaign

The VA's Community Living Centers are participating in a nationwide campaign to make nursing homes better. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the Advancing Excellence in Long Term Care Collaborative recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding allowing every VA Community Living Center to participate in the Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes campaign, which is the largest voluntary national coalition working to assist nursing homes to improve the quality of care for residents and work environment for staff. Nursing homes that have participated in this initiative have made faster progress in improving in key areas such as reducing rates of pressure ulcers, improving management of pain, and significantly reducing use of physical restraints. You can find out more information at http://www.nhqualitycampaign.org/. 

Vol. 6, No. 4

Senate Input on Proposed VA Budget

The U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs has released its Views and Estimates Letter regarding the proposed FY12 budget for the Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA). The letter is available in .PDF format on the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs website at http://veterans.senate.gov/upload/03_18_2011_Views_&_Estimates_Letter. pdf.

Articles and photography are welcome and may be submitted to JFTX-PAO, P.O. Box 5218, Austin TX 78763-5218, or by e-mail to paotx@tx.ngb.army.mil. Deadline for submissions is the 10th day of the month for the issue of the following month. The Dispatch is a funded monthly newsletter published in the interest of the members of the Texas Military Forces. Contents of The Dispatch are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the Department of Defense, the National Guard Bureau, the State of Texas or the Adjutant General‘s Department of Texas. Content is edited, prepared and provided by the Texas Joint Military Forces Public Affairs Office, Bldg. 10, 2200 W. 35th Street, Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas. 78703.

April 2011

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An American Dream: One Soldier’s epic journey in pursuit of happiness pon is for underwear and soap, and you buy underwear, you can‘t buy soap.‖ No longer wanting to live in those conBASRAH, Iraq – There was no turning ditions, Sergeant Alfaro was willing to put back for the 22-year-old native son of Ha- everything on the line. vana, Cuba, as he and three others paddled ―If I had died, so what, at least I tried,‖ across the open sea on their tiny boat. he said. Growing up in a country where military His grandmother was aware of his unservice is mandatory, the black market is a happiness and if given the chance to flee, common source for staples, and listening she knew he would. to a radio station from the United States is ―When my grandma told me (about) taboo, this Cuban soldier wanted no more. my cousin‘s plan to escape, I said, ‗Hey, ―When I left Cuba, I just threw my life yeah, of course I‘ll leave right now,‘‖ he to whatever happens,‖ said Sgt. 1st Class said. ―At that point I was ready to leave, Luis E. Alfaro, now an American Soldier but my grandma told me I needed to tell in the 36th Infantry Division, Texas Army my parents.‖ National Guard. ―I didn‘t want to be in ―But I didn‘t want anything to hold me Cuba no more, so I just jumped in a boat back. I didn‘t want to get sentimental and and started rowing. I escaped.‖ talk to my mom, to my dad.‖ It was Aug. 19, 1994 when he decided Wanting to avoid too many people to flee his native country and head to knowing of his plans, Sergeant Alfaro deAmerica. The decision to leave those he cided to tell only his father, who supported loved was not an easy one. his decision in the end. ―In Cuba, it‘s awful,‖ Sergeant Alfaro ―My dad and grandma knew about it, explained. ―Everything is rationed. You that‘s it,‖ said Sergeant Alfaro. ―You canhave a notebook (with coupons) that said not tell everybody because some people what you can buy in the store. If the couwanted to leave (too) and they would attack you just to get your boat.‖ The money his father gave him, and the little he had saved, was added to the rest of the money collected to purchase a boat his cousin Lorenzo knew the owner was willing to sell. He and Lorenzo made the hour and a half trip by truck to a rural town where the farmer had the boat in his back yard. It took them another two hours to get to the beach site. Unbeknownst to Sergeant Alfaro, his father drove to their departure site to bid farewell to his son one last time. By the time he arrived, they had already paddled away. It was not until 11 days later that he and the rest of his family learned by radio what had happened to Sergeant Alfaro. The boat was no larger than a dingy, and its crew of four brought only some The identification card and plastic potable water, boiled eggs, crackers, and bracelet, issued to refugees during their stay at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Sgt. 1st other light items. ―You have to eat light,‖ said Sergeant Class Luis E. Alfaro, now a U.S. citizen Alfaro. ―Whatever you eat, or if you puke, and the noncommissioned officer-incharge for the Resource Management you have to do it inside the boat so you Office with the 36th Infantry Division, don‘t attract any wild life.‖ kept the bracelet as a reminder of his The crew faced more than 100-mile past life in Cuba before defecting in Austretch of ocean from Cuba to Key West, gust 19, 1994. The identification card Florida, with no compass or navigational depicts his last name as Duran, which is his mother's last name. (Photo courtesy aids. by Sgt. 1st Class Luis E. Alfaro) ―There was a factory, kind of in the Sgt. Raymond T. Quintanilla 305th MPAD/USD-S Public Affairs

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Matanzas Province, like in the central part of the island,‖ Sergeant Alfaro said. ―It had a big old chimney with fire on top; you can see it for many miles. As long as I‘m centered with that and the North Star, it‘ll get me right on South Florida.‖ On their first day at sea, the tiny crew saw some F-15s, helicopters and a few boats, but by nightfall all the movement had stopped. Then the storm hit. Cold, wet, and petrified, the crew found themselves in the middle of a moonless sea under a lashing rain. By midnight, there was no sight of land. ―It was wavy. It got to the point when you were paddling, the paddle was in the air,‖ said Sergeant Alfaro. ―The (boat) was pointing down and half the boat was full of water.‖ ―We just kept rowing all night. One person on the boat started to get paranoid, a little stressed out. He said ‗I want to go back, this is enough for me. I don‘t want to die.‘‖ ―I told my cousin, ‗Man, I‘m not going to go back. It was a (matter of) principal. ‗I don‘t want to go back and say I couldn‘t make it because I was scared.‖ The storm passed the following morning. Seeing another crew of 15-to-20 people on a raft made of fiberglass and rubber tubes, the tiny crew calmed down. They continued to paddle, alternating two on and two off. ―We kept rowing nonstop,‖ explained Sergeant Alfaro. ―We don‘t want to waste time because the heat will dehydrate you, the sun will tear you up.‖ As darkness approached on the second day, they saw a light that appeared to be bopping up and down due to the effects of the waves. ―Man, when I saw light, I saw heaven,‖ Sergeant Alfaro said. ―At first, I thought it was some oil (rig), something like that, or it could be the Coast Guard.‖ He got excited and proposed a plan to the larger crew. ―Their boat, whatever they called that thing they had, it was big,‖ Sergeant Alfaro continued. ―It wasn‘t that fast. Ours was. So we started rowing, man. We started rowing about eight-thirty or nine. As we started getting closer, we saw the light getting higher and higher above the water. Now, I thought it was a lighthouse. (Continued on page 5)

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It would go dark, then it would light up a little bit, then go dark again.‖ ―We started getting closer and closer. We were probably three blocks away, it was (getting) bigger, and I started to get excited,‖ Sergeant Alfaro said. ―Moments later, the light ―lit up like a freakin‘ night club.‖ The lights Sergeant Alfaro saw were those of the Coast Guard. It was near midnight and the Coast Guard monitored their every movement and, in Spanish, warned them not to come any closer until given instructions to do so. ―So they threw the big old net out,‖ Sergeant Alfaro said. ―We climbed the net. They gave us medical attention, made sure that we were okay. I mean, they treated us well.‖ The exhausted crew was given a blanket and food. Exhausted, they soon fell asleep. Later, they mentioned the other crewmembers they had left behind. The Coast Guard was already aware of the situation. At daybreak the larger crew was rescued. That morning, the Coast Guard took the defectors to a Navy ship where they were met by Immigration and Naturalization Service personnel—they would be welcomed to the United States and not sent back to Cuba. ―That was glory for me,‖ Sergeant Alfaro said with a big smile. ―I was very excited. It was worth it. Now I‘m here, if I can make it, I can help my family.‖ The ship was heading north, but then it unexpectedly made a u-turn bound for Cuba. Sergeant Alfaro arrived at Guantanamo Bay Aug. 24. It was still Cuba, but to Sergeant Alfaro it was a different place, a different life. ―When we first arrived we couldn‘t go anywhere. We were locked down in our camps,‖ Sergeant Alfaro said. ―At that point, I was happy to sleep in my cot, live in a tent, until they tell me it‘s time to go (to the US). I didn‘t care if it took me two weeks or two years.‖ While in Guantanamo Bay, Sergeant Alfaro recalls meeting a fellow countryman who wanted to protest the living conditions of the camp and asked if he would participate. ―In Cuba, you protest, you‘re probably going to disappear,‖ he said. ―There are

no legal rights.‖ ―When you are in a place where they don‘t have to accept you and they are taking you in, feeding you, giving you respect…giving you rights…listen to what you got to say, and you want to protest to them? It didn‘t make any sense.‖ Sergeant Alfaro wanted no part of the protest. He felt the living conditions were better than what he had before coming to Guantanamo Bay. While living there as a refugee, Sergeant Alfaro, who was a swimmer at the province level and played water polo for eight years, volunteered to be a lifeguard for the camp beaches. On Jan. 30, 1996, seventeen months and twelve days from the day he defected, he was finally sent to America. He spent the next few years driving two-ton trucks for a living in Miami. He took some college courses and tried to learn English. ―I wanted to get a degree in sports because that‘s what I did all my life,‖ Sergeant Alfaro said. ―But if I go to college I can‘t help my parents. I drove trucks, but to make money you have to spend a lot of time on the road.‖ He decided that joining the Army was his best option to gain a profession, learn English, and support his family in Cuba, which he had already been sending some money. After serving in the Cuban army, he felt that the U.S. Army couldn‘t be any worse. ―In Cuba, they catch you right away after high school. It‘s mandatory,‖ he said. ―They give whatever MOS (military occupational specialty) they want to give you… they pay you seven Cuban pesos per month. It was awful.‖ ―All my life growing up in Cuba, they talk so bad about the United States,‖ said Sergeant Alfaro. ―They said, ‗It‘s a big monster, you don‘t want to be there, you‘re going to be discriminated (against), they‘re going to kill you, and this and that.‘‖ For Sergeant Alfaro, his experience as an American has been exactly the opposite. He said that what he learned growing up in Cuba was all propaganda. ―If they (the U.S.) are so bad, why do people join the Army voluntarily?‖ he asks. ―When I decided to join the military, it was payback (in a patriotic sense) for me. Not that I have to pay…‖ He pauses for almost a full minute. His eyes start to glisten and he clears his throat. ―In Cuba, they have to live every day to find what

you‘re going to eat that day… (Each) day is so rough; there is no future… no expectations. You cannot have goals.‖ On Nov. 20, 1998, Sergeant Alfaro enlisted in the active-duty Army as a legal alien for three years and did a tour on a peacekeeping mission in Kuwait in 1999. He transferred to the National Guard in 2001 and went on his second tour in Talil, Iraq, in 2006. Seven and half years from the day he defected, on Feb. 21, 2002, Sergeant Alfaro was naturalized a U.S. citizen, an event that he still recalls with powerful emotions. ―It was a big accomplishment… For me to become a citizen is like nothing is impossible. Just go for it. Nothing was impossible when I left Cuba. It changed me incredibly.‖ Afraid of heights, but refusing to let anything become an obstacle, Sergeant Alfaro attended air assault and airborne school for promotion points. ―There are no obstacles; you can go as far as you want to go.‖ ―I did not do everything perfect, I made mistakes,‖ said Sergeant Alfaro. ―But you don‘t measure a person when they fall. It‘s about how they get up and keep on walking. If something goes wrong, it cannot be any worse than what I‘ve been through.‖ In Guantanamo Bay, Sergeant Alfaro wore a plastic bracelet that was issued to the refugees for monitoring their activities. ―I saved the bracelet because it‘s my past… a part of me,‖ Sergeant Alfaro said. ―I look at it every day because it means I came from nothing.‖ ―People sometimes take what they have for granted,‖ he explains. ―When they go eat, they get a big plate of food and don‘t eat it all. There‘s so many people in the world who don‘t have half of what we have.‖ Seven years after he arrived on U.S. soil, Sergeant Alfaro‘s brother Damian arrived in America on his own. It would be another 12 years before Sergeant Alfaro saw his parents again, in 2006, when he brought them to live in the U.S. When I came to the states, I had nothing,‖ Sergeant Alfaro said. ―Now, just to open my fridge and have food, I am thankful. Hey, I got everything that I can think of. I have a job. I have my own house, my family. I have a life.‖ April 2011

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Texas, Czech forces participate in Operation Red Flag Story by Lt. Col. John E. Olson Texas Military Forces Public Affairs

YANKEE RANGE, McMullen County, Texas (Mar. 24, 2011) – A multi-national combat force, from the Texas Air National Guard and Czech Republic Air Force, descended upon the wild South Texas brush of Yankee Range, from 2-6 March 2011, for a first of its kind Combined Arms exercise. Observers from the militaries of Chile and Singapore were in attendance; planning their nations’ participation in next year’s Red Flag Texas exercise. Texas Air National Guard members of the 147th Air Support Operations Squadron, Joint Terminal Attack Controllers; Czech Republic Air Force Forward Air Controllers; members of the 149th Fighter Wing and their F-16 fighter jets, and finally Texas Army National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk and AH-64 Apache helicopters from the 2-149th and 1-149thBattalions, gathered at the Texas Yankee Range where the 149th Operations Group/Detachment 1, an F-16 fighter jet bombing range, hosted the exercise and provided both the field of battle and the unfortunate Opposition Force (OPFOR). Replete with target arrays for F-16 and Apache attack helicopter weapons employment, Yankee Range boasts two new ground force target complexes known as Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) sites. Holed up within their fortified MOUT site, Opposition Force personnel were defeated and eventually captured by a Texas Air National Guard Assault Force of 147th Air Support Operations Squadron, Joint Terminal Attack Controllers and Czech Air Force Forward Air Controllers. The Air Assault operation was conducted aboard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. They fired their door mounted 60 Caliber Crew Served Weapons in support of the Assault Force. AH-64 Apache attack helicopters escorted, then supported the Assault Force with simulated 30mm gunfire and Hellfire missile employment. Predictably, the F-16 fighter jets provided the coup de grace with live Close Air Support. The Fog of War was heightened by smoke from an endless barrage of pyrotechnics, and the constant chatter of 5.56 mm small arms fire, from both the Assault Force and OPFOR. 6

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Group photo of the multi-national Assault Force from the Czech Republic and the Texas Air National Guard 147th Air Support Operations Squardron (ASOS). (U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Steven Kroll, Texas Military Forces Public Affairs)

Joint Terminal Attack Controllers are a special breed. No one else in the U.S. military, regardless of rank or service, is authorized to control airpower on the battlefield in close proximity to ground forces. As members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Czechs hold an identical qualification known as Forward Air Controllers. Both the Czech Forward Air Controllers and their 147th ASOS counterparts have extensive experience in both Iraq and Afghanistan. To integrate Airpower into the Army Ground Commander’s battlefield scheme of maneuver is the unique mission of Joint Terminal Attack Controllers and Forward Air Controllers, without which exercise Red Flag Texas ‘11 could never have been attempted. Enabled by this battlefield integration capability, the Texas National Guard is now capable of marshalling its Army and Air Guard weapon systems into a single Combined Arms fighting force as never before. With the incorporation of Czech Forward Air Controllers, exercise Red Flag Texas ‘11 was catapulted from a single country Joint exercise to a veritable MultiNational Combined Arms exercise...a truly rare event. Red Flag Texas ‘12 promises to improve on the success of Red Flag Texas ‘11 with the incorporation of Texas’ newest State Partner: Special Forces soldiers from the military of Chile.

Making a statement- Iraqi Security Forces refine media moxie By Sgt. Jason Kaneshiro 36th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq – Soldiers assigned to the 36th Infantry Division, U.S. Division – South public affairs office recently hosted a two-day public affairs course for members of the Iraqi Security Forces at the U.S. Div.-South Resiliency Campus. The course was intended to introduce and reinforce the fundamentals of public affairs to the ISF students. It included instruction in event planning, media facilitation, conducting and preparing for interviews, and writing stories and news releases. “Basically, the goal of this training is to advise and train the Iraqis on techniques to best deal with the media,” said 1st Lt. Adam Musil, the division command information officer. In addition to the classroom instruction, the Iraqi students also participated in a practical exercise intended to simulate a television interview. One of the instructors would pose interview questions to a student through an interpreter and gauge the responses of the student. “This training will help the Iraqi Security Forces better understand how to deal with the

media from a military perspective,” said Lieutenant Musil. “It will also demonstrate the most effective ways to communicate with the people of Iraq, the Middle East, and the rest of the world.” As U.S. Forces continue to draw down in Iraq, the ISF are learning the importance of maintaining a positive working relationship with the media, whose role in the new Iraq is much different than it was under Saddam Hussein, when freedom of speech and freedom of the press did not exist. At the same time,

technology continues to evolve and change the way that citizens receive their news. “It seems that everything is either on television or on the Internet,” Lieutenant Musil said. “The world is much smaller now than it was only a few years ago.” The class was part of U.S. Div.-South’s ongoing efforts to provide training, advice and assistance to the ISF to ensure a smooth and stable transition leading up to the withdrawal of U.S. military forces by Dec. 31, 2011.

A member of the Iraqi Security Forces is interviewed by public affairs instructor 1st Lt. Adam Musil, 36th Inf. Div., as part of a practical exercise during a public affairs course hosted by U.S. Div.-South at Contingency Operating Base Basrah. The course reinforced best practices in media relations, media interviews, and writing press releases. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Brian Melanephy)

Until they all come home. http://www.uso.org/howtohelp/ April 2011

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Change of command builds on Texas State Guard success Story by Maj. Michael Quinn Sullivan Texas State Guard Public Affairs

A new commander of the Texas State Guard's army component took charge Sunday, Feb. 27, as the state's defense support soldiers expressed gratitude to retiring Brig. Gen. Victor Ortiz. Serving as Deputy Commander (Army) of the Texas State Guard since 2006, General Ortiz said he was proud of the achievements of the men and women he has served alongside. "They have truly exemplified the spirit of Texas," said General Ortiz. "It has been an absolute honor serving with them. This is what our country is all about." More than 2,000 men and women actively service in the Texas State Guard, with two-thirds of them in the Army component. The other sections of the Texas State Guard are the Air Division, Maritime Regiment and Medical Brigade. The TXSG, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ray Peters, is part of the Texas Military Forces, which includes the Army National Guard and Air National Guard. After retiring from the United States Army National Guard, General Ortiz entered the Texas State Guard in August of 2005 as commander of the 1st Civil Affairs Regiment. His entry was a baptism by hurricane; Katrina hit on Sept. 8, 2005, resulting in the largest activation of the TXSG in modern history. Having been commissioned into the Army in 1969, General Ortiz served in Vietnam as a fire direction officer and executive officer. He entered the Texas Army National Guard in 1979, holding numerous leadership positions, including Commander of the Joint Task Force Safe Boarder (Military Observer Mission Ecuador and Peru and Commander 49th Armored Division Artillery.

Brig. Gen. Manual Rodriguez, Maj. Gen. Ray Peters and Brig. Gen. Victor Ortiz during the change of command ceremony for the Texas State Guard. (Photo courtesy of Texas State Guard public affairs.)

Replacing General Ortiz as the Deputy Commander (Army) is Manuel Rodriguez, recently confirmed as a brigadier general by the Texas Senate. Retired from the United States Army, General Rodriguez - like General Ortiz - was introduced to the Texas State Guard by a friend. "I couldn't believe what I saw," said General Rodriguez of his first visit to a training weekend. "The men and women serving in the state guard ask for nothing, but give a whole lot to Texas, and want to do the right thing. I had to be a part of that." He joined in March 2006, serving first as commander of the 2nd Civil Affairs Regiment, and later as the headquarters personnel officer.

General Ortiz described the Texas State Guard as "a great way to serve your General Rodriguez was commiscommunity." Those interested in learning sioned in 1983 upon graduation from the more can visit www.GoTXSG.com. University of Southern Mississippi, and General Ortiz works as a volunteer found himself posted first at Fort Hood. with the Employer Support for the Guard During his career, the Army had him in and Reserve. He and his wife Martha Germany, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan, have two grown sons, two grandchildren. among other assignments. Primarily an 8 THE DISPATCH

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intelligence officer, he retired from active duty in 2005. He and his wife own a ranch outside Copperas Cove. He has a college-age son, two grown daughters and a granddaughter. General Rodriguez said he was honored to take command from General Ortiz. "He has led with his heart, putting the soldiers first in everything he has done," said General Rodriguez. "I look forward to building on his successful work." Maj. Gen. Ray Peters, presiding over Sunday's ceremony at Camp Mabry, said both General Ortiz and General Rodriguez represent the kind of strong, handson leadership the state guard has been cultivating. "As we continue to grow and mature organizationally, General Rodriguez's emphasis on training will enhance the esprit de corps that General Ortiz has embodied."

Teenage soldier saves four from burning van in Round Rock Story by Beth Danziger Courtesy of KVUE News

ROUND ROCK, Texas— An accident Saturday, March 19 at the intersection of University and Oakmont in Round Rock knocked four passengers unconscious. Now, the survivors of the accident say if it was not for a soldier, none of them would be alive. Elizabeth Doremus, her husband, and two of their friends were in the accident that charred a minivan and melted the side mirror, steering wheel, and stereo. “They are fairly injured, some worse than others, but they are all lucky to be alive," said Elizabeth's father, Gary Gerding. Pfc. Joemar Ortiz, a 19-year-old serving in the United States Army, was right across the street when it happened. “I heard the cars hit each other. It was just a big bang," remembered Ortiz. According to witnesses the group was traveling eastbound on University Boulevard when the driver started having a coughing fit. He passed out before driving through an intersection and hitting an electricity pole head-on, smashing the front end of the car. "I knew at any moment it could explode," said Ortiz. "I wanted to get those people out of there before

it happened." Ortiz ran across the street, rounded up help, knocked out the windows, cut seat belts, and got everyone out just seconds before the van was engulfed in flames. Ortiz says people told him later that he said, "'Come with me, go over there, do that.' I just remember getting them out there and getting them somewhere safe." "He's made another difference in others lives, not just those four, but to everyone involved and their kids, and we just can't thank him enough," said Gerding. Gerding said his daughter Liz and granddaughter Haily plan to give Ortiz a big hug when they meet their hero. Ortiz says he is not the hero; it is the U.S. Army. "I'm just glad to be in the Army," he said. "The experience, it really changes how a person thinks (and) acts.” All four passengers are still in the hospital. Nearly all need surgeries. They are hoping to plan a meeting with Ortiz when they are released. Ortiz has been in the army for three years, joining at 16. The Round Rock Police Department plans to nominate Ortiz for an award.

Young hero’s actions don’t surprise those who know him Spc. Joemar Ortiz, the young Soldier who saved four people from a burning van in Round Rock was promoted to specialist here at Camp Mabry on Wed., March 23. Specialist Ortiz, who was on his way to pick his wife up from work, doesn’t see anything truly remarkable in what he did. “I just remember thinking that was someone’s family, and if there’s anything that could be done, I could do it.,” he said. “I saw an opportunity to help.” Joining the military was always something Specialist Ortiz had planned on doing, following in three of his uncles’ footsteps. For those who work with Specialist Ortiz on a regular basis, his actions were surprising, but not unexpected. Staff Sgt. Israel Freeland, Specialist Ortiz’s daily supervisor said Specialist Ortiz stood above all the other candidates for the job and his “bearing has always been impeccable.” Capt. Tory R. House, Specialist Ortiz’s military commander echoed Sergeant Freeland. “I’m honored to know Specialist Ortiz. His act of selfless service sets the example for all of us to emulate,” he said. Maj. Gen. John F. Nichols taps Spc. Joemar Ortiz after promoting him on Wed, March 23.

Specialist Ortiz is “one of those guys you read about...the regular guy that when called upon does something extraordinary,” said Captain House.

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Texas welcomes 51s Story and photos by Sgt. Josiah Pugh 100th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP MABRY, Texas – The Texas Military Forces welcomed its incoming commander Saturday during a change-of-command ceremony held at Camp Mabry in Austin. Maj. Gen. Jose S. Mayorga relinquished command after nearly two years of dutiful service. Maj. Gen. John F. Nichols assumed duties as the new adjutant general of Texas, following two years as the assistant adjutant general (Air) and commander, Texas Air Guard. “I’m humbled by being able to serve people every day,” said Maj. Gen. Nichols, “and be able to devote my career to your careers, your lives and your families.” U.S. Senator for Texas John Cornyn took part in the ceremony, passing the flag for the Texas Military Forces from the outgoing to the incoming commander. “You have my commitment that I will fight for whatever our men and women in uniform need, as well as the needs of your families,” said Senator Cornyn, “so that you can continue to remain a great credit to 10 THE DISPATCH

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our state and contributor to our nation’s security.” Maj. Gen. Mayorga expressed his gratitude toward his troops, saying, “Thank you for your service to our state of Texas and to our nation. You represent a very small segment of our society and are truly a remarkable group of individuals. You are the very best our state and our nation have to offer.” Maj. Gen. Mayorga leaves command after leading Texas service members in more than 160,000 man-days of defense and support through hurricane relief, flood response and emergency disaster missions. “Without your dedication and devotion,” said Maj. Gen. Mayorga to his formation, “we could not be successful in providing ready-trained forces for homeland support of civil authorities, homeland security missions or overseas contingency operations to both of our commanders in chief, the governor of Texas and the president of the United States.” As commander of the Texas Air National Guard, Maj. Gen. Nichols was responsible for almost 3,500 Air National Guardsmen throughout the

state of Texas. He served his country loyally as a pilot with the U.S. Air Force and continues to serve his community as a member of the Air Force Association, National Guard Association of the United States, National Guard Association of Texas and the Association of Graduates of the U.S. Air Force Academy. Maj. Gen. Nichols earned a bachelor's degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. He graduated from Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, Air War College, and U.S. Air Force Fighter

st Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Nichols was promoted to Maj. Gen. on Jan. 19, coinciding with his selection as successor to Maj. Gen. Mayorga. Maj. Gen. Nichols highlighted his priority in taking care of his troops, saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;our first task in the Texas Military Forces is take care of our Soldiers, Airmen and their families.â&#x20AC;?

Weapons Instructor School at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. As a command pilot with more than 3,000 hours in a fighter aircraft, he held a series of distinguished assignments. While on active duty, Maj. Gen. Nichols joined the Wisconsin Air National Guard in 1992. At Madison, he was the chief of Wing Weapons, the 176 FS Operations officer and the 115 FW Operations Group commander. Maj. Gen. Nichols joined the Texas Air National Guard in April of 2000. He served as the vice commander of the 149th Fighter Wing from April 2000 to March 2002. His last assignment before assuming the position of Commander, Texas Air National Guard and Assistant Adjutant General, Air was Wing Commander of the 149th Fighter Wing in San Antonio, Texas. April 2011

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Congressional delegation visits COB Basrah, 36th ID U.S. Division - South, 36th Infantry Division Public Affairs

BASRAH, Iraq – Four members of the U.S. House of Representatives visited Contingency Operating Base Basrah yesterday, in the first Congressional visit to the southern Iraqi province since 2008. Representatives Thomas Marino, R-Pa., Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., John Sarbanes, D-Md., and Michael Grimm, R-N.Y., met with Maj. Gen. Eddy M. Spurgin, commander of U.S. Division-South and the 36th Infantry Division, and Soldiers of the 36th Inf. Div. and 1st Cavalry Division, to discuss U.S. military forces, their local efforts with the State Department’s provincial reconstruction team, and their continuing mission to advise, train, and assist Iraqi Security Forces. “It was great to see members of Congress take an interest in what we’re doing in southern Iraq,” said General Spurgin, a native of Big Spring, Texas. “Our Soldiers really appreciate seeing their elected representatives in person, especially while deployed overseas and away from their families. It shows that our government cares about them and the important mission they are conducting here.” A majority of U.S. Div.-South’s approximately 8,000 Soldiers are based out of Texas. The 36th Inf. Div. head-

U.S. Representative Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.) shares a laugh with Soldiers of the 36th Infantry Division, Texas Army National Guard, during a visit to Contingency Operating Base Basrah March 22. Grimm and three other representatives met with Maj. Gen. Eddy M. Spurgin, commander of U.S. Division-South and the 36th Inf. Div., and Soldiers of the 36th Inf. Div. and 1st Cavalry Division, to discuss U.S. military forces, their local efforts with the State Department’s provincial reconstruction team, and their continuing mission to advise, train, and assist the Iraqi Security Forces. (Photo by Sgt. James K. Benjamin, 305th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, U.S. Division - South Public Affairs) 12 THE DISPATCH

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From left to right, U.S. Representatives Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Thomas Marino, R-Pa., Michael Grimm, R-N.Y., and John Sarbanes, D-Md., pose with deployed service members on Contingency Operating Base Basrah March 22. (Photo by Sgt. David A. Bryant, 36th Infantry Division, U.S. Division - South Public Affairs)

quarters of the Texas Army National Guard, from Austin, commands two active-duty units from Fort Hood, the 3rd Cavalry Regiment and the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Cav., and receives support from another, the 4th Sustainment Brigade. The division’s area of operations includes the nine southern provinces of Iraq, home to Shi’a Islam’s holiest sites, in Karbala and Najaf, and the economically vital region of Basrah, which has Iraq’s only deepwater port in Umm Qasr. After having lunch with some of their constituents serving at COB Basrah, the representatives sat down with key leaders from the division staff, 3rd Bde., 1st Cav., and PRT to discuss the current state of operations in southern Iraq, to include the historic transition unfolding in Iraq as U.S. military forces draw down and prepare to transfer their responsibilities to the U.S. Embassy. The representatives each received two Texas-themed gifts from the division headquarters: a Texas Chocolate Bar from Lammes Candies, produced in Austin since 1885, and a custom-made 36th Inf. Div. Operation New Dawn cigar, hand-rolled by Bobalu Cigar Company on 6th Street in Austin. “It’s truly been an incredible experience for me,” said Mr. Marino, who represents Pennsylvania’s 10th District. “We’ve actually been meeting with the troops, eating with them and coming out in the field with them to a certain extent has just increased my sincere and genuine respect for the military a thousand fold. We would not be the country we are today without (them).”

National Guard Association of Texas Conference 2011 Story and photo by Officer Candidate Micah Barnes 100th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - As the waves crashed against the harbor, hundreds of men and women dressed in Army Combat Uniforms and Airman Battle Uniforms converged on Corpus Christi, Texas, for the 52nd annual National Guard Association of Texas Conference. This conference brings together enlisted and officer personnel from the Texas Army, Air, and State Guard, providing a forum for all service members to voice their issues and messages for the Texas Military Forces in a public domain. Senior leadership accomplishes the mission of this conference through a series of break-out sessions and forums where both the officers and enlisted personnel discuss new training programs, the current state of the Texas Military Force as a whole, and new changes in doctrine like the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Whereas past conferences focused on assembling large numbers of Guardsmen to distribute the information at one time, this year's conference embraced individual growth breakout sessions as noted by Maj. Gen. John F. Nichols, the Texas Adjutant General. "The new format should enable each of you to spend more time informing yourselves on those issues and opportunities that exist in support of command and its mission, while allowing ample time to network with your fellow conferees." said Maj. Gen. Nichols. NGAT also gave the newly appointed Texas Adjutant General the opportunity to convey his mission and strategic vision to all of the state's military personnel at one time. For his first key point, Maj. Gen. Nichols stressed the importance of placing the Soldier, Airman, civilian, and family first in order to have a more efficient and effective force. Throughout the conference, speakers and guests echoed this message

in public forums, breakout sessions and activities.

To satisfy this strategic vision of placing the people first, General Nichols announced his top priority of ensuring the Soldiers and Airmen of the Texas Military Forces have the finest resources, equipment and training available, both at their drilling stations and at the duty schools they attend throughout their service. "We need to make sure that everyone we send to the various schools are actually able to go and finish them the first time," said Brig. Gen. Joyce Stevens, Assistant Adjutant, Army and commander of the Texas Army National Guard. "This will help not only to save money that can be put to other goals, but help our soldiers stay at home as long as possible with their friends and family." Most service member may have only expected to attend meetings, but the conference also featured an exhibit hall, hospitality rooms, an evening banquet and social mixers. Vendors in the exhibit showed their support for the Guard by allowing the Guardsmen to see a wide range of products and services geared toward the military. The booths touched on different aspects of military life from food, hygiene, education, and equipment storage to training like the mobile range system and the interactive Laser Shot simulation.

the Family Readiness Group and their resources that many service members overlook or misunderstand, such as suicide and crisis preventions. In both the opening ceremony and the dinner held during the conference, senior officials presented awards to volunteers and family members of Guardsmen for their exemplary volunteer service to the units of the Texas Military Forces. "This is a great way to show our appreciation and support we have for the men and women in the National Guard for the services that they provide for us each and everyday," said Rose Montao, a member of a Family Readiness Group out of San Antonio, Texas. At the conclusion of the conference, Guardsmen returned home to rejoin their units and share the lessons they learned during the weekend of networking and collaborating with their peers and comrades. "This is one of the few opportunities we have for us to get together and look one another in the eye," said Major Ian Manire, executive officer for the Headquarters of the Texas Air Guard, "and talk about important issues. To take the issues home and educate others."

"We want to introduce this product to the entire state of Texas, since it is one of the largest states and has one of the largest National Guard forces," said Gregory Turner, sales development and management for Strategic Systems Incorporated. We saw NGAT as the best place to demonstrate our product." The conference offered Soldiers and Airmen visit over 80 different vendors of miliseveral sessions geared toward Guardsmen's fami- tary and civilian products inside the American Bank Center exhibit hall during the 52nd Annual National Guard lies, educating them on Association of Texas conference.

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VA Celebrates Women’s History Month WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs joins with the nation to observe Women's History Month in March by recognizing and honoring women Veterans. “Duty. Honor. Pride. These words reflect the spirit of generations of American women who have sought to defend the rights and freedom of others,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “The history of women in the armed forces began more than 220 years ago with women who served during the American Revolution and continues through the present day. VA is honored to serve these women who have contributed so much to our Nation.” Women Veterans are one of the fastest growing segments of the Veteran population. Of the 22.7 million living Veterans, more than 1.8 million are women. They comprise nearly 8 percent of the total Veteran population and 6 percent of all Veterans who use VA health care services. VA estimates women Veterans will constitute 10 percent of the Veteran population by 2020 and 9.5 percent of VA patients. In recent years, VA has undertaken a number of initiatives to create or enhance services for women Veterans, including the implementation of comprehensive primary care throughout the nation; staffing every VA medical center with a women veterans program manager and regional offices with a designated woman Veterans coordinator; supporting a multifaceted research program on women's health; improving communication and outreach to women Veterans; and continuing the operation of offices like the Center for Women 14 THE DISPATCH

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Veterans and the Women Veterans Health Strategic Healthcare Care Group. “During this observance of Women’s History Month, let’s remember the special contributions of the ever-increasing number of women serving in the armed forces,” said Tammy Duckworth, assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs. She noted that women currently make up more than 14 percent of the active-duty military and 18 percent of the Guard and Reserves. VA has 43 women’s memorials and monuments at its National Cemeteries across the country. Additionally, several notable women are buried in VA National Cemeteries, including Chief Specialist Evelyn B. (Ulrich) Einfeldt, a Navy World War II Veteran who was one of the 67 Navy “WAVES” involved in Operation Magic. She assisted with the assembly of BOMBE (Enigma), a machine to decode German and Japanese transmissions. She was laid to rest at the Fort Sill National Cemetery on April 6, 2006. Lillian Kinkela Keil, an Air Force flight nurse pioneer, is buried at the Riverside National Cemetery. She flew 425 combat missions and took part in 11 major campaigns, including the D-Day invasion and the Battle of the Bulge in World War II and the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in Korea. One of the most decorated women in American military history, she was awarded 19 medals. For more information about VA programs and services for women Veterans, please visit: www.va.gov/womenvet and www.publichealth.va.gov/womenshealth.

A soldier’s perspective A Soldier's Perspective is written by a mix of Soldiers and Marines who began writing as a way to help them deal with the demons of combat. ASP has evolved into a venue that puts reality into military operations.

http://militarygear.com/asp/ Today, more than ever, Soldiers rely on technology to bring the fight to the front lines. That technology doesn’t just include high-tech weapons, body armor or Blue Force Tracker. It also included web logs, “blogs,” that allow a more immediate glimpse into the front lines than ever before. Often funny, sometimes painful and poignant, these snippets of opinion, daily life, and commentary on war, the military, and life in general allow more people to see what our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines are thinking, experiencing and fighting for.

A view from the front line

Band of Bloggers ut o us ! ! k e c Che onlin

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Keeping intimate relationships strong after deployment Maj. Steven Keihl TXMF Resiliency Team

A soldier experiences yet another deployment and another year away from his or her spouse and family. The soldier struggles to maintain connection and fears for the health of all intimate relationships. This is commonplace in our current operational reality. Too often, the separation and the stress associated with a deployment wreak havoc upon the most critical and intimate relationships in our world. The truth is that distress within the home is one of the most common and difficult problems we can deal with. It is also true that such distress, while unsettling and difficult, can also be healthy maturation and development of a relationship, or normal readjustment following lengthy separation. No relationship is perfect, virtually all relationships go through difficult times, and most relationships can benefit from seeking assistance at various times. While it is virtually impossible to avoid any and all conflict or difficulty in relationships, it is very plausible to take proactive steps to strengthen and enhance relationships. Here are a few quick recommendations that you can use to bring a little more harmony into your relationships: Rest Together – Life on this planet moves too quick and we are too often sucked into the vacuum of madness. I saw a guy in his car stuffing a fast food burger in his mouth while talking on his wireless headset, slamming on his laptop keyboard, and even printing 16 THE DISPATCH

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and faxing from a portable deal in his backseat! We work through lunch, we run from multiple meetings to a host of extracurricular activities with our children; for many it is non stop activity from early in the morning until the moment we hit the sack late at night. Take a BREAK! Slow down! Learn to enjoy life and enjoy each other! Here are a few crazy suggestions, sleep in together, take a nap on the couch, dedicate one Saturday a month to be what my four year old affectionately calls a “lazy day” with no events, no activities, no schedule, no tasks, no errands, no anything but slowing down the pace and hanging out together. Play Together – no need to beat a dead horse, but we have all heard the many variations of a family that plays together stays together. The reality is that spending time together in some type of recreational and enjoyable activity creates elevated relationship contentment. Last night, my beautiful wife, my two daughters, and I all went to the gym for our cycling class. We try to hit the gym as a family unit at least four days a week participating in cycling, kickboxing, body pump (weight lifting), Zumba, turbo kickboxing, hip hop, even water aerobics. Not only is this a healthy family hobby, it is one that we all enjoy, look forward to, discuss at length when we are done, recover together in the Jacuzzi, etc. While sitting in my backyard the other day, I

saw a family flying kites, another dad and son zipping around on go carts, a young couple walking their dogs and pushing a stroller, even a mom and her daughter doing rollerblades. Find an activity (NOT TV) that you can do with those you love and dive in! Train Together – there are a ton of great programs out there designed to provide tools, resources, and ideas to improve our relationships. The Strong Bonds Single Soldier, Marriage Enrichment, and Family retreats are an example of programs designed to assist service members and their families in learning, growing, and strengthening relationships. Programs are only one option. Get a book that focuses on relationships and read and discuss the book with those you love… create your own family book club. Take an online course, go to a weekend seminar, attend a presentation by a recognized speaker and expert in the field; the point is not what you do as much as it is taking time to intentionally focus on a specific area and relationship. This effort helps us set goals and objectives that we can pursue together. It gives us a target to shoot at. So take aim and train together. Okay, so my ideas are pretty good aren’t they? Even so, there are times when making positive changes to our lifestyle isn’t quite enough; we need more, we need help! (Continued on page 17)

(Continued from page 16)

So what are the things we look for that could serve as warning signs to seek some outside assistance? Distressed relationships are fundamentally unsatisfactory, in other words, we are dissatisfied with our relationships most of the time… this is a warning sign. We all argue, but distressed relationships often include constant conflict and sometimes very emotionally intense arguments… this is a warning sign. Surrender is not a good thing and too often distressed relationships include someone just flat giving up on the process and they cease communicating and withdraw completely… this is a warning sign.

There are other notable warning signs like family violence, infidelity, alcohol or drug abuse, severe depression, etc. When a relationship becomes distressed, it is a wise idea to seek some outside perspective and help. The good news is that there are many effective treatments that can assist with relational distress. In most circumstances, if we are willing to work on relationships, we can discover relational harmony. So don’t live in relational distress! Don’t stay in the chaos or madness! Step up to the plate and take advantage of the resources that are available! Get help and get healthy! If you don’t know where to turn, call us (512917-9355)! We welcome and cherish the opportunity to assist! April 2011 THE DISPATCH 17

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