The Hornet - April 2015 Issue

The Hornet H rnet

The April

North Carolina National Guard

2015

Best Warrior Col. Boyette Competition Citizen 2015of

Capt. Lam: Engineers A man’s build confidence journey to Page ___ becoming a Soldier

Best Warrior Competition 2015

the year Pg.__

Vigilant Guard 2015 kicks off with a roar

North Carolina National Guard Quartely Issue

APRIL 2015 www.nc.ngb.army.mil

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Director of Public Affairs Lt. Col. Robert Bumgardner robert.h.bumgardner.mil@mail. mil

Deputy Director of Public Affairs Lt. Col. Matthew DeVivo matthew.r.devivo.mil@mail.mil

Visual Information Branch Chief Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Rey joseph.e.rey.mil@mail.mil

Media Relations Capt. Matthew Boyle matthew.i.boyle.mil@mail.mil

Community Relations Capt. Richard Scoggins richard.s.scoggins.mil@mail.mil

Writers/Photographers Sgt. 1st Class Robert Jordan robert.b.jordan2.mil@mail.mil Staff Sgt. Brendan Stephens brendan.p.stephens.mil@mail. mil Staff Sgt. Mary Junell mary.e.junell.mil@mail.mil

Content Two Winter Storms Strike N.C. in February Pg. 14 N.C. National Guard Ready and Reliable deploys Winter Storm Catch Teams.

Joint combat communication creates realistic training and cost savings Pg. 18

The NCANG 263rd CBCS provides support for state disaster response.

Vigilant Guard Disaster Exercise Pg. 20

1,300 Guardsmen and women (553 from the NCNG) and hundreds of civilian emergency response professionals training across four states.

2015 Best Warrior Competition Pg. 26

Chaplain (Maj.) Melissa Culbreth fights breast cancer for the third time and takes her hair on her own term.

Engineers build confidence during explosive training Pg. 28

105th Engineer Battalion conducts their annual hands-on explosive training at Fort Bragg.

NCNG Supports Tarheel Challenge Academy Pg. 30

Tarhell Challenge Academy spends two days at Camp Butner’s obstacle course.

Capt. SaQuang Lam: Why I Serve? Pg. 32 A man’s journey to becoming a Soldier.

To the sky Pg. 36

NCARNG Special Forces units conduct airborne operations.

NCANG 4th Annual TACP Run Pg. 40 The Hornet magazine is an authorized publication for members of the North Carolina National Guard. Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of or endorsed by the NCNG, United States Government or the Department of Defense. The editorial content of this publication is the responsibility of the Public Affairs Office of the NCNG. General comments and suggestions should be addressed to NCNGPAO@gmail. com or call 984-664-6847. Layout and design by Sgt. Odaliska Almonte

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118th ASOS members honor TACP members in 24-hour rememberance run.

On the Cover NCNG Soldiers start Operation Vigilant Guard with a roar as chainsaw teams of the 882nd Engineer Company cut and clear road debris at Camp Butner, in Stem, N.C., March 7, 2015.

The operation is a statewide National Guard Bureau training event with multiple NCNG units demonstrating National Guard response to natural and manmade disasters with civilian partners. (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Robert Jordan)

Greetings from North Carolina National Guard’s Public Affairs Office.

We hope you, your family and friends enjoyed the Christmas and holiday Greetings from NCNG’s public affairs shop. Our team once again has been busy producing and gathering stories and photos for the third issue of The Hornet.

As the cold days of winter pass and spring begins here in the Old North State, more and more NCNG Army and Air units will conduct their annual training. Some Guard units used their annual training in support of Vigilant Guard-15, a natural disaster exercise held across North Carolina in early March. VG-15 was an outstanding showcase of how the NCNG and state partners come together during a natural disaster to protect the lives and property of our citizens.

This issue highlights different training events executed across our state during the Vigilant Guard exercise, as well as, mobilization ceremonies and NCNG’s state active duty domestic operations mission during two winter storms in February.

The Hornet is distributed to all NCNG major commands via e-mail with a web-link that directs readers to a web version. It is also available for download at our public web page, at http://www.nc.ngb.army.mil/Pages/ default.aspx We welcome your ideas for stories and Guard topics to make this publication even more informative and enjoyable to read. Send your ideas to: NCNGPAO@gmail.com.

I encourage you to visit NCNG’s social media sites. Simply internet search “NCNG Facebook, NCNG Flickr, NCNG YouTube and NCNG twitter” to see videos, photos, and more stories about YOUR Guard. Enjoy your magazine: The Hornet Always Ready, Ready Team –Lt. Col. Matt DeVivo, editor.

We Want Your Submissions!

Are you an artist, writer, photographer or comic creator?

We want you to send us your work for consideration in our future issues. Send submissions to NCNGPAO@gmail.com with “Magazine Submission” in the subject line. Make sure to include your contact information with name and unit.

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News From Around NCANG welcomes new state command chief N.C Air National Guard State Command Chief Master Sgt. Michael Stanley, North Carolina Air National Guard receives the non-commissioned officer’s sword from Brig. Gen. Roger E. Williams Jr., Assistant Adjutant General for Air, during a Change of Authority ceremony held at the North Carolina Air National Guard base, Charlotte Douglas Int'l. Airport, Feb. 8, 2015.

60th TC Soldier receives the Distinguished Service Cross This February, Capt. William Eberle, a new member of Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 20th h me Special Forces Group was presented our nations second highest award for valor and extreme gallantry in combat while he was a member of 3rd Special Forces Group in Afghanistan in 2012.

130th Manuever Enhancement Brigade has a new Commander North Carolina Army National Guard Col. Eric Kohl relinquished his command of the 130th Maneuver Enhanced Brigade to Col. Luke Burnett during a ceremony in January.

Follow the NCNG on Twitter!

Check us out on:

@NCNationalGuard

www.youtube.com/user/ NorthCarolinaGuard 4

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www.facebook.com/ NCNationalGuard

Follow our journalists! @SSGRJ @PhotosInGreen

The Hornet’s Nest NCNG officer receives prestigious Citizen Award In February, the Mayor of Zebulon, Bob Matheny, presented Col. Allen Boyette with the 2014 Zebulon Citizen of the Year award for his nearly 30 years of service to the Zebulon community, the state, and nation.

Brig. Gen. and Col. / Husband and Wife retire together from the NCNG The NCNG retired two Salemburg residents and career Army officers, Brig. Gen. William “Ronny” Coats and Col. Toni Louise Coats, on March 19, 2015. Ronny Coats retired from the N.C. Army National Guard after 32 years of service and Toni Coats is retiring from the NCNG after 28 years of service.

The Education and Employment Center helped over 1000 Soldiers a and Family members find opening their doors in jobs since si July of 2013.

July of 2013.

Get Ready for the APFT

You’re 30 days out from your annual Army Physical Fitness Test and there’s no time to lose.

Focus on getting enough sleep and staying hydrated.

Pick the Cardio and strength plans that match your current fitness levels.

Get your technique right to prevent injury.

Be sure to ease up on your workouts the week of the test and don’t work out two days before your test.

For a full 30 day exercise plan go to: http://www.guardyourhealth. com/health-topics/fitness/ apft-in-30-days-infographic/ The Hornet

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Linconton N.C. Nearly 160 North Carolina National Guard Soldiers of Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 113th Field Artillery marched to the applause, cheers and tears of friends, family and neighbors at their mobilization ceremony held at the James W. Warren Citizens Center in Lincolnton, North Carolina, March 28, 2015.

The Soldiers are deploying to Bahrain in support of U.S. Navy Central Command’s ongoing mission in the region. (U.S. Army National Guard Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Robert Jordan) The Hornet

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Raleigh N.C. Friends and family, fellow Soldiers, civic leaders turn out for the deployment ceremony of the Morrisville-based North Carolina National Guard Detachment 1, Company B, 638th Aviation Support Battalion held at NCNG Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., Jan. 16, 2015. After the ceremony the Soldiers, friends and family gathered in the atrium for hugs, quick photos and more hugs. More training awaits the Soldiers, then on to Kuwait to keep deployed Apache AH-64 attack helicopters ready to fly and fight. (U.S. Army National Guard Photo by Staff Sgt. Meiling L. Cutler)

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Granite Falls, N.C.

M

ountain Grove Church in Granite Falls, N.C., hosted proud parents, nervous spouses, very energetic children, local employers, veteran service organization leaders and many, many friends for the North Carolina National Guard’s 1450th Transportation Company’s deployment ceremony for duty in Kuwait in support of Operation Resolute Support, Jan. 9, 2015. “We (the Guard) are part of the community, it is an honor to deploy from here,” said Army Brig. Gen. Kenneth Beard, the NCNG’s assistant adjutant general – sustainment. The Lenoir and Jefferson, N.C., based unit has previously deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. (Photos by Sergeant 1st Class Robert Jordan)

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Kure Beach N.C. Forty-four members of the N.C. Guard’s 1132nd Military Police Company supported state and local law enforcement during the 150th anniversary of the Second Battle of Fort Fisher. The Friends of Fort Fisher hosted over 15,000 visitors at the Fort Fisher State Historic Site. The 1132nd soldiers assisted with parking, at crosswalks and as ambassadors of good will to all who attended.

Thousands of visitors cheer during the reenactment of fighting at Shepherd’s Battery during the 150th anniversary of the Second Battle of Fort Fisher Jan. 17, 2015. (U.S. Army National Guard Photo

by Staff Sgt. Brendan Stephens)

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Two Winter Storms Strike North Carolina in February: NC Guard Ready and Reliable Deploys Winter Storm Catch Teams Story by Staff Sgt. Brendan Stephens

RALEIGH, N.C. - North Carolina National Guard

In total, 96 troops and 39 vehicles were involved in

Soldiers mobilized hours before snow and ice started

this response.

building up on North Carolina roads around the state,

By early Thursday morning, the full extent of storm

Feb. 25, 2015. They staged equipment and stood by to

damage became evident and teams flexed up to the

see how this winter storm would play out.

northern parts of the state where up to seven inches of

“Our mission is to ensure public safety and also

snow created hazardous situations.

prevent loss of life and property damage,” said Maj.

Spc. Thomas Cartwright a soldier from Fayetteville,

Stephen Koontz from North Carolina National Guard’s

North Carolina, who serves in B Company, 1st Bn.,

Joint Operations Center.

120th Infantry Reg. said, “If anyone does get stranded

“To accomplish this, we deploy Winter Catch Teams and Off Road Ambulance Force Packages,” said

out here, we’ll pick them up and take them to a nice safe location.”

Snowplows cleared away the worst of the snow, but

Koontz.

The teams in various military high clearance vehicles, patrolled the icy roads searching for citizens in

icy patches and fallen trees still caused problems for motorists.

trouble. The Soldiers cleared fallen trees from the

Teams continued to patrol the highways and interstates

roadways and marked abandoned cars that lay buried

until emergency conditions subsided. Cartwright’s

under piles of snow along the roadside.

team provided assistance along Interstate Highway 95 and U.S. Highway 64.

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NCNG’s 677th Fire Fighting Team from Morrisville, N.C. and the 430th Fire Fighting Team from Salisbury come together to train as one force to combat a simulated aircraft fire. This training took place at North Carolina Air National Guard’s burn pit in Charlotte, Feb. 7, 2015. (U.S. Army National Guard Photo by Staff Sgt. Brendan Stephens 382nd Public Affairs Detachment) 16

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Joint combat communication creates realistic training and cost savings.

Story by Master Sgt. Patricia Moran, 145th AW Public Affairs and Staff Sgt. Darlene Seltmann, 99th Public Affairs (story abbreviated for this issue).

NEW LONDON, N.C. -- "Train like we fight" and "do more with less" are mottos echoing the walls of countless conference rooms across the Department of Defense and U.S. Air Force daily -- and for good reason. US military missions continue to expand while concurrently trying to balance shrinking budgets and decreasing personnel.

The recent partnership between the North Carolina Air National Guard's 263rd Combat Communications Squadron and Air Combat Command's 527th Space Aggressor Squadron, and their Reserve counterpart, the 26th SAS, represent this vision in action. This serves as a prudent example of using innovation to tie limited resources together through a total force integration relationship and build mission capability and capacity for the joint force.

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The 263rd CBCS, located at North Carolina Air National Guard base, 145th Combat Operations Group, New London, North Carolina, provides tactical secure and unsecure voice and data communications systems in support of deployed warfighters and in support of civil authorities for state disaster response. Reliable communication is the life-blood of any crisis, natural disaster or conflict, and the unit has actively and diligently sought advanced training opportunities with the 527th SAS to ensure mission success.

"The relationship between our unit and the 527th advances total force integration, makes great

fiscal sense and has significantly increased our ability to provide reliable communications to the warfighter in a contested environment," said Lt. Col. Anthony Sullins, 263rd CBCS commander.�

The commonality of equipment between the 527th and 263rd provides many advantages that enhance the missions of both units. The space aggressors save on transportation costs and personnel hours by leveraging combat communications equipment and personnel. The combined efforts of both squadrons resulted in nearly $62,000 in

total savings of travel and personnel associated costs. Such a partnership answers the charge from the ACC commander, for our Airmen to think creatively and develop innovative solutions to near term shortfalls.

In fiscal 2015, the support relationship between the 263rd CBCS, 527th SAS and 26th SAS units is expected to be executed four times, providing the DOD an estimated savings of $250,000.

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Vigilant Guard scenario: A concealed explosive device is activated on an international flight starting a small fire on the plane and the pilot has requested emergency landing at a local North Carolina city.

Scotland County Emergency Management, SBI EOD Team, 42nd WMD Civil Support Team, first reponders, and hospitals nearby respond and execute their emergency plan.

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Vigilant Guard Disaster Exercise: Strengthening State Partnerships Through Actions Not Words Story by U.S. Army Lt. Col. Matt DeVivo The Hornet

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RALEIGH, N.C. - Hurricane Zephyr, a Category 4 storm packing winds of 140 mph, made landfall near Charleston, South Carolina laying a path of destruction across the state and into central and western North Carolina. Millions of citizens across four states have been affected by this natural disaster.

Thankfully, Zephyr isn’t real, but the actions taken by local first responders, county emergency operations centers, the North Carolina National Guard and North Carolina Emergency Management are. Vigilant Guard -15 has over 1,300 Guardsmen and women (553 from the NCNG) and hundreds of civilian emergency response professionals training across four states.

Hurricane Zephyr is a simulated natural disaster for Vigilant Guard -15, a regional disaster response training exercise March 8-11, across North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

“Interoperability between the guard, state and local authorities is critical. The time to test capabilities and build and strengthen relationships is not when a disaster occurs,” said Dianne Curtis, North Carolina Emergency Management’s eastern branch director. “The time is now, through training just like this, to assess our systems and procedures.”

Throughout North Carolina, essential communications equipment is tested, disaster response training is conducted and commodities like water, food and medical supplies are moved from warehouses to points of distribution at the county level.

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In Charlotte, Army and Air Guardsmen worked sideby-side with first responders at the Walter M. Franklin Water Treatment Plant where soldiers of the 210th Military Police Company assisted the Mecklenburg County Sheriff 's Department in securing and patrolling the plant; the largest water treatment plant in the state.

“It (VG-15) gets all the assets together in one place to see how it works,” said Army Staff Sgt. Mike Gibson of the 210th Military Police Company. “It’s a dry run for the real thing.

When you get all the moving parts you can see what goes well and what needs to be tweaked, so next time when it does happen for real, we are prepared.”

The North Carolina Forestry Service and the North Carolina Air National Guard’s 145th Airlift Wing managed

Joint Reception, Staging, Onward Movement, and Integration (JRSOI) operations at the Stanley County Airport.

Once civilian and military boots touch the ground, they all must first filter through the JRSOI site in order to be accounted for and to track all incoming personnel and resources. Once accountability is made personnel and resources are dispatched where they are needed in the state.

“The JRSOI mission for Vigilant Guard - 15 is to receive civilian and military assets from outside the state like, active duty military, emergency management personnel and other Guard state forces,” said NCNG Air Force Master Sgt. Rebecca Tongen, the 145th's installation manager.

Soldiers from the 230th Brigade Support Battalion deployed from their home station in Goldsboro to New

Vigilant Guard Exercise provides an opportunity for state National Guard Headquarters, state joint task forces, N.C Emergency Management, and county civilian partners to improve communication and operational relationships in a domestic operations environment.

The operation is a statewide National Guard Bureau training event with multiple NCNG units demonstrating response to natural and manmade disasters with civilian partners including North Carolina Department of Public Safety.

Soldiers from the 230th Brigade Support Battalion work with their counterparts in the North Carolina Air Guard loading warehouse packages to be distributed as needed during the weeklong Vigilant Guard training exercise.

Members from the N.C. Air National Guard, 145th Civil Engineer Squadron, install 16 Alaskan Small Shelter Systems at the 145th CES-Regional Training Site, New London, N.C. to provide lodging for over 200 personnel participating in Vigilant Guard, March, 2015.

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London and worked with their counterparts in the N.C Air Guard at N.C. Emergency Management’s logistic warehouse.

communities as far as 100 miles away.”

North Carolina citizens are no strangers to fallen trees during major hurricanes or tornadoes. Clearing through this path of destruction can seem quite daunting at times.

At the logistics warehouse, Emergency Management logisticians take emergency supply orders from across the “Vigilant Guard is a region. Supplies are moved premier event to showcase by trucks from the 230th and NCNG’s interagency and delivered to counties where the needed commodities are intergovernmental cooperation distributed to the civilian and collaboration. This exercise populace. has again shown that NCNG’s

In central North Carolina, at Camp Butner, the 505th Engineer Battalion conducted chainsaw debris removal training and learned different skills in how to safely and efficiently Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen are remove trees. Other “From each exercise incident, a ready, responsive, and reliable 505th engineers worked we will get requests from domestic operations military down east with Brunswick various counties for water, County leaders moving force.” said Col. Cliff Wilkins, Meals Ready to Eat, tarps, earth and rocks to simulate NCNG’s Chief of the Joint Staff. batteries, chainsaws, anything berm construction to of that nature to assist them” said Air National mitigate flooding.

Guard Senior Master Sgt. Norbert Reid, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the At the Laurinburg- Maxton airport NCNG’s warehouse. “Once the orders are received, the 42nd Civil Support team (Chemical, Biological, warehouse staff starts stocking and doing an Radiological and Nuclear response team) inventory. The orders are put together and conducted joint training with North Carolina’s staged and loaded on vehicles to deliver to the State Bureau of Investigation Bomb Squad,

N.C. Army and Air National Guardsmen work with N.C. Emergency Management and the N.C. Forest Service at the joint reception, staging, onward movement and integration (JRSOI) center at the 145th Regional Training Site in New London, N.C., March 7.

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Scotland Country HAZMAT team and many other and local partners.

Airmen are a ready, responsive, and reliable domestic operations military force.”

In Snow Hill, Soldiers of the 252nd Combined Arms Battalion partnered with Task Force – 10, North Carolina Emergency Management’s eastern Urban Search and Rescue team. Guardsmen were given swift water rescue training and conducted other search and rescue support activities.

Vigilant Guard is an exercise sponsored by U.S. Northern Command in conjunction with the National Guard Bureau. The program provides an opportunity for state National Guard Headquarters, state joint task forces, North Carolina Emergency Management and county civilian partners to improve communication and operational relationships in a domestic operations environment.

“Vigilant Guard is a premier event to showcase NCNG’s interagency and intergovernmental cooperation and collaboration,” said Col. Cliff Wilkins, NCNG’s Chief of the Joint Staff. “This exercise has again shown that NCNG’s Citizen-Soldiers and

Explosives disposal robot demonstrates how to safely examine a suspicious package as NCNG Maj. Gen. Greg Lusk (center) and State Bureau of Investigation Director B.W. Collier (right) look on.

The NCNG Museum Needs Your Artifact Donations!

The North Carolina National Guard Museum needs your artifact donations in order to tell the story of your service with the proud history and traditions of the North Carolina National Guard.

The new museum is seeking artifacts from all eras, including: uniforms, insignia and awards, weapons,

accoutrements, gear, photographs, and even captured enemy relics. The museum already has a very small collection, much of which is currently on display in the atrium at Joint Force Headquarters, but much more is needed in order to tell the story of Our North Carolina National Guard.

To donate artifacts of any kind, please contact: Capt. Sean Daily, Deputy Command Historian Office Phone: 919-664-6199 E-mail: sean.r.daily.mil@ mail.mil

Sgt. Gary Spencer Office Phone: 919-664-6214 E-mail: gary.c.spencer2. mil@mail

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NC Guardsmen compete to be named Story by Staff Sgt. Mary Junell BUTNER, N.C. – Soldiers and Airmen from across North Carolina competed in their state’s Best Warrior Competition March 2-5, in hopes of being named the Best Warrior of the North Carolina National Guard.

Points are awarded for each event and the winners were announced at an awards ceremony here, March 5, 2014.

Should the Air Guardsmen competing win, the runner-up for their category will move into their place, but many feel it is important for the branches within the North Carolina Guard to compete together.

The competition, held at Camp Butner, tests the Guardsmen’s mental and physical toughness and will include events like weapons qualification, a road march, land navigation, an obstacle course, a stress shoot event, urban operations, common warrior tasks and a mystery event.

The 13 Guardsmen competed and were split into two categories; seven in the noncommissioned officer category and six in the junior enlisted category.

In addition to friendly competition, Best Warrior gives the Guardsmen involved an opportunity to meet their counterparts from across the state.

Senior Airman Nathan Connolly, with the NCANG’s 118th ASOS placed 1st in the enlisted category.

“The competition builds camaraderie between the different brigades,” said Staff Sgt. Kurt Geldner, with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 130th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, who is competing in the NCO category.

“For the individual Soldier you get a chance to meet a lot of the senior leadership from across the state and they get to see what you can do. It is also a chance to exercise that competitive arm and represent your brigade,” said Geldner.

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“Just to instill some of the teamwork between Air and the Army components,” said Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Buddy Arthur, with the 118th Air Support Operations Squadron, who was at the competition to support the Airmen from his unit. “We deploy the same way so why not compete the same way.”

Sgt. 1st Class Andres Valentin, a medical instructor at the North Carolina National Guard’s Regional Training Institute placed 1st in the NCO category.

As the competition moves forward to the Regional level and beyond, it is an Army-only competition.

Therefore, the runner-up in the enlisted category, Spc. Justin Bethel, with the 449th Theater Aviation Brigade, will join Valentin in the Region III Best Warrior Competition scheduled for April. Even though Airmen cannot compete in the higher level, many feel it is still important for them to compete at the state level.

“We deploy the same way so why not compete the same way,” said Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Buddy Arthur, with the 118th Air Support Operations Squadron, who cheered his Soldiers throughout the competition.

Best Warrior!

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Engineers build confidence and charges during explosive training Story and photos by Spc. Lisa Vines FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Companies from the North Carolina National Guard’s 105th Engineer Battalion conducted their annual hands-on explosive training at Fort Bragg, N.C., Feb. 7, 2015.

About 50 soldiers from three companies headed down to the range over the weekend to sharpen their skills in preparing and detonating bangalore, shaped, crater, and brazier charges.

Engineers from the three companies trained together to make the most out of their time and resources, as well as to build camaraderie.

“We’re all engineer units and we train as one,” said Sgt. 1st Class William Lunsceford of the 151st Mobility Augmentation Company, which is based out of Laurinburg, N.C. Soldiers assembled confidence-building charges, which is essentially a large amount of C4, as well as bangalore, shaped, crater and brazier charges, according to Lunsceford.

While out on the range, the newer soldiers are able to fully realize the real world applications of these explosive charges, as well as have some fun.

In 2012, the 151st MAC deployed to Afghanistan and was primarily responsible for clearing routes used by U.S. and Afghan militaries.

“With a lot of engineers, especially now doing route clearance, they

ride around for 12 to 15 hours looking for roadside bombs, and then you would use something to blow the roadside bomb up, like a block of C4,” said Lunsceford, explaining how some of what is learned is applied downrange.

“Getting to come out and do hands on prep with demo is an exciting thing. I look forward to this drill every year,” said Sgt. Alejandro Piocuda, a team leader in the 171st Engineer Sapper Company.

The engineers look forward to this training event because they have to engage in plenty of preparation with safety classes and presentations to ensure they are ready to participate in annual live-fire training.

“When we get to do demo it’s a fun thing because if it’s not doing demo or a range, we’re basically in the armory doing classes,” said Piocuda.

“Demo prep, demo classes, basic Army classes, engineer classes such as counter-mobility against the enemy and channeling the enemy,” said Piocuda of the engineer battalion’s typical off-range drill weekends.

Although the soldiers of the 105th recognize the seriousness of their occupation, they also yearn for more time to create and enjoy the big booms their jobs have them perform.

“For our job, demolition is so fun because you just come out and make big explosions,” said Lunsceford with enthusiasm.

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NC Guard supports

Tarheel Challenge Academy and at-risk youth Story by Staff Sgt. Mary Junell

RALEIGH, N.C. – On an obstacle course in the North Carolina woods at Camp Butner, young men, between the ages of 16-18, work hard to climb walls, pull themselves across ropes and low-crawl under barbed wire on Jan. 21, 2015.

North Carolina National Guardsman, Staff Sgt. Anthony Lawson, with the 732nd Forward Support Company, encourages them to push themselves and get over the walls, much like the walls they face in life.

These men are cadets in the National Guard Youth Challenge Program, a community based program whose goal it is to intervene in the lives of 16-18 year old high school dropouts and instill in them the traits and skills they need to become productive citizens.

The cadets are two-weeks into North Carolina’s version of the program called the Tarheel Challenge Academy, a 22-week long residence program that will be followed by a yearlong mentorship program.

Lawson, who in addition to assisting with the obstacle course has previously been a mentor, uses each obstacle as a metaphor for accomplishing goals in life.

“It’s about teaching them to look forward to the accomplishment on the other side,” he said.

Lawson also tells the story of the man he mentored who went from having bad grades, being disrespectful to his parent and being involved with 30

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gang activity to graduating from barber school and going on to open a retail store with a group of barbers.

“He himself admitted ‘If I keep going, I’m going to die or I’m going to kill somebody,’” Lawson said. “When he finally got it right … we had a moment where I actually came to tears, and I knew then that he would be OK.” Thanks to support from the North Carolina National Guard, the Tarheel Challenge Academy will spend two days at Camp Butner taking two groups of young men and one group of young women through the obstacle course, a land navigation course and on a 5k road march.

The North Carolina National Guard helps plan the two-day event twice a year and provides Soldiers as group leaders, instructors, safety officers and medical support.

First Sgt. Stephen Caldwell, who serves with the 1-130th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, said he enjoys working with the Academy, and that is rewarding both for the cadets and the National Guard Soldiers and Airmen who support the event.

“This program gives these kids a second chance, so they don’t become a product of the system one day,” said Caldwell, who has been part of all four rotations of the event the NCNG has supported at Camp Butner.

The event also gives the Guardsmen a chance to act as good role models for the young men and women going through the Academy.

“My goal is to take these kids and give them some direction in life,” Caldwell said.

The cadets are all in the program because they want to better themselves. For some it was strongly recommended, but they are still there of their own free will.

“I’m here because I wasn’t doing so good in school,” said Quadir Stuckey, one of the cadets, from Sanford, North Carolina. “I started slacking off, wasn’t doing the right thing, and one day it just hit me that if I kept doing the wrong thing I wasn’t going to get as far in life as I wanted to.”

Stuckey and his Aunt researched programs to help him get caught back up and they found the Tarheel Challenge Academy.

“I hope to better myself, further my education, gain motivation and dedication; I want to come out wiser and stronger than I was before,” said Stuckley. “I had to overcome a fear today. I’m terrified of heights.

And, I learned to cope with other people, even though they don’t want to cope back with me.”

One of the goals of the Tarheel Challenge is to help these young people learn how to overcome life’s obstacles to accomplish their goals and get back on the path to success.

In that spirit, Lawson hopes that he can leave these kids believing in themselves.

“I don’t believe that God made carbon copies.

He made us all to be individuals and we all have something that is special inside of us, so my goal is to reach down and help that person realize what that special thing is and then go after it and not to quit on themselves,” he said.

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SGT Lam, FOB Caldwell, Iraq, 2004.

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Captain SaQuang Lam Why I Serve?

Story and Photos by: Staff Sgt. Mary Junell

S

aQuang Lam was about 13 years old when he received his first pair of shoes.

Lam and his family had spent the three or four months prior on a journey from his home in the Mekong Delta region inside Vietnam, through Cambodia and to a refugee camp on the border of Thailand.

His family was trying to escape persecution by the Vietcong because his father had assisted and fought on the side of the Americans during the Vietnam War. While living at a refugee camp in Singapore, his family had been given a stipend.

After a trip to the market, which Lam compared to a flea market, his dad handed him a pair of shoes and they fit.

He did not pick out the shoes or even try them on. He does not remember asking for them either.

Having shoes on his feet for the first time made Lam feel like he was walking on air.

“I just remember really feeling proud or special,” Lam said. “I guess I would say it felt like a kid opening a gift at Christmas that they didn’t expect to get but really wanted.”

“A simple pair of canvas sneakers,” he said. “They made me feel secure for the first time in my life.”

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The lack of footwear was not the only difficult part of the Journey out of Vietnam.

Lam and his family had to drink water from rice paddies, sleep in a pile to stay warm at night and be on the lookout for rebel soldiers.

“We would just walk until we all felt tired on most days,” Lam said. “The primary factor for how far we walked really had to do with the rebels in the jungle and whether or not they were nearby.”

“One day the Vietcong started mortar attacks on the camp,” Lam said. “Our huts were burning and we started running toward the Thai border.”

As Lam and the other refugees ran towards the border, soldiers at the checkpoint started firing upon the crowd.

“We were sitting ducks under steel rain in front of us and total chaos behind us,” he said.

They ran to the only cover they could find, the dense vegetation of the mountains. Many of the refugees died in the violence. “My family was among the fortunate ones, we all survived, all 17 of us,” he said.

The next day Lam and his family heard the rumble of trucks in the distance.

Lam remembers one day where a rebel came out of the bush with a gun and pointed at his father.

The rebel demanded they give him all their money but Lam’s father was able to convince the rebel to leave.

“We huddled behind my mother and my dad was able to talk to him alone,” Lam said.

“Whatever my dad was able to do, he let us go. This wasn’t the only time this type of thing would happen, but I remember this time the most.”

“The way the man looked at us and how he yelled at us really stuck with me,” he said.

Even after Lam’s family survived the long trek to the refugee camp on the Thailand border their troubles were not over.

Lam Family, Dongrek Platform refugee camp, Thailand, 1984 34

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“As we looked over the horizon we could see a cloud of dust in the distance,” Lam said.

“Each truck had white flags with red crosses on them.”

The trucks Lam saw belonged to the International Committee of the Red Cross and they were requesting that the Thai border be opened.

2LT Lam’s Platoon, FOB Mahmudiyah, 2009

“There was a list and my dad’s name was called,” Lam said. “Our family was saved. The feeling of relief was indescribable.”

Lam’s family were told that they had been chosen to go to the United States of America, a process that took almost a year.

Then, on June 20th 1985, Lam and his family boarded a plane for the United States and eventually landed in Lebanon, Pennsylvania in the middle of the night.

“I have never forgotten this day because my life and the promise I made to myself, began the day our lives started over in America,” Lam said.

His family was transported to a refugee camp in Bangkok where they were given immunizations, taught some I also dedicated myself to fight English and given for justice and peace and any form of cultural sensitivity oppression and injustice anywhere,” training.

he said. “I knew in order to do this, I They were then sent needed to become a Soldier one day to another camp in Indonesia and then finally to the camp in Singapore where Lam received his first pair of shoes.

The promise Lam made to himself was simple: in his lifetime, he would always fight against the ideology of communism.

Lam is a combat veteran with two deployments. He is a NCNG signal officer currently serving as the commander for Bravo Company, 30th Special Troops Battalion.

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To the sky: N.C.Army National Guard Special Forces units conduct airborne operations Story and Photos by Sgt. Brian Godett

The 60th Troop Command, NCNG’s most versatile Army unit, highlighted some of its capabilities during an airborne training exercise at Blackstone Army Airfield, Fort Pickett, Virginia, Feb. 7 and 8.

Known as quiet professionals, for their demeanor on the field and off, Special Forces Soldiers under the 60th TC, from Company B, 1st Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), and Company B, 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) parachuted from C-130 Hercules, in the same manner they would enter combat zones in real world operations.

“Today we have both military free fall parachute operations and static line parachute operations,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Paul Allen, B Company, 3-20th SFG (A) jumpmaster. “We are required to jump four times a year to remain current.”

As the Special Forces Soldiers ran through their safety drills and began to strap on their main parachutes, reserve parachutes and harnesses, two C-130H airplanes began their descent onto 36

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the runway. The planes were flown and manned by NCNG’s 145th Airlift Wing out of Charlotte.

The North Carolina Air National Guard air crew worked closely with the Special Forces commanders and jumpmasters to ensure the flight plans and safety protocols before going up in the air. The partnership between the Special Forces Group and other units are not uncommon when training or in real world scenarios.

“Special Forces, by design, are unique in what they do and how they do it,” said Col. Ephraim Grubbs, 60th TC Brigade Commander. “For the North Carolina National Guard, the ability to have these units are a huge benefit to us, both on the federal side as well as what they can offer us in support of civil authorities in times of need.”

The cold mornings led way to clear skies later in the day, with just a few strong wind gusts throughout the airborne jumps.

The wind velocity was closely monitored by a team on the ground. One strong wind gust could force a jumper to drift past the designated drop zone and possibly be injured.

Grubbs, accompanied by the brigade Command Sgt. Maj. Ernest Bouton, and brigade S3 command officer Lt. Col. Larry Coleman, not only watched the training on ground, but went up in the C-130H with the SF Soldiers to support them and the operation.

After the training, the Special Forces Soldiers were re-certified, and ready to continue their support to the NCNG, the U.S. Special Operations Command or likewise theater commands when called upon.

Soldiers with the North Carolina National Guard special forces units, Special Operations Detachment-X, Company B, 1st Bn., 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and Company B, 3rd Bn., 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), satisfy their airborne training four times a year by parachuting from an airplane in the same manner they would when entering a combat zone.

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Botswana Army 10-Miler Shadow Run Driven by a love of the original race, Melissa Hinton, Community Liaison Officer in the U.S. Embassy in Gaborone, Botswana and wife of Maj. Kevin Hinton, the North Carolina National Guard Bilateral Affairs Officer in Botswana, organized the inaugural Army 10-Miler Shadow Run in Botswana.

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Mil App Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes hosted their 12th Military Appreciation Game at PNC Arena in Raleigh on March 8, 2015. Special North Carolina National Guard guests included the son of Sgt. 1st Class Mark Marey in full Hurricane hockey gear (right).

Marey is an Iraq War veteran Bradley Fighting Vehicle crew member and Raleigh native.

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A

irmen from the 118th Air Support Operations Squadron, Tactical Air Control Party began running a 24-hour Remembrance Run at 1:00 P.M. in Albemarle, N.C., March 26, 2015.

Each year, TACP units across the Air Force run for 24-hours to honor the TACP members who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

TACP teams are located all over the world including the U.S., Germany,

Korea, Hawaii, Alaska, Kuwait and Afghanistan. Each unit raises money and collects donations that go toward the TACP foundation.

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145TH AIRLIFT WING 118TH ASOS CONDUCTS 4TH ANNUAL 24-HOUR TACP RUN

They met this challenge at 4:30 A.M., Friday morning, leaving another 8.5 hours to continue running, logging more miles and raising more donations.

The Association has provided support to several TACPs who were wounded in action and have assisted the unfortunate families of TACPs killed in action.

Driven by a love of the Two corporate sponsors Hinton, stepped original race, Melissa up this year Liaison with donations Community Officerof if the 118th in$1500.00 the U.S.each Embassy in ASOS airmen could complete 300 miles Gaborone, Botswana and in 24 wife ofhours.

Maj. Kevin Hinton, the North Carolina National Guard Bilateral Affairs Officer in Botswana, organized the inaugural Army 10-Miler Shadow Run in Botswana.

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Mil App Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes hosted their 12th Military Appreciation Game at the PNC Arena in Raleigh on March 8, 2015. Special North Carolina National Guard guests included the son of Sgt. 1st Class Mark Marey in full Hurricane hockey gear (right).

Marey is an Iraq War veteran, Bradley Fighting Vehicle crew member and Raleigh native.

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Joel.c.eberly.mil@mail.mil

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