Timeline

georgia NATIONAL

Col. Amy Holbeck assumes command of the 116th Air Control Wing from Col. Ato Crumbly. Colonel Holbeck becomes the first female wing commander in the history of the Ga. ANG.

The 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment celebrates with family and friends during a return ceremony from a nine-month deployment to Kosovo. Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Makaryk, battalion commander of 1st Battalion, 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade, passes the Charlie Company guidon to Command Sgt. Maj. Brett Paul, the battalion command sergeant major, during the 1-54th SFAB activation ceremony at Fort Benning, Ga.

JanUARY FebrUARY March April May June JULY

U.S. Air Force loadmaster from the 165th Airlift Wing loads a P-19C Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting vehicle onto a C-130H3 Hercules at Savannah Air National Guard Base, Savannah, Ga. Georgia Army National Guardsmen in partnership with the DeKalb Fire Department test local frontline responders at the Specimen Point of Collection site at the 170th Military Police Battalion, Decatur, Ga.

Two C-130 aircraft from the Georgia Air National Guard’s 165th Airlift Wing conducts a flyover above AdventHealth Gordon hospital in Calhoun, Ga., May 15, 2020. The aircraft flew over a number of other facilities throughout the state as part of the 165th AW’s “America Strong Flyover” event.

guard timeline

2020

Brigadier General Bobby Christine’s wife and children place one-star shoulder boards on his uniform July 18, 2020 at Clay National Guard Center, Marietta, Ga.

Georgia Army National Guardsmen from the Glennville-based Alpha Company, 177th Brigade Engineer Battalion participate in the closing ceremony for Noble Partner 20 at Vaziani Training Area, country of Georgia. U.S. Airmen with the 116th Security Forces Squadron, 116th Air Control Wing, Georgia Air National Guard, perform buddy checks ensuring each Airman’s mission oriented protective posture gear is donned correctly during an operational readiness assessment at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.

AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Ryan Work, a radio transmissions craftsman at the 117th Air Control Squadron, climbs a ground radio tower during a rescue training exercise with the Hunter Army Airfield Fire Department, August 26, 2020. The exercise served as a refresher training for rappelling and technical rescues. Major General Thomas Carden, The Adjutant General of Georgia, along with enlisted personnel of the Georgia Army and Air National Guard Airmen cut the National Guard Birthday Cake during an observation of the National Guard’s 384th birthday on December 10, 2020, at Clay National Guard Center.

Brigadier General Dwayne Wilson, incoming commander of the Georgia Army National Guard, accepts the organizational colors from Maj. Gen. Tom Carden, Adjutant General of the Georgia Department of Defense, during the Ga. ARNG’s change of command ceremony at the Clay National Guard Center, Marietta, Ga. Oct. 9, 2020.

Brig. Gen. Dwayne Wilson Assistant Adjutant General - Army

The Ga. ARNG is organized into five major subordinate commands: the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Macon; the 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade at Fort Benning and the 78th Troop Command, the 201st Regional Support Group / Region 4 Homeland Response Force and the 78th Aviation Troop Command at the Clay National Guard Center in Marietta.

In the fall of 2020, Lt. Gen. Jon Jensen, Director of the Army National Guard presented the Georgia Army National Guard with the 2020 Director’s Award in Excellence. This is a testament to the quality of service rendered by our more than 11,000 Citizen Soldiers training in hometown armories and readiness centers across the state. This year, perhaps more than in any year in recent history, the Georgia Army National Guard was tested on all fronts and rose to meet the challenge.

For nine months in 2020, Citizen Soldiers of the Ga. ARNG supported COVID-19 response operations. Soldiers provided medical support at 18 regional hospitals, packaged and delivered meals for foodbanks across the state, constituted infection control teams and completed more than 2,400 disinfecting missions. Citizen Soldiers staffed COVID-19 testing sites and formed mobile testing teams to reach and test vulnerable populations. At the peak of the response, more than 3,200 of Georgia’s Citizen Soldiers were called to support their fellow citizens.

In addition to life-saving response missions as part of the governor’s coordinated response to COVID-19, Citizen Soldiers supported law enforcement and public safety operations beginning in May when demonstrations in Atlanta turned violent. The Ga. ARNG assisted Atlanta Police and Georgia State Police in enforcing the curfew order of Atlanta’s mayor and provided security to public property through the end of the year. While responding to an unprecedented number of mission requests from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, the Ga. ARNG also remained ready to respond during the busiest Atlantic hurricane season on record with 30 named storms.

While maintaining a robust response at home, the Ga. ARNG continued its steadfast support to overseas contingency missions. More than 600 Soldiers mobilized across the globe in 15 separate deployments in 2020. Additionally, Soldiers of all five of the Ga. ARNG brigades supported overseas exercises in Germany and the country of Georgia as well as a rotation at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif. 2020 was a year of force structure and personnel changes in the Ga. ARNG. In March, the 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade was activated during a ceremony at Fort Bragg and Georgia’s 1st Battalion, 54th SFAB held its uncasing ceremony in June. Army-wide force structure changes prompted the inactivation of the 348th Brigade Support Battalion in August.

The 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade and 201st Regional Support Group received new leadership and State Judge Advocate Col. Bobby Christine was promoted to brigadier general and selected to serve as the assistant to the chief counsel of the National Guard Bureau. In October, the Ga. ARNG welcomed Brig. Gen. Dwayne Wilson as the 16th Assistant Adjutant General-Army as Maj. Gen. Randall Simmons assumed command of Joint Task Force North.

As unpredictable as 2020 was, the Citizen Soldiers who comprise the eighth largest National Guard in the United States rose to the occasion. As 2020 gives way to a new year, the Ga. ARNG has demonstrated unprecedented capability, resiliency and resolve. We stand ready as an agile and responsive force to serve the governor of Georgia and combat commanders in new and emerging missions across the globe and at home.

Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey Logan State Command Sergeant Major

Col. Anthony Fournier Commander Command Sgt. Maj. Brett Paul Command Sergeant Major

The 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), headquartered in Macon, is commanded by Colonel Anthony D. Fournier. Command Sergeant Major Brett R. Paul serves as the brigade’s senior enlisted advisor. The organization consists of more than 4,400 Guardsmen who regularly conduct drills at 29 armories around the state.

The 48th IBCT is organized into seven subordinate battalions. These organizations include the 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment; 1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery Regiment; the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment; 148th Brigade Support Battalion, and the 177th Brigade Engineer Battalion. These units operate in armories that span the state from Dalton in the north down to Valdosta near the southern edge of Georgia.

The calendar year began with the 48th IBCT continuing its “Prepare Year One” of the Sustainable Readiness Model with an intense focus on rebuilding warfighting readiness. Leadership changes included 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment commanders, as well as numerous company, battery and troop level changes in command across the brigade. The bridge processed 19,649 pieces of equipment through reset at $150 million, providing its Soldiers the most modern and capable equipment available.

When the COVID-19 pandemic surged in Georgia, the 48th IBCT was quickly called into action to alleviate human suffering and assist local & state authorities with the preservation of peace, order, and public safety. Over a period of nearly six months, the 48th IBCT mobilized 1,620 Guardsmen who completed over 2,024 missions including 430 mobile testing, 16 specimen points of collection, 16 medical support, eight entry control, seven food bank support site, and 1,547 infection control missions with operations still on-going across the state in late 2020.

The Associated Unit Pilot program continues with the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia under the Total Force Partnership Program. More than 720 Soldiers participated in 10 overseas deployments for training events in Germany and the country of Georgia supporting Joint-Maneuver Readiness Center exercises, Exercise Saber Junction 20, Exercise Combined Resolve XIV, and Exercise Noble Partner 20.

When civil unrest erupted in the Atlanta Metro area and across the state, the 48th IBCT was the Georgia National Guards’ decisive operation to restore order, and protect vital areas including the state capitol, the governor’s mansion, Stone Mountain and Centennial Olympic Park. Soldiers from the 48th IBCT assisted law enforcement with riot control, conducted presence patrols, and set conditions for Georgia citizens to express their views safely.

At the close of 2020, the brigade continues to prepare for emergent support to state authorities for hurricane, wildfire, and civil unrest response, as well as to conduct their wartime mission.

UNITS

• 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment, Calhoun • 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, Winder • 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, Forsyth • 3rd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, cumming • 1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery Regiment, Savannah • 148th Brigade Support Battalion, Macon • 177th Brigade Engineer Battalion, Statesboro

@48thIBCT @48thIBCT @48thIBCT

Col. Jason Fryman Commander Command Sgt. Maj. Howard Earhart Command Sergeant Major

Home-stationed at Clay National Guard Center, in Marietta, Ga., the 78th Aviation Troop Command (78th ATC) is the aviation arm of the Georgia Army National Guard, commanded by Colonel Jason W. Fryman, with Command Sgt. Major Howard J. Earhart as his senior enlisted advisor.

The mission of more than 800 pilots, aircrew members, maintenance, and support personnel of the 78th ATC is to mobilize and deploy trained army aviation formations worldwide as part of a joint force to provide command and control, air movement, air assault, aeromedical evacuation, and sustainment operations to geographic combatant commanders in support of unified land operations. Our secondary mission, is providing the governor with ready aviation capabilities in support of domestic response operations here at home. From disaster response to national special security events and even border surveillance, 78th ATC conducts numerous non-combat missions annually.

The 78th ATC is comprised of 39 aircraft which include Black Hawk, Chinook and Lakota Helicopters, fixed-wing, and unmanned aircraft systems, operating out of three Army Aviation Support Facilities (AASF) and one Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems (TUAS) operations Facility located throughout the state. During training year 2020, the 78th ATC flew more than 6,438 flight hours encompassing multiple deployments and dozens of training missions. Within the past year, our 1-171 General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB), returned from a 10-month deployment to Kosovo in support of Operation Joint Guardian, and the 2-245th Aviation Regiment deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. Stateside, our Detachment 1/C/2-151 Security and Support (S&S) Battalion deployed to Texas along the Southwest border in support of both Operations Guardian Support and in support of the Department of Homeland Security’s border security operations.

In addition to supporting adjacent Georgia ARNG units, our formations routinely provide external support to the 75th Ranger Regiment, 4th and 5th Ranger Training Battalions, 7th Special Forces Group, and the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning. Two highlights this year were the Detachment 1/C/2-151 S&S Battalion support to Patriot South exercise in Florida and the C/1-106th Assault Helicopter’s Battalion’s support of Southern Strike exercise in Mississippi.

Additionally, our domestic response efforts included standing up the Aviation Task Force in support of COVID-19 pandemic response efforts and C/2-151st S&S Battalion which sent LUH-72 Lakota helicopter, aircrew members and support personnel to support Task Force-North.

The 78th ATC was honored to receive the Commanding General’s Training Excellence Trophy, Fiscal Stewardship Award, and Logistics Readiness Trophy for 2019 recognizing their programs as the best in the Ga. ARNG.

Lastly, the 78th ATC was honored to open a new preeminent facility this July at Evans Army Airfield for the 177th Brigade Engineer Battalion UAS Platoon, which was honored with the 2020 Army Aviation Association of America’s Robert M. Leich Award for their superior performance and support while deployed to Afghanistan.

Challenging training opportunities along with real world domestic response and overseas operations keep Georgia’s aviation brigade always ready, resilient and relevant.

UNITS

• 78th Aviation Troop Command Headquarters, Clay National

Guard Center, Marietta • 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment, Clay National Guard

Center, Marietta • Company C(-), 2-151st Security and Support Battalion, Clay

National Guard Center, Marietta • Company C(-), 1-111th Aviation Regiment, Clay National Guard

Center, Marietta • Company B(-), 2-245th Aviation Regiment, Clay National Guard

Center, Marietta • Company C, 1-106th Assault Helicopter Battalion, Winder • Company B(-), 1-169th Aviation Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield,

Savannah • Company D(-) (UAS), 177th Brigade Engineer Battalion, Fort Stewart • 935th Aviation Support Battalion, Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah • Army Aviation Support Facility No. 1, Winder Barrow Airport, Winder • Army Aviation Support Facility No. 2, Clay National Guard Center, Marietta • Army Aviation Support Facility No. 3, Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah • Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems (TUAS) Operations Facility, Evans Army Airfield, Fort Stewart @78thAviationTroopCommand

Col. Shane Strickland Commander

The 201st Regional Support Group (RSG), headquartered in Marietta, is commanded by Colonel Shane Strickland with Command Sergeant Major Timothy Harrison.

The mission of the 201st RSG is to provide trained and ready troops to support overseas contingency operations; and to man, train, and equip a homeland response force (HRF) to assist civil authorities in saving lives and mitigating human suffering in response to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) incidents. The 201st RSG is a cohesive, joint, mobile and modular unit able to serve as a stopgap measure between local first responders and Title 10 federal response.

At the start of this year, the 201st RSG Headquarters and the 265th Chemical Battalion had just completed the Homeland Response Force’s external evaluation (EXEVAL) receiving the highest score ever recorded by the unit. This EXEVAL was also the first evaluation that included CBRN Enhanced Response Force Packages (CERFP) from the Florida and Alabama National Guard, and Civil Support Teams – Weapons of Mass Destruction (CST-WMD) from Georgia and Florida. This evaluation conducted by the National Guard Bureau (NGB) ensures regulatory compliance and interoperability within FEMA’s Region IV.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, the 201st RSG developed the standard operating procedures (SOP) for infection control teams (ICT) and mobile testing teams (MTT) for the state of Georgia. This SOP was not just utilized within Georgia, but elements of the 265th Chemical Battalion conducted training with National Guard units in surrounding states. This SOP quickly became the national standard. Infection Control Teams from the 265th Chemical Battalion and 170th Military Police Battalion deployed to the metro Atlanta area to help alleviate suffering particularly in long-term care facilities where the most vulnerable population was located. In total the 201st RSG completed over 250 ICT missions disinfecting long-term care facilities, and local and state government facilities while MTTs completed over 135 missions testing over 13,000 Georgia citizens. Other elements within the 201st RSG participated in missions supporting local hospitals with both medical and general purpose personnel; facilitated operation of state-run sample collection sites; and staffed food banks for meal distribution in metro Atlanta.

In the middle of the COVID-19 Response, the 201st RSG was tasked with supporting local law enforcement during the civil unrest at the end of May. Nearly 600 Soldiers and Airmen from the 201st RSG deployed to the governor’s mansion, Centennial Olympic Park, state capitol, GSP Headquarters, and Lenox Mall for the majority of the month of June while smaller elements continue to lend a hand in ensuring the safety of Georgia citizens and their property.

This year also included leadership changes in the 201st RSG for each of its four subordinate commands; personnel turnover in key, senior staff positions; and successful deployment and return of the largest medical unit in the state - the 248th Area Medical Support Company – deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.

ON CALL – WE’RE READY!

Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy Harrison Command Sergeant Major

UNITS

• 201st RSG, Clay National Guard Center, Marietta • 4th Weapons of Mass Destruction, Civil Support Team,

Dobbins air Reserve Base, Marietta • 170th Military Police Battalion, Decatur • 178th Military Police Company, Monroe • 179th Military Police Company, GGTC, Fort Stewart • 810th Engineer Company (Sapper), Swainsboro • 138th Chemical Company, Dobbins Air Reserve Base • 202nd Explosive Ordnance Detachment, Marietta • 248th Medical Company, Marietta • 1177th Transportation Company, LaGrange • 870th Engineer Hazards Coordination Cell, CNGc, marietta • 265th Chemical Battalion, CNGC, Marietta

Col. Brian Ellis Commander Command Sgt. Maj. Ronald Deloach Command Sergeant Major

The 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB) is headquartered at Fort Benning, Georgia with an assigned strength of more than 1,700 Soldiers. The current brigade commander, Colonel Brian Ellis assumed command in May 2020, and his senior enlisted advisor, Command Sergeant Major Ronald DeLoach assumed responsibility in December 2019.

The 648th MEB is a mission-tailored force that conducts support area operations, maneuver support operations, support to consequence management, and stability operations in order to assure the mobility, protection, and freedom of action of the supported force. MEBs are uniquely designed for both war fighting and operational support roles due to their diverse mixture of officers, warrant officers and enlisted personnel.

The year 2020 has kept the 648th MEB busy as Soldiers across the brigade were activated in responses to the COVID-19 global pandemic and also activated to support civil authorities’ operations in the Atlanta area in response to civil unrest. In May, the MEB deployed the 874th Engineer Utilities Detachment to the United States Central Command area of responsibility. The MEB also deployed the 177th Engineer Support Company to the United States Northern Command area of responsibility. This year, the 878th Engineer Battalion provided demolition and construction support to Fort Benning. The MEB headquarters conducted a staff exercise at Fort Stewart and two command post exercises along with participation in War Fighter Exercise 21-01 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. This exercise was in conjunction with 3rd Infantry Division, 82nd Airborne Division, and XVIII Airborne Corps in preparation for the MEB’s upcoming evaluation at a warfighter exercise in January 2021. During these staff events, the MEB refined their support area and maneuver support operations capabilities while working alongside their active duty counterparts.

The MEB recently converted to a headquarters support company due to a force structure change in October. While both the HSC of the 648th and the 1st Battalion, 54th Security Forces Assistance Brigade are headquartered at Fort Benning, the rest of the MEB is comprised of the 878th Engineer Battalion, headquartered in Augusta; the 1st Battalion, 214th Field Artillery Battalion, headquartered in Elberton; the 3rd Infantry Division Main Command Post Operational Detachment at Fort Stewart, and the 420th Network Signal Company stationed in Cumming.

In March 2020, the 1st Battalion, 54th SFAB was officially activated and in September 2020 the 348th BSB inactivated. Previously a part of the 348th BSB, the 1160th Truck Company transferred to the 201st RSG and Bravo Company, 348th BSB was realigned with 78th TC.

UNITS

• 648th HSC – Fort Benning • 878th EN BN – Augusta • hhc, 878th EN BN – Augusta • A CO, 878th EN (Forward Support Company) – Augusta • 177th EN Support CO – Atlanta • 877th EN CO (Horizontal) – Augusta • 848th EN CO (SAPPER) – Douglasville • 874th EN Utilities Detachment (Construction) – Toccoa • 863rd EN Utilities Detachment (Construction) – Toccoa • 1st BN, 214 FA – Elberton • HHB, 1-214th FA – Elberton • A Battery, 1-214th FA – Hartwell • B Battery, 1-214th FA – Thomson • C Battery, 1-214th FA – Ellenwood • 1214 Forward Support CO – Washington • 420th Network Signal CO – Cumming • 1-54th Security Forces Assistance Brigade – Fort Benning • 3ID Main Command Post Operational Detachment (MCPOD) – Fort

Stewart

Brig. Gen. John Gentry Commander

The 1,700 Soldiers of the Marietta-based 78th Troop Command are commanded by Brigadier General John T. Gentry with Command Sgt. Maj. Paul Locke as the organization’s senior enlisted advisor. The brigade’s mission to provide ready and relevant forces for domestic and overseas mission requirements was tested and met throughout 2020. 78th Troop Command Soldiers assigned to the Tifton-based 110th Combat Service Support Battalion, and the Forest Park-based 221st Expeditionary Military Intelligence Battalion provided direct support to various locations of the Atlanta Food Bank. Additionally, Guardian soldiers ensured the delivery of Atlanta Public School lunches and drinks to children affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering over 1 million pounds of meals during the school year and beyond.

Our combined partnership with Second Harvest of South Georgia has resulted in over 8 million pounds of food being accepted, sorted, stored, and distributed to South Georgia families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our Guardsmen from Medical Command coordinated the response of approximately 250 medical personnel who provided Army medical support and expertise to civilian hospitals across the state. The addition of trained and ready personnel supporting local hospitals provided our civilian partners with the ability to manage the opening days of Georgia’s COVID-19 response.

Supply and logistics personnel from the Marietta-based 781st Troop Command provided their expertise to the Georgia Department of Public Health, prioritizing and coordinating the delivery of over 9,000 pallets of medical supplies. They successfully managed the supply demands of respirators and personal protective equipment supply. Our Soldiers managed the supply-demand and met local community needs

Our parachute riggers from the Mariettabased, 165th Quartermaster Company applied their parachute-repair skills to produce more than 10,000 individual masks providing protection for Georgia Guardsmen responding to needs throughout the state.

Guardsmen of the 781st also led the way in supporting COVID-19 call-centers, providing information and assistance to Georgians requesting coronavirus testing throughout the state. They delivered testing location information, results and contact tracing to over 38,220 residents of Georgia.

Throughout 2020, soldiers from across the brigade’s four battalions came together to manage, operate, and assist specimen point of collection sites across the state. The brigade operated specimen point of collection sites have administered approximately 162,400 tests, which is almost 5 percent of the 3.3 million tests administered throughout Georgia.

During the pandemic, which resulted in almost 1,000 Guardian soldiers activated throughout Georgia in 2020, 78th Troop Command continued to support the fight overseas and domestically.

Six units from the 110th CSSB, 221st EMIB, and 781st are currently mobilized, deployed or returning to and from locations worldwide. Headquarters, 78th Troop Command also provided command and control elements to the biannual Noble Partner 20 exercise in the country of Georgia.

The Fort Stewart-based Land Dominance Center continues to provide a premier training and support area for the Georgia Army National Guard and reserve units from across the United States. 78th Troop Command remains ready to provide its unique skills and abilities both locally and abroad. We continue to live the unit motto, “Support The Fight!”

• Land Dominance Center, Fort Stewart • 122nd Regional Training Institute, Clay

National Guard Center, Marietta • 122nd Tactical Support Detachment,

Oglethorpe Armory, Ellenwood • 560th Battlefield Coordination

Detachment, Oglethorpe Armory,

Ellenwood • Headquarters, 110th Combat Service

Support Battalion, Tifton • Headquarters, 221st Expeditionary

Military Intelligence Battalion, Forest

Park • 781st Troop Command, Clay National

Guard Center, Marietta

UNITS

Command Sgt. Maj. Paul Locke Command Sergeant Major

Maj. Gen. Tom Grabowski Assistant Adjutant General - Air Chief Master Sgt. Lynda Washington State Command Chief

With nearly 3,000 Air National Guard personnel from the 116th Air Control Wing, 165th Airlift Wing, Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC), and associated units, the Georgia Air National Guard continued to support theater commanders with air power through successful overseas deployments. No sooner did 116th ACW return all aircraft from Southwest Asia (SWA), at the beginning of 2020, when the wing was short-notice tasked to return one aircraft back to the same location. Later, in April, the 165th AW started a six-month deployment to SWA that ended successfully in Fall.

The CRTC, also known as the Air Dominance Center, has been hosting a nonstop deployment of Air Combat Command tasked fighter aircraft since late January. These aircraft have been conducting daily sorties supporting homeland defense, as well as local training. The deployment missions and training have been successful thanks to the outstanding support from the CRTC Airmen and the entire team in Savannah. Recently, the CRTC was awarded a $25 million hangar military construction project to accommodate training for 5th generation fighter aircraft.

It is not surprising that the 116th ACW and 165th AW recently earned the Air Force Outstanding Unit award, and the ADC earned the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award. Additionally, 165th AW won the Curtis N. “Rusty” Metcalf Trophy, which recognizes the airlift unit with the highest standards of mission accomplishment, and combined, the Georgia Air National Guard received more than 35 other awards.

Domestic missions continued despite the friction from the coronovirus pandemic. The Georgia ANG provided unprecedented medical, security, logistics, administrative and a host of other expertise to the Georgia National Guard team and to the citizens of the state for COVID-19 and civil unrest missions.

Both wings dedicated medical professionals to serve on newly created Georgia ANG medical support teams who worked in civilian hospitals at the front line of the COVID-19 fight in Atlanta, Albany, Rome, and Macon. Later, many medical professionals continued to serve on mobile testing teams around the state as COVID-19 testing ramped up, administering over 38k tests to date.

Airmen from both wings formed infection control teams that sanitized and disinfected nursing homes and other facilities to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 exposure to the highest, at-risk population. Across the state, Georgia Army National Guard and Georgia ANG personnel disinfected almost 2,500 locations. This unique effort was benchmarked and replicated in many states across the nation.

The Georgia ANG led the effort to establish an Alternate Care Facility at the Georgia World Congress Center, creating 200 additional beds for COVID-19 patients.

Finally, Security Force Defenders from both wings and Tactical Air Control Party members from 165th Air Support Operations Squadron assisted civilian authorities during several weeks of civil unrest this summer. They prevented damage to public property while protecting the rights to free speech for Americans.

The innovation, dedication and perseverance of the Airmen in the Georgia ANG stand nothing short of amazing in this unusual year.

@GeorgiaAirNationalGuard @GeorgiaAirNationalGuard @GAANGHQ

Col. Chris Dunlap Commander

The Georgia National Guard’s 165th Airlift Wing is located at SavannahHilton Head International Airport in Savannah, Ga. and is composed of nearly 1,400 Airmen who support, maintain and fly C-130H Hercules aircraft. The wing’s mission is to provide global airlift and to support humanitarian and contingency operations.

Nearly 250 Airmen from the wing deployed world-wide in 2020. Excellence in overseas and state missions earned the wing the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award in 2020, totaling 13 Air Force level awards for the wing to date.

In addition to supporting missions overseas, the 165th Airlift Wing provided support to the state for COVID-19 and Civil Unrest support missions. Airmen disinfected nearly 20,000 rooms in longterm care facilities, nursing homes, and municipal buildings and Airmen from the wing’s medical group worked with civilian professionals in hospitals and ambulance services in Atlanta and Macon.

The 165th Airlift Wing established three key priorities to support the dual mission. • People - recruited, respected, developed, and retained • Readiness - manned, trained, equipped, and accessible • Communication - planned, timely, concise, and relevant

The wing also serves as the host base for Brunswick’s 224th Joint Communications Support Squadron, Hunter Army Airfield’s 117th Air Control Squadron, Garden City’s 165th Air Support Operations Squadron, and Savannah’s Combat Readiness Training Center. Assets on the base are appraised at $750 million, with an estimated annual impact of $137 million to the state’s economy.

The wing remains “Always Ready, Always There” for Georgia and the nation.

Chief Master Sgt. Fransisco Ramirez Command Chief Master Sergeant

UNITS

• 117th Air Control Squadron, Savannah Air National Guard Base, Garden City • 165th Air Support Operations Squadron, Savannah Air National Guard Base • 224th Joint Communications Support Squadron, Brunswick

@165AW @165thAW @165thAirliftWing

Col. Amy Holbeck Commander

The 116th Air Control Wing maintains and flies the E-8C, Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) which is an airborne battle management, command and control (C2), intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform (ISR). Its primary mission is to provide combatant commanders with surveillance over land or water to support attack operations and targeting contributing to the delay, disruption and destruction of enemy forces. In addition, the 116th ACW has many missions ready to support domestic operations in the event of manmade or natural disasters, to include route clearing, medical response and security forces.

The 116th ACW heritage can be traced to Mitchell Field, New York, where it was formed September 28, 1942 as the 116th Bomb Wing. It was moved to the Georgia National Guard in 1946 where it has been assigned several missions through the years. On October 1, 2002, the 116th ACW stood up under the Total Force Initiative as America’s first ‘Total Force’ wing. Since 9/11, Joint STARS personnel have been continuously deployed around the world achieving more than 125,000 combat flying hours.

In 2020, members of the 116th ACW combined efforts with the Army National Guard, Georgia civilian agencies and sister Air National Guard units to control the spread of COVID-19 while simultaneously providing manpower toward maintaining civil order. Nearly 250 Airmen from the 116th ACW deployed in support of COVID-19 response providing medical assistance, infection control and courier services to 130 counties in Georgia. In addition, over 30 security forces Airmen augmented local and state law enforcement to provide safety and security for citizens to peacefully protest in Atlanta and Savannah.

In Fiscal Year 2021, the 116th ACW will continue to provide combatant commanders with premier C2/ISR capability as well as continuing to support the citizens of our state and country with domestic operations. A constant cycle of training and deployment keeps 116th ACW Airmen proficient and highly skilled to perform wartime and domestic operation missions anytime, anywhere.

Units

Chief Master Sgt. Michael Bugay Command Chief Master Sergeant

• Ga ANG Headquarters, Clay national guard center, Marietta • 139th Intelligence Squadron (IS), Fort Gordon, Augusta • 202d Engineering Installation Squadron (EIS), Robins AFB, Warner Robins • 283rd Combat Communications Squadron (CBCS), Dobbins ARB, Marietta