October 2012 Edition

October 2012

78th Homeland Response Force provides CBRN task force to DNC security after ‘Vigilant Guard’

Georgia Guardsmen around the world Africa, Afghanistan, Georgia, Kosovo, Malaysia, the Pacific Ocean, and more!

Team JSTARS earns ‘excellent’ ORI rating

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1 | The Georgia Guardsman

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Table of Contents 165th Air Support Operations Squadron moves to Savannah

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NCO Notepad

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224th JCSS completes mission during Pacific Partnership 2012

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Team JSTARS rated ‘Excellent’ in ORI

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1-169th aviation crew assists 3rd ID with specialized training

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Perryville: High Tide in the West

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Georgia National Guard Generals tackle Ironman

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560th BfSB Guardsmen return from yearlong deployment to Kosovo

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Professional Development Bookshelf:

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Georgia Army National Guardsmen train Burundi military

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560th BfSB trains with Malaysian Army

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Grissom: Being a flyer has ever been my greatest love

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Georgia ADT III trains with UGA for Afghanistan mission

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116th ACW’s EOD tests impact of explosive noise on Airman hearing

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Guard Your Business

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North Georgia ROTC cadets complete course in nation of Georgia

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Guard turns over third of seven armories to Montezuma officials

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165th ASOS represents Georgia National Guard at Leapfest

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Georgia Air and Army Guard called upon to help secure DNC

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Around the Guard

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Commander-in-Chief: Gov. Nathan Deal Adjutant General of Georgia: Maj. Gen. Jim Butterworth Ga. DoD Director of Public Affairs: Ms. MaryTherese Tebbe Managing Editor Mr. Seth G. Stuck Operations NCO: Sgt. 1st Class Gerard Brown Layout and Design: Mr. Steven Welch

Abut the cover: Georgia Army National Guardsmen from the 877th Engineer Company of Augusta, Ga., use a four-to-one mechanical advantage system to pull a heavy structure as part of Vigilant Guard training at the Keeter Training Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The 78th Homeland response Force won the right to appear on this month’s cover by getting the most votes in last month’s “support poll” contest on the Georgia National Guard’s Facebook page - which saw almost 750 votes cast and more than 12,300 people reached! Here’s how the votes broke down: 1st place: 78th Homeland Response Force with 287 votes 2nd place: 648th Maneuever Enhancement Brigade with 184 votes 3rd place: 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team with 139 votes 4th place: 165th Airlift Wing with 46 votes 5th place: 78th Aviation Troop Command with 33 votes 6th place: 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade with 28 votes 7th place: 116th Air Control Wing (JSTARS) with 16 votes

Contributing Ga. DoD Organizations: 124th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Army National Guard Unit Public Affairs Representatives, Air National Guard Wing Public Affairs Representatives, Georgia State Defense Force Public Affairs.

Editorial Inquiry and Submissions: Seth.G.Stuck@us.army.mil or (678) 569-3663

www.Facebook.com/GeorgiaGuard

The Georgia Guardsman is published monthly under the provisions of AR 360-81 and AF 6-1 by the Georgia Department of Defense Public Affairs Office. The views and opinions expressed in the Georgia Guardsman are not necessarily those of the Departments of the Army, Air Force or the Adjutant General of Georgia. The Georgia Guardsman is distributed free-of-charge to members of the Georgia Army and Air National Guard, State Defense Force and other interested persons upon request.

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October 2012 | 2

165th Air Support Operations Squadron

moves to Savannah

Readiness Training Center located at the Savannah International Airport in Garden City, Ga. The 165th ASOS is the most decorated Georgia Air National Guard unit in the state, and you don’t get to be the most decorated by doing the easy jobs. Since the COMBAT READINESS TRAINING CENTER, Savannah, Oct. beginning of the unit’s existence, the unit’s Airmen have 10, 2012 – Originally, the 165th Air Support Operations been deployed to support the Army in their missions from Squadron (ASOS), Georgia Air National Guard, started Desert Storm, to Bosnia, to Africa, to Afghanistan and as a small flight team working out of a trunk of a car in Iraq. The 165th ASOS has been on the ground calling in an old maintenance building on St. Simons Island in the air support missions in the toughest situations. late 80’s. After a few months working in those conditions, Georgia’s Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Jim the squadron made it across the causeway to Brunswick, Butterworth, and Maj. Gen. Thomas Moore, Georgia Air Ga., and settled into its new home for the next couple of National Guard Commander, cut the ceremonial ribbon decades. Now, 24 years and approximately 80 miles later, dedicating the 165th Air Support Operations Squadron’s the unit is joining the 165th Airlift Wing and the Combat new building.

Story by Master Sgt. Bucky Burnsed Photo by Tech. Sgt. Charles Delano 165th Airlift Wing Georgia Air National Guard

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NCO Notepad

By Command Sgt. Maj. James Nelson, Jr. State Command Sergeant Major Georgia Department of Defense

F

rom the beginning of our military careers, we are introduced to the importance of training. We can all remember back to our basic training days (also known today as Initial Entry Training, or IET) when we were first tested on our physical and mental ability to become a Soldier or Airman. We remember the intense challenges of those days almost as well as we do our drill sergeant. The challenge comes as much from the difficulty of physical training as it does from the required quick psychological adjustment to an unfamiliar way of life. It is from that very memorable time early in our careers that we are able to look back and understand the important role training plays in making sure we are prepared for the complex mission requirements of today and in the future.

Many of us, I have no doubt, can also remember when training meant that, sometime during the hottest two weeks of the year – and on any given holiday, when possible – we would load up all our gear and move to the “piney woods” of the Fort Stewart training area to hone our basic Soldier skills Well, my fellow Guardsmen, those days since the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001 are also memories.

Today’s training requirements are much more

complex based on the potential for future mission sets.

Even where we train is different. During the past fiscal year alone, several Georgia Guard units have conducted training in other states, and (if we include the agricultural development team missions we have conducted and are still conducting) other countries.

The 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, as another example, deployed several units in support of the Kosovo peacekeeping mission, which called for training that was not normally part of its normal training.

Nevertheless, those 560th elements and the 3-108th Calvary Soldiers completed the required training and went on to serve with distinction in a totally different mission environment than they would have anticipated two years ago.

As the most recent example, Georgia’s 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) received a notice of sourcing for Afghanistan this year, and is on the slide path to another deployment. This past summer, the 48th IBCT’s training path carried it all the way to Minnesota for its XCTC training, with more training scheduled for Fort Polk, La., and the Joint Readiness Training Center, in what could be a nontraditional infantry brigade mission.

As one may gather just from these examples, we – as an organization – are a force well trained in a variety of mission sets, each one totally different from our traditional mission-based of MTOE. The question now, at least in my mind, becomes how do we as NCOs help that force maintain such high levels of basic skills and diversity in capability? I’m not sure that can totally be achieved within itself, simply because of the lack of training opportunities that would lend themselves to maintaining what we have learned over the past 10 years.

I liken the retention of these skills to riding a bicycle… once learned, they are never totally forgotten.

They, just like that bike, simply need to be taken out and re-learned until they, once again, become second-nature.

As NCOs, we need to continue training our Soldiers and Airmen on the basics – reasserting their necessity until “muscle memory” kicks in and takes over. The goal, then, is to re-emphasize that training to ensure the mental growth, professionalism, pride, and desire to serve and win on the battlefield is not lost when it is time to climb back on the bicycle.

In this way, we will demonstrate, as has been done throughout this organization’s history, that we are able to train and retain the skill sets needed to execute any mission or task put before us.

When we do this, we show that we will be there, and we are ready and relevant.

October May 2012 2012 | 12| 4

224th JCSS successfully completes mission during Pacific Partnership 2012

Story by Julianne Sympson Photo by Air Force Master Sgt. Jeff Adams Joint Enabling Capabilities Command

USNS MERCY, Sept. 14, 2012 – Seven members from the

Joint Communications Support Element (JCSE), a subordinate command of the Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, returned home Sept. 14, following a four-month deployment in support of Pacific Partnership 2012 (PP12), a humanitarian assistance mission in the Asia-Pacific region. The JCSE team was requested to join this mission, which focused on building stronger relationships and response capabilities between partner nations, non-government organizations, and international agencies, to

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provide critical ship-to-shore communications.

Communication is essential for any complex undertaking, and PP12 was no different. JCSE’s ability to rapidly deploy to any location and effectively set up and operate its advanced communications packages made the JCSE team from the 224th Joint Communications Support Squadron, a Georgia Air National Guard unit aligned with JCSE, a good fit for this mission.

While traveling onboard USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), the joint communicators provided essential communications expertise to the medical, surgical, dental, veterinarian and engineering teams from PP12 at each destination along the way. The team deployed with three Initial Entry Packages, which can provide communication services for up to eight users, and supported numerous sites during scheduled port visits to four countries

– Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam. The PP12 teams completed community projects to improve facilities, and also performed numerous procedures for residents of the local community.

The team deployed with three Initial Entry Packages, which can provide communication services for up to eight users, and supported numerous sites during scheduled port visits to four countries – Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam. The PP12 teams completed community projects to improve facilities, and also performed numerous procedures for residents of the local community.

The joint communicators moved with the PP12 teams from one site to the next in teams of two, while simultaneously meeting the communication needs at each port call. The JCSE personnel worked closely with the officer-in-charge and assistant-officer-in-charge at

each site and served as the main points of contact for each PP12 team reporting back to the Mercy.

Air Force Senior Airman Christopher McNair, a JCSE member, explains how the team’s level of experience provided flexibility as they adapted to different challenges.

“We used the Initial Entry Packages to quickly provide expeditious communication to and from the Medical Civil Action Project teams to pass information on accountability, patient conditions, types of patients, as well as patient confidentiality,” said McNair. “With only two week intervals [at each site], we understood the limited time frame, and we adjusted our techniques accordingly.”

JCSE’s critical communications capabilities ensured the Medical Civic Action Program (MEDCAP) teams on site could contact additional teams onboard the Mercy in a timely manner for emergency situations and for critical care patients.

This immediate response capability was crucial, McNair says, in effectively selecting and coordinating which patients needed additional care that the local medical facilities may not have been equipped to provide.

“The support we provided aided in the promptness of information about patient well-being, especially if a patient needed to travel to the ship for further evaluation or immediate medical attention,” said McNair.

Another JCSE team member, Air Force Staff Sgt. Charles Grant, concurs with McNair and elaborates on one such experience during the deployment.

“I witnessed one incident where a child was in serious need of medical attention. We worked with the medical team on the ship and pier to provide assistance to get the child immediately on the ship for surgery,” said Grant. “Following the successful surgery, the mother’s joy brought tears to everyone’s eyes. I’ll never forget that moment.”

Another JCSE team member, Air Force Staff Sgt. Sheldon High, explaines how this unique deployment further validated JCSE’s expedient ability to provide the necessary communications support to remote locations and was a reassuring test of his skills.

“While deployed for Pacific Partnership 2012, we had to be flexible because each mission was for a different customer, at a different location and had different communication needs,” said High. “This [deployment] gave me even more confidence in my ability to provide top-notch communication services to a variety of customers anytime, anywhere.”

This seven-man JCSE team served a vital role in relaying information to and from the ship and their experience assisted the PP12 teams in exceeding mission expectations.

The Guardsmen’s professionalism and communications expertise ensured operations ran smoothly and effectively, which assisted the combined efforts of the PP12 teams they supported. By their own account, PP12 was a remarkable experience for these highly trained joint communication experts, whose support greatly contributed to the success of the overall mission.

October 2012 | 6

Team JSTARS rated ‘Excellent’ in ORI Story by Jenny Gordon Photo by Master Sgt. Roger Parsons 116th Air Control Wing Georgia Air National Guard

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Warner Robins, Ga., Sept 14, 2012 – The

116th and 461st Air Control wings received an “Excellent” rating as part of a recent Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI) conducted by over 70 professionals from Air Combat Command’s Inspector General team.

“This year’s successful ORI was the result of a lot of hard work by the entire team,” said Brig. Gen. William Welsh, 116th ACW Commander. “In preparation, we also had to ensure that we met the requirement to continue to do operations overseas, while setting ourselves up for success with this inspection.”

That effort included the tireless dedication of operations and maintenance groups, says Welsh, as well as support personnel from across the 116th ACW, 461st ACW and Army’s 138th Military Intelligence Company. The team had been preparing for this inspection the past year and a half.

There were over 600 participants in this year’s ORI, with the IG team in place Sept. 5-11.

The priority was to test the ability of Team JSTARS to launch its airplanes on time and on station, meeting taskings while responding to various simulations from inspectors. Those included simulated chemical and mortar 7 | The Georgia Guardsman

attacks, small arms fire, crash recovery and survival scenarios.

“The objective is to see how much we can stress the organization and perform under that stress,” said Col. Henry Cyr, 461st ACW Vice Commander.

Cyr also credits the unique experiences brought to the inspection as part of the JSTARS total force construct of the Georgia Air National Guard, the Army and ACC forces.

“When you put all this together, we are better suited to respond to complex situations,” added Cyr. “We are fortunate to have that great team. Having that complex organization is in fact one of our strengths.”

Part of earning the “Excellent” grade involved, over the summer, the IG team evaluating a Virtual Flag exercise designed to provide realistic warfighter training in a simulated environment. The exercise was hosted by the Air Force Distributed Mission Operations Center, and linked operational and tactical training of various weapons systems platforms across the armed forces, including the JSTARS platform.

Over a 10-year period, Team JSTARS, an airborne battle management, command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform based at Robins, has experienced steady deployments in support of various contingencies across the globe.

The next Team JSTARS ORI is scheduled for 2017.

1-169th aviation crew assists 3rd ID with specialized training Filed by the Public Affairs Office Georgia Department of Defense

CLAY NATIONAL GUARD CENTER, Marietta, Ga., Sept. 19, 2012 – A Georgia Army

Guard aviation crew from Savannah’s Company B, 1st of the 169th General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB), supported the active Army’s Company A, 703rd Brigade Support Battalion (BSB), 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, while the infantrymen conducted their first sling load training mission during exercise ‘Vanguard Focus’ at Fort Stewart’s Camp Oliver outside Hinesville, Ga. Sling load missions involve moving large items from one point to another by air. The process requires several safety measures so it can be done in a timely and efficient manner. “Check, re-check and check again” is one of Lt. Col. Nathan Swartz’s, the 703rd BSB commander, four main principles of command guidance.

This concept played a major role in Company A’s sling load operations and in its Soldiers getting it right and doing it safely. Specialist Jonathan Helton of Kenosha, Wisc., for example, says he – for one – understood why Swartz believes in that particular rule.

“The best way to do get it right, to know that everything is set up correctly, is to touch everything,” Helton said. “By laying hands on each piece of equipment and the sling, Soldiers are able to ensure every strap is secured prior to the helicopter crew lifting and moving whatever it is the aircraft is moving.”

During the training mission, the Savannah CH-47F Chinook crew moved a 2,000-gallon water container, two 500-gallon water blivets, and a container by sling for Company A. The Soldiers involved have a combination of air assault and sling load inspection certification course experience, which is crucial to sling load operations, says Georgia Army Guard Chief Warrant Officer 3 Duane Sandbothe.

“It’s great to support units that are preparing to go to Afghanistan,” said Sandbothe, the pilot in command and an instructor pilot for this particular mission. “To be of greater help to their Soliders, we shut down after arriving and discussed sling load operations and hookup procedures with them. In this way, we gave them a better understanding of how to be safe around the aircraft at all times.”

Such training is good, not just for the ground Soldier, but also the aviation Soldier, Sandbothe adds. It allows the enlisted flyer, fresh out of flight school, a practical exercise with a real unit simulating what it will be like down range.

First Lt. Ryan Murphy, the officer-in-charge, says he understands that sling load transportation is the primary means of moving supplies over austere mountainous terrain like those found in Afghanistan.

This training provided by the Georgia Army National Guard will familiarize the unit with the capabilities and characteristics of a CH-47 and will help the company prepare for the brigade’s rotation to the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La. October 2012 | 8

Perryville: High Tide in the West By 1st. Lt. William Carraway Public Affairs Office Georgia Department of Defense

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n August, 1862, Confederate strategic designs called for simultaneous advances of all major armies.

While Gen. Robert E. Lee would move north into Maryland, Confederate forces in the west would strike for Corinth, Miss. Meanwhile, Gen. Braxton Bragg’s Army (soon to be called the Army of Tennessee) would occupy Kentucky, strike at the Army of the Ohio, and attempt to win Kentucky for the Confederacy. With three separate armies advancing simultaneously the late summer of 1862 would mark the largest Southern offensive of the war.

Kentucky’s strategic location, rivers, and divided sympathies made it a coveted objective. The Confederate flag bore a star for Kentucky in hopes that she would join the Confederacy. Abraham Lincoln meanwhile remarked, “I think to lose Kentucky is nearly to lose the whole game.”

Bragg moved 30,000 infantry by rail from Mississippi to Chattanooga, Tenn., where he met with Maj. Gen. Kirby Smith, commander of the Military Department of East Tennessee. Together, the men devised a delicate plan. Smith would march for Cumberland Gap with 21,000 men to brush aside Union forces there. Bragg, meanwhile, would march with 16,000 men, unite with Smith in Kentucky, and attempt to bring the Union Army of the Ohio to battle.

As John Pope was attacking Jackson at Second Manassas, Bragg’s men crossed into Kentucky. With Smith moving on a parallel course to the East, Bragg occupied Lexington and Frankfort.

The nearest Union force, the Army of the Ohio, commanded by Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell, was at that time marching for Chattanooga. Having learned the disposition of Bragg’s forces and determined their objective to be Louisville, Buell reversed course and dispatched Brig. Gen. Joshua Sill to distract Kriby Smith and prevent him from uniting with Bragg’s army.

Buell won the race to Louisville, consolidated and

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resupplied. As September gave way to October, Buell’s army, now 60,000 men, marched for Bragg, then located at Bardstown, approximately 45 miles southeast.

Bragg’s invasion had been launched with the assumption that thousands of Kentuckians would flock to join the Confederate cause. The General had ordered 20,000 muskets be brought to equip the anticipated horde of volunteers. The want of enthusiastic volunteers and dearth of supplies had slowed Braggs march and ceded Louisville to Buell. Now Bragg faced the prospect of thousands of Union Soldiers uniting to protect Cincinnati and converge on his forces.

On October 7, Buell’s lead elements converged on the crossroads town of Perryville, Ky., in three columns.

Elements of both armies, scouring the countryside for water, blundered into each other and exchanged fire on the outskirts of Perryville. The next day, fighting commenced at dawn near Peters Hill - key terrain that overlooked the water sources. The fighting came to a halt mid morning and resumed after noon when Bragg launched an echelon attack on the Union left flank.

Although initially driven back, the Union lines regrouped and attempted a counterattack before falling back with some elements in full rout.

Before the Confederates could fully realize and capitalize on the breakthrough, the Union reestablished their lines and held against further attacks. The day’s action ended with skirmishing in the streets of Perryville as a Union Division pursued a retreating Confederate brigade through the town.

The battle of Perryville is a study in the role of terrain and intelligence. Neither commander had a precise knowledge of the disposition of the other army due to the rolling terrain. An undulating series of ridges and valleys allowed units to maneuver unseen and seemingly “pop up out of the ground” to fire from close range. One Confederate Brigade was sent forward to seize a Union artillery battery only to come face to face with an entire Union Corps and take artillery fire from four directions.

Buell, meanwhile, was unaware that an engagement was taking place due to a phenomenon called acoustic shadowing which prevented him from hearing the sound of battle erupting not three miles from his headquarters.

As such, he dismissed his subordinate’s frenzied requests for reinforcements. Nevertheless, as the Confederate attack progressed en echelon from the North, Union troops stabilized their lines and after some initial success, the Confederate attack faltered.

Bragg on the other hand was unaware that he was facing Buell’s entire army. Until the battle had concluded on the evening of Oct. 8, Bragg was convinced that he faced only two divisions and that Buell’s main body was miles away to the North. Buell actually had 30,000 men in reserve that, if committed, might have destroyed Bragg’s Army in detail. Upon learning of the forces arrayed against him, Bragg ceded the ground and despite his tactical victory, slipped away to preserve his army. His invasion blunted, Bragg returned to Tennessee and handed the Union a major strategic victory.

Nearly 20 percent of those engaged at Perryville would become casualties, making Perryville one of the bloodiest battles per-capita of the Civil War. It was the largest battle fought in Kentucky and its outcome represented the “high tide” in the west. While Bragg’s invasion plan failed, his attempt did draw Union forces out of North Alabama and Mississippi. This gain was balanced by the loss of Kentucky for the war.

Buell’s victory would be short lived. Criticized for failing to pursue the departing Confederates, Buell’s

military command was restructured and Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans was placed in command of what would become the Army of the Cumberland. Buell ultimately resigned from the Army in 1864. Rosecrans would contend with Bragg’s Army of Tennessee in December 1862 on the banks of Stones River in Murfreesboro. That battle is the subject of the December Civil War review.

October 2012 | 10

Georgia Guard Generals tackle IRONMAN Story and photos by Sgt. 1st Class Gerard Brown Public Affairs Office Georgia Department of Defense

AUGUSTA, Ga., Sept. 30, 2012 – Augusta hosted its 4th Annual IRONMAN 70.3 mile triathlon this past Sunday, featuring 3,500 competitors from 44 states and 19 countries.

Though the IRONMAN competition is not something new to Augusta, the attendance and participation from the Georgia Guard’s three most senior leaders was. Major Gen. Jim Butterworth, Georgia’s Adjutant General; Maj. Gen. Tom Moore, Assistant Adjutant General-Georgia Air National Guard; and Brig. Gen. Joe Jarrard, Assistant Adjutant General-Georgia Army National Guard – all under the team name “Generally Speaking” – participated in the relay portion of the triathlon to help raise funds for and awareness of the important work being done by the Georgia Warrior Alliance.

“Having participation from Generals Buttersworth, Moore and Jarrard shows the commitment at the highest

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levels of the armed forces in supporting our Soldiers who give so much for us on a daily basis,” said Dave Deschenes, Executive Director of the IRONMAN Foundation.

The triathlon officially began at 7:30 in the morning as Maj. Gen. Butterworth delivered the opening remarks to the 3,500 competitors and the thousands of volunteers and spectators anticipating the horn to start the first event.

Butterworth then had the daunting task of taking on the first event of his team’s relay: a 1.2-mile swim in the Savannah River. The event was a point-to-point swim through the Savannah’s choppy current, from the Riverfront Marina to the Augusta Rowing Complex’s boat ramp. But the event did not end there for Butterworth.

Once he completed the 1.2 mile swim in 31:24, he then had to run up the boat ramp and then an additional quarter of a mile to meet up with and hand the team’s tracking chip to Maj. Gen. Tom Moore, who was standing by to take on the second leg of the triathlon.

After receiving the tracking chip from his teammate, Moore ran with his bike to the starting line, where he then

Major Gen. Tom Moore, Brig. Gen. Joe Jarrard and Maj. Gen. Jim Butterworth celebrate together as team “Generally Speaking” completes the ESI IRONMAN Augusta 70.3 Triathlon relay on September 30, 2012.

began the trek along the 56-mile bike course. The course began at an elevation of 141 ft. and reached a maximum elevation of 187 ft. Moore peddled through the 56-mile course with a finish time of 3:23:21. Once finished, Moore ran with his bike to the next transition area to pass on the tracking chip for the last phase of the triathlon to Brig. Gen. Joe Jarrard.

Jarrard had the task of completing the last leg of the IRONMAN triathlon – a 13.1-mile run. Thousands of supporters filled the streets of downtown Augusta to cheer for all the competitors during the final leg of the competition. Jarrard completed the 13.1 mile event in 1:49:05.

The high point of the triathlon for team “Generally Speaking” was, at the completion of the run, all three Generals ran across the finish line together, signifying the joint effort that each one played in the 70.3 IRONMAN triathlon relay.

“This being our first time out of the gate, we experienced the unknown. But I feel that we did a great job, and - out of 105 teams that competed – we finished 45th. I look forward to competing in all events of the triathlon next year,” said Maj. Gen. Butterworth.

“I’m glad we participated in this event,” said Brig. Gen. Jarrard. “When you support things like this, it feels very rewarding, and I hope we were able to bring more awareness to the event.”

“We were honored to have ‘Generally Speaking’participate in the ESI IRONMAN Augusta 70.3, and are looking forward to having great participation from the armed forces in the years to come,” added Deschenes.

October 2012 | 12

560th BfSB Guardsmen return from yearlong deployment to Kosovo Story and photo by Maj. Will Cox Public Affairs Office Georgia Army National Guard

OGLETHORPE ARMORY, Ellenwood, Ga., Sept. 24, 2012 – Families and friends cheered as approximately 100 Georgia Guardsmen from both the 3-108th Calvary and the 221st Military Intelligence Battalion (both of the 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade) entered their Armory for the first time in nearly a year. Their mission while deployed to Kosovo was to exercise tactical control over all KFOR Multi-National Battle Group-East forces in order to promote a safe and secure environment while ensuring freedom of movement in their assigned area of operations. They conducted over 500 tactical missions, including reopening the main authorized boundary crossing point in northern Kosovo.

“You have done a great job succeeding at every task while deployed,” said Lt. Col. Ted Scott, the Georgia Army National Guard’s officer in charge of welcoming back the heroes. “Now there is a new mission, and that is to successfully transition back into your role as a spouse, a parent, a friend, an employee, and a community partner.

We are in this together, so take advantage of Georgia Army National Guard programs and services as you need them to assist in your reintegration process.”

As the command was given to “fall out,” Soldiers and family members alike made a mad dash toward each other to hug and reunite for the first time in months. One Soldier had not seen his daughter since she was born.

“My sister is an Army wife, and she told me it was hard.

But nothing can prepare you for the challenges of being separated from the one you love during a deployment,” said Holly Lacy. “My daughter’s life is about to change dramatically for the better, now that her father will be here daily with her. Having family, a church family, and an understanding employer supporting me throughout the deployment made my life easier in ways I cannot describe.”

One Soldier had extra special plans for his return.

“Deployments interrupt personal timelines,” said Capt.

George Constantine. “I had been dating Julie for about a year-and-a-half prior to deploying. After being separated

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for a few months, I knew I was ready to be married to her for the rest of my life. Julie’s family knew, and my family knew that when we saw each other for the first time today, I would be on my knee with ring in hand. And I am now glad to call her my fiancée!”

Other Soldiers were glad to be reunited with their family and even more excited to just enjoy their presence.

“I am looking forward to disappearing with my kids,” said Spc. Shawna Durant. “Just the three of us will end up somewhere in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee to get connected again over an extended vacation.”

Captain George Calhoun, the 3-108th Headquarters and Headquarters Troop Company commander, brought the Soldiers back to their families today.

“My guys did a great job. We would not have accomplished it all without their hard work,” said Calhoun.

“We are ready for our new mission, and are in it together.”

“Our family is so very excited,” said Holly Cormier. “I had church friends and neighbors come over and help out with the ‘honey–do’ list that seems to grow without Jason around. I’m excited that he is going to get to see his new son. He was able to see him over Christmas when he came home, but besides that, Titan does not know his father.

This will be a great year for Titan as he connects and is blessed with his father’s presence.”

Professional Development Bookshelf:

Reviews of books

that teach us about our craft

By Maj. John H. Alderman IV Public Affairs Office Georgia Department of Defense

T

his is a dangerous book.

At some point in their careers, leaders are expected to make (or attempt!) the transition from tactician to strategist. We’re expected to see a larger picture, to be able to think past the next milestone, to act thoughtfully within a larger set of principles and patterns that set the conditions for overall success.

Robert Greene’s premise for The 33 Strategies of War is that the rules of society prepare us for peace and (by definition) civility --- not for war. Therefore, we must push ourselves to understand, develop, and deploy strategies to succeed, whether on the battlefield or in the boardroom.

The book’s impeccable design makes it eminently accessible. Greene introduces each strategy with a precise summary followed by a detailed historical example. The example is interpreted and applied; then, Greene summarizes its importance and implications.

Additionally, Greene uses pre-installed marginalia (think small sidebars) on nearly every page to add resources, examples, and relevant quotations.

His identification and arrangement of strategies seems pretty sound. Taken too literally, or linearly, they can appear contradictory because of course they are. It would be easy to say that these strategies should be like Hawkeye’s quiver --- each a perfect solution to a different problem. However, I’d argue that each is more like a color on a palette, meant to be blended together on the canvas that makes up the strategy for a given situation.

But why is Greene’s book so dangerous?

Greene provides strategies without regard to their ethics. “Learn to inflict guilt as a moral weapon,” he writes. The strategies do not describe what one should do.

And there’s the rub. Strategy without ethics can lead to the worst abuses of warfare. Giving this book to someone without a strong positive sense of values and ethics is like giving them keys to an armory.

Then again, even ethical leaders need to understand questionable tactics because they may be used against the organization’s interest. Any trained public affairs officer could tell you of the danger of the enemy using guilt as a moral weapon, and help you devise strategies to counter it.

Long before 300 made the Spartans so popular, one of my instructors at North Georgia College encouraged us to follow an Athenian, not a Spartan, model of Soldiering. He meant that Spartans exemplified only tactical knowledge of war, while Athenians (exposed to literature, art and philosophy) developed a broader view that ultimately made them better leaders. In this book, Greene makes a similar admonishment: “Worship Athena, not Ares.”

Ares was the god of war; Athena, of warfare.

That’s what this book is about. The point of strategy is not to be more destructive, but to be more rational in one’s destruction. To have a longer view when engaging in any conflict. To win wisely and with only the destruction necessary for success.

The 33 Strategies of War can help you achieve that goal, and in the process achieve Greene’s ideal of a “Strategic Warrior” who approaches life in a completely different way.

October 2012 | 14

Georgia Army National Guardsmen train Burundi military Story by Rich Bartell Photo by Capt. Brad Copas Public Affairs U.S. Army Africa

BUJUMBURA, The Republic of Burundi, July 25, 2012 – A pair of Georgia Army National Guardsmen from the 110th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion trained more than 30 Burundi Armed Forces personnel during two weeks of instruction on deployment and unit movement planning recently.

Captain Brad Copas of U.S. Army Africa’s G-4, Multi-National and Interagency branch, supervised the two-member GARNG team during an Africa Deployment Assistance Partnership Team training known as ADAPT. Copas is a native of Tompkinsville, Ky., and a Kentucky Army National Guard officer on active duty with USARAF. As a member of the African Union, the Republic of Burundi has an active role in a regional peacekeeping mission in Somalia. Course material covered by the ADAPT team during its training will help improve Burundi deployment efficiency for an upcoming African Union Mission in Somalia known as AMISOM. AMISOM is an active, regional peacekeeping mission operated by the African Union with the approval of the United Nations in Somalia. AMISOM supports the transitional government and assists the implementation of a national security plan. Additionally, AMISOM participants train the Somali security forces and assist in creating a secure environment for the delivery of humanitarian aid.

The Republic of Burundi is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It’s a relatively small country in comparison to other African countries at 10,745 square miles and a population of about 8.8 million people.

Several African partner nations have requested similar ADAPT deployment training. Georgia Army National Guardsman Master Sgt. Derek Gill believes 15 | The Georgia Guardsman

the training can be delivered more efficiently in a centralized location.

“I think we can increase and improve training efficiency by having multiple African partner nation military members in on training location,” Gill said.

ADAPT is a U.S. Department of State-sponsored program focusing on training African partner nation military personnel to improve host nation involvement in peacekeeping operations, Copas says.

“The ADAPT program gives us an ability to assist and improve our working relationships with our African partner nations. Master Sgt. Derek Gill and Staff Sgt. Samuel Perez were very effective in training Burundi troops,” Copas said. “This is the second phase of training for the Burundi military, and they recently received equipment that will improve their ability to move cargo and other military specific freight.”

He says that the course was modified to meet training goals.

With French being the official language of Burundi, interpreters were instrumental in translating the training for the Burundi students.

“Our course materials are in English, so translation to French was imperative. Luckily, we had two students in the course who had previously studied in the U.S. Again, it was a good learning situation for all of us. The student interpreters were augmented with a contracted interpreter, so we had a total of three. Additionally, the two weeks working as translators helped them improve and build on their English language skills as well. All in all, it was a win-win situation,” Copas added.

Copas says the training covered several areas of unit deployment to include: airlift movement and load planning; equipment preparation, weighing and marking; and palletization.

Copas says more training will occur in Burundi.

“ADAPT has been beneficial to all participants to date. However, we look forward to working with Burundi again this year to assist them in standing up their own deployment training course,” Copas said.

A Burundi soldier places a scale in front of a vehicle during a hands-on weight and balance exercise.

October 2012 | 16

560th BfSB travels to other side of the globe to train with Malaysian Army Story and photos by 1st Lt. William Carraway Pubic Affairs Office Georgia Department of Defense

CAMP PULADA, Johor Bahru, Malaysia, Sept. 29, 2012 – Nineteen Soldiers of the 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade (BfSB) mobilized to the southern-most tip of Asia in support of Keris Strike – an annual joint U.S.Malaysian training exercise.

“This has been an incredible, unique experience,” said Warrant Officer 1 Bryan Boling who served as the Provost Marshal for the exercise. “I can’t even begin to describe it.”

Hosted by the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF), Keris Strike 2012 was intended to not only strengthen the ties that exist between the United States and Malaysia, but to build the capacity of each nation to conduct joint operations. The joint exercise, now in its 16th year, harnessed the talents of the 9th Mission Support Command, Army Reserve, as well as National Guard units from Georgia, Alaska, and Washington. The Malaysian Army was represented by approximately 400 Soldiers of the 7th Brigade, 3rd Division, MAF. The Keris Strike exercise was comprised of an academic phase, a Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP) stage, and a command post exercise phase. Academics were designed to prepare the Georgians and Malaysians to conduct complex peace-keeping operations between the fictional nations of “Lanunland” and “Struland.” During the MDMP phase, Georgians and Malaysians were formed into a combined-brigade staff to prepare the initial phase of the Keris Strike peace-keeping mission: a complex cordon and search operation in coordination with UN and local police.

By the completion of the MDMP phase, soldiers of both nations found themselves learning about the other army’s methodology and learning to work as a team. The preparation served them well as the combined brigade was launched into a simulated peace-keeping operation with key leader engagements to manage, a negative media environment to negotiate, and local and national civil authorities with competing agendas.

17 | The Georgia Guardsman

Throughout the exercise, the combined-brigade staff was deluged with simulated events ranging from motor vehicle accidents involving soldiers and civilians, allegations of human rights and rules-of-engagement violations, and demands for assistance from local leaders. Finally, in the midst of planning a transfer of authority (TOA) operation, the combined-brigade’s area of operations was “struck by a massive earthquake,” and the plans for TOA had to be set aside while operational emphasis shifted to natural-disaster response. As a culminating event, the brigade held a press-conference with national and international press to discuss the progress of the Multi-National Forces mission.

Throughout the mission, Georgia Guardsmen had the opportunity to partake in the rich Malaysian culture.

A visit to the Jungle Warfare Survival Village in the Panti Bird Sanctuary offered Soldiers the opportunity to learn about jungle survival from Maj. Mazlan bin Besar of the Royal Ranger Regiment. Soldiers participated in a mock joint patrol with a Royal Ranger Regiment dog tracking team and found themselves racing through the jungle following the dog-team lead. Mazlan engaged the Soldiers in an interactive course on survival techniques with a demonstration of edible and medicinal plants. The Georgians were shown how to harvest water from jungle vines, how to make rope from tree bark, and how to use a knife and rock to light the inner bark of trees to start a campfire.

The visit culminated with a “survival lunch” in which Soldiers were invited to sample roasted monkey, python, mouse deer, and tea made from jungle plants.

In addition to the jungle survival experience, the Malaysian hosts invited the U.S. Soldiers to visit Taman Buayaa, aka “Crocodile World: home of a thousand crocodiles.” A visit to the Clock Tower of Johor Bahru and two local malls followed. Perhaps the highlight of the tour was a visit to the Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple, the interior of which was panelled with tiny mirrored glass sections and decorated with statues depicting figures of many world religions.

Soldiers also enjoyed competitive games of Malaysian volleyball in which participants were allowed to use their heads and feet in addition to hands. The Malaysians even

Sergeant Maj. Alberto Willecke and other Guardsmen and Reservists conduct a joint training patrol with a Malaysian Royal Ranger dog tracking team at the Jungle Survival Village.

taught the Georgians how to play Sepak Takraw, which is like a game of hacky sack played with a large wicker ball.

With its mission drawing to a close, the 560th BfSB presented its Malaysian counterparts with gifts. In addition to the informal exchanges of mementos between soldiers, the command staff of the 560th BfSB presented the Malaysians with gifts of unit crests and patches. Select soldiers were recognized with plaques and brigade coins.

The Malaysians reciprocated with gifts of traditional foods and plaques depicting a scorpion (the emblem of the 3rd Brigade MAF).

After-action reports reflect that the combined brigade exceeded its training objectives; however, much more was achieved on the cultural front. For many of the Malaysians, the 560th’s Guardsmen were the first Americans with which they had trained. The Georgians made a lasting impression.

“I had a sterotype about Americans,” said Kaptain Muhamad Amir Hafiz of the Malaysian Royal Ordnance Corps. “I thought Americans would be unfriendly and would not want to learn or take suggestions from us. But my perception has been changed. We worked very well together, and the Soldiers in the 560th were very good representatives of the U.S.”

Master Sgt. Wilfred Robinson worked with Kaptain Amir as the combined brigade S-4 team.

“It’s been great working with Kaptain Amir,” said Robinson. “He was a great inspiration and taught me a lot about teamwork. Here in Malaysia, they treat you more like a brother than a friend.”

During their final hours in Malaysia, the Soldiers were feted with roasted lamb and fine Malaysian cuisine.

Three bands played traditional and contemporary music, and traditional dances from Sarawak and Sabah were performed. All too soon the ceremony concluded as the Georgians had to rush to Singapore to catch their return flight.

Colonel Tom Carden, commander of the 560th BfSB, summed up the exercise, “The Malaysian Army is one of the best led armies I have seen in 27 years. I have learned a lot from General Ezam and would welcome the opportunity to train with the MAF again.”

Brigadier Gen. Dato Mohammed Ezam, commander of the 7th Brigade, MAF, was similarly impressed.

“I thank you all for your hard work and for your professionalism,” said Ezam. “The next time you come to Malaysia, you will know that you have friends waiting for you.”

October 2012 | 18

Grissom: Being a flyer has ever been my greatest love Story and photos by Sgt. 1st Class Roy Henry Public Affairs Office Georgia Department of Defense

CLAY NATIONAL GUARD CENTER, Marietta, Ga., Oct. 16, 2012 –

When American and Royal Canadian Air Force pilot John Gillespie Magee, Jr. penned the poem “High Flight,” he most certainly had to have been describing people like Georgia Army Guard Chief Warrant Officer 4 Mark Grissom.

On the full-time side, Grissom – a 153-A Rotary Wing Aviator – works with the Army Guard Aviation Training Assistance Team. His traditional M-Day job is that of a medical evacuation pilot with Detachment 1, Company C, 1-111th General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB) here on Clay.

“Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings,” the first stanza of Magee’s poem goes, and most certainly it seems to embody how Grissom describes his love of flying.

“As much as I love being a Citizen-Soldier, and as much respect as I have for all those who do other jobs in the Guard – for we all make this organization capable of carrying out its mission here at home and abroad,” he said, “I just love being a pilot and flying.

“Military or civilian, there’s just nothing to compare with being up there among the clouds, control stick in hand, and the great wide blue expansion that is the sky before you,” he added looking upward as if wishing he were not on the ground in that very moment.

That love of flying, Grissom says, comes naturally to him. His grandfather, for example, flew an open-cockpit crop duster. An even greater influence on his desire for flight, and his decision to become a military aviator, was his grandfather’s cousin, the late Air Force Col. Virgil “Gus” Grissom.

“The colonel,” as Grissom affectionately refers to him, was the second man to fly in space, and one of the seven original Project Mercury astronauts who made up the NASA Astronaut Corps. Killed on Jan. 27, 1967, along with three others during the pre-flight of the Apollo 1 mission at what was then known as Cape Kennedy, Gus 19 | The Georgia Guardsman

was the first of the Mercury Seven die.

“He and my grandfather are my greatest inspirations,” Grissom said. “With a legacy like that, how could I ever want to do anything else but fly?”

When he enlisted in the active Army in September, 1987, he made it clear, Grissom says, that he wanted to fly, and to fly helicopters. After the recruiter told him that becoming a warrant officer would be the way to go, and that he would spend his entire career flying, “I said sign me up, because there’s nothing else I ever want to do.”

After graduating basic training, Grissom – an enlisted Soldier at the time – was lucky enough to do the six-week, four-day, Basic Warrant Officer Course and the 40-week Initial Entry Rotary Wing Course at Fort Rucker, Ala. Upon graduating the course and receiving his wings and promotion to Warrant Officer 1 in September, 1988, he would spend the next 10 years flying the Army’s AH64 Apache attack helicopter.

“I’m here to tell you, that’s all I wanted back then – to be an Apache driver,” Grissom said. “My Instructors made it clear that I had to be in the top five percent of my class of 51, which meant I had to bust my butt keeping my grades up, fly well, and keep my gear in order for the daily inspections.”

It was tough, he adds, with late nights of studying – alone and with his class study group – paying close attention to the instructor pilots, and taking the initiative to get as much flight time as possible. Once assigned to a unit, he, like any other flyer, had to prove himself worthy of climbing into the cockpit, taking the stick, and being its pilot.

After leaving active duty in December, 1988, and a six-year break in service, Grissom returned to the military in September, 2004, this time flying for the Georgia Army National Guard. Having flown most, if not all, of the helicopters the Guard had in its inventory at the time, he now flies the UH-60M MEDEVAC Black Hawk.

As with any other pilot, flinging his “eager craft through footless halls of air,” as in John Gillespie Magee’s poem, is what Grissom wants to do most. But to get there, there are things – important things – that must be done before that aircraft ever leaves the ground. Pre-flight inspection is where those things – checking rotor blades,

fuel, instruments, safety equipment and the like – have to happen.

“There’s an old adage, ‘If it’s not right on the ground, it doesn’t get any better in the air,’” Grissom said. “As much as I want to get airborne, I would rather be down here on the ground wishing I were up there in the air, than being up there wishing I were on the ground.

“When a pilot – rotary wing or fixed – does not do proper pre-mission planning, preflight and post-flight inspections, he risks his life, the lives of his crew, the aircraft, and maybe even some innocent people on the ground,” he said with a look of conviction on his face.

“This isn’t Vegas,” Grissom solemnly added. “There’s no rolling the dice here. Every flyer knows he’s taking a risk when he climbs into that cockpit, so there’s no reason to give fate any more reason than it may already have for bringing that ship down when the risk could have been reduced – or even avoided – before you ever took off.”

As adamant about flying as he is, Grissom says he would encourage anyone with the same love for the sky

to take hold of that dream and take hold of it, “with both hands.”

“There’s nothing like it, and it’s worth every ounce of pain that it takes to get your wings,” he said proudly. “To get there, of course, you have to be a warrant officer – a specialized expert in your field who’s doing the job they love to do… and it’s just plain fun.”

As for the important role those thinking about becoming an aviator play in the total Guard mission, Grissom points out that every aircraft in the Guard inventory, and the crews who fly and maintain them, has a different role to play, whether that mission is in support of civil authorities in times of crisis or supporting the warfight overseas.

“That motto we have, ‘Always ready, always there,’ is more than just words,” he said. “It’s what we live by, and without aviation, we would be very limited in how we would make – and keep – that commitment. The Guard as a whole is relevant and will remain relevant no matter when, where, or who we serve.”

October 2012 | 20

Georgia Agribusiness Development Team III trains with UGA for Afghanistan mission Story and photos by 1st Lt. Michael Thompson 78th Homeland Response Force Georgia Army National Guard

CLAY NATIONAL GUARD CENTER, Marietta, Ga., Oct. 1, 2012 – Learning about bee keeping, greenhouses, soil preparation, dairy cattle, and other farming techniques may seem out of the ordinary for a military mission to Afghanistan, but not for the Georgia National Guard’s Agribusiness Development Team III. Guardsmen from the 201st Regional Support Group attended a weeklong training course at the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Ga. hosted by the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES).

“We don’t expect to become experts in the agriculture world, but we do hope to leave here with a baseline that will help us in Afghanistan,” said Col. Barry Beach, commander of ADT III. “Most of their agriculture is for sustainment, to keep their families fed, but they are not really knowledgeable in the marketing part, so that is probably where we will focus.”

The Georgia National Guard initially reached out to the UGA CAES when the Georgia Guard’s first ADT was getting ready for Afghanistan. Since that time, UGA has expanded on the training with information sent back from the first ADT, to include hosting the training at ABAC’s Coastal Plain Station, which holds a variety of science and farming all in close proximity.

Soldiers experienced pioneer-era duties during field trips so they could not only gain knowledge and understanding of life on a farm, but also to learn the techniques and strategies of fundamental farming. The instruction of selecting seeds for basic wheat production, soil science, grape trellising, food safety, watershed management, basic animal nutrition, and animal care could all help create common ground with an Afghan farmer who might be experiencing difficulties.

“It’s been a very intense week. We hit them with a lot of different things, to include livestock, to row crops, to horticultural crops, to giving them a basic knowledge of agriculture,” said Steve Brown, Assistant Dean for 21 | The Georgia Guardsman

Extension with the UGA CAES. “Of course we will also follow up with them even after they are deployed. We hope to be a source of information for them when they run into problems and need technical assistance.”

ADT I learned from their deployment that Afghans are good farmers, but did not have some of the best skills in food preservation or selling crops in the marketplace.

“We [ADT I] focused on a lot of things we take for granted here in the United States, like using root cellars, canning or jarring. But when we showed them [the Afghans] how to conserve and store their crops so they could eat during the winter, their smile and ‘thank you’ let us know we were successful,” said Col. (Ret.) Bill Williams, the commander of ADT I. “We developed very good relationships with the Afghan people, and – because of those relationships – got valuable information back to ADT II and III.” According to the United States Department of Agriculture and the Foreign Agricultural Service, only 12 percent of Afghanistan’s total land area is arable, and less than 6 percent is currently cultivated, but more than 80 percent of Afghanistan’s population is involved in farming, herding or both.

The USDA with Georgia’s ADT and U.S. land-grant universities such as UGA are helping Afghanistan revitalize its agricultural sector through a variety of activities aimed to strengthen the capacity of the Afghan government, rebuild agricultural markets, and improve management of natural resources.

“It’s almost like going back in time to a biblical state.

A lot of things are done by hand. They certainly know how to farm with what they have, but they are very limited in input items like the quality of their seed, for example,” said Wes Harris, a senior agricultural advisor in Afghanistan.

“ADT III will go in and continue that mentoring and training process.”

ADT III will have a similar role to that of ADT II in advising Afghanistan government officials more so than directly interacting with Afghan farmers as the U.S. transitions from an assisting role to empowering the Afghan leadership to support their own farmers.

Georgia National Guard ADT III team member, Sgt. Christopher Ellis, tastes raw honey from a beehive during technician Jennifer Berry’s demonstration on basic apiculture.

October 2012 | 22

116th ACW’s EOD demonstration measures impact of explosive noise on Airman hearing

Explosive charges detonate during an explosive ordnance disposal demonstration conducted by the 116th Civil Engineering Squadron explosive ordnance unit at Robins Air Force Base, Ga.

23 | The Georgia Guardsman

Story by Jenny Gordon Photos by Master Sgt. Roger Parsons Public Affairs Office Robins Air Force Base

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Warner Robins, Ga., Sept. 21, 2012 – It is a team effort to ensure members of the 116th Air Control Wing’s (ACW) Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) flight team are protected when it comes to their hearing. Since they are regularly exposed to explosives being set off as part of exercises conducted on a base proficiency training range, it is important to measure what the effect is from each detonation. To gather data on this matter, an explosives demonstration was conducted on the range, where a small, yet very powerful, number of explosives were on hand.

The demonstration included a 0.5 lb. of Symtex (a general-purpose plastic explosive), 1.5 lbs. of TNT, a stick of dynamite, and a blasting cap (the size

of a pencil eraser) contained in an 8 oz. plastic bottle. Standing about 600 ft. away, as each explosive was detonated, a device was held to a detonator’s ear, measuring noise exposure, specifically impulse noise.

“The reason we measure noise in general is to make sure we’re protecting people as much as possible from further hearing loss,” said Capt. Erin Artz with the 78th Aerospace Medicine Squadron’s (AMDS) Hearing Conservation Clinic.

“Especially with ‘impulse’ noise; it’s a different type of noise than what we’re accustomed to measuring.”

“With EOD, it’s a bit different,” she continued. “A couple of impulse noises at close range, and very intense, can damage your hearing permanently. It’s important we get a good foundation of a measurement and also what kind of noise they’re exposed to on a regular basis.”

As opposed to constant noise that can occur in industrial areas, for example,

impulse noise can make the body react differently.

“An exercise like this is important because it allows EOD to showcase their capabilities, and it also allows us to take good, real-world readings,” said Staff Sgt. Barham Bratton, 78th AMDS bioenvironmental engineering craftsman.

An annual hearing test is conducted on Airmen exposed to hazardous noise based on these readings taken. Then, based on those measurements, any engineering, administrative, or personal protective equipment controls are recommended.

“That way, we can monitor to see if the readings we’ve taken are accurate, to see if they’re being exposed to more noise than is healthy to maintain their hearing,” said Artz.

Different explosives create different burn rates, explains Tech. Sgt. Barry Duffield, a 116th ACW Civil Engineer Squadron EOD flight team leader.

“Every explosive takes a certain amount of heat shock or friction to get a detonation to occur. Some take more than others,” Duffield said. “On the principle of detonations, you start out with a small amount of sensitive explosives, and amplify that explosive wave to your main charge.”

For example, as Symtex and TNT were detonated in the distance, the effect resulted in a large, resounding blast.

“There’s maybe a real subtle difference with the sound of these,” said Duffield. “With Symtex, there’s more of a ‘crack’ to it, where TNT has more of a ‘push.’ They have different purposes, so they’ll have different reactions.”

A single blasting cap ended the demonstration. Although it had the smallest blast, it still shredded the plastic bottle in which it was enclosed.

“They’re a very powerful and a very sensitive explosive,” said Duffield. “If you had it in your hand, you may have a stump.”

October 2012 | 24

Guard Your Business

Story by Mr. Seth G. Stuck Public Affairs Office Georgia Department of Defense

T

he Georgia National Guard has launched its “Guard Your Business” initiative in an effort to connect unemployed and underemployed Guardsmen with civilian employers and opportunities. A recent study found that fully 70% of business leaders said veterans had leadership skills, purpose, direction and motivation that made them attractive job-seekers. About half those executives said they were impressed with veterans’ character — prominently displaying trustworthiness, dependability, integrity and maturity.

Roughly five percent of Georgia’s Guardsmen are unemployed, down from 15 percent just a few months ago.

But with the veteran unemployment rate still disturbingly high, and our youngest veterans (18 to 24 years old) at an unemployment rate almost double that of civilians in the same age group, it falls to us to ensure our Guardsmen can find gainful employment.

Our Guardsmen receive a tremendous amount of training across all disciplines as they face new, uncertain, and hostile

25 | The Georgia Guardsman

situations on a regular basis. Adaptability is not only key to their success, it iis also key to their survival. Our modern military is not only high-tech, it is also an innovator in various technological fields. Many service members have highly specialized training in technology that can be leveraged in the private sector. Some veterans may even be eligible to receive “Veterans Preference,” adding either 5 or 10 points to their passing score on a pre-employment evaluation.

For would-be employers, there are also tax credits out there specifically designed to incentivize hiring veterans.

The Returning Heroes Tax Credit provides a credit of up to $5,600 per veteran hired. The Wounded Warriors Tax Credit is specifically for veterans with disabilities stemming from their military service and offers a credit of up to $9,600 per veteran hired.

Georgia Guardsmen have unique leadership qualities, experience, skills, and talents that represent a unique opportunity to employers. The initial response to our Adjutant General’s call for businesses to assist our Guardsmen facing unemployment has been outstanding. The companies attending our job fairs and the associations providing training to our Guardsmen show that Georgia believes in our CitizenSoldiers and Citizen-Airmen.

But we can do more.

As unemployment has increased, so too have efforts by the Georgia Guard to assist its members who often return from war only to find that civilian jobs are more scarce than ever.

The Georgia National Guard Family Program, traditionally assisting with emotional transitions from the battlefield back to civilian life, has developed programs such as job fairs, résumé preparation, and interview training to assist Guardsmen.

Our Guardsmen possess a strong work ethic borne of shared sacrifice and duty you cannot pick up in a classroom.

This quality makes them exactly what employers are looking for, and we appreciate the strong response we have had so far in showing that “the Georgia Guard works.”

A new resource for Georgia’s Guardsmen has just rolled out online – called “Guard Your Business.” By going to www.GuardYourBusiness.org both would-be employers and Guardsmen can find a host of resources to help reduce the unemployment rate in the Georgia National Guard.

Consider this new microsite a “hub” for employment information in the Georgia Guard – pointing to the salient information, links and sources necessary to help successfully link our Guardsmen with gainful employment. For example, the Education, Incentive and Employment Programs Support Center website aims to help and empower Citizen-Soldiers and -Airmen in accessing their education benefits and in finding

a job. There, you can fill out an employment survey with your professional information, and they will help identify job opportunities that meet your criteria. There are also a whole host of Veteran assistance programs available nationally and right here in Georgia. We’ve listed some of those on the Guard Your Business “Info for Guardsmen” page. Additionally, Guardsmen will find other resources to help them in their job search and some contact information for Ga. DoD personnel who are standing by to assist them in their efforts.

Unlike many military websites, this tool is open to the public and does not require the use of a Command Access Card (CAC) or log-in information. This is especially important for our traditional Guardsmen seeking employment because they may not live close to a National Guard facility, and may not have the opportunity to visit one outside of monthly drill.

GeorgiaGuard.com now also features an “Employment” tab in the menu bar at the top of the page which points to the Guard Your Business microsite and a few other Ga. DoD employment and education services.

Ultimately, the success of any organization or business depends on reliable and resilient human capital. Our Guardsmen have the skills, training and character to meet the toughest challenges. Hiring a vet isn’t just good will - it’s good business.

October 2012 | 26

North Georgia ROTC cadets among first to complete mountain warfare course in the nation of Georgia

27 | The Georgia Guardsman

Photo by Country of Georgia Ministry of Defense Story filed by the Public Affairs Office Georgia Department of Defense

SACKHERE, Country of Georgia, June 25, 2012 – Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets made history this year as part of the first American group of service members to tackle the nation of Georgia’s new Mountain Warfare Course (MWC).

North Georgia College and State University (NGCSU) sent 10 cadets and two members of its cadre to the MWC, comprising more than one-third of the 31 total warriors who committed to the challenge. The 18 other cadets represented a number of other schools attending.

“The Cadets studied the country and its culture prior to the deployment, but the real critical learning took place when they got in country and actually interacted and worked with our allies,” said Lt. Col Michael Snyder, professor of military science at the University of North Alabama.

When they weren’t tying knots and scaling rock walls or ropes, the group was hiking. They conducted fives hikes – or ruck marches – totaling more than 90 kilometers (more than 57 miles) in distance over the duration of the first 16 days of the 19-day course. This was all before the final three-day testing phase, where they would do another 12 kilometer (just more than 7.5 miles) march with packs weighing 12 kilograms (roughly 26 pounds).

Marissa D. Cannon, a Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) cadet who also serves in the Georgia Army National Guard with the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 92nd Chemical Battalion, in Decatur, Ga., said, “I had never done any kind of repelling or descending before. I may have done some rock climbing once or twice on much smaller walls, but this has all been mostly new to me. I’ve loved it! We had good training every day.”

Platoons were guided to an altitude of almost 7,000 feet during a two-day march through dense forest, beyond river

crossings and narrow trails. Some of the pathways along the mountainside were so narrow and were above such steep drops that they had to be negotiated with the help of guide ropes set up by the Georgians.

“I’ve pushed myself mentally and physically. My body reached limits I’ve never been able to get to in my life,” said freshman James O. Mitchell, III, an SMP cadet who also is a member of the Alabama Army National Guard’s Charlie Company, 167th Infantry Company in Cullman, Ala. “The CULP Cadets were our frontline ambassadors for our nation that ended up teaching English to our allies, trained with other militaries, and conducted humanitarian work during their deployment ,” said Snyder.

The NGCSU S-1 adjutant, Maj. Greg Killen, says that the course was a great opportunity for everyone. He also spoke about a 2010 meeting he had with the country of Georgia’s Minister of Defense that helped bring about this training.

“I spoke with the Ministry of Defense about how we teach military science at NGCSU,” Killen said. “During that process, we toured the Mountain War School, and I told him we had some mountaineers this would be perfect for.

So, here we are two years later.”

Snyder stated, “The things that ROTC Cadets learned during the CULP Internship, they will use throughout their Army careers. But maybe more importantly, the friendships that they developed will last a lifetime, especially with how we are globally connected in the 21st Century.”

This is just the latest in a long series of engagements conducted over the 17-year partnership between the nation and the state of Georgia. Growing out of the State Department’s Partnerships for Peace program, the State Partnership Program reflects an evolving international affairs mission for the National Guard that emphasizes its unique state-federal and civil-military characteristics.

October 2012 | 28

Guard turns over third of seven armories, this one to Montezuma city officials Story and photos by Sgt. 1st Class Roy Henry, Public Affairs Office Georgia Department of Defense

MONTEZUMA, Ga., Sept. 25, 2012 – The Georgia Department of Defense transferred ownership of yet another armory today to the city of Montezuma. The building and motor pool have been vacant since 2004 because the Guardsmen who used to occupy the space have since moved to Augusta.

Pictured below, Maj. Gen. Jim Butterworth (right), Georgia’s Adjutant General, talks with 13 WMAZ Macon reporter Tom George about the transfer of the Montezuma Guard armory city officials.

This is the third time in as many months Maj. Gen. Jim Butterworth, Georgia’s Adjutant General, has handed over the keys to what was once home to generations of Guardsmen. This time, the facility being transferred was once used by Soldiers of Company B, 648th Engineer Battalion.

Just as it served generations of Citizen-Soldiers and this city since 1959, the more than 10,000-square foot building will now continue to serve the community as the new home of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in Macon County.

The last armory to be transferred was the one in Sandersville in August. It, too, will house a Boys and Girls Club. The first was in July when the Banbridge armory was given to city fathers there.

These three armories are among the seven that will ultimately be donated for public use instead of being left vacant to be sold, or left to simply decay, or possibly even fall victim to vandalism. The other four armories, and where they are located, have yet to be announced.

“The transfer of these structures is about leadership and partnership,” Butterworth said, standing in the armory’s circular drive greeting residents and officials as they gathered for the day’s ceremony. “On the leadership side, the community had the foresight to do something with the building – turning it into a place for its youth and youngsters across Macon County to learn and grow, just as will happen in Sandersville – instead of allowing it to be placed on the Federal Surplus List and sold.”

The vision of community leaders to make this happen – here and in the first two cities – seeks to continue the legacy of service these armories, and the Guard, have had in contributing to the economies of their respective communities, in good times and bad, Butterworth adds.

“As for the partnership side of this,” Butterworth said, “this is a continuation of something that has steadily grown between ourselves and communities like Montezuma since the Guard came to town way back when. That partnership continues to

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strengthen as we work together now to empower the youth of this city, and all of Macon County, to come learn to make better choices, and grow into tomorrow’s successful, responsible young adults.”

At one point in the ceremony, Mayor Willie James Larry accepted a National Guard Minuteman Plaque from Butterworth dedicating the armory to its new cause as home to the Macon County Boys and Girls Club.

“What General Butterworth, the Guard, and all those in the State Legislature who helped make this possible have done is move the reality of a place dedicated to serving our children one step closer to reality,” Larry told an audience of about 100. “For this, and the work done by the Macon County Boys and Girls Club Exploratory Committee and the Boys and Girls Club of Americus-Sumter County, we as a community will forever be in their debt.”

State Sen. Ed Harbison (D-Dist. 15), who chairs the state senate’s Veterans and Consumer Affairs Committee, was among those who worked to make the transfer happen. He says he sees it as the best use of the property by the state, and adds that Butterworth and the Georgia Department of Defense did “quite a job in making the dream come alive.”

“What the Guard does in its role as protector of the homeland and the defender of our freedoms can never be underappreciated,” Harbison said. “Like the Guard, the Boys and Girls Club seeks to serve the interests of the communities they call home, and what better way to have this structure and these grounds continue their long years of service than by helping our children grow into better members of tomorrow’s society?”

165th ASOS represents Georgia National Guard at Leapfest Story and photo by Staff Sgt. Monica Eusebio 165th Airlift Wing Georgia Air National Guard

COMBAT READINESS TRAINING CENTER, Savannah, Sept. 20, 2012 – The 165th Air Support Operation Squadron (ASOS) traveled to West Kingston, R.I., to participate in the 2012 Leapfest on August 3rd and 4th, 2012. Leapfest is the largest, longest standing, international static line parachute training event and competition. A team consists of four members that have to jump out of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter from an altitude of 1500 feet, air strapped to a MC1-1C/D static line, steerable, parabolic parachute, aiming for a brightorange ‘X’ on the gorund below.

The Georgia Air National Guard team was comprised of three jumpers from the 165th Air Support Operation Squadron and one jumper from North Carolina’s 118th ASOS. The competitors were Capt. Roger Brooks, Senior Master Sgt. A.J. Freshwater, Master Sgt. Ryan Baker, and Staff Sgt. Richard Player of the 118th ASOS. The highest individual finisher from the team was Staff Sgt. Richard Player with a cumulative time of 59.2 seconds.

There were over 250 participants, including nine foreign jump teams. Teams included members of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Reserves and National Guard. The international teams hailed from Germany, Canada, Italy, Mexico, the United Kingdom, South Africa and the Netherlands.

The competition was held at the University of Rhode Island and organized by the Rhode Island National Guard.

This is the 30th year of the Leapfest competition.

Due to low visibility, the teams experienced long delays during both days of the competition. Once the sky cleared, the teams boarded the Chinooks at the pick-up zone, jumped out at the drop-zone and tried to land as close to the bright orange ‘X’ as possible.

They are scored by the cumulative time it takes each jumper to touch the ‘X.’ The championship team is determined by the lowest time of the three jumps, while an individual champion is recognized as the jumper with lowest personal time.

This international jump competition was started by the Rhode Island National Guard 56th Troop Command in 1982 as a way to stay in contact with parachutists from other countries and branches of service.

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Georgia Air and Army Guard called upon to help secure DNC Story and photos by 1st Lt. Michael Thompson, 78th HRF and Lt. Col. Ron Speir, 117th ACS Georgia National Guard

CLAY NATIONAL GUARD CENTER, MARIETTA, GA, Oct. 14, 2012 – Just as the 78th Homeland Response Force (HRF) homeland security exercise Vigilant Guard 2012 ended, the unit received notice that it would support a second mission for the North Carolina National Guard’s Task Force Panther as a chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) task force. Meanwhile, Georgia Air National Guardsmen with Savannah’s 117th Air Control Squadron (ACS), supported Operation Noble Eagle and served as an integral element in the air security above Charlotte, N.C. Both the 78th HRF and 117th ACS were supporting operations at a U.S. Secret Service-appointed National Special Security Event (NSSE) with Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) for the Democratic National Convention (DNC).

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“The 78th Homeland Response Force comprised twothirds of Joint Task Force Panther,” said Col. Michael Scholes, the 78th HRF commander. “This was a real-world event with real-time difficulties. I have all the confidence in the world that if the 78th HRF was called out again tonight, we could perform just as well.”

The 78th HRF staged at Rock Hill, S.C., as Task Force CBRN to support Task Force Panther in the event of a real-world incident at the convention, making it a vital organization in consequence management.

Joint Task Force 781 CBRN staged at Camp McCrady, S.C., and continued inter-agency training with South Carolina firefighters at the South Carolina Fire Academy.

“Being synchronized with our local law enforcement and fire agencies is important because the bottom line is we are getting away from a linear battlefield, and the bad guys are continuously trying to bring the fight to our homeland,” said Maj. Sam Roberts, executive officer for JTF 781 CBRN. “Most of the Guardsmen in our search and extraction element are firefighters and law enforcement officers at their civilian job, so it gives us a

Captain Ryan Peterson monitors air traffic at the Charlotte’s Terminal Radar Approach Control. FAA Controllers at the facility worked with Ga. Air National Guard and United States Secret Service to enforce restricted airspace over the area for the Democratic National Convention.

true interaction with the community – both in exercises like Vigilant Guard, and instances like this where we’re actually supporting a real-life DSCA operation.”

In the 117th ACS’s case, more than 500 Guardsmen deployed to the DNC as directed by Air Combat Command and the National Guard Bureau. After setting up and checking out their equipment, the 117th conducted 24/7 operations during this U.S. Secret Service-appointed national security event.

“These behind-the-scenes teams work every day across the U.S.,” said Maj. Elizabeth Baker, who served as the 117th commander. “This is our small role in keeping the skies over the U.S. safe.”

“Despite official notices posted for pilots to stay clear, there were a few crop dusters and others who wandered into the restricted airspace,” said Master Sgt. Austin Blessard, a 117th ACS weapons director.

Though this marks the 78th HRF’s first operation with a NSSE since the unit’s validation in 2011, the 117th ACS was included in the first wave of Guard units called up on September 14, 2001, to enforce no-fly restrictions

over Atlanta. The 117th has also provided air security for six NASA space shuttle launches, two deployments to Washington, and the G-8 Summit at Sea Island in 2004.

The unit deployed to Iraq in 2005, and more recently, they deployed to southwest Asia to support Operation Enduring Freedom actions in Afghanistan in 2010.

During these deployments, the unit served its war-time mission as a control and reporting center, directing all military aircraft actions (manned and unmanned) in their assigned region.

The 117th ACS now shifts its attention to preparing for a future overseas deployment. “As Guardsmen, this gives us a near constant training cycle to be ready to meet our future deployment obligations,” said Baker.

The Soldiers and Airmen who participated in the National Level Exercises (NLE) Noble Eagle and Vigilant Guard, and called upon within 24 hours to support the DNC, represented the Georgia National Guard well and showed that they are ‘Always Ready, Always There’ when needed.

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Around the Georgia Guard Father swears son into the Georgia Guard Captain Jason Royal performs the swearing-in ceremony of his son Hector, completing Hector’s enlistment into the Georgia National Guard.

Rep. Austin Scott congratulates 116th Air Control Wing Members of the JSTARS’ 128th Airborne Command and Control Squadron met with Congressman Austin Scott, representative of Georgia’s 8th District, to celebrate the unit’s achievement in Washington D.C. after receiving the Earl T. Ricks award for Best Air National Guard unit airmanship for their support of Operations Odyssey Dawn and Unified Protector.

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Georgia Southern University Eagles sport camo uniforms to show military support Pictured here, Maj. Gen. Jim Butterworth, Georgia’s Adjutant General, and Brig. Gen. Joe Jarrard, Assistant Adjutant General - Georgia Army National Guard, walk out with the seventh-ranked GSU Eagles’ for the coin toss before their game against the fourth-ranked Wofford College Terriers on Military Appreciation Day, Oct. 13, 2012.

Assault on Kennesaw Mountain 5K Run Runners start their more than three-mile trek during the Assault on Kennesaw Mountain 5K Run, which commemorated Georgia’s fallen warriors.

78th Aviation Troop Command supports 3rd ID Soldiers Georgia Army National Guard’s B/1-169 General Support Aviation Battalion, CH-47F Chinook unit, supports 3rd ID Soldiers at Donavan Field to help the Field Artillery unit validate their ability to Air Assault in their Weapon Systems and establish their Gun Line within the given time standard.

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116th Air Control Wing measures EOD impact on hearing

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