Q3 / 2018

Q3 / 2018

Noble Partner 2018

Georgia Army National Guardsmen train in Country of Georgia

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Best Warrior Competition Spc. Alexei Joya competes at National Guard Bureau competition

Plus: 78th ATC Change of Command | Operation Deathless | And soq3much more / 2018 | A1

CONTENTS ISSUE: Q3 / 2018

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Operation Noble Partner 2018

Soldiers of the Georgia Army National Guard conduct training during Operation Noble Partner in the Country of Georgia.

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columns 07| NCO notepad

“Not for themselves, but for others”

14| The Chaplain’s Corner

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A heart large enough.

20| Blast From the Past

Features

“From Croix Rouge to Sergy: The Georgia Guard’s Bloodiest Week of WWI”

08| Operation Deathless Labor Day weekend 1958.

26|Around the Guard

See what’s going on around the Georgia Guard.

10| National Guard BWC 2018

Specialist Alexei Joya competes at the National Guard Bureau competition.

12| WWII Veteran Returns to Georgia

The Georgia Army National Guard Military Funeral Honors team returned 2nd Lt. William Cox home after 75 years.

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2 | The Georgia Guardsman

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News 04| 78th ATC Change of Command

Colonel Jason Fryman takes command of the 78th Aviation Troop Command.

06|170th Change of Command

The Cyber Protection Team receives a new commander.

19|Historic firsts for georgia

The Georgia Air National Guard celebrates historic firsts.

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Georgia National Guard Commander-in-Chief Gov. Nathan Deal Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Joe Jarrard State Public Affairs Director Maj. Jeff Freeman State Public Affairs Officer Maj. Charles Emmons Operations NCO 1st Sgt. Gerard Brown Editorial Staff Managing Editor Desiree Bamba Contributors Maria Balderas 1st Sgt. Gerard Brown Maj. William Carraway Tiffany Irene Coulibaly Maj. Charles Emmons Sgt. Moses Howard Staff Sgt. R.J. Lannom Jr. Chief Master Sgt. Roger Parsons Maj. Chaplain Spencer Haygood Sgt. Shye Wilborn Contributing DOD Organizations 124th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, 116th Air Control Wing Public Affairs Office, Army National Guard Unit Public Affairs Representatives, Air National Guard Wing Public Affairs Representatives, Georgia State Defense Force Public Affairs.

Georgia National Guard Channels

Disclaimer The Georgia Guardsman is published quarterly 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. q3 / 2018 | 3

78th Aviation Troop Command Change of Command

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Story by: Maj. William Carraway | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard he Georgia Army National Guard’s 78th Aviation Troop Command bid farewell to Col. Dwayne Wilson and welcomed its new commander, Col. Jason Fryman, during a change of command ceremony at the Clay National Guard Center in Marietta.

“Colonel Wilson has demonstrated on numerous occasions that he is one of the premier leaders in this organization,” said Brig. Gen. Randall Simmons, commander of the Georgia Army National Guard. “He does all of the little things right, which usually means that the big things just fall into line.”

Simmons recounted many of the 78th ATC’s accomplishment during Wilson’s command tenure.

In his more than four years of brigade command, Wilson led more than 700 pilots, crew members and support personnel flying nearly 40 rotary and fixed wing aircraft from aviation facilities in Marietta, Winder and Savannah. During this time, units of the 78th ATC deployed multiple times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Freedom’s Sentinel in Afghanistan, Operation Spartan Shield in Iraq, Kuwait and Syria, and mobilized aircraft to Kosovo.

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The 78th ATC supported exercises at home and overseas from rotations at the Combined Readiness Training Center to Noble Partner in the Country of Georgia, where the 78th ATC has aircraft and personnel participated in training missions on an international stage, notably supporting air assault operations involving troops of three nations.

Aviators and crewmembers of the 78th ATC responded to numerous natural disasters in the past four years ranging from Hurricanes Harvey, Matthew and Maria. Aviators provided support during wildfires in South Carolina and supported Exercise Vigilant Guard in 2015 and 2017. During this time, the 78th ATC was recognized with awards for logistics, personnel and readiness excellence.

Wilson thanked his family for their enduring support during his command tenure.

“Families do all the heavy lifting for us, filling in the gaps while we are deployed,” observed Wilson. “We are only successful due to their support and I thank you for yours, and for the support I have received from the (Georgia Army National Guard).”

Wilson also expressed gratitude and admiration for the Soldiers of the 78th ATC. “(The Soldiers) have made this job easy for me,” said Wilson. Not many folks realize that Army Photo by: Maj. William Carraway | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

National Guard Aviation makes up almost half of all Army Aviation. The 78th ATC has been continually involved in operations around the world for more than a decade and a half.”

Wilson expanded on the high operational tempo of the 78th ATC and the value the brigade has brought to the war fight.

“Aviation provides ground force commanders with incredible speed, range, flexibility and lethality, said Wilson. “All of the units of the 78th ATC have done this multiple times. They are the perfect example of an operational and a relevant Army National Guard.”

Assuming command of the 78th ATC is Col. Jason Fryman, a graduate of the Army War College and veteran aviator who has served in multiple command and staff positions within the 78th ATC, including command of the Marietta-based 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment and two overseas combat deployments.

“More than 21 years ago I joined this unit for the first time,” said Fryman. “I am deeply humbled to be counted among its ranks once again. The character, commitment and competence of the Soldiers of this command rival that of any aviation unit in the Army.

We stand ready to answer the call, whether that be local, state or national, to protect our nation’s interests and our American way of life.”

q3 / 2018 | 5

170th Cyber Protection Team Gets New commander

Story by: Maj. William Carraway | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

The Georgia Army National Guard’s 170th Cyber Protection Team, one of the first Cyber Protection teams created by the National Guard, welcomed its second commander during a change of command ceremony at Fort Gillem August 5, 2018 as Maj. George Allen relinquished command to Capt. Michael Mallon.

“What it takes to be good at cyber is unwavering dedication and thousands of hours of your own time that you have put in,” said Allen addressing the assembled Soldiers of the 170th.

The 170th Cyber Protection Team was one of the first three CPTs established by the National Guard in 2015. Cyber protection teams, like the 170th, can be deployed worldwide by the Department of Defense.

In December 2016, the unit received notice that it would be activated and the following year, the 170th was mobilized in support of the three primary missions of the DOD’s cyber strategy: Defending DoD networks, systems, and information; defending the U.S. homeland and U.S. national interests against cyberattacks of significant consequence; and providing cyber support to military operational and contingency plans.

“We have been deployed for a year, said Allen. “The more we have learned as a team the more sobering the picture is.”

Allen recounted recent headlines involving cyber crimes and accusation of election meddling by foreign governments.

“We face everything from military and industrial espionage to information and cyber crime that touches every American. We definitely have a vital mission and a lot of work ahead.”

Allen, a native of LaPorte, Texas, led the 170th CPT from its inception in 2015 and through their mobilization in 2017. It was his third deployment following mobilizations to Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. A 2006 graduate of Duke University, Allen will follow up his successful command with an assignment to the Georgia Army National Guard’s Joint Force Headquarters in Marietta.

Succeeding Allen as commander of the 170th CPT, Mallon, A 2008 graduate of Boston University has served in the 170th since its creation in 2015. He advances from his previous position as protection team chief of the 170th. He holds a master’s degree in information technology security from Boston University and was the honor graduate of his signal captains career course.

Mallon thanked his family and Soldiers for their support as he assumed command of the 170th.

“Now, let’s get back to work,” said Mallon concluding his remarks and the ceremony.

6 | The Georgia Guardsman

Photo by: Maj. William Carraway | Public Affairs Office | Georgia National Guard

By Command Sgt. Major Roy Marchert State Command Sgt. Major Georgia Army National Guard

NCO Notepad Words of wisdom from one to another

Non sibi sed aliis: “Not for themselves but for others”

My last few months in the Georgia National Guard have been insightful and unbelievably rewarding. As I have traveled throughout the country, I have been amazed at the vast number of senior service members who look to the Georgia National Guard as a force to be emulated. This has been the case within both the Army and Air Force organizations. I have had this reaction wherever I have worn the Georgia JFHQ patch; to include at National Guard Bureau, the Pentagon, and international conferences. Please continue to strive for the excellence. Believe me when I say that it does not go unnoticed.

One of the highlights and most meaningful aspects of my new assignment has been getting to know the Air National Guard side of the organization. I have been fortunate to attend several events hosted by the Air Guard and tour some of their facilities. I have been extremely impressed with the professionalism of our young Airmen. One of the first interactions I had with them was in May; the day after the loss of the Puerto Rican Air National Guard C-130. This crash took the lives of nine of our fellow Guardsman. I arrived the day after the crash to witness our young Airmen still conducting recovery efforts. They worked through the heat, smoke and stress to provide the utmost dignity to the fallen. I can’t thank them enough for their professionalism.

The past few months have been busy ones for the Army National Guard. We have sent several units to the Middle East and elements of our 48th Brigade are heading to Afghanistan in the very near future. In addition, we are currently engaged in sweeping changes to the professional military education system: I am confident our NCO channels have provided every Soldier with the blueprint for success. The time is now to execute. I need you to always maintain a “GREEN” status that will allow you to attend your appropriate NCO course as it becomes available. As a career M-Day Soldier, I completely understand your civilian employment challenges. Please keep your employer “read-in” to your military requirements. It will definitely help both of your careers.

Please take the time to reach out and give thanks to our men and women of the State Defense Force. It seems that every time I turn around I see SDF members at work. From monitoring our CNGC access gates to providing security and logistical support at Yellow Ribbon events, they are there to back us up. This is in addition to their mission statement of “assuring the welfare and safety of the citizens of Georgia.” I look forward to attending their annual training in October.

Next month we will be commemorating the one hundredth anniversary of the Great War, or WWI. I respectfully ask each of you take a few moments of your time on November 11th to remember the sacrifices of our forces during the War to End All Wars. According to Veterans Administration records, during WWI, 116,000 Americans died in service and 204,000 were wounded. These numbers are extremely high when you consider the amount of time we spent on the Western Front.

In July I was given the honor of retracing the steps of some of our Guardsman as they fought their way to victory. I sincerely wish each and everyone one you had the same opportunity. I know if you could have visited the battlefields and cemeteries of our fallen you would have walked away with a clear sense of “task and purpose.” Please be a steward of our profession; the profession of arms. I, we, need you to tell our story.

I am proud to serve with each and every one of you.

q3 / 2018 | 7

Story by: Maj. William Carraway | 161st Military History Detachment | Georgia Army National Guard

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or more than 120 years, Georgia National Guard Citizen Soldiers, operating out of armories across the state, have partnered with state and local responders in times of emergency. But in September 1958, the Georgia Guard and Georgia State Patrol combined forces in unique emergency mission.

At the direction of the Governor of Georgia, Maj. Gen. Charlie Camp, Adjutant General of the Georgia National Guard, ordered more than 600 Guardsmen to state active duty over the Labor Day weekend for an unprecedented mission of public safety. The Guardsmen, representing 8 | The Georgia Guardsman

more than 30 units from across the state took to the roads and skies in partnership with the Georgia State Patrol to spread a message of traffic safety and to prevent traffic accidents and deaths associated with increased holiday traffic.

Operation Deathless, as it was called, was conceived by the Governor as a means to prevent 14 predicted traffic fatalities over the holiday weekend. On the ground, more than 100 National Guard Jeeps, prominently adorned with the 12 by 18-inch Operation Deathless sign with two skull and cross-bones logos were positioned to inform and assist motorists.

Photos Courtesy of: 161st Military History Detachment | Georgia Army National Guard

Guardsmen in radio-equipped jeeps maintained road blocks and observation points at key intersections and highways.

Though Guardsmen had no arresting authority, they provided back up to law enforcement, detained intoxicated drivers and stopped cars with defective headlights. Georgia Guardsmen also delivered 20,000 letters from the governor on motor safety most notably to motorists entering Georgia from neighboring states. The Guardsmen also rendered aid to stranded motorists with flat tires, stalled vehicles and other minor problems.

In addition to the robust ground effort, twenty Georgia National Guard helicopter and fixed wing aircraft also took to the air to advise Georgia State Patrol of reckless drivers. One pilot reported an incident in which a motorist was exceeding the speed of his Cessna L-19 which had a top speed of 100 miles

per hour.

Operating 24 hours a day from 6:00 pm Friday to midnight on Monday, The Georgia Guardsmen worked with State and local law enforcement officials to spread the word about highway safety and to respond to those in need. As a result of their combined efforts traffic fatalities fell well below the predicted level of 14 with only eight lives lost over the long travel weekend.

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National Guard BWC 2018 Story by: Sgt. Shye Wilborn | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

10 | The Georgia Guardsman

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he Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition was held 22-27 July, 2018 in Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. During historic downpours and floods, the Georgia Army National Guard made their fourth appearance at the national level competition.

Fourteen competitors from seven different regions throughout the United States competed for the titles of Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, working to advance to represent the National Guard in the Department of the Army Best Warrior Competition.

Over the last four years, Georgia Army National Guard Soldiers have fought their way to compete at this level. This year, it was Specialist Alexei Joya, an explosive ordnance disposal technician from the Marietta-based 201st Regional Support Group who advanced to the National Competition.

“In Georgia we take pride in training our Soldiers in such a manner that allows them to compete and win at these high levels,” said Georgia Army National Guard Command Sergeant Major Shawn Lewis. “It is an honor having my Soldiers compete at this level for the past four years” The competition was comprised of 16 physically and mentally taxing events, designed to be especially grueling in the final three days. The events included various weapon qualifications, evaluating and evacuating casualties, a six-lane obstacle course, a written exam, an appearance board, a call for fire exercise and a hybrid physical fitness test.

The culminating event of the competition was a 12-mile ruck march through Gettysburg Battlefield. The site, rich with history, provided Soldiers the opportunity to march to the same location where many lost their lives during one of the fatal battles in the Civil War. “Getting the opportunity to ruck through Gettysburg and compete with Soldiers from other states, who were at war with each other 150 years ago, was a once in a lifetime experience,” said Joya. “It shows the brotherhood we created and how far we have come as an Army since those times.”

The competition concluded with South Dakota National Guard’s Spc. Bailey Ruff earning the title of Soldier of the Year and Sgt. Jordy Brewer, Kentucky National Guard, becoming the NCO of the Year.

“Even though I was not victorious at the national level, I was content with my performance because I know I did everything in my power to get where I was.” said Joya.

q3 / 2018 | 11

Georgia Military Funeral Honors returns WWII Vet

Story by: Staff Sgt. R.J. Lannom Jr. | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard During World War II, 23-year-old 2nd Lt. William B. Cox, a B24 Liberator pilot from Cobb County, Ga., assigned to the 403rd Bombardment Squadron, United States Army Air Corps, left the State of Georgia to deploy to the Pacific Theater. He would not return home for 75 years.

In September, the Georgia Army National Guard’s Military Funeral Honors team returned the native Georgian home during a solemn interring ceremony with full military honors at the Marietta National Cemetery in Marietta, Ga. “What a blessing, no country can pay tribute enough to our veterans, the people we put in harm’s way,” said Richard Barrett, Cox’s surviving cousin.

“But it’s fantastic, all of the hard work to return him [to Marietta] with his family.”

On Aug. 31, 1943, Cox’s aircraft crashed into a hillside shortly after takeoff from an airfield at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Mountainous jungle terrain and the condition of the remains made recovery impossible. Cox was buried at the crash site along with 12 | The Georgia Guardsman

12 other crew and passengers. In June 1945, a second search and recovery team traveled to the grave site and discovered additional remains and personal effects of the crew.

The remains were interred in Australia, then transferred to Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri, on Sept. 8, 1949. Due to the condition of the remains, individual identification was not possible and they were interred as a group.

Cox remained interred with his flight crew until DNA testing positively identified him. After identification, the Army returned his remains home for a proper ceremony.

Honoring Cox’s sacrifice and dedication to duty is the responsibility of the Georgia Army National Guard’s Ellenwood-based Military Funeral Team.

“Our job is to render professional and dignified military funeral honors following service tradition,” said Sgt. 1st Class Michael S. Deeds, Military Funeral Honors noncommissioned officer in charge. “All Veterans have the opportunity to receive the honors they deserve.”

Photos by: Staff Sgt. Rob Lannom Jr. | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

The Ga. National Guard’s MFH has conducted over 4,000 funeral and honor guard missions in the last 24 months and supports approved military funeral requests for all of the Army’s components whether active, reserve or National Guard.

It also performs all funerals for active duty personnel from Fort Benning, Fort Stewart and Fort Gordon.

Before closure, the MFH conducted funeral support for Fort McPherson and Fort Gillem.

“Military Funeral Honors are a part our Army culture to honor, with dignity and respect, those who have served and sacrificed to protect the freedoms we enjoy in this great country,” said Georgia Army Guard Commander, Brig. Gen. Randall V. Simmons. “We are very proud of our Georgia Army National Guard Military Funeral Honors team and honored they can participate in these ceremonies.”

Georgia’s MFH is often the closest many civilians get to military personnel. The unit is keenly aware of its responsibility to be the standard bearer for professional appearance and conduct.

“Our Soldiers view this as a sacred duty, not a job, and the Army Values are evident on and off duty,” said

Deeds. “Our Soldiers are typically among the best in their units.”

Thirty Ga. National Guardsmen from across the state comprise the MFH at the unit’s three locations in Ellenwood, Canton and Macon. They also perform approximately 200 funeral missions a month as well as Honor Guard ceremonies for numerous functions representing the U.S. Army from national level events to local community engagements.

“We are the last thing the family sees,” said Staff Sgt. Maynard Parrish, Military Funeral Honors member.

“To me, that is the greatest honor we can do for that family.”

The effort to recover, identify and honor the remains of our fallen fulfills our nations promise to always to bring our service members home. The amount of dedication over 75 years and thousands of miles to bring William Cox home from the other side of the world reflects our nation’s commitment to ensuring no one is left behind; no one is forgotten.

“With the continued advancements in identifying our fallen heroes from past wars, the Military Funeral Honors we provide will finally give closure to the families,” said Simmons. q3 / 2018 | 13

By: Chaplain Maj. Spencer Haygood | Chaplain Commander |Georgia State Defense Force

I read an interesting piece a while back talking about SEAL training. The rigors that SEALs go through begin the very day they walk into BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL) training in Coronado, Calif. BUD/S lasts a grueling six months. The incoming classes include large numbers of high-school and college track and football stars, national-champion swimmers, and top-ranked wrestlers and boxers, yet only 10-20 percent of them will manage to finish.

And what kind of Soldier makes it through? That’s hard to say definitively. But one former Navy SEAL said in the article: “I do know— generally—who won’t make it. There are a dozen types who fail: the weight-lifting meatheads who think that the size of their biceps is an indication of their strength … the preening” prima donnas “who don’t want to get dirty, and the look-at-me former athletes who have always been told they are stars…. In short, those who fail are the ones who focus on show.”

But some, he says, … “who seemed impossibly weak at the beginning of SEAL training—men who puked on runs and had trouble with pull-ups—they made it. Some … who were skinny and short and whose teeth chattered just looking at the ocean made it. Some … who were visibly afraid, sometimes to the point of shaking, made it.”

And almost all who survived possessed one common quality—one that’s not in the list of things that come to mind when you think of Navy SEALS. This former SEAL said: “Even in great pain, faced with the test of their lives, they had the ability to step outside of their own pain, put aside their own fear and ask: ‘How can I help the guy next to me?’ They had more than … physical strength. They also had a heart large enough to think about others, and to dedicate themselves to a higher purpose.”

Selflessness is the fundamental, the core characteristic that’s needed for everything else, not just in your service, but in all of life. The very fact that you in the military testifies to a public-spirited, altruistic quality in you, and I want to encourage you to nurture that. Develop it.

Strengthen it! And help one another do that. It’ll define and enrich and empower our service together!

Some of you, I know, are truly men and women of the Christian faith. And the Christian faith, in its practical outworking, is a mighty call to selfless sacrifice and service. The first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength. And the second is like it, to love your neighbor as yourself. And that involves denying yourself—and, really, dying to self every day.

The thing to avoid, at all cost, is this pervasive sort of hyper-personalized living that’s absorbed with self above all (called selfism)—what I feel, what I like, what I want, what I can get, my needs first. And let me tell you, if you want to be miserable, just do this—just think all the time about what you want, and what you like, and how people ought to be treating you, and you’ll spoil everything you touch, you’ll make misery for yourself out of everything good, and you can be as wretched as you like. Or, you can live out of a heart large enough!

These are strange days. The fight is on, and I’m saying to you: “Get in the fight!” Fight not just to be good soldiers in this service to our state and nation, but fight the good fight of the faith! Endure, persevere, never give up, see the mission through to the end, and have a heart large enough to think about others first, and dedicate yourself to, sacrifice yourself for, a higher purpose! Such is certainly what the grace of God works in the lives of all who truly believe.

I hope at the end, when my summons comes, that I’ll be able to say with Mr. Valiantfor-truth in Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress: “I am going to my Father’s house; and though with great difficulty I have gotten where I am, yet now I am not sorry for all the troubles I have had to get here. My sword I give to him who shall succeed me in my pilgrimage, and my courage and skill to him who can get it. My marks and scars I carry with me, to be a witness for me that I have fought His battles, who will now be my rewarder.” May that be your end, too! Until then, “ Stay alert, stand firm in the faith, show courage, be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16.13).

May those who come behind us find us faithful!

14 | The Georgia Guardsman

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q3 / 2018| 15

Operation Noble Partner 2018

Story by: Staff Sgt. R.J. Lannom Jr. | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

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ilitaries from four nations participated in the first helicopter troop insertion exercise

by Georgian Special Operation Forces at the Vaziani Training Area, Georgia on Aug.6, 2018. The exercise included the U.S. Army, U.S. Army National Guard, Ukrainian Infantry Marines and mechanized infantry from the German Bundeswehr.

This training evolution is one of many during Noble Partner 18. It is a Georgian and U.S. Army Europe-led exercise in its fourth iteration. The exercise is intended to support and enhance Georgian, participating nations, regional partners and U.S. readiness and interoperability during a multinational operation.

“We had a great training scenario today with the host nation of Georgia,” said Georgia Army National Guardsman, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Joseph J. McNamara, UH-60 pilot, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment,

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Marietta, Ga. “Along with the host nation of Georgia, we operated with Georgian Special Forces to conduct an infiltration and exfiltration of a high-value target.”

Units from the German 391st Panzergrenadier Battalion and cavalry scouts from the Vilseck based Headquarters Company, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment secured the landing zone before four UH-60 Black Hawks inserted the Georgian Special Forces and Ukrainian Infantry Marines.

“Through combined arms cohesion of international units, we were able to operate together.” said 1st Lt. Brad Staby, scout platoon leader, Headquarters, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment.

Noble Partner is crucial in that it provides leaders at all levels the opportunity to exercise their staffs in command and control, execution of combined planning and complex joint operations, maneuver mission planning and movement.

“Working in a multinational environment offers challenges,” said McNamara. “But, with the host country Photos by: Staff Sgt. Rob Lannom Jr. | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

“Through combined arms cohesion of international units, we were able to operate together.” doing a wonderful job of ensuring we have everything that we require to conduct our mission sets safely and effectively, they have been fantastic.”

The joint exercise between the Georgia Guardsmen and the country of Georgia also marked the most complex military training they have performed in their 24 years of working together under the U.S. National Guard’s State Partnership Program.

The program, under the Department of Defense for security cooperation and global engagement, has 65 partnerships around the world to promote access, enhance military capabilities, improve interoperability and enhance the principles of responsible governance.

Noble Partner 18 continue with additional multinational training scenarios until closing ceremonies on Aug. 15.

q3 / 2018 | 17

Historic Firsts for Georgia

Story by: Maj. Pamela Stauffer | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Air National Guard

For the first time in Georgia Air National Guard history, two spouses held the highest ranking enlisted position, one being a command chief, at the same time.

Command Chief Master Sgt. Rodney Jenkins entered military service in 1988 and pinned on Chief Master Sergeant in 2014. At the start of his career, he was assigned to the 165th Mission Support Group as a personnel specialist.

Numerous assignments, deployments and accomplishments later, he held two superintendent positions and then his current command chief position at the same wing in 2016.

Chief Master Sgt. Gequetta Jenkins, is an air control and warning technician by trade from the 117th Air Control Squadron at Hunter Army Air Field in Savannah. Air Control and Warning technicians manage and operate systems that involve electronic warfare, surveillance, data link management, and identification and weapons control. In a deployed environment, they talk to aircrew who may be engaged in live combat operations. In 2017, then Senior Master Sgt. Jenkins was named Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the year and subsequently pinned on her eighth stripe.

“As a testament to both airmen as spouse this is quite an accomplishment as only one percent of the enlisted grade ever make the rank of Chief Master Sergeant and then to have two in one family,” said Command Chief Master Sgt. Reginald McPherson. “As the State Command Chief I always tell our Airmen that ‘As long as you’ve got passion, faith, consistency and a willingness to work hard anything is possible.’’

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Chief Master Sgt. Timothy B. Gaines, loadmaster superintendent, reached a significant milestone in Georgia ANG history by masterfully overseeing the safe loading and off-loading of all C-130 aircraft at the 165th Air Control Wing, reaching 10,000 mishap free flying hours.

Gaines initially entered the military in 1982 at the 2/11 Field Artillery Battery Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. His next assignment was at the 165th Mobile Aerial Port Squadron of the Georgia Air National Guard, where he became a loadmaster. Since, he has been deployed and served as a Joint Airdrop Inspector, Instructor and Evaluations Loadmaster, and Aircrew Scheduler. He earned the rank of Chief Master Sergeant in 2013. “As a former GA ANG C-130 crew chief I can tell you this is an incredible feat to accomplish,” said McPherson. “Only a rare few ever make it to this milestone but Chief Gaines has shown he has the commitment to take it further.”

For the first time in more than 10 years, the 116th Air Control Wing Comptroller Flight, led by Maj. Rebecca M. Burton, was awarded the top Comptroller Flight for fiscal year 2017 out of all 90 Air National Guard flying wings.

“Our team’s willingness to continue to sacrifice time, after three years at full throttle and to answer the call for our wing and for our sister wings in the state of Georgia is a huge undertaking,” explained Burton. “I am so proud to work with a team that continues to set an example and achieve excellence.”

Burton leads the budgeting and money management Photos Courtesy of: Georgia Air National Guard

functions for more than 1,200 people in a Total Force Integration wing construct. Prior to her current position, Burton worked for the 165th ACW in the Equal Opportunity Office and in the Finance Section.

Senior Master Sgt. Roger Parsons, superintendent, 116th Air Control Wing Public Affairs, was the Air National Guard winner of the 2018 Lance P. Sijan award.

For the first time in recent Georgia ANG history, a Public Affairs representative has won the award. According to the Mypers website, the “U.S. Air Force leadership award is named in honor the late Capt. Lance P. Sijan, an Air Force Academy graduate and combat pilot, who was posthumously awarded the medal of honor. The award recognizes the accomplishments of officers and enlisted leaders who demonstrate the highest qualities of leadership in the performance of their duties and the conduct of their lives.” Parsons will go on to compete at the Air Force level.

“Senior Master Sgt. Parsons lives everyday by the Air Force core value of ‘Service Before Self ’,” said 2nd Lt Dustin Cole. “His selfless leadership and relentless drive for continued improvement for himself and those he lead made him the clear choice for and award such as the Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award.”

The 202nd Engineering Installation Squadron’s Tech.

Sgt. Shane McCrainie was also a Lance P. Sijan USAF Leadership Award winner in the Junior Enlisted Category. This is the first time a junior enlisted member in that squadron won the award for the Georgia Air National Guard. McCrainie will also compete at Air Force level.

q3 / 2018 | 19

Blast from the past:

world war I

Story by: Maj. William Carraway | Military Historian | 161st Military History Detachment

Robert Gober Burton The Soldiers of the 151st MGB killed or mortally wounded in action on July 28, 1918: Pfc. Martin Cover, Company D Pvt. David Davis, Company D Pvt Carroll Fanus, Company D Pfc Paul Hearn, Company A Pvt. Aaron Jenkins, Company D Pvt. Thomas Otis Knight, Company A Pvt. James G. Mason, Company B Pvt. Ernest P. McWilliams, Company A Cpl. Martin L. Moore, Company D Pvt George Smith, Company D Pvt Jack Taylor, Company A Pfc. John G. Walter, Company D Pvt. Fred White, Company D Pvt. Melvin Wilson, Company A Pvt Harry Wright, Company D

The Soldiers of the 151st MGB killed or mortally wounded in action on July 29, 1918: Pvt. Robert D. Collins, Company A Pvt. Herman K. Davis, Company A Cpl. Frank Enters, Company A Pvt. Clifford Phillips, Company A Cpl. Calvin C. Climer, Company B Pvt. Emmett L. Martin, Company B Pvt. James G. Mason, Company C Pfc. Ira A. Wilkinson, Company C Pvt. John Harkcom, Company D The Soldiers of the 151st MGB killed or mortally wounded in action on July 30, 1918: Jesse D. Bridges, Company A Bernard F. Greene, Company A The Soldiers of the 151st MGB killed or mortally wounded in action on July 31, 1918: Pfc. James Guerry, Company B Pvt. Thomas Hollis, Company A

Photos courtesy of Ga. Guard History Archives

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From Croix Rouge to Sergy: Georgia Guard’s Bloodiest Week of WWI Editor’s Note: This article is a condensed summation of three chapters of the Georgia Guard History Blog. For more historic letters, images and original research visit the blog at www.georgiaguardhistory.com

July 19 to July 26, 1918: “A hurricane of fire, small arms, machine guns and artillery.”

With the German offensive in the Champagne region blunted, Marshal Ferdinand Foch was at last able to launch a counter offensive to reduce the Marne salient. Accordingly, attacks by the French and 1st American Division to the west had pushed German forces and isolated those forces along the Marne River where the American 4th and 26 Divisions were also vigorously pressing forward with French divisions. By July 23, the Germans had begun to retire to a new line of defense along the Ourcq River leaving behind enemy machine gun squads and rear-guard units tasked with protecting the German redeployment and harassing the advancing Allies.

Having moved out of the trenches of the Champagne Defensive, the 42nd Division was relieved from the French Fourth Army and assigned to the 1st

American Corps, French Sixth Army.

General Order Number 48 issued July 19, 1918 directed the division to proceed from their positions in the Chalons area and be prepared to participate in the exploitation of the successful counterattack against German positions carried out on July 18.

For the 151st Machine Gun Battalion, the movement from the Champagne Marne positions to Camp Noblotte had been a study in exhaustion. Having lost many of their pack animals to artillery fire the Soldiers were compelled to carry their weapons and ammunition from their positions.

Headquarters and Companies A and B moved with the 167th Infantry Regiment while Companies C and D traveled with the 168th. Accordingly, on the evening of July 21, despite enemy air raids, Headquarters and Companies A and B marched to Coolus where they entrained for Lizy-su-Ourcq.

The next day, Companies C and D marched to Coolus and moved by train to LaFerte, arriving on the morning of July 24.

On the evening of July 24, the Soldiers were loaded onto trucks for an all-night

trip over rough terrain to Epieds. Jostled all night, the men had no chance to sleep and, upon arriving, had to unload all their equipment and march to their encampments while carrying all their gear. The men of the 151st made the approach march from Epieds under fire in the rain while carrying their equipment and ammunition. Enemy fire struck an ammunition cart being pulled

by Cpl. Julius Lyons of Company D killing him and wounding Pvts. Benjamin Keenen, Sylvester Furlow, Clifford Boden and Henry J. Pearson.

As the 42nd Division neared the front lines, they were without guides and moving blind. Nevertheless, per Field Order Number 24, the 167th and 168th Infantry along with the 151st Machine Gun Battalion assumed a line of battle running east to west with the 167th to the left and the 168th to the right. The 167th placed its 1st and 3rd battalions into the line with the 2nd Battalion in support. Company B, 151st Machine Gun Battalion would move in support of 3rd Battalion while the regimental machine gun company would support the first battalion. The regiments completed their passage of lines through the units of the 26th Division on the evening of July 25 with the French 39th Division on their right and the French 167th Division on their left.

The next day, the 42nd assumed responsibility for the front occupied by the 167th. Their mission would be to push forward and facilitate the forward movement of the 39th Division in their advance. At 3:40 p.m. on July 26, the units of the 42nd Division received their warning order to commence the attack at 4:50 p.m.

Standing athwart the axis of advance of the 42nd Division was the Croix Rouge Farm, a formidable structure composed of a walled stone farm house and associated outbuildings defended by the German 23rd Infantry Division and 10th Landwehr Division. The Croix Rouge farm house was surrounded by open terrain into which the Germans set up interlocking fields of fire for their 8 mm machine guns. So well prepared were the Germans for the defense that trees at the periphery of the woods had been

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marked by paint at waist height to facilitate German targeting.

Thick woods in the vicinity of the Croix Rouge Farm would negate the ability of machine guns to provide supporting fire to the advance, thus, the machine gunners of the 151st would advance with the attacking infantry forces.

The Iowa National Guard Soldiers of the 168th Infantry Regiment advanced to the right with the first battalion in the lead.

To their left, the 167th Infantry Regiment of Alabama National Guard Soldiers advanced with the 1st and 3rd battalions on line.

In his post-war diary, Walter Binford, A corporal in Company B of the 151st recalled the attack on the Croix Rouge Farm.

“We crossed the road and entered the woods to be greeted by a hurricane of fire, small arms, machine guns and artillery. We continued advancing, crossing two trenches and reached the edge of the woods. In the middle of an open field lay La Croix Rouge Farm. After a moment to gather our bearings, we started on the charge to the Farm. The moment we left the woods, a barrage was laid between us and the Farm and machine guns played on us. We got to the wall of the Farm yard, which was occupied by the enemy and could not get in, so we sat down with our backs to the wall, catching our breaths, when one of our shells hit the wall and blew a hole in it. We dashed through the hole and came face to face with the enemy. One soldier put

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his rifle to shoot me and I fell to the ground, the bullet went through my shoulder. I rolled over, and drew my pistol, took a shot at him and missed.

He fired at me again but missed and ran over to bayonet me. I emptied my pistol at him hitting him just in the “nick of time”. The remainder of the enemy ran to the woods on the other side of the Farm and the Farm yard belonged to us. We set up our machine guns at various vantage points. I took my gun out of the Farm yard and put it along a hedgerow and opened fire on an artillery piece that was firing at us from the edge of the woods. We were so close to him that he could not lower the gun enough to hit us and the shells were bursting behind us. Man after man fell, either killed or wounded, until there were only a handful left on their feet.”

While Binford and his platoon moved with the assault force, Sgt. Paul Bryants Minter, a section leader in Company B had established his two machine guns to provide supporting fire for 167th Infantry Regiment. Minter led his section forward, selected firing positions and personally positioned both of his guns then proceeded to direct fire amidst a hail of machine gun and artillery fire. Minter continued to direct the fire of his section until he was killed. He would posthumously receive the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions becoming the only one of 36 members of the 151st MGB nominated for the DSC to receive it.

The 151st MGB suffered six casualties in the assault on Croix Rouge Farm. In addition to Binford, Pvt. Will Br yant, Pfcs. Frank Burnett and Howell T. Whit ing and Supply Sgt. Arthur Peavy of Company B were wounded. Casualties would likely have been much higher, but many of the exhausted machine gunners, laboring under the weight of their equipment through uneven wooded terrain were unable to keep up with the advancing infantry and were thus unable to effectively bring their guns to bear on the objective. Meanwhile, the attacking infantry regiments suffered terribly. More than 65

percent of the 1st Battalion 167th fell in the assault, and the 1st and 3rd Battalions combined could barely muster a single battalion’s strength.

With the Croix Rouge Farm strong point in American hands, the Germans withdrew the last of their elements to their Ourcq River line on the evening of July 2627.

July 27-28, 1918: “Kill or Be Killed” – Crossing the Ourcq

Following ferocious combat to secure the Croix Rouge Farm, German forces withdrew north to prepared defenses on the north bank of the Ourcq River. The companies of the 151st Machine Gun Battalion, moving with their supported infantry units followed, encountering little resistance along the way. Moving north through the wooded terrain of the Bois de Fer, the Soldiers reached Villers sur Fere about one kilometer south of the Ourcq River which meandered in a southeasterly direction.

If you were to stand on the northern outskirts of Villers sur Fere and look to the east, you would behold a view very similar to that which confronted a Soldier of the 151st MGB one hundred years ago. Open fields of freshly-harvested wheat extend perhaps 1,500 meters to the northeast before a southeasterly running row of trees betrays the location of the Ourcq. The river itself is not imposing, at places not much more than a trickling stream. To the north and east, the terrain begins gentle rise over a distance of

two kilometers. Halfway between the River and the heights dominating its crossing is the village of Sergy, a village of perhaps 300 residents. Rising beyond Sergy, the terrain culminates at a bowl-shaped prominence.

Hill 212, as the high ground was designated, rose a full 200 feet above the Ourcq River crossing site. This heavily defended German strong point would pose a deadly challenge to the attacking American Soldiers.

The 42nd Division commenced the crossing of the Ourcq River at daylight on July 28th. Corporal Robert Gober Burton, writing after the war, described the assault.

“Long before dawn word was passed to be up and ready to move. So, everyone was up and ready to go about his job of kill or be killed. When the first faint streaks of light lit the sky, we moved forward to the attack.

The first thing we did was discard all blankets and equipment except your reserve rations.

This done, we moved out close on the flanks of the attacking wave. On the banks of the Ourcq the fighting became pretty hot and the Infantry went to it with the bayonet.

Slowly but surely the Dutch gave up their precious crossing of the Ourcq to the reckless bravery of the American doughboys. It was here that we lost our first men in action during the whole of the five months that we had been in the line we had not lost a man killed.

Corp. Frank Enters and gunner Paul

Hearn, two of the best men in the Battalion were the first to go.”

First Lt. Vivian Roberts, a platoon leader in Company A, 151st MGB recalled the attack.

“At daylight, July 28th we learn from a patrol which had been out, that the enemy had fallen back during the night. We leap frog the battalion then in line and advance by platoons in formation against heavy infantry fire. It was during this advance that a “whiz bang” killed Corporal Enters and Private Paul Hearn Jr. and seriously wounded Private Anderson.”

Moving for ward under the same barrage of enemy artillery fire was Pvt. Kenneth Cross of Company C, 151st MGB. In a post-war application for disability, Cross recalled: “Just beyond the east bank of the (Ourcq) River, while advancing, a high explosive hit twenty-five feet to my right hurling a lump of solid earth against my right knee.”

Cross later stated that he had refused medical treatment for his injury.

“Owing to heavy loss in our company I would have been terribly criticized for running away when men with flesh wounds were staying.”

Despite enemy resistance, the men of the 151st MGB were able to establish firing positions. Cpl. Walter Binford of Company B, who had been wounded in the engagement at Croix Rouge Farm recalled

the advance.

“Overlooking Sergy was a hill, known as 212. We captured the hill and attacked the town. After desperate street fighting, we drove the enemy out, but before he could organize, a counter attack drove us out and the enemy retook the town. During the day this happened nine times. About the fourth attempt the Germans counter attacked and were coming up Hill 292 and I caught a company with my machine gun and forced them to stop their advance.”

Mov ing for ward w it h Binford’s Company B in support of the 167th Infantry Regiment was Company A of the 151st MGB. Roberts continues his narrative.

“I was then ordered to take my platoon forward and drive back the machine guns that were holding up our advance. We realized that many of us would not return so we stripped down as light as possible leaving our packs and canteens and only carrying our gas masks, arms and ammunition. I then went forward with the first two guns and crawled to the right front and sent Sgt. Grant forward to the left front with the other two guns.”

During the confusion of the advance, the units of Company A and B intermingled as related by Binford: “While firing on (a German) company back of the hedge row, an officer and a platoon of (Company A) up and wanted me to go down back of the hedge row and fire on

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the town in preparation of the next attack. I told him that the Germans were back of the hedge row, but he would not believe me and took his platoon down there.”

Roberts relates further the actions of his platoon.

“About 200 yards away were five or six Germans who seemed to have a machine gun; several of them raised their rifles and took a pot shot at me. I ducked and heard the bullets singing over my head. I was standing near one of the nests they had previously occupied. It consisted of three square holes about three feet deep neatly camouflaged by wheat straw… As we reached the crest of the hill, instead of the five or six Germans I had been firing upon, a solid line of Germans arose stretching all across the hill. Machine guns opened up on us from the woods on the right and from the church steeple and buildings from the little village of La Ferte on our left, pouring a terrific fire into our ranks.

Hearing a groan at my side I turned and saw little F. H. Dent from Macon, his shirt on fire; a bullet had struck a clip of cartridges in his belt, exploding them, setting his shirt on fire as well as badly wounding him. I put the fire out, gave him first aid and sending him to the rear took his rifle… A German plane swooped down over our line strafing, mowing down it seemed about every sixth man in our line. A bullet struck me in my right thigh breaking the bone and passing on through the leg and lodging in the lower leg… I asked two infantrymen to carry me back. They tried to do it but as my right leg was dangling giving

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me so much pain and bullets were singing all around us I asked them to put me in a shell hole and make their escape.”

While Roberts had been delivered to the relative safety of a shell hole, Binford continued to advance.

“I was standing, talking to a friend by the name of Little, when a shell burst right over the gun, hit me twice in the right arm, severely wounding Little and killing two men directly behind me. As I struggled to get up, another shell burst right over me, killing Little and severely wounding me with a piece in my lung. The tide of battle swept over me, part of the time I was surrounded by the enemy and part by the Americans.”

As the day wore on, Roberts found himself surrounded by the enemy.

“I was in such pain and hearing footsteps on the edge of the shell hole I looked up and found four Germans looking down at me.

One of them spoke to me in French asking me if I was badly wounded. He sat down on the edge of the shell hole and began to talk to me, the other three going on further down the hill to snipe on our boys… Just about dark, it began to drizzle rain and the German who had been talking to me came back and taking his blanket from his pack, tucked it around me, telling me he would be back at ten o’clock that night to take me back.”

Roberts would spend the rest of the war in a prisoner of war camp in Germany.

Meanwhile, Binford’s fortunes were somewhat better.

“Finally, the stretcher bearers got to me and started carrying me off the field. As I was being carried off, a German aviator flying up and down our lines, spraying us with his machine gun, waved to me. When I got to the field dressing station they gave me anti-tetanus serum and put four of us in an ambulance to the evacuation hospital.

Two died on the way. After a nightmare of a ride, we arrived at the evacuation hospital.

There they operated on me and took out the bullets. When I came out of the ether, the bullets were tied in a little bag at my wrist, which I intended to keep as a souvenir. The

next afternoon I was put on a hospital train and started to the base hospital to be nursed back to health.”

With Roberts and Binford out of action, Burton resumes the narrative: “Time after time, six to be exact, the doughboys hurled themselves on an unbroken line of machine guns. The little village of Sergy changed hands six times in that one short day. The seventh time it was taken at the point of the bayonet and held.

During all the while an aeroplane had been circling overhead and raking us with machine guns. The most demoralizing thing in the world.

Advancing as far as was possible and to a terrace on Hill (212) we dug in and prepared to beat off counter attacks.

During the night, all men stood-too ready for the expected counter attack but it never came. With nothing to eat and water that came from the river which was choked with dead men and horses and the sun beating down it was rather an uncomfortable place.

With the coming of the dawn it was up and over again but those machine guns could not be moved by mere human bravery and again we were held.

A check was made to determine our strength. We had lost 16 men killed and seventy wounded.”

July 29-August 6, 1918: “I Have Been Wounded”

After suffering severe casualties during the July 28, 1918 assault on Hill 212, the 151st Machine Gun Battalion continued to support infantry assaults to dislodge German positions on July 29 and 30.

Rather than employing the machine guns

in support by fire positions, the Soldiers of the 151st MGB were compelled to move forward with the onrushing infantry, a situation lamented by Maj. Cooper Winn, commander of the 151st MGB and machine gun officer of the 84th Brigade.

“In our attack on this hill above Sergy we overlooked again an ideal opportunity to effectively use concentrated machine gun fire.”

Winn had the opportunity to personally explain the advantage of concentrated fire positions utilizing the favorable terrain to Col. Douglas MacArthur, chief of staff of the 42nd Division who had moved forward to personally inspect the terrain. As Winn noted further: “As it was, during the five days we were fighting on the Ourcq River, the only used made of a machine gun was in the defense of the line against counter-attacks attempted by the Germans… It greatly aggravated me not to have been able to take advantage of such a perfect opportunity to employ machine guns with decisive effect. All the more so when the guns of the battalion actually accomplished so little, we suffered a loss of 27 men killed, five died of wounds, 23 gassed and 147 wounded by machine gun fire or shell fire.”

On July 30, Cpl. Robert Burton was leading his squad forward in the vicinity of Sergy. It had been nearly a month since his last letter home to his brother Frank after arriving in the defensive sector near Suippes, France. Fate finally availed Burton

of the opportunity of writing home.

August 2, 1918 Mother Dearest, I know that you have been worried because you haven’t heard from me, but Mother I have been a pretty busy man the last month and a half. But I am still in one piece.

Now listen, I have been wounded but not seriously, so when you see my name in the casualty list don’t think anything about it for I am all OK. I am in the hospital now and well cared for and well fed and am not feeling the least bit bad.

Listen and I will tell you all about it. We were over the top and I was advancing my squad and I was just going to advance again when something picked me up and sat me down about 3 feet from where I was. I didn’t feel any special pain right at the time, so I advanced my squad about 150 yards farther along. I then began to feel a sharp pain in my right arm, but I looked down and I didn’t see any blood and then I began to feel, and I found a hole in my coat sleeve and looking inside my coat I saw a bullet sticking about halfway through my coat. It had gone through the fleshy part of my arm and thru the bible that Auntie sent me and had stopped there.

The bible was all that kept it from going all the way thru. No mama, don’t you worry the least bit about me for I shall be ready to go back to the company in a few days. Just keep sending my mail to the old address.

This is just a note to let you know that I

am OK and for you not to worry.

I don’t know how the other boys from home are. I haven’t seen any of them in two or three days. I think tho that they are OK. Write often.

Your devoted son, Gober Burton had been wounded in action while moving in support of the 167th Infantry Regiment during an advance near Sergy, France. Eleven other Soldiers of the 151st Machine Gun Battalion became casualties on the same day.

While Burton chafed in a hospital writing of his desire to return to the 151st, his comrades continued to press the attack.

As they did so, they were unable to receive food and resupply through their battalion supply chains as they were dependent upon their supported infantry units.

Nevertheless, Pfc. James Guerry heroically volunteered to deliver food to Soldiers at the front lines. While engaged in one such resupply trip on July 31, 1918, Guerry was killed. Also killed was Pvt. Thomas Hollis of Company A. Six members of the 151st were wounded. The battalion would lose an additional five Soldiers to wounds from August 1 to August 3, 1918.

In addition to Pvt. Harkcom and Soldiers killed on July 28, 1918, Company D of the 151st MGB reported 33 Soldiers wounded in action.

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Around the Georgia Guard READY FOR DUTY Georgia Army National Guardsmen await assignment to new units during the Battle Hand-off Ceremony at Fort Stewart, Georgia September 16, 2018. The Battle Hand-off consolidates individual Recruit Sustainment Programs throughout the state.

OPERATION VALIENT SHIELD Airmen from Team JSTARS install engine inlet covers after completing a preflight inspection on an E-8C Joint STARS during exercise Valiant Shield 18 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Sept. 16, 2018.

Valiant Shield 18 is a biennial, U.S.-only, field training exercise with a focus on integration of joint training among U.S. forces in relation to current operational plans.

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2ND NCO INDUCTION COURSE Georgia Army National Guardsman Spc. Ricktavious Anderson, an infantryman with the Cummingbased Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, shoots three rounds down-range during M4 zero qualification during the Noncommissioned Officer Induction Course at Fort Stewart, Ga. on Sept. 21, 2018.

The Soldiers are required to fire six rounds into a tight shot group prior to qualification.

GSDF CREATE OPFOR UNIT Maj. V. Timchenko, commander of the newly established Opposing Force (OPFOR) Battalion, returns the salute of 2nd Lt. Michael Chapman during morning formation at Clay National Guard Center in Marietta, July 15, 2018.

HURRICANE FLORENCE ASSISTANCE Two U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, assigned to the Georgia Army National Guard’s Charlie Company from the 1-185th Aviation Helicopter Battalion, land at McEntire Joint National Guard Base Sept. 26, 2018 to assist with the relief efforts following Hurricane Florence on Sept. 26, 2018. q3 / 2018 | 27

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