VOL . 7 I SSU E 2
M ay 2 0 1 1
lamar county mission Barnesville, GA, April 28, 2011 - Meteorologists had predicted an evening of extremely unstable weather to include potential tornadic activity on Wednesday, 27 April 2011. No one would have suspected that what was to come would go down in history as one of the deadliest series of tornadoes to ever strike the southeastern United States. In Alabama alone, the death toll rose to over 200 people before multiple tornadoes moved into northwestern Georgia at speeds in excess of 60 miles per hour. Several Georgia counties suffered fatalities and storm related injuries as a result of violent wind shears and tornadoes later estimated to be F-3 in category. A week after the damage was done, news affiliates reported that over 350 people had been killed. At approximately 1251 hours a small girl living with her mother in a house in Barnesville, Georgia in Lamar County, got up to use the bathroom. When she got into the bathroom the little girl saw a spider which scared her and caused her to scream. The scream awoke the mother who rushed to the bathroom to investigate but about a minute later the mother later said she heard the roar of a train and both she and the small girl dove into the bathtub to take cover. The tornado subsequently hit the house completely taking it away from its foundation but leaving 3 of the 4 walls of the bathroom and the surviving mother and daughter intact. “Saved by a spider!� commented Nancy Thrush, commissioner of Lamar County to a Georgia State Defense Force soldier who had been called into action. Within 12 hours of the tornado, 1st and 5th Brigades of the Georgia State Defense Force were activated to report to the EOC in Lamar County and
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
from there to the forward reporting station, then to ground zero in the area of Gunter Lane in Barnesville where the tornado had struck the hardest. A cluster of homes belonging primarily to the Gunter family had been blown away by the storms later estimated to be at 167 miles per hour. Two of the residents, an aunt and uncle to active U.S. Army First Sergeant Ernest Gunter, whose parents house and vehicles were eradicated, stated that his parents had been killed in the tornado and that his grandfather, age 95, had been picked up and deposited into a debris field approximately 30 yards away. The grandfather remains in an area hospital at the time of this article. First Sergeant Gunter fought back tears as he expressed his appreciation for the soldiers that converged on his family’s estate in an effort to roadblock looters, turn away spectators and converge on the debris field in an effort to retrieve articles of value from the homes. According to COL Ed Hightower, 1st Bde C.O., an estimated 182 Georgia State Defense Force soldiers rallied to the call with about 160 of them working in Lamar County, 18 in Spaulding County and 4 in Rome, Georgia. The mission commenced on Thursday afternoon 27 April with the first soldier to arrive being from the 3rd Battalion. It concluded on Monday morning, 02 May with the last soldier to leave also from the 3rd Battalion, stated 1LT Sam Kilburn, Executive Officer of the Battalion and its OIC during the protracted mission. LT Kilburn also commented on the dedication of the 21 soldiers who served at ground zero with no facilities, no running water, but with an abundance of energy and enthusiasm. continued on page 3
Big Shanty
911th Award
Welcome Home
page 3
page 4
page 5
WWII Never Forget page 7
Social GSDF page 9
C Commanding General BG Jerry G. Bradford B D During this past month I had the rare opportunity to see the State Defense Force in action on an actual Defense Support to Civil Authority mission that called in to play nearly every facet of our METL. I am D speaking of the operation in support of the tornado torn area in and around Barnesville in Lamar County. sp never been more impressed with the dedication and devotion to duty demonstrated by those inI have h volved than I was at that time. The fact that our ready troops in Floyd County and other places were not vol called in no way diminishes their readiness to serve. In Barnesville, however, we were called. I cannot describe the devastation the tornado brought on the community of Barnesville. I have seen war on the ground, close up and personal and it did not look as bad as what I saw on a hilltop in a small neighborhood on the outskirts of town. Two people died there, but it could have been so much worse. When the call came for response, scores of SDF troops responded. Each of our four standing Brigades were represented in the response force. But this was a total emergency force action from the start. The County CERT team had established the staging area for our troops. They had arranged with the Salvation Army for meals to be not only available at the staging area, but also delivered to the troops in the field. Buses for transport to and from the work area were provided from County resources. The County Sheriff did what he could with limited forces, and then helped us help him when we were needed to man traffic control points and patrol at night against potential looters. At one point in what became a four day operation, we had over 350 non-affiliated civilian volunteers descend on the area wanting to help. The SDF took charge of those volunteers, forming them into manageable squads, assigning a soldier or two for control and a medic for support, briefing them on the tasks they would be assigned, and getting them into the field and to work. And then monitoring them to insure they operated safely, stayed hydrated, and were removed from the field when they were done. Many of our soldiers worked tirelessly around the clock, in some cases, until forced to take a rest. We removed tons of debris to clear roads and driveways to gain access to the worst hit areas. We delivered food and medical care to residents trapped in their homes. I saw soldiers who probably hardly ever do a lot of physical work, manning chainsaw teams for hours at a time. I saw blisters, blood, poison oak rashes, and tears amidst determination to persevere. And I saw a lot of soldiers happy to be doing what they spent all those hours training to do and making a difference. To those soldiers, to those of you who manned the JOC and the SOC for hours on end, and those of you who stood up but were not called, I say thank you. I have never served with better and I am truly honored to be able to serve with you all.
Command Sergeant Major George “Randy” Garrett C When I was asked to put some thoughts together for this issue of “Heads-Up,” my inclination was to write of leadership philosophies and styles, training goals, “memorable” catch phrases, maybe even a little history, comfortable topics that old Command Sergeants Major can rattle off at a moment’s notice (and sometimes be remembered for that same amount of time). I certainly have had the exposure to a lot of those articles and speeches over my 43 years in uniform. But I won’t ... This time, anyway. I have had the distinct honor of knowing, leading, and being led by some great Soldiers during those 43 years. And some of the greatest of those have been my comrades of these last 8 years in the Georgia State Defense Force. Fellow Soldiers, our spirit, work ethic, and willingness to sacrifice for the accomplishment of whatever mission undertaken takes second place to no organization in which I have been involved, military or civilian. Actions during the storm recovery mission in April speak volumes: the Georgia State Defense Force was able to field over 185 personnel representing all our Brigades in storm-ravaged areas of our state, providing aid and support to our neighbors. You worked long hours in difficult and sometimes dangerous conditions. The training received at home station paid off. The old military truism, “We train for war, but pray for peace,” played out fully. I thank those 185 + Soldiers who were able to step up and serve in the disaster area; I thank the 500 members of our great organization that were not deployed for a variety of sound reasons. I know you also were trained and you were ready. I know very well the feeling, the anticipation, the desire to go forward. And the frustration. But circumstances do not always allow us to go forward. But when those circumstances change, when the situation arises, we all will be trained and ready – again. 2
HEADS-UP | May 2011
lamar county mission
continued from page 1
Paralleling LT Kilburn’s comments were First Sergeant Gunter who was amazed at the level of professionalism and helpfulness from so many fellow soldiers, some of who had driven several hundred miles to participate in “Operation Storm 2011”. 1SG Gunter concluded that the incident couldn’t have happened at a much worse time as he is scheduled to deploy this summer to the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade and then onto Afghanistan to continue his 23 year service in the U.S. Army. Story and photo by SFC Ron Cosgrove HQ Co/3rd Battalion/1st Brigade
big shanty festival railroad incident Kennesaw, GA, April 16, 2011 – For the second year in a row, soldiers from the Georgia State Defense Force rescued someone who was stuck on the railroad track as a train was approaching. The GSDF annually serves the community providing medical assistance and traffic control for the Big Shanty Festival in Kennesaw. At approximately 6:45 pm, personnel of 2MEDCO were assembled at the main Aid Station when they heard someone shouting from the direction of the railroad crossing. SSG David Litts, SGT Jason Masters, CPL Greg Hanthorn and I responded. Upon arrival we found a male, 18 years of age, with his right foot stuck in the slot of the railroad track. The young man’s foot appeared to be swollen, probably due to him trying to get it out before we arrived. PFC Hanthorn began cutting his shoe in an effort to release his foot. I was on the ground with him stabilizing the patient’s leg. SSG Litts and SGT Masters were supporting his upper torso to prevent him from falling. While we were attending to the young man, SSG Ken Miller had arrived on scene, called 911 and proceeded down the track waving his arms in an effort to get the train stopped. PFC Hanthorn had succeeded in removing the top of the young man’s shoe; however, his foot remained stuck in the track. Lubricant was used to help to loosen the foot, but it remained stuck. PFC Hanthorn had just started a second cut on the shoe when the crossing arms lowered and the warning bells started ringing.
Heros Honored at Kennesaw City Hall Mayor Mark Mathews and Chief of Police Bill Westenberger awarded Certificates of Appreciation to
Almost immediately we could feel the tracks shaking and could hear the horn from the train. At this point there was no way to determine how fast it was going, how far it was from us, or on which track it would continue. The young man was pleading for us not to leave him. We assured him that we were not going anywhere. Given these unknowns, we made a decision that we needed to move the young man immediately. Since I was already on the ground close to his ankle, I grabbed him around the calf of his leg in an attempt to prevent injury to his knee as well. I pulled his leg while SSG Litts and SGT Masters also pulled while supporting his upper torso to prevent him from falling. We extracted the patient approximately 15 seconds before the train passed our location. The train eventually stopped several hundred yards past where the incident occurred. We moved the patient to a safe location where PFC Hanthorn and SSG Litts began treatment while CPL Byron Hoag acted as a scribe. By this time, other GSDF personnel arrived to provide security. The patient’s right ankle was swollen and may have been dislocated or fractured. No other injuries were visible. We transferred care to EMS and the patient was transported to the hospital. As 1st Sergeant and NCOIC of this Mission, I am very proud of everyone involved in this incident, they did an outstanding job! SSG Robert H. Pilgrim 2nd Medical Company Support BDE
SSG David Litts, SSG Robert Pilgrim, SGT Jason Mathers and CPL Hanthorn for their heroic efforts. Also in the picture are MAJ Jerry Willard and 1LT Mike O’Rear. Photo by 1LT Mike Wilkie
HEADS-UP | May 2011
HEADS-UP | December
3
911th support battalion receives air show awards Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Atlanta, GA, March 6, 2011 - Lt. Col. Tim Martz, Commander of the Air Force’s 94th Security Forces Squadron (94th SFS), awarded soldiers of the 911th Support Battalion and 2nd Battalion/1st Brigade, Certificates of Appreciation for their support of the 2010 Wings Over Atlanta Air Show held at Dobbins Air Reserve Base. The ceremony was held at Hangar 1 at Clay National Guard Center, with troops from the GaARNG 78th Aviation Troop Command also in attendance.The three-day mission consisted of security screening, crowd control and other security functions during the show. This effort was part of the larger GSDF support that also included Medical services. The 911th, augmented by 2nd Battalion of the 1st Brigade, provided a total of 88 soldier-days of service with over 60 soldiers involved. Cpt. Jeff Hatchew, Security OIC and Commander, 911th Force Protection Company noted, “Through intensplanning and remaining flexible, wewere able to execute the mission effectively and created marked improvements from the 2008 show. Overall success was largely driven by security mission NCOIC Staff Sgt. John Derucki who worked tirelessly to continually coordinate GSDF soldiers for each day of the mission.” The 94th SFS went above and beyond to make sure that every GSDF soldier was taken care of properly and provided the families of the mission participants with an opportunity to attend a special VIP showing on the “warm-up” day of the show. On behalf of the 911th, Maj. Allen Vance, Commander, accepted a signed photo of the US Navy Blue Angels team presented by Lt. Col. Martz, since the Blue Angels F/A-18s were among the assets that the GSDF helped protect (see photo). Lt. Col. Martz commented, “Service Before Self is a core Air Force value – and as partners in executing the air show mission, you volunteer soldiers of the GSDF certainly lived that value. I thank you all for your service!” JOB WELL DONE 911th! Story and photos by Sgt. Ron Jones UPAR, 911th Support Battalion, Support Brigade Georgia State Defense Force
LTC Tim Marz and MAJ Allen Vance
911th CHANGE OF COMMAND Colonel Dennis Watts, Commander, Brigade Support Command, conducts the ceremonial passing of the unit colors to the newly appointed Commander, Major Allen Vance, of the reorganized 911th Support Battalion with CSM Randall Cline also present in the ceremony. The Change of Command was held at Building 8, Georgia State Defense Force Headquarters. Story by Sgt. Ron Jones and photo by Sgt. Jim Zegers
4
HEADS-UP | May 2011
Chaplain’s Corner GSDF Command Chaplain on program at Vets Fest for 2011 CH (MAJ) Roger Lanter shown here with CMA and Grammy nominee John Berry back stage at the Southern Vets Fest 2011 held in Adairsville, Georgia on Saturday May 30th. The event is held to raise funds for homeless veterans. This year they also made available funds for local families that are in need due to the recent tornados that had hit our communities. Chaplain Lanter said that he shared with Senator Laudermilk k and others how our GSDF 5th Brigade and other troops across the state had been working tirelessly assisting Georgia families following the storms. Chaplain Lanter was asked to march into the event leading local veterans. He shared a few thoughts in a short speech followed by the open-ing invocation. Chaplain Lanter along with Senator Berry Loudermilk, Country Music Star John Berry and many other state and local leaders spent the day with local veterans from all branches of military service. What Chaplain Lanter said about this event…
Command CH (MAJ) Roger D. Lanter and John Berry
“When I was asked several months ago to help with this event I felt it was something I could not turn down. I was proud to spend time with these veterans and fellowship with local area troops and families. I was privileged to represent our Command General and soldiers of the State Defense Force and Georgia’s entire military chaplaincy. This was a daylong event with gates opening at 10:00 and Closed around 10:00PM. It is important for all our citizens that we not allow our veterans to just fade away and be forgotten. What these men and women have done in service to the nation has provided the freedoms that we all enjoy each day. As we see the nation changing from what it has been and we are all struggling in just about every area in our lives. We look back remembering how our lives had been lived just a few short years ago. John Berry’s song “I want my America Back” was one of the most stirring moments of the evening. He said that he had sat down and wrote this in just a few minutes. That song truly says it all and I would recommend that all our troops take time to hear this powerful song. It can be played on the John Berry web page http://johnberry.musiccitynetworks.com. I look forward to working this event again next year. I have several other public events scheduled and hope to see America have its spirit rise once again even in these most difficult times. I am very proud of our GSDF Soldiers and the dedication each of you are showing to our citizens in this very challenging time. I thank you and may God Bless America!”
Third Battalion Participates in Welcome Home for Wounded Marine Winder, GA – After departing McCollum airport in Kennesaw and travelling flag-lined streets, the motorcade transporting Marine Corporal Todd Love to his Acworth homecoming celebration was greeted by the salutes of the Georgia State Defense Force. The Georgia State Defense Force provided assistance to the Acworth Police Department for the welcome home celebration of the 20 year old Marine on 09APR11. Area Control Points were identified and manned by soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, GSDF, throughout the duration of the ceremony. “It was an honor to participate in the welcome home of Corporal Love”, said Major Mike Hayden, Commander of the 3rd Battalion. Love, a Marine with the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, B Company, stationed at Camp Pendleton, California, was severely wounded last October when an IED exploded while he was in Afghanistan. He lost both of his legs and part of his left arm, but not his spirit. “I was up front with the minesweepers searching for explosives and… I found them. I guess that’s the easiest way to put it.” He greeted every guest who lined up to meet him with a handshake or salute. Also providing crowd/event control and traffic assistance, the 3rd was among hundreds of supporters including residents, friends, members of the Wounded Warrior Project, Patriot Freedom Riders, Sons of the American Revolution, Marine Corps League, and Young Marines on hand to celebrate the return home of Corporal Love. Story and photo by PV2 Lisa Kennedy HQ Co/3rd Battalion/1st Brigade
HEADS-UP | May 2011
HEADS-UP | December 2010
5
A message from the G3, COL Lee Martin On 3 April, the first Command and Staff Course (CSC) of the Georgia State Defense Force, facilitated by the GSDF Schools Battalion, graduated sixteen officers. The year-long course is required for officers aspiring to be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and above. The curPhoto by Sgt Goodelman riculum, which focuses on leadership at the Battalion and Brigade level, prepares company and field grade officers for higher-level leadership roles as commanders and senior staff officers. The course culminated in a Staff Training Exercise in the last residential which provided the students opportunities to apply the knowledge and skills learned during the course. Each student performed exceptionally as members of a team as well as on an individual basis. Major W. Brad Bryant received the Most Distinguished Graduate award as both MAJ Dave Hawkins and CPT Michael Ray were selected as the Most Improved Graduates. Command Class Cadre
Class
DIV CHIEF, Schools ………......... COL Lee Martin Class Facilitator .......................... MAJ Lori Hall Admin Officer .............................. LTC Lan Skalla Staff Group Leader ..................... COL Dirk Daube Staff Group Leader ..................... COL Don Hanna Staff Group Leader ..................... COL Lee Martin Staff Group Leader ..................... COL Drew Peake Student Group Leader ................ LTC Lan Skalla Student Group Leader ................ MAJ Sam Peng Student Group Leader……………MAJ Allen Vance Student Group Leader……………MAJ Eddie Williams
LTC SOL A. (Lan) Skalla MAJ W. Brad Bryant MAJ Timothy A. Bumann MAJ Robert Peter Catlin III MAJ Lorenzo Combs MAJ Dave Hawkins MAJ James M. Hayden MAJ Chet Heidl MAJ Donald E. Henderson MAJ Samuel S. Peng MAJ Allen Vance
MAJ Eddie E. Williams MAJ Lynwood E. Yates CPT Vereen Alexander CPT William E. Pamplin CPT Michael C. Ray
Soldier Funeral in Woodstock Nearly 1,000 people, mostly strangers, stood guard outside the funeral services of Spc. Gary L. Nelson III of Woodstock including COL Hightower, 1LT O’Dwyer, SSG Scruggs, and 1LT Wilkie. Nelson was killed in Iraq by injuries sustained in a non-combat incident, the Department of Defense announced. The 20-year-old was serving on his first deployment, assigned to the 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. The human buffer zone was formed to keep potential protesters from disturbing the ceremony. 6
Photo by 1LT Mike Wilkie
MAJ Brad Bryant held a lunch and learn presentation on the GSDF’s Mission Capabilities to Cobb County Sheriff Neil Warren and his staff. HEADS-UP | May 2011
TRAINING WITH THE GEORGIA NATIONAL GUARD 124th MPAD C CLAY NATIONAL GUARD CENTER, Marietta, GA, April 17, 2011 – IIn the sweltering heat of the Georgia summer or the extreme heat of the Afghanisstan battlefield, properly trained soldiers can help prevent injury or death by beiing knowledgeable about first aid for sun or heat injuries. Knowing the warniing signs of sun or heat injuries and knowing the differences in the symptoms oof the injuries is the crucial first step in rendering the proper first aid to a victim, w whether that victim is a fellow soldier or a civilian encountered on a mission. The first aid procedure for heat related injuries like heat exhaustion or heatstroke was T oone of the morning briefings given to soldiers when the Georgia National Guard’s 1124th MPAD invited members of the GSDF PAO to drill with them. Cpt. Creed, Sgt. Smith, Sgt. Zegers, Sgt. LeMay, Sgt. Jones and Pvt. Hayes attended the Sunday drill. S After the 0730 formation, training briefs A where given by the soldiers and NCOs of w tthe 124th MPAD. In addition to performiing first aid for heat injuries, briefing topiics included the 9 line MEDEVAC request, administering first aid for burns, use of the new Emergency Trauma Bandage, and battlefield carry techniques used to transport a casualty. Public affairs mission specific training briefs were also given covering an effective print product, enhancing digital photographs, military history, and how news is delivered and consumed in the modern media. Story by PV2 Allan Hayes. Photos by Sgt Jim Zegers Public Affairs Representative, HCC PAO
WORLD WAR II REMEMBERED Peachtree City, GA, April 30, 2011 - The serenity of Peachtree City was broken this past weekend with the sounds of gunfire, planes, and tanks rumbling around as if thrown back in time to World War II. On 30 April and 01 May, exhibitors, reenactors, and veterans gathered at Peachtree City’s Falcon Field Regional Airport for the annual World War II Heritage Days event presented by the Dixie Wing of the Commemorative Air Force. The goal of the Commemorative Air Force is to honor the service of American soldiers through the preservation of vintage warbird aircraft from World War II. Members of the Georgia State Defense Force were also on hand to provide security and to promote the mission of the GSDF by actively recruiting new members. This event, which attracts historical reenactors and veterans from all over the country, is put on to educate the public about the service and sacrifice made by America’s “Greatest Generation” to ensure the world’s freedom from tyranny. This year’s event consisted of numerous exhibitors all displaying memorabilia from the World War II era, a recreation of a period USO show, weapons demonstrations, historical recreations of life in camp, on the homefront, and on the front lines of World War II. In addition both days saw reenactments of battles between Allied and Axis forces both in Europe and in the Pacific Theatre. Numerous World War II veterans were also on hand talking about their service and personal experiences during World War II. HEADS-UP | May 2011
CPL E Eric i T Tedder, dd SSG Al Alan Baker and SGT Richard LeGrand in the period correct uniforms of the U.S. Army and the Georgia State Guard, predecessor of the Georgia State Defense Force. Story by CPL Eric Tedder. Photo by CPLChris Alasa
HEADS-UP | December 2010
7
A note of gratitude from a little girl on Grove St. given to CW2 Long
Thanks to all the GSDF soldiers who helped out with the Lamar mission, there are too many to mention here. But you know who you are, what a team effort! HOOAH!! 8
HEADS-UP | May 2011
WE’VE GONE SOCIAL!!! If you are not already a friend on Facebook, please join us where news and events will appear first. Click to join the GSDF Facebook Group, http:// www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_54142402264. And now we’ve launched a channel on You Tube too! We plan on using it for recruiting and training purposes. So if you can video your training, contact SGT Jim Zegers at zegersgsdf@gmail.com Go to www.youtube.com/user/GSDF2011 and subscribe today.
SGT Goodelman's Health Tip of the Month B Being safe and healthy takes commitment, but it doesn’t h have to be time-consuming, boring, or painful. A lot of tthings are so simple and take so little time, that you’ll w wonder why you’ve been avoiding them. You can gain rrewards just by taking small steps to prevent injury and ill illness. You won’t necessarily “see” the rewards, such as the extra pounds you didn’t gain, the high blood pressure you didn’t get, the emergency room visit you leave behind. That’s a wonderful thing! Find out what you can do in just five minutes or less to make a difference to your safety and health, and take action! Some things even take less than a minute. Here is a sample of things you can do to help protect family and yourself: • Wash hands (20 seconds) • Buckle up (4 seconds) And remember “Click It or Ticket!” • Test smoke alarms (10 seconds per alarm) and change the battery when we change from Standard to Daylight savings time • Eat healthy (2 minutes to make a salad) • Take the stairs (2 minutes to walk two flights) • Make an appointment (2 minutes)
PFC Saltkill and PVT Burton of the 1st Medical Company/ Decon Platoon are practicing their skills on SGT Jim Zegers of the Public Affairs HQ office. The Medical Decon Platoon of the 1st Medical Company assignment is to turn victims into patients. When called upon to help in a disaster, the 1st Medical Company can integrate into a Civilian or Military mission to help victims in need. Photo by Sgt Goodelman
Also, find out what things may take more than five minutes, but are well worth the time, including being active and planting your own garden.Take a few minutes to help make yourself and your family healthier and safer.
RECRUITING NEWS
HEADS official newsletter of HEADSUP UPisisthe the offi cal newsletter of the Georgia State Force The Georgia StateDefense Defense Force GSDF PUBLIC AFFAIRS HQ
Volunteers needed for Role Playing mission in July at Clay National Guard Center. Lunch, housing and clothes will be provided. Contact CPT Bill Glisson at recruiting@gasdf.com UPCOMING RECRUITING EVENT Military History Through the Ages at the Southern Museum in Kennesaw on Saturday, May 14th and Sunday, May 15th Members who would like information on scheduling and conducting recruiting activities should contact CPT Bill Glisson at recruiting@gasdf.com. HEADS-UP | May 2011
Submit articles & photos to Cpt Andy Creed at andrew_creed_jr@hotmail.com or Sgt Jim Zegers at zegersgsdf@gmail. com. Articles are intended for publicizing unit missions, activities and events and to highlight GSDF members. Provide details: date, time, location and a brief description. Photos are encouraged. Photos with GSDF personnel should include the rank and full name of the person(s). Provide a point of contact and phone number or email address with any submissions.
HEADS-UP | December 2010
9