128th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
MPAD
The 128th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment (MPAD) maintained a high-operational tempo during FY16 while also focusing on unit recruiting and reintegration from the previous year’s deployment. As part of the commander’s dual intent to keep the 128th MPAD trained and the Utah Guard’s stories recognized, Maj. Choli Ence and 1st Sgt. Brock Jones planned and executed the coverage of the Utah National Guard’s participation in local, national, and international training exercises. That support included the annual Veterans Day Sgt. Scott Wolfe, 128th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, left, interviews a Concert, Military Ball, state competitor at the 2016 state Best Warrior Competition. Best Warrior contest, Panther Strike, and Freedom Academy. provides military service members and emergency first These events, along with an overseas and home-station responders from both countries the opportunity to train annual-training event, made for a productive year. together and share best practices in order to save lives In March, Maj. Ence attended Maghreb Mantlet and mitigate property damage in the event of a real-world 2016, an overseas deployment training exercise held in disaster. Kenitra, Morocco, where she worked with her Moroccan In May, the 128th MPAD sent a public-affairs team counterparts to create media awareness training in support to Camp Guernsey, Wyo., in support of the 65th Field of the Disaster Preparedness Program. The exercise Artillery Brigade’s participation in Operation Gunsmoke, a live-fire exercise consisting of 1,300 Soldiers from six states. The 128th MPAD also sent a team to Denver, Colo., to support the Homeland Response Force during a national-level exercise to provide publicinformation support. In September, the 128th MPAD provided extensive coverage of the Military Ball and Governor’s Day, where the Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Jeff Burton, presented the Patriot Award to Utah Gov. Gary R. Herbert. Stories from these and other Utah Guard events were highlighted in the Minuteman, as well as other military and civilian publications. In a year focused on reintegration and rebuilding the ranks, the 128th MPAD closed FY16 with a change-of-command ceremony, where Maj. Choli Ence relinquished command Members of the 128th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment review a video to Capt. Ryan Sutherland. they produced for the state Best Warrior Competition at Camp Williams. 38 Utah National Guard