First Friday briefing [Jan. 7, 2000]

GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FIRST FRIDAY BRIEFING JANUARY 7, 2000
Y2K Preparation Key to Uneventful New Years
As the clock stroked midnight on December 31, Lt Col George Blake, and others who had worked throughout the year to stave off the "millennium bug," breathed a sigh of relief and congratulated his fellow Y2K watchers. Many of the frightening scenarios for which Blake, who was the Georgia National Guard Y2K project officer, and others had prepared for proved to be unnecessary as the nation ushered in the New Year with little or no problems.
"We planned for Y2K in exactly the same manner as we do for other national disasters like floods, tornadoes, hurricanes or any other emergencies that may effect the State, " said Lt Col Blake, who works in the Directorate of Joint Operations. Should emergencies have developed or local situations required National Guard assistance during Y2K, Blake said National Guard resources were ready to respond with everything that we had.
More than 100 Georgia Army National Guardsmen from the 190th and the 178th Military Police Companies were on duty at their armories in Kennesaw and Monroe. Plans had been made earlier in the year for these units to switch their normally scheduled drill weekend to the first of January. In Savannah, two C-130 crews were on standby at the 165th Airlift Wing. Across the state more than 150 other Georgia Guardsmen were on duty manning EOCs and supporting the operation. The operation also included establishing and testing a highly reliable high frequency (HF) backup communications network using Georgia National Guard communications assets that could be used to contact units if normal communications failed.
Just as important was the success of internal Y2K efforts as the new century began. Across the board, internal PCs, security systems and other computer-reliant operations continued to hum along with no major problems, thanks to the efforts of the Information Technology Division (of DSRM) and the members of the statewide Y2K committee.
As the glass ball and Peach dropped in Times Square and Atlanta, and few, if any, glitches occurred around the world

from the millennium bug, it was Georgia DoD and National Guard members who had labored throughout the year who fully realized the significance of an uneventful entrance into the next century. To the many Georgia soldiers and airman on duty for Y2K across the state, we extend both Happy New Year and thanks for a job well done!
2000 JACC is scheduled for 18-20 February at St. Simons
Senior leaders throughout the Georgia Department of Defense should mark their calendars for 18-20 February for the Joint Annual Commanders' Conference. This year's meeting will be held at Sea Palms Hotel and Conference Center on St. Simons Island with the opening session scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18. Attendance at the annual conference is by invitation and will include all commanders (battalion/GSU and higher) administrative officers (battalion and higher), primary staff officers at the Army, Air and SDF state headquarters, Georgia DOD directors, and other senior leaders. All Sergeants Major (Army and SDF) and Chief Master Sergeants (Air) are also invited and will attend a joint E-9 conference in conjunction with the JACC. Initial invitation letters have been distributed. Registrations forms and other details will be mailed within the next week. For information, contact 2LT Thomas Meeks at (404) 624-6066.
National Guard Day Takes on New Look
The State's annual salute to the National Guard, a long held tradition occuring during the General Assembly, will take on an exciting new look in 1999. The date of National Guard Day will be February 9, 1999 and the new concept will give state legislators a unique opportunity to view up close much of the equipment and systems operated by the Georgia National Guard. National Guard Day will take place at Dobbins ARB and will showcase some of the highly sophisticated equipment operated by the Georgia National Guard. Included will be M1A1 Abrams tank, Bradley Fighting Vehicle, the Paladin artillery piece, HUMVEES, Blackhawk and Chinnok helicopters, sophisticated communications and radar units, a C-130 Hercules, and the B-1B bomber along with numerous exhibits from units around the state.
According to Jim Driscoll, Director of Communications for the Georgia DOD and POC for National Guard Day," This new concept is intended to emphasize to state legislators that Georgia Guard forces are training on the latest military equipment and are as combat ready as our active duty counterparts." Driscoll also indicated that many legislators rarely are exposed to the variety of state-of-the-art military equipment that will be on display and hopefully will give them a greater understanding of the role and capabilities of our units."
Significantly different from the traditional National Guard Day luncheon presented in the past, the new National

Guard Day concept co-sponsored by the Georgia National Guard Insurance Trust will be more interactive. In addition to legislators, invitations for National Guard Day will include the legislative staffs and their families in addition to other departments and government agencies throughout the capitol.
Buses will transport guests to and from Dobbins ARB beginning at approximately 1:00 p.m. and continuing through approximately 6:00 p.m.
Sample operations and tactics of the National Guard's Counterdrug activities and Weapons of Mass Destruction equipment will be demonstrated. Displays of small arms will be set up for the legislators with Guardsman on hand to demonstrate.
Each legislator, staffer or guest will have the opportunity to climb around the sophisticated equipment of the Army and Air National Guard. Knowledgeable Guardsmen will be available to explain each piece of equipment. Guard photographers will be on hand to take photographs that will be sent back to local newspapers and to the Legislator.
Major John Wakefield of the 116th Bomb Wing Security Police is the coordinating officer for National Guard Day and is coordinating much of the logistics for this special day.
Should you be interested in assisting with the staging of the Dobbins-based National Guard Day, contact Maj Wakefiled at (770) 919-4056.
Waldrep named State Judge Advocate For Georgia National Guard
Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Waldrep, Judge Advocate for the Georgia National Guard was recently named by Governor Roy E. Barnes to be the State Judge Advocate succeeding Colonel James Deichert who retired from the Georgia Army National Guard in November 1999.
The State Judge Advocate is the chief legal officer of the Georgia National Guard and is appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the Adjutant General.
A 27-year veteran of the Georgia Army National Guard, Waldrep has been the full time Judge Advocate since 1988.

A resident of Forsyth, he attended the University of Georgia and later earned his law degree in 1973. He served as Assistant District Attorney for the Flint Judicial Circuit from 1973-1980 prior to entering private law practice in Forsyth, Georgia. In 1983, Waldrep was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives serving in the General Assembly until 1988.
Second Issue of GEORGIA GUARDSMEN Highlights 4th MSD Weapons of Mass Destruction Team
The second issue of the newly designed GEORGIA GUARDSMAN Magazine is now out and being sent to the homes of all Georgia National Guardsmen all across Georgia. This issue contains a front cover feature article on Georgia's 4th Military Support Detachment (RAID), one of only ten in the nation. Also featured is the story of the 878th Engineer Battalion mission to the Dominican Republic during the summer of `99 to reconstruct schools destroyed by Hurricanes. The National Guard's response to Hurricane Floyd together with the official "reflagging" of the 24th Infantry Division and the 10th AFOUA award to the 116th Bomb Wing are a few of the stories highlighting the second issue of the GEORGIA GUARDSMAN. Copies of the GEORGIA GUARDMAN are sent to the homes of all Guardsmen. If you don't receive your copy of the GEORGIA GUARDSMAN in the next several weeks, please contact the Directorate of Communications at burchfieldlee@dod.state.ga.us.
DoD Publications Available Statewide Via E-mail
The Directorate of Communications publishes "Up to the Minute," a brief scan of news media stories of interest to the Georgia Department of Defense and National Guard. The publication is distributed to subscribers via email most workdays. If you're not currently on our email list and would like to subscribe, please email the DOC at burchfieldlee@dod.state.ga.us.
And while we're at it...
Some people collect baseball cards, others collect coins or Beanie Babies--we're collecting email addresses. This copy

of "First Friday Briefing," is distributed statewide via the DoD "Global" email address list. That means it should reach all full time personnel. But in addition, we'd also like to email it to traditional Guard members. So if you know of someone who should receive the "First Friday Briefing," as well as other email publications, please ask them to email their address to the Directorate of Communications at burchfieldlee@dod.state.ga.us. And pass on a copy of this "First Friday Briefing" to other members of your unit!
First Friday Briefing is published monthly for the soldiers, airmen and employees of the Georgia Department of Defense, Georgia Army National Guard, Georgia Air National Guard and Georgia State Defense Force. If you'd like to be added to our subscription list and have the First Friday Briefing faxed or emailed, or you have comments or story submission, call the Directorate of Communications at (404) 624-6060 or DSN 338-6060. Or email burchfieldlee@dod.state.ga.us
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