First Friday briefing [Oct. 6, 2000]

GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FIRST FRIDAY BRIEFING October 6, 2000
Oglethorpe Award Recognition
The Georgia Department of Defense has earned recognition as being an organization striving to achieve "excellence in all we do," the third element of our core values. Our organization has been selected to receive a site visit for the Georgia Oglethorpe Award. Award examiners use the same criteria as the national Malcolm Baldrige Award to recognize organizational performance.
A team of more than 35 Georgia DoD members (Army, Air and civilian) worked for nearly 18 months putting together the DoD application, which was submitted in June.
"The Oglethorpe process is highly respected in both the private and public sectors across the state and region. Our selection is a great honor to the men and women of the Georgia Department of Defense," said Col. Robert T. Baird III, Project Manager for the Oglethorpe Program. "It validates our business practices as being competitive with those of the better applicants in the state."
The site team is scheduled to visit our facilities during the week of October 30-November 3. A detailed schedule is being prepared that will include both formal briefings and informal visits to units and work areas.
"The site visit is open to every unit and facility within the Georgia DoD structure," said Maj. Larry Deaton, of The Office of Organizational Development, who is coordinating the visit. "The team could appear at any location and talk to soldiers, airmen or employees anytime during this week."
"We are not asking anyone to do anything special, but to be truthful and professional," he added. "When asked a question, do your best to answer it and to learn from the visit."

To help leaders prepare for the visit, copies of the Georgia Department of Defense 55-page application has been distributed by email. Deaton can also provide hard-copy versions of the application.
The Oglethorpe Award process evaluates organizations in six key areas: Leadership, Strategic Planning, Customer Focus, Information and Analysis, Human Resource Focus and Process Management. A seventh category, Business Results, links the other six areas and shows how organizations measure the effectiveness of their key processes.
The award Board of Examiners accepts applications from business and industry as well as non-profit, healthcare, educational and government organizations. Fort Benning earned the Oglethorpe Award in 1998 and was the first winner in the government category. Delta Technical Operations won last year. This is the Georgia DoD's first entry.
"Most first-time applicants do not even receive a site visit, so we should be justly proud of what we've accomplished so far," said Baird. "This is a highly demanding organizational self-assessment program. And while we obviously want to win the Oglethorpe Award, the real value to us is the process of looking at our organization to define our measures and our processes, to habitually look inward to safeguard the well-being or our people, and to work daily to live our core values of integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do. The endgame must always be to better deliver readiness enhancing efficiencies and services to the field."
Questions about the site visit should be directed to Maj. Deaton at (404) 624-6115 or email larry.deaton@ga.ngb.army.mil.
Second Youth Challenge Academy Opens in Augusta
A second campus for the National Guard Youth Challenge Academy is now a reality. The Fort Gordon-based campus opened on September 25th with more than 168 students comprising its first class.
More than 150 local and state leaders were present at the grand opening of the new campus. Lt. Col. Frank Williams personally acknowledged the efforts of many in attendance who were instrumental in opening the second YCA campus in Georgia in a little over 60 days. A red ribbon was cut by more than 30 special guests invited to participate in the grand opening.
According to Lt. Col Williams, the Augusta and Fort Gordon community leaders came together after a tour of the Fort Stewart YCA campus to advise Maj. Gen. David Poythress that they wanted a campus in Augusta and would be prepared to support its development with facilities and funding.

The buildings now used for barracks and classrooms at Fort Gordon had been originally scheduled for demolition before post officials offered them to the Academy. Within a period of less than 60-days, funding was secured and crews from the Georgia Department of Corrections began a building-by-building renovation and upgrade in time for the inaugural class to move into the facility on Sunday before the Monday grand opening.
Lt. Col. Jane Zimmerman, a 20-year veteran of the US Army was hired to be the director for the new campus. Reporting to her are more than 70 cadre members, teachers, counselors, medical and food service personnel from the local area.
State and federal funding amounting to more than $3 million made the new campus possible. In addition, the Academy received significant donations of materials, equipment and labor from Augusta area businesses that proved essential in meeting a September 25th deadline mandated by federal guidelines.
"This footprint that you see is in fact a miracle,'' said Zimmerman. "The response from Fort Gordon and Augusta communities in making Youth Challenge a reality in this location has been overwhelming." While renovations were continuing on several barracks and classrooms even at the time of the Grand Opening ceremonies, YCA officials indicated that they expected as many as 200 students to be enrolled at the new location by the end of the year.
More than 2,200 cadets have graduated from the Youth Challenge Academy at its original location at Fort Stewart since it opened in 1993. Guard officials estimate with the addition of the Fort Gordon/Augusta campus that more than 1,000 Georgia teens will complete the program each year.
State Defense Force Holds Annual Training at CRTC
Georgia State Defense Force (SDF) members completed a very successful annual training in September, conducting three solid days of training at the Air National Guard's Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC) at Travis Field.
"We went back to the basics," explained Command Sgt. Maj. Peter Bardoul, the senior enlisted NCO for the State Defense Force. The instruction focused on those tasks that the SDF might be called upon to do to support the National Guard, or state and local emergency and law enforcement officers.
Nearly 130 SDF members took part in this year's annual training. "They learned traffic control, search and rescue, fire fighting communications and map reading," said Col. Ed Radford, SDF deputy commander.

Bardoul complimented the 165th Airlift Wing and the staff of the CRTC for contributing to the success of the weekend. "Their support was extraordinary. They really came forward to make this a special and productive weekend for us."
Three outstanding Guardsmen receive AJC Award.
Three Georgia Army National Guardsmen received the annual Atlanta Journal Army Reserve Components Achievement Award recently. The Guardsmen are Sgt. 1st Class Keith Q. Ratliff with the 277th Maintenance Company; Staff Sgt. Darcy L. Blow with Company H, 121st Infantry; and Spc. Christopher S. Powell and the 178th Military Police Company.
The Atlanta Journal initiated the award thirty years ago to honor outstanding enlisted soldiers in the Georgia Army National Guard and the Army Reserve. Eligibility requirements include: assignment to a unit in Georgia, exemplary conduct, and exemplary attendance. In selecting a soldier for the award leadership ability, military courtesy, instructional ability, attitude, loyalty, and enthusiasm are considered.
The award ceremony rotates between the Guard and Reserve. This year the U.S. Army Reserve Command hosted the ceremony.
Georgia DoD Takes Advantage of End or Year Federal Money
When the United States government closed the books on the FY-2000 budget on September 30th, the Georgia Department of Defense was able to take advantage of money unspent by other states to help fund needed armory repairs and renovations. Nearly $5.2 million in contracts have been signed in the past several weeks to do work in more than 14 locations around the state.
Some of the projects will be funded with 100 percent federal dollars. In other cases, the federal funds will match 25 percent state funding. The state's portion for those projects was allocated by the Georgia Legislature during the 2000 session.
The projects funded by end of year money include renovations to the Griffin, Cordele, Valdosta, Americus, Eastman and Toccoa Armories. The additional funding will also pay for new roofs on the MATES building, OMS #5 in Columbus and the Army Aviation Flight Facility #1 in Winder, as well as other projects.

Other training included a "field trip" to the nearby 8th Air Force Museum and a session with the Chatham County Sheriff and City of Savannah Police Departments. Maj. Greg Padgett of the 165th Airlift Wing taught a class on leadership and core values.
Former Adjutants General of Georgia Gather to Review 50 Years of Guard History
A panel of former Adjutants and Assistant Adjutants General of Georgia highlights the 9th Annual Conference of the Historical Society of the Georgia National Guard scheduled for Saturday, October 14, 2000 in Forsyth, Georgia.
The conference marks the first time five former Adjutants General or Assistant Adjutants General of Georgia have gathered to discuss the events that defined their tenure in office. The five retired generals will review the challenges, issues, and situations each faced over a period of more than 50 years during which they commanded the Georgia Department of Defense which includes state employees, Army and Air National Guardsmen, and the State Defense Force.
The panel of Adjutants General will consist of Maj. Gen. (Ret.) William P. Bland (1991-1999); Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Joseph W. Griffin, (1983-1990); Brig. Gen. (Ret.) William K. McDaniel (1987-1990); Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Ben L. Patterson (Asst. Adjutant General, Air 1975-1977, 1983-1990) and Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Alpha A. Fowler (1947-1948), and the current Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. David B. Poythress. Facilitating the discussion will be James R. Wooten, editorial page editor of the Atlanta Journal.
Maj. Gen. Poythress will open the conference scheduled to take place in the Council Chambers of the Forsyth City Hall. Conference attendees will also view a videotaped interview conducted earlier in the year with two-time Adjutant General and former Georgia Governor S. Ernest Vandiver.
Forsyth Mayor, and former Georgia Army National Guard Chief of Staff, Col. (Ret.) Paul Jossey and the City of Forsyth are hosting the conference.
The conference begins at 9:30 a.m. and is open to the public. An admission charge of $16, which includes lunch, is payable at the door. Reservations are requested. Conference Headquarters will be the Hampton Inn in Forsyth with special rates for attendees. For additional information, contact Dr. Beryl I. Diamond, Georgia Department of Defense at (404) 624-6065.
Georgia Guardsmen Demonstrate Counter Drug Skills

Members of Georgia's elite Counter Drug Task Force conducted a high intensity demonstration of special operational tactics and special equipment used by the National Guard to fight the war against illegal drugs in Georgia.
The high-impact demonstration was presented to more than 400 middle school students on the campus of Campbell Middle School in Smyrna on Thursday, October 5. The demonstration involved a Blackhawk helicopter of the 1/171st Aviation Battalion at Dobbins, and highly trained personnel of the Drug Demand and Reduction program of the Georgia Guard located at Dobbins.
"This demonstration is similar to counter drug demonstrations that we have performed throughout Georgia," said Sgt. 1st Class Mike Hurndon of Georgia Drug Demand Reduction team. "At these events we attempt to demonstrate the sophisticated surveillance and combat equipment and tactics regularly used in Georgia's war on drugs." Hurndon has presented anti-drug programs to tens of thousands of Georgians over the past four years as a member of the Drug Demand Reduction Team.
At the Campbell demonstration, camouflaged Guardsmen staged a simulated attack on a suspected drug distribution house constructed on the athletic field of the school. As a military helicopter swooped down suddenly and hovered at tree top level over the target, Guardsman hiding around the field stormed the house with automatic gunfire signaling an attack. A blinding yet colorful smoke barrage was laid down as special operations personnel surrounded the house and made the arrest of the occupants.
Students from Campbell's drama class exhibited their acting skills by performing the roles of the drug dealers being arrested.
As with each demonstration by Georgia's Drug Demand Reduction program, Task Force members used the opportunity to speak with the student body about the consequences of drug use.
This demonstration or other drug demand reduction presentations are available to any school system, individual school, club or organization and can be arranged by calling the Georgia Drug Demand Reduction program at (770) 919-3475.
Couterdrug Task Force Participates In $84,000 Marijuana Seizure
Members of the Georgia National Guard Counterdrug Task Force took part in a major seizure recently. They were supporting special agents from the Tri Circuit Drug Task along with a C-26 crew from the Alabama Air National

/Guard in an operation that included air reconnaissance over an area in Candler County. The area was suspected to have marijuana growing in it and Tri-Circuit Drug Task Force Special Agents went in to the area on foot after the Guardsmen confirmed the marijuana plots. Officials seized thirty-five marijuana plants with an approximate street value of $84,000. The Georgia National Guard Counterdrug Task Force is part of the Directorate of Joint Operations and is headquarted at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta.
Sgt. Maj. John Campbell Assumes STARC Position
Sgt. Maj. John Campbell has been appointed the new sergeant major for The Army Guard's State Area Command Headquarters. He will serve as the senior noncommissioned officer at STARC.
Campbell has nearly 34 years in the National Guard and eight as sergeant major.
"It's going to be quite a challenge going from managing just 12 soldiers to 750 in STARC," said Campbell. "I'm looking forward to this new experience," he said.
Col. Lee Gore, Georgia Army National Guard's New Inspector General
Col. Lee Gore is getting settled in his office in Confederate Avenue's Building 21 this week as he begins his duties as the Georgia Army National Guard's new Inspector General. The 26 year-old Army veteran comes to the Georgia Guard from Fort Rucker where he commanded the Aviation Training Brigade and was the Chief of Staff for the Army Aviation Warfighting Center and Ft. Rucker.
Born in Cedartown and raised in Macon, Gore's family later moved to Atlanta where he graduated from DeKalb County's Lakeside High School. By coincidence, while in high school he worked during the summers at the State Crime Lab which at the time was located in the Department of Public Safety building across the street from his current office in the state headquarters complex.
Gore is a 1974 graduate of North Georgia College and his career has included assignments in Alaska, Korea and Somalia. His ties to the Georgia National Guard run deep. While assigned to FORSCOM in 1996, he was the J-3 (Operations Officer) for military support to the Centennial Olympic Games where he worked closely with Georgia DoD leadership.
Gore's wife, Pat is also a North Georgia alumnus. The couple have two children: John is a sophomore at Auburn University, and Robin, is an accountant and recent masters degree graduate of Gardner-Webb University.

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 burchfieldl@ga-arng.ngb.army.mil
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