First Friday briefing [May 4, 2001]

GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FIRST FRIDAY BRIEFING May 4, 2001
122nd ROC Returns From Successful AT in Savannah
(Members of the 122nd Rear Operations Center returned in April following a 15-day deployment to Kuwait for annual training. The unit participated in Exercise Lucky Sentinel 2001, which is held by Central Command to exercise the defense of Kuwait. The 23-member unit, which is based in Savannah, conducted an operations center in Camp Doha, just east of Kuwait City. The unit was responsible for coordinating rear area force protection.
Georgia Defense Force Conducts Annual Training in Savannah
Members of the Georgia State Defense Force traveled from across the state in April to participate in their 2001 annual training assembly at the Combat Readiness Training Center in Savannah
The four-day annual training event was geared towards providing hands-on experience in areas such as crowd and traffic control, search and rescue, fire fighting, communications and liaison and control at emergency operations centers.
Skills such as those are needed to support the organization's mission, which includes augmenting the Georgia National Guard and state civil authorities by providing natural disaster relief, assisting with civic activities, and periodically stepping in for the National Guard when mobilized for federal service.
On hand to conduct the training were representatives from the 165th Airlift Wing, the host unit of the event, as well as members of the Chatham County and Savannah Police Departments.
Joint Annual Commander's Conference Held in Peachtree City

Nearly 200 senior commanders and senior enlisted met together for the 2001 Joint Annual Commanders Conference on April 27-29 in Peachtree City. This annual meeting of the Georgia National Guard's senior leadership is one of the few occasions during the year when commanders and the senior enlisted gather to address important issues impacting the National Guard.
Following opening remarks by The Adjutant General on Friday afternoon, the combined Army/Air audience heard from Congressman Mac Collins on defense issues on Capitol Hill. Also on Friday afternoon, Bill Goss, Legislative Director for the National Guard Association of the United States, brought participants up to date on legislative activities.
The Army and Air conducted individual breakout sessions on Saturday. Dr. Samuel Betances, noted human resources consultant and an authority on diversity in the workplace presented a full day's program to Army Guard commanders. The majority of Air National Guard units had previously attended one of Dr. Betances' classes over the past year. Air Guard Commanders conducted a full day of discussion on a variety of issues from unit awards and recognition, to legal, public affairs and personnel issues.
Peter White, President of the Southern Center for International Studies was the guest speaker for the Saturday night banquet. White detailed several critical areas of the world that have an impact on the military and national security. Also at the banquet, the Air Guard presented its Senior Airman, NCO, Senior NCO and First Sergeant of the Year awards.
News from Bosnia
Here's a look at news coming out of Bosnia about the 48th Brigade's peacekeeping mission. Read theses stories and more online at: http://www.tfeagle.army.mil/
Georgia Guard Engineers and Russians Build a Bridge to Partnership and Freedom
Read the full story at: http://www.tfeagle.army.mil/tfetalon/articles/janja.htm
Soldiers from Company C, 648th Engineers from the Georgia National Guard joined with the 1st Peacekeeping Russian Separate Airborne Brigade and set out to rebuild a crumbling bridge. Their efforts served not only to strengthen the long-decaying structure, but also to reinforce the collaborative mission between the two countries to promote peace.
Billed as a "symbol for partnership, friendship and freedom," the rebuilt Janja Bridge officially opened April 20 in a ceremony attended by Russian and U.S. Army leaders and other dignitaries, as well as the Russian and American soldiers who did the construction and dozens of Janja townspeople. The project took two weeks to complete.
The 106-foot-long, 13.8-foot-wide bridge, in disrepair from years of use and showing damage from the civil unrest that has plagued the area, was badly in need of repairs to ensure safety for both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Additionally, a reconstructed Janja Bridge would facilitate patrols by the Russian Army as well as local law enforcement.
"This new bridge provides...an increased ability to ensure a safe and secure environment for all citizens in this area," remarked Brig. Gen. Robley Rigdon, the assistant division commander, Multinational Division North.

"We arrived (in Bosnia) March 8, and a week later we were tasked to reconstruct the bridge," said 2nd Lt. David Hunter, Company C's platoon leader. He said the building materials, which included enough wood, nails, steel plates and bolts for a complete structural replacement, were purchased from the local economy and arrived on time to complete the task. The only parts remaining from the old Janja Bridge are the concrete piers holding it up over the Janja River.
Read these other Bosnia stories online:
148th Conducts Mass Casualty Exercise: http://www.tfeagle.army.mil/tfetalon/articles/accident.htm
Medics "Pull Together" in Combat Unit http://www.tfeagle.army.mil/tfetalon/articles/medics.htm
TAG Visits NG Troops in Bosnia: http://www.tfeagle.army.mil/tfetalon/articles/georgia.htm
Video Teleconference System Provides Way to Talk to Deployed Soldiers
Through the magic of computers and the Internet, deployed soldiers with the 48th Infantry Brigade now have the opportunity to see and talk to family and friends through the state's video-teleconference system.
The system was successfully tested on Monday by Georgia's Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. David Poythress along with his wife Elizabeth. Sitting in a tiny room adjacent to the Family Readiness Center in the Armory at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, the TAG and Mrs. Poythress chatted with Sgt. First Class Alvin Durham, who was half-a-world away in the cyber cafe in Camp Comanche, Bosnia.
On hand for the test with the TAG was Sgt. First Class Richard Arnold of Information Technology who helped set up the system; Sgt Angela Banks, the family assistance center coordinator at Dobbins; and Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jerry Kidd of Family Readiness, who is overseeing the system.
Similar VTC systems are now in place in nine family assistance centers across the state. The program is a joint-effort between Information Technology, Family Readiness and the Brigade.
LTC Iva Wilson-Burke, distance learning manager, said that in addition to allowing soldiers to visit with families, the VTCs are also being set up for a variety of other official purposes including conducting boards and focus groups.
Drug Demand Reduction Provides Life Skills Training to Local Elementary Schools

The Drug Demand Reduction Team of the Georgia National Guard Counterdrug Task Force is currently teaching Botvin Life Skills Training (LST) in a number of schools throughout Cobb County. LST is a research-based prevention program, which is renowned among professionals of the prevention field. The program is considered one of the most promising programs in the prevention of alcohol, tobacco, and drug use by adolescents and has been proven to be as high as 87% effective.
The program is taught in cooperation with the Prevention / Intervention Office of Cobb County and the Safe and Drug Free Schools Program. The student workbooks are provided by the county, and National Guard NCOs facilitate and present the program. The Guardsmen of DDR bring a dynamic approach to the training and the students are enthusiastic participants. The program is taught for eight consecutive weeks and the training cumulates with a formal graduation ceremony awarding the students for their achievement in Life Skills. The slogan developed by DDR for the graduates of LST is: "I use my brain because I'm Life Skills Trained!"
To date, DDR has taught LST in five separate schools within the county and plans to continue to teach this worthwhile program to the youth throughout the state.
Georgia Drivers Now Must Register With Selective Service
The Georgia General Assembly recently passed into law a bill that makes registration in the Selective Service a requirement for receiving a Georgia driver's license or other identification card.
Georgia becomes the sixth and largest state that makes selective service registration a requirement to receive a state's driver's license. Delaware, Arkansas, Utah, Oklahoma and New Mexico all have this requirement.
Roy Yelton, a former Georgia Air Guard commander with the 165th Airlift Wing and Georgia State director of Selective Service says the new law should significantly increase the number of males ages 18-25 who must register for the Selective Service.
Georgia ranks 43rd in the percentage of young men currently registering for the Selective Service. However, the state's eligible Selective Service population represents 3 percent of the total number of eligible young men in the nation.
"We anticipate what the state of Georgia has done with this important bill will be emulated by other states," said Gil Coronado, national selective service director.
Guardsmen/Legislator Clint Smith Honored by Selective Service System
State Representative and Georgia Air National Guard member Clint Smith, from Dawsonville, was recently honored by the U.S. Selective Service System for sponsorship of a bill that makes registration for the Selective Service a requirement to receive a Georgia driver's license or state identification card. Smith was co-sponsor to this historic legislation. Gil Coronado, Director of the Selective Service System, presented Smith with the Selective Service Achievement Medal at signing ceremonies for the bill with Governor Roy Barnes.

Georgia's National Guard Associations Schedule Conferences
The Georgia Guard's two professional organizations are both planning their annual meetings for the weekend of June 8-10. The Enlisted Association of the Georgia National Guard will host its annual meeting at the Columbus Hilton in Columbus. For additional information contact MSG Jackie McKennie at (404) 576-5323. On that same weekend, members of the National Guard Association of Georgia will be meeting on the other side of the state. The NGAUS conference is scheduled for Clarion Hotel on Jekyll Island. For registration information contact Col (Ret) Marshall Kenemer at 912-369-6138.
78th Troop Command Annual Golf Tournament Set for Friday May 18
The 78th Troop Command will host its Fifth Annual Golf Tournament on Friday May 18 at the Golfers' Club at Ft. McPherson. Registration will be $50 for military and $55 for civilian, and includes cart, green fees, BBQ lunch and a goody bag. There will be prizes on all par 3's as well as for men's and women's longest drives and door prizes. All proceeds will be used for awards and door prizes. The tournament will also be a going away celebration for SFC Eric Wilmarth who will retire this summer. For registration information call MAJ George Fisher or MAJ Joe Hoffman at (404) 508-7026 or 7024
TRICARE Senior Pharmacy Takes Off
In its first two weeks (beginning April 1) the TRICARE Senior Pharmacy Program filled almost 400,000 prescriptions for eligible military retirees. TRICARE Management Activity officials reported. Most of the orders were in the first week, when retail network pharmacies filled 155,000 prescriptions and the mail order pharmacy filled 87,500. The program offers most generic drugs for $3 and brand names for $9, with a 30-day supply from the local pharmacy or a 90-day package from the National Mail Order Pharmacy.
Beneficiaries are military retirees, spouses and survivors with current ID cards who are Medicare-eligible and participate in Medicare Part B (also those who were Medicare-eligible before April 1 who did not sign up for Part B).
If experiencing problems with TSP at a pharmacy, call 1-877-363-6337 for on-the-spot assistance. For general questions about TRICARE call the Retirement Services Manager, Mr. John Hardwick at (404) 624-6451.
Nominations Being Accepted For Public Safety Awards
Nominations are being accepted for the 4th Annual Governor's Public Safety Award. The honor is designed to recognize those men and women who have gone "above and beyond the call of duty" to protect the lives and property of the citizens of Georgia.
For nomination forms and further information call Mr. John Hardwick at (404) 624-6451.

Valuable Information now available on DOC CD-ROM
Need an updated Command Briefing...or photos of the Guard in action...or perhaps a bio for a current General officer in the Georgia National Guard? The Directorate of Communications has produced a CD-ROM that contains this information and much more. First distributed at the Joint Annual Commanders Conference last week, the disc also contains a UPAR (Unit Public Affairs Representative) handbook that includes all that a commander or his public affairs representative should know about dealing with the local news media. Also included is the most recent NGB community relations policies and regs to help in planning upcoming community activities. If your commander, chief, or sergeant major did not receive a copy of DOC CD-ROM, you can request one by emailing leigh.burchfield@ga.ngb.army.mil
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 Leigh.Burchfield@ga.ngb.army.mil
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