First Friday briefing [Oct. 3, 2003]

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First Friday Briefing for October, 2003
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In this issue:
Nearly 3,000 Georgia Guardsmen Remain Mobilized Company H (LRSC) Returns Home from Iraq 224th JCCS Demobilizes Army Guard Reaches Recruiting Goals
116th Comm Flight Earns Two Top ANG Awards Army Guard's 201st S&S Battalion Stands-up in Newnan
Airman Honored for Heroism 'Hotwash' Helps 48th eSIB, Task Force Oglethorpe Prepare for NTC
Georgia Legislators Receive Awards from NGAUS Macon's 202nd EIS Gets First Female Commander
YCA Marks Anniversary As Students Reunite Those Get Fight War on Drugs Get Protection
SDF Plays Major Role in Security Exercise CST Clears Stadium Before First Game of Series 781st Troop Command Celebrates Family Day and Open House
Guard Recognizes Hispanic Contributions ESGR Supporters, State Employees Recognized USO and Patirotism Museum Offer "Project Video Connect" Histororical Society Holds Conference this Month
Soldiers Get Answers at new Support Center
Photo Spotlight 48th Brigade Soldier Appreciation Day Troop Ride raises funds for Family Support
(Click on photos for larger image. Hold down mouse over photo for more information)
Nearly 3,000 Georgia Guardsmen remain mobilized
Georgia Guardsmen are beginning to return home after deployments in support of the War on Terrorism. Many still remain deployed. Nearly 3,000 Georgia Army and Air Guardsmen remain mobilized with more than half of them deployed to the Persian Gulf.
List of Mobilized Georgia Guard Units
Company H (LRSC) returns home from Iraq

Some 110 members of Company H, 121st Infantry (Airborne) Long Range Surveillance unit, Georgia Army National Guard were greeted by shouts and tears from waiting families as they officially returned home September 24, 2003 following a seven month deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The Fort Gillem, Ga., -based unit was mobilized in early February 2003 and in early May moved from Kuwait into Iraq. By June 2003, the entire company was located in Baghdad supporting the Joint Captured Material Exploitation Center (JCMEC) mission.
Company H conducted more than 350 tactical missions into all parts of the country of Iraq engaging the enemy on numerous occasions. By the end of Company H's mission in Iraq, it had supported over 15 different military and civilian agencies from every branch of the US Armed forces and the British and Australian Army and Air Forces.
Full Story on the Web
224th JCCS demobilizes
Longest Serving Air Guard Unit Completes its Mission
In the two-year war on terror, no Georgia National Guard unit has been on the front lines longer than Brunswick's 224th Joint Communications Support Squadron. That mission came to an end earlier this month when the 235-member unit was demobilized and removed from active-duty status.
The 224th JCSS was called to duty in the aftermath of the Sept, 11, 2001, terrorists attack . It has remained on active duty for more than two years. The unit's demobilization ends one of the longest mobilizations of any National Guard unit in America's armed forces since September 2001. Full Story
Army Guard reaches recruiting goals
The Georgia Army National Guard announced this week that it met recruiting and retention goals for FY 2003 with room to spare. Georgia finished the year with an end strength of 8,925 soldiers, which is 225 more than the goal set by the National Guard Bureau.
"This is great news" said Brig. Gen Terry Nesbitt, commander of the Georgia Army National Guard when announcing the successes. "Congratulations to everyone. This is proof positive that our personnel readiness policies are working."
Nationally there is good news as well. The Army and Air National Guard met their end strength goals for fiscal year (FY) 2003. Full Story
Army Guard's 201st S&S Battalion Stands-up in Newnan
Newnan's 201st Supply & Service Battalion, the Georgia Army National Guard's newest unit stood up earlier this month and took its place on the Guard's unit roster. Commanding the 201st is Lt. Col. Kelvin Newsome. It's command sergeant major is Command Sgt. Maj. Ralph Allen.

The 201st is a quartermaster unit, which provides services such as laundry and bath facilities to soldiers in the field and support services such as petroleum, oil and lubricants, transportation and vehicle maintenance to units operating in the field. Full Story
Airman honored for heroism
Georgia Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Thomas Futch of Savannah's 165th Maintenance Squadron received the National Guard Association Valley Forge Cross for Heroism in September for risking his life to save another.
Georgia's Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. David B. Poythress, and Marshall Kennemer, executive director of the National Guard Association of Georgia presented Futch with the medal during a special ceremony at the capitol building in Atlanta. Full Story
116th Comm Flight earns two top ANG awards
Members of the 116th Communications Flight had a challenging year, but their efforts were rewarded at the National Guard Association of the United States conference in Biloxi, Miss., Sept 17 for their outstanding achievements during 2002. The flight was awarded the 2003 Air National Guard Outstanding Communications Unit Award, a functional area award given to the best communications flight in the Air National Guard. Full Story
More than 500 attend 'Hotwash' to help 48th eSIB, Task Force Oglethorpe prepare for NTC
More than 500 Army Guardsmen from across the country came to Atlanta in September to hear lessons learned from North Carolina's 30th Infantry Brigade and their recent experience at the National Training Center (NTC). The event was hosted by the Georgia Guard in an effort to learn as much as possible about the NTC rotation in preparation for the 48th Brigade's training in the California desert in 2005. Full Story
Georgia legislators receive awards From National Guard Association
Senator Jack Hill of Reidsville, Representative Ken Birdsong of Gray and Representative Ann Purcell of Rincon have received three top honors given annually by the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS).
Senator Jack Hill, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee was selected to receive the NGAUS Meritorious Service Award recognizing his significant contributions to the National Guard over many years as a member of the armed forces. Senator Hill spent more than thirty-three years as a member of the Georgia Air National Guard and is currently assigned as an Area Office Coordinator for the Selective Service System. Full Story on the Web

Macon's 202nd EIS gets first female commander
Georgia Air National Guard Lt. Col. Deborah J. Nazimiec made Guard history this past month by being appointed the first female commander of Macon's 202d Engineering Installation Squadron. This new assignment marks her return to the unit where she was the first female to be commissioned by the 202nd in 1989.
Nazimiec succeeds Lt. Col. William Day, who has been appointed commander of the 283rd Combat Communications Squadron stationed at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta. Full Story
YCA mark anniversary as students reunite
The Georgia Army National Guard's Youth Challenge Academy campus played host Saturday, Sept. 6, 2003, to more than 400 former YCA cadets and their families as the program held its first annual reunion and celebrated its 10th anniversary.
Throughout the day graduates of classes 1 to 20 renewed friendships with former classmates and with their former instructors, reminisced about their time at the campus and shared stories about how they came to take part in Youth Challenge.
Since YCA began and the Fort Stewart campus opened its doors to Georgia's at-risk youth in 1993, the program has graduated an estimated 3,566 students, said Col. Frank Williams, YCA's director.
Full Story on the Web
Those who fight War on Drugs get protection; Technology provides officers safety
The Georgia National Guard's Counter Drug Task Force has been involved in a program since September 2001 that increases the safety factor for its members.
In 1995, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) declared the Atlanta area a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Site (HIDTAS). This declaration was based upon the amount of drugrelated activities or crimes reported in metropolitan Atlanta. It also made the city eligible for federal grants to help local agencies fight the battle against illegal drugs. Full Story.
SDF plays major role in security exercise
Georgia's Emergency Response Exercise 2003 in late September turned what had been a quiet afternoon in middle Georgia into a simulated nightmare of smoke, fire and chaos.
As the scenario played out, a reported "suicide bomber" blew

himself up near an area college. A short time later a plane carrying about 85 passengers was hijacked from Hartsfield International Airport and used the smoke to find the college and crash on campus. It's path into the ground put it close to a government laboratory where Biological Level 4 materials were being handled such a ebola and hemorrhagic fever.
It would be up to area emergency responders, area Guard and Reserve units and about 84 members of the Georgia State Defense Force to take the appropriate action and deal with the situation. Full Story
CST clears stadium before first game of baseball series
The idea of a terrorist releasing a biological, radiological or chemical agent in the confines of a crowded sports stadium is frightening. And yet it's all too realistic for the members of Georgia's 4th Civil Support Team. The team's 22 specialists are trained to deploy quickly, analyze the threat accurately and take immediate action to safeguard lives and property.
The CST's capabilities was once again tested as team members were called to clear Atlanta's Ted Turner Stadium before game one of the National League Division Championship Series. Hours before the first pitch, CST team members were positioned for a search of the 50,000-seat structure. Full Story
781st Troop Command celebrates Family Day and Open House
Spc. Charles Lollar, a member of the 190th Military Police Co., places a strong, yet gentle hand on the head of his son, George. As he stares down at him, his eyes speak freely of what his heart feels. "My son is my hero. Everything we do is for family."
His son, age 10, reciprocates that loving sentiment adding, "My dad is the man! He let me ride with him in the (Atlanta annual) July 4th parade on his Humvee." The elder Lollar proudly grins and chuckles, with a quick correction, "its not my Humvee, but I couldn't imagine being there without him by my side." Then they went on their way as they lost themselves in the excitement of the day. After all that is what the 781st Troop Command Family Day and Open House is all about. Full Story
More photos on the Web
ESGR supporters, state employees recognized
Several members of the Georiga Department of Defense were received awards in September for their dedication and commitment to DoD and the Georgia National Guard. Georgia's Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. David B. Poythress, presented the awards during a ceremony at Building No.

21 at the state DoD complex on Confederate Avenue.
Receiving Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve were Altamese Finch, administrative assistant for workforce development; 2nd Lt. William Phillips, ESGR program manager and retired ESGR employee Margaret Herring. Receiving the Patriotic Employer Award was Senior Master Sgt. William Pinkney, state equal employment manager. Phillips and Pinkney also received Commendation Certificates. Full Story
Guard recognizes Hispanic contributions
The Georgia Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Division, along with the Atlanta chapter of the Latin American Association (LAA), hosted an event in late September at the city's Plaza Fiesta Mall to celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month and the contributions made by Hispanics to the National Guard.
This event was held in conjunction with National Guard Awareness Day to bring about a better understanding among the general public of the Guard and the benefits of being a citizensoldier. Full Story
The USO and the National Museum of Patriotism Offer "Project Video Connect"
The USO and The National Museum of Patriotism, Inc. has joined forces with AOL for Broadband to support "Project Video Connect: We're Here Until They're Home" in the Atlanta Metro area. Project Video Connect gives military families, troops and supporters the opportunity to communicate "face-to-face" by creating personal video messages that can be sent free of charge. Full Story
Historical Society to hold October conference
Three distinguished members of the "Greatest Generation" will address their experiences during World War II in Europe and the Pacific, Saturday October 25, in Forsyth, Ga., as the Historical Society of the Georgia National Guard examines World War II and the Georgia Guard. Featured speakers include BG (retired) James "Dutch" McLendon, Mr. John W. Meeler and Charles G. Shepherd, Jr. Full Story
Soldiers get answers at new Support Center
Georgia Army National Guardsmen having trouble with items such as pay, the Enlisted Promotion System, personnel records and benefits have, yet, another place to go for help. The Army National Guard's Soldier Support Center has people regularly available to help citizensoldiers get their questions answered and navigate successfully through the problems that arise. All it takes is a telephone call to get the process started.
First Friday Photo Gallery
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Spc. Michael Pope, holds his son, Trevor, while he plays peek-a-boo. Pope is a mechanic with Headquarters Company, 48th Brigade, which celebrated National Guard Appreciation Day with their families and friends. Guard members wearing Army gray physical training shirts and black running shorts filled Central City Park in Macon. This was the third soldier appreciation activity directed from Brig. Gen. Robley Rigdon, 48th Infantry Brigade commander. "This is a way to help boost the morale of the soldiers and at the same time increase recruiting and retention for the unit", said Sgt. Jody Reel, the Headquarters' Company recruiting and retention sergeant. Soldiers were allowed to invite anyone interested in joining the Guard to the celebration.

Georgia Air National Guard commander, Maj Gen Wick Searcy, congratulates Alan Davis of Blackshear, who was the Grand Prize winner of the 2003 Centennial Edition Harley Davison motorcycle at the first Georgia National Guard's Troop Ride fundraiser for the Georgia National Guard Association. The fundraising event organized by Mr. Jimmy Ford of the South Georgia Western Star Truck Company and retired Master Sgt. Harry Glick formerly of the 165th Air Wing who collected more than $5,870.00 for the Georgia National Guard Foundation. Approximately 80 riders from Douglas and Alma, GA participated in The Troop Ride rally that occurred on September 6th 2003. More than 950 participated with a donation for the fundraiser.

A group of soldiers from Headquarters Company, 48th Brigade, enjoy a game of volleyball during the unit's National Guard Appreciation Day in Macon's Central City Park.
Sgt Jody Reel, the recruiting and retention sergeant for Headquarters Company, 48th Brigade watches her daughters during the unit's National Guard Appreciation Day in Macon's Central City Park.
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Georgia National Guard Support to Operations Noble Eagle/Enduring Freedom
As of: October 1, 2003
Summary Army Guard (all numbers are approximate):
q 2,815 mobilized q Approximately 1,540 overseas (Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom) q Approximately 1,375 projected to remain in CONUS for Homeland Security
Mobilized units drill in 28 hometowns across Georgia
Army Guard Units Mobilized Units deployed overseas (Part of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom)
q 3rd Infantry Detachment Ft. Stewart (Returned) q 265th Engineer Group Decatur q 221st Military Intelligence Battalion Fort Gillem (HHC, Co H Returned) q 277th Maintenance Company Kennesaw q Company B, 161st Medical Battalion Marietta q 1148th Transportation Company Thomasville and Moultrie q 190th Military Police Company Kennesaw q 878th Engineer Battalion Augusta, Swainsboro, Sandersville, Lyons and Metter
Units serving in US (Part of Operation Noble Eagle)
q 148th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) Winder q 202nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Kennesaw q 1177th Transportation Company - LaGrange and Cedartown q 75th Engineers - Ft Stewart q 1230th Transportation Company Bainbridge and Columbus q 178th Military Police Company (Monroe) q 1/214th Field Artillery Elberton, Hartwell, Athens, Thomson, Washington, Waynesboro and
Toccoa q 110th Corps Support Battalion Headquarters - Columbus q 166th Maintenance Co Jackson q 82nd Maintenance Company Columbus q 165th POL Co - Brunswick
Georgia Air National Guard
The following units have been mobilized in total or in part.Many have returned. Numbers of airmen on duty vary as individuals rotate on and off active duty.
(At the peak of Iraqi Freedom more than 900 were mobilized)
q 116th Air Control Wing Robins AFB q 165th Airlift Wing - Savannah q 165th Air Support Operations Squadron Brunswick q 224th Joint Communications Support Squadron Brunswick q 283rd Communications Squadron Dobbins Air Reserve Base/Marietta q 116th Security Police Squadron - Robins AFB q 165th Security Police Squadron - Savannah q Combat Readiness Training Center - Savannah

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224th Demobilizes
Longest Serving Air Guard Unit Completes its Mission
In the two-year war on terror, no Georgia National Guard unit has been on the front lines longer than Brunswick's 224th Joint Communications Support Squadron. That mission came to an end earlier this month when the 235-member unit was demobilized and removed from active-duty status.
Among the families, friends and fellow airmen who congratulated the unit for a job "well done," was Maj. Gen. William N. Searcy, commander Georgia Air National Guard. Also present was Brig. Gen. Walter I. Jones, director of Command, Control, Communications and Computer Systems for Joint Forces Command, and Col. James A. Lien, commander of the Joint Communications Support Element.
The 224th JCSS was called to duty in the aftermath of the Sept, 11, 2001, terrorists attack . It has remained on active duty for more than two years. The unit's demobilization ends one of the longest mobilizations of any National Guard unit in America's armed forces since September 2001.
Georgia's 224th was continuously deployed throughout southwest Asia while on active duty. The unit was the first Georgia National Guard unit called up, and it was among the first military units to deploy to the Middle East.
The 224th is designated by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as a "high value asset" that provides joint task forces and joint special operations task forces with command and control, communications and computer systems support in the battlefield. It is one of four joint communications support squadrons in the nation, two of which are Air National Guard units.
In two major deployments, with more than 75 Guardsmen each, the unit deployed for more than 24 months to Southwest Asia where it supported Special Operations Command Central and Central Command. Of the more than 200 Guardsmen in the unit, many have served overseas in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and later Iraqi Freedom.
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Army Guard reaches recruiting goals
The Georgia Army National Guard announced this week that it met recruiting and retention goals for FY 2003 with room to spare. Georgia finished the year with an end strength of 8,925 soldiers, which is 225 more than the goal set by the National Guard Bureau.
"This is great news" said Brig. Gen Terry Nesbitt, commander of the Georgia Army National Guard when announcing the successes. "Congratulations to everyone. This is proof positive that our personnel readiness policies are working."
Nationally there is good news as well. The Army and Air National Guard met their end strength goals for fiscal year (FY) 2003.
"This is what sets us apart ... the ability to recruit and retain good people," said Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau.
The Army National Guard's programmed end strength for the fiscal year was 350,000. As of today, they have 350,835 members.
The Army National Guard has achieved its end-strength mission for seven consecutive years.
The Air National Guard's programmed end strength for the fiscal year was 106,600. They started the fiscal year at 112,070, and they currently have 108,332 members for an overall manning of 101.6 percent.
Their recruiting goal was 6,909 and as of the end of August, they had signed up 8,669 achieving 125.47 percent of their goal.
With the exception of FY97 and FY99, the ANG has met or exceeded its recruiting goal over the past seven years.
"The National Guard Bureau sees no indications that the homeland security mission or the war on terrorism are having any serious impact on recruiting," Blum said.
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New Army Guard 201st S&S Battalion Stands Up in Newnan
Newnan's 201st Supply & Service Battalion, the Georgia Army National Guard's newest unit stood up earlier this month and took its place on the Guard's unit roster. Commanding the 201st is Lt. Col. Kelvin Newsome. It's command sergeant major is Command Sgt. Maj. Ralph Allen.
The 201st is a quartermaster unit, which provides services such as laundry and bath facilities to soldiers in the field and support services such as petroleum, oil and lubricants, transportation and vehicle maintenance to units operating in the field.
As part of its command structure, Georgia's 201st consists of a headquarters detachment and three subordinate elements. These include the subordinate units are: -- Jackson's 166th Maintenance Company and Newnan's Detachment 1, 166th Maintenance Company, commanded by Capt. Elton Brown. Brown's first sergeant is 1st Sgt. Andy Garland. -- Brunswick's 165th Quartermaster Company (POL), commanded by Capt. Cynthia Wilkerson. Her first sergeant is 1st Sgt. Flim Thomas. -- LaGrange's 1177th Transportation Company, and its Detachment 1 based in Cedartown, commanded by Capt. George Arp. Arp's first Sergeant is 1st Sgt. Mike Woodard.
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Georgia Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Thomas Futch of Savannah's 165th Maintenance Squadron received the National Guard Association Valley Forge Cross for Heroism. He is pinned by Maj. Gen.
David Poythress, Georgia's Adjutant General.

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Airman Honored for Heroism
Georgia Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Thomas Futch of Savannah's 165th Maintenance Squadron received the National Guard Association Valley Forge Cross for Heroism in September for risking his life to save another.
Georgia's Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. David B. Poythress, and Marshall Kennemer, executive director of the National Guard Association of Georgia presented Futch with the medal during a special ceremony at the capitol building in Atlanta.
Futch, who lives in Marietta and works as U.S. Customs agent in his civilian job, also the Georgia National Guard Medal for Valor in an earlier ceremony at his unit.
"I'm quite humbled by all the attention," Futch said shortly after the ceremony ended, "but I wasn't looking for recognition. "All that matters to me is that the training I have received as a Guardsman helped me help someone else in their time of need."
Award documents show that on Oct. 4, while driving home along Interstate 285 from work at Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport Futch saw a vehicle in front of his slam into the roadway's center median. The vehicle spun around violently and immediately burst into flames. Without thinking of himself or the hundreds of cars speeding past him, Futch stopped his vehicle , jumped out and went to help the female driver of the other vehicle. He soon realized the vehicle was so badly damaged that the seatbelt release would not open, and that the women was so badly injured she could not free herself, the award document stated.
Sgt. Futch pulled out his multi-purpose tool with a sharp blade and cut away the belt. Within seconds he had freed the women from the burning vehicle. When Atlanta firefighters arrived, the vehicle was a mass of flames. The woman Futch rescued was taken by ambulance to an area hospital for treatment.
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116th Comm flight earns two top ANG awards
by 2nd Lt. Pamela Montelepre, 116th Public Affairs
Members of the 116th Communications Flight had a challenging year, but their efforts were rewarded at the National Guard Association of the United States conference in Biloxi, Miss., Sept 17 for their outstanding achievements during 2002.
The flight was awarded the 2003 Air National Guard Outstanding Communications Unit Award, a functional area award given to the best communications flight in the Air National Guard.
The unit was also awarded the 2003 Air National Guard Distinguished Mission Support Plaque, an award given to the top five outstanding ANG mission support squadrons and flights.
These are extremely significant awards considering they were competing against 88 wings in the Air Guard, said Col. Tom Lynn, commander, 116th Air Control Wing.
The flight was recognized for its impact on the successful standup of the U.S. Air Force's first Total Force "blended" wing.
"This award is special because it recognizes our comm flight Total Force team comprised of ANG, active duty, civil service, and contract personnel" said Capt. Fred Massey, commander, 116th CF.
"Our team led the way for the transformation of the 93rd Air Control Wing and 116th Bomb Wing into the 116th Air Control Wing...by being the first organization in the wing to physically incorporate people from both sides into one cohesive unit.
"I feel like we helped break down one of the most critical barriers to the blending of the two wings-- shared communications and information."
During this process the flight identified the overall communications and information support required for the two organizations to become one war fighting wing. Support included voice, data, and radio networks, information management and assurance, and multimedia services.
One of the most significant accomplishments was the addition of 1,700 active duty personnel to the 116th's local area network.
In addition to the "blending" challenges, the flight was able to provide critical deployed ground communication support for Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System operations at Air Warrior and Red Flag exercises at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and deployed JSTARS operations during operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
"The comm flight has had several obstacles to overcome and it hasn't been easy," said Col. Lois Schmidt, commander, 116th Mission Support Group. "But, they have successfully overcome those obstacles. I am very proud of their accomplishments and dedication to the mission."
"These awards simply validate the communication flight's hard work," said Lynn. "I'm really proud of you and what you do. You can hang these plaques on the wall and know you're the best in the Air National Guard."
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More than 500 attend 'Hotwash' to help 48th eSIB, Task Force Oglethorpe prepare for NTC
More than 500 Army Guardsmen from across the country came to Atlanta in September to hear lessons learned from North Carolina's 30th Infantry Brigade and their recent experience at the National Training Center (NTC). The event was hosted by the Georgia Guard in an effort to learn as much as possible about the NTC rotation in preparation for the 48th Brigade's training in the California desert in 2005.
Nearly 20 states were represented at the weekend-long "hotwash" including members of Washington's 81st Infantry Brigade, which will train at the NTC next summer.
"The conference was valuable because it gave us a chance to 'pick the brains' of the 30th eSIB and the North Carolina STARC to learn what went right and what went wrong," said Lt. Col. Jerome Thomas, who is project officer for Task Force Oglethorpe, which will support the 2005 rotation. "We'll be much better prepared for our turn in 2005, and better prepared for the mission rehearsal exercise at Fort Riley next summer."
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Georgia Air National Guard Lt. Col. Deborah J. Nazimiec accepts the colors of Macon's 202d Engineering Installation Squadron from Maj. Gen. Wick Searcy during her change of command ceremony.

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Macon's 202nd EIS Gets First Female Commander
Georgia Air National Guard Lt. Col. Deborah J. Nazimiec made Guard history this past month by being appointed the first female commander of Macon's 202d Engineering Installation Squadron. This new assignment marks her return to the unit where she was the first female to be commissioned by the 202nd in 1989.
Nazimiec succeeds Lt. Col. William Day, who has been appointed commander of the 283rd Combat Communications Squadron stationed at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta. Nazimiec received her commissioned through the Air National Guard Academy of Military Science. She holds a graduate degree in management and an undergraduate degree in electronic engineering technology.
After being commissioned Nazimiec served as officer-in-charge of the 202nd's Wire Section from August 1989 to July 1993. She was then selected to serve as an information management officer at Headquarters Georgia National Guard, from July 1993 to May 1996. Nazimiec was later appointed commander of 116th Services Flight at Robins Air Force Base from May 1996 to September 2000. In September 2000, she was selected to serve as inspector general for the 116th Air Control Wing, also stationed at Robins.
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Those Who Fight War on Drugs Get Protection; Technology Provides Officers Safety
The Georgia National Guard's Counter Drug Task Force has been involved in a program since September 2001 that increases the safety factor for its members.
In 1995, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) declared the Atlanta area a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Site (HIDTAS). This declaration was based upon the amount of drug-related activities or crimes reported in metropolitan Atlanta. It also made the city eligible for federal grants to help local agencies fight the battle against illegal drugs.
ONDCP also mandated that all HIDTAS must include a program to ensure the safety of officers involved in that battle. That program is known as Event Deconfliction. Deconfliction is an intelligence-sharing system that prevents officers from confronting what has been termed "blue-on-blue" situations.
The program's main objective is to give officers a method of identifying potentially dangerous conflicts in law enforcement operations through a "Watch Center." It creates better coordination of law enforcement efforts. When conflicts do happen, the system allows the officers involved to work out their differences before an anti-drug operation begins. Also, Guardsmen with the Counterdrug Task Force are responsible for maintaining historical files on operations, providing briefings to participating and non-participating agencies, networking to increase usage and the authenticating of "users."
Information complied by Counterdrug shows there was a nine percent increase (98 during July and August 2001 and 108 during the same months in 2002) in the use of the Event Deconfliction program between 2001 and 2002. That number jumped significantly between 2002 and this year up to 42 percent, with 187 calls to the Watch Center.
There are two Counterdrug Task Force members assigned to the Watch Center. They are Sgt. 1st Class November Graves of Kennesaw's 781st Troop Command, and Master Sgt. Clarence Burgess of Warner Robbins' 116th Air Control Wing. Graves and Burgess are at the Watch Center 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in addition to fulfilling their Guard duties on drill weekends and annual training.
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Georgia State Defense Force nurses check on one of the exercise's victims.
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SDF Plays Major Role in Security Exercise
Georgia's Emergency Response Exercise 2003 in late September turned what had been a quiet afternoon in middle Georgia into a simulated nightmare of smoke, fire and chaos.
As the scenario played out, a reported "suicide bomber" blew himself up near an area college. A short time later a plane carrying about 85 passengers was hijacked from Hartsfield International Airport and used the smoke to find the college and crash on campus. It's path into the ground put it close to a government laboratory where Biological Level 4 materials were being handled such a ebola and hemorrhagic fever.
It would be up to area emergency responders, area Guard and Reserve units and about 84 members of the Georgia State Defense Force to take the appropriate action and deal with the situation.
The exercise capped off a week-long Homeland Security Summit and training exercise for federal, state and local government agencies concerned with homeland security. Held at Marietta's Dobbins Air Reserve Base, the event was a practical demonstration of what could happen should a terrorist decide to strike the Metro-Atlanta area. It also helped bring the agencies and organizations involved to a better understanding of their strengths and weakness in reacting to such an attack. Many agencies involved dealt with real-time coordination and were in constant communication with Washington to keep officials in the Homeland Security Department and other apprised of the exercise's progress.
The homeland security summit ( http://www.securitysummit.org) is a non-profit organization and this is the 2nd year it was conducted. The bomber, a dummy detonated by members of the GBI. Firefighters from Austell, Atlanta and Smyrna were on hand to contain the blaze set aboard the training model of a military plane.
When first responders and members of the GaSDF arrived, they dealt with an estimated 50 "victims," volunteer medical trainees, needing treatment for various wounds and diseases from the bio-terror attack. Personnel from the Geogia Army National Guard's 4th Civil Support Team were on hand to deal with the simulated biological and chemical threat. Members of the American Red Cross, Homeland Security's Disaster Medical Assistance Team also played an important role in the exercise.
While other members of the State Defense Force were assisting crash victims, SDF Maj. Mike McShane. Office-in-charge assisted in coordinating efforts by the the SDF's landing zone, staff, medical, public affairs, traffic, radio and security teams.
GaSDF Chief Warrant Officer 1 Charles George, one of the coordinators of the event, said it was "important to bring first responders together so the first time they meet isn't during a real crisis. As Officials of the participating agencies were not the only ones observing the training that took place. Also present were visitors the Phillipines and Germany gathering information on the exercise for use by their respective governments.
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Staff Sgt. Daniel Crump, the 4th Civil Support Team logistics sergeant, test for biological agents in the Chicago Cubs clubhouse prior to the opening game of the 2003 National League Division Series.

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CST Clears Stadium before First Game of Series
The idea of a terrorist releasing a biological, radiological or chemical agent in the confines of a crowded sports stadium is frightening. And yet it's all too realistic for the members of Georgia's 4th Civil Support Team. The team's 22 specialists are trained to deploy quickly, analyze the threat accurately and take immediate action to safeguard lives and property.
The CST's capabilities was once again tested as team members were called to clear Atlanta's Ted Turner Stadium before game one of the National League Division Championship Series. Hours before the first pitch, CST team members were positioned for a search of the 50,000-seat structure.
During the bustle of pre-game preparation, two Georgia Army Guardsmen began going about a prescribed search for the unthinkable biological, chemical or radiological substances that may have been smuggled into the stadium. The soldiers disappeared through the door marked "Visitors Locker Room" carrying two handheld instruments, one a bright yellow unit resembling a Geiger counter called the BT-550. The unit records air samples at the various locations in the stadium. The second man follows with a radiological detection device not much larger than a television remote. Studying the fluctuations on a lighted meter, the soldier holding the device looked for telltale signs of radiation leakage.
Red lights blink abnormally as the two CST members walked along the row of lockers bearing the names of Chicago Cub stars Sammy Sosa, Mark Pryor and Mark Remlinger. A few early arriving ball players eyed the pair suspiciously. No area of the locker room escaped the careful probe of the CST detectives. Once finished, three clear plastic cups were removed from the BT-550 and stored in a plastic bag. But not before one of the searchers noted on the bag the location of the search, the time and the sample number. An loud hum denoted that the machine had sterilized itself before the next search.
Food storage and preparation areas of Turner Field were the next to be tested. Thousands of pounds of meat, poultry, can goods, bakery products, pizzas and countless other items arrive daily at the stadium. These are stored in cold rooms that are, at least, two stories high. With their every breath vaporizing in the 28-degree refrigerator, the two searchers continue to monitor air and radiation samples, crawling around pallets of hamburgers and hundreds of canisters of carbonated beverages. They searched diligently for hazardous toxins that can be laced in food products as well as for dangerous gas that can be smuggled in with hundreds of CO2 cylinders waiting to be moved upstairs to concession stands. Again, the searches did'nt find anything abnormal.
After more than an hour, the pair ended their search with the Braves executive offices and the mailroom, a location all too susceptible to the presence of anthrax or other deadly substances. A mailroom employee cautiously backed away while the BT-550 conducted its final search. Georgia's 4th CST has conducted this search so often that Braves and stadium employees know them by name and feel more comfortable when they are around.
With the foot search completed, air samples taken in a half dozen areas around the stadium were carried to a Mobile Analytical Lab packed with ultra high tech monitoring equipment. Two CST laboratory technicians, skilled in the of detection and chemical analysis put the samples through a battery of revealing tests. Fortunately, none of the samples revealed any cause undo alarm.
In a little more than an hour, and in the midst of massive preparation for the first in a series of championship games, members of the 4th CST conducted a search for the most common weapons that could have caused widespread public horror and panic. Within minutes, the CST was, again, able to

report "all clear" to Atlanta Police and stadium authorities. The division championships went on that night, but the next day would be another story.
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781st Family Day

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781st Troop Command celebrates Family Day and Open House
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Spc. Charles Lollar, a member of the 190th Military Police Co., places a strong, yet gentle hand on the head of his son, George. As he stares down at him, his eyes speak freely of what his heart feels. "My son is my hero. Everything we do is for family."
His son, age 10, reciprocates that loving sentiment adding, "My dad is the man! He let me ride with him in the (Atlanta annual) July 4th parade on his Humvee." The elder Lollar proudly grins and chuckles, with a quick correction, "its not my Humvee, but I couldn't imagine being there without him by my side." Then they went on their way as they lost themselves in the excitement of the day. After all that is what the 781st Troop Command Family Day and Open House is all about.
The 781st Troop Command, located in Kennesaw, currently has several members of its 161st Area Support Medical Battalion and the 277th Maintenance Company deployed to Iraq. The day's activities were an opportunity to include the community in pre-planning homecoming events for these units.
The event offered the usual accoutrements; music, dunking booths, picnics and games. Including interactive exhibits created by the units within the command as well as Georgia National Guard Recruiting and Retention. The length of the armory hallways displayed the names of those deployed where friends, visitors and families could inscribe well wishes for a safe return.
"We want to make sure that the people that live in this community know what our men and women are doing", explained Brenda Green, wife of Staff Sgt. Ronald Green a medic. "Not just because they wear the uniform, but because they live in this community and they care," she is the chair for the command's Family Support Team.
That caring spirit was resonated by families and organizations. Spc. Robert Alwine easily transitioned from the dunking booth to getting a community boost, literally, as he was hoisted by visiting Kennesaw State University cheerleaders. Standing atop a standard squad `ground-up' his comment was simply, "this is awesome!"
Dan Froehlich, sales and service manager with the Atlanta Thrashers hockey team, didn't think twice about what his family should spend their Saturday doing. "I've lived in the area since 1998 and drive by each day, so why not give your kids an idea of what goes on here." His 4-year-old son, Aaron, was in obvious agreement as he tried his hand at the `pigskin' toss.
Funds raised will be used for homecoming celebration events and family support initiatives. Although there are no confirmed return dates for the deployed soldiers, the day's activities were viewed as a dress rehearsal of sorts - an exercise in preparedness.
"We want our guys to know that we actually came together as a community and did something," said Lollar. Not surprisingly he and George found their way to the Humvees. "We support them. We're not just talking and e-mailing each other about this."
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Altamese Finch, administrative assistant for the Georgia National Guard's Readiness Office, is presented with the Georgia Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve's State
Committee Certificate of Appreciation by Maj. Gen. David B. Poythress, Georgia's Adjutant General, and retired Army Maj. Gen. Thomas A. Wessels, chair-select of the Georgia ESGR
State Committee

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ESGR Supporters, State Employees Recognized
Several members of the Georiga Department of Defense were received awards in September for their dedication and commitment to DoD and the Georgia National Guard. Georgia's Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. David B. Poythress, presented the awards during a ceremony at Building No. 21 at the state DoD complex on Confederate Avenue.
Receiving Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve were Altamese Finch, administrative assistant for workforce development; 2nd Lt. William Phillips, ESGR program manager and retired ESGR employee Margaret Herring. Receiving the Patriotic Employer Award was Senior Master Sgt. William Pinkney, state equal employment manager. Phillips and Pinkney also received Commendation Certificates.
State Service awards were given to Kathy Robinson of the State Personnel Office 30 years; Altamese Finch of the Family Readiness Office 20 years; John Hardwick, retirement services manager 15 years; Barbara McCaa, ESGR and Family Readiness director 10 years; and retired Army National Guard Col. Ed Chamberlain, director of Dod's workforce development 5 years.
Awards for support of the Family Readiness program and the Guard's annual Family Readiness Conference, held Aug. 15-17, went to Joy Drummond, who works with DoD's Environmental Office, and Mary Stewart Moseby of the Construction and Facilities Office.
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Guard Recognizes Hispanic Contributions
The Georgia Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Division, along with the Atlanta chapter of the Latin American Association (LAA), hosted an event in late September at the city's Plaza Fiesta Mall to celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month and the contributions made by Hispanics to the National Guard.
This event was held in conjunction with National Guard Awareness Day to bring about a better understanding among the general public of the Guard and the benefits of being a citizen-soldier.
More than 1,000 people, including cadets from a local high school Army JROTC unit, came to the event, said Sgt. 1st Class Gladys Portwine, a supply and logistics specialist with the Army Guard's new 201st Supply & Service Battalion based in Newnan.
"The turn-out we had was beyond our expectations," Portwine said. "Those who came met with Latino Guardsmen from several units around the state, and more than once heard the comment on how great it was that the Guard recognizes its Hispanic members." For the past several months, Portwine explained, Recruiting and Retention had worked along with the LAA to this event to interact with Atlanta's Latino community and combine it with Guard Awareness Day. The organization, she went on, played a key role in the Guard's success for penetrating the Hispanic Market.
Along with the association, Recruiting and Retention set up displays in the mall's food court. On display inside the mall was one of the recruiting Humvees, while outside sat an M3 Bradley fighting vehicle and its crew assigned to Albany's Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment. While Hispanic music filled the air and children walked about with balloons in hand, the Latino public asked questions of the Bradley crew, members of the Army Guard's Demonstration and Recruiting Team, as well as the Spanish speaking soldiers and recruiters who were on hand for the event. And, of course, no event is ever complete without the ever helpful Tommy Tentpeg to entertain the crowd.
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The USO and The National Museum of Patriotism Offer "Project Video Connect"
The USO and The National Museum of Patriotism, Inc. has joined forces with AOL for Broadband to support "Project Video Connect: We're Here Until They're Home" in the Atlanta Metro area. Project Video Connect ("PVC") was launched by America Online in May 2003 and allows thousands of military personnel who are still overseas and their families to send video messages to each other from USO locations around the world via AOL for Broadband.
Project Video Connect gives military families, troops and supporters the opportunity to communicate "face-to-face" by creating personal video messages that can be sent free of charge using VIDITalk, a special video messaging program created by VIDISolutions, a leading supplier of video communications software. One hundred computer stations provided by Hewlett Packard and equipped with VIDITalk and AOL for Broadband are being installed throughout the U.S. and around the world, many of these at American Red Cross chapters and USO offices.
"We are truly thrilled to be in a position to support Project Video Connect. The USO continually looks for ways to support the families of military and emergency services personnel, especially now with the recent extended deployments announced," said Michael Watson, Chairman of the Board USO. "PVC is a significant enhancement to our services as is The National Museum of Patriotism, Inc. for its hosting of this project. When it comes to communication, this program will certainly make a huge impact on morale," said Ms. Mary Lou Austin, President, USO Georgia.
"Our location is proud to help bring this program and the comfort it brings to our troops and their families in our area," said Mr. Nicholas Snider, Founder, The National Museum of Patriotism, Inc.
"The Internet continues to be a powerful tool enabling people to stay in touch with loved ones in the military more easily and frequently than during previous wars. By launching Project Video Connect, we hope to now bring families separated by war and peacekeeping efforts throughoutthe world a little bit closer by giving them an opportunity to send personal video messages to each other," said Carlos Silva, Vice President, AOL Broadband.
"We are thrilled to help launch Project Video Connect in the Atlanta Metro Area because of the large number of families in the area with military personnel overseas," said VIDISolutions President Paul Braun. "This program makes sending a personal video message as easy as possible, and boosts the morale of the troops and their families by bringing them together. In a matter of minutes, military personnel and their families can record and send a heartfelt message which can be viewed from anywhere in the world."
The simple process, which only takes a matter of minutes, allows military personnel and their families to use a computer equipped with a video camera to record a video message, create a URL containing that message, and then send the link to their loved one over AOL for Broadband. The message reaches its recipient via regular email and can be viewed or re-sent over any broadband connection. With hundreds of thousands of troops remaining overseas for an indefinite amount of time, PVC is meant to keep them connected to their friends and family for as long as possible. Hundreds of families have already begun to use the program with nearly 500 videos sent in just the first few weeks of the program.
For a complete list of locations visit www.vidisolutions.com and click on Project Video Connect.
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Historical Society to hold October conference
Three distinguished members of the "Greatest Generation" will address their experiences during World War II in Europe and the Pacific, Saturday October 25, in Forsyth, Ga., as the Historical Society of the Georgia National Guard examines World War II and the Georgia Guard. Featured speakers include BG (retired) James "Dutch" McLendon, Mr. John W. Meeler and Charles G. Shepherd, Jr.
This year's annual conference is especially significant in view of the thousands of Georgia Guardsmen called to active duty for Operations Enduring Freedom, Noble Eagle and Iraqi Freedom.
Mr. Meeler enlisted in company B, 122nd Infantry in 1936 and remained with the unit through its redesignation as 179th Field Artillery in 1939. During World War II, Mr. Meeler was the 179th's "Chief of the firing sections" and saw action in France.
Mr. Shepherd served with K Company, 121st Infantry in France.
General McLendon started his career in the Georgia Guard, and then as war erupted transferred to the Army Air Corps serving in the Pacific theater until war's end. Following the war he rejoined the Georgia National Guard.
The half-day forum will be held at the Council Chambers in downtown Forsyth and begins at approximately 9:30 a.m. Mayor Paul Jossey, former chief of staff, Georgia Army National Guard, and the city of Forsyth, are hosting the conference. Cost of this year's meeting is $10 per person. Parking is available at the rear of the building. The conference should conclude around noon. Lunch on your own is available at the Farm House Restaurant, on the courthouse square, a short walk from the site of the meeting.
For further information you may call either Mr. John Hardwick, 404-624-6451, or Mr. B. I. Diamond at 404-624-6065.
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Spc. Michael Pope, holds his son, Trevor while he plays peek-a-boo. Pope is a mechanic with Headquarters Company, 48th Brigade, which celebrated National Guard Appreciation
Day with their families and friends. Guard members Central City Park in Macon for the third soldier appreciation activity directed from Brig. Gen. Robley Rigdon, 48th Infantry Brigade commander. "This is a way to help boost the morale of the soldiers and at the
same time increase recruiting and retention for the unit", said Sgt. Jody Reel, the Headquarters' Company recruiting and retention sergeant. Soldiers were allowed to invite
anyone interested in joining the Guard to the celebration.

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Georgia Air National Guard commander, Maj Gen Wick Searcy, congratulates Alan Davis of Blackshear, who was the Grand Prize winner of the 2003 Centennial Edition Harley Davison motorcycle at the first Georgia National Guard's Troop Ride fundraiser for the Georgia National Guard Association. The fundraising event organized by Mr. Jimmy Ford of the South Georgia Western Star Truck Company and retired Master Sgt. Harry Glick formerly of the 165th Air Wing who collected more than $5,870.00 for the Georgia National Guard Foundation. Approximately 80 riders from Douglas and Alma, GA participated in The Troop Ride rally that occurred on September 6th 2003. More than 950 participated with a donation for the fundraiser.

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Sgt Jody Reel, the recruiting and retention sergeant for Headquarters Company, 48th Brigade watches her daughters during the unit's National Guard Appreciation Day in Macon's Central City Park.

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A group of soldiers from Headquarters Company, 48th Brigade, enjoy a game of volleyball during the unit's National Guard Appreciation Day in Macon's Central City Park.