First Friday briefing [Apr. 1, 2005]

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First Friday Briefing for April 2005

Deployment Update

State Defense Force, 178th MPs
Participate in Operation Castle Keep
Two components of the Georgia Department of Defense played key roles in a March exercise that helped better prepare state and local authorities deal with homeland security threats. Operation Castle Keep included a realistic scenario at the Buford Dam on Lake Lanier, with the 178th Military Police Company working with local law enforcement, and the Georgia State Defense Force playing the part of the "bad guys." Read more about the 178th MPs at
Castlekeep
Read more about the State Defense Force
Role

116th Air Control Wing Receives
17th and Final Joint STARS Aircraft
The 116th Air Control Wing received its 17th and final E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) aircraft Friday at arrival ceremonies at Robins AFB. In special commemoration the tail number of this aircraft reflects national events that took place Sept. 11, 2001. This final Joint STARS aircraft wears the tail number 029111.The 116th ACW is the only home to the 17 Joint STARS aircraft and is the first wing to combine Air National Guard and active duty members into a single unit. More

FSIVA Team Joins Counterdrug Task
Force In Homeland Defense
FSIVA, a new acronym Georgia Guard soldiers will soon add to their vocabulary. FSIVA stands for Full Spectrum Integrated Vulnerability Assessment Team, a new detachment forming under the counter drug banner that will provide Georgia's civil authorities with the means to assess the vulnerability of state infrastructures to terrorist attack. When fully operational the eight person team will undergo extensive training in anti-terrorism and force protection management, physical security, engineering and possibly Sapper schooling. More

Colley Top Engineer
In Air National Guard
Chief Master Sergeant Robert Colley of Butler, GA, an 18-year veteran of the 202nd Engineering Installation Squadron (EIS) of the Georgia Air National Guard has captured the Air National Guard Engineering and Installation Engineer of the Year Award for 2004. Also receiving top recognitions at the National EIS Conference held recently in New Orleans was Staff Sgt. Kenyua Ellis of the 202nd who received the 2004 Air Guard EI Outstanding Non Commissioned Officer of the Year Award and Senior Master Sgt. Anthony Davis of Birmingham who captured the 2004 ANG Engineering Installation First Sergeant of the Year Award. The 202nd EIS Family Readiness Group won the EIS Family Readiness Award for a series of activities which ANG EIS officials say far exceeded its charter. More

48th Infantry Brigade Heads for Final Training at NTC The last of the charter airliners are winging their way to California, transporting Soldiers of the 48th Infantry Brigade to the unit's final Mission Rehearsal Exercise before deploying to Iraq. The unit will spend most of the month of April at in the sands of the National Training Center before returning for more than a week of block leave in early May. A day-long departure celebration is scheduled for Friday, May 13, followed by a formal military send-off ceremony on Saturday, May 14 at Fort Stewart.
Other stories about the 48th Brigade Training...
q 108th Armor Looking to New Missions, New Challenges
q Canadian On His Way To Iraq With 48th
Community, Legislature Honors Deploying Guardsmen
Georgia Senate chambers echoed with applause for the Georgia National Guard and, specifically the 48th Infantry Brigade, on Wednesday, March 30 as a proclamation honoring the brigade was read and approved by Georgia's highest legislative body. Brig. Gen. Stewart Rodeheaver (pictured left) and Maj Gen David Poythress both addressed the senators on the preparation for the upcoming deployment to Iraq in May.

Army Guardsmen Compete for
Soldier, NCO of the Year
The Georgia Army National Guard held its annual Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year competition at the Regional Training Institute at Macon in March. The Soldiers and NCOs competed against each other in variety of events including physical training, marksmanship, and common task training. The RTI cadre conducted the events. The state winners will represent Georgia in the regional competition. "It's a good thing," said Spc. Neil White (pictured), Company H, 121st Infantry, of winning Soldier of the Year. "But there's more to come and the competition will be stiffer." More

Guard Honors Vandiver,
Former Governor and TAG
Governor S. Ernest Vandiver, twice Adjutant General of Georgia, who headed State government during one of the most contentious periods in Georgia history, died at home in Lavonia in February. Georgia Army and Air Guard honor guards provided escorts for the casket which lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda, and rendered veteran's honors at the graveside. Vandiver was first appointed TAG by Governor Herman Talmadge in 1947. At that time he was the youngest Adjutant General in the nation. More

With the 48th Brigade engaged in the final phases of training for a year-long deployment to Iraq, the Georgia Chapter of the Woodmen of the World are helping those left behind. The organization collected more than $3,000 for the 48th Infantry Brigade Family Support Group, and more is on the way, presenting the check to Brigadier General Stewart Rodeheaver, brigade commander, at the Woodmen meeting on Jekyll Island, March 19. More
A look at what happened in April in Georgia National Guard history
1968 Brig. Gen. I. G. Brown, assistant chief of the National Guard Bureau for Air, in Atlanta for a the Air National Guard Commander's Conference, said that Georgia's Air National Guard is "already toting as heavy a load as possible in the war in Vietnam." Though the newspaper article did not give any unit names, the 116th Military Airlift Wing, has been flying cargo to Southeast Asia for some time. Three flights a month were scheduled though they often averagd many more. The 116ths initial flight with a C-124 in April of 1967 carried 20,000 pound of cargo from Travis Air Force Base, California to Da Nang, South Vietnam.

Georgia First Full-time Chaplain Promoted to Colonel Chaplain John Owings, the Georgia Guard's first fulltime chaplain, is the latest Georgia Army Guard Soldier to be promoted to the rank of Colonel. Chaplain Owings (pictured above) was pinned by his wife Rosey and Col. Don Venn, Chief of Staff, during ceremonies in March. Chaplain Owings, who joined the Georgia Army Guard in 1990, was appointed the to his fulltime position last year and oversees the operations of more than 40 chaplains and chaplain assistants statewide. Prior to joining the Georgia Guard, the Hawkinsville native served seven years on active duty as a chaplain with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, and in assignments in Italy and Germany.

High School Students Receive
Georgia Military Scholarship
Twenty-six high school seniors, many in full dress ROTC uniforms, gathered at the State Capitol to receive full military scholarships to North Georgia College and State University in the annual Georgia Scholarship Military Ceremony held on March 23. he recipients met with Governor Sonny Perdue and later with their nominating elected officials from the House and Senate before being hosted to a luncheon where their scholarships were presented by Maj Gen David Poythress and Col James T. Palmer, Commandant of Cadets at NGCSU. More

117th Air Control Squadron Tests
Sophisticated Comm Equipment
In a live exercise off the coast of Georgia, the 117th Air Control Squadron tested the new Joint Range Extension Transparent Multi-Platform Gateway Equipment Package (JTEP) at the request of the Air Combat Command. This highly sophisticated system was designed to

Mandatory USERRA Poster
Now Available Through ESGR
Mandatory posters explaining the rights of employees National Guard and Reserve under the Uniformed Services Employment Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) are now available from the U.S. Department Labor. The Veterans Benefits Improvement Act, enacted by Congress last December, mandates that employers provide notice to "all persons entitled to rights and under USERRA." Employers may meet this obligation by posting the notice prominent place where employees routinely check for such information. More

1963 Maj. Gen. George Hearn, Adjutant General, announced that the entire 48th Armored Division, a Georgia-Florida division since 1947, would be assigned to the state. The reorganization was effective on Tuesday, April 16th and marked the first time that a complete division of the Guard had been assigned to Georgia. Hearn noted that not a single Georgia community would lose a Guard unit. The division's reorganization was under the concept of ROAD (Reorganization Objectives, Army Division) which placed increased emphasis on flexibility, battlefield mobility and firepower.
1926 The Adjutant General of Georgia, Brig. Gen. Homer C Parker, citing lack of use, discharged the caretakers a the state's three ranges; the Rose Dhu Rifle Range in Savannah; the Holton Rifle Range near Macon, and the Atlanta Rifle Range. He explained in a letter to the Militia Bureau that only seven men used the Atlanta range to train during the weekends in March but with better weather in April the required number of men were firing. He described the rundown condition of the range as well as the lack of credit when the Regular Army at Fort McPherson used it.
Complied by Staff Sgt. Gail Parnelle, GaARNG Historical Section

evaluate new communications equipment that creates a common display among many different aircraft originally limited only to line of sight capabilities. More

Lt. Gen. David B. Poythress The Adjutant General of Georgia

April 3, 2007 Time: 1:58 pm Security Notice

Army National Guard FAQ The latest news from the Georgia Army National Guard. | 2007 NCO, soldier Named | Hurricane Exercise Tests Readines | Guard Deploys to Americus to Aid Relief Effort | G-RAP Pays Off for Guardsman | CERFP Unit Ramps Up With Joint Training Exercise | Lt. Col. Wood Earns Bronze Star | 4th CST Welcomes New commander | Warren Promoted | 221st Welcomes New Commander | Gober Earns Eagles | Artillerymen Honored During Saint Barbara Day Celebration | Calhoun Resident Receives Medals... 60 Years Late |

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48th BCT In Iraq

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178th MPs Work With Civilian Counterparts During Operations Castle Keep

Story and Photos By Sgt. Jeff Lowry 124th MPAD

Related Story: State Defense Force plays a critical Role in Castle Keep

One Georgia National Guard unit and its civilian counterparts

worked hand-in-hand during Operation Castle Keep.

Georgia's 178th Military Police Company worked with Forsyth

County and Gwinnett County Police Departments during the multi-

agency exercise designed to test their cohesion against a possible

terrorist attack.

"We have to know each other's strengths and weaknesses in the

event of a real world attack," said Capt. Raymond Faunt, the

exercise's executive officer and Full Spectrum Integrated

Vulnerability Assessment team leader. During the exercise the MP

company and civilian police departments manned road blocks and

Georgia Army National Guard Spc. Rani Rathburn and Sgt. Philip Snow discuss tactics at a road block during training exercise titled Operation Castle Keep at Buford Dam. Operation Castle Keep was a multi-agency exercise designed to test cohesion and abilities of local, state, and national agencies against a possible terrorist attack. Rathburn and Snow are with the 178th Military Police Company.

check points. They appreciated the benefits of working together in a training mission like this one. "It's so important because an attack could happen at any moment," said Spc. Rani Rathburn, a 178th Military Police member. It that happens they'll need to respond quickly and efficiently. "We all have to be on the same plan of action so everything can run smoothly," she said. While at the the road block the police officers and Soldiers experienced many different scenarios during the exercise. "It's been pretty realistic especially that part right there," said Spc. Rani Rathburn shortly after a "car bomb explosion" during one

scenario. Although a bomb did not go off, Rathburn had to evaluate casualties as if it had. She received high

marks from an observer controller following the event.

"She did really well," said Georgia State Defense Force 1st Lt. Steve Brown, a medic with 1st Brigade's

medical detachment. "She took care of the wounded officers and Soldiers and made the right choices

prioritizing patients," he said. From the Soldiers on the ground to the Soldiers who made the plans they all

realize the importance of working together on Operation Castle Keep with other local, state, and national

agencies.

"It helps the process go smoothly and it helps eliminate weaknesses and kinks," said Faunt.

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State Defense Force Plays Keep Part In Anti-Terrorism Exercise

Story and photos by SPC Curtis Porter III 124 MPAD

Related Story: 178th MPs Work With Civilian Counterparts

Georgia State Defense Force member James H. Moore was one of more than 70 of the organization's members who participated in a state anti-terrorism exercise at Georgia 's Buford Dam on March 5. The Doraville pastor, who is also a fantasy writer, amateur astronomy buff and former law enforcement officer, added the role of terrorist to his resume during the exercise named Operation Castle Keep.

Moore and fellow SDF members role-played as terrorists to assist several government agencies in Castle Keep, designed to help prepare "first responders" for a possible terrorist threat.

James Moody, a Georgia State Defense

Force member is held at bay by Forsyth County Sheriff's Deputies during the recent anti-terrorist exercise Operation Castle Keep.

SDF members worked in conjunction with the Georgia Army National Guard's 178th Military Police Company, out of Kennesaw, along with personnel from the Gwinnett County and Forsyth County Police Departments, Forsyth County Fire Department, the Georgia

Bureau of Investigation, the Georgia State Police, the United States Corps of Engineers and the United

States Coast Guard Auxiliary.

"I always had a desire to be in the military since I was young, but my bad eyes kept me out. Now that I'm in the SDF as a chaplain, I'm realizing my dream," said Moore.

Moore's role in Operation Castle Keep was to attempt to breach a roadblock setup by law enforcement officials. He portrayed his role convincingly enough that Forsyth County Sheriff's deputies had the minister handcuffed with weapons pointed at him on the dusty ground just below the summit of Buford Dam on the Gwinnett-Forsyth County line.

The SDF was a major component of Castle Keep. The volunteer members of the SDF contribute their time and service without benefit of pay. They provided almost all of the role-playing assets during the day-long interagency exercise.

"We were asked to be the opposing force for this exercise and provide medical support, both real-world and scenario," said Col. Noel R. Bambrough, the commander for SDF members participating in the exercise. "We're proud of our ability to come in as a disciplined force and follow the orders and directions given to us by higher authority."

SDF member William Tello, a staff sergeant in the organization, was actually part of the team which stormed a control room at the Buford Dam, taking hostages along the way and holding law enforcement members at bay until Special Weapons And Tactical teams from Gwinnett and Forsyth County Sheriff's Departments retook the facility in a show of force reminiscent of a big-budget action movie.

"The SWAT guys and the hostage negotiators were really good," Tello said. "I was talking to one guy on the phone and decided to throw them for a loop by talking in Spanish. The guy on the other end acted like he didn't hear my question and asked me to repeat it. I did and the reply I got back was in Spanish."

Brambrough said it's this type of realistic scenario that makes SDF membership worthwhile. "The exposure we receive from training with the Guard and law enforcement is invaluable. This proves we are ready to serve."

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FSIVA Team Joins Counter Drug Task Force In Homeland Defense
FSIVA a new acronym Georgia Guard members will soon add to their vocabulary.
FSIVA stands for Full Spectrum Integrated Vulnerability Assessment Team, a new detachment forming under the counter drug banner that will provide Georgia's civil authorities with the means to assess the vulnerability of state infrastructures to terrorist attack.
In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, state officials were forced to assess how well Georgia was prepared in the event terrorist struck targets here. To aid in this mission The Adjutant General authorized the formation of a specially trained task force to take the lead in protecting Georgia's citizens from a terrorist threat.
When fully operational the eight person team will undergo extensive training in anti-terrorism and force protection management, physical security, engineering and possibly Sapper schooling.
Working with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, the unit will conduct vulnerability assessments of critical infrastructures, key resources and defense installations throughout the state.
Working from a prioritized list established by GEMA the FSIVA Team will visit sites, evaluate their vulnerability to terrorist attacks, and make recommendations for change. To do this the team will use the latest high tech tool Homeland Defense Enhanced Comprehensive Assessment tool (HLD-ECAM). The average time needed to evaluate a site is five days.
By taking the lead in the fight against terrorism the Georgia National Guard has shown once again it's commitment to protecting its citizens from threats both here and abroad.
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116th Air Control Wing Receives 17th and Final Joint STARS Aircraft

The 116th Air Control Wing received its 17th and final E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) aircraft Friday at arrival ceremonies at Robins AFB..

The ceremony included remarks from: Brig. Gen. George `Tom' Lynn, 116th Air Control Wing Commander, Maj. Gen. David Poythress, The Adjutant General for Georgia; The Honorable Jim Marshall, U.S. House of Representatives; Mr. Dave Nagy, VP and Program Manager for Joint Stars, Northrop Grumman and special guest speaker The Honorable Saxby Chambliss, U.S. Senate.

JSTARS (file copy)

In special commemoration the tail number of this aircraft reflects

national events that took place Sept. 11, 2001. This final Joint STARS aircraft wears the tail number 02-

9111.The 116th ACW is the only home to the 17 Joint STARS aircraft and is the first wing to combine Air

National Guard and active duty members into a single unit.

The E-8C Joint STARS is the world's most advanced wide area airborne ground surveillance, targeting and battle management system. From a standoff position, it detects, locates, classifies, tracks and targets hostile ground movements, communicating real-time information through secure data links with Air Force and U.S. Army command posts.

All Joint STARS aircraft are based on a Boeing 707 airframe. Each aircraft went through a $40 million refurbishment program at the Northrop Grumman production facility at Lake Charles, La.

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Colley Top Engineer in Air National Guard
Ellis, Davis and 202nd Family Readiness Group Captures Top EIS Honors

Chief Master Sergeant Robert Colley of Butler, GA, an 18-year veteran of the 202nd Engineering Installation Squadron (EIS) of the Georgia Air National Guard has captured the Air National Guard Engineering and Installation Engineer of the Year Award for 2004.

Also receiving top recognitions at the National ANG EIS Conference held recently in

New Orleans was SSgt Kenyua Ellis of the 202nd who received the 2004 ANG EI

Outstanding NCO of the Year award and SMSgt Anthony Davis of Birmingham who

captured the 2004 ANG Engineering Installation First Sergeant of the Year Award.

The 202nd EIS Family Readiness Group won the EIS Family Readiness Award for a

series of activities which ANG EIS officials say far exceeded its charter.
Chief Master Sergeant

Robert Colley

Colley, 47, is the Non-commissioned Officer in Charge of the Engineering Section of

the 141-person 202nd EIS of the Georgia Air National Guard located at Middle Georgia Regional Airport in

Macon.

Colley was recognized for his design and installation of communications cables and equipment for Air Force and Air National Guard bases and facilities throughout the southeastern United States as well as overseas in Puerto Rico, Ecuador and the Republic of Georgia.

Last year Colley was also recognized as the Air National Guard EIS Engineer of the Year for 2003 and 202nd EIS Senior NCO of the Year.

SSgt Kenyua Ellis of the 202nd received the 2004 ANG EI Outstanding NCO of the Year award. The fouryear veteran of Lithonia is an Engineering Assistant and Draftsman for the unit. The 2004 ANG Engineering Installation First Sergeant of the Year was presented to SMSgt Anthony Davis of Birmingham, a 15-year veteran of the unit.

Colley, Ellis and Davis as well as the 202nd Family Readiness Group competed for their honors against engineers from the nineteen Engineering and Installation Squadrons in the U.S. Air Force. Brigadier General John Maluda, Director of Communications and Information Systems, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va. and Colonel Craig Brown, Director of Air National Guard Command, Control, Communications and Computers at the National Guard Bureau.

SSgt Kenyua Ellis of the 202nd was presented with the 2004 ANG EI Outstanding NCO of the Year award. The four-year veteran of Lithonia is an Engineering Assistant and Draftsman for the unit. The 2004 ANG Engineering Installation First Sergeant of the Year was presented to SMSgt Anthony Davis of Birmingham, a 15-year veteran of the unit. The 202nd EIS Family Readiness Award also went to the 202nd for its activities which EIS officials said far exceeded its charter

The Georgia Air National Guard's 202nd Engineering Installation Squadron provides engineering, installation, removal and relocation of command, control and communications systems throughout the world.

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48th Infantry Brigade Heads for Final Training at NTC

Members of the 48th Infantry Brigade board a charter airliner on Thursday to take them to the National Training Center in California. (Photo by Spc. Heather McLemore)

The last of the charter airliners are winging their way to California, transporting Soldiers of the 48th Infantry Brigade to the unit's final Mission Rehearsal Exercise before deploying to Iraq. The unit will spend most of the month of April at in the sands of the National Training Center before returning for more than a week of block leave in early May. A day-long departure celebration is scheduled for Friday, May 13, followed by a formal military send-off ceremony on Saturday, May 14 at Fort Stewart.

Other stories about the 48th Brigade Training...

q 108th Armor Looking to New Missions, New Challenges q Canadian On His Way To Iraq With 48th

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108th Armor Looking to New Missions, New Challenges

Story by Sgt. Roy Henry Georgia National Guard Public Affairs Office

When 1st Battalion, 108th Armor returns from Iraq it may find itself in a new role under the Army's plan to re-designate brigades to "units of action."

"Admittedly, the concept is still in the planning stage, and there are many things that have to be worked out," said Lt. Col. John King, 108th commander, "but what we're talking about here is leaving combat arms behind and becoming a reconnaissance security squadron."

This transition includes bringing Troop E, 108th Cavalry into the battalion's ranks. That concept is already being played out here at Fort Stewart as the 48th Brigade Combat Team trains up for its yearlong deployment, King said.

In its traditional role, 108th is the 48th's "Sunday punch" on the battlefield, King explained. Once the brigade commander decides where he wants to penetrate an enemy's line, he sends in the M1 Abrams tanks to tear it open, he said. By transforming the brigade to a "Unit of Action," the 108th will, instead, tell the brigade where the ideal place in the line is to mount that attack.

Humvee convoy: A line of 108th Armor Humvees prepares to leave Forward Operating Base Cartwright for a morning mission at Fort Stewart Near Savannah. (Georgia National Guard photo by Sgt. Roy Henry)

"That means we'll be a much lighter, much more mobile force, with emphasis on scout capabilities and electronic intelligence, and the ability to identify friend and foe," King added.

Becoming that lighter, more mobile force means losing the M1s, he explained. The only tracked vehicles will be M2/M3 Bradley fighting vehicles for carrying scouts. Humvees also will carry scouts, as well as military intelligence personnel and electronic intelligence gathering equipment. According to the plan, trucks will move mounted infantry across the battlefield, King said before climbing into an up-armored Humvee and leaving Forward Operating Base Cartwright on For Stewart's Northeast section to see his troops in action.

One high-tech tool the 108th will have at its disposal is the military's Raven, a radiocontrolled unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used in place of human eyes to find the enemy, he said. The 108th has been training with the Raven since the battalion arrived at Fort Stewart , and will be using the lightweight, propeller-driven aircraft while in Iraq .

Training with the Raven has gone well, King said, with troops becoming more proficient with its use each time it flies.

While nothing has yet been set in stone, it should be an easy transformation, King said, since many in the battalion, like himself, were once scouts.

King, for example, is a former scout and one-time commander of Griffin 's Troop E, 108th Cavalry. His command sergeant major, Command Sgt. Maj. David Knowles is also a former scout and one-time 108th CAV first sergeant.

"Things have changed in the way wars are fought, and we must change with them," Knowles explained while watching a column of Humvees prepare to leave for a mission outside FOB Cartwright's wall of wire and dirt.

Maryland Army National Guardsmen Spc. Michael Rodenberg, left, and Sgt. Joshua Harris, perform preflight checks on the Raven Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. Capable of providing realtime intelligence, the Raven only requires three Soldiers for its operation. Troops of the 48th Brigade are learning to use the Raven at Fort Stewart . U.S. Army photo
challenge and make things happen.

Pointing to a group of Soldiers getting into another group of Humvees, Knowles said, "If we're going to accomplish that, there'll have to be a reversal of roles, of sorts, regarding who will be teaching who."
The older guys will certainly keep on teaching the younger folks how to "Soldier," but it will be the young ones, the ones who have grown up with the video game controller in their hands, who will be teaching the older guys how to use today's electronics to accomplish the mission," he said.
When 1st Battalion, 108th Armor comes home a year from now, its role within the Army, within the 48th Brigade Combat Team may change, King and Knowles agreed. What will never change, they offered, is the ability of their Soldiers to step up to the

King prepares to leave: Lieutenant Col. John King gets ready to board his up-armored Humvee and begin his day of traversing the battlefield and seeing how his tankers are doing with their missions. (Georgia National Guard photo by Sgt. Roy Henry)

Abrams tc and loader: When the 108th makes the change from combat arms to reconnaissance, tankers such as Sgt. Mike Wells (left) and Spc. Marlon Pegues, both of Dalton's Company B will find themselves working out of a Humvee instead of an M1 Abrams tank. (Georgia National Guard photo by Sgt. Roy Henry)

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Canadian On His Way to Iraq With 48th
Came to U.S. Army to Jump and Serve

FORT STEWART, Ga. There are many reasons people join the Army. Some do it for college money, others feel it's their patriotic duty, and yet others feel the need to jump from perfectly good airplanes.

That's the way it was for one Canadian lad.

"I tried two years in a row to join the Canadian Army, but there was a list a mile long," said Staff Sgt. Keith Hunter, a training sergeant from Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry.

"I just wanted to be in the army and be a paratrooper," he said. He got that opportunity when he traveled from his hometown in Windsor, Ontario north to Detroit and joined the U.S. Army.

Staff Sgt. Keith Hunter (left) and Staff Sgt. Gordon Spears, both with 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry, train on an Army radio (Photo by Sgt. Jeff Lowry, 124th MPAD)

He earned his jump wings and master paratrooper badges years ago on active duty with the 82nd Airborne Division, now he teaches Soldiers at Macon's Regional Training Institute.
Hunter, who currently calls Blue Ridge home, is one of more than 4,000 Soldiers representing the 48th Brigade Combat Team, which is scheduled to deploy to Iraq in May.

Hunter, 57, is probably just one of a few of those seeking U.S. citizenship. Immigration and Naturalization Service has his paperwork. Hunter is just waiting for the signature.

"As soon as INS signs it, I'll be a U.S. citizen," Hunter said as he smiled.

He's looking forward to the day he takes the oath, and hopes it will be before the 48th deploys to the Middle East.

"I'll be in my dress greens with all my service ribbons," said Hunter who has served nearly 30 years and has nine service ribbons.

When standing in line for Soldier Readiness Processing a Soldier asked if there was anything she could do for him.

"`A will, a power of attorney,' she said," said Hunter.

"I said I got those all I want is to be a U.S. citizen. All I got in return is the deer in the headlights look," said Hunter.

Hunter is forthright in why he wants to forsake his Canadian citizenship and become a U. S. citizen.

"I've been here longer than I've been there," said Hunter as he pointed to the ground on which he was sitting.

As a goalie growing up in Canada, the only thing he really misses about his home country is hockey.

"I sure as heck don't miss the snow and the cold," he said. "I recently returned from seeing my sister and they had 18" of snow."

Snow is something he probably won't see in Iraq. To get ready for that 48th BCT soldiers are participating in "emersion training" where they face as realistic as possible scenarios.

The 48th tasked Hunter, and about 12 other Citizen-Soldiers, to help train the Iraqi army. According to Hunter what they teach has yet to be determined.

"It'll be basically the same as teaching our Soldiers, but with a language barrier," he said.

Although he has served nearly 30 years he missed the call-up to Vietnam and other hot spots, but he does not have any regrets about his upcoming deployment to the Middle East, especially if goes as an U. S. citizen.

"I figure if I'm going, I might as well be one," said Hunter.

"I can truly be U.S."

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Army Guardsmen Compete for Soldier, NCO of the Year

The Georgia Army National Guard held its annual Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year competition at the Regional Training Institute at Macon in March. The Soldiers and NCOs competed against each other in variety of events including physical training, marksmanship, and common task training. The RTI cadre conducted the events.

Brig. Gen. Stewart Rodeheaver, 48th BCT commander was the guest speaker for the award ceremony. He complimented the participants during his speech.

Spc. Neil White Company H, 121st Infantry, winner of the Solider of the Year competition

"I'm looking for Soldiers and NCOs who bust the standards wide open," said Rodeheaver. "That's what you folks are doing."
The state winners will represent Georgia in the regional competition.

"It's a good thing," said Spc. Neil White, Company H, 121st Infantry, of winning Soldier of the Year. "But there's more to come and the competition will be stiffer."

NCO Finalists

Soldier Finalists

Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Baker 122nd Regiment
Sgt. Chad Mercer Company B, 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry

Spc. Amie Linville Company B, 148th Support Battalion
Spc. Neil White Company H, 121st Infantry

Sgt. Stanley Posey TSSD
Staff Sgt. David Courtney 202nd EOD

Spc. Teresa Engle Detachment 8, Company B, 935th DASB

Winners marked in bold

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117th Air Control Squadron Tests Sophisticated Communications Equipment
In a live exercise off the coast of Georgia, the 117th Air Control Squadron tested the new Joint Range Extension Transparent Multi-Platform Gateway Equipment Package (JTEP) at the request of the Air Combat Command. This highly sophisticated system was designed to evaluate new communications equipment that creates a common display among many different aircraft originally limited only to line of sight capabilities. Also participating in the exercise was 116 ACW, 125 FW, 605th Test Squadron, 133rd Test Squadron, 128th ACS, and 123rd ACS. While further testing is planned to validate the results, overall, the test was an enormous success. MSgt Andrew Pierce and MSgt Bill Williams of the 117 ACS were the coordinators for Stealth Control data link participation.
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Guard Honors Vandiver, Former Governor and TAG
Governor S. Ernest Vandiver, twice Adjutant General of Georgia, who headed State government during one of the most contentious periods in Georgia history, died at home in Lavonia in February. Georgia Army and Air Guard honor guards provide an escort for the casket which lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda, and rendered veteran's honors at the graveside..
Vandiver was first appointed TAG by Governor Herman Talmadge in 1947. At that time he was the youngest Adjutant General in the nation.
In 1954, he was elected Lieutenant Governor and four years later Governor. During his tenure he undertook a significant building program including Guard armories and other state facilities. Vandiver also successfully urged the state legislature to repeal the Georgia 's segregation laws, paving the way for peaceful desegregation of Georgia 's schools and public facilities.
Governor Jimmy Carter appointed Vandiver Adjutant General for the second time in 1971. Vandiver resigned the office shortly after and ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate.
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High School Students Receive Georgia Military Scholarship
Twenty-six high school seniors, many in full dress ROTC uniforms, gathered at the State Capitol to receive full military scholarships to North Georgia College and State University in the annual Georgia Scholarship Military Ceremony held on March 23.
The Georgia National Guard and the Georgia Student Finance Commission has cooperated for many years in the presentation of these scholarship for aspiring student to North Georgia College and State University.
The recipients met with Governor Sonny Perdue and later with their nominating elected officials from the House and Senate before being hosted to a luncheon where their scholarships were presented by Maj Gen David Poythress and Col James T. Palmer, Commandant of Cadets at NGCSU. Both officers applauded the students for their hard work which qualified them for this honor and challenged them to show the same enthusiasm and determination in the four years which lie ahead.
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Mandatory USERRA Poster Now Available
Mandatory posters explaining the rights of employees National Guard and Reserve under the Uniformed Services Employment Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) are now available from the U.S. Department Labor.
The Veterans Benefits Improvement Act, enacted by Congress last December, mandates that employers provide notice to "all persons entitled to rights and under USERRA." Employers may meet this obligation by posting the notice prominent place where employees routinely check for such information.
"The relationship between the employer and the Guardsman or Reservist works when both parties are fully aware of their responsibilities under USERRA," said Hollingsworth, the Executive Director of the National Committee for Employer of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). "The Department of Labor's poster is a major toward ensuring that both supervisor and employee know their responsibilities."
The poster may be downloaded from the U.S. Department of Labor's website http://www.dol.gov/vets/ programs/userra/poster.pdf.
ESGR was chartered in 1972 and is an information resource for employers members of the National Guard and Reserve. ESGR minimizes conflicts between military duties and civilian career responsibilities. Today almost half of the military strength resides in the National Guard and Reserve.
For more information about USERRA, ESGR Employer Outreach Programs or volunteer opportunities, please visit our website at www.esgr.mil or call 800-336-4590.
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Georgia's Woodmen of the World Support Families of Deployed National Guard Soldiers

With nearly 4,000 Georgia Army National Guard members engaged in the final phases of training for a year-long deployment to Iraq, the Georgia Chapter of the Woodmen of the World are helping those left behind.

The Woodmen of the World have collected more than $3,000 for the 48th Infantry Brigade Family Support Group, and more is on the way.

A.T. Wilkes (right) representing the Georgia Chapter of the Woodmen of the World, presents a check for $3,000 to the Georgia National Guard's 48th Infantry Brigade Family Support Group. Accepting the check is Brig. Gen. Stewart Rodeheaver (left) commander. Also on hand for the presentation was Maj. Gen. David Poythress, Georgia's Adjutant General.

The organization presented the check to Brigadier General Stewart Rodeheaver, commander of the Guard's 48th Brigade at the Woodmen meeting on Jekyll Island, March 19.
Making the check presentation was A.T. Wilkes, former president of the Georgia Chapter, who was also awarded the Georgia Commendation Medal by Major General David B. Poythress, Georgia's Adjutant General. Wilkes was presented the medal for his many years of support of National Guard members and their families.

Wilkes told the audience that the $3,000 check was "only the tip of the iceberg" and expected more donations to follow this initial effort.

During the event, the Woodmen of the World also presented Poythress the W. Patrick Donlin Award, marking only the third time in 15 years the honor has been bestowed. The 48th Infantry Brigade Family Support Group provides support and assistance to families of National Guard soldiers who are called to active duty. Wilkes stressed that unlike many other charities, 100 percent of the donations will go to directly support National Guard members and families in need.

The 48th Brigade includes citizen-soldiers drilling in more than 30 hometown armories around the state of Georgia. The unit was called to duty in January and has been training at Fort Stewart in preparation for deployment to Iraq in mid-May.

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