First Friday briefing [Nov. 3, 2006]

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First Friday Briefing for November 2006
Deployment Update

Georgia Guard to Acquire
Naval Air Station Property
The Georgia National Guard will take possession of the Naval Air Station (NAS) Atlanta property following the facility's closure as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure Committee (BRAC) decision. Governor Sonny Perdue, Senator Saxby Chambliss, Senator Johnny Isakson, Congressman Phil Gingrey and Congressman Tom Price made the announcement in October. The 107-acre property is adjacent to Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Cobb County. "This development comes at an excellent time for the Georgia National Guard, when we are asking our citizen soldiers to perform at a higher level than ever before in Georgia history," said Governor Perdue. Full Story

Dudney Takes Command
Of 48th Infantry Brigade
Georgia's 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team welcomed Col. (Promotable) Lawrence Dudney as its new commander while recognizing the accomplishments of its outgoing commander Brig. Gen. Stewart Rodeheaver during a change of command ceremony at the Regional Training Institute in October. Rodeheaver, who led the 48th during its recent yearlong deployment to Iraq, is leaving the brigade to become deputy commander 1st U.S. Army at Fort Gillem. "This is a very humbling experience for me," said Dudney, who's been serving as brigade deputy commander since 2003. "It's been a privilege and an honor to serve this brigade. In order to be a leader you have to serve. You have to serve the Soldiers, and I will continue to do that which I know best." Full Story

124th MPAD Returns Home
Georgia's 124th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment returned home in October after spending the past year in wartorn Iraq to resounding cheers and applause from family, friends and fellow Soldiers. During its year supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and "telling the Soldier's story," the 124th MPAD operated the Coalition Press Information Center (CPIC) inside Baghdad's Green Zone. The unit's mission included facilitating media briefs, press conferences, credentialing and escorting civilian media and fulfilling requests for information. MPAD members also published the Scimitar, the CPIC's weekly newspaper and the facility's monthly newsletter. Full Story
Pictured above: Sgt. Harold Lewis, a broadcaster with the 124th MPAD, is welcomed upon his arrival at Oglethorpe Armory.

165th ASOS Evaluated "Excellent"
By 9th Air Force
Brunswick's 165th Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS) of the Georgia Air National Guard has once again proven that it's at the top of its game as one of the best ASOS units in the Air Force. A 9th Air Force inspection team scored the overall unit as "Excellent" in a Standardization and Evaluation Inspection conducted in September. Results were announced in late October. The ASOS deployed to Grayling Range in Michigan for the five-day inspection. Utilizing state-of-the-art radios and targeting equipment, the unit planned, controlled and executed numerous Close Air Support (CAS) missions under the critical view of AF inspectors. Full Story

116th Security Forces Honored
Seventeen 116th Air Control Wing Security Forces members were honored in October at a ceremony at Robins Air Force Base. The members were recognized for their continued and outstanding support to the Department of Defense and the State of Georgia. "The purpose of today's ceremony is to recognize and welcome home those

Recruiting Bonuses Now Available For Retirees
Georgia Army Guard retirees looking for a way to continue serving the Guard, and have a hand keeping the force strong

Statesboro Armory Dedicated To BG Terrell Reddick The Georgia Department of Defense dedicated the National Guard armory in Statesboro to the memory of Brig. Gen. Terrell T. Reddick during a ceremony attended by the late general's family and friends, and many of the state's top officials. "The kind of inspirational leadership that he brought to the Guard helped everyone see the good that was in them, and how to be the best they could be," remarked Lt. Gen. David Poythress, Georgia's Adjutant General. "General Reddick represented everything that we as members of the Georgia Guard would like to be." Reddick, who passed away in September 2005, served in the Georgia Army Guard for more than 37 years. Full Story
Counterdrug Teaches Woodland Operations Members of the Georgia National Guard's Counterdrug Task Force have been passing on their know-how in recent months to civilian law enforcement officers in a one-week Woodland Operations Course. Many of the law enforcement officers who took part are members of the Georgia Counter-Terrorism Task Force (CTTF) and although well versed in traditional law enforcement tactics, these officers are trained through the Woodland Operations Course to conduct operational planning, camouflage, "fieldcraft," reconnaissance and surveillance. Full Story
Georgia Guardsmen Attend Black Sea Conference Two Georgia Army Guardsmen recently were among a group of delegates who met in the Republic of Georgia to help the Georgians developed the scenario, timeline and plans for an upcoming training exercise in the former Soviet Bloc nation. Major Matthew Saxton and Command Sgt. Maj. Lance Rygmyr attended the Black Sea Initiative (BSI) along with 75 officials from six of the nations surrounding the Black Sea and nearly two-dozen Georgian governmental officials. Full Story

members of the 116th SFS, who deployed to Iraq for eight months in support of operation Iraqi Freedom," said Senior Master Sgt. William Cutshaw, 116th Security Forces First Sergeant. "We will also recognize Governor Sonny Perdue and the State of Georgia for the encouragement our unit and its members received from them during this deployment." Full Story
Dobbins Chapel Celebrates 56 Years of History For 56 years the old wooden chapel has been a landmark at the entrance to Dobbins Air Reserve Base. Located only a few hundred yards from the base's active tarmac, the chapel has provided servicemen of every military branch -active, Guard and Reserve -- with quiet solitude and a place of spiritual reflection. On Sunday, Oct 22, a small gathering of former 116th Air Guardsmen, current Guardsmen of Headquarters GA Air National Guard, and friends gathered at the historic chapel for a service to commemorate over half century of service to the men and women who have worked and served at Dobbins. Full Story
VIPs View `Day in the Life' Of YCA Cadets More than 80 civic leaders from metro Atlanta and the north Georgia learned about the Georgia Guard's Youth Challenge Academy during a visit to the YCA's Fort Stewart campus in October. The visit, one of two trips conducted each year by Georgia National Guard officials, is designed to acquaint business leaders, high school officials, juvenile counselors, law enforcement officers, corrections officers, judges and attorneys and appointed and elected government officials with a "day in the life" of more than 150 cadets of the 13-year old National Guard-sponsored youth program. Full Story
For more, read the observations of one of the guests on the YCA trip. Benita M. Dodd is vice president of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation and her commentary can be found at www.gppf. org.

while supplementing their monthly check, now have the opportunity to do that. The National Guard Recruiting Assistance Program (G-RAP), announced recently that eligible retirees may become recruiting assistants for the Army Guard. Once hired and trained, G-RAP recruiting assistants may receive free recruiting incentive items and up to $2,000 for each Soldier they help enlist. Some participants also may receive additional incentives, such as health care insurance coverage. Full Story
Historical Society Conference To Feature Deployment Panel The annual conference of the Historical Society of the Georgia National Guard presents "The Georgia Guard Goes to War --- A Discussion on Georgia National Guardsmen Deployed for Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom." The Conference, scheduled for November 4, 2006, will take place at the Macon Conference Center, adjacent to the Holiday Hotel at 3590 Riverside Drive and I-75 in Macon. Cost of the conference is $20. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with the program beginning at 9 am. and concluding at noon followed by a catered lunch. Panelists will represent the 48th Brigade Combat Team, 265th Engineer Group, 116th Air Control Wing, the 202nd Electronics Installation Squadron, the Chaplain's Office, Family Readiness and Joint Force Headquarters. Panelists will explore their experiences on deployment issues from mobilization to homecoming. Emmy winning "Fox 5" investigative reporter Dale Russell will moderate the discussion. For more information contact: John Hardwick or B. I. Diamond.
A look at what happened in November in Georgia National Guard history:...
1864 - General William Tecumseh Sherman's troops left Atlanta midmonth as his forces began the next phase of the Union campaign in Georgia. Before moving out of the Atlanta and surrounding countryside in the `march to the sea,' he authorized the burning and destruction of structures vital to the Confederacy's war effort however much of the city was burned as Union soldiers set fire to homes. Sherman had entered Atlanta after Hood's forces evacuated the city on September 1.
1948 - The 560th Engineer Battalion in Columbus had organized six months earlier and by November had two companies which met in the Fine

Attachs from Around the World Visit Georgia Guard More than 30 military officers from around the world visited the Georgia National Guard this week as part of a familiarization visit to the Southeast. The officers are part of the military attach corps based in Washington, D.C. The visitors received briefings on the organization and missions of the Georgia Guard as well as the state's homeland security plans. They also heard a special overview of the 48th Brigade's Iraqi deployment from Cpt. Tony Poole. Pictured above, Lt. Gen. David B. Poythress (right), Georgia's Adjutant General, discusses the makeup and mission of the Georgia Guard with military attachs Lt. Col. Peter Knanik of the Slovak Republic (left) and Maj. Gyozo Palicz of Hungary.

4th CST and Coast Guard Partner
To Protect Georgia Coast
When it comes to protecting Georgia's Coastal Empire, the Guard's 4th Civil Support Team (CST) and the U.S. Coast Maritime Safety Office at Coast Guard Air Station Savannah continue the joint mission of keeping the residents of those communities safe. The two agencies have partnered since 2002 to provide the state's Atlantic seaboard with an added protection from the devastating effects of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) weapons. Georgia's 4th and the Coast Guard have collectively written the operational concept for the CST mission in a maritime environment, said Maj. Jeffrey Allen, the CST's commander. Full Story

Arts Building at the Fairgrounds. It was commanded by Lt. Col. Ernest W. Higgins. At this time, Georgia Guard members receive pay once every three months. A November photo from the Columbus Enquirer-Sun showed members of the 560th's Headquarters and Service Companies getting their second paycheck.
1955 - Effective 1 November, the 48th Infantry Division, Georgia-Florida National Guard became the 48th Armored Division, Georgia-Florida National Guard, still commanded by Maj. Gen. Joseph Frazer of Hinesville. The new armored division's authorized strength was 7,727, a drop of more than 2,000 from the Infantry Division; however a non-divisional Group of more than 2,000 was also formed during the 1955 reorganization and redesignation of Georgia's Army Guard units. Among the changes: Georgia's two infantry regimental headquarters were redesignated as combat commands. The 122nd Infantry headquarters in Atlanta became Combat Command C and the 121st Infantry headquarters in Macon became Combat Command B.
Complied by Gail Parnelle, GaARNG Historical Section

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

April 5, 2007 Time: 12:28 pm Security Notice

Army National Guard FAQ The latest news from the Georgia Army National Guard. | It's Now Colonel King | CST, 202nd Participate in Disaster Drill | 2007 NCO, soldier Named | 1230th Deploys Again | CERF-P Conducts Initial Exercise | Hurricane Exercise Tests Readines | Guard Deploys to Americus To Aid Relief Effort | GRAP Pays Off for Guardsman |

Air National Guard FAQ The latest news from the Georgia Air National Guard. | Col. Moore Assumes Command of the 116th | 202nd Helps Byron | Doehling Retires as 116th ViceCmdr | Cotter Tapped to Attend Air, Space School | New Positions Follow 165th Change | Smart to Lead 165th |

State Defense Force Read the latest news from the Georgia State Defense Force.
GADOD News | Governor Inspects Guard During Inauguration Ceremony | |Final YCA Graduation of 2006 Held | Guard Acquires NAS Atlanta property |

2007 NCO, Soldier of the Year Named Click Here Hurricane Exercise Tests Guard Readiness Click Here
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48th BCT In Iraq

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Georgia National Guard Acquires Naval Air Station Property
Guard to Ensure Stability, Long Term Economic Viability to 107-Acre Property in Cobb

ATLANTA Governor Sonny Perdue, Senator Saxby Chambliss, Senator Johnny Isakson, Congressman Phil Gingrey and Congressman Tom Price announced today the Georgia National Guard will take possession of the Naval Air Station (NAS) Atlanta property following the facility's closure as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure Committee (BRAC) decision. The 107-acre property is adjacent to Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Cobb County.

"This development comes at an excellent time for the Georgia National Guard, when we are asking our citizen soldiers to perform at a higher level than ever before in Georgia history," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "The Naval Air Station has been a good neighbor for Cobb County residents, and the transition to the National Guard will ensure the long-term viability of the property and jobs in the surrounding area."

Main Gate at NAS Atlanta. The 107-acre station is being transferred to the Georgia National Guard..

The acquisition of the property was confirmed in a memorandum from the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, Joseph W. Whitaker, received by the state of Georgia yesterday.

The transition of the NAS property to the National Guard comes as a result of months of work by the Governor's office and Georgia's congressional delegation including Senator Saxby Chambliss, Senator Johnny Isakson, Congressman Phil Gingrey and Congressman Tom Price. The transition also has the full support of local government officials, as well as community and business leaders.

"This was the result of a great deal of work by so many people, and this transition will further enhance the strong military presence in Georgia and enhance the capabilities of the Georgia National Guard," said Senator Saxby Chambliss, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. "Our men and women who serve in the National Guard will certainly benefit from the training and resources at this new facility. As we continue to call on them more and more in this era of new threats, it underscores why this facility is so critical."

"Our nation depends on our military Reserves and National Guard like never before in waging the war on terror, and I am very pleased the Georgia National Guard will have the opportunity to use this impressive facility," said Senator Johnny Isakson. "This is another great example of government and the local community working together."

"This development is a tremendous asset to both the Cobb community and our nation. The location offers an ideal site to rapidly respond to natural disasters in the Southeast U.S. It is also essential to maintain a strong military presence at the Marietta complex, especially as other installations in greater Atlanta are closing," said Congressman Phil Gingrey. "The occupants of this site have a long history of serving our nation with distinction, and I know the whole community is honored to have our brave guardsmen headquartered in Marietta."

"The value of NAS-Atlanta cannot be underestimated. Georgia's National Guard has proven time and time again that it is a vital component to the local community here in Marietta, to our country, and to our soldiers serving overseas," said Congressman Tom Price. "The role of the National Guard is ever-changing and providing them with the training tools and resources they need will benefit us all in the future."

"The facilities on the Naval Air Station property are excellent and this will give us the opportunity to increase our efficiency and readiness by co-locating a number of key units and functions on one base," said Lt. Gen. David Poythress, Georgia's Adjutant General. "This is also a great location in terms of recruiting demographics for new soldiers and airmen."

The NAS property's proximity to Dobbins Air Reserve Base and its airfield operations is also a key advantage for the Georgia National Guard and its ability to train for and respond to national and state emergencies.

Leaders of the National Guard expect approximately 1,500 soldiers to be based on the property. The Guard is currently identifying what units and functions will occupy the property. The announcement comes at a time when the Georgia Guard is forecasting growth with plans to form several new units in the coming years. In FY06 the Georgia Army National Guard included more than 10,000 soldiers, its highest level in the past decade. Georgia's National Guard now ranks in the top 10 states in terms of size.

The NAS property includes approximately 100 buildings for a total of more than 600,000 square feet. Facilities include hangars, classrooms, administrative space and temporary billeting. The transition of National Guard units onto the NAS property is expected take place over several years as naval units vacate the facilities.
The acquisition of the NAS property will complement a new joint readiness center slated to be built for the National Guard. The building, which will also be adjacent to Dobbins ARB, will house the headquarters for the Georgia Department of Defense (DOD), including the Georgia Army and Air National Guard. The DOD expects to move between 600-700 full time positions to the base when it relocates the DOD headquarters. Funding for the new center is listed in the 2008 federal budget and construction is expected to be completed in the next three to five years.
"Georgia's heartfelt thanks go out to many local partners who worked hard to make this transition a reality," said Governor Perdue. "We are especially appreciative of the leaders of the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce and the Cobb County Board of Directors, as well as the invaluable input and coordination of the NAS Atlanta Local Redevelopment Authority and the Georgia Military Affairs Coordinating Committee."
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165th ASOS Evaluated "Excellent" by 9th Air Force
Brunswick's 165th Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS) of the Georgia Air National Guard has once again proven that it's at the top of its game as one of the best ASOS units in the Air Force. A 9th Air Force inspection team scored the overall unit as "Excellent" during a Standardization and Evaluation Inspection conducted in September. Results were announced in late October.
"This is quite an achievement for the ASOS since members of the unit have been continuously deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq since 2002," said ASOS Commander, Lt. Col. Paul Havel.
Along with an overall "excellent" rating for the unit, several individual areas scored "outstanding". The inspectors individually noted the performance of the Joint Terminal Air Control (JTAC) team, the Standardization and Evaluation Examiner (SEE) Objectivity Performance, SEE Upgrade Program, the Stan/Eval Board and Trend Analysis Program, Go/No-Go procedures, and Local Operations Directives. Tsgt Trevor Kernes was rated a "Superior Performer" for the 9th AF inspection.
The ASOS deployed to Grayling Range in Michigan for the five-day inspection. Utilizing state-of-the-art radios and targeting equipment, the unit planned, controlled and executed numerous Close Air Support (CAS) missions under the critical view of AF inspectors.
Col Havel admitted that much of what the unit presented for inspection is "but an everyday occurrence for deployed unit members."
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Col. Lawrence Dudney, left, accepts the congratulations of Maj. Gen. William T. Nesbitt, (right) Commander, Georgia Army National Guard, upon Dudney's assumption of command of the 48th Infantry Brigade, Sunday, October 29.
Dudney Assumes Command of 48th
Story by Pfc. Adam Dean 124th MPAD
MACON, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2006 Georgia's 48th Brigade Combat Team welcomed Col. Lawrence Dudney as its new commander while recognizing the accomplishments of its outgoing commander Brig. Gen. Stewart Rodeheaver during a change of command ceremony at the Regional Training Institute.
Rodeheaver, who led the 48th during its recent yearlong deployment to Iraq, is leaving the brigade to become deputy commander 1st U.S. Army at Fort Gillem near Atlanta.
"This is a very humbling experience for me," said Dudney, who's been serving as brigade deputy commander since 2003. During his tenure as deputy commander, he deployed to Iraq with the Brigade Combat Team in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"It's been a privilege and an honor to serve this brigade. In order to be a leader you have to serve. You have to serve the Soldiers, and I will continue to do that which I know best."
Dudney, who began his military career as an enlisted Soldier, has a long history with the 48th Brigade, although he started out in a unit that is part of the Army Guard's Troop Command.
He was first commissioned as a second lieutenant in September 1978 with Elberton's 2nd Battalion, 214th Field Artillery. Later, he traded his Troop Command unit patch for the brigade's flash and lighting bolt by joining Savannah's 1st

Battalion, 118th Field Artillery. That unit would mobilize and train up for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
After serving in several command positions within the 48th, Dudney left Georgia for Washington where he would work at the National Guard Bureau. He also spent time abroad as the Army National Guard's senior advisor for U.S. Forces Korea and 8th U.S. Army.
Dudney was working at the Pentagon when it was struck by an aircraft during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. He spent several hours after the attack evacuating the wounded and leading occupants of the building to safety. For the heroism he exhibited that day he was awarded the Soldier's Medal, the Army's third highest commendation. He also was presented the Valley Forge Cross of Heroism by the National Guard Association of the United States.
Among Dudney's other military honorss are the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, four Meritorious Service medals and three Army Commendation medals.
He holds a bachelor's of science degree in education from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro; a master's in educational administration and supervision from Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville; a master's in public administration from Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, Pa.; and a master's degree in strategic studies from the Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
"Larry is the right person at the right time to lead this brigade through transformation, and prepare it for its next mission," said Maj. Gen. Terry Nesbitt, commander Georgia Army Guard.
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116th Security Forces Honored
Seventeen 116th Air Control Wing Security Forces members were honored Oct. 21 at a ceremony at Robins Air Force base.
The members were recognized for their continued and outstanding support to the Department of Defense and the State of Georgia.
"The purpose of today's ceremony is to recognize and welcome home those members of the 116th SFS, who deployed to Iraq for eight months in support of operation IRAQI FREEDOM," said Senior Master Sgt. William Cutshaw, 116th Security Forces First Sergeant. "We will also recognize The Governor (Sonny Perdue) and the State of Georgia for the encouragement our unit and its members received from them during this deployment."
Maj. Gen. Scott Hammond, Georgia Air National Guard commander was in attendance to recognize the security forces men and women.
"We are so grateful we have you all to serve the nation and your fellow (military) members," said Gen. Hammond.
The commander of the Wing had his own words for the security forces personnel.
"I could not be prouder," said Col. James "Rev" Jones, 116th ACW commander. "I thank you as an American and as a father because you make the world safe for my kids to grow up."
Lt. Gen. David Poythress, Adjutant General of Georgia, commented the true value of the awards the 19 members received.
"When our people succeed and do well you don't get a stock option or a vacation home," said Gen. Poythress. "You come up on stage and get a little piece of cloth to wear on your chest that has to intrinsic value whatsoever. But it is worth far more than silver and gold. They will wear it with pride for what it stands for."

After the awards were handed out, security forces members presented a Georgia flag that had been signed by all the members who were in Iraq to Gen. Poythress who accepted it on behalf of Governor Sonny Purdue. The flag went on patrols with them inside and outside of the base.
Members who received awards:
Chief Master Sgt. Jason Brassfield - meritorious service medal Master Sgt. William Greenway - meritorious service medal Master Sgt. Vincent Altobello, Air Force Commendation Medal Master Sgt. Donald Edwards, Air Force Commendation Medal Tech. Sgt. Patrick Walsh, Air Force Commendation Medal Tech. Sgt. Jamie Whitten, Air Force Commendation Medal Staff Sgt. Robert Crawford, Air Force Achievement Medal Staff Sgt. Russell Davis, Air Force Achievement Medal Staff Sgt. Jenkins Ivey, Air Force Achievement Medal Staff Sgt. Alex Smith, Air Force Achievement Medal Senior airman Stacy Eldridge, Air Force Achievement Medal Senior airman Jamil Favors, Air Force Achievement Medal Senior airman Kevin Fuller, Air Force Achievement Medal Senior airman Alfreda Jackson, Air Force Achievement Medal Senior airman Crystal Kennaday, Air Force Achievement Medal Senior Airman Michael Reese, Air Force Achievement Medal Senior airman Hai Spletstoser, Air Force Achievement Medal
Tech. Sgt Whitten also received the Optimist International Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award for distinguished and dedicated service. The award was presented by Gen. Poythress and Mr. Jason Ashford, Houston County Assistant District Attorney on behalf of the Optimist Club.
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124th MPAD Returns!

JOINT FORCES HEADQUARTERS, ELLENWOOD, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2006

Georgia's 124th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment returned here after spending the past year in war-torn Iraq to resounding cheers and applause from family, friends and fellow Soldiers.

Among those welcoming the unit home was Maj. Gen. Terry Nesbitt, commander Georgia Army Guard.

Lead by Maj. Chris Dockery and 1st Sgt. John Kinnaman, members of the 124th stepped off the bus that brought them home into a warm Georgia afternoon and expectations of spending the next 90 days reuniting with the loved ones they left behind.

"It's been a long year, but our Soldiers completed the missions given them with the dedication and professionalism that is the Georgia National Guard," Kinnaman said. "They have come away having earned a hundred times over the respect and support of their state, their nation and the MultiInternational Force with which they served."

Dockery echoed the senior NCOs' statement,

saying he couldn't have been prouder of the unit. "From the time we left Atlanta to our return, they have worked as a team and taken every opportunity to spread the story of those

Sergeant Herald Lewis, broadcast journalist, 124th MPAD, steps off the bus to greet Staff Sgt. Roy Henry at Oglethorpe Armory. (Georgia National Guard photo)

who serve their country around the world," he said. "I am honored to be their commander and even happier that we've all

come home."

During its year supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and "telling the Soldier's story," the 124th MPAD operated the Coalition Press Information Center (CPIC) inside Baghdad's Green Zone. The unit's mission included facilitating media briefs, press conferences, credentialing and escorting civilian media and fulfilling requests for information. MPAD members also published the Scimitar, the CPIC's weekly newspaper and the facility's monthly newsletter.

Several Soldiers, like Sgt. Trevor Snyder, a member of the MPAD's Broadcast Section, also traveled "outside the wire" to cover Soldiers operating in places like Tikrit and other danger spots throughout the country.

The 124th was alerted in early 2005 that it would deploy to Iraq. At that time it's mission was to operate "on the street" with one of the task forces operating there, writing stories and photographing what the coalition is doing in rebuilding the country and dealing with insurgents. In June the unit's mission was changed and it received the assignment of running Baghdad's press information center.

Major Gen. Terry Nesbitt, commander Army Guard, welcomes home the Soldiers of the 124th MPAD at Oglethorpe Armory Oct. 21, 2006. (Georgia National Guard photo by Spc. Amanda Luksic)

Major Christopher Dockery, commander 124th Mobile Public Affairs Detachments, greets wife Christine and children. (Georgia National Guard photo)
Wanda Kinnaman, wife of 1st Sgt. John Kinnaman, and daughters Sarah and Katherine wait patiently for the bus carrying the 124th MPAD to pull in to the Oglethorpe Armory parking lot. (Georgia National Guard photo)
Then in August, the 124th's mobilization station changed from Camp Shelby, Miss., to Camp Atterbury, Ind., because Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. On Sept. 5, 2005, MPAD members boarded a bus that took them to Atterbury and two months of getting ready for Iraq. Late in the evening on Oct. 31, the unit boarded buses outside their temporary home and headed for Indianapolis International Airport and the first leg of their long journey home. Relieved by the active Army's 10th Public Affairs Operations Center out of Fort McPherson in Early October, the 124th returned Oct. 18 to Camp Atterbury and three days later, Georgia.

Staff Sgt. James Sherrill, supply sergeant, 124th MPAD | News Home | GADOD Home

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Recruiting Bonuses Now Available to Retirees
Georgia Army Guard retirees looking for a way to continue serving the Guard, and have a hand keeping the force strong while supplementing their monthly check, now have the opportunity to do that.
The National Guard Recruiting Assistance Program (G-RAP), announced recently that eligible retirees may become recruiting assistants for the Army Guard.
Once hired and trained, G-RAP recruiting assistants may receive free recruiting incentive items and up to $2,000 for each Soldier they help enlist. Some participants also may receive additional incentives, such as health care insurance coverage.
The program, which began as an experiment last year, doesn't limit the number of potential soldiers a recruiting assistant can bring into the Guard, said officials from Docupak Inc., which administers the nationwide G-RAP. A recruiting assistant receives an initial payment of $1,000, followed by a second $1,000 payment upon successful shipment of a non-prior service recruit to basic training.
For helping enlist a prior-service member, the recruiting assistant receives the initial payment of $1,000 upon the recruit's enlistment in the Army Guard. The second $1,000 payment comes after the new Soldier successfully drills with his new unit of 120 days.
Docupak figures for October show that the incentive program led to perhaps the greatest recruiting boost ever for the Army Guard. In fiscal year 2006, for example, the Army Guard, nationwide, experienced a net growth of 13,111 Soldiers. This surpassed the organization's 34,875 reenlistment goal by more than 6,200.
With G-RAP such a boon for the Army Guard, Lt. Gen. Craig McKinley, Air Guard director, told attendees at the 2006 National Guard Association of the United States General Conference that he is working to adopt the program for the Air Guard.
To date, more than 90,000 Army recruiting assistants have participated in the program.
For more information, interested retirees should visit www.guardrecruitingassistant.com.
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'Inspirational'
Armory Dedicated to Late Army Guard's Brigadier General Terrell T. Reddick

Story by Pfc. Adam Dean 124th MPAD

STATESBORO, Saturday, Oct. 14, 2006 The Georgia Department of Defense dedicated the National Guard armory here to the memory of Brig. Gen. Terrell T. Reddick during a ceremony attended by the late general's family and friends, and many of the state's top officials.

"The kind of inspirational leadership that he brought to the Guard helped everyone see the good that was in them, and how to be the best they could be," remarked Lt. Gen. David Poythress, Georgia's Adjutant General. "He (Reddick) represented everything that we as members of the Georgia Guard would like to be."

Reddick, who passed away in September 2005, served in the Georgia Army Guard for more than 37 years. After having spent nearly five years as commander, 78th Troop Command in Decatur, he assumed the role of deputy commander Army in January 2004.

"It's so special that Terrell is being remembered in this way," said Linda Reddick, his wife.
She was presented a minuteman statue by the Sergeants Major Council, which read "Soldiers Matter." This phrase, coined by her husband, later became the Georgia Guard's motto.

Linda Reddick, wife of Brig. Gen. Terrell T. Reddick, is welcomed and applauded by Col. Maria L. Britt during a ceremony dedicating the Statesboro Armory in the late general's memory. (Georgia National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Toby Moore)

A plaque donated by the National Guard Association of Georgia, an organization in which Reddick once served as president, was unveiled. The plaque, which will be prominently hung in the armory's main hall, reads in part, "recognizing his noble service and leadership to the Georgia Army National Guard and to his beloved Statesboro community."

Reddick first enlisted with the Guard in April 1968, and received his commission as a second lieutenant in September 1970.

In his civilian life he was a certified public accountant and managing partner of Reddick, Riggs and Hunter of Statesboro.

He served his community as president of the Rotary Club, president of the Statesboro-Bulloch County Chamber of Commerce and as a deacon at the First Baptist Church of Statesboro.

In addition to his wife, Reddick is survived by two children and five grandchildren, and his mother.

This plaque was presented by the National Guard Association of Georgia to dedicate the Statesboro Armory in Reddick's honor. (Georgia National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Toby Moore
State Command Sgt. Maj. Neil Russell and Command Sgt. Maj. David Harper present Linda Reddick with a Minuteman statue on behalf of the Sergeants Major Council honoring the memory of her late husband. (Georgia National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Toby Moore) | Back | GaDOD Home |

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Counterdrug Teaches Woodland Operations
Members of the Georgia National Guard's Counterdrug Task Force have been passing on their know-how in recent months to civilian law enforcement officers in a one-week Woodland Operations Course.
Many of the law enforcement officers who took part are members of the Georgia Counter-Terrorism Task Force (CTTF) and although well versed in traditional law enforcement tactics, these officers are trained through the Woodland Operations Course to conduct operational planning, camouflage, "fieldcraft," reconnaissance and surveillance.
The Counter-Terrorism Task Force is a state-wide multi-disciplinary task force aimed at serving as the state's rapid-response security force. Its primary goal is to protect Georgia's citizens, critical infrastructure and key resources from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies.
Counterdrug conducts the course twice a year, contingent on operational tempo. Course instructors push participants both physically and mentally. Stealth is necessary when a majority of the state's critical infrastructure is located in the dense vegetation of Georgia. That's why Counterdrug's Ground Reconnaissance Team is tasked to teach the Woodland Ops Course.
Physical training is conducted every morning followed by long hours of classroom and "in-the-field" instruction. This rigorous schedule is designed to challenge each student, and it provides training opportunities that simulate the conditions students may find during a terrorist attack. It's not for everybody, but those who complete the course are able to face any situation the environment, and an enemy, might present.
Georgia Counterdrug Task Force personnel are full-time Army and Air Guardsmen with years of military and civilian law enforcement tactical training and operational experience. They provide reconnaissance and surveillance support to local, state and federal law enforcement daily to combat the illegal drug trade throughout the state. Their skills were initially taught in basic and advanced individual training, and then tested on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Georgia Guardsmen Attend Black Sea Conference
Two Georgia Army Guardsmen recently were among a group of delegates who met in the Republic of Georgia to help the Georgians developed the scenario, timeline and plans for an upcoming training exercise in the former Soviet Bloc nation.
Major Matthew Saxton and Command Sgt. Maj. Lance Rygmyr attended the Black Sea Initiative (BSI) along with 75 officials from six of the nations surrounding the Black Sea and nearly two-dozen Georgian governmental officials.
The Georgians host the second annual BSI table-top exercise (sponsored by the US Army Corps of Engineers) in early December. The exercise tests the nation's ability to respond to a host of emergency situations including terrorist attacks using chemical agents. By design, as the events unfold, Georgia's ability to react will be overwhelmed, and they will call on the other BSI nations for assistance. The exercise will take place in the Black Sea port city of Batumi on the Georgian-Turkish border.
Lieutenant Gen. David B. Poythress, the state of Georgia's Adjutant General, spoke at the event. Many times in his address, Poythress praised the Republic of Georgia for its willingness to put forth the effort to host such a major international exercise, and for its great progress in preparing for emergency situations before they happen.
If you have skills you think might be valuable to the Georgia's state partnership with the Republic of Georgia and want to lead a partnership event for the State Partnership Program, please contact Saxton at matthew. saxton@us.army.mil or Maj. Elizabeth Baker at elizabeth.baker@garobi.ang.af.mil
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Dobbins Chapel Celebrates 56 Years of Service to Guardsmen
For 56 years the old wooden chapel has been a landmark at the entrance to Dobbins Air Reserve Base. Located only a few hundred yards from the base's active tarmac, the chapel has provided servicemen of every military branch -- active, Guard and Reserve- with quiet solitude and a place of spiritual reflection.
On Sunday, Oct 22, a small gathering of former 116th Air Guardsmen, current Guardsmen of Headquarters GA Air National Guard, and friends gathered at the historic chapel for a service to commemorate over half century of service to the men and women who have worked and served at Dobbins.
"This structure means many things to many people," said Georgia's Adjutant General, Lt. General David Poythress. "It would be interesting to know the number of weddings, deployments and other significant unit events that have taken place at this Chapel. It is because of these events and the significance they have in our lives that we gather today to recognize this structure and the role it played in the spiritual and emotional well being of our people through the years."
On hand to lead the congregation in the memorial service was Col Robert C. Pooley who preached the first sermon at the new Chapel at Dobbins. Now in his 90s, Col Pooley expressed his gratitude at having been asked to return to participate in the service.
The chapel was transplanted to Dobbins from its original location in North Carolina. According to Air Force records, only three of these chapels originally built to be moved to various locations have survived the test of time.
"I have enjoyed some of my most wonderful experiences here at this chapel," said Maj Gen. Scott Hammond, Commander, Georgia Air National Guard. Hammond who married his wife in the chapel humorously recalled his wedding day, when in mid-August the air conditioning at the old chapel failed to work He also recalled several occasions at the Chapel where memorial services we held for departed Guardsmen and friends.
Although the Dobbins Chapel has stood at it present location for over five decades, its future is not as promising as plans exist to raze the building. A group of former 116th Guardsmen committed to keeping the Chapel has formed a non-profit organization to keep the structure in its present location. Those interested in being a part of the organization known simply as "The Chapel Foundation", invites your participation by contact Chief Master Sergeant Dick Roberts at 404-558-0155.
In recalling the history of the base church, Col Allen Withers AF Staff Chaplain, HQ 22nd Air Force spoke to the importance of passing along to future generations elements of our history. He also noted to those gathered an interesting link that the chapel has with General Patton's Third US Army. The Dobbins chapel was originally dedicated in 1956 by Brig Gen James H. O'Neill, the Chaplain for Patton's Third Army who authored distributed to soldiers the famous "Prayer for Fair Weather" on December 8, 1944 during the "Battle of the Bulge."
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VIPs View `Day in the Life' of YCA Cadets
One south Georgia YCA cadet said he started hanging around the wrong crowd, staying up all night, and ultimately dropped out of school since he could not get up in the morning. Another Georgia teen admitted that she simply became bored with school and felt like she was learning very little. And still another metro Atlanta cadet told how he and friend both with poor grades and lack of motivation chose the program. A decision that has changed all their lives.
Such stories were only a sampling of what more than eighty VIPs from metro Atlanta and the north Georgia heard when they visited the Fort Stewart-based Youth Challenge Academy on October 12, 2006. The visit, one of two VIP visits conducted each year by Georgia National Guard officials, is designed to acquaint business leaders, high school officials, juvenile counselors, law enforcement officers, corrections officers, judges and attorneys and appointed and elected government officials with a "day in the life" of more than 150 cadets of the 13-year old National Guard-sponsored youth program.
Guest were picked up at Dobbins AFB, GA, near Marietta, Ga., by a Savannah based C-130 Hercules aircraft and flown into Savannah where they were transferred to five waiting C-47 Chinooks helos for the day long visit to Fort Stewart and the Youth Challenge Academy. Other invited guests were flown by helicopters from Robins AFB, Ga., in middle Georgia while others arrived at the Academy in personal transportation.
Lt Gen David Poythress welcomed guests to the Academy and introduced Congressman Jack Kingston of Savannah, a long time Congressional supporter Georgia's Youth Challenge Academy.
"Youth Challenge provides youth with a second chance for success," said Kingston noting that he attended his share of several high school graduations, but "none will compare to the enthusiasm and energy experienced at YCA graduations."
Speaking more like a father than a commandant about the more than 150 cadets under his care, Col Frank Williams, YCA Director explained the typical routine of a cadet from applying and acceptance into the program to the daily routine of early morning physical workouts, to academic classes to the regimen of cleaning up barracks and living within system of military discipline.
Guests were given tours throughout the campus and were encouraged to talk with cadets who were more than accommodating in relaying their personal stories of how they came to YCA and their goals upon graduation.
"It's the best thing that has happened to me", a metro Atlanta area cadet told three high school counselors. "I want to go on to college and then get my teaching certificate." The cadet along with his colleagues are set to graduate in December.
"I'm planning on joining the Army when I graduate," said another cadet who had just completed a rigorous rope course , "and then want to get into Special Forces."
Underscoring the life changing impact of Georgia's Youth Challenge, one VIP, declared: "I can't remember the last time I encountered such enthusiasm in youth this age."
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Commentary
Rising to the Challenge of Rescuing At-risk Youth
By Benita M. Dodd
Some Georgians would resist the use of taxpayer money on teens who thumb their nose at family and community and barely escape jail. Calculate the return on investment in the Youth ChalleNGe Academy (YCA) program for at-risk youth, however, and even the cynics would agree it beats the stock exchange, and enormously rewards society.
One motivation for this program is the frightening high school dropout rate in Georgia: 47,000 last year alone. The state's average annual dropout rate is 8.5 percent, the highest in the Southeast and far higher than the national average of 5.7 percent nationwide. The consequences are dire, says the Georgia National Guard's youth program director, Col. Frank Williams. Dropouts have an 85 percent chance of ending up in front of a judge within five years.
Run with military precision and discipline by the Georgia National Guard on two Army bases Fort Stewart, outside Savannah, and Fort Gordon, outside Augusta Georgia's YCA campuses have meant that since 1993, "6,300 kids, high school dropouts, who had nowhere to go except jail have walked out of here with a diploma, at least a GED," boasts Adj. Gen. David Poythress, head of the Georgia National Guard.
All the YCA students are between ages 16 and 19, dropouts and at-risk, but the program is no boot camp. Participation must be voluntary. Each applicant must include an essay explaining why he or she would want to commit to a 5-1/2 month residential program with 16-hour days in a military setting. Rigorous physical training, military discipline backed by drill instructors, self-directed academic learning and long-term follow-up are all part of the process, Williams explains.
"It's an expensive per-child program," U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston of Georgia acknowledged during a recent visit to the YCA campus at Fort Stewart, "but not nearly as expensive as letting a dropout go out into the world without knowledge."
Long-term follow-up is critical to the success of this program, and the YCAs' mentoring program is the second longest in the nation. One year's follow-up by a mentor helps ensure the success of the student's life MAP (my action plan), which each must produce. Visibly proud, Williams shares one of the YCA's success stories: A student from the first class (1993) is now a surgeon in Norfolk, Va.
Each year, the two campuses receive funding for 600 students in two 5-1/2 month classes, "but I can stretch that dollar," Williams says, and he has. YCA Fort Gordon is funded for 100 students per class but the last class graduated 139; YCA Fort Stewart is funded for 200 but also graduates more.
Obviously, with funding of $14,000 per student, philanthropy is not the program's goal. Using taxpayer dollars, whether federal or state, to educate at-risk dropouts requires demonstrating success and accountability, and lawmakers' support. Most of these programs show remarkable success, but without state support, four states have had to shut down their programs.
Over the years, more than 6,300 young men and women have graduated with pride, self-discipline and success in their future. Some say they needed the military standards and schedule to help them refocus; others needed a purpose in life; still others say they found teachers with high expectations who cared whether they succeed. Teachers are not disciplinarians at the YCA; that's what drill instructors are for, and discipline is "fair, equal, instant and every time," Col. Williams says.
"Most of us realize that this is probably our last chance to get it together," a 19-year-old student from Gwinnett County said. One student traced his woes to gangs and drugs; another cited too much partying; a third told of hanging out with the wrong crowd. These students former couch potatoes, dropouts, late-night party-goers, drug addicts must turn their lives around and be focused enough at the end of 5-1/2 months to lock in a job, further education or military service before they graduate.
"Ninety-four percent of graduates are doing good things," Williams says. Seventy-eight percent have graduated with a General Equivalency Diploma (GED); the YCA no longer offers a high school diploma, but it is considering charter high school status. Eighty-one percent go on to a job or further education; 15 percent choose military service. All leave with a goal a life MAP. All credit the program with their newfound success and ambition.
At half the cost of incarcerating a criminal for a year, Georgia's Youth ChalleNGe Academy program is both a preemptive strike against crime and a boon to this state's economy by ensuring educated young adults. It's an

inspiring success story and a beacon of prudence in an ocean of government waste. Taxpayers, policy-makers and lawmakers deserve to ensure it continues and grows. Forty-seven thousand dropouts are there to remind us.
To learn more about the Youth ChalleNGe Academy, visit www.ngycp.org/state/gafs.
Benita M. Dodd is vice president of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, an independent think tank that proposes practical, market-oriented approaches to public policy to improve the lives of Georgians. Nothing written here is to be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation or as an attempt to aid or hinder the passage of any bill before the U.S. Congress or the Georgia Legislature.
Georgia Public Policy Foundation (November 3, 2006). Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided the author and her affiliations are cited.

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Thursday, April 05, 2007
Solving the Woes of Water Infrastructure
One week after more than 600 people from around the nation participated in an Atlanta conference on how to fund sustainable water infrastructure, the federal Environmental Protection Agency announced its annual assistance to states and municipalities for water infrastructure topped $5 billion in 2006.
In Education, the Struggle Continues
After hearing and seeing decades of philosophizing about the need to protect the traditional public school system's funds and institutional prerogatives, and looking past the expressed concerns about a Jeffersonian separation of church and state, it is clear that the real issue in America is not choice it is who has it!
Gainesville City Schools: Creating a Culture of Success
Two recent reports highlight the ongoing and intense interest in the state of education across the nation. One, from the federal Commission on No Child Left Behind, includes 75 final recommendations for reauthorization of the 5-year-old No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The other, from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, finds that schools are failing students and putting this nation's future competitiveness at risk. Both focus on how to build upon the foundation of school reform and improve student achievement.
What Georgia Should Do About Certificate of Need
Good medical coverage is affected by three components: cost, quality and availability. The true purpose of government in assuring that Georgians have good medical care is to oversee quality through the licensing process and guarantee availability with a public safety net. Whenever government attempts to control the third component, cost, a mess is always created. Cost control is the true purpose of the market.
Trains, Planes and Automobiles: Georgia Moves on Transportation
Transportation proposals are chasing lawmakers at such an exciting and breathtaking pace this year that the convergence of plans under the Gold Dome seems destined to outdo NASCAR's legendary pileups.
Video Franchising and the Costly Lesson of Branch Banking
Tired of slow downloads, limited access to broadband, high prices or poor service? You should be concerned. Georgia could easily lose out on billions of dollars of vital investment in telecommunications infrastructure if this state fails to act quickly.
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4th Civil Support Team and Coast Guard Continue Joint Venture to Protect Georgia Coast

When it comes to protecting Georgia's Coastal Empire, the Guard's 4th Civil Support Team (CST) and the U.S. Coast Maritime Safety Office at Coast Guard Air Station Savannah continue in earnest the joint mission of keeping the residents of those communities safe.

CST's commander.

The two organizations have partnered since 2002 to provide the state's Atlantic seaboard with an added protection from the devastating effects of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) weapons. Georgia's 4th and the Coast Guard have collectively written the operational concept for the CST mission in a maritime environment, said Maj. Jeffrey Allen, the

Georgia's 4th CST and Air Station Savannah have conducted several training missions in the past few years in which Coast Guard HH-65 helicopter aircrews deliver a CST strike team onto the deck of ships at sea. These "vertical deliveries" use the aircraft's rescue hoist to safely insert and extract CST members and Coast Guard personnel onto suspect vessels that require searching before they enter Port Savannah.

Besides airborne operations, the 4th has responded to several requests for assistance from the Coast Guard Maritime Security Office in Savannah to accompany Coast Guard boarding parties in searching for and identifying CBRNE materials aboard vessels attempting to enter the Port of Savannah.

The 4th CST-Coast Guard partnership has also been called upon during national special security events such as the Global 8 Economic Summit held on Sea Island in 2004. During the summit, where the heads of state for eight countries and countless other dignitaries occupied a Georgia coastal community, CST and Coast Guard members were at hard at work behind the scenes monitoring maritime traffic and interdicting suspect vessels as they approached the area of the summit, Allen explained.

Prior to G-8, the CST and the Coast Guard Atlantic Strike teams came together to interdict a vessel suspected of smuggling illicit radioactive materials into the U.S. in the spring of 2002. Besides these incidents, the teams have responded to several searches of suspect vessels off Georgia's coast.

The future of joint CST-Coast Guard operations may include CST operators responding to a suspect cargo container at a U.S. port or assisting Coast Guard port security units in the interdiction of CBRNE materials at other ports of entry. Overall, the partnership will ultimately prove vital to the protection of maritime critical infrastructure and key resources.

The benefit of the joint CST-Coast Guard partnership is the combination of subject matter expertise, which has permeated both communities, and spurred other teams to develop similar partnerships, Allen said. The Coast Guard is unmatched, he continued, at its mastery of coastal security enforcement, while the National Guard's CST's nationwide are arguably the most technically proficient CBRNE operators in the world today.

Such a combination creates a formidable layer of security for our national coastal boundaries, Allen said.

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