First Friday briefing [Feb. 1, 2008]

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First Friday Briefing for February 2008

Deployment Update

165th Airlift Wing responds
to sugar refinery fire
Firefighters of the 165th Airlift Wing, Georgia Air National Guard, have joined the recovery operations at the sugar refinery in Port Wentworth, Ga. The 165th firefighters, who normally provide emergency response needs at Savannah International Airport, have sent a 2,000 gallon tanker truck and an air compressor trailer to refill oxygen tanks. The crews also provided a pumper truck to cover Savannah Fire Station 13 and the airport. In addition, three firefighters responded to the call. The plant caught fire early Friday morning after an explosion assumed to be caused by sugar dust. Six workers are presumed dead and more than 40 injured. For more on the fire.

5 Air Guard units earn 'Air Force
Outstanding Unit Award'
Governor Sonny Perdue announced that five Georgia Air National Guard units have been named recipients of the Air Force Outstanding Unit award for 2007. Georgia units receiving the Air Force Outstanding Unit award are: 165th Air Support Operations Squadron (Brunswick), 116th Air Control Wing (Warner Robins), 283rd Combat Communications Squadron (Dobbins ARB, Marietta), 202nd Engineering Installation Squadron (Macon), 224th Joint Communications Support Squadron (Brunswick) Full Story

Sergeant Leslie Blusini and Spc. Uriah Boyer, of the 278th Military Police Company, undergo training at the Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) site at Fort Dix, NJ. The MP unit left Georgia in early January and will deploy to Iraq in the coming weeks.

Congressman Kingston thanks
CH-47 crews for wildfire efforts
Georgia Congressman Jack Kingston recently visited with members of Savannah's 169th Aviation Regiment and Aviation Support Facility No. 3 at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah to thank them for their service during the wildfire disaster that scorched south Georgia in 2007. Full
Story

Training center expands,
plans future
Georgia Air National Guard's Combat Readiness Training Center in Garden City is expanding as it prepares for an influx of soldiers and airmen who specialize in establishing communication services in the field. The Savannah facility is one of four in the nation that provides combat preparation training and the only to offer courses that specialize in communications. Full Story

Airmen of the 165th Airlift Wing of the Georgia Air National Guard returned home from a four month deployment to Afghanistan.
165th Airlift Wing Airmen returns from Afghanistan About two dozen members of the Savannah's 165th Airlift Wing returned from a 90-day deployment to Afghanistan. Full Story

A role model for women:
Britt honored by Georgia Trend
Brigadier Gen. Maria Britt, Army Guard Commanding General, was recognized as one of Georgia Trend Magazine's most notable people for 2007. Britt was honored for her service in the military at a luncheon held at Ritz-Carlton Hotel in late January. Full Story

Guard, Robins sign 'space' agreement
Georgia's Adjutant General and the leadership of Robins AFB, recently entered into an agreement which provides more production space for the Warner Robins Air Logistic Center. A memorandum of agreement between WR-ALC and the state, allows the center to temporarily utilize State of Georgia owned facilities located at Robins for Air Force Base for aircraft maintenance, repair and/or modification work, was signed by Maj. Gen. Terry Nesbitt, adjutant general of Georgia and Maj. Gen. Thomas J. Owen, WR-ALC Commander. Full Story

National Guard featured on
Dale Jr. Shifting Gears TV show
The National Guard will be featured prominently in the Dale Earnhardt Jr. "Shifting Gears" television series which premiers tonight on ESPN2. The series will give a VIP behind the scenes view of Dale Jr.'s transition to the #88 National Guard Chevrolet. The first episode, includes Dale's visit to the National Guard Readiness Center to meet with National Guard Bureau leadership and Dale Jr. talking about why it is important to serve in the National Guard. Full story

HRT hears TAG's transition plans
The Georgia DoD Human Relations Team (HRT) met with Maj. Gen. Terry Nesbitt for its first meeting of the new year to review the new Joint Forces Headquarters organization. The 28 members of the HRT heard Maj. Gen. Nesbitt carefully describe the new organizational structure and his priorities for the Georgia Guard. Full Story

Guard pilots give 'kids' a look at
aviation program
Crewmen of Savannah's 1st Battalion, 169th Aviation Brigade recently gave students of Calvary Day School an upclose look at the aviation section of the Georgia Army National Guard. Gently setting one of the unit's CH-47 Chinook cargo helicopters down on a football field alongside the school, kids and adults got to touch the controls and hear crew members discuss their jobs in the Georgia Army National Guard. Full Story

Remember the National Guard Foundation with a donation Georgia taxpayers will once again have the opportunity to make donations to the The Georgia National Guard Family Support Foundation, Inc. when they file their taxes for 2007. A simple "check-off" box appears on the Georgia income tax return, which allows taxpayers to make donations that will be automatically deducted from their refund or included in their payment. The check-off box was added to the Georgia state income tax forms by the Georgia Legislature in 2005 as a gesture of support for the Georgia National Guard.

For tax year 2006, the Foundation raised more than $114,195 in donations from tax returns.

Legislators hear Guard successes
at annual dinner
More than 150 Georgia legislators, Georgia Air and Army National Guardsmen and National Guard friends gathered Feb. 4, for the annual National Guard Legislative Dinner at Maggiano's Restaurant. The purpose of this annual dinner is to provide members of the legislature with an update on the Georgia National Guard and to meet with leaders from across the state. Full Story

Task force spreads awareness of
serious brain injuries
Hitting your head on something isn't a pleasant experience. In a combat situation a Soldier's mind is on the fight rather than a bump on the head, but a study by a group of Guardsmen and officials at the Veterans Administration say that a blow to the head should be taken more seriously. To emphasize that point, the Georgia National Guard has teamed up with the Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund Commission and the regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center, to help raise awareness of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), a growing problem in America's armed forces. The Georgia National Guard TBI group meets quarterly and is headed by Lt. Col. Steve Joyce and Bill Deegan. Full
Story

Ellenwood Guardsmen help celebrate
'Guard's 371'st'
The full-time staffers working at the Ellenwood's Oglethorpe Armory headquarters celebrated the National Guard's 371st birthday. With patriotic music from a boom box in the drill hall and plenty of red, white and blue-colored cake to go around, the Soldiers and Airmen took the time to remember both the challenges and sacrifices the organization has faced for more than three centuries. Full Story

Major Dawn Brookshire was among many Guardsmen and Ga. DoD employees who had a chance to see the National Guard's "Patriot Chopper" built on the popular TLC TV show by "American Choppers."

ESGR, 'Blueland' honor
military and employers
Members of the Georgia National Guard were among the Reserve and active-duty service members honored during Military Appreciation Night at the Feb. 1 home game between the Atlanta Thrashers and the Buffalo Sabers. The evening was sponsored by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. Full Story

National Guard "Patriot Chopper" visits the Georgia Guard "Patriot Chopper," built by the TV celebrities of The Learning Channel's popular TV show "American Chopper," was on display at the Georgia DoD's Confederate Avenue complex in January giving Guard members and employees a chance to see the custom bike and have their photos taken with it. The "Patriot Chopper" is touring the US to honor the National Guard, appearing at schools and colleges, malls, motorcycle and motor sports events and shows.

A look at what happened in February in Georgia National Guard history...
February 1960 -- A late February deluge bringing rain, sleet and snow failed to put a damper on scheduled statewide Muster Day ceremonies in which Georgians got a chance to look at Guard armories and weapons. Some of the highlights of the weekend besides the weather was Albany's Open House where Guardsmen held a mortar firing practice and orientation rides in armored personnel carriers. In Hartwell, Open House ceremonies featured displays of guns and radar, while in Cordele, the Open House there featured tank crew drills and rides in an M-48 tank.
February 1961 The Wesley Durward Willingham Armory was dedicated in Forsyth in early February. Guests included Maj. Gen. George J. Hearn, the Adjutant General, who delivered an address by Governor Ernest Vandiver who could not attend due to illness. In the address, the General called attention to the progress Georgia has made in armory construction and called for "all Americans to shore up their beliefs in our system of government and stand firm behind our president who has accepted a fearsome yoke of responsibility."
February 1961 Georgia National Guardsmen were mobilized to assist communities flooded by torrential rains. Some 273 Guardsmen from Columbus and more than 100 vehicles were involved in the 4-day operation in the cities of Columbus, LaGrange and Dublin. Among the duties Guardsmen performed were sandbagging, assistance in clean up operations and evacuation.
Complied by Beryl I Diamond, PhD,

Maj. Gen. William T. Nesbitt The Adjutant General of Georgia

February 11, 2008 Time: 7:05 am Security Notice

Army National Guard FAQ The latest news from the Georgia Army National Guard. | Congressman Kingston thanks CH47 crews | Task force elevates head injury awareness | Chinook crew visits school | BG Britt honored | 278th MPs deploy | Ross earns second star | Dudney takes reins of 78th | Army, Air exceed recruiting goal | Parker takes reins of Company H | Brigade alerted for '09 deployment |148th memorial honors fallen | Guards welocmes first female chaplain | Stronger Bonds joins couples | Honoring the fallen | AJC Award winners named | New hangar opens at Hunter | CST undergoes 18 month evaluation | Brtit earns first star | Guard welcomes Nesbitt as TAG | Col. Durhham takes command of 48th | 2/121 trains in Britain | 121st soldiers train in Germany | Det. 9, 171st rmobilzies | LRSU feted at 'Stewart' | LRSU returns from 2nd deployment | 6 graduate form OCS | 221st Mi trains with SDF | 265th begins new era | 118th FA welcomes new commander |

Air National Guard FAQ The latest news from the Georgia Air National Guard. | 5 earn AFOUAs | Guard, Robins signs production space agreement | 165th returns from Afghanistan | Yancey earns 'Red Erwin Award' | 116th conducts ORE | 116th hits milestone | Family to Family continues tradition |116th's Richardson earn 'BIG' award | 3 GaANG units earn top NGAUS awards | 117th trains with 125th | Air Guardsman to joins Parternship Program | Maj. Gen. Thompson, 92, former 116th commander | Marines name league for grandfather of Georgia Guard general | Day Promoted to Colonel | Tuskegee Airman visits with ANG EEO | Hansen promoted | 202nd wires new Ops Center | 117th earns merit award | 165th firechief earns leadership award | Turkey Shoot shows air power | Col. Moore Assumes Command of the 116th | 202nd Helps Byron | Doehling Retires as 116th Vice-Cmdr |

State Defense Force Read the latest news from the Georgia State Defense Force.
GADOD News | Six earn 'Faithful Service' award | 9/11 Commemoration '07 | Poythress announces retirement; Nesbitt named as TAG | NAS passes to Guard | Employees earn 'Faithful Service Awards | 28 Graduate from Six Sigma Course | Guard Acquires NAS Atlanta property

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Blast rocks sugar plant KENT W. COCKSON | Friday, February 8, 2008 at 12:30 am

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Smoke pours from the Imperial Sugar Refinery after an explosion there Thursday night. Amateur photographer Don Teuton took the photo from Highway 17 on the South Carolina side of the Savannah River near the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge. Teuton called the explosion and aftermath "terrible." At least 10 people were sent to the burn center in Augusta. Don Teuton/Special to the Savannah Morning News Friends and family embrace as they await word on the condition of workers following an explosion at the Imperial Sugar Co. refinery Thursday evening. Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News (Photo: Richard Burkhart) Emergency responders rush to the aid of a victim. Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News (Photo: Richard Burkhart) Rescue workers load a victim into an ambulance Thursday. Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News (Photo: Richard Burkhart) Flames from the sugar refinery fire glow in the background behind an ambulance. Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News (Photo: Richard Burkhart) Some 15 or 20 gurneys and wheelchairs were lined up and about 40 hospital personnel waited outside the Candler Hospital Emergency Room Thursday night as news of the Savannah Sugar Refinery fire spread. (Carl Elmore/Savannah Morning News) (Photo: Carl Elmore) Medical workers triage patients outside of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church off Highway 25 in Port Wentworth. All ambulatory patients were taken to this site, which is across the street from the refinery, before being released or transported to the hospital. Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News (Photo: Richard Burkhart) Medical workers triage patients outside of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church off Highway 25 in Port Wentworth. All ambulatory patients were taken to this site, which is across the street from the refinery, before being released or transported to the hospital. Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News (Photo: Richard Burkhart) Buses transport family members to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church off Highway 25 in Port Wentworth, where the emergency response teams were gathering. Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News (Photo: Richard Burkhart)
At least 40 workers were injured - some critically - Thursday night in an explosion and fire at the old Dixie Crystals sugar refinery in Port Wentworth near the Georgia Ports Authority. The explosion occurred about 7:20 p.m., authorities said. John Sheptor, CEO of the Imperial Sugar Co. that now operates the refinery, said he was attending a meeting there when the explosion occurred in a silo where the refined sugar is kept until it's packaged. The blast apparently was the result of the spontaneous combustion of sugar dust in the silo. "We are concerned about the families," he told reporters at an 11:15 p.m. news briefing. Tony Holmes of Garden City, a forklift operator at the refinery, was in the break room when the blast occurred. "I heard the explosion," he said. "The building shook, and the lights went out. I thought the roof was falling in. ... I saw people running. I saw some horrific injuries. ... People had clothes burning. Their skin was hanging off. Some were bleeding." Initial reports indicated about 100 second-shift workers were inside the facility, now called the Imperial Sugar Co., at the time of the blast. No fatalities had been reported late Thursday as a result of the explosion, said Sgt. Mike Wilson, spokesman for the Savannah-Chatham police department. But other reports indicated at least six people were unaccounted for. Wilson said the fire resulting from the explosion was contained to the refinery's bag room area. But firefighters on scene were reporting as late as midnight that gusty wind was continuing to fan some flames. Clayton Scott, assistant director of Chatham County Emergency Management Agency, said the refinery was a large facility. "There is still a significant amount of fire," he said, describing the refinery as covering an area the size of a Super Wal-Mart. Metro police Maj. Gerry Long told reporters at a 9:30 p.m. news briefing that 28 people had been taken to area hospitals. That number increased as the night wore on. "From what I understand, the damage to the building was relatively extensive." Long said. Nakishya Hill, a machine operator who said she escaped from the third floor of the refinery on the Savannah River, said there was fire all over the five-story building. "All I know is, I heard a loud boom, and everything came down," said Hill, who was uninjured except for blisters on her elbow. "When I got up, I went down and found a couple of people, and we climbed out of there from the third floor to the first floor. Half of the floor was gone. The second floor was debris, the first floor was debris. "All I could do when I got down was take off running." Family members were staged at the nearby Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Port Wentworth to await word on the status of family members. The U.S. Coast Guard closed the Savannah River from the Talmadge Bridge to the Houlihan Bridge, blocking all vessel traffic, both commercial and recreational. Coast Guard helicopters and boat crews are searching the Savannah River for any people in the water, the Coast Guard said. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Lynn said the river shutdown was part of a search-and-rescue mission. "We have no reports of persons in the water," Lynn said. "We do have small boats searching the waterway. We also have helicopters searching the waterway. We have no reports of persons recovered from the water." Savannah-Chatham Police Chief Michael Berkow, addressing reporters near the scene about 11:15 p.m., said police officers were driving some ambulances. "What I saw when I arrived on the scene was really critically burned individuals," Berkow said. Fire crews reported having problems getting enough water pressure to fight the flames. "I'm still 50 feet away," one firefighter radioed around 10:45 p.m. Port Wentworth public works crews were working on the problem. Moreover, Berkow said several tugboats on the Savannah River were helping pour water on the fire. Emergency personnel from all over west Chatham County and from as far away as Fort Stewart in Liberty County responded to the plant fire. Area hospitals were at full staff as ambulances delivered the injured to their emergency rooms. Helicopters were observed picking up victims of the explosion from the staging area set up by responders behind Port Wentworth Elementary School. Triage sites were set up near the refinery as well as in the parking lot at nearby Our Lady of Lourdes. Beth Frits, a spokeswoman for Doctors Hospital in Augusta, said she knew of 10 critically injured patients being flown or driven by ambulance to the Joseph M. Still Burn Center there. "We just don't know how many more we'll be getting," she said about 9:30 p.m. Doctors Hospital flew a burn surgeon - Dr. Fred Mullins - to Savannah to help treat the injured. Dr. Jay Goldstein, an emergency room physician at Memorial University Medical Center, said a short time later that 30 to 35 patients were being treated, and all were in critical condition. Goldstein said no more were expected by ambulance, but it was impossible to say how many would arrive on their own. The scene was much the same at Candler Hospital on DeRenne Avenue, where three patients were listed in serious condition. All of westside Savannah's emergency units responded to the explosion, officials said. Firefighters from Hardeeville on the South Carolina side of the Savannah River said their building, which is about five miles away from the refinery, shook from the explosion. They, too, were among the responders. Firefighters of the 165th Airlift Wing in the Georgia Air National Guard, which normally provides emergency response needs at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, sent a 2,000-gallon tanker truck, an air compressor trailer, to refill oxygen tanks. Savannah Morning News staff contributed to this report.
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Congressman Kingston thanks CH-47 crews for wildfire efforts

SAVANNAH - Georgia Congressman Jack Kingston visited with members of the 169th Aviation Regiment and Aviation Support Facility #3 at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah on Wednesday to thank them for their service during the wildfire disaster that struck south Georgia in 2007.

Kingston, who represents Georgia's First Congressional District, presented the unit an American flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol, along with a certificate from the House of Representatives. The unit also took the opportunity to give the Congressman a quick tour of the aviation facility.

Crews from the Hunter unit, along with their CH-47 Chinook helicopters, were called into action when the fires began spreading in Ware and Brantley Counties in April 2007. The Chinooks were on duty for weeks dropping 2,000 gallon of water at a time onto the fires from their "Bambi Bags."

Members of the 169th Aviation Regiment and Aviation Support Facility #3 at Hunter Army Airfield pose with Congressman Jack Kingston in front of one of the 2,000 gallon Bambi Bags used to fight the wildfires in south Georgia in 2007.

Black Hawk helicopters from the 171st Aviation Battalion also helped fight the fires, and
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Role model for women
Magazine honors BG Britt
Atlanta, January 24, 2007 -- Brigadier General Maria Britt, Army Guard Commanding General, was recognized as one of Georgia Trend Magazine's most notable people for 2007. Britt was honored for her service in the military at a luncheon held at Ritz-Carlton Hotel January 24.
Britt, who was promoted to Brigadier General and took command of the Georgia Army National Guard in December, will also be the cover story in the March issue of Georgia Trend as one of ten Georgia women who have reached the pinnacle of their careers in their chosen profession.
"This is an honor I accept on behalf of all men and women in the Guard," said Britt at the luncheon attended by Governor Perdue and a large number of business and civic leaders in Georgia. "It is my responsibility as a leader to promote both the military and the Guard and for people to see me as a role model for all women in the military."
The General was also recently showcased in the January issue of the National Guard periodical, GX Magazine.
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BG Britt poses during Georgia Trend magazine ceremony

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HRT hears TAG's transition plans

Atlanta -- The Georgia DoD Human Relations Team (HRT) met with Maj. Gen. Terry Nesbitt for its first meeting of the New Year to review the new Joint Forces Headquarters organization. The 28 members of the HRT heard Maj. Gen. Nesbitt carefully describe the new organizational structure and his priorities for the Georgia Guard.

Brigadier Gen. Maria Britt also addressed the HRT echoing the reasoning and potential of the structural changes and renewing her personal commitment to all Georgia Guardsmen.

The TAG restated his key vision for

the Georgia National Guard by

focusing on three fundamental

Major Gen. Terry Nesbitt, the adjutant General, outlines his transition priorities; "defending our state and

plans to the Guard's Human Resources Team in late January.

nation; continue the significant

support to the Global War on Terrorism; and, to continue to transform and modernize."

"These are not new priorities," said Nesbitt. "But consistent with the way that we have operated at every level over the past several years." Nesbitt said that the workings of the HRT are a high priority and pledged more involvement in the processes of the team.

Human Relations Team members from virtually every major command in the Army and Air National Guard were anxious to hear the changes being proposed by the new Adjutant General and how these changes might impact their units.

"Change will happen, emphasized Nesbitt. "Now is the time to stop talking and start making the necessary adjustments."

Nesbitt suggested that most Soldiers and Airmen in units throughout the state will continue to interact with the same senior staff as before with the only obvious changes being those staff sections which will not be part of the Joint Staff.

The new Joint Staff, according to Nesbitt, will assimilate individual staffs of the Army and Air National Guard and State Defense Force into a single, joint operation. The functions of the Directorate of Workforce Development, formerly known as the DOWD; the Joint Operations Staff, known as the JOPS; and the Organizational Development Office will support the commanders of all three components and the TAG's Joint Staff.

"It was encouraging to hear the TAG explain changes in the organization," said HRT member Chief Master Sgt. Sue Shipman, First Sergeant of the Air National Guard Headquarters.

"While the change in the organization may be unsettling at first, I embrace the change," said Ga. Air National Guard Command Chief, Command Chief Master Sgt. Betty Morgan. "There are times when you may feel that change is not necessary, but if you relax, stand back and wait, you will understand why there's a need."

"I believe the reasons for the changes in the organization are sound and that they reflect our ongoing transition to a joint environment in which the Georgia DoD leadership, staffs and units can work together to plan for and execute joint missions in support of domestic operations," Nesbitt explained.

Following the presentation by Nesbitt and Britt, the HRT heard from Morgan and Army Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Neil Russell. Morgan shared the many concerns of members of Air Guard Headquarters, who find their organization being merged into JFHQ.

The HRT reviewed and refined its five strategic priorities which will be ready to present to the TAG at the next HRT meeting scheduled for April in Savannah.

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Legislators hear Guard outline successes during annual dinner

Atlanta -- More than 150 Georgia legislators, Georgia Air and Army National Guardsmen and National Guard friends gathered Feb. 4, for the annual National Guard Legislative Dinner at Maggiano's Restaurant. The purpose of this annual dinner is to provide members of the legislature with an update on the Georgia National Guard and to socialize with friends and supporters of the National Guard.

Maj. Gen. Terry Nesbitt recognized that this was the seventh legislative dinner and was clearly the largest with more than twenty ranking Georgia legislators in attendance. Speaking on behalf of the legislators at the dinner, Senator Eric Johnson, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, thanked the National Guard for its continuing contributions to the safety and well-being of the people of Georgia.

Georgia legislators heard summaries from the Adjutant General and fro

m commanders of both the Air and Army National Guard. Maj. Gen. Scott Hammond, Commander of the Georgia Air National Guard, proudly announced that five Georgia Air National Guard units were recently awarded the prestigious Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. The Governor made a formal announcement of the award the following day.

Brig. Gen. Maria Britt, recognized by Maj. Gen. Nesbitt as the first woman general in Georgia National Guard history, summarized a year in which Army Guard recruiting reached an all time high of more than 10,000 Georgia Army National Guardsmen. She also noted the addition of two new brigades in the state and the continuing efforts of Georgia Guardsmen deployed for the Global War on Terrorism as well as on the nation's border.

Above right, Sen. Jack Hill (R-4) of Reidesville, a retired member of the Georgia Air Guard, enjoys a discussion with Maj. Gen. Terry Nesbit during the annual legislative dinner Feb. 4.
attendance to begin a new Starbase program in that coastal city.

Maj. Gen. Nesbitt recounted the continuing success of Georgia's Youth Challenge Program and acknowledged individual efforts currently underway by several prominent Savannahans in

Also attending the dinner were former Georgia Adjutants General, Lt. Gen. David Poythress and Maj. Gen. Bill Bland.

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Ellenwood Guardsmen help celebrate 'Guard's 371'st'
Ellenwood, Ga. The full-time staff working at the Ellenwood's Oglethorpe Armory headquarters celebrated the National Guard's 371st birthday.
With patriotic music from a boom box in the drill hall and plenty of red, white and blue-colored cake to go around, the Soldiers and Airmen took the time to remember both the challenges and sacrifices the organization has faced for more than three centuries.
During the event, Col. Timothy Britt, Chief of the Joint Staff, reflected on the history of the organization and the roots of the Georgia Guard in particular. Britt had just returned from a training conference at St. Simon's Island where the Georgia Guard's roots lay in the mangroves and palmettos.
"A mile and a half from the conference room was a battlefield near and dear to our own birthday," said Britt. "Bloody Marsh. It was there that the man whom this very armory is named for (James Oglethorpe) repulsed the first of generations of attacks on our homeland. Today, all these hundreds of years later, his family crest adorns my uniform... your uniform," he said.
On July 7, 1742, English and Spanish forces skirmished on St. Simons Island in at the Battle of Bloody Marsh. This event culminated in the Spanish retreat from Georgia and resulted in an English victory.
Britt borrowed a few lines from the poem `I Am the Guard' and listed other noteworthy places, challenges and events that shaped today's organization.
"From Concord's bridge and the `shot heard round the world' to Bunker Hill and Valley Forge.
It saw both sides of the War Between the States, San Juan Hill, the dark forests of the Argonne, the grim road at Bataan.
Its Soldiers scrambled over Normandy's beaches and its Airmen flew through places like MiG Alley, the Yalu, and the skies above Vietnam.
Its citizen Soldiers made the Arabian Desert feel the fury of the storm.
At a time of relative peace, Guardsmen were busy trying to keep it - in the Balkans.
They were here at home also - when the flood-waters rose and the levies broke, when the wildfires scorched thousands of acres.
When smoke billowed from the towers in New York and at the Pentagon on that day that in September, we all remember what we were doing when we heard the news. The Guard was there.
As one of its largest and proudest members, we wish the National Guard of the United States a very happy birthday."
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Guard, other services honored at 'Blueland'

By Staff Sgt. Roy Henry Georgia National Guard Public Affairs Office

Phillips Arena, Atlanta Members of the Guard and Reserve, and the employers who support them were honored in Feb. 1, 2008, during Military Appreciation Night, co-sponsored by the Georgia Chapter of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve and the Atlanta Thrashers.

More than 100 Georgia Army and Air Guardsmen, Reservists and their family members watched as the Thrashers took and beat the Buffalo Sabers 3 to 2. During a break in the evening's action the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines were asked to stand and be recognized for their commitment to the state and to the nation.

"As much as I enjoyed watching the Thrashers trounce on Buffalo, it really made me feel good to be applauded for who we are and what we do as military men and women," said Pfc. William Outlaw, a communications specialist with the Guard's 221st Military Intelligence Battalion at Fort Gillem.

This wasn't, however, just a night for recognizing

those who wear the uniform. Those for whom

thousands of traditional Citizen-Soldiers work

also were honored. Up in the arena's VIP section,

businesses that employ Guard and Reserve

members were being honored for their service by

ESGR officials.

Air Guard Tech. Sgt. Garfield Downer, a communications

specialist with Warner Robins' 116th Air Control Wing, is one of

Among the firms honored for signing five-star Statements of Support were:

several Guard, Reserve and active-duty service members greeted by the Atlanta Thrasher's mascot during the team's Feb. 1 game with the Buffalo Sabres. The evening was sponsored by

q Atlanta Thrashers q Verizon Wireless

the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. (Georgia National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Roy Henry)

q Eagle Group International, Inc.

q R-D-ARC Inc.

q Southside Medical Center

q Heritage Health Care of Macon

q Northeast Georgia Health System

q Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation

q Rockdale County Sheriff's Office

q Troup County Correctional Institution

q Buckhead Community Bank

q Southwest Georgia Bank

q Georgia Mountain Graphics

q Atlantic Southeast Airlines

q The Flight School

q Phoenix Aviation Managers, Inc.

q World Marketing Atlanta

q HRworks

q Pinnacle Data Systems

q Computer Science Corp

q Mid-South Systems, Inc.

q American Golf Corp.

By signing a statement of support a business dedicates its self to continued support of the Guardsmen and Reservists they already employ or may employ at some point. Through the five-star program, ESGR "seeks to inform and educate employers about their rights and responsibilities toward such employees. And it recognizes and rewards employers who go `above and beyond' the requirements of the law in that support.

It's not easy having someone gone for a week, let-alone a month, a year or longer, said L. Gordon Sumner, guest speaker and executive director of the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve in Washington.

"As a one-time Army Reservist, I can tell that our men and women who serve their communities, their states and the nation, in peace and in war, are grateful for your understanding of their desire to do what's needed in keeping us all safe," Sumner said. "Without you, their ability to do that would be greatly hampered, if not impossible."

Specialist Wesley Ruland, a combat medic with Forsyth's Company C, 148th Brigade Support Battalion, attended the ceremony honoring the 23 firms before going on to the game. Ruland, who is a full-time human resource specialist for the Georgia Department of Defense, said he, too, wanted to thank the employers for what they do.

"I just wanted to shake some of their hands and tell as many of them as possible, `thanks. Thanks for all you do for my fellow Soldiers and all those who serve,'" he said.

Ruland didn't leave the VIP booth until he'd shaken the hand of each and everyone one of them.

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5 Air Guard units earn AFOUAs

Atlanta, February 5, 2008 - Governor Sonny Perdue announced that five Georgia Air National Guard units have been named recipients of the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for 2007.

Georgia units receiving the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award are:

- 165th Air Support Operations Squadron (Brunswick)

- 116th Air Control Wing (Warner Robins)

283rd Combat Communications Squadron (Dobbins ARB, Marietta)

- 202nd Engineering Installation Squadron (Macon)

- 224th Joint Communications Support Squadron (Brunswick)

"The men and women of the Georgia National Guard have

made extraordinary contributions both here at home and in defense of our nation," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "All Georgians can be proud of these units for receiving this award and the outstanding job they do every day."

The crests of the five honored units: At top right, the 116th Air Control Wing; at left the 165th Air Support Operations Squadron. At bottom from left to right: the 283rd Combat Communications Squadron, 224th Joint Communications Support Squadron, and the 202nd Engineering

The Outstanding Unit Award is given to Air Force units that Installation Squadron.

have shown exceptionally meritorious service and

outstanding achievement that clearly sets them above and apart from similar units across the country.

"To have five units from Georgia be awarded this prestigious honor in the same year is absolutely remarkable," explained Maj. Gen. Scott Hammond, the commander of the Georgia Air National Guard. "In spite of the enormous operational tempo to which our units are being subjected because of commitments around the globe, these units continuously perform at the highest level."

"This award is testimony to the outstanding work by the members of these units," said Maj. Gen. Terry Nesbitt, Georgia's Adjutant General. "Only a handful of Air National Guard organizations nationwide ever receive this honor. So to have five units from one state is unprecedented."

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Training center expands, plans future

Story by Pam Walch, Savannah Morning News

Savannah -- Black protective plastic boxes packed with high-tech communications equipment are stacked two deep inside a renovated building at the Georgia Air National Guard's Combat Readiness Training Center in Garden City.
Across the white-washed room, a gigantic, tan-colored satellite dish towers in the corner. Nearby, a dozen modern school desks with folding tablet arms are poised and ready for students.

Col. Floyd Harbin, commander of the Savannah Combat Readiness Training Center, said by mid-March those seats will be filled - either by active duty or Reserve and Air Guard personnel.

That's when the first wave of classes is scheduled at the new $6.5 million Theatre Deployable Communications Training Center, which opened this week. The former supply warehouse-turned-classroom joins existing training facilities off Dean Forest Road.

The building will see upward of eight

classes a year and as many as 350

Tech. Sgt. Joseph Yutz explains how National Guard personnel will be trained on a portable voice/phone system, part of the Theatre Deployable Communication Training Center. (Carl Elmore/Savannah

soldiers and airmen who specialize in establishing communication services in the field, Harbin said.

Morning News)

The Savannah facility is one of four

in the nation that provides combat preparation training and the only to offer courses that specialize in

communications.

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Guard, Robins sign 'space' agreement

Robins AFB, Ga Georgia's Adjutant General and the leadership of Robins AFB, recently entered into an agreement which provides more production space for the Warner Robins Air Logistic Center.

A memorandum of agreement between WR-ALC and the state, allows the center to temporarily utilize State of Georgia owned facilities located at Robins for Air Force Base for aircraft maintenance, repair and/or modification work, was signed by Maj. Gen. Terry Nesbitt, adjutant general of Georgia and Maj. Gen. Thomas J. Owen, WR-ALC Commander.

"This agreement is a win, win,

win for Georgia, the U.S. Air Force and the community," said General Nesbitt. "The gap in our programmed use of

Air Force Maj. Gen. Thomas J. Owen, Warner Robins Air Logistic Center Commander, and Army Maj. Gen. William T. Nesbitt, State of Georgia Adjutant General sign the Memorandum of Agreement for Robins maintainers to use facilities owned by the State of Georgia. (U. S. Air Force Photo)

these excellent facilities affords

the opportunity to increase capacity here at the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center."

"We are so fortunate to have cemented this partnership today with Governor Perdue, General Nesbitt and the State of Georgia," said General Owen. "We are all winners in this temporary sharing of these valuable hangars."

The facilities will be used by the depot maintenance when it is feasible based on Georgia Air National Guard mission requirements.

The temporary use of the state owned facilities by WR-ALC will balance the priorities of the Air Force and the state while ensuring the availability of these facilities for future Georgia Air National Guard flying missions.

The agreement identifies support and responsibilities required by both entities during the temporary use of the state owned facilities. These items include building maintenance, security, upgrades and safety items.

The memorandum describes the basic uses of the state building. The more specific issues and concerns associated with facility requirements and specific areas for use by the Air Force will be addressed in implementation agreements.

The implementation agreements will describe which facilities, what maintenance, how many crew members will be working in the facility and will be done to each specific aircraft. In addition the agreements will define environmental and safety concerns.

This agreement has no end date and can be terminated if a need arises by either organization.

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Guard pilots give 'kids' a look at aviation program
Savannah, GA ,January 2008 -- The crewmen of Savannah's 1/169th Aviation Brigade recently gave students of Calvary Day School an up-close look at the aviation sectionof the Georgia Army National Guard.
Gently setting one of the unit's CH-47 Chinook cargo choppers down on a football field alongside the school, kids and adults got to touch the controls and hear crew members speak about their jobs in the Georgia Army National Guard.
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Chinook pilot Charlie Woodward talks with students about possible careers in the Army and National Guard during a visit to Calvary Baptist Day School Wednesday afternoon. Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News

Task Force spreads awareness of head injuries

By Spc. Amanda Luksic

January 17, 2007 Hitting your head on something isn't a pleasant experience and in a combat situation a Soldier's mind is on the fight rather than a bump on the head, but a study by a group of Guardsmen and officials at the Veterans Administration say that a blow to the head should be taken more seriously.

To emphasize that point, the Georgia National Guard has teamed up with the Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund Commission and the regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center, to help raise awareness of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), a growing problem in America's armed forces.The Georgia National Guard TBI group meets quarterly and is headed by Lt. Col. Steve Joyce and Bill Deegan.

Traumatic Brain Injury, VA officials say, is

increasing because it can go unnoticed for years at

a time, and symptoms go unrecognized .Some

As the image above shows, an injury to one part of the head can affects the brain

sufferers don't even know it happened.

in many different places. (Image from the Veterans Affairs Traumatic Brain Injury

Center)

One of the goals of this task force is to educate

veterans and families about the symptoms and treatment of TBI and where to get help. The goal is to use demobilization sites to brief both

family members and Soldiers about the dangers and what to look for.

Doctor Inge Thomas, a member of the VA's TBI center, said most people don't know they have a mild brain injury until they are screened. Head injuries, he said, used to only be recognized if a person lost consciousness or had amnesia, but now if they are even dazed or slightly disoriented they should seek medical attention.

While many believe you have to suffer a paralyzing disability to have had a brain injury, that isn't always true according to Stephanie Lotti, director of data and public policy for the commission. "Not all hits to the head cause paralysis, depending on where it happened can determine what kind of systems a person will show."

Changes in behavior and work habits can be good indicators that someone has a brain injury, Lotti added. A loss of concentration, ability to focus, constant headache, sleep disorders and memory problems are some other symptoms. What exactly is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

According to the VA's Thomas, a TBI is an injury to the brain caused by a physical blow to the head, blast injury, penetrating shrapnel, motor vehicle accident, gun shot wound, etc. They can range from mild to moderate to severe.

According to Veterans Affairs officials screenings can help determine whether or not a service member is in need of further evaluation. These screenings take place after the service member has returned from the theater of operations and may help them realize that there is a problem when it is not readily realized.

The VA screening consists of four questions, each of which open up new questions if answered positively. This helps screeners to determine if the service member needs further treatment or not.

Many TBI cases go unnoticed for years or written off as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), say officials at the VA. Sometimes mild brain injury can go hand in hand with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, though Thomas cautions that a mild TBI usually doesn't present itself for a few months to years after the incident.

"They just want to get home," said Bill Deegan, the Transition Assistance Advisor for the National Guard. "They see the screening and signing up for VA benefits as another obstacle keeping them from getting there."

The Georgia Guard has started a Home Station Demobilization system, in which Guard troops who deploy spend three or four day demobilizing at either Fort Stewart or Fort Gordon before heading home. This system allows for Soldiers and family members to attend briefings on TBI and PTSD.

For more information on TBIs and treatment call Traumatic Brain Injury Program, Atlanta VA 404-321-1611 ext. 4654 or on the web at Brain Injury Resource Foundation www.birf.info and Georgia Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund Commission www.bsitf.state.ga.us.

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Sergeant Leslie Blusini and Spc. Uriah Boyer, of the 278th Military Police Company, undergo training at the Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) site at Fort Dix, NJ. The MP unit left Georgia in early January and will deploy to Iraq in the coming weeks. (Photo by Ryan Morton, Fort Dix Public Affairs Office)
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Air Guard crew arrives home in Savannah BRIAN FRANCONE | Sunday, January 13, 2008 at 12:30 am

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Airmen with the 165th Airlift Wing of the Georgia Air National Guard return home from a 4 month deplyment to Afghanistan. Brian Francone/Savannah Morning News Staff Sgt. Christopher Randon holds his wife, Patricia, after returning from a 40 day deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with the 165th Airlift Wing of the Georgia Air National Guard. Brian Francone/Savannah Morning News Staff Sgt. Tim Smasal takes a moment to listen to his 7-year-old son Sonny, after returning from Afghanistan. Smasal had left on Nov. 30 with the 165th Airlift Wing of the Georgia Air National Guard. Brian Francone/ Savannah Morning News
Tears of joy Saturday night greeted more than two-dozen airmen of the 165th Airlift Wing of the Georgia Air National Guard as they returned from Afghanistan at 7:45 p.m. The 25 airmen landed aboard their massive C130 cargo plane on the backside of Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport about 7:45 p.m. They were supposed to have returned to Savannah earlier in the week, but they endured several days of delay because of mechanical problems with the aircraft. "This was his first deployment," said Patricia Randon about her husband, Christopher. "We got to talk almost every day. That made it easier." Christopher Randon, a staff sergeant and a mechanic, left the United States on Dec. 2. "Our 2-year-old, Joel, slept with a picture of daddy every night," Patricia Randon said while another member of the family - James, 7 - anxiously waited for his step-father to come home. All of the family members who gathered for the homecoming were glad to have their airmen back on U.S. soil after all the frustration of having to wait an extra week. "It took us a little bit longer to get home, but we got here," said Staff Sgt. Tim Smasal, while his 7-year-old son, Sonny, stood by - wearing his dad's hat. Smasal's wife, Eileen, was just happy to have him home. "Christmas morning was the hardest," she said. "We are having Christmas just as soon as he gets home." The group of airmen was gone from 30 to 90 days. For many of them, it was a hard stretch. The unit broke up its four-month mission into several smaller rotations lasting 30 to 45 days, with some rotations running as long as 60 days. The 165th is expecting its last aircraft to return Monday, wrapping up the four-month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
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National Guard featured on Dale Jr Shifting Gears TV show
The National Guard will be featured in prominently in the Dale Earnhardt Jr. "Shifting Gears" television series which premiers tonight on ESPN2. The series will give a VIP behind the scenes view of Dale Jr's transition to the #88 National Guard Chevrolet. The first episode, includes Dale's visit to the National Guard Readiness Center to meet with National Guard Bureau leadership and Dale Jr talking about why it is important to serve in the National Guard. Here's the schedule for upcoming airings of the show:
Fri., Feb. 8th - 7-8 pm (ESPN2) Fri., Feb. 15th - 6-7:30 pm (ESPN2) Sat., Feb. 16th - 4:30-6 pm (ESPN2) Thur., July 24 - 7-8 pm (ESPN) Fri., July 25 - 7-8 pm (ESPN)
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