First Friday briefing [Aug. 1, 2008]

Online at www.dod.state.ga.us
Immediate Response 2008

August 2008
3 News Briefs
The latest in Guard news at a glance. Full stories available on the DoD website and the online breifing.

5 This month in Georgia Guard History
In this issue we take a look at
the month of August from years
1916-1919 and the account of
the service of 18-year-old Robert
Gober Burton.

6 Annual Training: Georgia 2008
Georgia Guardsmen are passing along their combat medic skills to their counterparts in the Georgian Army as part of Immediate Response, an annual Joint Chiefsof-staff directed bilateral security cooperation exercise conducted between U.S. and coalition partners. This year it is being conducted in the country of Georgia.

Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Roy Henry
Sergeant 1st Class Stanley Walker, a rifleman with Milledgeville's Company D, 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry, role plays a casualty, and a Georgian army 4th Infantry Brigade Soldier go through the steps of inserting a nasopharyngeal airway into the nasal passage, during a combat lifesaver class at Vaziani Military Base near Tbilisi, Georgia. Walker, his fellow infantrymen of the 121st, Winder's Company E, 148th Brigade Support Battalion and Glennville's 122nd Rear Operations Center are in the country of Georgia for three weeks participating Exercise Immediate Response 2008.
Complete coverage, page 6

8 Annual Training: Patriot `08
Members of the Georgia National Guard's 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team are using exercise Patriot '08 to prepare for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. The National Guardsponsored training exercise has brought together Army and Air National Guard elements, active duty and reserve units, and Canadian, British and Dutch forces.

108th Cav takes NGRF mission, completes first AT

FORT STEWART, Ga.--The Soldiers of 3rd Battalion, 108th Cavalry recently completed the unit's first annual training at Fort Stewart. The unit will be assuming the National Guard Reaction Force (NGRF) mission later this year, and its instruction at the National Guard Training Center focused on honing the skills the Soldiers will require for the assignment.
The NGRF directly supports the Adjutant General's number one priority: Homeland Security. The main task of the NGRF is to respond quickly to any emergency in order to provide security to the Joint Task Force 781st CERF-P units, support local authorities and restore order as quickly as possible. The NGRF is not a new mission for the Guard, but continues the traditional Guard role of providing support in the face of man-made or natural disasters.
"This is a great challenge and opportunity for our unit," said battalion commander Maj. Matthew Saxton. "The unit has only been together since December, but we are ready."
The unit deployed to Fort Stewart June 14 and hit the ground running with Soldier Readiness Processing (SRP) the next day. Following SRP, the soldiers attended classes on searching a suspect, non-lethal weapons, and sling load operations. After classroom lectures, they put their training to the test by performing practical exercises on everything from reacting to a bomb threat to controlling a civil disturbance.
While at Fort Stewart, the Soldiers also learned how to rig and inspect the sling loads while performing ground crew duties. The Quick Reaction Force has to be self-sufficient

for up to three days after responding to a critical incident because their vehicles and most of their supplies may have to be transported by air.
Working with a CH-47 Chinook crew from the 1st Battalion, 69th Aviation Regiment, they put their new skills into action at Taro Drop Zone practicing how to use a static discharge wand and attach a load to the aircraft.
Sergeant 1st Class Green, a member of Headquarters and Headquarters Troop 3rd Battalion, 108th Calvary and a chief instructor for the sling load training, said, "This was a unique and great opportunity to allow our Soldiers to gain experience in operating under a hovering aircraft while conducting sling load operations."
The culmination of the annual training event was a situational exercise in which the Soldiers put their training to use. They secured the small town of "Oliver" against civil disturbance, coordinated a medical evacuation, and provided assistance to local authorities. Members of the State Defense Force acted as the town's local population and civil authorities.
The Battalion will perform two additonal training exercises this fall before assuming the NGRF mission this winter.
The First Friday is published monthly under the provisions of AR 360-81 and AF 6-1 by the Directorate of Communications, Georgia Department of Defense. The views and opinions expressed in the First Friday are not necessarily those of the Departments of the Army and Air Force or the Adjutant General of Georgia. The First Friday is distributed free to members of the Georgia Army and Air National Guard, State Defense Force and other interested persons at their request.

Commander-In-Chief Gov. Sonny Perdue

Adjutant General of Georgia Maj. Gen. Terry Nesbitt

Director of Communications Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jim Driscoll

Associate Publisher Lt. Col. Kenneth R. Baldowski

Historian/Editor Dr. Beryl Diamond

Managing Editor Amanda Kenny

Assistant Editor Sergeant 1st Class Roy Henry

National Guard Correspondents 124th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment Unit Public Affairs Officers and Reprsentatives Georgia Air National Guard Public Affairs Representatives

Contributed photo
Members of the National Guard Reaction Force practice slingloading a Chinook helicopter during annual training at Fort Stewart, Ga.

Send comments, suggestions, articles photo or contributions to:
The First Friday
doc@ga.ngb.army.mil

2 The First Friday Briefing

News Briefs: the latest news at a glance

Sergeant Tillou V. Nunes III of the 165th Quartermaster Company (ADS), was named Distinguished Honor Graduate from the Ammunition Specialist Course at Redstone Arsenal, Ala in July. He is congradulated by 2nd Lt. Kevin Black, 165th commander. For achieving a 99.6 cumulative grade point average during the course, Nunes received a plaque from the Association of the United States Army, an ordnance association cap and a commander's coin of excellence. Part of the new 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, the 165th Quartermaster Co. is headquartered at Charlie Brown airport in Atlanta.

OCS candidates prepare for graduation

After nearly 18 months of arduous Officer Candidate

School (OCS) training, just four candidates remain of Geor-

gia Military Institute (GMI) class 4-7 to take the finishing

steps towards graduation at Fort McClellan, Ala. Once there,

the candidates will be tested on the application of everything

they have learned,

and if they succeed,

will be commis-

sioned as the Georgia

Guard's newest sec-

ond lieutenants.

Each of the can-

didates is a college

graduate looking to

GMI OCS Candidate Tom Brown assists Candidate Michael Mitchell with his bag as they prepare for departure to Ft. Mcclellan for the final 15 days of their OCS training and testing.

utilize their OCS preparation to help mold themselves into effective military leaders.

Full stories for all news breifs can be found on the Georgia Department of Defense website at http://www.dod.state.ga.us/

Guard, state, federal groups meet

to discuss emergency plans

DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, MARIETTA, Ga. Members of the National Guard Bureau, Georgia's sister states and local government officials met on July to discuss how the Guard and the states can better react to natural or man made disasters.
The NGB Capabilities Conference was a week long session that brought together area state and federal agencies as well as the National Guard to discuss ways to better respond to emergencies.

Photo by Seth Stuck
Steven Bucci, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Defense Support for Civil Authorities, tours the 4th Civil Support Team's building on Dobbins Air Reserve Base.

224th Commander used to breaking boundaries, molds
Lt. Col. Deborah Nazimiec has broken the gender lines since colege and does it again by being the first woman commander of the Air Guard's 224th Joint Communication Support Squadron.
"The woman thing, it's not really a big deal," said Nazimiec, "That's what it's been my entire career. When you are in a career field dominated by men, you really have no choice but to break barriers."
Turns out, she was right. After earning a degree in electronic engineering technology from Fort Valley State College, she added on a graduate degree in management from Georgia College and State University and then went on to hold a cache of commission, management and command posts throughout the Georgia Air National Guard.
Prior to her Brunswick post, she commanded Macon's 202d Engineering Installation Squadron in 2003. The unit earned two Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, the highest unit award presented by the Air Force.
As the new commander of the 224th unit, Nazimiec voiced hope of creating a strong support system for her unit members and helping her team become the best it can be.
Story courtesy The Brunswick News

The First Friday Briefing 3

News Briefs: the latest news at a glance

Peno pins on eagles
Georgia Air National Guardsman, Jay Peno was promoted to the rank of Colonel in the Georgia Air National Guard at promotion ceremonies held at the Headquarters of Col. John Peno the Georgia National Guard.
Col. Peno is the Human Resources Officer for the 3,000 full time-members of the Georgia National Guard and Deputy Personnel Officer for the 13,000 members of the Georgia National Guard.

Major General Terry Nesbitt, Georgia's Adjutant General, had the opportunity in July to visit with Georgia National Guard troops serving in Iraq. Pictured above, Gen. Nesbitt awards Spc. Chad Hutcheson his combat shoulder patch. Hutcheson is a member of the 278th Military Police Company from Augusta. The unit is serving in Camp Bucca, Iraq and is scheduled to return home in December.

Chamberlain Retires from Georgia DoD after 40 years
Colonel Edward M. Chamberlain III capped a 40-year military career in July which included service to the U.S. Army and the Georgia Department of Defense at ceremonies at the Georgia Department of Defense.
Photo by Lt. Col. Ken Baldowski
(L-to-R) Major General Terry Nesbitt congratulates Ed Chamberlain on his more than 40 years of service to the state and nation during retirement ceremonies in July.

Band member wins GSDF Enlisted

Person of the Year honors

ATLANTA, Ga. - Sergeant Alecia Rider, 105th Brigade, was awarded Georgia State Defense Force Enlisted Person of the Year in June by Brig. Gen. Michael McGuinn, commander GSDF. Rider was also promoted to the the rank of sergeant during the presentation.
Rider joined the GSDF 18 months ago after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with a degree in music business. Currently, her music career is on hold, as she works as a project manager at Pattison Sign Group in Norcross.
A member of the 105th Brigade, the Band Brigade, she plays the trumpet and also plays the bugle for Taps during funerals.
She originally enlisted in the National Guard, but due to a knee injury, could not pursue her Guard career, so she joined the GSDF because of her desire to serve.
Rider was awarded the honor because of her leadership skills, her willingness

Sergeant Alecia Rider
to work with other units, and her abilities to step outside of her boundaries.
"I really enjoy what I am doing. she said. "The opportunities to learn in the GSDF have exceeded my expectation."

4 The First Friday Briefing

Annual Training 2008: Georgia

Exercise Helps Partner Nations

Overcome Cultural Barriers

WASHINGTON A training ex- ening the relationships among co-

ercise in the country of Georgia is alition partners and proving to be

helping Georgia National Guards- valuable practice working through

men and soldiers from other partner language barriers.

nations overcome language and cul- "It's been great watching these

tural barriers to work together more teams develop," Smith said. "After

effectively in combat situations.

just a couple days, they're up and

Exercise Immediate Response running, looking like they've been

2008, which concluded in July out- training together for several years

side Tblisi, Georgia, united forces (and) learning from each other both

not only from the "Peach State" but tactically (and) culturally."

those of other nations to participate For example, he said Georgian

in small arms, combat lifesaver, and and U.S. soldiers were teamed in

situational training exercises. Beside combat training for engaging targets

the United States, and the host na- and basic medical skills for sustain-

tion, other countries participating ing life until medical treatment ar-

included Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and rives.

Armenia.

"One of the most amazing things

"The overall purpose of the op- that I saw was just watching the sol-

eration is to build cooperation in the diers figure out how to communi-

region and teach everyone involved cate, regardless of the presence of an

how to work better with their coali- interpreter," he said.

tion partners," said Georgia Guard Smith said the language barrier

Maj. Matthew Smith, commander actually added value to the training

1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regi- experience for his battalion. "It ex-

ment.

posed some of our own challenges

The 121st Infantry Regiment re- in dealing with another force besides

turned to Atlanta in early August. English-speaking forces, which

The experience further prepared the our battalion will likely have to do

unit for its scheduled deployment to downrange," he said.

Afghanistan next year, Smith said.

"Another aspect of it was that

"We're basically focused on get- Georgians, when they're operating

ting ready to go to Afghanistan," he as part of the coalition in Iraq, will

said.

be dealing with American soldiers

"So, we're focused at the fire- on a daily basis," Smith added. "So,

team level and just trying to get the... I think just across the board, it helps

foundation built, if you will, for up- strengthen both parties for future op-

coming stuff that will take place over erations."

the next year. We use contemporary "I think no matter where we as

operating environment scenarios, U.S. forces go in the world, we're

in which Soldiers might encounter going to have to learn to work better

improvised explosives (or) conduct with other forces, who may not share

some sort of civic engagement with our language or culture," Smith said.

a mayor or other leader," he added. "And this has been great preparation

Counterparts from different na- for that great preparation for the

tions work together during the exer- battalion's mission to Afghanistan

cises, which Smith said is strength- next year."

Georgians train
`Georgians' to save
lives in combat
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Roy Henry 124th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
In the world of the combat medic, there is that "golden hour," the time that he has to triage, stabilize and get a wounded comrade off the battlefield and into the hands of medical staff with the skills needed to save that casualty's life.
"When you're the only medic available to treat a large number of wounded, you find yourself praying that your evaluation is quick, your hands are steady and that the helicopter you called for isn't delayed," said Georgia Army National Guard Sgt. Gerry Pollock.
And that's where Soldiers trained as combat life savers come in, said the Savannah resident.
Pollock, himself a medic, and other members of Forsyth's Company C, 148th Brigade Support Battalion are here with Soldiers of Winder's 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry taking part in Exercise Immediate Response 2008, July 14 to Aug. 3.
Immediate Response is an annual Joint Chiefs-of-staff directed bilateral security cooperation exercise conducted between U.S. and coalition partners. This year it is being conducted in the country of Georgia; other participants include Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Armenia.
The 121st and its commander, Maj. Matthew Smith, are using the time to hone their infantry skills for their deployment to Afghanistan in 2009 along with their parent headquarters, Macon's 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Smith and his Soldiers also are training the Georgian army's 4th Infantry Brigade for an upcoming deployment to Iraq.
Soldiers trained as combat lifesavers get the basics, said Pollock.
See GEORGIA, next page
The First Friday Briefing 5

Annual Training takes 121st to Georgia

GEORGIA, from previous page
Such as dressing wounds, stopping bleeding and stabilizing fractures, he continued, but they're also trained to evaluate a casualty's condition, establish an airway using the proper tools and to start IVs.
"With these skills, the combat lifesaver stabilizes those with less serious wounds, and allows me to spend more time with those who are more critical," he said. "It also gives me more information to feed the radio operator who's sending us the MEDEVAC helicopter."
Working through an interpreter, Pollock and his fellow medics are teaching these same skills to the Georgian Soldiers. It's a challenge, he said, one that makes the class go slower than normal, but doesn't change the fact that each one must know and demonstrate each skill, just as their Georgia Army Guard counterparts must do if they want to become certified combat lifesavers.
Private Daniel Williams, an infantryman with the 121st's Milledgevillebased Company D, agreed.
"Working with the Georgians is a great experience, and it's given them a better understanding of what it means, he believes, to survive on today's battlefield," Williams said

Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Roy Henry
Specialist Pete Tucker, a combat medic with Winder's Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry, shows a Georgian army 4th Infantry Brigade soldier the proper way of inserting a needle into the chest of casualty for chest decompression, during a combat lifesaver class at Vaziani Military Base near Tbilisi, Georgia.

Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Roy Henry
Private 1st Class Stephan Fields, rifleman with Company D, 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry, and Georgian army 4th Infantry Brigade Soldier perform the steps for evaluating a casualty.

Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Roy Henry
Sergeant 1st Class Todd Cole (right), a combat medic with Winder's Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry, instructs soldiers of the Georgian army's 4th Infantry Brigade on to treat battlefield casualties, Tues., July 15, 2008, with the help of an interpreter at Vaziani Military Base near Tbilisi, Georgia, during Exercise Immediate Response 2008.

6 The First Friday Briefing

British soldiers, Ga National Guard work together in Patriot `08
By Army Staff Sgt. Jon Soucy National Guard Bureau
During exercise Patriot '08, a variety of uniforms were worn by those taking part in the exercise. While many easily recognized the Army Combat Uniform and the Airman Battle Uniform, there was one group of soldiers wearing a uniform that was entirely different and unfamiliar to most.
Soldiers from the Georgia Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery Regiment hosted a company of soldiers from the British Army's 4th Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment during the exercise as part of a soldier swap program the two units have taken part in for the last few years.
For some of the Georgia Soldiers, it was their first time working with the British troops, and they noticed many similarities between the British and U.S. forces.
"The techniques they use are almost exactly the same as the American Army, with just slight, little differences," said Staff Sgt. Steven Johnsrud, who is assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery Regiment. "They're a little more rigid in their SOPs than we are, but all in all the way they do things is almost exactly the same. Their operations orders are identical. Their arm and hand signals are almost identical."
One of the main differences was the use of the chain of command. "Their chain of command is a little bit more rigid then ours," said Johnsrud, who served as the training NCO liaison between the British and U.S.
See BRITISH, page 12

PATRIOT '08 exercise

meets units' training needs

FORT MCCOY, WISCONSON

Members of the Georgia National Guard's 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team are using exercise Patriot '08 to provide valuable opportunities as they prepare for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan.
The National Guard-sponsored training exercise has brought together Army and Air National Guard elements, active duty and reserve units, and Canadian, British and Dutch forces.
Split between three locations Camp Ripley, Minn., Fort McCoy and Volk Airfield, Wis., Patriot '08 is a 21-day, large-scale exercise featuring more than 45 units from as many states. But, unlike other such training events, Patriot '08 featured no observer-controllers or graders. Exercise planners said that gave commanders the ability to build the exercise to meet their unit training needs.
For the Soldiers of the 48th, that resulted in additional training time to prepare for the OEF deployment.
"We're focusing on making sure everyone is fully medically-ready," said Army Lt. Col. Tom Bright, commander of the 48th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 48th IBCT. "But when we're not doing that we're focusing on new equipment training."
For Bright, whose unit was recently stood up as part of the Army's modular restructuring, it also gave him an opportunity to work with his subordin ate commanders in order to flesh out the battalion's new role.
"The challenge for me is the BSTB is still a new organization within the Army," he said. "What this gives us is an opportunity to pull all the leadership and the Soldiers together and start to develop that synergy between elements, so we can make the BLT instead of having bacon, lettuce, tomato and toasted wheat bread. Now, it's going to

be the sandwich." And for others, making that sand-
wich meant a shift in how they operate. After returning from Iraq in 2006, the 48th IBCT transitioned from being a heavy, mechanized brigade with M2 Bradleys and M1A1 Abrams tanks to a light infantry unit.
"We were always cruising around in M113s (armored personnel carriers)," said Army Staff Sgt. Bryan Neal, a squad leader and combat engineer with Company A, 48th BSTB, 48th IBCT. "And then when we were deployed to Iraq we had Humvees up-armored Humvees with 50 cals (machine gun) on top and we were riding around doing (route clearance) missions. Now we have six, cargo-back Humvees so we move either by air or in those vehicles and march everywhere."
For the exercise, Bryan and his Soldiers trained with these new vehicles and methods, something they normally couldn't do at homestation.
"The airlifts have been a big help," he said. "It's a lot of stuff that we don't normally have or can't get our hands on, but with (the exercise) we have all those assets here and we've definitely been using them. It's really been a plus to have all that. You train as you fight, so that's what we're doing."
Training as you fight for some, however, meant training on skills that normally aren't a part of their skill set, such as medics' training and calling in artillery fire.
"What (the unit leadership) wants to do is cross-train everybody," said Spc. Paul Cunningham, a combat medic assigned to the 148th Brigade Support Battalion. "They always told us to learn the different weapons because you never know you could be the one who has [use it]."
continued on next page

The First Friday Briefing 7

From previous page
And for the medics of the 148th BSB the exercise also gave them a chance to refresh skills more closely related to their medic duties. As part of a threeday mass casualty exercise, the medics treated incoming patients at an aid station.
"As medics, we're trained on the aid station stuff, but they trained us more to be with the infantry," said Cunningham. "So, we're out there with the aid bag dealing with the patient and then moving them back to the aid station. So for a lot of us, we're familiar with this, but we didn't train in detail on it. So, it's good training."
The exercise also gave the participants the chance to train others at the exercise. For Neal and his Soldiers in Company A, that meant training Air Guard personnel on convoy operations and how to react to IEDs and ambushes.
"They're going to be mounted on vehicles with a gunner, (truck commander), driver all riding down the road," said Neal. "They'll spot (an IED) and call it in. They'll move out and then they have to react to an ambush. We have (opposing forces) out there with blanks, pyro, smoke; the whole nine. Once they get through the ambush, they'll get struck with an IED.

We have IED simulators that will throw up a huge fireball right next to the vehicle."
And according to the Airmen who went through it, the experience was one many wouldn't soon forget. Though, for some, the toughest part was using the radio.
"We're watching as people are coming at us and firing at us and I still have to call in (on the radio) and stay calm and just talk to the (higher headquarters)," said Airman Vanessa Wilson, a personnel clerk with the 180th Fighter Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard. "It was exciting because I've never done this before and it was exciting because it gives you just a little bit of a taste of what you may have to do if you get deployed."
But Wilson did take away one thing from the experience.
"When we came back and (the trainers) gave us our constructive criticism they said `well, you probably should have told (explosive ordnance disposal) where you were located.' Now, next time I'll know in order for (EOD) to find where the IED is, that I probably need to tell them where I am. So, you learn from it."
Staff Sgt. Jon Soucy, National Guard Bureau public affairs, contributed to this report

photo by Staff Sgt. Jon Soucy
Soldiers from Company A, 48th Brigade Special Troops Battalion wait to board a landing UH-60 Black hawk helicopter during exercise Patriot `08.
8 The First Friday Briefing

Soldier to marry

on MTV special

Spc. Adam Dean

124th MPAD CAMP RIPLEY, Minn. In

addition to the common tasks

and skills taught at annual train-

ing, one Georgia Army National

Guardsman from Rome's Troop

A, 108th Reconnaissance, Sur-

veillance and Target Acquisition

Squadron is receiving an extra

block of instruction in media rela-

tions this summer.

Private 1st Class Josh Turn-

er, now affectionately known

as "Hollywood" by his fellow

scouts, has a date with destiny at

5 P.M. on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2008,

when he will be married at Times

Square in New York City during

a live broadcast on the MTV net-

work.

"Of course I'm excited," said

Turner. "How many people get to

get married on live TV in Times

Square?"

Turner, 19, and his fiance,

Brittany Nicole "Nikki" Bryant,

18, will be featured in an episode

of "Engaged and Underaged,"

a series that documents young

couples in the weeks leading up

to their nuptials.

To this end, MTV sent a film

crew to the deep woods of Camp

Ripley, Minn., to follow Turner as

he trained with his comrades, and

to get a look at a day in the life of

a Soldier.

"The show is focused on Josh

and Nikki, and we're here to doc-

ument what he's going through

as the big day approaches," said

Lucy Lesser, a field producer with

MTV.

MTV's involvement began

indirectly, said Turner, when a

"trojan" (malware or virus) in-

fected Bryant's computer, and he

attempted to retrieve what files he

could.

See MTV, page 12

Guardsman, British train for common goal

BRITISH, from page 8
"The sections will take their orders from the section sergeants, always. The platoon sergeant gives the orders to the section sergeants, the platoon leader will give the order to the platoon sergeant. They're a little more rigid, where oftentimes in the American Army, the captain will say, "Corporal, go tell everybody this."
Another one of those differences was when it came to physical training. "Their PT, physical training, is different than ours in that it is heavily focused on foot marching," said Johnsrud. "If the sergeant major said we're walking in, they'd grab their gear, nothing to it. I have a feeling that these (soldiers) would out walk a (U.S.) Ranger company and walk them right into the ground."
For some of the British soldiers, the differences were most notable not in the tactics and techniques of the two armies, but the weather.
"I'm not used to the heat," said Britsh Sgt. Maj. Garry Smith, who trained with these Soldiers last year at Fort Stewart, Ga. "I think it was hotter in Georgia though."
Even so, the weather didn't put a damper on things. "The training is the same," said Smith. "I've enjoyed everything. I love being in the field anyway. I could stay out in the field for weeks. I love it."
And Smith's soldiers agreed. "The village (used for training on Military Operations in Urban Terrain) over there is fantastic," said British Pvt. Robert Parkinson. "We did an assault on it yesterday. We were the first assaulting team to break into the buildings, and they played music like you were in Iraq or Afghanistan. And you've got these pyrotechnics where it's like an incoming round and the pyrotechnics just explode. Me and my friend were the last two into the building and (an incoming round simulator) went off and it was like shrapnel flying off. I looked at him and was like

photo by Staff Sgt. Jon Soucy
Soldiers with the British army's 4th Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, head out on a foot patrol during exercise Patriot `08 at Fort McCoy, Wis.
"'there's shrapnel.'" But the training itself was only one thing that Smith said
he hoped his soldiers would get out of the experience. "Quite a few of them have never been out of England in their lives," he said. "So it's an adventure with the traveling and seeing a different culture and working with a different nation. I think they'll be talking about this for a long time to come."
And that's all part of the experience, said Johnsrud, who will be going to England in September with members of his unit to train with the British, which is something he said he is looking forward to.
"Their attitudes are absolutely amazing, he said. "It's truly been really great working with them. Like I said, when you're working with dedicated and motivated professionals, it's always a pleasure. Always. I don't care where it is, what branch, what service, what country, people are people, good ones are good."

Brigade Soldier to marry on live MTV special

MTV, from page 9
Among those files, he found a letter that Bryant had composed telling the story of their relationship and their plans to wed.
"I asked Nikki what it was and why she wrote it and she told me that she had been thinking about sending it to MTV. When I read it over I thought it was good, and she edited and sent it in. Not too long after that Nikki got a call from the producer and told me they offered to pay for our wedding," said Turner.
While some may be skeptical about a union between two who are so young,

Turner is enthusiastic about what he said will be an important, memorable experience. "We've been together for four years, and a lot of people in our families always said we were meant to get married,' said Turner.
In addition to funding the wedding itself, Turner said that MTV had already paid for the flowers, the dress and the cake, and was going to provide transportation to the event for 20 guests.
"They also told us there will be some special surprises on the wedding day, so we're excited," said Turner.
The couple, originally from Douglasville, intends to move to Carrolton

Photo by Spc. Adam Dean
Private 1st Class Josh Turner is filmed by MTV field producer Christopher Velona during annual training at Camp Ripley, Minn., July 23, 2007.
after the wedding, where Bryant plans to attend the University of West Georgia.

The First Friday Briefing 9

Guardsmen attend country concert

thanks to Operation Homefront

By Seth Stuck Public Affairs Office

Despite a torrential downpour, roughly 700 soaked, but un-

daunted Georgia Guards-

men, joined nearly 43,000

country music fans packing

Turner Field June 13, to see

CMA Entertainer of the Year

Kenny Chesney and other

country music stars thanks to

Operation Homefront.

Operation Homefront,

which is comprised of more

than 4,500 volunteers in

30 chapters nationwide,

provides aid to more than

45,000 military families in

need. The Georgia Chapter

of Operation Homefront distributed 2,800 free tickets to servicemen and their families for the Kenny Chesney:

Photos by Seth Stuck
An overview of a crowded Turner Field July 13, as Country music acts Kenny Chesney, LeAnn Rhimes, Brooks and Dunn, Sammy Hagar and Gary Allan performed. Among the concert goers were Georgia and Tennessee Guardsmen who attended courtesy of Operation Homefront. Inset Top left, members from various services are introduced on stage while at bottom concert

Pirates and Poets Tour. Some goers crowd-in to sign an Operation Homefront banner.

700 went to Georgia and

Tennessee Guardsmen

charmed the passing crowd by signing autographs, posing

Among the Guard families present at the concert were for pictures, and handing out free calendars, magazines, and

Brig. Gen. Maria Brit, Commanding General, Georgia Army koozies.

National Guard, Georgia Guard Joint Chief of Staff Col. With just one part-time and three-full time employees,

(Promotable) Tim Britt, and their three daughters.

Operation Homefront-Georgia annually seeks assistance

"It meant so much to those of us who wear the uniform," from more than 400 volunteers statewide.. The organiza-

said Col. Britt, "to see these stars of country music honor our tion is entirely funded by private donations, and last year

service this way. It was very special, for all who serve this provided approximately $632,000 in goods and services to

great country of ours, to attend as guests thanks to the efforts Georgia's armed forces.

of Operation Homefront, who provided hundreds of tickets Over the past year, Operation Homefront has donated

at no cost to our men and women in uniform."

more than $5 million to military families in crisis, provided

Joining Chesney for Sunday's concert was eight-time goods and services valued at more than $6.5 million to assist

CMA Vocal Duo of the Year Brooks & Dunn, Rock & Roll military families, transported more than 20,000 care packag-

Hall of Famer Sammy Hagar, Grammy-winner LeAnn es to soldiers abroad; delivered more than 2,500 packages to

Rimes, and Poets & Pirates tour mate Gary Allan.

military families at home, helped more than 3,000 families

Tickets were allocated, said Kim Scofi, Chapter President receive vehicle donations or repairs; and, distributed more

of Operation Homefront- Georgia, "to various Guard unit than 20,000 backpacks to military children headed back to

Family Readiness Group (FRG) leaders around the state as school.

well as active duty FRG's and commanders who have Guard Operation Homefront is one of a handful of organizations

units at their post."

to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the

Operation Homefront weathered the conditions and Department of Defense, and it also operates CinCHouse,

teamed up with Hooters restaurant and country music ra- the online community of nearly 400,000 military wives and

dio station "94.9 The Bull" to dispense tickets and T-shirts women in uniform who reach out to the youngest military

to participating families of the armed forces. Hooters' girls families to help them succeed in military life.

10 The First Friday Briefing

The gift of love

Georgia Air Guardsman adopts Vietnamese sibilings

By Maj. Renee Massey 116th Public Affairs
Imagine receiving a call saying there are three children, all brothers, waiting in an orphanage in Da Nang, Vietnam to be adopted--are you interested? That's exactly what happened to a 116th Computer Systems Squadron superintendent and his wife
Senior Master Sgt. Brian Golter and his wife Liza began their adoption process almost two and half years ago. They used a non-profit agency in North Carolina and quickly discovered the paperwork for international adoption is intense. They selected the country of Vietnam because they were pleased with the orphan to care-giver ratio in Vietnam's orphanages. Also, the couple was interested in that area of the world.
"We'd decided on getting only one child because sibling sets are so rare and to receive nonsibling sets is difficult to do because of the additional paperwork and time it takes," said Sergeant Golter. "It was such a surprise to receive the call last October saying there are three siblings available."
Even though it took the couple a few days to process the surprise call, they quickly began picking out names for the boys. The children range in ages of 16-month old (Benjamin), 3-year old (Nicholas) and 5-year old (Jake).
It was an exciting time for them, but then the arduous task of waiting began.
"Two months after receiving the call, we were still waiting. We were hoping to go to Vietnam in December to receive the children. We had Christmas

gifts bought and ready for them, we purchased a mini-van and set up their rooms. It was frustrating knowing the boys were languishing in the orphanage all this time," said Mrs. Golter. "But after six months of waiting, we received another call in early April giving us 10 days notice to make travel arrangements to Vietnam."
The couple flew to Hanoi and waited a few more days before being allowed to travel to Da Nang to meet the children for the first time. The Republic of Vietnam sponsored an official ceremony called a Giving and Receiving Ceremony, which sanctioned the adoption.
"It was an experience--the entire ceremony was conducted in Vietnamese. We did have an English speaking interpreter with us," said Sergeant Golter.
They spent time with the three children in the orphanage before traveling back to Hanoi. The children were placed in adoption due to their birth mother's financial hardship after her husband was killed in an automobilerelated accident.
"The orphanage was very sparse and austere to our standards," said Mrs. Golter. "It is located in a very poor ru-

ral area." Once back in Hanoi, the new fam-
ily waited in a hotel for two and a half weeks before receiving permission to travel back to the U.S. Even though the children did not speak English (and two of the boys speak Vietnamese), they began to communicate in rough sign-language and gestures.
"The return flight home was an adventure," said Sergeant Golter. "It was a 20hour flight and we couldn't get four seats together on the airplane. I think Liza and I were awake for nearly 48 hours. We flew from Hanoi to Hong Kong, then San Francisco to Atlanta."
The boys were amazed to see their new mini-van at the Atlanta airport. There are no mini-vans in De Nang-so this is riding in style. Once home, the children were amazed to find a playground, toys to include big-wheels, and a cat. They enjoy eating chicken so much in fact that `chicken' was the first word spoken by Benjamin. The children are adjusting quickly and learning new words everyday. The new parents are learning to survive on little to no sleep. Liza left her job as a school teacher to care for her new children--which keeps her quite busy. "I love being home with them and wouldn't trade this experience for the world," she said. The children visit the Museum of Aviation twice a week. Two of the boys have learned to say "airplane'-- a sure sign they are acclimating to their new military family and community. To view the Golters' adventure visit www.tiptopwebsite.com/bgolter

The First Friday Briefing 11

This Month in Georgia GuardHistory
In this issue we take a look at the month of August from years 1916-1919 and the account of the service of 18 year old Robert Gober Burton. The information is from the Burton collection donated to the Historical Society of the Georgia National Guard. As an 18year-old, Burton joined Co. "H" (Walton Guards), 2nd Regiment of Infantry in 1916 and was sent to the Mexican Border as the National Guard of each state was mobilized in an effort to protect the border from the Mexican bandit Poncho Villa. Following his return to Georgia, Burton was transferred to the Co. "A", 151st Machine Gun Battalion and deployed overseas with the 42nd "Rainbow" Division during World War I. . Before turning 21, he fought in sev-
eral major battles and returned home after being part of the occupation force in Germany
August 26, 1916 Camp Harris, Macon, GA He reports to his parents that inspection is once a week and of an 8 mile hike he writes, "I came back with the best of them". He is now a corporeal, receiving $6.50 more a month.
August 1917 Camp Harris, Macon, GA The Guard is now back from the border and Burton writes that the regiment is being reorganized under the new law. Some of the 2nd Battalion will become a machine gun battalion and that all the NCO's including himself were transferred to it as privates. They will leave soon for NY to ready for debarkation overseas.
August 31, 1917 Camp Harris
He writes that he received orders to leave tomorrow for Long Island. He thinks that every loyal American should come to their country's aid and in addition that France is in need and has always been our friend. Burton notes America must help, otherwise the allies cause is lost.
August 2, 1918 France
On Knights of Columbus War Activities stationery, he writes his mother that he was wounded in combat. Reassuring her that it is not serious, he briefly describes what happened. As he advanced his squad over the top, something picked him up and sat him down about 3' feet away. Feeling no pain, he advanced his squad another 150 yards. At that point the felt a sharp pain in his right arm and investigated. He found a bullet hole and then found that the Bible in his jacket pocket had stopped the bullet from doing any further physical damage.
August 13, 1918 France
The following sentences are from a letter of commendation to the officers and men of the 42d Division - "A year has elapsed since the formation of your organization. It is therefore fitting to consider what you have accomplished as a combat division... Your first elements entered the trenches in Lorraine...you served on that front for 110 days...you served longer than any other American division continuously in the trenches...you were withdrawn from Lorraine and moved immediately to the Champagne front where you during the critical days of July 14th to July 18th, you had the honor of being the only American division to fight in General Gourrand's Army which so gloriously obeyed his order, "We will stand or die" and by its iron defense crushed the German offensive..." .
12 The First Friday Briefing