February 2016

Plus: JRTC Exercise | First Georgia Guardsman Female Graduate | And More

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1 | The Georgia Guardsman

News

CoNTeNTsIssUe: February 2016

Features

columns

03| 2-121 Live-fire exerciseSoldiers from the 2-121st Infantry conduct a live-fire exercise.

05| Georgia Guardsman at JRTCMembers of the 48th IBCT train with the Acitve Duty Army at JRTC.

13| GsDF search and RescueThe Georgia State Defense Force worked to-gether as a team during a successful search for a missing person.

04| The Guard at the CapitolA look inside National Guard Day at the capitol.

14|The Importance of VotingA look at Presidents’ Day and the election year.

15| JsTARs a Family AffairAn Airmen of the JSTARS crew follows in the path of his parents.

16| First Female 91P GraduateThe Georgia Army National Guard’s 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade made history as they received their first female 91P artillery mechanic.

17| Uso’s 75th anniversaryUSO celebrates their 75th anniversary.

07| Blast From the PastOur recurring series continures with part two of the Battle of Chickamauga.

10| Book Review“Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation” by Joseph Ellis

15| NCo NotepadAfrican American History Month.

w w w . g e o r g i a g u a r d . c o m

cover story

11| sentry savannah 16-01The Joint Air Dominance Center hosts Sentry Savannah 16-01.

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17| Around the Guard0605

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February 2016 | 2

Georgia National Guard

Commander-in-ChiefGov. NathaN Deal

adjutant GeneralBriG. GeN. Joe JarrarD

State PubliC affairS direCtorlt. Col. thomas lesNieski

State PubliC affairS offiCerCapt. William CarraWay

oPerationS nComaster sGt. GerarD BroWN

editorial staff

manaGinG editorDesiree BamBa

ContributorS1st. lt. Jeffrey Bezore

master sGt. GerarD BroWNCapt. William CarraWay

sGt. lisa keNNeDyChief master sGt. reGiNalD mCphersoN

seNior airmeN Chelsea smithsGt. shye stalliNGs

the teleGraph

The Georgia Guardsman is published monthly under the provisions of AR 360-81 and AF 6-1 by the Georgia Department of Defense Public Affairs Office. The views and opinions expressed in the Georgia Guardsman are not necessarily those of the Departments of the Army, Air Force or the Adjutant General of Georgia. The Georgia Guardsman is distributed free-of-charge to members of the Georgia Army and Air National Guard, State Defense Force and other interested persons upon request.

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DoD organizations124th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, 116th Air Control Wing Public Affairs Office, Army National Guard Unit Public Affairs Representatives, Air National Guard Wing Public Affairs Representatives, Georgia State Defense Force Public Affairs.


The Georgia Army National Guard strives to provide Soldiers with realistic and practical training. The 2-121st Infantry Battalion provided realistic training to their Soldiers January/February drill as they conducted many exercises to prepare for their live-fire exercise later this year.

“For a platoon live-fire exercise, we can have 30 or more Soldiers maneuvering and shooting right next to each other. This training is critical, and we can’t have enough of it. It’s important to get the little things right before we transition to live ammo. It also boosts soldiers’ confidence when they see they can do this correctly and safely without injuring their buddies,” said Sgt. 1st Class Hytowitz.

Extraction of a high value target, reaction to civilians on the battlefield and platoon movements are the exercises that 2-121st IN BN Soldiers were conducting. To add the realistic factor the unit collaborated with the Georgia State Defense Force who provided the opposing force.

The view from the Soldier’s perspective was a wide open field that lead up to two run-down looking houses and a truck parked outside of one of the homes. The mission of each platoon was to provide 360 degree security, clear both houses, locate, apprehend and transfer the HVT.

As the first platoon approached the objective, each squad knew their position to take. Two squads broke off to provide security around both houses, the next followed the wood line to approach

the house furthest away, following closely was another squad which set up to approach the other house.

You could hear the squad leaders giving their direction as each squad approached the houses. The squads providing security stayed very busy as they called out locations of movement and locations of any person they saw.

As the squad who approached the house closest to the wood line stacked up on the side of the house preparing to breach the house you could hear the squad leader tell his Soldiers to be prepared, keep their eyes open and call out if they see anyone. The squad leader then tapped the Soldier’s shoulder in front of him each Soldier followed suit, taping the person in front of them. This was the way to have non-verbal communication throughout the squad.

Just like that, the lead Soldier of the squad kicked the door open and the squad filed in to clear the house. The OPFOR was set-up in the house and immediately the Soldiers reacted to the force inside the house. As they cleared the house they found the HVT and apprehended him. The squad leader called the HVT capture in over the radio to his leadership at that time he received the go-ahead to remove the HVT to a secure location.

“Doing training like this where everybody gets to be in everybody else’s shoes, they can see the importance of understanding the entire concept of the operation, as well as physically seeing where all of their counterparts are on the battlefield, not just the guys to their immediate left and right. We’re infantrymen. We are visual learners,” said Sgt. First Class Alex Hytowitz.

2-121st Infantry Battalion extraction trainingStory by: Sgt. Shye Stallings | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

Photo by Sgt. Shye StallingS | Public affairS office | georgia army national guard

February 2016 | 4Photo by: deSiree bamba| Public affairS office | georgia dePartment of defenSe

You would be hard pressed to find anyone in the United States of America that is not familiar with the five branches of the military. Growing up my father severed in the Air Force and I had dreams and aspirations of joining the Army, but I never knew precisely what the difference was between Active Duty Army, Army Reserves and Army National Guard. The same goes for the Air Force Active Duty component, Air Reserve and Air Guard. For many years, including those years when I served on Active Duty for the Army I always just figured the Guard responded to natural disasters or civil unrest. Now being a member of the Georgia National Guard, I have had the ability to dig a little deeper and see that the Guard’s presence is and has been more than that.

Georgia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen gathered at the State Capitol to be acknowledged for their contributions during National Guard Day at the Capitol. Georgia’s Governor Nathan Deal, along with legislators engaged with the states servicemen and women thanking them for their continued service and dedication to the great state of Georgia. Just last year alone, the Georgia Guard deployed over six hundred Soldiers and Airmen to areas such as Afghanistan, Country of Georgia, Southwest Border as well as the Horn of Africa to name a few. These great men and women of the Guard also continued to respond and support operations against domestic threats.

Although many have started to recognize the Guard’s presence in fighting wars after the attacks that took place on September 11, 2001, the fact is the Guard’s integration into war goes way back. The National Guard is our oldest military branch and because of that we have fought in every conflict. In 1916, members of the Georgia Guard were activated and sent to the Mexican Border under General John J. Pershing to capture Pancho Villa. One year later, Georgia Guardsman once again answered the call during World War I, the Great War. Georgia’s 151st Machine Gun Battalion was assigned to the 42nd Rainbow Division and entered direct combat. The participation of Georgia Guardsman in major conflicts continued as they were called to action during World War II. While Georgia Guard Soldiers served in France and the South Pacificduring the War, Georgia Air Guardsman engaged in bombing runs. The Georgia Air Guard would be called up again during the Korean conflict and again to fly missions in South Vietnam. Both Georgia Army and Air National Guardsmen were deployed in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

As we look back at how the Georgia Guard is no stranger to war, it is also easy to see that the Guard has been an integral piece to the success of wars of not only the present, but the past. The Guardsman of the past as well as the present represent those that worked their civilian jobs and when called upon, responded to the same oath that the active duty components swore to. These men and women take on a dual mission, willing to answer the call of their state as well as their nation. These same Citizen Soldiers and Airmen are our doctors, pilots, and most importantly, neighbors.

National Guard Day not only recognized the sacrifices of those currently serving in uniform, but also those that served and established our great history. I’m proud to be a Guardsman and grateful for the support Georgia’s has for its Citizen Soldiers and Airmen.

Go Guard!

T h e G e o r g i a National Guard at the state CapitolStory by: Master Sgt. Gerard Brown | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

5 | The Georgia Guardsman PhotoS by: caPt. William carraWay | Public affairS office | georgia army national guard

Valentine’s Day and P r e s i d e n t s D a y af forded many the opportunity of a long w e e k e n d s p e nt a t home with family. But for some Georgia

Guardsmen, the holidays marked the beginning of a training regimen in support of the Active Duty Army.

Georgia Guardsmen of the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team travelled to Fort Polk from February to March to provide role players and support to the Joint Readiness Training Center rotation of the U.S. Army’s Alaska-based 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division as it prepares for forward deployment. The 4/25th is one of six Airborne Brigade Combat Teams and the only one in the Pacific Rim. As the rotational unit for the exercise, the 4/25 would be challenged by JRTC and assisted by Georgia Guard role players.

The JRTC training scenario simulated a deployment to the fictional country of Atropia. The landscape of Fort Polk was dotted by fictional Atropian towns populated by role players who portrayed citizens, local officials, separatists and conventional forces of neighboring countries. The 48th IBCT passed through JRTC in 2009 on the way to Afghanistan and conducted mission-focused training for its mentoring mission. Seven years later, elements of the 48th were back at JRTC, this time to help other Soldiers prepare for deployment.

To support the 4/25’s training, Troop A, 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry portrayed Atropian Special Forces Police. Troop A entered the training area wearing the old desert camouflage uniform two days before the 4/25th and conducted reconnaissance patrols around the simulated town of Dar Alam to familiarize themselves with the terrain and to prepare themselves for their upcoming role in the exercise. This gave

the scouts the opportunity to train on their mission essential tasks, to hone skills developed during previous deployments, and introduce young Soldiers to a realistic deployment environment.

While Troop A was improving the defenses of their simulated town in preparation for the arrival of U.S. forces, to their south, Troop C, 108th Cavalry entered forested terrain and linked up with Special Forces. For the duration of the scenario, Troop C was assigned to portray guerrilla fighters. They were instructed in guerrilla tactics by Special Forces personnel who also mentored them in night movement, intelligence collection and analysis. Troop C Scouts would soon implement lessons learned in actions against opposition forces.

Also participating in the JRTC rotation was Troop B, 108th Cavalry and Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion 121st Infantry Regiment. While Troop B operated out of Bossier and Fort Polk, the infantry worked with Special Forces in Texas.

G e o r g i a G u a r d s m a n at J R T CStory by: Capt. William Carraway | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

A Georgia Guardsman of Troop A, 108th Cavalry observes as opposition forces conduct airborne operations in the vicinity of a target village during exercises at Fort Polk.

February 2016 | 6

The Battle is Joined at Dar AlamIn the fading light of sunset, scouts of

Troop A watched from Atropian rooftops as opposition force paratroopers parachuted from CH-47 helicopters onto an airfield and drop zone adjacent to Dar Alam, and moved into the woods surrounding the town. The next day, nearly 750 Soldiers of the 4/25 jumped from C-130s and C-17s. Overnight the 4/25 seized objectives, established defenses and by the next morning were conducting key leader engagements in the town while engineers worked to repair the runway. The Georgia Guardsmen linked up with the 4/25th and provided key intelligence they had obtained from 48 hours of day and night patrols. The Scouts reported on terrain, identified a possible ID shack and provided a battle damage assessment following a Special Forces strike.

Troop A integrated easily into Special Forces and 4/25 operat ions. Guard reconnaissance teams were dispatched

to verify trafficability of terrain and routes by armor as a critical part of the defense plan. The Scouts learned from the 4/25th observing combat engineers at work emplacing obstacles and building engagement areas. These preparations were soon tested as enemy forces assaulted the town with infantry and armored forces. The Guardsmen fought alongside the rotational unit and Special Forces and were able to take two enemy tanks out of action before the defense collapsed. Nevertheless, the town had held out longer than any previous exercise against experienced opposition forces – a testament to the capability of the 4/25th.

Troop C AttacksMeanwhile, to the south, Troop

C, 108th Cavalry continually punished opposition forces. An ambush conducted by Troop C scouts resulted in the destruction of an enemy tank and Humvee. Scouts maneuvered to deny enemy intelligence

collection capability and struck a low-water crossing crippling the enemy’s ability to freely maneuver. Incredibly, Troop C not only wildly succeeded in their missions, they did so without taking a single casualty.

Although just days into the exercise by the time of this article’s publication, the Georgia Guardsmen of the 48th IBCT have already made a big impact. More than 4,000 Soldiers and allied partners are participating in the exercise.

“This is a significant training event for our Soldiers,” said Lt. Col. Jason Baker, commander of the 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry. “It is valuable anytime when Active Duty and National Guard Soldiers can operate together. Each component is learning from the other.”

Baker praised the training and the efforts of the Georgia Guardsmen at JRTC.

“Support ing this JRTC rotat ion allows our Soldiers to conduct their mission essential tasks against world-class opposition forces.”

After knocking a simulated simulated enemy vehicle out of action, Soldiers of the Georgia Army National Guard’s Troop A, 108th Cavalry work with local police to secure the site during exercises at Fort Polk.

7 | The Georgia Guardsman7 | The Georgia Guardsman

Blast from the past:H e av y H e l i c o p t e rS t o r y b y : C a p t. W i l l i a m C a r r a w ay | M i l i t a r y H i s t o r i a n | 1 6 1 s t M i l i t a r y H i s t o r y D e t a c h m e n t

Febraury 2016 | 8

Heavy L ift ing with the 1 160th TC On Feb. 1, 1976, the Georgia National G u a r d g a i n e d heavy lift capability. P r o v i d i n g t h e mu s c l e we re t e n CH-54 Skycranes o f t h e 1 1 6 0 t h Tr a n s p o r t a t i o n Company (Heavy Helicopter). At the t ime, t he CH-5 4 was the largest non-Warsaw Pact helicopter in the world. Its dual engines were capable of lifting 20,000 pounds of supplies or lifting 40 fully equipped troops aloft in a pod. The CH-54 Tarhe, also called Skycrane was built by Sikorsky and first entered service in 1962. The airframe was used extensively in the Vietnam War to fulfill lift missions such as rescue and recovery, troop transport and equipment transport and extraction.The Skycrane’s fuselage-center crane was operated by a crew member who sat in a rearward facing seat behind the pilot. This position provided the crane operator with an unobstructed view of the crane and load. The proven CH-54 design would serve the Georgia Guard well for over a decade. At the time of the 1160th TC’s creation, more than 70 percent of the unit’s personnel were prior service. The unit and a newly created Army Aviation Support Facility were located at Turner Field in Albany, Ga. The 1160th was part of the 850-strong 151st Aviation Battalion. Units of the battalion were assigned to Winder (Headquarters Company and the 158th Military Intelligence Company), Atlanta (159th MI Company), Lawrenceville (1140th TC), and Albany.

Within a year of its creation, the 1160th TC had reached its full assigned strength of 150 personnel. One year later, the unit assumed heavy lift missions in support of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell during its annual training from May 20-June 3, 1978.By 1979, the 1160th TC had relocated to Hunter Army Airfield where it flew heavy lift missions in support of the 24th Infantry Division, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy. On one notable occasion, in August 1979, the 1160th lifted a Korean-war era Navy Banshee fighter jet from the Naval Training Center in Orlando, Fla. to Mayport Naval Base in Jacksonville, Fla. Suspended ten feet beneath the Skycrane, the 10,000 pound Banshee was transported 115 miles without incident.

Just five months after lifting the Banshee, crews from the 1160th again assisted the U.S. Navy by flying a Grumman S-2 Tracker from Valdosta to Jacksonville Naval Air Station for repairs. In December 1980, the 1160th TC participated in an exercise that demonstrated the rapid deployment capability of the Chaparral Missile System. CH-54s of the 1160th hoisted three MIM-72s of the Fort Stewart-based 5/52nd Air Defense Artillery a distance of 40 miles. It was the first time the system had been airlifted. At annual training in 1981, the crews of the 1160th flew 285 mission hours and maintained 100 percent mission capability for its airframes. By 1983 the 151st Combat Aviation Battalion was reorganized as a Military Intelligence Battalion under the Combat Electronic Warfare Concept. In addition to the reorganization, the 1160th TC and its ten CH-54s were designated as a rapid deployment force unit in support of the 24th Infantry Division. The establishment of the Aviation Museum at Robins Air Force Base in 1984 provided the opportunity for the 1160th to demonstrate its heavy lift capability as it transported aircraft from across the southeast United States to the museum for display. The unit was able to conduct these support missions while maintaining a high mission tempo in support of Department of Defense missions and firefighting missions with the Forestry Service. May, 1985 brought the unit to the Catoosa Range for their two week annual training. The challenge of piloting the craft in the mountain air tested the skill of the pilots and crane operators. The turbulent mountain air and load capacities resulted in sudden up and downdrafts but the aircraft crews negotiated the challenging air without incident.

By 1986, the 1160th was again assisting the Active Duty Army with heavy lift missions. During annual training the unit travelled to Fort Bragg where it conducted lift missions for the 82nd Airborne. It would be the last annual training for the unit. Effective Dec. 1, 1987, the 1160th TC was redesignated as Company G 244th Aviation. Shortly after redesignation, the unit traded its Skycranes for CH-47 Chinooks. On Sept. 1, 1995, Company G, 244th Aviation was redesignated as Detachment 1, Company F, 131st Aviation in Savannah, Ga. The detachment was called to duty in Afghanistan in 2004 and flew heavy lift missions delivering food and humanitarian supplies to remote Afghan villages cut off by heavy winter snow.Shortly after returning from Afghanistan in 2005, the


unit was called to duty in Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina. Among the first Georgia Guard units to respond in the wake of the hurricane, the detachment played a significant role in the early hours of hurricane relief operations. With UH-60s of the 171st Aviation Support Battalion, the Chinooks of Detachment 1 dropped sandbags to repair broken levees and used bambi buckets to carry water from Lake Pontchartrain to put out fires in New Orleans.

After returning from hurricane response operations, the detachment was redesignated as the part of the 1-169th Aviation Regiment.

Today, aviators of the 1-169th General Service Support Battalion still fly CH-47s out of Hunter Army Airfield carrying on the heavy lift mission of the Georgia Army National Guard’s 1160th Transportation Company.


February 2016 | 10

The subject o f t h e president s eems to be a daily t o p i c .

Whether it’s about the mudslinging and name calling by the candidates or the speculation on the newest polling numbers, our current news cycle is dominated by the topic of the presidency.

February provides us with a good time to explore the presidency, after all we celebrate Presidents’ Day as a nation and there

are four presidential primaries that take place across the country in this month. Joseph J. Ellis’ Pulitzer Prize winning book, “Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation,” offers excellent insight into the lives and times of some of our first presidents. This book is a tremendous read for anybody interested in both American history and the stories of our countries first leaders.

While Ellis’ book is a work of historical non-fiction, it reads very much like a novel. The author paints such a descriptive picture of the events surrounding the presidents and founding fathers that the reader feels like they are right there at the beginning of our republic.

Ellis breaks the book up into six chapters highlighting key moments in the development of our country. The book’s main focus is on the American Revolution as a whole, but it offers great insight into the characteristics of early American politics and the first men who occupied the office of the president. Most of us are familiar with the founding fathers’ public personas but in this work we see into their private lives.

This book helps put the current political processes into perspective. For example watching the news and seeing the campaigns go back and forth with the name calling seems petty and childish. This type of behavior would seem beneath the founding fathers, who represent all that was great with our country, and have them rolling over in their graves. However, this is not the case.

The politics early on in our country were far more extreme than what we are witnessing today. Ellis highlights one of the darker moments in our country’s politics, when the sitting vice president shot and killed the former treasury secretary over personal offenses. The famous dual between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton was the result of political insults exchanged between the two. I cannot imagine, if dueling was still legal, how many duals we would have witnessed already during this year’s primaries.

Another example of the extreme politics from our nation’s founders occurred between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson when they were campaigning for president. Some of the insults thrown in both directions would make even Donald Trump blush, in one instance the Jefferson campaign called Adams a hermaphrodite.

Ellis’ book is good for anybody concerned with developing leadership skills and is very important to our profession of arms. It can be a case study into how important it is for leaders to have respect for each other in order to accomplish great things. Many of the advances our founding fathers created for us and set in motion for our country came out of their personal relationships and not out of any rules.

DevelopmentProfessionalreviews of books that teach us about our craftBy: 1st Lt. Jeffrey Bezore| Public Affairs Office | Georgia Air National Guard

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At the dawn of a new century, indeed a new millennium, the United States is now the oldest endur ing republ ic in world history, with a set of political institutions and traditions that have stood the test of time.


Sentry Savannah 16-01 began on Jan. 25, 2016 and ended on Feb. 5, 2016, marking only the fifth iteration of the expanding exercise. Sentry Savannah is hosted by the Georgia Air National Guard at the Joint Air Dominance Center located in Savannah, Ga.

Air National Guard units from Kansas, Arizona, South Dakota and Georgia, as well as active duty units from Florida participated in the two-week exercise.

The first Sentry Savannah Exercise was hosted in 2014 after the then named Savannah Combat Readiness and Training Center changed its mission focus to take

advantage of the unit’s unique strategic location. In 2013 the CRTC witnessed severe personnel cuts and saw a reduction of nearly half its full

Photo by: Senior airman chelSea Smith | u.S. air national guard

J A D C s e n t r y s ava n n a h 1 6 - 0 1

Story by: 1st Lt. Jeffrey Bezore | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Air National Guard

February 2016 | 12

time staff. Where other units would see a problem, the CRTC and its leadership saw an opportunity to take its organization on a different path and ensure its future mission success.

After doing an environmental scan the unit realized they could take advantage of their geographic location to seize a new opportunity for the unit. First they recognized the demand for un-impeded air space for training. This is often the limiting factor for large scale aerial exercises and few locations in the U.S. can support this. The CRTC’s location provides easy access to vast airspace over the Atlantic Ocean that allows for the level of training units look for. Second they noticed that over 40 percent of the nation’s fifth generation fighters (i.e. F-22 Raptor, and F-35 Lightning II) and 33 fighter units were located within 400 miles of their location.

The solution the CRTC came up with was to focus its training facilities towards fighter pilot training. This was a dramatic shift for the organization considering the unit traditionally hosted Air National Guard flying Wings that conducted their annual training there.

“The ADC advertises Sentry Savannah as lite Red Flag,” said Maj. Dane Stoker, a pilot from Tyndall Air Force Base. “Red Flag is a robust exercise that has every aspect of the war fight such as logistics, intel, the CAOC, and etc. So there are a lot of hoops to jump through. In Red Flag it is easily, a 15 hour day. But when we come here it is still a large force exercise but with a focus specific for fighters.”

The mission of the JADC is to provide an environment where participants, in a fully integrated cross-domain joint concept, can train to exploit unique characteristics of air, space, maritime and cyberspace to deliver dominance across a vast rage of operational environments.

The JADC’s Sentry Savannah exercise is a National Guard Bureau training event for drill status Guard combat Airmen to train to their federal mission. The primary focus of 16-01 was on joint fighter integration fourth and fifth generation dissimilar air combat training. DACT was introduced as a formal part of U.S. air combat training after disappointing aerial combat exchange rates in the Vietnam War.

“The training exercises are geared towards drill status guardsmen both fighter pilots and tanker crews to train for combat against a peer adversary in a joint environment,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Rachael from the JADC.

Sentry Savannah 16-01 had participates from the: 125th Fighter Wing, Florida Air National Guard; 114th Fighter Wing, South Dakota Air National Guard; 161st Air Refueling Wing, Arizona Air National Guard; 190th Air Refueling Wing, Kansas Air National Guard; 117th Air Control Squadron, Georgia Air National Guard and the 325th Fighter Wing, United States Air Force.

“We come here a lot because the CRTC here has a permanent facility and a permanent staff,” said an F-22 pilot from the 43rd Fighter Squadron. “They give us a lot of support when we get here, such as vehicles, facilities, hangers, they have VTC’s and classified areas setup that we can use to talk to people both here and at other bases.”

Throughout the exercise, the JADC ramp was filled with F-22 Raptors, T-38 Talons, F-15C Eagles and F-16CJ Falcons. Down the road KC-135 Stratotankers were parked on the Hunter Army Air Field ramp.

The typical training day lasted 12 hours for the nearly 700 Guard and active duty members. Maintainers, pilots, air traffic controllers and other support personnel worked hard to make sure everyone met the training demands and requirements of the exercise. Twice a day the fighters would conduct their aerial training, once in the morning, and again in the afternoon. After each flight pilots would debrief and watch the footage of their engagements in a classified facility. In total nearly 500 sorties were flown in just 12 days.

Sentry Savannah 16-02 will occur later this year in May and will continue to expand in facilities and participation from the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.

“The training exercises are geared towards drill status guardsmen both f ighter pilots and tanker crews to train for combat against a peer adversary in a joint environment,”-Lt. Col. Christopher Rachael

13 | The Georgia Guardsman Photo by: georgia State defenSe force

Volunteers from four different units of the Georgia State Defense Force worked together as a team during a successful search for a missing person.

On Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015, 19 Georgia State Defense Force (GSDF) personnel were called in to ramp up a search and rescue (SAR) operation for a 90 year-old person, who had

been missing for several hours in Loganville, Ga. In addition to more than a dozen Gwinnett County Police Department (GCPD) officers and investigators, the victim’s family and a GCPD helicopter joined in the search both Friday evening and Saturday morning.

The call for the GSDF came in just after 2 am on the 5th of December. Loganville falls within the area of operation of the Third Battalion/First Brigade of the GSDF and so the 3rd Brigade became the lead for this mission.

First on scene, 1st Sgt. Doug Ford from Third Battalion/First Brigade, received an overview of the mission from GCPD. After going over the aerial photos, Maj. Bob Pence, Commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion/First Brigade and 1st Sgt. Ford, as Noncommissioned Officer In Charge, sent the first team out. “We swept around to the right in order to cover additional ground on

our way back to the MOC,” stated 1st Sgt. Ford. “While this team did not find the subject, we did eliminate a large amount of area and could be assured that the subject had not come in this area or direction”. As the teams were searching, Maj. Pence and 1st. Sgt. Ford deployed to the area that had been searched the night before.

At just a little after 10 a.m., 1SGT Ford discovered the subject laying in the fetal position, her feet cut up by thorns. He looked for signs of life and she moved slightly and moved her eyelids. Ford called to Major Pence to notify the MOC and within minutes of being found the patient was transported by emergency first responders to a local hospital for observation. The victim was found almost directly behind her home and about 50 yards away.

Because of the training standard throughout the GSDF, volunteers were able to come together and work as a cohesive team. “Search and Rescue Specialist II” tabbed SDF members effectively led teams and all members displayed sufficient skills to provide effective SAR operations. GSDF personnel have undergone intensive training in search techniques, land navigation, tracking and other aspects of SAR based on military standards.

As a component of the Georgia Department of Defense, the mission of the GSDF is to provide an organized, trained, disciplined, rapid response volunteer force to assist state and local government agencies and civil relief organizations during emergencies to ensure the welfare and safety of Georgia citizens.

Gsdf: search and Rescue MissionStory by: Sgt. Lisa Kennedy | 411th MPAD | Georgia State Defense Force

February 2016 | 14

T h e i m p o r t a n c e o f V o t i n g

In February we celebrate Pre s i d e nt s’ D ay an d enjoy our second three-day weekend of the new year. For many of us, it is a day we use for rest and relaxation. We sleep in, catch up with friends

and fami ly and we barely reflect o n t h e d a y ’ s intentions.

T h e o f f i c e of the President o f t h e U n i t e d States knows no equal. The chief executive officer of our country is not only responsible f o r t h e d a y t o d a y f u n c t i o n s o f t h e f e d e r a l government, but he also serves as the commander in chief of the most p owe r m i l i t ar y the world has ever seen.

T h i s y e a r ’s Presidents’ Day h a s a b i t m ore s i g n i f i c a n c e because we are in a presidential election year. In 2016 millions of responsible citizens will go to the polls to cast their ballot for whom our country’s leader will be for the following four years.

Based on several national polls and surveys, service members and veterans make up approximately 10 percent of the country’s potential voters. That is a significant number and means that service members have strong voting power and influence in deciding who the next president will be.

As members of the National Guard we are very familiar with duty. We all volunteered to serve our state and country in order to protect and uphold the freedoms and liberties for our fellow citizens. That duty also extends to our participation in the election process.

It was once conventional wisdom

that members of the armed services, in particular officers, should not vote in elections or participate in politics because it could be perceived to conflict or distract with their oath to defend the constitution.

There i s s ome mer it to th is point of view but the overwhelming majority of our leadership support our participation in the election process. In fact we have been given numerous election services to encourage our participation. All military installations

have a Voter Assistance Office to help members and their families with any concerns they might have. This was a result of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act passed by Congress in 1986 to help service members with voting issues while deployed. The Federal Voting Assistance

Prog ram of fers voter registration, absentee ballots a n d v o t i n g information based on you home state of record.

O n e t h i n g t h e F e d e r a l Voting Assistance P r o g r a m d o e s not offer is help with voter apathy. Too many times I have heard that members actively d e c i d e n o t t o vote in elections because they feel it does not matter or because they believe the process is flawed. This kind of me nt a l i t y i s counterproductive a n d i s a s e l f -licking ice cream cone. Voting does

matter. You owe it to your family and you fellow service members to vote. There are too many important issues that impact us directly and demand our political participation. Our national defense budget, retirement benefits, education benefits and medical benefits a are just a few issues that affect us and our families.

Please exercise your right to vote this year and fulfill all aspects of your service to your state, country and family.

Story By: 1st Lt. Jeffrey Bezore | Public Affairs Office| Georgia Air National Guard


An airman in the Joint Surveillance Target Attack R a d ar Sy s t e m u n i t i s following in the footsteps of his parents.

Airman First Class Mike Horne didn’t know that when he was assigned to J-STARS four months ago.

He was just a kid when his parents, who were both sergeants first class in the

Army, served in the unit, so he didn’t remember its name.An Army unit is attached to J-STARS because the soldiers

on the J-STARS planes communicate information about enemy movements to troops on the ground.

His parents, Chris Horne and Lorilee Cuvillier, are now divorced, and both are retired from the Army. But they still live in the area and work as civilians at Robins. Chris Horne works as a contractor in the J-STARS area.

Mike Horne, 20, remembered his parents taking him on the base where they worked when he was young, but it wasn’t until he told them he had been assigned to J-STARS that he found out the

connection.“It’s cool,” he said. “It’s a family tradition.”He wasn’t just talking about J-STARS. Both of his grandfathers

also served in the military, he added.Unlike his parents’ past military work, Mike Horne doesn’t fly

on the planes. He maintains the ground equipment, particularly the unit that powers the planes on the ground.

Chris Horne said the mechanics who work on the decades-old aircraft probably are the most important people in the unit these days.

Chris Horne and Cuvillier both flew on the planes in Iraq and Afghanistan and are big believers in the system.

“It’s kind of a novelty that he’s starting his career in the unit where I finished my career,” Cuvillier said. “It’s a neat thing.”

When Chris Horne flew, he was relaying information to ground troops whom he had personally trained.

J-STARS uses radar to track enemy movements on the ground and relays that data to combat commanders.

“What you are looking at is basically a big computer with wings,” said Chris Horne, standing by one of the planes.

Mike Horne serves in the Georgia Air National Guard and currently is working full-time in J-STARS as part of his initial training. He plans to attend college this fall and eventually become active duty in the Air Force as a commissioned officer.

JsTARs is a family affairSt o ry C o u rt e s y o f : Way n e C r e n s aw | Th e Te l e g r a p h

Photo courteSy of: the telegraPh

February 2016 | 16

The Georgia Army National Guard’s 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade made history as they received their first female 91P artillery mechanic.

Specialist Marcia Courtright from Augusta graduated from the 122nd Regional Training Institute, Regional Training Site-Maintenance as a fully qualified 91P. This

military occupational specialty was previously only open to male Soldiers. It wasn’t until 2015 that the active component opened the MOS to female Soldiers and had their first female graduate.

“I guess for me it’s not male or female it’s the passion you have in your heart for what you do,” said Courtright.

Courtright originally joined the Georgia Army National Guard as a 94F computer systems repairer and was assigned to the 1-214th Forward Support Company located in Washington, Ga. She expressed her interested in re-classing to 91P for a few years and when the chance became available she jumped on it with full support from her command.

“Every job matters in this uniform, but I felt like this was personally what I was meant to do and I’m thankful for the opportunity,” remarked Courtright.

Courtright’s company 1st Sgt., and executive officer. Both spoke very highly of Spc. Courtright and spoke nothing but encouraging words and praise to her. The command team from 1-214th Field

Artillery is excited to keep her in their ranks. “It is very difficult to get a slot for this school,” said 1st Sgt.

Batt. “But we were told last minute that we could put one Soldier in the slot to go to this re-class school, and I immediately thought of Courtright. She has always been an upstanding Soldier and we have seen the desire she has to do this job and we know she will do amazing in this new specialty.”

Specialist Courtright has received overwhelming support from her family and friends, but made a point to express how thankful she was for all the text messages and phone calls she received from her battle buddies back at her home unit. Being the first female in a historically all male MOS has many challenges, but taking the step to achieve your goal to do what you have a true passion for is already overcoming a huge challenge. Courtright doesn’t mind the challenge and instead welcomes the challenge. Knowing that being the first female Georgia National Guard artillery mechanic isn’t just a title but an honor.

“It’s a lot of weight on my shoulders so I will always remember to do the right thing,” said Courtright. “I know I am setting the standards for female Soldiers who come after me, but I look forward to being that example for all in this uniform.”

With the most modern knowledge, set of skills and her new MOS, Spc. Courtright’s command and fellow Soldiers look forward to seeing her excel in her assignment artillery mechanic in the 1-214th.

First Female Georgia Guardsman 91P GraduateStory by: Sgt. Shye Stallings | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

PhotoS by: Sgt. Shye StallingS | Public affairS office | georgia army national guard

NCo

Words of wisdom f r o m o n e t o another

As the Georgia Air National G u a r d S t a t e C o m m a n d Chief I cannot tell you how humble and grateful I am to be in a partnership of service with so many dedicated and professional Airmen and Soldiers. During my travels throughout the United States

and abroad I have met many African American Airmen and Soldiers who are making a significant impact in our military, as well as our country. I cannot convey to you how proud that makes me feel. A number of these African American Airmen and Soldiers has also expressed to me that they experience a feeling of great pride when it is obvious that their opinions matter, and that they are a part of something much larger than themselves.

Historically, the Air National Guard has made some tremendous strides in diversifying its force. We are currently seeing more African American officers and enlisted in positions of leadership than ever before. African Americans make up approximately 23 percent of the total force of the Air National Guard and 13 percent of the entire United States Air Force. This did not occur by happenstance, this is a result of an ever-evolving culture and diversity at work in order to allow all people an opportunity to serve in an almost limitless capacity.

The history of this country is phenomenal, and the contributions made by African American Airmen and Soldiers are deeply engrained in the fabric of our rich history and heritage. Contributions large and small have been made by African American Airmen and Soldiers for no specific reasons other than a strong, unconquerable desire to do their duty and serve their country. The military has provided African Americans opportunities long before it was socially acceptable by the mainstream society. Most have heard of: Lt. Gen. Frank Petersen Jr., who holds the distinction of being the first African-American Marine Corps aviator and general officer, Maj. Gen. Marcelite Harris who became the first African-American female general officer of the United States Air Force, Daniel James Jr., who in 1975, became the first African American to reach the rank of four-star general, and Daniel James III, who in 2002, became the director of the Air National Guard.

The aforementioned iconic individuals are historic figures that blazed a trail for others to follow. However, it is not totally about those individuals. It is also about affording each and every individual not only a platform to achieve, but also an opportunity to excel in every endeavor. This should be done without consideration of race or gender.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s, dream is synonymous with the American dream. I believe the keys to achieving that dream are equality, education, and excellence. These elements can be achieved thorough opportunity and education.

Chief Master Sgt. Reginald McPhersonState Command ChiefJoint Force Headquarters

Notepad

February 2016 | 18

The third floor of the terminal atrium at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport was completely filled from top to bottom with blue and gold decorations for the 75th anniversary celebration of the USO.

In true USO hospitality, visitors were greeted after stepping off the elevator with a hug from a friendly volunteer who immediately asked if they

could help with anything. Throughout the room were volunteers, community leaders, partners, Georgia Guardsmen and service members from every branch.

Georgia’s Assistant Adjutant General, Brig. Gen. Thomas Carden was the guest speaker at the event. He has seen first-hand the incredible support and hard work the USO of Georgia puts into providing a welcoming and stress-free environment to Soldiers.

“I still remember coming home from a deployment, going up the escalator and being welcomed by so many volunteers from the USO clapping and thanking us for all we do,” said Carden. “We appreciate all you do for our Soldiers, but what we appreciate the most is how you connect our service members with the American people.”

Since Sept. 11, 2001, the Georgia National Guard has deployed more than 18,000 Guardsmen. At every departure the USO of Georgia has performed a farewell ceremony, providing snacks, coffee, juice, gift bags and even a hug sending well wishes with every Guardsman as they deploy.

Georgia Guardsmen, and service members from all branches have also passed through the USO facilities around the world before

departing to their deployment area of operation. USO facilities can even be found at forward combat posts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Each of the facilities provide military members and families with a little piece of home and a getaway from their environment.

Hartsfield-Jackson Airport was the first airport in the nation to have a terminal USO facility. Today, almost every service member will, at some point in their career, travel through it. Many of these service members are looking for a place to call a loved one, grab a bite to eat, watch TV or simply a place to rest their head. The USO of Georgia provides that and so much more.

As such, the USO of Georgia deserves special recognition for operating a welcome center in the busiest airport in the world. Not only does Hartsfield-Jackson Airport receive the most passenger traffic with nearly 23 million passengers in 2015 alone, it also serves as the hub for military personnel traveling to training at Fort Benning, Fort Stewart, Fort Gordon and Fort Jackson in South Carolina.

Since 1941 volunteers of the USO have ensured each and every service member and their families feel appreciated for their selfless sacrifice and serve as a vital connection to home. Seventy five years later, the USO still successfully maintains that mission.

The Jean R. Amos USO Center at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is open to all veterans, service members and their families 365 days a year.

C e l b r at i n g 7 5 Y e a r s o f t h e U s oStory by: Sgt. Shye Stallings | Public Affairs Office | Georgia Army National Guard

Photo by: Sgt. Shye StallingS | Public affairS office | georgia army national guard

“I still remember coming home from a deployment, going up the escalator and being welcomed by so many volunteers from the USO clapping and thanking us for all we do.”

-Brig. Gen. Tom Carden

19 | The Georgia Guardsman19 | The Georgia Guardsman19 | The Georgia Guardsman

Around the GeorGiA GuArd

AfricAn Americn History ProgrAm

Brigadier General Thomas Carden, commander of the Georgia Army National Guard with the performers and presenters for the African American History Program held at the Clay National Guard Center Chapel.

Job well done

The results are in and the 201st Regional Support Group’s Homeland Response Force and 4th CST received an overall score of 97 and 99 percent respectively on their inspection by the National Guard Bureau Standardization, Evaluation and Assistance Team. The Homeland response Force mission is a join effort of the Georgia Army & Air National Guard.

new tAil flAsH for 165tH Aw

The 165th Airlift Wing received new C-130 models last year and will continue to replace their fleet through the rest of the year with a new tail flash.

February 2016 | 20

Presenting A PurPle HeArt

The Adjutant General of Georgia, Brig. Gen. Joe Jarrard, presents Lanny Howard with the Purple Heart for his military service during the Vietnam War. Howard served as a Pfc. in the U.S. Army from July 1966 to July 1968 and was wounded in Vietnam in Feb. 1967.

Ancient order of sAint bArbArA

Surrounded by fellow ‎National Guard Artillerymen, Brig. Gen. Joe Jarrard, The Adjutant General of Georgia was inducted into the Ancient Order of Saint Barbara during a ceremony held at the Clay National Guard Center in Marietta.

Public Affairs OfficeGeorgia Department of Defense1000 Halsey Ave. Bldg. 447Marietta, Ga. 30060

48th IBCT Trains with Active ArmyJRTC Training

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February 2016