'Mass Swearing-In' Commemorates Guard's Birthday

Brig. Gen. Larry Ross, Commander, Troop Command, gives the oath of enlistment to new members of the Georgia Army National Guard during "mass swearing-in" at the State Capitol.

Twenty-nine fresh faced youngsters, along with some seasoned veterans lined the steps of the state capitol, raised their right hand and enlisted in the Georgia Army National Guard Dec. 13, as part of a capitol ceremony commemorating the Guard's 368th anniversary.

From mass swearing-ins to birthday celebrations, Guard units nationwide commemorated the anniversary of the emergence of the citizen-soldier as the first line of defense in the country's fight to remain free. The Georgia event was organized by the Recruiting and Retention section of the Georgia Army National Guard culminated with the mass swearing in of the new soldiers.

The majority of those sworn-in were high school students who will finish the school year, depart for basic training this summer and then report to their units. One new recruit, Thomas Devine III of Marietta will have to wait before entering the Georgia National Guard since only a junior at Pope High School. He will go to basic training this summer, but will have to finish his senior year before he can join a unit and be deployed.

"I want to go fight, I want to go to Iraq," said Devine.

Chris Bell of Newnan spent four years on active duty, including duty in the First Gulf War with the 24th Infantry and four years in the National Guard before getting out. A paramedic with the Henry county Fire Department, Bell re-enlisted and will be mobilized in January as a medic with the 48th Infantry Brigade.

Lt Col Pete Van Amburgh, commander of the Recruiting and Retention section notes that Georgia has exceeded National Guard Bureau goals for three years despite significant recruiting shortfalls throughout the country.

"The strength for the Georgia Army National Guard for the fiscal year ending next September is 9,350 and we anticipate that we can safely reach that goal," said Col Van Amburgh. Georgia fished at 9,117, greater than the total strength of 9,100 set by the Pentagon for the Army Guard for the same period.

| Back | GADOD Home |