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165th Airlift Wing responds
to sugar refinery fire
Firefighters of the 165th Airlift Wing, Georgia Air National
Guard, have joined the recovery operations at the sugar refinery in
Port Wentworth, Ga. The 165th firefighters, who normally provide emergency
response needs at Savannah International Airport, have sent a 2,000
gallon tanker truck and an air compressor trailer to refill oxygen tanks.
The crews also provided a pumper truck to cover Savannah Fire Station 13 and the
airport. In addition, three firefighters responded to the call. The
plant caught fire early Friday morning after an explosion assumed to be
caused by sugar dust. Six workers are presumed dead and more than 40
injured. For more on the
fire.
Congressman Kingston thanks
CH-47 crews for wildfire efforts
Georgia Congressman Jack Kingston recently visited with members of
Savannah's 169th
Aviation Regiment and Aviation Support Facility No. 3 at Hunter Army
Airfield in Savannah to thank them for their service
during the wildfire disaster that scorched south Georgia in 2007.
Full
Story
A role model for women:
Britt honored by Georgia Trend
Brigadier Gen. Maria Britt, Army Guard Commanding General, was
recognized as one of Georgia Trend Magazine's most notable people for
2007. Britt was honored for her service in the military at a luncheon held
at Ritz-Carlton Hotel in late January.
Full Story
HRT hears TAG’s
transition plans
The Georgia DoD Human Relations Team (HRT) met with Maj. Gen. Terry
Nesbitt for its first meeting of the new year to review the new
Joint Forces Headquarters organization. The 28 members of
the HRT heard Maj. Gen. Nesbitt carefully describe the new
organizational structure and his priorities for the Georgia
Guard.
Full Story
Legislators hear Guard successes
at annual dinner
More than 150
Georgia legislators, Georgia Air and Army National Guardsmen and
National Guard friends gathered Feb. 4, for the annual National
Guard Legislative Dinner at Maggiano’s Restaurant. The purpose
of this annual dinner is to provide members of the legislature
with an update on the Georgia National Guard and to meet with
leaders from across the state.
Full Story
Ellenwood Guardsmen help celebrate 'Guard's 371'st'
The full-time staffers
working at the Ellenwood's Oglethorpe Armory headquarters celebrated
the National Guard’s 371st birthday. With patriotic music
from a boom box in the drill hall and plenty of red,
white and blue-colored cake to go around, the Soldiers and
Airmen took the time to remember both the challenges and
sacrifices the organization has faced for more than three
centuries.
Full Story
ESGR, 'Blueland'
honor
military and employers
Members of the Georgia National Guard were among the Reserve and
active-duty service members honored during Military Appreciation Night
at the Feb. 1 home game between the Atlanta Thrashers and the Buffalo
Sabers. The evening was sponsored by the Employer Support of the Guard
and Reserve.
Full
Story
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5 Air Guard units earn 'Air Force Outstanding Unit Award'
Governor Sonny Perdue announced that five
Georgia Air National Guard units have been named recipients of the Air
Force Outstanding Unit award for 2007. Georgia units receiving the Air
Force Outstanding Unit award are:
165th Air Support
Operations Squadron
(Brunswick),
116th Air Control Wing
(Warner Robins),
283rd Combat
Communications Squadron
(Dobbins ARB, Marietta),
202nd Engineering Installation Squadron
(Macon), 224th
Joint Communications Support Squadron
(Brunswick)
Full Story
Training center expands,
plans future
Georgia Air National Guard's
Combat Readiness Training Center in Garden City is expanding as it prepares
for an influx of soldiers and airmen who specialize in establishing
communication services in the field. The Savannah facility is one of
four in the nation that provides combat preparation training and the
only to offer courses that specialize in communications.
Full Story
Guard, Robins sign 'space' agreement
Georgia’s Adjutant General and the leadership of Robins AFB,
recently entered into an agreement which provides more
production space for the Warner Robins Air Logistic Center. A
memorandum of agreement between WR-ALC and the state, allows the
center to temporarily utilize State of Georgia owned facilities
located at Robins for Air Force Base for aircraft maintenance,
repair and/or modification work, was signed by Maj. Gen. Terry
Nesbitt, adjutant general of Georgia and Maj. Gen. Thomas J.
Owen, WR-ALC Commander.
Full Story
Guard
pilots give 'kids' a look at aviation program
Crewmen of Savannah’s 1st Battalion, 169th Aviation Brigade recently gave
students of Calvary Day School an up-close look at the aviation
section of the Georgia Army National Guard. Gently setting one
of the unit’s CH-47 Chinook cargo helicopters down on a football
field alongside the school, kids and adults got to touch the
controls and hear crew members discuss their jobs in the
Georgia Army National Guard.
Full Story
Task force spreads awareness of serious brain injuries
Hitting your head on something isn't a pleasant experience. In a
combat situation a Soldier’s mind is on the fight rather than a bump on
the head, but a study by a group of Guardsmen and officials at the
Veterans Administration say that a blow to the head should be taken
more seriously. To emphasize that point, the Georgia National Guard has
teamed up with the Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund Commission and
the regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center, to help raise awareness
of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), a growing problem in America's armed
forces. The Georgia National Guard TBI group meets quarterly and is
headed by Lt. Col. Steve Joyce and Bill Deegan.
Full Story
Major Dawn Brookshire was among many
Guardsmen and Ga. DoD employees who had a chance to see the National
Guard's "Patriot Chopper" built on the popular TLC TV show by
"American
Choppers."
National Guard "Patriot
Chopper" visits the Georgia Guard
"Patriot Chopper," built by the TV
celebrities of The Learning Channel's popular TV show "American Chopper," was on display
at the Georgia DoD's Confederate Avenue complex in January giving Guard members
and employees a chance to see the custom bike and have their photos
taken with it. The "Patriot Chopper" is touring the US to
honor the National Guard, appearing at schools and colleges, malls,
motorcycle and motor sports events and shows.
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Deployment Update |
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Sergeant Leslie Blusini and Spc. Uriah
Boyer, of the 278th Military Police Company, undergo training at the
Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) site at Fort Dix, NJ. The MP
unit left Georgia in early January and will deploy to Iraq in the coming
weeks.
Airmen of the 165th Airlift Wing of the
Georgia Air National Guard returned home from a four month deployment to
Afghanistan.
165th Airlift Wing Airmen
returns from Afghanistan
About two dozen members of the Savannah's 165th
Airlift Wing returned from a 90-day deployment to
Afghanistan. Full
Story
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National Guard featured on
Dale Jr. Shifting Gears TV show
The National Guard will be featured prominently in the
Dale Earnhardt Jr. "Shifting Gears" television series which premiers
tonight on ESPN2. The series will give a VIP behind the scenes view of
Dale Jr.'s transition to the #88 National Guard Chevrolet. The first
episode, includes Dale's visit to the National Guard Readiness Center
to meet with National Guard Bureau leadership and Dale Jr. talking
about why it is important to serve in the National Guard.
Full story
Remember
the National Guard Foundation with a donation
Georgia taxpayers will once again have the
opportunity to make donations to the The Georgia National Guard Family
Support Foundation, Inc. when they file their taxes for 2007. A simple
"check-off" box appears on the Georgia income tax return, which allows
taxpayers to make donations that will be automatically deducted from their
refund or included in their payment. The check-off box was added to the
Georgia state income tax forms by the Georgia Legislature in 2005 as a
gesture of support for the Georgia National Guard.
For tax year 2006, the Foundation raised more than
$114,195 in donations from tax returns.
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A look at what happened in February in Georgia National Guard history...
February 1960 -- A late February
deluge bringing rain, sleet and snow failed to put a damper on
scheduled statewide Muster Day ceremonies in which Georgians got a
chance to look at Guard armories and weapons. Some of the highlights
of the weekend – besides the weather – was Albany’s Open House where
Guardsmen held a mortar firing practice and orientation rides in
armored personnel carriers. In Hartwell, Open House ceremonies
featured displays of guns and radar, while in Cordele, the Open House
there featured tank crew drills and rides in an M-48 tank.
February 1961 – The Wesley Durward Willingham Armory was
dedicated in Forsyth in early February. Guests included Maj.
Gen. George J. Hearn, the Adjutant General, who delivered an address by
Governor Ernest Vandiver who could not attend due to illness. In the
address, the General called attention to the progress Georgia has made
in armory construction and called for “all Americans to shore up their
beliefs in our system of government and stand firm behind our
president who has accepted a fearsome yoke of responsibility.”
February 1961 – Georgia National Guardsmen were mobilized to
assist communities flooded by torrential rains. Some 273 Guardsmen
from Columbus and more than 100 vehicles were involved in the 4-day
operation in the cities of Columbus, LaGrange and Dublin. Among the
duties Guardsmen performed were sandbagging, assistance in clean up
operations and evacuation.
Complied by
Beryl I Diamond, PhD, |
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