Captain Steve Hartman, of Detachment 1, Company
F, 131st Aviation Regiment, kisses his
daughter Amber, one of his 13 month old
triplets, before departing with his unit to
Afghanistan in January. More
photos |
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Savannah
CH-47 Unit
Heads to Afghanistan
Article
courtesy Savannah Morning News
By Noelle Phillips
Sooner or later, this was bound
to happen.
With ongoing war in Iraq and
Afghanistan, a National Guard helicopter unit at Hunter Army
Airfield knew it was only a matter of time before it was called
to active duty.
In January, 102 soldiers of
Detachment 1, Company F, 131st Aviation Regiment, left for a
year-long tour that eventually will take them to Afghanistan.
The Georgia National Guardsmen are pilots, mechanics and fuel
pumpers who work on Chinook helicopters. Read
full story
Onlookers
wave goodbye to the Black Hawks of the 171st Avn
Regiment as the aircra'ft make a final pass over
Dobbins before departing for their active duty
rotation. More
photos |
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171st
Aviation Battalion Deploys,
Will head to Kuwait
For
War on Terrorism
Some 230 Georgia Army National Guardsmen of the First Battalion 171st Aviation Regiment said farewell to their families and friends on Tuesday,
January 6 as they prepared to deploy to Fort Knox, Ky., and then to the Middle East. The deployment is the first for the aviation battalion, which flies eight UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters at Dobbins ARB.
The 1/171st was the one of two aviation units in the Georgia Army National Guard that received alert notices in September
2003 when the Pentagon announced the proposed schedule of unit rotations. The first Georgia aviation unit to deploy before Christmas was Company C of the 1/171st Aviation Regiment that flies the Sherpa aircraft.
Read full story
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Senator
Miller Views Iraq
Thanks to the 165th AW
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Perhaps it was serendipity
recently in the Middle East when the 165th
Airlift Wing got the mission to fly a
congressional delegation from Kuwait to Mosul,
Iraq. Included among the distinguished
visitors was Georgia's Senior Senator Zell
Miller. The Senator reported that the troops
are in high spirits and that the American
effort at rebuilding Iraqi's infrastructure is
proceeding successfully. Pictured at left,
Miller poses with 165th members (L-to-R)
Master Sgt
William A. Clark, Maj. Chris Lamar, Master Sgt
Joseph L, Greene, Staff Sgt. Sylvester
Brown, Jr., Capt. William E. Daniels, Jr.,
and Capt. Jonathan M. Drew. Larger
photo |
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190th
Military Police
Expected Home Today
As we go to press with this issue of the First
Friday Briefing, more than 120 soldiers of the 190th Military
Police Company are making their way home following a ten-month
deployment to the Middle East and Iraq. The unit arrived back in
the U.S. last Friday and has spent the week out-processing at
Fort Benning. The military police are expected to arrive at
their home armory in Kennesaw sometime this afternoon (Friday,
February 6) to a welcome home by family and community
supporters.
The unit received high marks during its
deployment, most of which was spent in Iraq providing security
for convoys and guarding Iraqi captives. Before their current
deployment, the unit was originally called shortly following the
Sept 11, 2001, attacks to provide force protection at Forts
Benning, Gillem and McPherson
Watch for photos of the welcome home in the next
issue of First Friday, as well as on the Georgia
DOD main web site.
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Ryan Allen, 5,
looks up at his father Capt. David Allen at the welcome
home ceremony for the 214th Field Artillery |
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214th FA Returns
Following
Ten-Month Deployment
(Photo courtesy Athens
Banner-Herald, R.C. Rique)
It's been a long ten months for members of the 214th Field Artillery
who deployed in March 2003 to Fort Campbell and Fort Bragg. Four
companies of the 214th FA returned to a heroes welcome on January 11th
in their hometowns of Hartwell, Thompson, Toccoa and Elberton.
The 214th Field Artillery deployed on March 20, 2003, initially
intended for operations in southwest Asia. Once at Fort Campbell, the
Army redirected the Georgia Army Guard artillery unit for security
operations at Fort Bragg as part of Operation Noble Eagle.
Approximately 370 soldiers of the 214th returned and were
treated to homecoming ceremonies in their hometowns on Sunday, January
11th. Guardsmen of Battery C located in Waynesboro are expected to
arrive later this month.
Read
full story
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From front, Col. Larry
Ross, Brig. Gen. Terrell T. Reddick, and Brig. Gen.
Terry Nesbitt, prepare to enter the 78th Troop Command
change of command ceremony. More
photos |
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Colonel
Larry Ross
Is New Commander
Of 78th Troop Command
Change
of Command Photo Gallery
Georgia’s 78th Troop Command changed commanders in an emotional ceremony
in January. The incoming commander is Col. Larry Ross, of Atlanta. The outgoing commander is Brig. Gen. Terrell T. Reddick of
Statesboro who becomes deputy commander of the Georgia Army National
Guard (see related story).
The 78th Troop Command, is a brigade-sized unit comprised of several, specialized subordinate units many of which are currently deployed in the war on terrorism either overseas or here in the United States.
Nearly 3000 of its citizen-soldiers have been deployed since Sept. 11, 2001. In some cases Guardsmen have been deployed twice.
“They’ve gone above and beyond the call of duty,” said Ross.
Read full story
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Col. Charles S. Rodeheaver
accepts the colors of the 48th Infantry Brigade from Brig.
Gen. Terry Nesbitt during changes of command ceremonies in
Macon. More
photos |
Colonel
Rodeheaver
Takes Command
Of 48th Brigade
Change
of Command Photo Gallery
The
48th Infantry Brigade of the Georgia Army National Guard
changed commanders in January as Col. Charles S. Rodeheaver took
command. The 48th Infantry Brigade is headquartered in Macon with
units in more than thirty-five communities across Georgia.
Rodeheaver, a 29-year
veteran of the Georgia Army National Guard, assumed command from
Brig. Gen. Robley Rigdon who led the brigade for four years.
General Rigdon's tenure as commander included the highly successful
rotation to Bosnia in 2001 when more than 1,200 members of the 48th
led the peacekeeping mission in that wartorn country. Read
full story
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Reddick
Assumes New Position
As Deputy CG of Army Guard
Brigadier General
Terrell T. Reddick has assumed the newly created position of of
Deputy Commander of the Georgia Army National Guard. Reddick
comes to his new position following a four-year stint as commander
of the Georgia National Guard's 78th Troop Command during a time
when nearly 2,800 of his troops were called to active duty and have
served in Iraq, Afghanistan and in various posts around the United
States.
"I am excited to have the
opportunity to continue working with the soldiers of the Georgia
National Guard," said Reddick of his new position. "These
are challenging times for all of us as we face continued deployments
to help fight the war on terrorism, and prepare for our support of
the upcoming G-8 conference. Georgian's can be proud of their
National Guard and its is a privilege to be a part of this
organization. "
A 35-year veteran of the
Georgia Army National Guard, Reddick lives in Statesboro where he is
managing partner of the accounting firm of Reddick, Riggs and
Hunter.
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Air
Guard Announces New Positions
 New
faces are appearing in senior command slots at several Georgia Air
National Guard units around the state.
Lt Col. Bill Collins, formerly commander of the 165th
Security Forces in Savannah was selected as commander of the 224th
Joint Communications Support Squadron in Brunswick.
Collins assumed command of the 200-member unit succeeding Lt.
Col. Floyd Harbin who took command of the Combat Readiness
Training Center in December from retiring commander, Col. Gene
Ashley. Col. Tom Moore, former Operations Group Commander
with the 116th Air Control Wing was appointed Vice
Commander of the 165th Airlift Wing in November
succeeding Col. Ed Wexler who was selected as Human Resources
Director, Georgia Department of Defense. Lt. Col. Robert Shannon,
former commander of the 283rd Combat Communications
Squadron at Dobbins has been appointed HQ Inspector General, a
previously vacant position.
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Nelson
Assumes Top Enlisted Post
at Georgia's 48th Brigade
Command Sergeant Major
James Nelson of Sylvester has become the top non-commissioned
officer for the Macon-based 48th Infantry Brigade, Georgia's largest
Army National Guard unit.
Nelson, 51, is employed by the United States Marine Corps
Logistical Base in Albany. The 27-year veteran of the Georgia Army
National Guard leaves his position as Command Sergeant Major for
Albany's 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry to take over the top enlisted
position at the 4,000-soldier 48th Infantry Brigade headquartered in
Macon. Read full story
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Top
Enlisted Chosen
For Georgia Air Guard
Four
Georgia Air National Guardsmen have been chosen as Georgia's
Outstanding Airmen of the Year. Master Sergeant Anthony Davis of
the 202nd Engineering Installation Squadron was chosen as the
Outstanding First Sergeant of the Year for 2003. MSgt Benjamin
Simmons of the 116th Logistic Flight at Robins AFB was selected
as the Outstanding Senior Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) of the
Year. Technical Sergeant Mariyka Burnham of the 116th
Communications Flight also at Robins was selected as the
Outstanding NCO of the Year; and, Senior Airman Mantis L.
Pineiro of the 165th Aerial Port Squadron in Savannah was
selected as Airman of the Year. Read
full story
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NTC's 'Painted
Rock'
Is Backdrop For
48th Brigade Awards
When the 48th Infantry Brigade's
leadership went to the National Training Center in California in
January, it provided the perfect backdrop for awards. Pictured is
Master Sgt. Cliff Mashburn being awarded a Meritorious Service Medal
by Col. Stewart Rodeheaver, commander 48th Infantry Brigade in front
of the famed Painted Rock at Ft. Irwin's main gate. Mashburn was the
very first First Sergeant of the 248th Military Intelligence Company
and was instrumental in the standing up and organizing of the new
unit. Mashburn is currently assigned to the 48th Infantry Brigade's
S-2 section. The 48th Brigade's leadership was at Ft. Irwin for a
Leader's Training Program Seminar (LTP) in preparation for their
upcoming rotation to NTC next summer.
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Members of 2/121st Infantry squad coordinate
during training at Ft. Benning. Larger
photo
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Georgia’s
‘Second Foot’
Trains for Security, Stabilization Operations
Lt. Col. George M. Scott, GSDF
Security and stabilization
operations in an urban environment was the name of the game when
soldiers of Cordele’s Company B and Americus’ Company C, 2nd
Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, trained in early January at
Fort Benning outside Columbus.
While the unit’s dismounted
infantry trained with other "Second Foot" elements at
Benning’s Camp McKenna MOUT site, crews that operate Company B’s
Bradley fighting vehicles remained in Cordele to train on convoy
operations. Read full story
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William Hitchens, Georgia's Homeland Security chief receives a small token from Maj Gen William Searcy, Commander, GA
ANG, following his presentation before more than sixty Georgia Air National Guard commanders at the annual Senior ANG Commanders Conference. |
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Homeland
Security, G-8 Issues
Highlight Air Guard Leader’s
Conference
With the majority of deployed Air National
Guard units now home from the war, and with the expectation of a
year of challenges on the home front, more than 60 Georgia Air
National Guard commanders and chiefs met in late January for the
annual Georgia ANG Commanders’ Conference at Dobbins Air
Reserve Base.
The two-day event was highlighted by a
presentation by William W. Hitchens, Jr., director of the
Georgia Office of Homeland Security.
Read
Full Story
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of page
WO1 Gerald Allen Key II is pinned by his
wife, Brandy and his father, CW5 Gerald (Jerry) Allen Key,
Command Chief Warrant Officer, at Fort Rucker in January. |
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Like
Father, Like Son:
Keys Claim Distinction of
Most Junior, Senior Warrants
Chief Warrant Officer 1 Gerald Allen Key II and his
father Chief Warrant Officer 5 Gerald Allen Key have laid claim to
being the most junior and most senior members of the Georgia Army
National Guard’s Warrant Officer Corps.
"Although I’m not the senior warrant
officer by date of rank, the position makes me the senior warrant in
the state," Chief Warrant Officer 5 Key said. "It’s
rather unique, I believe, that my son and I share the same name and
he is the newest member and lowest rank of the Warrant Officer Corps
while I represent the highest rank that can be obtained within the
Corps."
Read full story
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Marijuana
Seized, Two Arrested;
Task Force Aids in Investigation and Bust
The Georgia National Guard’s Counterdrug Task
Force recently released information about assistance its members
gave to the Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad in mid-December,
that resulted in the squad’s largest-ever indoor marijuana
seizure.
Task force agents, a Counterdrug official said,
conducted surveillance of a commercial building at a Canton
industrial park where the marijuana was being grown. The task force
researched and developed information related to the growth and
harvest of the hallucinogenic, plant-based drug, the official said. Read
full story
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of page
 Everything
is New
For 2004 Guard Car
Not only has the National Guard NASCAR racer
taken on a new look, a new driver and new sponsors for the 2004
racing season, it also has a new a new racing team and Web site.
This year the National Guard sponsored Ford
Taraus carries the number 16. It’s being driven by up and coming
NASCAR driver Greg Biffle under the guidance of Roush Racing and a
myriad of new sponsors. Check out the latest and greatest
advertising adventure in the National Guard and the 2004 Nextel Cup
Series by going to (http://www.guardcar.com/)
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 Newspaper
Promotes Valentines
For Deployed Guardsmen
The Atlanta Constitution has made
available valentines, in its newspaper and on-line for people to let
Georgia’s citizen-soldiers deployed in support of Homeland
Security and the Global War on Terrorism.
Sample valentines and instructions can be found
in the AJC’s Feb. 2 edition or view them online
at the AJC web site.
One sample valentine shows a military medal with
"I Love you," while another displays an American flag with
a heart replacing the blue field of stars. Yet another is a
camouflaged heart. All are examples of the special military
valentines program designed for Georgia school children to write to
deployed Georgia National Guardsmen. Read
full story
See scan of
newspaper article
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Veterans
Administration to Open
New National Cemetery
The Veterans Administration is preparing a master
plan of the future national cemetery for veterans and their
dependents in western Cherokee County, about 40 miles north of
downtown Atlanta. The VA expects to open the new cemetery for
burials in mid- to late-2004 with a patriotic ceremony, even though
not all of the cemetery structures will be completed then. This
“fast-track” plan is aimed at serving as many of the region’s
aging veterans as quickly as possible. Approximately 400,000
veterans live within 75 miles of the site. For further information,
contact John Hardwick, manager of Casualties, Awards and Retirements
at (404) 624-6451. Top
of page
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A look at what happened in February
in
Georgia National Guard history:
Feb 10, 1941 - The 101st Coast Artillery Battalion, Georgia Army National Guard is called to active service. Three groups who became part of the 101st were the Georgia Hussars, the Liberty Independent Troops and the Governor's Horse Guards.
Feb 18, 1942 - At 1230
hours the
101st Coast Artillery
Battalion sails aboard the Queen Mary from
Boston Harbor with a destination of Port Moresby, New
Guinea.
Feb 28, 1991 - On the same day the ground war ended Desert Storm, Army leaders certify the 48th Brigade as combat ready and prepared for deployment while the unit was on active duty at the NTC.
| Complied by Staff Sgt. Gail
Parnelle, GaARNG Historical Section |
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