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Maj.
Gen. David Poythress
Re-appointed as Adjutant General
Governor-elect Sonny Perdue announced on Thursday the
re-appointment of Major General David Poythress as Georgia's
Adjutant General. The state's new commander-in-chief made the
announcement at a press conference in Atlanta.
Perdue cited General Poythress's
many accomplishments during his first three and a half years of
service including leading the Guard's efforts in establishing
the 116th Air Control Wing, which he called a "model"
unit for the future.
In addition to re-appointment of
the Adjutant General, Perdue announced at the press conference
the naming of William W. "Bill" Hitchens Jr., as new
director of homeland security, Col. George A. Ellis as director
Georgia State Patrol and Vernon Keenan as director of the
Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director.
MPs
Return Home in Time for Christmas
Soldiers of Monroe’s Military Police Company returned in December from their six-month deployment at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in time to enjoy the holidays with their families.
Monroe Police escorted about 30 of the Guardsmen down the city’s main street to their armory where they were released from duty a short time later by their commander, Capt. Jeff Carlyle. Full
story
224th JCSS Airmen Back From Enduring Freedom
Air Guardsmen of Brunswick’s 224th Joint Communications Support Squadron returned late December to their families and their home station in Brunswick, making it just in time for the holidays.
Thirty-seven members of the unit had been performing duty in an undisclosed part of the world as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. When the Guardsmen stepped off a Georgia Air Guard C-130 to be greeted by waiting families at the Brunswick Airport less than one week remained before Christmas. Full
story and more photos
 Guard EOD Soldiers Activated
Members of Kennesaw’s 202nd Ordnance Detachment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) are on active duty at Fort Bragg, N.C. Around 17 of the Guardsmen are expected be at Bragg for at least a year.
The EOD soldiers are working with the post’s 441st Ordnance Battalion. Their mission is to respond to incidents involving munitions and explosive devices at Fort Bragg and throughout North Carolina.
Capt. Lawrence Goss III is the 202nd Ordnance Detachment’s commander.
Brigade Conducts Battle Simulation
Members of the 48th Infantry Brigade conducted war games at Fort Stewart in December using a computer program designed to help the brigade monitor what’s happening on the battlefield. The event is a precursor to the 48th’s upcoming fight against opposition forces it will face at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif., in 2005.
Full
Story
Morgan is New Command Chief 
Chief Master Sgt. Betty L.G. Morgan is the Georgia Air National Guard’s newest command chief master sergeant. Selected to fill the top enlisted position, she succeeds Command Chief Master Sgt. Pearson Deloach who retires this month from military service.
Full
story
Guardsmen Assist with International Competition
Fifteen Georgia Army National Guardsmen lent a hand in early December to coordinators of the American Open international weight lifting competition held at Savannah’s Jenkins High School.
A team of 14 soldiers of Battery B, 1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery in Savannah, assisted with getting the more than 212 competing athletes from Savannah International Airport to the high school. The Guardsmen also served as ushers for the event and changed out weights between each of the scheduled events. Full
story
Recruiting Team, Honor Guard Participate in Bowl Festivities
The Georgia Army National Guard’s Demonstration and Recruiting Team (DART) and the honor guard from 1st Battalion, 108th Armor didn’t let gray, rainy skies keep them from participating in the 35th annual Peach Bowl Parade.
DART members, riding in the “Patriot” and “Orange Crush” recruiting
Humvees, and the honor guard were part of the parade’s lead element as it wound its way past Centennial-Olympic Park and on to the Georgia Dome. Orange Crush seemed to cause excitement among University of Tennessee football fans there to see the parade. The Humvees bright orange paint is the same color worn by the Volunteer football team.
Full
story and more photos
Georgia
Air Guard Band Member Part of "Total Force Band"
In Tournament of Roses Parade
Ask any band member the most prestigious parade in which to
march and you'll probably
hear the Presidential inauguration parade and perhaps the
Tournament of Roses Parade on New Years Day. For TSgt Steve
Green, a French horn player with the 530th Air Force
Band, marching in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA
became a reality in 2003.
Green,
a two year member of the 530 Air Force band of the Georgia Air
National Guard, was selected to be part of the 120-piece
"Total Force Air Force Band" that kicked
off the New Years Day spectacular.
"I
answered the call from higher band headquarters seeking French
horn and clarinet players for an all Air Force band that
was scheduled to appear in the Tournament of Roses
parade," said Green,
a former member of the Ground Forces Band at Fort McPherson.
By
December 29th, Green had been notified of his selection and
was winging his way
to Pasadena for what would be a
grueling eight hours of learning new songs and
fine-tuning formation marching.
The
Total Force Air
Force Band that appeared at the very beginning of the Rose Bowl
parade was composed of Air Force musicians from throughout the
country representing both active, reserve and Air National
Guard.
Green,
who teaches music in Coweta County, returned to Atlanta on Jan 2
. He and members of the 530th Air Force Band will
perform at the Governor’s Inauguration on Jan 13.
Georgia Guard Continues
Contributions to State's War on Drugs
The Georgia National Guard’s
CounterDrug Task Force continues to make significant
contributions to the state’s war on drugs.
In a recent case, a
Guard intelligence analyst, working in support of a Federal
Aviation Administration investigator, played a key role in
completing an 18-month investigation involving a stolen plane.
The intelligence analysis helped lead investigators to an
aircraft that had been missing and presumed stolen. The aircraft’s
"N" number and serial number had been changed to alter
its identity, and those two discrepancies were key points of
information critical to the outcome of the investigation. The
aircraft was valued at $160,000 and seized by the Georgia Bureau
of Investigation as evidence. It was the second aircraft seized
this calendar year in Georgia
Date Set for Next OCS Orientation
The Georgia Army National Guard is continually looking for qualified, motivated and dedicated soldiers to attend its Officer Candidate School. Full
story
Air Guard Commanders
To Meet
For Annual Conference
Georgia’s Air Guard Commanders and senior Chiefs
will convene at Dobbins ARB on January 24-25 for the annual Air National Guard Senior Commanders Conference.
An estimated attendance of over sixty Air Guard officers and senior non-commissioned officers is expected for this day and a half-long conference that will discuss the issues and opportunities currently facing the nine units of the Georgia Air Guard.
The day long discussion of Air Guard issues will be followed by a much anticipated presentation by Col (Ret.) Pascal English, the former Judge Advocate of Georgia Air National Guard whose name became a household word during his appearance in the 2000 hit television series
Survivor. "Pappy" English remained on the show throughout series until the final episode.
2003 JACC scheduled for March 7-9
Senior leaders and commanders throughout the Georgia Department of Defense should mark their calendars for March 7-9, the dates set for the annual Joint Annual Commanders Conference. The meeting will be held at St. Simons Island’s Sea Palms Resort.
Attendance at the conference is by invitation and more details will follow in the coming months. For information contact the Directorate of Communications at 404-624-6060.
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