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Nearly 3,000 Georgia
Guardsmen remain mobilized Georgia
Guardsmen are beginning to return home after deployments in
support of the War on Terrorism. Many still remain
deployed. Nearly 3,000 Georgia Army and Air
Guardsmen remain mobilized with more than half of them
deployed to the Persian Gulf.
List
of Mobilized
Georgia Guard Units
Georgia
Guardsman Survives Afghan Firefight
A
Georgia citizen-soldier working in Virginia for the National
Guard Bureau, came away without a scratch after he and Guardsman
from other states came under fire in Afghanistan while returning
to their home base from a day of training.
A story filed by the Armed Forces Press
Service (AFPS) in late October tells the story of what happened
to Maj. Thomas Hanely, a Centerville native, and his companions
one night in mid-October.
According to Army Master Sgt. Bob Haskell,
who compiled the story for AFPS, the Army National Guard
infantry soldiers held their ground and gave back everything
they were getting during a firefight with Afghan militants who
ambushed them outside the capital city of Kabul in western
Afghanistan shortly after midnight on Oct.12. Read
the Entire Story
Georgia
Guardsman, Tennessee Native
Battles Terrorism with Africa Task Force
 While
his fellow soldiers continue the fight against terrorism inside
Iraq and Afghanistan, Georgia Army National Guard Maj. Dane A.
Snowden, a member of Augusta’s 878th Engineer Battalion, is
assisting with the anti-terrorism mission in Africa.
Snowden, who lives in Ooltewah, Tenn., is one
of more than 1,000 military and civilian personnel who are part
of Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa (CJTFA). Based in
Djibouti, the task force’s job is to keep a constant lookout
for terrorist threats on the skies, land and coastal waters of
Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti and Yemen. Read
the Full Story.
BG
Nesbitt Takes on J1 Position
At National Guard Bureau
 Brigadier
General William Y. (Terry) Nesbitt, commander of the Georgia Army National
Guard, has been appointed to the newly created J-1 position at the
National Guard Bureau. In his new assignment, General Nesbitt will
be responsible for personnel and administrative policies for the
Army and Air Guard nationally. The new position will be General
Nesbitt's military position, but he will continue serving in his
state role in Georgia is Assistant Adjutant General and commander
of the Georgia Army National Guard.
"It is a privilege to serve you
as your commander." said Gen. Nesbitt on announcing the
position. "I assure you that the new position will not
lessen my resolve to continue the quality journey we in the
Georgia Guard are on together."
General Nesbitt's
new position comes at a critical time as the National Guard Bureau
and the states transform into a new joint organization as outlined
by the NGB Chief, Lieutenant General H Steven
Blum.
A
New 'Day' At 283rd
Day
Assumes Top Post at 283rd; Shannon Retires
 The
Dobbins-based 283rd Combat Communications Squadron of the
Georgia Air National Guard received a new commander on Saturday,
October 18, during Change of Command ceremonies for the
200-member communications unit. Lieutenant Colonel William E.
Day of Duluth assumed command from Lieutenant Colonel Robert L.
Shannon who is retiring.
The 283rd Combat Communications Squadron provides
sophisticated and secure voice, data, and internet and
communications services through sophisticated satellite
communications networks to commanders around the world.
Since September 11, 2001, over 25 percent of the 283rd CBCS
has been deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and
Iraqi Freedom. Full
Story on the Web
See
more photos of the 283rd Change of Command on the Web
 Brigadier
General Joel Seymour, Commander of the Georgia State Defense
Force, was installed Saturday, October 25, 2003 as President
of the State Guard Association of the United States (SGAUS).
The ceremony was held during the the organization's annual
convention in October 2 in Atlanta.
The Georgia State Defense Force
(SDF) is part of the Georgia Department of Defense, and SGAUS
is the national association of State Defense Forces with some 2,300 members
throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.
Full
Story on the Web
Non-Prior
Service Training Program
Gives 'Identity' to New Guardsmen
Spc. Tracy J. Smith
124th MPAD
 Private
First Class Randolph Wray was searching for his identity when he
entered the Dublin , Ga., office of Army National Guard recruiter
Sgt. 1st Class Jack Campbell nearly a year ago. His desire was to
do something; Wray was simply not sure what that something was.
"Initially, when I came in, it
was for something to do," said Wray, now a member of Dublin's
Company A, 148th Support Battalion. "When I first got to my
unit it didn't seem to be the way I thought it should be. After a
while I had the attitude that if I came to drill, I came. If I
didn't it was no big deal."
Enter NPSTP, the Non-Prior Service
Training Program (NPSTP) at Macon's Georgia Military Institute,
which is designed to change that attitude in new enlistees. Wray
soon found himself a part of a program designed for recruits just
like him; Guardsmen whom the National Guard Bureau terms
"pipeline" losses, or recruits who change their minds
about service during the long down time between enlisting and
going to basic training. Full
Story on the Web
See
more photos of the NPSTP on the Web
 Colonel
Edward I. Wexler, a 29-year veteran of the 165th Airlift Wing of
the Georgia Air National Guard in Savannah has been appointed the
State Human Resources Officer for the Georgia Department of
Defense in Atlanta. In this position, Colonel Wexler will oversee
all human resources policies and programs of the 12,000-member
Georgia Army and Air National Guard.
Wexler leaves his position as Vice
Commander of the 900-member 165th Airlift Wing in Savannah.
"Colonel Wexler is an ideal
selection for this senior state human resources position,"
said Major General David B. Poythress, the Adjutant General for
Georgia. "He has had an extremely successful military career
and is ideally suited for this postion.
He'll continue to serve the soldiers and airmen of the Georgia
National Guard well." Full
Story on the Web
Stone, Gilmore,
Cray Earn 2003 AJC Awards
 Three
Georgia Army National Guardsmen received the annual Atlanta
Journal Army Reserve Components Achievement Award recently. The
Guardsmen are Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey L. Stoner of Troop E, 1st
Squadron, 108th Cavalry; Sergeant Jacquelline Gilmore of the 118th
Personnel Services Detachment; and, Pfc. Khaleef A. Cray of the
178th Military Police Company. Stoner, who has retired, was unable
to be present to accept his award.
The Awards were presented by Mr.
Jim Wooten, associated editorial page editor of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Mr. Wooten is also a retired Georgia National Guard member. (Read
Mr. Wooten's remarks.)
The Atlanta Journal initiated the
award 39 years ago to honor outstanding enlisted soldiers in the
Georgia Army National Guard and the Army Reserve. Eligibility
requirements include: assignment to a unit in Georgia, exemplary
conduct, and exemplary attendance. In selecting a soldier for the
award leadership ability, military courtesy, instructional
ability, attitude, loyalty, and enthusiasm are considered.
See
more photos of the AJC ceremony on the Web
Annual
Training at Catoosa
For
Northern GSDF Staff
 Georgia’s
State Defense Force no sooner
finished a major homeland security exercise in late
September with ER2003 at
Dobbins Air Reserve Base, then they geared up for Annual Training
in Catoosa at the National Guard Training Facility.
The
Defense Force Headquarters, Support Group, Medical Units, and the
90 troopers of the First Brigade participated bringing the total
attendance to 180.
“This
is an opportunity for all to experience field training and test
unit readiness,” commented First Brigade Commander C. J. West.
The GSDF staff participated in a variety of medical triage,
helicopter landing zone and evacuation training courses, as well
as compass and land navigation, radio communication, and search and
rescue training. Training for the Southern Brigades was held in April in
Cochran,
Georgia
. Full
Story
See
more Photos on the Web
108th Cavalry: Troopers Assist Annual
ROTC Competition
 Soldiers
of Griffin’s Troop E, 108th Cavalry, used their November drill
to support the annual JROTC Raider Rendezvous held at Camp
Thunder Boy Scout Camp in Thomaston.
Camp Thunder sits along on the Flint River 20
miles south of Griffin.
At least 38 troopers gave their time and
talents to more than 400 competitors from schools across Georgia
and the southeast, said 1st Sgt. Steve Jones, Troop E’s top
NCO. Among the Georgia students were those from Griffin High
School, which sponsors the competition, he said. Read
the Full Story
Counterdrug
Assists Cops with Weapons Training
A citizen-solider with Georgia’s
Counterdrug Task Force helped civilian law enforcement officers
in late October become more proficient with the tools they use
to "serve and protect."
Georgia Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Scott
Carden was one of four firearms instructors who helped 16
senior police officers from police departments across state who
were training at the Northwest Georgia Police
Academy in Cave Spring. The training, which Carden touted as the
first of its kind, was conducted at the Rome Police Training
Center in Rome about 20 miles from the Academy. Read
the Full Story
121st Infantry: Soldiers Engage in Special
Training
 Ask any
NCO or
officer what it takes to make a soldier ready for battle and he
will surely say it involves more than handing that person
equipment, pointing him in the direction of the gun fire and
saying "go get em’ tiger." It takes
extensive training so the soldier can use the equipment, find
the enemy, and complete the mission.
Members of Cordele’s Company B, 2nd Battalion, 121st
Infantry were involved in such training recently when its
members climbed into the Army’s mobile Close Combat Tactical
Trainer (CCTT) to sharpen their skills with the M2 Bradley
fighting vehicle.
Read the
Full Story
See
Photos on the Web
Transportation
Fair Results
In 15 New Carpool Arrangements
 The
Environmental Stewardship Branch and Georgia’s Clean Air
Campaign hosted a Transportation Fair on Friday, October 24 at
Bldg. 21. The turnout was tremendous and there were fifteen new
car/van-pools established for the Confederate Ave. complex. To
help make the process work,
"carpool/vanpool only" parking signs will be placed in
all parking lots.
The GaARNG
Environmental Branch had a display with giveaways for everyone,
including recycled denim pencils, endangered species bookmarks,
American flags, and "Care for the Earth" lollipops.
Free water bottles and T-shirts were given away to the people who
signed up, and everyone was able to enter a drawing for a new
hybrid car to be given away in January. More information can be
found at the web site: www.cleanaircampaign.com.
2003 Historical Conference
Topics
Range From Hi-'Jinx' to Nagasaki
 Nagasaki in ashes and actress-model Jinx Falkenberg wowed the troops
--
just exiting an car -- two observations among many about life in
the Army and National Guard during World War II, that patrons of
the 2003 Historical Society of the Georgia National Guard
conference
heard recently.
Held
in Forsyth, Ga., the 12th annual conference featured talks by
Brig. Gen. (Ret.) James McLendon who served with the Army Air
Corps in the Pacific theater ; John Meeler, a member of the Georgia
Army Guard from 1936 through the war years
who served in Europe as a
member of the 179th Field Artillery; and, Charles Shepherd,
who earned
a Silver Star as leader of a rifle platoon of "K"
company, 121st Infantry.
Read
full story on the Society's web site
Twenty-three state employees representing more
than 300 years of combined service to the Georgia Department of
Defense were honored this month during an award ceremony at the
state’s Confederate Avenue complex.
Full
Story and Pictures
On The Web
Statewide
Events Honor Georgia Veterans
 Several events are on tap across the state
in November to celebrate the dedication and sacrifice by America’s
military veterans down through the years. Specifically, they will honor
the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines now engaged in the war
on terror.
Recently, the annual Veterans
Appreciation program was conducted by staff members of the United
States Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta. Representatives of Army,
Army Guard and Reserve, Air Force, Navy and Marines were honored
during a one-hour ceremony.
On Saturday, Nov. 8, Veterans Day programs and
parades are set for the cities of Cordele and Gray. Events
include a static helicopter display by the Georgia Army National
Guard’s 171st Aviation Regiment stationed in Marietta. The
following day Villa Rica’s Midway Macedonia Church holds its
annual salute to veterans. Army Guard static displays and a color
guard are scheduled to be on hand.
Veterans Day programs kick into high gear on Wednesday, Nov.
11, with Guard participation scheduled in five events.
These include military static displays at Kennesaw State
University, Cross Roads Church and Thomas Cross Roads Elementary
School, both in Sharpsburg. Newnan’s Madras Middle School will
host a program, with Lt. Col. Stan Crowder speaking at 2 p.m. to
residents and guests of Winthrop at Cobb Assisted Living Community
in Austell. SFC David Harvison will speak to the Skyline Civitan
Club at the Courtyards at Marriott in Atlanta on Tuesday, 11 Nov
at 1230 hours. For more information on these events, visit the "Events
Webpage."
Executive
Assistant to TAG Recognized for Public Service Excellence
Michael Fowler, executive assistant to the Adjutant General was a
recent finalist for the Excellence in Public Service competition
for the State of Georgia. Fowler
has almost 24 years of public service in Georgia, serving as
deputy commissioner for the Georgia Department of Labor, joint
Secretary of the State Examining Boards and director of
administration for the Georgia Medicaid agency. He is currently at
the forefront of the state’s homeland security efforts.
He is widely respected for his detailed knowledge of state
and federal programs and his ability to obtain funding and
resources necessary to enhance and maintain Georgia’s military
funding and resources necessary to enhance and maintain
Georgia’s military readiness on several levels.
He is also responsive for the expansion in Georgia of the
highly lauded Youth Challenge Academy for at-risk children.
Fowler
is a native of Augusta, Georgia.
He holds a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering degree from
the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Master of Business
Administration degree from Georgia State University.
In addition to his work in public service, he held the
position of executive director for both the Medical Association
of Georgia and Mental Health Association of Metropolitan
Atlanta.
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Georgia DOD Home
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Two
additional units of the Georgia Army National Guard have been
alerted for possible mobilization as part of most
recent Department of Defense unit rotation plan for Operation
Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.