National Guard Preps for East Coast Snowmageddon

In this file photo, Army Sgt. 1st Class Jason Mannarino of the Wisconsin National Guard hooks up a chain to pull snowplow from a snow bank, Dec. 9, 2009. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Vaughn R. Larson.)

On the Home Front:

ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 5, 2010 -- Schools are closing, weekend activities are being cancelled and the federal government here will shut down four hours early today, but the National Guard is on duty in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia in anticipation of a major winter storm.

About 660 Guardsmen have been activated for a storm that is expected to dump up to 28 inches of snow and bring high winds to the northern and western parts of Virginia and then continue north up the East Coast this weekend.

"This storm will bring severe weather to many parts of Virginia,” said Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell. “As the storm affects your area, please stay off the roads and contact local authorities if help is needed."

McDonnell declared a state of emergency Feb. 3, and the state’s Department of Military Affairs is staging more than 400 personnel from the Virginia Army and Air National Guard and Virginia Defense Force at key locations in the commonwealth.

If needed, the DMA will bring an additional 100 personnel on duty when the weather picture and state and local support requirements become clearer, according to a news release from the state.

“We are moving DMA personnel into position in order to be on standby for possible missions to assist state and local emergency response organizations with rescue and transportation operations,” said Army Col. Rob McMillin, a Virginia National Guard joint operations officer.

Personnel were expected to be in place yesterday and to be ready for duty this morning, Guard officials reported.

McMillin stressed that the Virginia National Guard receives its missions through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management to assist state and local emergency response organizations and is not able to respond to direct support requests from the public.

“During the winter storm in December 2009, we received calls directly from citizens, and we are not able to respond to those requests.” McMillin said. “We urge people who need assistance to make a request through their local dispatcher or 911 services, and that request will be forwarded to the DMA when appropriate.”

McMillin said the initial plan is to place Virginia National Guard personnel with Humvees on duty at locations throughout the commonwealth.

This is the third time since the middle of December the DMA has called up Guardsmen for weather-related duty. The DMA had nearly 250 soldiers, airmen and members on duty throughout southern Virginia on Jan. 29 and 700 on duty after a storm that began Dec. 18.

In Maryland, the National Guard has pre-positioned its forces and equipment to provide support to civil authorities. Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley is expected to declare a state emergency later today.

“The Maryland National Guard always stands ready to support the governor and the citizens of Maryland,” said Army Lt. Col. Charles Kohler, the state public affairs officer. “We provide essential, lifesaving services when local and state response capabilities are overwhelmed, including the capability to provide transportation, shelter, food, water and medical support.

He added that the National Guard has 34 armories across Maryland that also will be used to support this ongoing operation.

In the District of Columbia, Washington Mayor Andrew Fenty declared a snow emergency this morning. The National Guard will provide 12 Humvees and 60 soldiers to help in implementing the district’s Snow Emergency Management Plan.

In Delaware, Gov. Jack Markell is prepared to declare a state of emergency, his spokesman said. If needed, the Delaware National Guard will be mobilized.

In South Dakota, 16 Guardsmen are still on duty helping to re-establish road and utility infrastructure and conduct search-and-rescue operations as required by local authorities. The state experienced strong winter storms with high winds, snow, and freezing rain on Jan. 23, and more than 2,000 residents are currently without power throughout the state.

National Guard missions normally performed during snow operations include assisting local law enforcement with transportation and evacuation, distribution of supplies, road clearing and snow removal, search and rescue, security and law enforcement airspace coordination, aircraft support and patient evacuations, airspace coordination, and sheltering assistance.

(Report by Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, National Guard Bureau with contributions by Army Maj. Cotton Puryear of the Virginia National Guard.)

National Guard Responds to Record Snowfall in Northeast

Virginia National Guard Soldiers from the Charlottesville-based Company C, 429th Brigade Support Battalion, 116th Brigade Combat Team load 100 blankets provided by the Dillwyn Correctional Center and transported them a shelter in Nelson County, Dec. 19, 2009. The Virginia National Guard has Soldiers on state active duty in order to assist state and local agencies in response to severe winter weather across the state. (National Guard photo by Maj. Cotton Puryear, Virginia National Guard.)

On the Home Front:

ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 21, 2009 -- National Guardsmen in seven states were called to duty over the weekend after a record snowfall blanketed the Northeast.

More than 1,200 Guardsmen in Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware, the District of Columbia and North Carolina responded to requests for road clearance, evacuation and other related missions.

In Virginia, about 400 Guardsmen were initially mobilized, but Gov. Tim Kaine authorized another 600 Soldiers on Dec. 20. According to a press release from the state, more than 750 Soldiers and Airmen were expected to be on duty throughout the state by the afternoon of Dec. 20.

"The Virginia National Guard continues to assist state and local agencies across the commonwealth with rescuing stranded motorists, transporting critical supplies, assisting with sheltering operations and transporting patients and health care professionals," said Air Force Maj. Gen. Robert B. Newman, the adjutant general of Virginia.

Newman explained that the Virginia Guard receives missions through the state Department of Emergency Management based on requests from local emergency response organizations. Any citizens, who feel they need support from the Guard, should make their request through their local first responders, not directly to the Guard.

On Dec. 20, soldiers from the 116th Brigade Combat Team, based in Staunton, Va., helped state police wake stranded motorists along I-81 in an effort to get traffic moving, while Airmen from the 203rd Rapid Engineers Deployable Heavy Operations Repair Squadron Engineers, or RED HORSE, Civil Engineering Squadron, based in Virginia Beach, Va., were scheduled to transport cots to a shelter in Wise County. Other missions included aerial reconnaissance, transporting food, water, blankets and other supplies, transporting stranded motorists and health care professionals and sheltering operations.

In West Virginia, 235 Guardsmen operating nine wreckers and two graders were used to clear the West Virginia Turnpike on Dec. 19. "They had plows moving down the toll road as well as trucks that could move vehicles stuck in the middle of the road out of the way to get things moving," Air Force Lt. Col. Mike Cadle, the public affairs officer for the West Virginia Guard, told local news outlets.

On Dec. 20, the Guard continued "wellness checks" throughout the state. "We have Humvees out in many of those effected communities," Cadle said. "And those Humvees have food and water. We're traversing some of the more rural, hard to get to areas.

Cadle said the West Virginia Guard gets its missions from the state's Office of Emergency Services, and their job isn't done until the governor releases them.
"We'll continue pressing," he said. "We don't have a timeline. We're going to be working until the county directors and the state officials tell us that we're finished."
In Kentucky, 170 Guardsmen were deployed to remove fallen trees from roads and help with evacuations in the eastern areas of the commonwealth. Thirteen counties in southeastern Kentucky had declared a state of emergency as of Dec. 20.

Army Brig. Gen. John Heltzel, deputy commander of the Kentucky National Guard, told local news outlets that about 87,000 homes were without power as of noon on Dec. 20. The Public Service Commission listed power outages in 26 counties, primarily in Eastern Kentucky.

Heltzel said the main power lines are up, but wires feeding power into many residential areas are down. He expects power to be restored to half the affected area by Wednesday, with the rest done by Sunday.

"We hope to make everybody happy and beat that," he said.

In Maryland, more than 140 Guardsmen were on duty over the weekend, but that number dropped to 19 today. About 46 Humvees and five ambulances were used throughout the state. A state of emergency was declared in the state.

"The majority of the requests we received during the snowstorm were to support local and state law enforcement agencies," said Army Brig. Gen. James A. Adkins, the adjutant general of Maryland. "Use of our Humvees ensured that first responders were able to get where they needed to go to provide critical services to the citizens of Maryland."

In Delaware, 61 Guardsmen operating 15 Humvees, five light medium tactical vehicles and four wreckers were on duty throughout the state to respond to emergency transportation and rescue requests. A state of emergency was declared in New Castle and Kent counties.

"People are strongly advised to stay off the roads in Kent and New Castle counties," Gov. Jack Markell told local news outlets. "Our state agencies have been working together to prepare for and combat the effects of this storm. Remaining off the roads helps them in this effort and is important to public safety."

Dubbed Operation Arctic Endeavor II, Delaware Guard officials said they are prepared to provide special needs sheltering, transportation support using highly mobile multi-wheeled vehicles and LMTVs, road clearing support and any other support as required by the Delaware Emergency Management Agency.

The Delaware Guard has also prepared three task forces pre-positioned at four Emergency Operation Centers throughout the state, Guard officials said. Task Force New Castle has locations in Belvedere and Wilmington, Task Force Sussex is in Georgetown and Task Force Kent is in Smyrna. Each EOC is staffed with Humvees, an LMTV, a large tow truck and two Guardsmen per vehicle.

In the District of Columbia, 27 Guardsmen and 10 Humvees are standing by to provide transportation support. A state of emergency has been declared in the district.
In North Carolina, 24 Guardsmen were called in Saturday morning to help the North Carolina Highway Patrol dig out and remove abandoned cars from the highway.

(Report by Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, National Guard Bureau.)

National Guard in 2 States Respond to Winter Storm

Army Sgt. 1st Class Jason Mannarino of the Wisconsin National Guard hooks up a chain to pull snowplow from a snow bank, Dec. 9, 2009. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Vaughn R. Larson.)

On the Home Front:

ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 10, 2009 -- As the first major winter storm of the season continues to drop snow and ice throughout the Midwest, elements of the Iowa and Wisconsin National Guard are ready to assist state and local authorities in responding to emergency calls.

More than 40 Iowa Guard members have been on duty since Dec. 8 in preparation for the storm, said Army Maj. Michael Wunn, public affairs officer for the Iowa National Guard. Though the storm wasn’t expected to hit until the early morning hours, Guard members were called in early to be in place when the storm hit.

“It can take awhile to put people on duty,” Wunn said yesterday, “so rather than wait until the middle of the night to start calling people in, … we went ahead and called those people up and pre-staged them so that they were in position this morning … [to] assist when the calls came in.”

Most of those calls have been focused on assisting stranded motorists. “[The] primary mission is to work with state and local authorities to assist stranded motorists and help close primary roads to traffic if the need arises,” Wunn explained.

The Iowa Guard is ready for other contingencies as well. “In this situation, it’s all been focused on highways and motorists,” Wunn said. “In previous years, when we’ve had an ice storm, we’ve sent those teams out when there have been downed power lines and a need to go check on homes and that sort of thing.”

Planning for the storm response started several months ago.

“We started more than two months ago, reviewing our winter storm plan, and we pre-staged some vehicles and we put cots and blankets at various locations across the state that could be used in the event that we needed to assist communities with warming centers, which we haven’t had to do in this situation,” Wunn said, noting that being prepared is one of the reasons why the Iowa Guard has been able to assist local authorities easily.

“Preparedness is the key,” he said, “and getting units identified to provide that capability, and getting the vehicles staged, and having chains on the tires so that they’re ready to go.”

The Iowa Guard has sent a few teams out to help with stranded motorists, Wunn said, but the streets have been largely empty.

“People had quite a bit of notice about this storm and a lot of information was out there, and I think, for the most part, people have heeded the advice from the local authorities and have stayed off the roads,” he said.

Meanwhile, about 100 Wisconsin Guard members are on standby orders in case local authorities need assistance.

“Currently, the Wisconsin National Guard has not been called out to assist local authorities,” said Army Lt. Col. Jacqueline Guthrie, public affairs officer for the Wisconsin Guard. “But we stand ready should we be needed.”

If called upon, the Wisconsin Guard would perform similar missions as the Iowa Guard and assist with responding to stranded motorists, traffic control and health and welfare checks.

Guthrie added that the Wisconsin National Guard has resources available across the state to respond if civilian authorities request assistance.

Army Maj. David May, the Wisconsin National Guard's deputy director of operations for domestic support, said a number of tactical vehicles equipped for blizzard conditions – Humvees, 5-ton trucks and heavy expanded mobility tactical trucks, along with operators – are available to respond to this storm.

If called upon, Guard members might assist the state patrol in searching for stranded motorists along snow-clogged highways or deliver food and water to motorists and other displaced citizens at emergency collection sites.

National Guard armories and other facilities could be opened as collection sites if the need arises, May added.

In addition, the Wisconsin National Guard's two Army aviation units have flight crews available, once the weather improves, to conduct air searches along highways for traffic accidents or blockages, as well as stranded motorists.

May explained that because the Wisconsin Guard is monitoring the events as they unfold in the state emergency operations center, it can be proactive in its response. As various agencies identify needs, appropriate resources can also be identified within the EOC and directed as needed.

The storm was expected to continue for much of the day yesterday before passing on. With the rest of the week expected to remain cloudy and cold, but with no additional snowfall, Guard members will start to be released from duty.

“I think the winds are supposed to die down this afternoon,” Wunn said yesterday. “We’ll continue doing recovery operations and then start bringing those teams back to their home armories. I think everyone should be off active duty in the next day or so.”

(Report by Army Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy, National Guard Bureau.)

Pentagon Discuses Guard's Response in 'Balloon Boy' Incident

News in Balance:

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 16, 2009 -- The Colorado Army National Guard joined rescue efforts for a 6-year-old boy believed adrift in a homemade hot air balloon yesterday.

Colorado citizen-soldiers used UH-60 Black Hawk and OH-58 Kiowa helicopters to provide military assistance to civilian authorities who believed Falcon Heene was inside a silver Mylar balloon adrift over the northern Colorado plains, National Guard Bureau officials said.

The Federal Aviation Administration and sheriff's deputies were told that the experimental helium hot air balloon broke free from its tethers at the Heenes' home in Fort Collins with the boy inside.

The Colorado National Guard's Joint Operations Center responded to an Air Force Rescue Coordination Center request for assistance to the Larimer County Sheriff's Office, Colorado National Guard officials said.

The Black Hawk, which had rescue capabilities in the event that an airborne rescue was required, carried observers and medical personnel, 1st Air Force officials reported.

The Colorado National Guard stood down from the mission after local authorities determined that the boy was safe in his home.

Located under 1st Air Force at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center is the agency responsible for coordinating on-land federal search and rescue activities in the 48 contiguous United States, Mexico and Canada. It directly ties to the FAA's alerting system.

(Report by Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill, National Guard Bureau public affairs.)

Pentagon Discusses Four Charged With Terror Plot Against Air Guard Base, Jewish Facilities

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, May 21, 2009 -- Less than a month after the sentencing of five defendants found guilty in a terror plot to kill soldiers at Fort Dix, N.J., authorities say they have foiled another terrorist plot against an Air National Guard base and a synagogue and Jewish community center in New York.

The FBI and New York police arrested four suspects yesterday who allegedly were planning to shoot down military planes at the New York Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, N.Y., and blow up a synagogue and Jewish community center in the Bronx.

James Cromitie, the alleged group leader, as well as David Williams, Onta Williams and Laguerre Payen were charged with conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction in the United States and conspiracy to acquire and use anti-aircraft missiles, FBI officials said. The first charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, and the latter a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison.

Authorities made the arrests last night as the defendants were preparing to carry out their planned attacks, officials said. The suspects intended to use devices containing C-4 plastic explosives to attack the synagogue and community center, they said.

From there, the defendants allegedly planned to head north to the New York Air National Guard Base at Stewart Airport in Newburgh with what they thought was an activated Stinger surface-to-air missile to shoot down military aircraft, officials said.

The defendants believed the weapons had been provided through Jaysh-e-Mohammed, a terrorist group based in Pakistan, officials said. However, their supplier actually was an undercover FBI informant who provided them inert C-4 plastic explosives and a deactivated Stinger, they said.

FBI officials said the informant began meeting with Cromitie in October at a house in which they had concealed video and audio equipment to capture evidence as the suspects planned their attacks.

The suspects selected their targets last month, and began conducting surveillance and taking photographs of the National Guard base, officials said. Late last month, Cromitie and David Williams also purchased a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol to use during the planned attacks, officials said.

The suspects, all Muslims, said they wanted to carry out a jihad, or holy war, because of operations under way in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly told reporters yesterday. All four suspects have criminal records, but none appeared to be part of al-Qaida, he said.

Acting U.S. Attorney Lev. L. Dassin praised the cooperative investigation that included the Air Force Office of Special Investigations as well as the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, the FBI, New York Police Department, New York State Police and New York State Office of Homeland Security.

"The defendants planned to strike military planes with surface-to-air guided missiles and to destroy a synagogue and a Jewish community center with C-4 plastic explosives,” he said. “Thanks to the extraordinary, collaborative work of our law enforcement partners, the defendants' plans were thwarted and the defendants are under arrest."

The five would-be Fort Dix attackers sentenced last month, all Muslim immigrants, were arrested in May 2007. Four were sentenced to life in prison, and the fifth received a 33-year sentence.

(Report by Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service.)

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Pentagon: Air National Guard Engineers Prep for Involuntary Overseas Deployment

News in Balance:

ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md., March 13, 2009 -- Air National Guard civil engineer squadrons comprising hundreds of construction and repair experts will involuntary deploy overseas in historic numbers and scope over the next two years, senior Air Guard officials said.

The mobilizations involve nearly one-eighth of the Air Guard’s civil engineer squadrons and differ from previous deployments, when citizen-airmen stepped forward as volunteers to man joint expeditionary groups.

"We have large groups being involuntarily mobilized in the beginning and middle of 2009,” Air Force Col. John Elwood of the Air Guard Readiness Center's civil engineer office said. He said that notices also are coming for 2010.

Since 9/11, civil engineers have provided ongoing support among the nearly 60,000 Guard soldiers and airmen now supporting operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

These new deployments will put more boots on the ground in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan, and where the Air Force’s civil engineers operate in theater, Elwood said.

The tons of equipment and acres of command centers that civil engineers manage, improve, move, take home and stand up put them in high demand, Elwood said.

There are 87 Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force, or Prime BEEF, squadrons in the Air National Guard. Prime BEEF airmen include trained electricians, plumbers, carpenters, heavy equipment operators, and heating and air-conditioning specialists who maintain military bases at home and overseas.

"As you take down a base or build one, someone has to manage the electric, the water, the buildings, and the runways and maintain them," Elwood said. "This is all part of that process."

Prime BEEF teams will mobilize almost all of their airmen with the exception of base firefighters.

Air Force Lt. Col. Paul Novello, commander of the New Jersey Air National Guard's 108th Civil Engineer Squadron, broke the news of their involuntary deployment during the February training assembly.

As a Prime BEEF unit, Novello’s nearly 90 airmen are recognized as the Air Force’s civil engineers of the year for the Guard and Reserve.

His airmen have volunteered for individual combat deployments since 9/11, and the unit has deployed groups of 30 to 40 airmen for training events and exercises.

But their recent orders to involuntarily deploy the squadron are the first he can recall. "Overall, everybody took it very well," he said.

Their notification comes months before their departure, so Novello said they will train and prepare their families and employers until then.

"The two things we don't anticipate worrying about over there is mowing the grass and snow removal," he said joking.

But on a more serious note, Novello said the absence of his entire squadron, which maintains its own infrastructure on McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., will require "strict planning" to keep their base construction and repair projects going. "That's a problem we are addressing," he said.

New Jersey's governor and adjutant general are well prepared to handle any state emergencies in their absence, he added.

"The beautiful part of New Jersey is we have two quick reaction forces, so we have some depth to our state missions,” he said.

The airmen soon will head to Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa., and its regional training center, where they and other Prime BEEFs will train in their wartime skills, he said. They also plan to attend an Air Force Silver Flag expeditionary exercise at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.

Novello said the advantage of deploying as a hometown unit is that they know and trust each other. Most of his airmen have more than 20 years of service and just as many years working together.

“We are one big team,” he said. Another advantage, he added, is that the leadership and unit experience they gain in theater will carry over to their state missions and Air Guard.

But for other squadrons, the involuntary deployments are business as usual. While full squadron mobilizations for Prime BEEF are unusual, RED HORSE -- Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers -- and Army Guard engineers have normally deployed as hometown units.

Lt. Col. Terry Robinson, logistics officer for the Pennsylvania Guard’s 201st RED HORSE at Fort Indiantown Gap, said their combat area deployment this year will be their third since 2002. The Air Guard has eight RED HORSE squadrons, and Elwood said three more will deploy into next year.

RED HORSE is a heavy repair and construction element. Two, 200-person squadrons join in deployment as a full RED HORSE that can build bases and operate independently of other organizations.

Their special capabilities include explosive demolition and concrete and asphalt operations, as well as rock quarrying.

The demand for RED HORSE also is growing, Robinson said. "We recently grew by a full RED HORSE in the Guard," he said.

For their mobilization, Robinson said his big concern is to prepare everyone it affects. "We've done it a couple of times, and we understand how it works with our employers and families. The best advice I can give [Prime BEEF] is to train like you intend to go to war.

"It’s a simple concept we all try to do, but we all make concessions, and we need to make training as real as possible,” he continued. “Keep abreast of what’s happening in theater, because that’s what you have to train to."

(Report by Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith, National Guard Bureau.)

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Army National Guard Cuts Recruiting, Retention Bonuses

News in Balance:

ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 28, 2009 -- Since 2005, the number of Army National Guard enlistees has grown due in large part to enlistment bonuses ranging from $2,000 to $15,000.

But that will change March 1 as the Army Guard restructures the way it pays out those bonuses.

“About 78 percent of people that joined the Army National Guard over the last three years received a bonus of some kind,” said Army Col. Michael Jones, commander of the Army Guard’s Strength Command, which oversees recruiting and retention issues. “That will be reduced to about 5 percent going forward.”

A drop in the number of bonuses being paid is a result of several factors.

“We had to scale back on some of the bonuses we were offering due to some funding challenges and trying to live within the appropriations we’ve been given,” said Jones, who added that the funding for those bonuses has been affected by the country’s current economic environment.

Because of that, rather than providing enlistment bonuses across the board, bonuses will be linked to specific career fields or units within the Army Guard.

“Going forward, the 5 percent of Soldiers that will receive a bonus will be targeted toward very critical skills (military occupational specialties) or units that are sourced (meaning) they’ve gotten their alert that they are going to be deployed,” said Jones.

Critical MOSs include medical, military intelligence and transportation, among others.

The change in the bonus structure will also affect those who are considering re-enlistment in the Army Guard.

“Our retention bonuses will vary as well,” said Jones. The standard re-enlistment bonus has been $15,000 for an additional six-year commitment, but “that will be paired back to $5,000 for units not deploying and if you are deploying, that will be paired down to $10,000.”

But while these financial bonuses are scaled back, other opportunities may be available for Soldiers.

“We’re looking at things that are non-monetary,” said Jones. “For example, the ability to go to Air Assault School to earn that qualification badge.”

In addition to Air Assault School, the option of going to Airborne School or other specialized schools or training may also be made available.

“A lot of Soldiers would say, ‘Hey, I’d pay $5,000 to get to go to Air Assault School. I don’t ever get to do that.’ (We’re looking at) things … that a Soldier truly wants to earn and have that on their record.”

Jones said recruiters will also continue to tout the tuition assistance and Montgomery G.I. Bill benefits offered by the Army Guard.

One recruiting program that has not been affected is the Guard Recruiting Assistance Program (G-RAP), which pays $1,000 to Guardmembers for referring someone who enlists and $1,000 when they ship to basic training.

“G-RAP has been one of those amazing stories of where you develop a strategy, you fund it and it absolutely comes to fruition the way you wanted it to be,” said Jones. “Right now, the amount of money for G-RAP … will remain intact.”

(Report by Army Staff Sgt. Jon Soucy, National Guard Bureau.)

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New York National Guard Preps for New Year's Eve

A large number "9" arrives via a New York Waterway ferry for the countdown to 2009 above Times Square on New Year's Eve in New York December 17, 2008. (Newswire photo.)

News in Balance:

NEW YORK, Dec. 31, 2008 -- As New Yorkers and visitors gear up for New Year's Eve celebrations, state officials said the Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen of the New York National Guard are ready to support homeland security missions across the state.

At the direction of New York Gov. David Paterson, members of the New York Army and Air National Guard will conduct additional security missions and stand ready to respond to local civil authorities if an emergency occurs.

In New York City, National Guard Soldiers and Airmen will conduct increased security operations at Penn Station, the PATH terminal, and LaGuardia and JFK airports in coordination with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The National Guard's 2nd Civil Support Team, a full-time rapid response element that detects chemical, biological or radiological hazards will also provide a detachment in Manhattan to support the New York Police Department. The 22-man detachment, based at the Scotia Air National Guard Base near Schenectady, N.Y., has been partnered with the NYPD for counter-terrorism support operations since the unit's formation in 2000.

At the New York National Guard headquarters in Latham, N.Y., staff representatives from New York State military forces will man and operate the National Guard's Joint Operations Center. This command and control node provides linkages to the State Emergency Management Office and New York State Department of Homeland Security.

The New York National Guard will also provide liaison officers to the NYS Emergency Management Office and the New York City Police Department.

(Report by Eric Durr, New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs.)

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National Guard Preps for 372nd Birthday

News in Balance:

ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 12, 2008 -- The United States is a young country, but four of the oldest military organizations in the world are in the country’s National Guard.

The National Guard celebrates its 372nd birthday tomorrow. On Dec. 13, 1636, the Massachusetts Bay Colony divided its citizen-soldiers, or militia, into the North, South and East regiments.

The Massachusetts Bay colony was seven years old in 1636. About 5,000 men, women, and children had made the two-month voyage to the New World, leaving behind the relative comfort and safety of England. In Massachusetts, they confronted a wilderness of dense forests, wild animals and suspicious Indians.

The colonists needed a military force for protection, but they had no money to hire a mercenary army, which was common practice in Europe at the time. So they turned to the English tradition of the militia -- citizen-soldiers who gathered for military training and who could fight when needed.

In Massachusetts, all able-bodied men between ages 16 and 60, except ministers and judges, were required to join the militia. By 1636, the Massachusetts Bay Colony militia was large enough to be divided into three separate regiments.

Today, the military lineage of these regiments from 1636 is carried on by the 101st Engineer Battalion, the 101st Field Artillery, the 181st Infantry and the 182nd Cavalry, which are all still part of the Massachusetts Army National Guard. These four units, in one form or another, have been in continuous service since 1636, and are the oldest units in the U.S. Army.

Much has changed in this country since 1636, but one thing has not: citizen-soldiers still gather to train and deploy as they have for 372 years.

(Report by Renee Hylton, National Guard Bureau.)

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National Guard’s Only Stryker Brigade Preps for Iraq Deployment

News in Balance:

CAMP SHELBY, Miss., Dec. 2, 2008 -- About 4,000 soldiers representing the National Guard’s only Stryker brigade will deploy to Iraq in early 2009.

The Pennsylvania National Guard's 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team has been transforming to a Stryker brigade since October 2004.

After they were alerted of their pending deployment in October 2007, the brigade’s soldiers have been training at the Joint Forces Training Center here. They will continue on to Fort Polk, La., for additional training before they make their way to Iraq.

"The training we have done at Camp Shelby has been a good building block allowing us to expand upon what we were previously doing," Army Col. Mike Ferraro, commander of the 56th SBCT, said.

Though more than half of the soldiers deploying with the SBCT have prior deployment experience, Ferraro said, training still is vital to the mission.

"Times have changed and continue to change as we prepare to deploy, so we must train on those current tactics, techniques and procedures in order to be successful," he said.

Army Capt. Joseph Ruotolo, commander of Pennsylvania’s Battery B, 1st Battalion, 109th Field Artillery, agreed.

"This war is different from any other,” he said, “and as a result, a lot of the operations and success of this war is driven by the noncommissioned officers and junior leaders. Because that responsibility is now pushed down to the junior leaders, this war is all about being a good basic soldier."

In addition to mastering basic skills such as using a radio, knowing their weapon, navigating over land, reading a map and performing preventive maintenance checks and services, he said, soldiers also need to bring the right frame of mind to the fight.

"Being a good basic soldier and a good basic human being with honorable moral and ethical character are the ingredients to the success of this war we are fighting," Ruotolo said.

In addition to training at Joint Forces Training Center here, the SBCT has worked with the 2nd Infantry Division’s 4th Brigade out of Fort Lewis, Wash. -- an active-duty Stryker brigade -- to prepare for their mission.

The active-duty soldiers taught the guardsmen current tactics, techniques and procedures being used in Iraq. They also conducted Stryker-specific training and shared what they learned from being overseas, Ferraro said.

"Having them here to work with us at Camp Shelby has been one of the biggest benefits we have been able to get," Ferraro said. "The partnership has benefited us immensely."

Ferraro noted that the active-duty soldiers have been thoroughly professional in helping the guardsmen prepare for their deployment.

"They are not looking at the patch and the fact that we are National Guard,” he said. “We are all soldiers and all out to do the same thing in the Stryker community."

National Guard soldiers often are able to lend civilian-acquired skills to an operational environment, and Ferraro said this deployment will be no different.

"If we are working with Iraq police forces, we can pull from all of our police officers; same thing if we are working with the local community to build schools and curriculum, we can pull from all the teachers in our brigade," he said.

Ferraro said his soldiers are ready for what lies ahead.

"My soldiers want to show everyone that they made the right decision by putting the 56th SBCT in the Pennsylvania National Guard," he said. "We are making history, and we wouldn't trade our position for anything in the world."

(Report by Army Sgt. Sheila Holifield, 1st Army Division East’s 177th Armored Brigade Public Affairs Office.)

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South Dakota Guard Preps for Blizzard Response

Vehicles stuck in the snow litter eight street Thursday afternoon, Nov. 6, 2008, near downtown Rapid City, S.D. (News wirephoto.)

On the Home Front:

RAPID CITY, S.D. , Nov. 7, 2008 -- Leaders of the South Dakota National Guard began preparing personnel and equipment last night to support the state's emergency response in the wake of a fall blizzard that began two days ago in the western part of the state.

During a conference call, senior Army and Air National Guard leaders across the state placed into action a plan to prepare soldiers and airmen to respond to five possible missions that the Guard may receive from the South Dakota Office of Emergency Management over the next few days.

Guard officials are preparing for search-and-rescue missions, support missions for snow removal and power restoration, requests for power generator equipment and aerial observation missions.

"Our soldiers and airmen will be there when called," said Air Force Maj. Gen. Steven R. Doohen, South Dakota’s adjutant general. "Our Guard members are getting ready to hit the road and support our state's emergency management agencies, save lives, and ease suffering."

National Guard support is based on needs and requirements vetted though the Office of Emergency Management, which is the lead agency for all state emergency response.

The Guard has numerous pieces of snow removal equipment such as snow blowers, loaders, bulldozers, road graders and dump trucks throughout the state to support the potential emergency response.

"Our greatest resource is our people and their ability to respond," Doohen said. "Our team is standing by."

The South Dakota National Guard has more than 4,000 soldiers and airmen available to respond to state emergencies, natural disasters and homeland defense.

(Report from a South Dakota National Guard news release.)

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Ohio National Guard Closes Communications Gap in Afghanistan

About 40 Soldiers from the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, pictured here, will provide Joint Node Network communications in Afghanistan. The JNN system will provide the infrastructure for the entire Afghanistan theatre with regular Internet, secure phones, secure Internet and voice teleconferencing capabilities, which has never been done before in Afghanistan. (Photo by Spc. Kimberly Johnson, Illinois National Guard.)

Dispatches from the Front:

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait, Nov. 1, 2008 -- The Ohio Army National Guard’s 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is making it’s presence felt in three key areas of Central Command: Kuwait, Iraq and now Afghanistan.

About 40 Soldiers from the brigade have been called in to set up Joint Node Network communications in Afghanistan.

“It’s a very important, high priority mission,” said Col. Richard T. Curry, the brigade commander. “The Soldiers who were selected were selected because of their unique skill set and the training they have accomplished over the last year.”

Currently, the infrastructure cannot support consistent, reliable communications in Afghanistan and hasn’t for quite some time.

Weather and other environmental issues also are wreaking havoc with the systems presently in use.

“Right now, they are not able to call in medical support the way we do in other theatres,” Curry said. “There is a communications gap up there. The biggest part of what we will be able to do is fill in that gap and by doing that, I absolutely believe we will be able to save lives in that theatre of operations.”

The JNN system will provide the infrastructure for the entire Afghanistan theatre with regular Internet, secure phones, secure Internet and voice teleconferencing capabilities, which has never been done before in Afghanistan.

“It comes down to the Army has a need. When there’s a need, our soldiers answer,” said Capt. Walter Work, the Task Force Dragon Blade commander. “We were called to serve and help out our fellow soldiers who are hurting as far as communication assets go.”

During three months of mobilization training at Fort Hood, Texas, the signal Soldiers of the 37th exceeded the expectations of their instructors.

“We have proven ourselves,” Work said. “The Soldiers we selected to go are the best of the best. We are honored and definitely taking our ‘A’ team to Afghanistan.”

(Report by Spc. Kimberly Johnson, 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.)

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Nevada National Guard Officer Helps Close Final Chapter of Fossett Search

While at the Mineret Overlook in California's Inyo National Forest backcountry on Oct. 20, 1st Lt. Natalie Morrow of the Nevada Army National Guard discusses how she and her husband, Preston, discovered items associated with Steve Fossett's downed aircraft. Morrow found a black sweatshirt near Mineret Mine that may have been Fossett's; positive DNA identification on bones found near Fossett's crashed plane are pending. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Erick Studenicka.)

On the Home Front:

MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif., Oct. 23, 2008 -- Nevada Army Guard helicopter pilots scoured more than 20,000 square miles looking for any evidence of him, dead or alive.

Nevada Air Guard analysts reviewed thousands of images looking for any potential trace of his Bellanca Super Decathlon stunt plane.

The September 2007 search was among the nation’s largest ever for an individual, involving hundreds of people and officially lasting for more than two weeks.

Unofficially, the search never ended for dozens of private citizens as speculation about what had happened raged around the world.

In the end, though, it was a Nevada Army Guard medical services officer on foot, 1st Lt. Natalie Morrow, who likely helped solve the mystery surrounding the disappearance of famed aviator-adventurer Steve Fossett on Sept. 30.

One day after her husband, Preston Morrow, found Fossett’s identification near abandoned Mineret Mine in rugged Mono County, Natalie Morrow found a black sweatshirt deep in the Inyo National Forest that likely had been worn by Fossett.

Bone fragments were also found at the site, but positive DNA identification associated with the bones is still pending.

“It was just a matter of luck; it was just the right place and we happened to be there,” Natalie said on Oct. 20. “It was a wide area to search, around Yerington and eastern California. It was one of those things – when you have debris scattered and demolished as much as it was – it was going to be hard to find.”

Natalie Morrow found a black Nautica brand sweatshirt. Officials said that is not the technical type of clothing they would usually expect to find deep in the backcountry.

Natalie, 36, is assigned to the Army Guard’s medical detachment headquartered in Reno, Nev. In her civilian occupation, she is a fire chief with the Mammoth Lakes Fire Department.

Natalie and her husband have lived in Mammoth Lakes for 16 years. She enlisted in the Nevada Army Guard in 2002 and graduated from Officer Candidate School in 2003.

Natalie deflected the credit for the discovery to Preston. If not for a late start on his hike on Sept. 29, it’s unlikely Preston would have intersected the wreckage. He had wanted to begin his hike with his dog Kona from the Mineret Lake trail head in the morning but did not start until 12:30 p.m.

“I had been on the trail for 4-5 miles and had the goal of reaching Mineret Mine,” Preston said. “Then it got late and I reached the decision I wasn’t going to make it to the mine if I wanted to get back to the car by dark.

“So I went off trail to get a nice view of the area at about 10,000 feet. Then I went on a beeline back down and that’s when I found the stuff. I was off-trail. That was the key. If it had been on a trail, it would have been spotted by backpackers and hikers.”

What Preston had found was the identification for James Steve Fossett and $1,005 in cash. The next day, Preston and Natalie returned with a wildlife specialist and a videographer to get the exact GPS coordinates; that’s when Natalie discovered the black sweatshirt.

The Morrows dispelled some common beliefs surrounding their discovery. They said officials would not specially notify them should the DNA tests confirm they discovered Fossett’s final resting place, and they said they knew of no reward associated with the find.

Natalie Morrow said it was a surreal feeling to realize they had discovered the clues to the famous mystery.

“I told Preston ‘I can’t believe you stumbled upon this,’” Natalie said. “It’s an amazing occurrence, considering all the man hours spent during the search process, and then he stumbles upon the ID card and the money during a hike.”

The Morrows do not anticipate the discovery will significantly alter their lives.

“It was a day and a half of fame across the nation -- and in New Zealand, but after that it was done and I never really thought about it too much,” Preston said. “It was cool with the clippings and photos and we did some video with family, and I’ll take those and store them away and it will become a part of our life. But it’s not earth-shattering for me.”

The aircraft wreckage was found about 65 miles due south of the Flying M Ranch near Yerington, Nev., where Fossett’s flight originated on Labor Day in 2007. Yerington, Nev., is about 70 miles southeast of Reno.

Madera County Sherriff John Anderson, who had helped in the 2007 search, told the Associated Press that the Civil Air Patrol had coordinated 19 flights over that general area during the initial search.

The wreckage was found at about 10,000 feet and snow is already limiting access to the area. Three slingloads of wreckage was recovered before the first major snowfall of the season occurred on Oct. 4. California Army Guard helicopters assisted in the removal of the wreckage.

Reasons for the crash could include mechanical failure or Fossett may have had a medical problem such as a heart attack. Weather records reveal there were large storm clouds around the Mammoth Lakes area on Sept. 3, 2007.

(Report by Sgt. 1st Class Erick Studenicka, Nevada National Guard.)

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National Guard Responds to Hurricane Omar

This NOAA satellite image shows Hurricane Omar moving towards Puerto Rico on October 14, 2008.

Hurricane Watch:

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 16, 2008 -- More than 90 National Guard members in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico are on duty today after Hurricane Omar passed through their area as a major Category 3 storm that caused little damage.

"Take this very seriously," Gov. John deJongh of the U.S. Virgin Islands said yesterday after he activated his National Guard, closed all public schools and imposed a 6 p.m. curfew for all islands.

The National Hurricane Center said the core of the storm with the most intense winds passed between St. Martin and the U.S. Virgin Islands overnight.

The storm knocked down trees and caused some flooding and minor mudslides, but there were no immediate reports of deaths or major damage, Mark Walters, director of the U.S. Virgin Islands disaster management agency, told the Associated Press.

About 75 Guard members are providing communication support in St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John, and transportation support on St. Croix with three Humvees and two 2.5-ton trucks. They also are manning shelters in St. Croix and St. Thomas.

Aviation assets, including an OH-58 Kiowa helicopter and a C-23 Sherpa turbo-prop airplane, are flying reconnaissance and damage assessment missions on the three islands.

National Guard officials said St. Croix is without power, and St. Thomas and St. John have no power on their north sides. All of the islands are still being hit with heavy rain and strong winds.

Puerto Rico, which was brushed by the storm, has 12 Guard members conducting command and control in the state’s Joint Operations Center.

Yesterday, two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from Puerto Rico were used to move rescue and medical personnel to the islands of Vieques and Culebra. One death was reported on Culebra. Authorities say a man collapsed from cardiac arrest while trying to install storm shutters to his house.

Four C-130 Hercules transports from the 156th Airlift Wing in Puerto Rico were evacuated yesterday, with three going to MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., and one going to Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla. Three are scheduled to return to the island today, with the remaining aircraft scheduled to return tomorrow.

Air National Guard officials are planning at least one mission tomorrow to transport packaged meals from Puerto Rico to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The National Hurricane Center reported this morning that the storm is moving toward the central Atlantic, away from the U.S. East Coast.

(Story by U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, National Guard Bureau.)

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California National Guard Aids in Fossett Recovery

Parts of Steve Fossett's small plane which was lost more than a year ago are seen in this photo provided by the Mono County Sheriff's Office.

On the Home Front:

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 6, 2008 -- When the wreckage of multi-millionaire Steve Fossett’s plane was found near Mammoth Lakes, Calif., last week, it ended the year-long search for the missing adventurer.

Fossett vanished in September 2007 during what was supposed to be a short pleasure flight.

There are still many unanswered questions, and the California Army National Guard began helping to find answers on Oct. 2.

Using a single UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, California Army National Guard pilots completed several missions in support of the Madera County sheriff’s office, flying in supplies, search dogs and personnel, said Jonathan Guibord, a California Guard spokesman.

The California Guard normally would not take part in a mission like this, he said, but state officials asked for help with the recovery operations.

“Due to the dangerous terrain and high altitude, [the Office of Emergency Services] has determined that the California National Guard’s specialized aircrew and aircraft were required,” Guibord said.

The pilots supported insertion and extraction missions into the area on Oct. 2, but snowfall ended the search in the Sierra Nevada on Oct. 3.

California officials told the Associated Press that recovery efforts around the site may not resume until summer. Authorities said they completed most of what they needed to do on Oct. 3, when they found three more bone fragments that scientists will test to determine whether they came from Fossett.

(Story by Army Staff Sgt. Jon Soucy, National Guard Bureau.)

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Texas Guardsmen Distribute Life's Basic Necessities Along Gulf Coast

Texas National Guard Soldiers distribute ice and water at the Texas City, Texas point-of-distribution site. (Photo by Sgt. Jennifer D. Atkinson.)

Hurricane Watch:

Relief efforts continue along Ike's path.

TEXAS CITY, Texas, Sept. 18, 2008 -- For National Guard Soldiers here, shouts, thumps, beeps and the growl of hundreds of idling engines combined to produce a steady soundtrack for emergency point-of-distribution operations in a grocery store parking lot.

For the residents in the Gulf Coast area of Texas, many facing more days without power or water service, POD's are a source of basic supplies such as clean water, ice and food for their families and friends. The Texas National Guard has set up over twenty distribution points throughout the areas hit by Hurricane Ike, including Galveston Island.

"This operation was a 'put out a fire' decision to meet the needs of Texas City residents," said 1st Lt. Robert Kueber, a platoon leader with the 236th Military Police Company in San Antonio. Because of the short notice of the operation, the POD is a combined effort between several units, including the 536th Brigade Support Battalion at Camp Bullis and the 1st Battalion, 141st Infantry Regiment, both in San Antonio.

"The POD started operations three days ago," said Sgt. 1st Class Karl August from E Company, 536th Brigade Support Battalion, and it's been consistently busy. "It starts at 8 a.m. and it doesn't stop until it's dark," August said.

Despite the climbing temperatures and the never-ending line of cars, the Soldiers manning this POD are upbeat and motivated, August said.

"We can't focus on the bad things that have happened here," he said, "but the good things we're doing." The faster the Soldiers work, he said, "the faster (we) can help the community."

"These guys are more motivated than almost any Soldiers I've ever worked with," said Kueber. "They just want to keep at it all day."

Capt. Ross Clements, with the Texas City Police Department, says the PODs are a "great deal of help," before the basic city infrastructure is restored.

"They've been incredible," he said, and "not just in Texas City, but at Galveston Island, LaMarque and all over."

According to both August and Kueber, the interaction between Soldiers and residents has been very positive.

"The local community has been taking care of us really well," said August. To thank the Soldiers for their hard work, a barbecue pit has been set up in the evenings and "that gives us our motivation for the next day. The community is giving back considerably. "Residents have also brought sodas and Gatorade for the workers to say "thank you."

For Kueber, being able to respond to local disasters quickly is "one of the best things about the National Guard. We can bring a lot of people and equipment to the table on short notice, because we're already here in the community."

Being able to help fellow Texans and to know that help is appreciated is what keeps August responding to the call.

"This city has taken care of us and they've also kept our motivation high," he said. "We've heard nothing but praise. We appreciate it and that's enough for us."

(Story by Sgt. Jennifer D. Atkinson, 100th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Texas National Guard.)

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Hoosier Guardsmen Deal With Ike's Aftermath in Northwest Indiana

Indiana National Guard Spc. Edward Russell stacks sandbags into the back of a truck at a sandbag-make operation in Gary, Ind., Sept. 16. The remnants of Hurricane Ike that smashed the Texas coastline on Sept. 12, dumped more than 10 inches of rain on several northwestern Indiana counties causing lake, rivers, tributaries and levies to spill over their banks and cause massive flooding. (Photo by Sgt. Michael B. Krieg.)

Indiana Army National Guard Soldiers with the 113th Engineer Battalion place sand bags onto failing levies in Gary, Ind., Sept. 16, to help shore them up and stop further flooding. The remnants of Hurricane Ike that smashed the Texas coastline on Sept. 12, dumped more than 10 inches of rain on several northwestern Indiana counties causing lake, rivers, tributaries and levies to spill over their banks and cause massive flooding. (Photo by Sgt. Michael B. Krieg.)

Hurricane Watch:

Relief efforts continue along Ike's path.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Sept. 18, 2008 -- By Sunday afternoon, the remnants of Hurricane Ike had dumped more than 10 inches of rain on northwestern Indiana, causing lakes and tributaries from Lake Michigan to swell beyond capacity. As a result, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security called the National Guard.

During Operation Indiana Ike, more than 150 Guard Soldiers helped the hurricane-ravaged areas with security patrols, search and rescue missions, and filling and placing sandbags.

"Stuff like this is pretty much why I joined the National Guard. It's helping people out in their time of need. I've been to Iraq, and I thought I had done my duty there, but it's assignments like this that are really important to me," said Sgt. Travis Hackett with the 738th Medical Company headquartered in Monticello, Ind.

Lake, Porter, Laporte, Newton, St. Joseph, Benton and Stark counties were hit hard as was the Munster community, west of the Gary armory. Flood waters had breached the banks of the Little Calumet River that runs through the middle of the town and soon engulfed the entire community with three to four feet of water.

The high waters soon flooded the lower floors of the Munster Med-Inn, a five story nursing home, shutting down power and life support to the entire complex and forcing the evacuation of more than 150 patients to other hospitals in dry areas.

"We have to get all of these people out of this flooded building and get them to higher ground. The patients are pretty upset that they have to go through all of this, but they are relieved to see us here, pitching in with the local responders and getting the job done. That's what we're here for," said 1st Sgt. Steven Staley, the top enlisted Soldier with Forward Support Company, 113th Engineer Battalion. Staley was in charge of the Guardsmen carrying residents out of the flooded building.

The medical facility staff praised the efforts of Indiana Guard Soldiers and fire department personnel, and other emergency responders who helped with the evacuation.

"These Soldiers have been working their tails off for the last six hours and into the night, taking residents down each floor. We have all been a team today and it's been wonderful, " said Kathy Riley, a licensed nurse practitioner at Munster Med-Inn. "We were so glad to see the uniforms roll in because I was starting to get scared!"

With no electricity to power the elevators, the residents were carefully carried, one-by-one, down the dimly lit emergency exit stairwells to waiting military vehicles and civilian ambulances.

Staff Sgt. Jerrod Martin, Detachment 18, Recruiting and Retention, made several trips up and down the dark, five-story stairwell during the evacuation.

"This is definitely the best thing the National Guard could have done. We are a community-based organization, and it's a reminder that we still have a state mission to do," said Martin. In addition to Martin, 12 more Indiana Army National Guard recruiters helped with the flood relief in northern Indiana.

Bob Young, Laporte County Highway Department superintendent, also praised the Indiana National Guard who showed up in his county with a high-speed sandbagging machine.

"The Guard is very instrumental in our efforts here. Before (they) showed up, we were just using shovels and it was very time-consuming," Young said. "But, with that four-station sandbagging machine (they) brought, and (their) knowledgeable Soldiers manning the controls, we can make 10 times as many bags and be way ahead of the game."

Other units assisting in Operation Indiana Ike with flood relief were Joint Force Headquarters, 1638th Transportation Company, 190th Transportation Company, 638th Aviation Support Battalion and Company B, 2nd Battalion, 151st Infantry.

(Story by Sgt. Michael B. Krieg, Indiana National Guard public affairs office.)

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