Service dog Chaplains bal- Guard engi- helps Guards- ance military neers lend a man overcome duty, service hand in El PlainsPlainsPTSD . .2 GuardianGuardianto God . .3 Salvador . .8 Volume 58 No. 3 Serving the Kansas Army and Air National Guard, Kansas Emergency Management, Kansas Homeland Security and Civil Air Patrol June 2015 184th Civil Engineers head to North Dakota for training By 1st Lt. Matt Lucht follower, switching from student to teacher is 184th Intelligence Wing Public Affairs something different for me,” said Simpson. When Airmen need to train on weapons, Hands-on training and leadership develop- they get on the firing line, but when military ment were the main purpose for the training, engineers need training on the newest equip- but leadership knew that getting out in the field ment, they travel to North Dakota. Approxi- and preparing for a mission would have other mately 65 members of the 184th Civil positive effects. Engineer Squadron loaded on to a KC-135 “It brings the shops closer together,” said and flew to the 119th Regional Training Site, Airman 1st Class Benjamin Rivera, heavy Fargo, North Dakota, for equipment familiar- equipment operator. “We are all getting to- ization training May 1-4. gether more now and we are all talking and “Training that you get here is training that having fun.” you don’t get at the wing,” said Lt. Col. “When we come together as a group like Brock Sissel, commander, 184th CE. “All this, we come together as a family,” said Mont- the equipment is prepositioned at several re- gomery. “We’re all friends and we are family gional training sites across the United States and we take care of each other, but you have to and civil engineering squadrons come up and have those times that you can relax.” train on that equipment and they get the According to Sissel, the camaraderie im- hands-on training that they need.” proves performance and allows the teams to The 119th RTS has the newest equipment tackle the missions they are tasked with. and knowledgeable cadres for every career Airman 1st Class Rene Guadarrama, structural technician, 184th CE Squadron, “It is a great opportunity over a four-day field of the engineering squadron. With more practices cutting sheet metal at the 119th Regional Training Site in Fargo, North training,” said Sissel. “Combine a couple of than 40 Airmen in level three and five up- Dakota, May 2. The engineers spent four days using equipment that isn’t available to unit training assembles and focus on that train- grade training, leadership took the opportu- them at home station. (Photo by 1st Lt. Matt Lucht, 184th IW Public Affairs) ing and focus on the squadron and the things nity to get as much hands-on training as 184th CE. “When they skim the top and we say lation and air conditioning technician, who that they will need to do when they deploy.” possible. This training enabled everyone to, that we are ready to deploy and we get the call was promoted while in Fargo, it not only gave at the very least, get familiar with equipment from our governor or our president saying, ‘We him time to work on the equipment, he also Scan the code with your they may see on deployment. have a mission for you,’ we show up and we honed his leadership skills. mobile device to view a video on the 184th “We are allowing them to skim the top,” said aren’t seeing the equipment for the first time.” “Learning how to be a leader instead of a fol- Engineers in action Chief Master Sgt. Eric Montgomery, manager, For Staff Sgt. Grant Simpson, heating, venti- lower, even though being a leader is being a James Brown to become command senior Selanders promoted to brigadier general enlisted leader of the Kansas Guard Public Affairs Office Col. Jay Selanders, assistant adjutant general – Air and commander of the Kansas Air Public Affairs Office “Chief Brown National Guard, was promoted to brigadier general during a May 3 ceremony at Nickell Command Chief Master Sgt. James brings substantial Armory, Topeka. Selanders was named ATAG last October and recently received federal Brown has been selected as the next com- institutional, opera- recognition as brigadier general. mand senior enlisted leader for the Kansas tional and func- Selanders joined the Kansas Air National Guard in June 1984 and earned his commission National Guard, according to Maj. Gen. tional experience as through the Academy of Military Science later that year as a distinguished graduate. He at- Lee Tafanelli, Kansas adjutant general. He well as strong lead- tended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Laughlin Air Force Base and Combat Crew Training will succeed Command Sgt. Maj. Scott Ha- ership skills with at Castle AFB, California. Selanders flew in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, worth, who is retiring Aug. 1. him to this posi- where he received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions in recovering a badly dam- tion,” said aged aircraft. He has flown in support of numerous other operations, including Operation Tafanelli. Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Since 1993, Selanders has acted as a liai- Brown will as- son officer for the U.S. Air Force Academy, working with high school students and coun- sume his new posi- Command Chief selors that are interested in the Academy and ROTC officer accession programs. tion during a Master Sgt. Prior to his new position, Selanders was vice commander, 190th Air Refueling Wing, PAID formal change of James Brown Forbes Field, Topeka. His previous assignments include Undergraduate Pilot Training- PRSRT STD PRSRT SALEM, OR responsibility cere- U.S. POSTAGE Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas; 117th Air Refueling Squadron, 190th Operations Group, PERMIT NO. 178 PERMIT mony Aug. 1 at 2 p.m. on the drill floor of Forbes Field, Kansas; liaison officer, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado; com- Nickell Armory in Topeka. mander, Tanker Strategic Aircraft Regeneration Team; and commander, A Flight. “It is an honor and privilege to have been Selanders lives and works in Kansas City, Kansas, where he is a partner in a national selected to this very prestigious position,” law firm. said Brown. “I will continue to serve this world-class organization in my new role with dedication and devotion to duty.” In this position, Brown will manage the enlisted force and represent their interests at all levels of local and state government and to the Kansas public. Brown will be the personal advisor to the Kansas adjutant general on issues regarding the profes- sional development, readiness, training, utilization, health, morale and welfare of the nearly 6,500 enlisted members of the Kansas Army and Air National Guard. Brown is an Air Force veteran of nearly 30 years and has served as the state com- mand chief for the Kansas Air National Guard since 2011. He is the recipient of numerous awards and decorations for leadership, distinctive 2800 Topeka Blvd. 2800 Topeka accomplishments in support of security OFFICIAL BUSINESS OFFICIAL Adjutant General of Kansas Topeka, Kansas 66611-1287 Topeka, Penalty For Private Use, $300 forces activities world-wide, and for joint DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY THE OF DEPARTMENT NATIONAL GUARD OF KANSAS GUARD OF NATIONAL civil-military operations. He currently Col. Jay Selanders, assistant adjutant general – Air, Kansas National Guard, and his serves as the chief of police for the Topeka family celebrate his promotion to the rank of brigadier general during a ceremony May DEPARTMENT AND AIR OF THE ARMY FORCE DEPARTMENT Police Department. 3 at Nickell Armory in Topeka. (Photo by Sgt. Zach Sheely, Public Affairs Office) Page 2 Plains Guardian • June 2015 Part two of a two-part series Guardsman with PTSD soldiers on with help from a friend By Sgt. Zach Sheely him good morning. They look after him the Public Affairs Office way they look after me. I understood that “It takes the courage and strength of a by taking this step there was a chance it warrior to ask for help” would have a negative impact on others Veterans Affairs motto around me, which is the last thing I wanted. Master Sgt. Lyle Babcock is a combat But the opposite has been true. They have veteran who’s served more than 30 years in been very accepting of Gunther and of the the Army. He is an avid fisherman. He fact that I am receiving counseling for loves to kayak. PTSD.” He also suffers from post-traumatic Gunther didn’t only have to integrate at stress disorder. Fortunately, he has help work, but also at home with Traci, the fam- from a four-legged friend. ily’s Pomeranian, Pookie and their three cats. Gunther, a two-and-a-half year old, 100- Ground Rules pound yellow Labrador retriever, is Bab- “We laid a few ground rules,” Traci said. cock’s service dog. His duty is to be at “I don’t need the added work. It’s his dog, Babcock’s side at all times, allowing Bab- but Gunther is definitely part of the family. cock to live and work through his PTSD. He’s really grown on me. He’s a real likable “He’s been a godsend to me,” Babcock dog. He’s well-mannered and well-trained.” said of Gunther. “He’s allowed me freedom “I learned, during the pairing process, that from my own prison.” having a service dog is a lot of work and re- Internal Battle sponsibility,” Babcock said. “They are 100 Babcock was deployed nearly 15 months percent dependent on you, from feeding to to Afghanistan as the noncommissioned of- cleaning up.