1999: Vol.23, No.3-Summer
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INSIDE New Ohio National Guard Scholarship Program pays 100 percent college tuition! PAGE ? i: e=-= =m Summer 1999, Vol. 23, No. 3 F E A T u R E s 7 Tuition Granted Under new Ohio National Guard Scholarship Program, 100 percent college tuition provided to eligible members. 8 Building New Hope Ohio Guard takes lead in multistate, multiservice hurricane relief efforts in Central American nations. 14 Combating Mother Nature Guardmembers answer call in wake ofdevastati ng tornado. 16 Earning the Badge Proving yourself worthy of the Expert Field Medical Badge involves a lot of "blood, sweat and tears." 20 Governor Honors Veterans with Wreath-Laying Ceremony pays respect to all Ohioans who have served. D E p A R T M E N T s 2 National News 23 Buckeye Briefs 3 Feedback 26 All About People 22 Guarding Against Drugs 28 Benefits ABOUT THE COVER: Sgt. Dennis Hegarty of Company B, 216th Engineer Battalion, Portsmouth, operates a backhoe to spread base course gravel for a roadway foundation at a worksite in Plantanares, Nicaragua. Ohio Army Guard engineers were building schools, clinics, water wells and roadways this summer as part of Exercise New Horizons. Photo by Steve Toth, Adjutant General's Department Public Affairs Office. E-mail articles, concerns [email protected] [email protected]. 1 NATIONAL NEWS Improved Army PT Uniform to be ready by next year. A new physical training unifonn was approved for soldiers' use on June 9. The new PT uniform consists of a five-piece IGUARD ensemble which includes: at-shirt, long sleeve shirt, jacket, pants and shorts. The unifonn will be Summer 1999, VOL. 23, No. 3 issued to new soldiers in May 2000, and becomes available in military clothing and sales stores in October 2000, according to Master Sgt. Debra Wylie, uniform policy officer for the Office of the The Buckeye Guard is published quar Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel. The new uniforms will cost about $1 10, almost double that terly by !he Public Affairs Office, Ohio of the current PT uniforms, which have been issued since 1986. Several changes have been made Adju1an1 General's Department, 2825 W. with the new uniform. There is no hood on the jacket, and the t-shirts, which are made with Cool Dublin Granville Road, Columbus, Ohio Max material and cotton, won't cling to a person's body. The new jacket and pants are water 43235-2789, (6 14) 336-7000. The views and opinions expressed in !he Buckeye resistant. There are zippers in the leg, and zippers underneath the arms to let heat escape. Both Guard are no! necessarily !hose of !he pants and shorts are black, so they won't show dirt or stains. (Army News Service) Depar1men1s of !he Army and Air Force or 1he Adju1an1 General of Ohio. The Buck Medal recognizes military volunteers. Military vol eye Guard is distributed free 10 members of unteers often perform many hours of service for their communities the Ohio Army and Air National Guard and and the military wants to recognize their efforts. The Military to other interested persons at their re Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal honors members' commu quest. Circulation 19,000. nity service, said Army Maj. Bob S. Stone, deputy director of outreach programs in DoD' s reserve affairs office. The medal came ADJUTANT GENERAL'S DEPT. into being in 1991 as a result of President Bush's "Thousand Points S tate Commander-in-Chief of Light" campaign to encourage volunteerism. "We have an Air Gov. Bob Taft National Guard unit in Virginia that has worked for years helping support the Special Olympics," he said. "This medal gives the Adjuta nt General individuals involved in the effort some recognition." The approving Maj. Gen. John H. Smith authority is at the (colonel/captain) level, Stone said. The medal can Asst. Adjutant General, Army be earned only through "sustained" community service, he added. Brig. Gen. Ronald G. Young "You don' t get it for coaching a soccerteam for one season, but you could qualify if you work with youth groups for a number of years," Asst. Adjutant General, Air he said. The award is not for duties service members perform as part Brig. Gen. Paul J. Sullivan of their jobs. "You get th is award for things you do during youroff Military Outstanding Command Sergeant Major, Army duty hours," Stone said. (American Forces Press Service) Volunteer Service Medal Command Sg1. Maj. Michael 0. Howley Domestic violence conviction could mean end of Army career. Soldiers Senior Enlisted Advisor, Air who've been convicted in court of domestic violence- unless such a conviction can beexpunged Command Chief Master Sgt. Earl Lutz may see their military careers come to an end, under a recent Anny personnel policy change in May PUBLICATION STAFF that stems from a 1996 federal law. The policy covers all soldiers-active, Reserve and National Guard. Soldiers who have been convicted of domestic violence will be barred from re-enlistment, Director, Public Affairs but will be provided an one-year extension opportunity to clear their record. The pol icy also applies Cap!. Neal E. O'Brien to officers; and all personnel affected will be eligible to apply fora discharge. (A rmy News Service) Deputy Director, Public Affairs Army implements revised APFT policy for certain schools. Enlisted troops Ms. Denise Varner attending leadership courses and schools now have two tries to pass the Army Physical Fitness Associate Editors Test, under a new policy that took effect Feb. 1. Previously, soldiers who took and failed the test Mr. Steve Toth once were sent back to their units. The new policy requires soldiers to take the APFT within 72 Staff Sgl. Diane L. Farrow hours of course enrollment. If the soldier fai ls, then the soldier wi ll be provided one retest, not earlier Editorial Assistant than three days after the initial APFT or later than 10 days during the course. (A rmy News Service) Ms. Mimi Myers Air Force adding strength, flexibility testing to fitness test. Eight Air Force Contributors: bases worldwide have been serving as test sites this year as the Air Force prepares to add muscular Army/Air National Guard Journalists fitness and flexibility tests to its annual physical fitness assessment. Test subjects are doing push ANG Visual Information Specialists ups, sit-ups and the sit-and-reach flexibility test in conjunction with their annual cycle ergometry Uni! Public Affairs Representatives testing. Theda ta wi ll be used to further define standards that wi ll be used when the expanded testing Guardmembers and their families are program is implemented Air Force-wide in January 2000. (A ir Force Print News) encouraged 10 submit any articles meant to inform, educate or entertain Buckeye New leadership in top Army, Air Force positions. Gen. Eric K. Shinseki became Guard readers, including stories aboul the Army's 34th chief of staff on June 22, replacing Gen. DennisJ. Reimer , who retired. Shinseki, interesting Guard personalities and unique a native of Hawaii, had been serving as vice chief since last November, and had previously served uni! training. Deadlines are: in parts of 1997-98 as commanding general, U.S. Army-Europe and Seventh Army, and concur Winter: October 15 rently commanded NATO soldiers as the commander, Allied Land Forces Central Europe. Lt. Gen. S pring: January 15 Jack Keane was promoted to the rank of general and to serve as the Anny's 29th vice chief of S ummer: April 15 staff. Chief Master Sgt. Frederick J. "Jim" Finch has be""1 named the 13th Chief Master Fall: July 15 Sergeant of the Air Force. He replaced Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force E ric W. Benken, who retired July 30. (A rmy News Service and Air Force Print News) 2 Buckeye Guard FEEDBACK FROM THE FIELD Reader takes issue were featured in a four-page article in the Kathy Kenepp ( 1992, award No. 661). Both are Winter 199611997 issue. Our Fall 1998 issue of the former Headquarters and Headquarters with BG's Queen of also featured a story about the heroism of Troop, 2-l07th Armored Cavalry Regiment medics in the 148th while attending to injured Family Support Group and past state council Battle coverage civilians at a traffic accident. The "Queen ofthe members. Both are widely respected to this I am writing this letterout ofanger and di sgust. Battle" was featured in the Winter 199811999 day. They are the "Best of the Best." I have been a memberofthe Ohio National Guard issue in two different articles about the British Let's get the "Ohio Book" straight once and for the past five years now. Every issue you U.S. infantry exchange. for all. praise and hai l the Air Guard , the artillery, the It is unfortunate that you are not happy with Sgt. Steven Kenepp and other former aviation, the engineers, the finance clerks, the our past coverage, but the mission ofBuckeye HUT, 2-107th ACR members mechanics, the medics, the supply and everyone Guard is to tell the story of all the men and in a support role. The one you fail to mention women of the ONG, and the unique missions Correction every year is the infantry, the reason why every they do. That can be challenging, considering one else has a role. Here are some of our accom the sparse amount of authorized journalist The Spring 1999 edition ofthe Buckeye Guard plishments which we are proud of, but you have positions in the Ohio National Guard. featuredtheOhioAmiyandAirNationalGuard's fai led to ever mention: This is where concerned soldiers and airmen enlisted, noncommissioned and commissioned 1995, Camp Grayling-Went force on force in like yourselfcan make a difference.