Serving the National Guard and State Defense Force of Georgia
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Vol. 1, Issue 2 Serving the National Guard and State Defense Force of Georgia Just in....Spc. James Bowles selected Region III Soldier of Year! (More on Page 19) 3 The Georgia Guardsman Commander-In-Chief Gov. Sonny Perdue eet your “Georgia Guardsman” team Adjutant General of Georgia Maj. Gen. Terry Nesbitt MWe hope you’re enjoying the new look of the Georgia Guardsman, and we wanted to help you put faces to names of our team of editors, reporters, Publisher photographers, writers and support staff. Our staff consists of federal, state Lt. Col. (Ret.) Kenneth R. Baldowski Contents Vol. 1, Issue 2 and military personal, many of who work behind the scenes. Historian/Editor If you have stories, or story ideas, you can call or email them to any 5 Governor Perdue honors deploying 48th IBCT Soldiers Dr. Beryl Diamond member of the Georgia Guardsman staff. We welcome your ideas, suggestions and comments. at Macon city hall Managing Editor Amanda Kenny 9 Air Guard surgeon leads medical team to Philippines Assistant Editor 11 History: A look at 1971 Sgt. 1st Class Roy Henry Air Guardsmen clean blighted area of Savannah Video-Audio Editor 12 David Howell 13 165th Airmen deploy to Afghanistan Contributing writers Spc. Adam Dean 14 Top Gun Ride brings together bikers for Foundation Spc. Mike Perry Publisher Historian/Editor Managing Editor support National Guard Correspondents Lt. Col. (Ret.) Kenneth R. Dr. Beryl Diamond Amanda Kenny 124th Mobile Public Affairs Baldowski 15 March motivates Gillem Guardsmen Detachment 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team 17 New program focuses upon employee goals, Public Affairs Office Unit Public Affairs Officers and competencies Representatives Air National Guard Wing Public 18 News and Announcements Affairs Officers and Representatives Send comments, suggestions, articles, photo or contributions to: [email protected] Assistant Editor Video-Audio Editor Contributing writer David Howell Spc. Mike Perry The Georgia Guardsman is published Sgt. 1st Class Roy Henry monthly under the provisions of AR 360-81 and AF 6-1 by the Directorate of Communications, Georgia Depart- ment of Defense. The views and opinions expressed in the Georgia Guardsman are not necessarily those Community Relations of the Departments of the Army and Wanda Nichols Air Force or the Adjutant General of Georgia. The Georgia Guardsman Want to submit a story for your unit? is distributed free to members of the All submission for the Georgia Guardsman can be sent to Amanda Kenny at amanda. Georgia Army and Air National Guard, [email protected]. Please submit your stories and a word document and JPEG State Defense Force and other inter- attachements for photos, do not embed photos in the word document. ested persons at their request. Support Staff Online at www.dod.state.ga.us Elizabeth Warwick 4 5 Governor Perdue honors deploying 48th IBCT Soldiers at Macon City Hall Story by David Howell and photos by Spc. Mike Perry “It is somewhere in the governor’s handbook; it says that I’m supposed to show up on occasions like this and inspire you. But I need to be honest with you. I always leave these events having been inspired by you.” With those words, an emotionally charged Gov. Sonny Perdue praised his soldiers, members of the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, as they attended a rally held in their honor at city hall in Macon. The deployment of Headquarters Company, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and Company C, 48th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, completes an intensive training and mobilization campaign that began in October 2007. The two companies will join previously deployed 48th assets, including 1st Captain John Avera, commander, Headquarters Company, 48th Infantry Brigade Squadron, 108th Reconnaissance, Combat Team, listens with fellow Soldiers as Gov. Sonny Perdue praises them. Surveillance, and Target Acquisition, Members of the 48th will be deploying to Afghanistan later this year in the sup- and 1st and 2nd battalions of the 121st port of Operation Enduring Freedom. Infantry as part of Task Force Phoenix in Afghanistan this summer. The event featured various speakers, including Brig. Gen. Lawrence Dudney, Task Force Phoenix commander; Army Guard commander, Brig. Gen. Maria Britt, 48th IBCT commander Col. Lee Durham and Macon mayor Robert Reihart. ... On to Afghanistan Reihart, a former Vietnam War pilot, expressed his pleasure at being able to say a few words to the Macon- headquartered brigade. “We are grateful for your service. 6 7 Without them, I wouldn’t be standing here, and many of us wouldn’t be standing here, and I take my hat off to you. Many of you didn’t get the opportunities that we’re getting today… a sendoff, and a return home ‘thank you.’ And we know that’s very important,” he said. Durham also spoke on the importance of family support. “We thank the families, and we thank the community. It’s so great to look Families and friends line the street of downtown Macon to say goodbye to Soldiers of the 48th Infantry out here and see the signs of pride. The acceptance of our Brigade Combat Team as they depart for training at Camp Shelby, Miss. before deploying to Afghani- stan. families. Then stretching his arms wide apart, he declared We are proud of your service. And we are inspired by your that, “this doesn’t just matter for the 48th, we have Air service. We are grateful for your service… we thank you National Guardsman who are deploying constantly. We for putting your personal life aside, and for serving our have other brigades in the Georgia National Guard. All of country first…personal safety, family commitments, and those families need to be hugged; (they) need to be taken business obligations all are being subordinated to your in. They are who we are. They are part of the community, duty by our country. Our appreciation extends also to your the community is our foundation. It is where we come from families, who are making a sacrifice that we recognize and I’m very proud of that.” today. ” Durham decided to take a little liberty and share In his remarks, Perdue reflected on the significance of the spotlight with his 48th Headquarters commander, the 48th’s actions. “The American Soldier is a symbol Macon’s native son, Capt. John Avera. Avera thanked of the humanity, and the decency, of this nation. You the band members of his former high school alma mater, represent a country that does not seek the expansion of Central High School, who along with the Freedom Riders territory, but the will of liberty, and the reach for freedom in motorcycle group, led the parade from the Georgia Music all this world.” Hall of Fame to City Hall. After describing the numerous Headquarters Company, once in country, will establish tasks involved in preparing for this mission, he turned to the central core of the 11,000 strong Task Force Phoenix his commander. “Sir, I now tell you. We have completed headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan. It will run brigade our pre-mobilization training, and we’re ready for our operations, and conduct logistical task force operations, mobilization training. Hooah! And sir, with that, send alongside the 148th Brigade Support Battalion. The 48th me, and we’ll lean forward, and never quit! Hooah, sir!” BSTB also will provide “specialty skill sets for running With a salute and a handshake, Avera left the podium to a the brigade staff…and to do the mission planning and standing ovation. conducting operations,” said Durham. The units will leave Macon and report to Camp When Durham stepped to the podium, he had no Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center (CAJMTC) in Brigadier Gen. Maria Britt, Army Guard commander, address- es the Soldiers, families and supporters of the 48th Infantry difficulty thanking veterans and the Macon community Indiana, to complete deployment training. Brigade Combat Team as they prepare to deploy. for their support. “I thank all the veterans who are here. 8 9 Globe-trekking Surgeon Air Guard surgeon leads medical team to Philippines Story by Lt. Col. Ken Baldowski ATLANTA – Colonel John David Mullins, the state air surgeon for the Georgia Air National Guard, returned in late April from a two-week medical mission to Rojas City in The Philippines. He and his team of 15 surgeons and medical personnel performed surgery on hundreds of men, women and children in this less travelled region of that Pacific island. “It’s difficult for me to put a price on what we we’re able to accom- plish,” admitted Mullins who has organized this mission on five previous occasions. Rojas City is about 100 miles south of Manila in the Philippines central province. Working out of the Rojas Provincial Hospital, Mullins and his team were able to use the operating facilities available to examine and per- form numerous surgical procedures. “Although the hospital has a surgical staff, what they do not have are surgical specialists, and that’s what we provide,” explained Mullins. “We’re somewhat like the military, lean and mean,” he said. “We move into a remote area of the country, perform a number of surgeries and surgi- cal procedures, and then redeploy back to Georgia. “Our reception from the local population is always warm, although we are cautious.” Incidences have been reported of armed insurgents having captured and killed foreign aid workers and island visitors. This was the fifth trip for the Atlanta healthcare workers who are part of an organization called Georgia Surgical Expeditions,a “not for profit” orga- nization of which Mullins is one of the founders, and its current chairman. Included in the group are general surgeons, OB GYN surgeons, operating room technicians, several anesthesiologists and nurses.