July 2018 Page 2 Plains Guardian • July 2018 2Nd CAB, 137Th Infantry Family Day Event Draws More Than 1,000 by 1St Lt
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Legislature Guardsmen 1968 mobiliza- expands tu- vie for regional tions largest ition benefits Best Warrior since World PlainsPlains . .2 GuardianGuardiantitle . .7 War II . .9 Volume 62 No. 1 Serving the Kansas Army and Air National Guard, Kansas Emergency Management, Kansas Homeland Security and Civil Air Patrol July 2018 The Plains Kansas Guard engineers prepare for Guardian rotation to National Training Center By Spc. Samantha J. Whitehead 105th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment is now on Two platoons of combat engineers spent April 7 atop a hill at a demolition range at DoDLive Fort Riley, reading exacting step-by-step instructions out of training manuals and The Plains Guardian has gone mo- setting up thousands of pounds of equip- bile… again. ment, all in preparation for one short radio The Plains Guardian has long been message: “Fire in the hole!” available online at www.kansastag.gov. Soldiers assigned to the Kansas National However, it has now been updated Guard’s 772nd Engineer Mobility Augmen- with a new format. Instead of waiting tation Company, 891st Engineer Battalion, for the paper to arrive in the mail or be were training with two inert Mine Clearing posted online every other month, the ar- Line Charges made of more than 1,500 ticles and photos of the Plains Guardian pounds of simulated C-4 designed to clear a are now available on a timelier basis at a 100-meter lane of mines and other obstacles. new Department of Defense website: “The purpose of this training is to in- plainsguardian.dodlive.mil crease our readiness level by actually de- In addition to stories and videos about ploying the MICLICs,” said Capt. Theresa the men and women of the Adjutant Schumer, commander of the 772nd. “We’re General’s Department, its programs and a MAC unit; our job is to conduct breach- missions, you’ll find other regular fea- ing and demolitions, and to clear obstacles tures such as news releases, the annual for other units to be able to move forward report, promotions, retirements, awards, to their objectives.” Spc. Jacob Lovewell, combat engineer, 772nd Engineer Mobility Augmentation Com- and obituaries. It also includes leader- The unit trained with and detonated live pany, 891st Engineer Battalion, lifts sections of an inert C-4 demolition line charge dur- ship notes, noncommissioned officer re- MICLIC systems at the National Training ing mine clearing training April 7 at Fort Riley. (Photo by Spc. Samantha J. sources and command information to Center in Fort Irwin, California, in May of Whitehead, 105th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment) keep Soldiers and Airmen up to date on last year. This year’s training helped bring the latest policies and programs. system works in order to enable other units tions are one of a combat engineer’s most new Soldiers up to a proficient level with There are also stories about and in- in the future.” essential tasks, but all of the training and the system in preparation for another NTC formation from the Kansas Division of The charge is connected to a rocket and testing prior to an explosion is just as im- rotation in 2019, said Schumer. Emergency Management on its mission mounted on a trailer behind an M113 Ar- portant to their skillset. “My goal is to ensure Soldiers receive to protect the health and safety of mored Personnel Carrier. When the rocket Though many Soldiers were participating this training in order to improve their skills Kansans. launches, it takes with it the line charge of in the training for the first time, they were related to the MICLIC,” said Schumer. “It’s Send your stories, photos, promo- C-4, which is detonated on a time delay. mentored by Soldiers who had trained last a perishable skill and we’re constantly get- tions, retirements, awards and other The process of setting up and firing an year with the unit at the NTC. ting new Soldiers within the unit. They newsworthy information to Jane Welch MICLIC puts many essential combat engi- Spc. Austin Kosman, a combat engineer need to have an understanding of how this ([email protected]) neer skills to the test. Schumer said demoli- (Continued on Page 7) Add http://plainsguardian.dodlive. mil to your bookmarks today. JROTC cadets get a taste of military life By Spc. Samantha J. Whitehead 105th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment Every good chef knows the way to en- hance a fine dining experience is to whet the PAID appetite with a small taste of what is to come. PRSRT STD PRSRT SALEM, OR U.S. POSTAGE Cadets from the Air Force Junior Reserve PERMIT NO. 178 PERMIT Officer Training Corps at Lee’s Summit, Missouri, high school had their appetites for military life whetted March 26 by expe- riencing the excitement of a live-fire exer- cise at Fort Riley. The experience was the result of a part- nership between the school and the Kansas Army National Guard. Cadets in the pro- gram are planning to join various branches of the military, not just the Air Force, said retired Air Force Col. Rick Milligan, the senior instructor for the JROTC at Lee’s Summit High School. “Seeing the equipment fire is a rare op- portunity that most civilians will never get the chance to see,” said Milligan. “For those [cadets] who will go into the military, I think this validates what they’re trying to do as they explore different options and Spc. Asa Manor, an M1 armor crewman assigned to Company A, 2nd Combined branches.” Arms Battalion, 137th Infantry Regiment, describes the capabilities of an M1 The cadets started the day by learning Abrams tank to Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets from about Bradley Fighting Vehicles with Sol- Lee’s Summit, Missouri, March 26 at Fort Riley. (Photo by Spc. Samantha J. White- diers of Company C, 2nd Combined Arms head, 105th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment) 2800 Topeka Blvd. 2800 Topeka OFFICIAL BUSINESS OFFICIAL Battalion, 137th Infantry Regiment, Wichita, with Soldiers assigned to Companies A and mit JROTC and the Kansas Guard began Adjutant General of Kansas Topeka, Kansas 66611-1287 Topeka, Penalty For Private Use, $300 DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY THE OF DEPARTMENT at Fort Riley’s Digital Multi-Purpose Range B, 2-137th. The exercise included two live- through a chance meeting between program NATIONAL GUARD OF KANSAS GUARD OF NATIONAL on the Douthit Gunnery Complex. From fires, which the cadets watched from two dif- cadets and the executive officer of the 2- there, they moved to a demolition range to ferent observation points. 137th at a 2017 Veterans Day event in DEPARTMENT AND AIR OF THE ARMY FORCE DEPARTMENT get an up-close view of M1 Abrams tanks The partnership between the Lee’s Sum- (Continued on Page 5) Page 2 Plains Guardian • July 2018 2nd CAB, 137th Infantry Family Day event draws more than 1,000 By 1st Lt. Lauren Orr hold and take aim of multiple sniper rifles 105th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment available under the watchful eye of Staff More than 1,000 family and friends took Sgt. Nate Carnahan, Detachment 1, Head- part in this year’s 2nd Combined Arms Bat- quarters and Headquarters Company. talion, 137th Infantry Regiment Family Although it was a rather cold afternoon, Day at Fort Riley. the children seemed to think it was perfect The March 24 event was designed to weather for jumping, sliding and racing allow family members the opportunity to through the inflatable obstacle course, see their Soldier working and experience while parents and grandparents stood by what their specific job entails in an effort to and cheered them on. encourage understanding and participation The biggest event of the day was a live- in the overall unit mission. fire tank exercise. With their fingers in “See what the CAB is doing to ensure their ears, the children anxiously awaited your Soldier is ready for deployment,” each resounding boom of the cannon. The said Lt. Col. Carlin Williams, battalion Soldiers watching alongside their families commander. were happy and eager to explain the struc- The unit provided multiple opportunities ture of the firing exercise and to prepare for family members to engage in the event. everyone for each upcoming round. Kids enjoyed getting behind the driver's Dinner was graciously provided to the seat of the trucks and tanks on static dis- families by Freddy’s Frozen Custard after play. Tank cannon rounds were available to the live-fire demonstration. pick up and observe the loading procedure. Family members departed at the end of “It looks really heavy,” said Rebecca the day, hopefully with a deeper under- Gerbrand, wife of Sgt. Mark Gerbrand. standing of the mission of the 2nd Com- The sniper rifle display was also a very bined Arms Battalion, 137th Infantry and popular attraction. People were allowed to the role their Soldier plays in its success. Sgt. Mark Gerbrand, Company B, 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 137th Infantry Regi- ment, shows his wife, Rebecca, how to load a round into an Abrams Main Battle Tank at the unit’s family day at Fort Riley March 24. The event allowed family members to see what their Soldier’s job consists of on a day-to-day basis. (Photo by 1st Lt. Lauren Orr, 105th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment) Kansas legislature expands tuition assistance for National Guard During the last legislative session, House National Guard our members have access Bill 2541 was signed into law enhancing to affordable, full-coverage health insur- the Kansas National Guard Educational As- ance, life insurance, pay, training, career sistance Act and additional funding was ap- assistance, and now, the ability to pursue propriated to fully fund tuition assistance higher education debt free while con- for members of the Kansas National Guard.