Georgia National Guard's Long Road Home Nearly Complete
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Table of Contents THE 48thFIGHTING “The Fighting 48th” is the command news- letter of 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. It is produced by the Public Affairs Office on Page Two: Page Eleven: behalf of the 48th IBCT commander and is • Commander’s Column • 148th BSB turnover marks end intended to inform the members of the 48th Page Three: of Volunteers OEF deployment IBCT of the activities of the brigade and the • 48th IBCT medic treats mo- Page Twelve: command messages of the leadership team. torcycle wreck victim • Alpha Transportation keeps Page Four: wheels rolling 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team • 48th Troops give humanitarian • Echo Company logistics sup Commander assistance uncer enemy fire port keeps 2-121 in the action Col. Lee K. Durham Page Five: Page Thirteen: Command Sergeant Major • Combat action in Ghazni • 48th IBCT Troops keep War- Command Sgt. Maj. Michael B. Hurndon province riors in the fight THE FIGHTING 48th STAFF Page Six: Page Fourteen: Public Affairs Officer • 48th Warriors in Meimana fix • Charlie Company in the MCCS Donald Elliott pay for Gormach ANP mountains of Afghanistan Public Affairs NCOIC/Assistant Editor Page Seven: Page Fifteen: MCC Rodney Furry • Redlegs conduct historic • Bravo Company on the Paki- Media Relations/JVB NCO transfer of authority stan border Staff Sgt. David Bill Page Eight: Page Sixteen: Journalists • 48th Brigade escorts ANA • 48th Soldiers gather intelli- Sgt. Tracy J. Smith Page Nine: gence from Afghans MC2 Donisha Burns • Georgia National Guard’s Page Seventeen: Spc. Jennifer Eddy long road home nearly complete • Chaplains Corner: MC3 Jeffrey Richardson Page Ten: Chaplain (Maj.) Ed Docampo Graphics/Newsletters • Guardsmen teach Afghans Page Eighteen: Spc. Jennifer Eddy counter-IED route clearing • Photos from the Field Spc. Alexandria Patterson Commander’s Column After a yearlong deployment to Af- Afghans have moved on from training to ghanistan, it’s time to welcome back the conducting numerous operations vital to Georgia National Guard’s 48th Infantry their own nation’s security. Operations Brigade Combat Team (IBCT). Their like the one which took place last month, mission has been to organize, train and where the 48th IBCT mentored an Afghan prepare Afghanistan’s security forces to National Army unit as it conducted its first manage their own nation’s security op- ever improvised explosive device route- erations. Taking on this task in the middle clearing mission. of a renewed Taliban insurgency has been Another example of the improved quite a challenge. But 10 months after the standing of Afghan forces is the success 48th Brigade’s entrance into the country, of “Operation Mountain Delivery,” where Afghanistan’s security forces have seen joint Afghan and coalition forces — in- tangible progress. cluding Georgia Guardsmen — used air In a December address to Congress, assaults to assure the capacity for quick the commander of U.S. and international resupply needs within the region. forces in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley Still another substantial development, McChrystal, said there will be about our Citizen-Soldiers recently worked with 134,000 Afghan Soldiers and just over tribal leaders representing more than 170 100,000 Afghan police in place by this villages in the historic Shinwari Jirga to fall. sign a clause that imposes severe conse- By July 2011, there should be quences for anyone giving safe harbor to roughly 300,000 total Afghan security Taliban or anti-Afghan forces. forces, between Soldiers and police. The Maj. Gen. William T. Nesbitt Our Guardsmen also have taken on skills and confidence instilled in these en masse, courageously volunteering to several non-combat duties while serving early Afghan National Army and ANP protect their country against an enemy abroad. Soldiers of Police Mentor Team forces by the 48th and other U.S. forces that has shown a persistent desire to do 1, Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 121st has been critical to a self-sustaining and anything and everything to ruin the estab- Infantry Regiment, have provided medical stable Afghanistan. lishment of a stable Afghanistan. assistance to children of the Kuchi no- Afghan leaders are stepping forward In recent months, thousands of Story continued on page 3 Page 2 Commanders’ Column, cont. to learn, such initiatives — in addition to against tyranny. madic tribe who were staying in the area bolstering the economy — also have led The families of all deployed Georgia and needed medical care. to increased cooperation and security. Guardsmen also have sacrificed much. Soldiers of 1st Squadron, 108th Cav- McChrystal recently noted that the Families have given up their loved ones alry Regiment opened two radio stations National Guard’s effort in Afghanistan for an entire year now, and I know that in the Muhmand Dara and Shinwar prov- has been “extraordinary,” adding that they are eager to have them back. We all inces to give the people of those regions Guardsmen bring “unique skills and ma- are. a voice to counter Taliban propaganda. turity,” which are critical to the mission. I Also important, has been the sacrifice This new media program is an initiative couldn’t agree more. of the employers of these Guardsmen. of the International Security Assistance But, tragically, not all of our Soldiers Unlike regular Army, most Guardsmen Force counterinsurgency process, and will be returning home to us. Georgia lost are not full-time Soldiers. The skills and will belong entirely to the Afghan people. eight of its own this past year. These fall- leadership learned by these Soldiers al- Several Soldiers of the 48th volun- en heroes — and their families — made low us to return them to their employers teered their personal time to help with the ultimate sacrifice to ensure freedom more mature, worldly and better prepared Operation Outreach — a program that for the Afghan people and greater secu- to handle today’s challenges. provides humanitarian aid to Afghan rity for the rest of the world. As our Citizen-Soldiers from the villages. Georgia Guardsmen helped We also have several Warriors who 48th return during the next two months, provide thousands of blankets to Afghan were severely wounded. Just a couple of I hope that their tremendous service, villagers. weeks ago, a suicide bombing attack on a devotion and sacrifice — as well as the Our Citzen-Soldiers also have been U.S. combat outpost in Afghanistan near sacrifices of their loved ones and employ- actively involved in civil-military proj- the Pakistani border injured five Soldiers ers — will continue to be recognized, ects designed to create Afghan jobs and of the 48th. Their injuries will forever honored and respected. Congratulations offer military-age men a paying alterna- serve as a reminder, to themselves and 48th Brigade on a job well done. You tive to joining the insurgency. As Geor- others, of their great courage and dedica- have made all Georgians exceptionally gia’s 1-108th “Roughriders” have come tion to the cause of freedom and the fight proud. 48th IBCT medic treats motorcycle wreck victim By MCCS Kevin Elliott 48th IBCT Public Affairs “Hey Doc, grab your bag,” came the call through the head- phones from truck commander Sgt. 1st Class Gregory Palacio. Pfc. Michael McDonald’s convoy had just pulled out of Forward Operating Base Vulcan when they came up on a motorcycle wreck. Traffic was at a standstill and people were quickly gathering around a three-wheeled motorcycle on its side. The driver sat on the ground nearby, blood dripping down his face. The Soldiers of 1st Platoon, Company D, 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Georgia Army National Guard, quickly set up a cordon around the injured civilian and McDonald got to work. “When I got to him, he had a few minor cuts on his head and his knee was banged up,” said McDonald. “I checked him from head to toe. His pupils were equally round and reactive to light. All the bleeding had stopped. I cleaned him up. That’s the first time I‘ve ever stopped in traffic to help a local national.” McDonald, 28, of Newborn, Ga., was fairly new to Com- pany D. He had been with Company B at FOB Rushmore and replaced another medic in January who was redeploying back home. It didn’t take long to get into the action. “The first mission I went out on, we had an ANA Soldier get shot through the leg,” McDonald explained. “An ANA medic was already treating him. I put a tourniquet on him, rewrapped it and put a pressure dressing on it and called in a medical evacua- tion. He’s OK. “ “Doc McDonald did a real good job of evaluating him,” said U.S. Army Pfc. Michael McDonald, 1st Platoon, Company D, 1-121, 48th 1st Platoon Leader, 1st Lt. Marcus Ruzek. “Some things we can Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Georgia Army National Guard, checks an just drive through. But if there is a potential for someone to be Afghan man who wrecked his motorcycle on Highway 1, near Forward hurt, we will stop and make sure they are OK. Operating Base Vulcan, Ghazni, Afghanistan, Feb. 24. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Senior Chief Kevin Elliott/Released) Page 3 48th Troops give HA under enemy fire By U.S. Army Spc. Jennifer C. Eddy 48th IBCT Public Affairs The sound of gunfire popped softly from distant rolling hills. All seemed relatively safe as 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Soldiers and Afghan National Police (ANP) convoy to small local villages in Faryab province in early March, providing humanitarian assis- tance (HA) to the local communities. As the small arms fire heard faintly in the distance quickly became heavy, loud and close, the Soldiers and their counterparts quickly reacted.