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Volume 13 Number 2 www.dmna.ny.gov Serving the New York Army and Air National Guard, Naval Militia, New York Guard and Families FROM THE LEADERSHIP A Year Like No Other, a Response Like No Other ello everyone. Today, as I for people who do not abide by their and required personnel protective Hwrite this note, it is June 15, sworn oath of service to protect equipment when riding. Water and 2020 and day 100 of our COVID-19 and defend the Constitutions of the fire safety is especially important for response efforts. By the time you United States and the State of New young children. When training, re- read these remarks, it will be well York and to live by our military member military vehicle speed is 50 into summer. I hope that things values. It is that simple. MPH unless the road's speed limit across the state and nation will When violations are reported, is lower. Everyone is a safety Officer have improved significantly by commanders have an inherent or NCO when training. If you see then. New York is reopening and responsibility to investigate. Com- something unsafe, stop the action moving forward. The governor's manders have the full spectrum of and make immediate corrections. New York Forward plan is working administrative and/or disciplinary Thank you again for everything and allowing regions to reopen in actions at their disposal. you do. You are fantastic service phases. The response of our service The safety and well-being of our members and civilian employees. members and civilian employees is service members is our highest We simply could not do what we do nothing short of astounding. priority. To that end, we are work- without each one of you. Stay safe Maj. Gen. Raymond Shields 2020 will be a historic year by all ing with the Walter Reed Army In- and healthy! accounts – it certainly will be a year stitute of Research and the Warrior none of us will soon forget. Resilience (WRAIR) and Fitness Starting back in March, the New Division of the National Guard York Military Forces were called Bureau to conduct two studies of into State Active Duty (SAD) to our personnel to assess the force's assist with the COVID-19 crisis - wellness and resilience. initially in New Rochelle, but then For all those Soldiers and Airmen rapidly expanding into New York who participated in the decedent City, Long Island, the lower Hudson recovery and transportation mis- Valley, and then eventually across sions with New York City, West- the entire State. We then received chester County, and Orange County presidential approval to place the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, Army and Air National Guard on the WRAIR has developed a tool to federal Title 32 502(f) orders start- assess service members at regular ing on 28 March 2020. intervals to determine their psycho- Then on May 25, 2020, Minne- logical health. The entire leadership apolis police officers killed George team strongly encourages participa- Floyd. His death sparked massive tion in this study. civil unrest unseen in our country The other assessment run by the since the 1960s. Combined with National Guard Bureau's Warrior the needless death of George Floyd, Resilience and Fitness Division the COVID crisis, and the resulting looks at the entire force to look at economic downturn in our econo- stressors associated with deploying my, 2020 is a year like no other. for the COVID-19 response, those I want to reiterate that we are not deploying, and the impacts of an organization that lives by and family and community stressors as- practices our respective service's sociated with dealing with the CO- core values. Racist, hateful, violent, VID-19 crisis. Senior leaders will and hurtful conduct or comments, use the results of this study across which discredits the reputation of the country to inform programs our military services, are not accept- regarding resiliency. Both of these able. We have no room in our ranks efforts will help the total force and improve resiliency programs. Keeping on the theme of safety Senior Airman Paul Lambert, assigned to the 109th Airlift Wing, dons and summer vacations, I ask every- personal protective equipment to assist the City of New York Office one to refocus on keeping them- of the Chief Medical Examiner recovering the deceased in New York selves, their families, and their units City, May 2. National Guard members supported the city's recovery of safe. It is also motorcycle season; decedents during the peak of the pandemic. See our related story on page 12. Photo by Senior Airman Sean Madden, 106th Rescue Wing. wear the required reflective vests Volume 13, Number 2 This Issue’s Highlights: Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Commander in Chief Faces of the Force Maj. Gen. Raymond Shields, The Adjutant General Eric Durr, Director of Public Affairs 4 New York City Emergency Room Doctor Joins Guard in midst of Pandemic Col. Richard Goldenberg, Public Affairs Officer 5 109th Airlift Wing Chaplain Provides Easter Mass at Javits Medical Station Maj. Jean Kratzer, Command Information Officer 6 Soldier on Third Career Response Mission to NYC Ryan Campbell, Guard Times Staff 7 Aviation Officer Beats COVID-19, Joins the Response Fight About Guard Times Around the State The Guard Times is published quarterly using federal funds authorized under provisions of AR 360-1 and 8 NY National Guard Marks Memorial Day during Pandemic AFI 35-101 by the New York State Division of Mili- 9 Honor Guard Provdes Socially Distant Final Salutes tary and Naval Affairs and the New York Army and Air National Guard Public Affairs Office. The Joint Force Views which appear in this publication are not neces- 10 New York Responds to Coronavirus Pandemic sarily those of the Department of Defense, the Army, 12 Guard Takes on Grim Job in New York City the Air Force or the National Guard Bureau. 14 Joint Effort Turns Convention Center into Treatment Center 16 Infantry Troops Deliver Meals to Rural Seniors The Guard Times has a circulation of 17,000 and is distributed free to members of the New York State 17 New York Also Responds to Lake Ontario Flooding Military Forces and employees of the Division of Army National Guard Military and Naval Affairs. 18 Aircrews Train for Wildfire Season across New York State Submissions 20 Cavalry Scouts Sharpen Skills in Winter Training Articles, photos and letters are welcome. Please pro- 21 Virtual Change of Command for 153rd Troop Command Leadership vide article submissions via email saved in Microsoft Word or rich text format (rtf) along with high resolu- 22 69th Infantry Soldiers Turn Travel Time to Training Time tion digital (jpg) photos. Submission deadlines are 23 Virtual Drills the new normal during COVID-19 response January 15 (winter issue), April 15 (spring issue), July 24 42nd Division Liberates Notorious Concentration Camp 75 years ago 15 (summer issue), and October 15 (fall issue). Send 25 Culinary Soldiers Cook for National Title in Connelly Competition your submissions to: Air National Guard Guard Times DMNA-MNPA 26 Skibirds Complete Operation Deep Freeze for 2020 330 Old Niskayuna Road 27 Attack Wing Welcomes New Commander in Socially Distant Ceremony Latham, New York 12110-3514 28 NY Air Wings Provide Flyover Salute to First Responders, Essential Workers OFFICE (518) 786-4581 FAX (518) 786-4649 or [email protected] 29 Combat Rescue Officer Takes Command at Rescue Wing New York Guard and Naval Militia Complimentary or Back Issues of the Guard Times are available. Contact us at the address above or visit us 30 State Defense Force supporting Pandemic Response on the web for current news, photos or to download prior issues at www.dmna.ny.gov 31 NY Naval Militia Rededicates Bell of USS Flusser New York Army National Guard Spc. Reagan Long, assigned to the 827th Engineer Company of the 204th Engineer Battalion, alongside Pfc. Naomi Velez, assigned to the 152nd Engineer Support Company register people at a COVID-19 Mobile Testing Center in Glenn Island Park, New Rochelle March 14 2020. Photo by Sgt. Amouris Coss, 138th Public Affairs Detachment. FRONT COVER: 1st Lt. Camille Valenza, a Fire Direction Officer in Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 258th Field Artillery, puts together a test kit at the Brooklyn Testing Site on May 1, 2020. Soldiers assembled over 3,000 kits in the day to support regional COVID-19 testing. Photo by 1st Lt. Greg Cheung, 1st Battalion, 258th Field Artillery. BACK COVER: Spc. Matthew Hart, assigned to the 1st Battalion, 258th Field Artillery, carries a large box of prepackaged meals to a licensed delivery vehicle at the Hunts Point - Bronx Food Distribution Site on April 8, 2020. Photo by 1st Lt. Kyle Kilner1st Battalion, www.dmna.ny.gov 258th Field Artillery. FACES of the FORCE NYC ER Doctor joins Air Guard During Pandemic Story by Maj. Michael O'Hagan, 106th Rescue Wing WESTHAMPTON BEACH, N.Y. in New York, went to med school — A New York City emergency in New York, I did my residency in room doctor at the heart of the New York also,” he said. “You always fight against COVID-19 added have a love for your hometown. I another role to his already im- think being in New York was a big pressive lists of medical creden- attraction, being able to help my tials on March 18: flight surgeon hometown.” in the New York Air National Guard’s 106th Rescue Wing. Paladino’s relationship with the Now a major, Dr. Lorenzo Pala- 106th Rescue Wing began when dino, has 20 years of experience as he was teaching Army Special an emergency room doctor and has Forces medics at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.