Volume 9 Number 4 Fall 2016 www.dmna.ny.gov Serving the New York Army and Air National Guard, Naval Militia, New York Guard and Families FROM THE LEADERSHIP Answer YES to Readiness wo hundred and forty years ago, selected members of the Mas- So what does readiness mean for Tsachusetts militia were called upon to be ready to defend their a modern-day Minuteman? homes the minute they were called. It means making sure your unit These Minutemen were prepared to drop what they were doing, grab has good contact information for their muskets, and muster on the village green with other friends and you so that you can get that phone neighbors to defend their communities. They were our first quick-reac- call, e-mail or text message quickly, tion force, and understood the important role they played in protecting and respond to your chain of com- their homeland. mand. And 125 years before that, in 1640, Dutch settlers in Manhattan, who It means making sure your belonged to the Burgher Guard (the city’s Citizens Guard) were instruct- employer and family know that you ed to report to the settlement’s fort when they heard a cannon shot fired. have an obligation to respond when Today, of course, that call to duty is going to come as a phone call, or a called for military duty. Don’t let text message. your boss be surprised when you I don’t expect you to respond in a minute, but I do expect all members tell him or her that you’ve been Maj. Gen. of our Army and Air National Guard, as well as the New York Naval Mili- called upon to serve New York. Anthony German tia and New York Guard, to be ready when that call to duty comes. It means keeping your gear ready After a bomb exploded in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood on to go. Packing a “go bag” of basics — extra uniforms, toilet items, and Sept. 17, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo turned to the New York National other necessary gear — and keeping it on hand is always a good idea. It Guard and asked us to increase our security presence at the city’s trans- saves time when you don’t need to find basics. portation hubs (see story on page 12). It means ensuring that important documents are in a place where your Our men and women responded to the call and we were able to meet spouse can find them in your absence, and that your finances are in good the governor’s goals for an increased security presence. We rapidly identi- order. fied Soldiers and Airmen for this duty, processed them, qualified them on It can also mean making sure that your family has emergency sup- their weapons, and deployed them in the airports and train stations. plies — extra water, flashlights, warm clothing — so they can take care of Whether it is a security concern, flooding, a snowstorm, or a hur- themselves while you are on duty. ricane, the governor and the people of New York are looking to the men If you know somebody on one of our Citizens Preparedness Corps and women of the New York National Guard for a response. It is no training teams, ask them for some hints on what you can do to have longer of question of if we get the call, but when. It is up to each of us to your family ready for a weather emergency. They’ve got plenty of good be ready. tips. You can also take an online course in emergency preparedness here: Winter means snowstorms and inclement weather and there’s always www.prepare.ny.gov/online-citizen-preparedness-training a chance that Guard Soldiers and Airmen will be asked to help the state Being ready also means being ready to fulfil our federal mission. response. We may not be deploying as many Soldiers as we have in the past, but Army Guard units are still going downrange (see stories on pages 16, 17). In this case being ready means making sure you’ve met individual training requirements like having a PT test on file, qualifying with your weapon, and meeting height and weight standards. Do everything you can to avoid missing a drill so you don’t miss training you need. Federal deployments, of course, are usually well scheduled in ad- vance, so that gives all of us — Soldiers and Airmen alike — time to get ready for those calls to duty. So take some time out and plan now for the things you need to do when the call to duty comes. You’ll have more than the minute that our colonial forefathers had to respond when their call came. As Brig. Gen. Pat Center asked all of us during our hurricane briefing this summer, “are you ready?” The answer needs to be YES!!! We have some 380 years of Minute- men response behind us to live up to. Thank you for doing your part to be ready today. Maj. Gen. Anthony German, the adjutant general of New York, speaks with New York Army National Guard battalion and company-level leaders during his leadership conference at Camp Smith Training Site on Sept 25. Photo by Sgt. Michael Davis, 138th Public Affairs Detatchment. Fall 2016 Volume 9, Number 4 This Issue’s Highlights: Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Commander in Chief Faces of the Force Maj. Gen. Anthony German, The Adjutant General Eric Durr, Director of Public Affairs 4 Medic’s Baby-steps Earn Expert Field Medical Badge Col. Richard Goldenberg, Public Affairs Officer 5 Couple Strengthens 109th Airlift Wing Family Bonds Master Sgt. Raymond Drumsta, NYARNG, Editor 6 Air Guardsman Snatches Victory From Jaws of Death About Guard Times 7 NY, UK Troops Trade Knowledge in Exchange Program The Guard Times is published quarterly using federal Around the State funds authorized under provisions of AR 360-1 and AFI 35-101 by the New York State Division of Mili- 8 Guardsman’s Son Gives Back to Earn Top Scout Rank tary and Naval Affairs and the New York Army and 9 NY National Guard Hosts SPP Meeting for South Africa, DoD Leaders Air National Guard Public Affairs Office. The Joint Force Views which appear in this publication are not neces- 12 Soldiers, Airmen Boost Task Force After Bombings sarily those of the Department of Defense, the Army, 13 Troops and Police Team Up to Prepare for Disaster the Air Force or the National Guard Bureau. 14 NY National Guard Wows Crowds at African Air Show The Guard Times has a circulation of 20,000 and is Army National Guard distributed free to members of the New York State 16 Sustained Effort Takes Sustainment Brigade to Kuwait Military Forces and employees of the Division of Military and Naval Affairs. 17 There and Back Again: NY Deployments Continue 18 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade Tackles Warfighter Submissions 19 New Unit to Reinforce 10th Mountain Division HQ Articles, photos and letters are welcome. Please pro- 20 Soldiers: Do You Have What it Takes to be The Best? vide article submissions via email saved in Microsoft 21 ‘Whole Soldier’ Concept Key to NCO Promotions Word or rich text format (rtf) along with high resolu- 23 Fighting 69th Takes Rifle Prize Two Years Running tion digital (jpg) photos. Submission deadlines are January 15 (winter issue), April 15 (spring issue), July 23 Stand Fast for OPAT, Army’s New Test for Recruits 15 (summer issue), and October 15 (fall issue). Send 24 106th RTI Named Best in Supply your submissions to: Air National Guard Guard Times 25 105th Member Awarded Bronze Star For Valor DMNA-MNPA 330 Old Niskayuna Road 26 109th Airmen and Aircraft Migrate to South Pole Latham, New York 12110-3514 27 109th Air Crew Praised for Ice Landing OFFICE (518) 786-4581 FAX (518) 786-4649 27 109th Picks Top Enlisted Leader or [email protected] 28 Gabreski Air Guard Base Airmen Take 2nd Place at Rodeo Complimentary or Back Issues of the Guard Times are New York Guard available. Contact us at the address above or visit us on the web for current news, photos or to download 29 New York Guard Troops Muster for Mass-Casualty Training Exercise prior issues at www.dmna.ny.gov New York Naval Militia 30 New York Naval Militia Ends Active Training Season Guard Notes 31 A Rewarding Fit At Camp Smith FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. — Soldiers of the New York Army National Guard’s 369th Sustainment Brigade throw practice hand grenades during pre- mobilization training here in August. The brigade took over logistics operations in Kuwait in October (see story on pages 16 and 17). Photo by Sgt. Cesar Leon, 369th Sustainment Brigade. www.dmna.ny.gov FRONT COVER: New York Army National Guard Specialists Casimir Remond and Rafael Molina, assigned to the New York National Guard’s Joint Task Force Empire Shield (JTF-ES) provide security in New York City’s Grand Central Station in September. JTF-ES boosted its ranks following bombings in Manhattan and New Jersey that month (story on page 12). BACK COVER: A 106th Rescue Wing Security Forces Squadron member maneuvers through concealing smoke during Tactical Combat Casualty Care training at FS Gabreski ANG on Oct. 19. Photos by Staff Sgt. Christopher S. Muncy. FACES of the FORCE Medic’s Baby-steps Earn Expert Field Medical Badge Story by Master Sgt. Raymond Drumsta, 42nd Infantry Division FORT DRUM, N.Y. — On the heels of a Soldier skills. major training exercise, New York Army Along with passing a 60-question written National Guard Spc.