rd 53 Troop Scoop SUMMER 2012 Brig. Gen. Michael C. Swezey rd Commander, 53rd Troop Command Troop Scoop Capt. Alvin Phillips 53 PAO, 53rd Troop Command/ Commander, 138th PAD Troop Scoop Staff: Sgt.1st Class Thomas W. Wheeler PA Operations NCO/ Editor Sgt. 1st Class Steven Petibone Journalist Staff Sgt. Micheal Davis Jr. Journalist Sgt.. Trisha Pinczes NYARNG Engineers working on old Erie Canal 6-7 Journalist Spc. Brian Godette Journalist NYARNG Medics on the Job in Hohenfels, Germany 8 Sgt. Jonathan Monfiletto Journalist About the 53rd Troop Scoop The 53rd Troop Scoop is published to the web quarterly as approved by the 53rd Troop Command, New York Army National Guard, and New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs. Views that appear in this publication are not necessarily those of the Department of Defense, the Army or the National Guard. Submissions Articles and photos are welcome. Please provide articles in Microsoft Word format along with high resolu- tion digital (jpg.) photos by e-mail to [email protected]. Sub- mission deadlines are as follows: Winter Edition- January15 Spring Edition- April 15 Summer Edition- July 15 Fall Edition- October 15 (FRONT/ BACK COVER) STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, NEWBURGH NY -- More than 450 New York Army National Guard Soldiers of the 101st Expe- ditionary Signal Battalion- based in Yonkers, Orange- burg and Peekskill-- say goodbye to their families and depart for post-mobilization training at Fort Bliss, Texas at Stewart Air National Guard Base here on Sunday, Au- gust 19. The Soldiers are schedule to deploy to Afghani- stan. Command Corner bill. mirror the structure of the active Change and variety. There was an- duty. He wants to maintain readiness other item with this weekend that was through the use of predictable, rota- different and that was the schedule ... tional deployments for operational a MUTA-8. I know that many units needs, as well as constructive combat within the Troop Command drilled training center tours. He wants us to the first weekend after Labor Day in recommit to the basics of personnel September ... many utilizing MU- readiness through focusing on im- TA-8’s and MUTA-6’s. There are provement of USR metrics and Unit definite training advantages to using Manning Roster management. We an extended drill weekend. A lot can are our Nation’s homeland security be accomplished on a well planned force prepared to rapidly respond to weekend with three to four training the need of our Governor and citizens. days. It is an activity that I am sure Lastly, General Ingram looks to main- NYARNG Medics on the Job in Hohenfels, Germany 8 we will see more and more units em- tain the trust of our Soldiers, Families, brace as we move forward. I encour- Employers and Communities by liv- I had the pleasure of spending part age it, as long as our Soldiers have ing and emulating the Army Values. of my September drill with the 369th been given plenty of notice that it is I ask all of you to be safe. I also Special Troops Battalion during their coming so that civilian work and fam- ask you to follow the credo of “ACE” MUTA-8 at Ft Indiantown Gap in ily obligations can be rearranged. when it comes to helping your fel- Pennsylvania. Indiantown Gap has As many of you know, we have a low Soldier. “Ask, Care and Escort”. some great weapons ranges and I new Director of the Army National “Ask” your buddy if they need help. would encourage all units to look at Guard - LTG William E. Ingram. “Care” for that buddy and “Escort” it as a training location other than Ft General Ingram has just published a them to get help. Best of luck to the Drum or Ft Dix. I believe that Sol- document outlining his “Strategic Im- 101 Signal Battalion as they begin diers like change and variety in their peratives” for the future. their deployment to Afghanistan. training and Indiantown Gap fits the He wants a force that continues to What are the basics of discipline? Is it lead- through sponsorship. The first drill is impor- NCO, I realize that I am a member of a time ing from the front? Noncommissioned Of- tant because first impressions are lasting im- honored Corps, which is known as the “The ficers (NCOs) operate in an environment pressions. Backbone of the Army.” where the sparks fly. Of all the grades of the • Provide for continued growth of all Soldiers NCO, the Sergeant has the greatest impact on through career development, counseling, and the lower ranking Soldiers. productive training programs. I would like to see more NCO’s lead from • Respond to potential loss situations such the front, set and enforce the standard, not to as excessive absences, pay, supply, training, pick and choose. I think we need to get back employment conflicts, family pressure, and to some of the basics. We have been an Army educational demands. at war for over ten years. We have gone from • Take a positive rather than a negative ap- the things I had to do when I initially came in. proach to the term “counseling.” The term Strength and leadership have never been counseling should be used to “listen to, coach, more important in the Army than today. As and develop Soldiers at all levels.” we continue to move forward, the Army Na- The NCO corps must help maintain a tional Guard is expected to perform a large, proper balance between the needs of the or- more dedicated mission for the defense of our ganization (mission, Soldier, and equipment), Nation and State. Our units need to be full Family, work, and leisure. NCO’s must keep strength, well trained, and prepared for mobi- a sense of how their Soldiers feel toward the lization in a time of war or national disaster. unit’s demands, advise commanders on these NCO’s are crucial to Soldiers’ perceptions of feelings, and maintain a strong readiness pos- service, and therefore must take an active role ture. in personnel management. As NCO’s, no one is more professional than • Ensure new Soldiers are oriented to the unit I. I am a NCO, a leader of Soldiers. As an Mother/Daughter team eploying to Afghanistan Story and photo by Capt. Alvin Phillips, 138th PAD CAMP SMITH, New York --”Like father, like son” is the more popu- lar expression used in the English language, but “like mother, like daughter” is the phrase Soldiers in the New York Army National Guard’s 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion will use this August. For Spc. Alexandra Lippi, and her mother Sgt. Maj. Gina Lippi, service in the National Guard is a family thing. The two will deploy to Afghanistan this year with the Yonkers-based 101st Signal. “I don’t know exactly what ’it’ is, but ’it’ is in my blood,” said Spc. Lippi, a newly trained signal CAMP SMITH, New York-- Specialist Alexandra Lippi, left, and her mother Sgt. Soldier in Alpha Company, 101st Major Gina Lippi will deploy to Afghanistan later this year with the New York Army ESB when asked why she decided National Guard’s 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion. to enlist in the New York National tary over 32 years ago. A lot of when dealing with Soldiers in the Guard like her mother did over 30 things have changed since then and S3 team is productive and enlight- years ago. definitely for the better, she said. ening, never divisive,” said Capt. Spc. Lippi, who was previously As the Operations Sergeant Frank Quintano, the 101st’s opera- assigned to the New York Army Major, Sgt. Maj. Lippi is the tions officer. National Guard’s 466th Area overall non-commissioned officer She would never show favoritism Medical Company, said her mom in charge of Tactical Operations to any Soldier, daughter or not, he inspired her to join the National Center. added. Guard. Now she is looking forward She is responsible for account- “My primary focus is and has al- to working with satellite communi- ability and maintenance of the ways been to take care of Soldiers, cations equipment in the same unit command post, and supervises it’s something that I have been as her mother. pre-combat checks and pre-combat doing for three decades and the She’s looking forward to the inspections. Additionally, she best way to take care of Soldiers challenges of her new job, Lippi monitors and records messages and is to uphold standards and those said, and she’s also looking for- operational overlays, and assists standards apply to all wearing the ward to facing them with her the Battle Captain in all his duties. uniform, especially my daughter,” mother around. “The circumstances of 9/11 led to Sgt. Maj. Lippi said. It’s good to know that somebody a more versatile force and Soldiers However, those standards who knows her well will be de- are more experienced than ever be- shouldn’t be a problem at all when ployed with her, Spec. Lippi said. fore at understanding the changes referring or discussing the younger For Sgt. Major Gina Lippi, there of the world,” Sgt. Maj. Lippi said. Lippi. is no greater way to serve than to “I respect her and this organiza- “Spc. Lippi absolutely exempli- know she inspired her daughter to tion so much and do not want it to fies what it takes to be a Soldier serve too. appear that just because my mother deploying to Afghanistan with this The two Lippi’s resemble each is a Sergeant Major I should re- unit,” said Company A, 101 ESB other and possess the same man- ceive special exceptions or take Plans and Operations NCO, Sgt.