WINNER OF THE 2014 NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU MEDIA CONTEST the TAG interview with Max Haston, Tennessee’s Adjutant General THE JOURNEY OF TENN. FEMALE CHAPLAINS 1VOL. 15, ISSUE 2 VSG MAGAZINE VOL.15 | ISSUE 2 September 10 - 13, 2015 Nashville, Tenn. Find out more information at www.ngaus.org 2 VSG MAGAZINE VOL.15 | ISSUE 2 WINNER “BEST WEB-BASED PUBLICATION” - 2014 NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU MEDIA CONTEST THE VOLUNTEER STATE GUARD MAGAZINE VOLUME 15 ISSUE 2 INSIDE THIS ISSUE FEATURES RESPONSE ON THE COVER Max Haston, Tennessee’s Adjutant PAGE 8 PAGE 24 General speaking at the Tennes- THE TAG WINTER STORM see State Capitol. Photo by SSG Melissa Wood. An Interview with Max Haston, Tennes- Tenn. Guard Surveys Winter Storm see’s Adjutant General Damage Response. PAGE 18 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MAJ (Ret) Randy Harris OUR FEMALE CHAPLAINS ART DIRECTION Rob Pennington Attaining the role of military chaplain RECOGNITION SENIOR EDITORS Lt. Col. (Ret) Niki Gentry has not always been an easy journey Master Sgt. Robin Olsen for women PAGE 16 Rob Pennington VET GETS BRONZE STAR Vet Receives Bronze Star 63 Years PHOTOGRAPHY MAJ (Ret) Randy Harris After Having Earned it. Lt. Col. (Ret) Niki Gentry TRAINING CW4 Nick Atwood PAGE 21 CW2 Emily Wiest PAGE 14 NGAT DIRECTOR Master Sgt. Robin Olsen CAV VIRTUAL TRAINING RECEIVES AWARD Master Sgt. Kendra M. Owenby 278th Troops Train in the Real and Vir- Larry McKnight Receives the Col. Master Sgt. Matt Schwartz tual World for Success. James F. Gamble Award. SSG Melissa Wood SSG Delana Hull PAGE 22 PAGE 28 SSG Mathieu Perry EDUCATION VIA SATEL- TULLAHOMA UNIT RE- SGT Matt Young LITE CEIVES NEW 1SG SGT Jennifer C. Johnson Airmen in Nashville use satellite tech- 1st Sgt. Kenneth Latham Welcomed as SGT Sarah Holt nology to further their education. New First Sergeant. WRITERS MAJ (Ret.) Randy Harris PAGE 30 Lt. Col. (Ret) Niki Gentry GEN HARRY MONTGOMERY CW4 Nick Atwood FAMILY RETIRES Master Sgt. Robin Olsen Chief of Staff, Tennessee Air National SGT Kirby W. Bannister, Jr. PAGE 17 Guard Retires. SGT Benjamin M. Hilton GAINING KNOWLEDGE AF- SGT Matt Young TER DEPLOYMENT PAGE 31 SGT Sarah Holt Yellow Ribbon Program Welcomes GEN BAKER PROMOTED TO Troops Home. ATAG Brig. Gen. Tommy H. Baker is appoint- VolState Guard is published to provide command and public information PAGE 26 ed Assistant Adjutant General-Army. about Tennessee Guard Soldiers and Airmen throughout the world. Views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect WEDDING IN FORMATION the official view of and it is not endorsed by the U.S. Government, the Tenn. Soldiers Hold Impromptu Wed- PAGE 32 Department of Defense or the Departments of the Army and the Air Force. This publication does not supersede any information presented in any oth- ding In Formation. GEN KENNETT PROMO- er official Air or Army publication. Articles, photos, artwork and letters are TION invited and should be addressed to: Editor, The Volunteer State Guard, PAGE 29 Brig. Gen. Tommy H. Baker is appoint- 3041 Sidco Dr., Attn: TNPAO, Nashville, TN 37204. RONALD MCDONALD ed the Chief of Staff-Air. For more information, the staff can be reached by telephone (615) 313- HOUSE BREAKFAST 0633, or by email to [email protected]. The Volunteer State Guard reserves the right to edit all material. Published works may be reprinted, except 164th Mission Support Group serves where copyrighted, provided credit is given to The Volunteer State Guard breakfast to families in need. and the authors. Distribution of the The Volunteer State Guard is electronic and can be downloaded at: http://www.tnmilitary.org 3 VSG MAGAZINE VOL.15 | ISSUE 2 SNIPER TRYOUTS TENNESSEE Think you have what it takes to be a Sniper? In March, the 1/278th ACR Snip- SNAPSHOT er Section conducted a selection process in order to test Soldiers trying out to become snipers. PHOTO BY: 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment 4 VSG MAGAZINE VOL.15 | ISSUE 2 THE GUARD HELPS GARTH TENNESSEE Staff Sgt. Glenn Tate, 129th Army Band, Tenn. Army National Guard, played SNAPSHOT taps with Garth Brooks for a concert the country singer played as part of the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville. PHOTO BY: SSG Delana Hull 5 VSG MAGAZINE VOL.15 | ISSUE 2 MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD TENNESSEE On March 11, 2015 Gov. Bill Haslam met with Tennessee Adjutant General, Maj. SNAPSHOT Gen Max Haston, military-connected youth, and their families to sign a proclamation declaring April as Month of the Military Child in Tennessee. PHOTO BY: CW2 Emily Wiest 6 VSG MAGAZINE VOL.15 | ISSUE 2 JEAA HELPING VETERANS TENNESSEE Members of the Junior Enlisted Advisory Association (JEAA) from 134th Air Refuel- SNAPSHOT ing Wing in Knoxville, Tenn., collected canned goods for the Blount County Veter- ans Affairs Office food pantry. PHOTO BY: Master Sgt. Kendra M. Owenby 7 VSG MAGAZINE VOL.15 | ISSUE 2 the TAG an interview with Max Haston, Tennessee’s Adjutant General Major General Terry M. “Max” Haston speaking at the Veteran’s Day ceremony at the Tennessee Capitol. (Pho- to by SSG Melissa Wood) INTERVIEWED BY CW4 NICK ATWOOD 8 VSG MAGAZINE VOL.15 | ISSUE 2 TAG INTERVIEW itary has been at war for the past 13 years. orate on the basic principles of Now, I’m not sure America’s been at war your command/leadership phi- Major General Ter- because only the military and their families losophy. ry M. “Max” Haston is have been daily affected by this. In the wars Maj. Gen. Haston: I think what has to hap- Tennessee’s 75th Adju- in Iraq and Afghanistan we didn’t see a na- pen first is that every individual has to de- tant General. The Adju- tional commitment like we did in World War fine leadership and understand what leader- II. What we’ve seen is the military’s commit- ship means. I think leadership in what we tant General is appoint- ment. And, so having said that, I think our do is the ability for one person, the leader ed by the governor and Commanders in Chief of this state realized him or herself, must to be able to get people is also the Commission- that fact and have said, “Look, we’ve got to to do what they want them to do and make er of the Tennessee Mil- appoint someone who understands the mili- them think it’s their idea. That engages their tary and is technically and tactically capable innovativeness and accomplishes the mis- itary Department. The of leading our Soldiers. Now, the first part sion. The role we sit in that “getting them Adjutant General is re- of your question, talking about even being to do what you want them to do” could be sponsible for the lead- mentioned in the same sentence with peo- very dangerous and cost them their lives. ership and command ple like Sam Houston and Andrew Jackson And so that’s another added requirement, along with those folks whose pictures hang incentive to ensure that people are doing of the Tennessee Army on the wall outside my office—Dan Wood, the right thing and are being technically and Air National Guard, Gus Hargett, Carl Wallace, Van Nunally, Joe and tactically proficient with their people. the Tennessee Emergen- Henry—they are not just part of, but have I was raised by an NCO and so my philos- cy Management Agen- helped write Tennessee history, and that is ophy of leadership is maybe a little bit dif- very humbling to me. To even be mentioned ferent. The fact that my Dad was a career cy, the Tennessee State in the same sentence or be captured on the NCO told me that, “there ain’t nothing too Guard, and the Bureau same wall with those guys is very humbling. hard to do if you ain’t the person that’s got to of War Records. I mentioned Major Gen. Joe W. Henry—he do it.” It’s Important to be able to put your- eventually became the Chief Justice of our self in the position of when you ask some- Tennessee Supreme Court. He was the Chief body to do something, make sure that you, Justice when Lamar Alexander took office the leader, are willing to fall in there and do prior to the originally scheduled inaugura- it with them and experience it with them. tion in the aftermath of a scandal involving Whether it’s tactical or administrative, or CW4 Atwood: Command of Ten- his predecessor Governor Ray Blanton. So whatever the situation. You may not be the nessee’s Military forces is a it tells you how ingrained and embedded absolute professional and understand every- responsibility held by notable that is. You mentioned Sam Houston—this thing about that task, but to be a good leader figures of our nation’s history guy served as the Governor of two states, you’ve got to understand what your people such as former President An- the President of a Republic, and Father of a do. I also find it amazing that when you ask drew Jackson and Sam Hous- Country—and who he was associated with, people to do things, or ask them how they’re ton, who later became the Pres- people like the famous Davy Crockett, Jim doing it, (and to get our young warriors to ident of the Republic of Texas. Bowie, and James Travis. You think about show you as a leader how to do it)—that in- Describe for our readers what it those guys and the history involved--that stills pride in them and what they’re doing means to you personally having people of this state birthed another state in the unit.