May-JuneMay-June20162016 Vol.11 No. 3 GRIZZLYGRIZZLYOfficialOfficial NewsmagazineNewsmagazine ofof thethe CaliforniaCalifornia NationalNational GuardGuard Big Guns 79th IBCT partners with active duty Army at Camp Roberts as part of Army Total Force Policy page 12 Cal Guard escorts President Obama on Yosemite visit page 6 www.calguard.ca.gov/pa Leadership Corner The Cal Guard’s optempo remains high Major General David S. Baldwin When the pace of deployments fighting and domestic-response scenarios that challenge troops in a Middle East, and major training are joined in Ukraine by mem- to Afghanistan and the Middle force. With your commitment of realistic combat setting, including events are coming up in Latvia bers of our 129th Rescue Wing East slowed in recent years, some time, sweat and dedication, we ambush, company hasty attack, and Australia. and 144th Fighter Wing, who are of you may have wondered how have achieved great things. platoon movement to contact, re- working with their Ukrainian much our own pace would slow con and vehicle recovery training Meanwhile, more than 1,000 Sol- counterparts to share best prac- in the California National Guard. Our mission, however, never ceas- lanes that test Soldiers’ skills and diers from our 40th Combat Avia- tices and improve both internal se- Now you know the answer: It es. There will never be time to rest resolve. tion Brigade are serving a yearlong curity and defense of the nation’s won’t. on our laurels. deployment in the Middle East. In airspace. Annual training, though, is only a addition, this spring alone, Cal Our state and nation depend on This is California, which means part of our training calendar. Our Guard Soldiers trained in Ger- The 144th and their F-15C Eagle us for a wide array of responsibili- that as you read this, wildland Homeland Response Force, which many, Guatemala, India, Jordan, aircraft also are working in East- ties, and we continually strive to fires are likely burning in several covers all of FEMA Region IX, for Kuwait and South Korea, as well ern Europe with NATO allies to expand the ways we support our parts of the state. Cal Guard avia- instance, recently completed its as in Nigeria and Ukraine, our two strengthen interoperability and citizens. Cal Guard Soldiers and tors, heavy equipment and hand external evaluation exercise, vali- State Partnership Program nations. deter aggression in the region. Airmen are actively honing their crews are part of every year’s plan- dating its ability to respond to a The Cal Guard has worked closely Their six-month deployment in skills, finding new challenges and ning for fire season, and last year, chemical, biological, radiological with Nigeria’s armed forces since support of Operation Atlantic contributing to military and civil- more than 900 Cal Guard troops or nuclear (CBRN) incident. Our 2006 and with Ukraine’s since 1993 Resolve will take them to sites support missions in states and fought blazes with our partners two civil support teams also re- to assist those nations in modern- throughout Eastern Europe to countries around the globe. from Cal FIRE and the U.S. For- cently completed events that test- izing their militaries and strength- conduct multinational training est Service. With summer quickly ed their CBRN-response skills in ening the principles of democracy activities that promote stability in You showed your mettle and mas- approaching, many of you should collaboration with a wide range of and a free market economy. the region. tery of your craft when deploy- be ready to respond at a moment’s civilian partner organizations. ments to Afghanistan and Iraq notice when your unit gets the call. Building on that long-standing re- Not just California, but the world were frequent, and you’ve con- Building relationships with civil- lationship with Ukraine, our 79th relies on the Cal Guard to bolster tinued to impress as we’ve transi- Those of you who aren’t called ian and military partners, as well Infantry Brigade Combat Team safety and security for people fac- tioned to a more domestic-focused to the fire lines can expect a busy as foreign allies, is an integral and is leading Joint Multinational ing virtually any kind of threat. role. I asked you to maintain your summer nonetheless. Most units indispensable part of our job in Training Group-Ukraine (JMTG- You have proven you are the right focus and pour as much energy have completed annual training, the National Guard. Our partners U). Comprising National Guard force to carry out this mission, and into training and domestic mis- including infantry, military police complement our capabilities and and active component U.S. Army we have responded by putting sions as you did when a deploy- and engineers who went through provide valuable resources and forces as well as contributors from new challenges in front of you. ment was on the horizon, and the Exportable Combat Training training opportunities. Canada, Estonia, Lithuania and you’ve met that expectation. Capability program, or XCTC. A the United Kingdom, JMTG-U Thank you for your commitment brigade field training exercise de- Cal Guard Airmen are currently is providing essential training as to this organization. Together we I’m grateful to all of you, who have signed to certify platoon proficien- serving in 14 foreign countries, Ukraine faces its unique national keep this state safe, and help our shown the Cal Guard is a superior cy, XCTC is an intense series of with the largest contingent in the security challenges. Those Soldiers partners to do the same. Our Soldiers and Airmen are doing great things overseas Command Sergeant Major William Clark Jr. I had the privilege of catching up with some of our very best Soldiers during my recent 1st Battalion, 140th Aviation Regiment and the 40th CAB as they left Kuwait for a 9-day visit to Southwest Asia. As our nation and our National Guard experience our 16th year of combat support mission with the Afghanistan National Army at Forward Operating Base conflict that began as a response to terrorism, it still seems as though defeating insurgents (FOB) Joyce, Afghanistan. Additionally, I wish to acknowledge the fantastic effort of our no matter where they may hide continues to be job one. aviation units deployed to FOB Dahlke, as they aid Afghan Forces in rooting out Taliban insurgents. Witnessing Soldiers employ the skills they amassed during training is as gratifying to me as it is humbling, but it means even more to me when those Soldiers come from California. It is important to remember, even after 16 years of deploying Soldiers and Airmen, it The Soldiers of the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade (40th CAB) have been busy during the never gets old and it never gets safe. I appreciate the sacrifice our service members are still first half of their deployment this year supporting coalition forces tasked with Afghani- making during this long and difficult fight, and I ask that you keep them in your thoughts stan security and stability. I was especially impressed with the recent contributions of the while they are deployed overseas. Godspeed! “Witnessing Soldiers employ the skills they amassed during training is as gratifying to me as it is humbling, but it means even more to me when those Soldiers come from California. - Command Sgt. Maj. William Clark Jr. 2 Grizzly TABLE OF CONTENTS The Official Newsmagazine of the California National Guard Champion earns award 115th RSG goes mobile 4 Chief Warrant Officer 3 Nathan Champion, a pilot with the 9 The 115th Regional Support Group set up a mobile command Cal Guard’s A Company, 3rd Battalion, 140th Aviation Regi- post at Beale Air Force Base to test disaster preparedness May - June ment, was awarded the California Military Cross for his ac- tions during the Lodge Fire Scorched earth 12 Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 143rd Field Regiment brings out Vol. 11 No. 3 146th Airlift Wing gets ready the big guns and burns the grass at Camp Roberts Airmen from the 146th Airlift Wing conduct water drops 2016 with C-130 MAFFS (Modular Airborne Firefighting System) 49th MPs trim down aircraft in preparation for the fire season Soldiers from the 49th Military Police Brigade participate in an innovative fitness program Publisher Maj. Gen. David S. Baldwin FRG comes to the rescue While Sgt. Gilbert Britto was deployed, the Family Readiness The Adjutant General 5 Cal Guard gets a new general Group helped his family move to a safer neighborhood 13 Laura Yeager follows in her father’s footsteps by getting pro- Director of Public Affairs moted to brigadier general Col. Peter B. Cross President Obama visits Yosemite 6 Four Cal Guard CH-47 Chinook helicopters from 1st Battal- 9th CST pushes the limits Editor ion, 126th Aviation Regiment provided ‘fleet support’ under 14 The 9th Civil Support Team conducts WMD training on the Capt. Jason Sweeney Half Dome during President Barack Obama’s recent visit to water in a multi-agency exercise in San Diego, California Yosemite National Park Cadets follow their dreams Women and the draft 15 Cadets from the Cal Guard’s Sunburst Youth ChalleNGe 7 The passage in the U.S. Senate of the 2017 National Defense Academy graduate and move forward toward their goals Authorization Act means women may soon be required to register for Selective Service Dragan hangs up the apron Submissions 16 Dragan Mirkovic retires after 20 years serving breakfast and Cal Guard troops train in Wyoming lunch to Cal Guardsmen at Joint Force Headquarters Articles: Soldiers from the 340th Brigade Support Team head to Wyo- ming for Operation Gunsmoke Fit to Fight Articles range from 350 to 2,000 words.