Guardlife Staff Editors Maj. Yvonne Mays Capt. April Kelly Editor-Production Tech. Sgt. Mark C. Olsen Staff Writers/Photographers Kryn Westhoven Tech. Sgt. Barbara Harbison Sgt. Wayne Woolley 444MPAD, NJARNG Guardlife is published using federal funds under provisions of AR 360-1 and AFI 35-101 by the Public Affairs Office of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs for all members of the New Jersey Army and Air National Guard. The views and opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Department of Defense, the Army, the Air Force or the National Guard Bureau. Letters may be sent to: Guardlife, Public Affairs Office, P.O. Box 340, NJDMAVA, Trenton, NJ, 08625- 0340. E-mail at: [email protected] Cover: Chairman honors grads Louis A. Cabrera, left, Assistant Chief and Comptroller of the National Guard Bureau joins Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth and Admiral Michael Mullen, right, Chair- man, Joint Chiefs of Staff as Pvt. Michael Milan, center, and Spc. Pedro Martinez receive the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal during the graduation ceremonies for Class 30 of the Youth ChalleNGe program on Aug. 29 at the Trenton War Memorial. The pair of 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Soldiers graduated from the Youth ChalleNGe be- fore joining the National Guard. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Mark Olsen, 177FW/PA. Inside: Arena-size Welcome Family and friends welcome home the Soldiers of the 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team at the Sovereign Bank Arena on June 12. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Mark Olsen, 177FW/PA. G u a r d l i f e 2 4 TAG's Message 5 50th returns 6 Boots on the ground 8 The Big Event 10 Communities welcome home Soldiers 12 'Yellow Ribbon' greets 50th in AC 13 Jersey engineers turn swamp into road 14 Albania deployment sees many firsts 16 177th Medics deploy to Germany 17 My brother ain't heavy 18 CJCS participates in ChalleNGe Graduation 19 Grant gets his star 20 Tanker's last flight 21 Making it real 22 Need for speed 23 Spartans develop military flair 24 Soldiers and Airmen caddy for the pros 25 RSG returns to the field 26 Greening the Guard 27 News Guard Families Can Use 28 Short Rounds 30 NJNG Enlisted Promotions 32 Last Round - Boogie-Woogie Welcome G u a r d l i f e 3 Veterans - your future By Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth, The Adjutant General - New Jersey I spent part of a recent Sunday with the Sol- diers of the 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team as they took part in their 60-day Yellow Ribbon reintegration event in East Orange. The objec- tive was to ensure those brave men and women have the resources they need as they make the transition from warrior to citizen. With their his- toric mission in Iraq now complete, their eyes are focused on the future. For many of those Sol- diers, that future includes reaching their educational goals. So it was fitting that Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth, right, watches Governor Jon S. Corzine, center, shakes the hand of Capt. Rich- after leaving the brigade ard P. Colton, left, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team during in East Orange, I went the Welcome Home Parade, which started at the steps of the State Capital winding through Trenton to the to the Middlesex County Sovereign Bank Arena on June 12. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Mark Olsen, 177FW/PA. Community College cam- pus in Edison to join Gov. Jon Corzine at a signing ceremony for the state legislative The association says it’s dedicated to creating some bill that establishes the Troops to College Program. of the most veteran-friendly campuses in the country right The program empowers the Department of Military Af- here in New Jersey. fairs and the Commission on Higher Education to help the I spoke recently to representatives of this organization state’s public higher education institutions ease a veterans’ and told them that the men and women who are coming to transition to the classroom, whether they’re returning to their campuses from combat theaters are certainly worthy school after a deployment or stepping onto campus for the of the organization’s goal. It’s the right thing to do for the first time in years. veterans who have sacrificed so much to protect the Ameri- One of the great things about this initiative is that it plays can way of life. It’s also the smart thing to do because these to the tech savvy of our newest veterans. Everything from veterans have already proven themselves to be focused, assistance in applying for state and federal student financial disciplined and able to put the greater good above their own aid, to finding counseling resources, to connecting with a needs. In short, veterans are the kind of people who take campus veterans’ assistance officer will be online and a few their degrees and use them to accomplish great things. mouse clicks away. The reintegration of the 50th IBCT presents many chal- There are already some great education resources on lenges as those 3,000 Soldiers return to their families, com- the Internet for New Jersey veterans. munities and jobs. I’d argue that the reintegration period also One of the best can be found at www.operationcolleg- offers many opportunities. The chance to start or continue a epromise.com. path of higher education is high on that list of opportunities. That’s the online portal for the Operation College Promise I urge you to take advantage of everything that’s offered. program, which is run by the nine institutions that make up the You earned it. New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities. G u a r d l i f e 4 Photo by Tech. Sgt. Mark Olsen, NJDMAVA/PA Photo by Tech. G u a r d l i f e 5 BOOTS ON THE GROUND Above, Governor Jon S. Corzine, center, and Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Ri- eth, right, greet a 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Soldier. Pho- ay 25 saw the first of what were M to by Tech. Sgt. Mark Olsen 177FW/PA. Below, Sgt. 1st Class Sam to be many reunions betweeen family Weiss, left, greets his daughter. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Joe Donnelly, members and Soldiers of the 50th In- 444MPAD. Opposite page, top left photo by: Sgt. 1st Class Kryn West- hoven, JFHQ-NJ/PA. All others by Tech. Sgt. Mark Olsen, 177FW/PA. fantry Brigade Combat Team. Arriving at all hours of the day, in large groups and small, the results were always the same; momentary chaos as families searched for loved ones, followed by hugs, kisses and, well, more hugs and kisses. In the following days, the Sol- diers of the 102nd Cavalry, 250th Bri- gade Support Battalion, 328th Military Police Company, 50th Chemical Com- pany, 1-114th Infantry, 154th Quarter- master Company, 112th Fires Battalion, 50th Brigade Special Troops Battalion and the 2-113th Infantry arrived home. After completing all their in-process- ing at Fort Dix, the next big event was the Welcome Home ceremony. G u a r d l i f e 6 G u a r d l i f e 7 THE BIG EVENT G u a r d l i f e 8 On June 12, the Soldiers of the 50th marched past Trenton's citizens to the Sovereign Bank Arena where they were welcomed with live entertainment and speeches by federal, state and local officials. Aeri- al parade photo by Spc. Mark O'Rear, 444MPAD. All other photos by Tech. Sgt. Mark Olsen, 177FW/PA. G u a r d l i f e 9 CO mm UNITIES WEL C O M E HO M E SOLDIERS The incessant spring rains paused just long enough could be heard from all the way across town. The Ameri- to allow Mount Holly residents a chance to welcome can Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Yellow Ribbon home a group of 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Club, resident John Hennessey, and Spc. Sams’ family also Soldiers. helped organize the event. Waving American flags and sporting yellow ribbons, it After speeches by local luminaries and challenge coin seemed as if the entire town, just a few miles south of Fort presentations, each Soldier got the microphone for a chance Dix, turned out to shake a Soldier’s hand. to address the crowd. All thanked their families, but Spc. “He’s the true definition of a hometown hero,” said Army Morehouse had more to say. mom Theresa Durham of her son, Cpl. George O’Malley. “I want to thank my wife again,” he said. “She’s the true hero, “He grew up here and now the town is honoring him.” taking care of the family through this.” Having joined the military Spcs. Martin Borton, Mark Morehouse and Joe Sams, in his thirties, he said, made the separation more difficult. along with Pfc. Justin Schober rode into town on a Mount Not all in attendance had family returning from over- Holly Fire Department engine. Flanked by motorcycle seas. Dot and Bruce Ward of Lumberton just wanted to groups, including the Warriors’ Watch Riders, the parade welcome the troops home. G u a r d l i f e 10 O mm UNITIES “The whole unit came back, every single one of them,” Photo credits, opposite page: Pennsauken held a Welcome Home pa- C said fire department lieutenant Terry Matthews. “That’s rade down the Main Street on June 28 Photo by Tech.