Militiaman Happy trails The The Iowa Contents Militiaman Summer 2006 4 Transformation underway The Adjutant for Iowa National Guard General Maj. Gen. Ron Dardis by Master Sgt. Duff E. McFadden Public Affairs 6 Chinooks assist in Anamosa’s Officer Hale Bridge move Lt. Col. Greg Hapgood by Master Sgt. Duff E. McFadden Commanding Officer Maj. Matt Carver 8 New tool provides new leads Print Officer 1st Lt. Jamie Davis 10 Gold Star Museum insert Editor Master Sgt. Duff E. McFadden 12 Through the ranks Staff Command Sgt. Maj. Doyle Norris 1st Lt. Melanie Meyer 1st Lt. Tim Mills Warrant Off. Candidate Paul Rieks 14 Fitness for Life Staff Sgt. Chris Silver by Mary Milligan Staff Sgt. Ron Isaac Staff Sgt. Sara Maniscalco Sgt. Matthew McArthur 18 Air Guard trio renders aid Spc. Alicia Dill Spc. Michael Kelly during I-29 fire/accident Spc. Catie Beck Pfc. Heather Easton 19 A tale of two generals The Iowa Militiaman is an by CW4 David L. Snook unofficial publication authorized under the provisions of AR 360-81. It is published by the 135th Mobile 20 TRICARE Reserve Select Public Affairs Detachment, Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa 50131, and now available is printed four times annually. The news and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessar- ily those of the Adjutant General of On the cover: A CH-47 Chinook from Iowa, or the Department of the Davenport’s Co. B, 2nd Battalion, 211th Army. Aviation, transports the 100-foot section of a 127-year old cast Iron bridge from Hale to Address all submissions to: Anamosa. The three-sectioned bridge, The Iowa Militiaman transported across more than 15 miles of Iowa 135th Public Affairs Detachment countryside, now resides at Wapsipinicon State Camp Dodge Park, where it will become part of a recreational 7700 NW Beaver Dr. trail connecting Anamosa to the park. (Iowa Johnston, IA 50131-1902 National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Duff E. or E-mail: McFadden). [email protected] The Iowa Militiaman 2 Summer 2006 Are you making a difference? (Editor’s Note: The following are excerpts recruiting new and prior service Soldiers. from the State of the Iowa National Guard Currently, we are exceeding the retention Address to the Iowa Legislature,on March 27). standard set by National Guard Bureau by more It is a great honor to stand before you repre- than four percent. With more than half the senting the wonderful men and women of the recruiting year remaining, we have reached 53 Iowa National Guard. On their behalf I want to percent of our recruiting goal. say a heartfelt “Thank you,” for all you have The Iowa Air National Guard is doing equally done over the years to assist us in building a well. In 2005, we finished the year at 104 world class organization. percent of assigned strength – 106 percent This extraordinary support has made it pos- today – with a retention rate of 98 percent. sible for the Iowa National Guard to serve our You know the great thing about our Soldiers state and nation during unprecedented times. It and Airmen, is when they go somewhere, they helped us create a climate of success that is the always leave it a better place than when they envy of National Guard and state officials arrived. If they see a problem they try and fix it. throughout the Nation. If they see someone in need they try and help. Yet no measure of success matters if, at the Chief Warrant Officer 1 Al Kakac, and his end of the day, you can’t fellow soldiers from Task say “yes” to one basic ques- Force 168, looked across tion – are you making a a barren stretch of under- difference? developed Afghani farm- As I share our story with land and saw an opportu- you , I challenge you to see nity to help bring the green how our Soldiers, Airmen revolution to that desolate and their families are mak- part of the world. TAG ing a difference – a differ- Working with the ence in our communities USDA and Iowa agricul- – a difference in our state tural experts, Kakac Sends – a difference in our na- helped develop the largest Maj. Gen. tion and a difference in the agricultural test plot in Ron Dardis, Global War on Terrorism. Afghanistan to teach Af- The Adjutant General Since 9-11, we’ve mo- ghans how to be better bilized and deployed more farmers. Showing them it’s Soldiers and Airmen than possible to improve their at any time in recent his- corn yields by more than tory – including World War II. You’d have to go 100 bushels merely by planting corn in rows to the Civil War era to find a higher operational rather than scattering seeds on the ground got tempo for the Iowa National Guard. And all of their attention. this is being done during a historic period of Staff Sgt. Mark Matteson, another Task Force institutional change for our armed forces – 186 Soldier, likewise saw a need and a way to changes that will affect us for years to come. make a difference. Matteson was appalled when The effects of the Base Realignment and he arrived in Afghanistan and saw children Closure process on the Iowa National Guard walking and playing barefoot. He emailed home were positive. Once fully implemented and and said send shoes – lots of shoes. Working funded, we stand to gain four Armed Forces through organizations like Shoes for Kids and Reserve Centers – one at Camp Dodge, one at family support groups, Matteson and his fel- Middletown, one at Cedar Rapids and one at low soldiers were able to put shoes on the feet Muscatine. These projects will bring in more of thousands of Afghan children. than $100 million of military construction In Iraq, the 224th Engineer Battalion also money into the state of Iowa. saw a need and made a difference. Working Last year, the Iowa Army National Guard with family members and Iowa businesses back ended the year number one in Strength Readi- ness in the National Guard system. We are currently number two in the nation in strength Making a difference readiness and are on a record-breaking pace for continued on page 16 The Iowa Militiaman 3 Summer 2006 Iowa Guard continues to evolve by Master Sgt. Duff E. McFadden sign of the operational Army into a standard- In order to keep pace with today’s increas- ized, stand alone, larger, more powerful, more ingly complex missions, which range from ter- flexible and more rapidly deployable force rorist threats, year-long combat deployments, that will enable the Army to change the way it and natural disasters at home, the National fights and the way it operates,” said Dr. Francis Guard must continue to evolve and transform to J. Harvey, Secretary of the Army.” remain a viable force, as well as a strategic However you look at it, said Lt. Col. Thomas reserve for the Army. Staton, deputy chief of staff – transformation, For Iowa Soldiers, transformation means Iowa Army National Guard, the Army has better opportunity changed its way of doing business. “The National Guard has undergone a total Iowa’s transformational development began transformation in the past few years,” said Lt. in Training Year 2005, with much of the higher Gen. H. Steven Blum, chief, National Guard level planning being completed by the state. Bureau (NGB), speaking before the Senate Figuring into the mix was analysis of the state’s Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on current organization, a review of the Army/ Defense. “The once ponderous Cold War stra- National Guard Bureau needs, and projecting tegic reserve transformed itself into an agile, Iowa’s future force structure. lethal operational force capable of joint and Some Iowa National Guard units are inacti- expeditionary warfare—a uniquely flexible vating because the Army, communicating with force simultaneously capable of responding to the Adjutant General, doesn’t feel they have a a broad range of civil and humanitarian crises. relative, viable mission in the future. Some And modularity is playing a large role in that new units are being activated from scratch, change. while others are transitioning into entirely new Modularity is the Army’s major force trans- entities. for mation initiative, which involves the total “We are re-organizing units, with The Adju- redesign of the operational Army, both active tant General ensuring we have a relevant force and Reserve. It will provide “plug and play” structure within the state to meet our combat- force elements that are interchangeable, ex- ant commander requirements,” said Staton. pandable and tailorable, to meet changing mis- “We’re then converting those units into new sions and needs. modular concepts, i.e., the 2nd Brigade Combat “The Army Modular Force Initiative is the Team (BCT), which was an organic brigade and Army’s most important transformational ini- part of the 34th Infantry Division. tiative for a reason; it involves the total rede- These modular BCTs provide improved in- Transformation The Iowa Militiaman 4 Summer 2006 Inactivating units 234th Signal Battalion 34th CS (HHC/MMC) 134th Quartermaster Battalion (Water) Det 1, HHC, 34th Infantry Div. HHD, Co. D, 109th Aviation Battalion Infantry HHC Brigade (AUG) 1-147th Aviation Battalion CAB Det 1, HHB, 34th DIVARTY HHD, 734th Maintenance Battalion 1241st TMDE 1034th Quartermaster Company Co. A, 109th Medical Battalion 3657th Maintenance Company 767th Fire Fighting Team 834th Engineer SIB Battery C, 194th Field Artillery Co. A, Co, B, Co. C, 224th Engineer BN Troop D, Troop E, Troop F, 113th CAV DET 1, F, 106th Aviation PLT Activating units 734th RSG 1034th CSSB 2-234th BSTB Converting units 248th ASB 2/147th AVN units From To 1/134th S&S units HHC, 2nd Brigade HHC, 2nd Brigade Combat Team 2/211th AVN units 1-113th Cavalry 1-113th Recon.