190th ARW Military Students chaplain Funeral get lesson serves at Honors in practical PlainsPlainsDover.........7 GuardianGuardianTeam.......10 math........20 Volume 58 No. 1 Serving the Kansas Army and Air National Guard, Kansas Emergency Management, Kansas Homeland Security and Civil Air Patrol February 2014 73rd Civil Support Team trains with Nebraska National Guard and FBI By Staff Sgt. Jessica Barnett rather have us know what we are doing Public Affairs Office should something actually happen.” The Kansas National Guard conducted a “When you develop that training rela- hazardous materials exercise at its head- tionship and understand each other’s capa- quarters in Topeka Jan. 8. The KSNG’s bilities and limitations before an actual 73rd Civil Support Team, along with the event, you can get right down to business Nebraska National Guard’s 72nd CST unit, and do your job. You know how the other were joined by the FBI Hazardous Re- teams do business and can complete the sponse Team from Kansas City for the day- mission,” added Maj. Robert Cole, com- long training. mander of the 73rd CST. “This is valuable training for our CST The Kansas and Nebraska CST teams team to work alongside our neighboring have trained together in multiple venues National Guard CST in Nebraska and our across the state. The majority of the 72nd civilian partners at the FBI to resolve a sim- CST’s missions have been tied to potential ulated situation involving weapons of mass threats and preventative type missions, con- destruction,” said Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli, ducting sweeps of major events at places Kansas adjutant general. such as Sporting Kansas City, Kansas For this training exercise, multiple of- Speedway, the Major League Baseball All- fices in Nickell Armory, Topeka, received Star events and political conventions. “white powder letters.” In conjunction The Kansas National Guard conducted a hazardous materials exercise at its head- The 73rd Civil Support Team is a 22-per- with the FBI’s hazardous materials team quarters in Topeka Jan. 8. The KSNG’s 73rd Civil Support Team, along with the Ne- son team of highly-trained Kansas Army and Nebraska’s CST, the 73rd CST re- braska National Guard’s 72nd CST unit, were joined by the FBI Hazardous and Air National Guardsmen who support sponded to the incident, conducting recon- Response Team from Kansas City for the day-long training. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Jes- local, state and federal agencies responding naissance and sampling the suspected sica Barnett, Public Affairs Office) to an incident involving weapons of mass threat to conduct analysis in their on-site methods and procedures,” said 1st Lt. Ryan mat Response Teams, to make sure we are destruction. The 73rd CST is charged with analytical laboratory. Peters, exercise facilitator. all on the same page, that we can coordi- providing support to civil authorities at any “It’s important for us to get out and train “It is especially important to work with nate seamlessly, even if the chances of it domestic chemical, biological, radiological, as you fight and to stay proficient in our other teams and agencies, like the FBI Haz- happening are small,” said Peters. “I would (Continued on Page 2) International officers tour capitol Adjutant General visits Airmen By Spc. Anna Laurin Scott Dold, chief of the joint staff, Kansas during Guam deployment 105th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment National Guard, before beginning their leg- Forty-seven military officers from 40 na- islative and judicial tours. By Tech. Sgt. Jake Meyer the base, Tafanelli talked to the Airmen tions visited Topeka Feb. 6 to learn about The state capitol tour is a part of prepara- 190th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs about the benefits of the 190th’s deploy- state government and the state judicial sys- tion courses for the international officers to Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli, Kansas adjutant ment to Guam. The operation provides new tem. The international officers are students help them learn and understand the differ- general; State Command Sgt. Maj. Scott Airmen an opportunity to operate in a for- at the U.S. Army Command and General ent levels of government within our coun- Haworth and State Command Chief Master eign environment, offers operational train- Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan. try, said Michael Brettmann, Fields Studies Sgt. James Brown stopped in at Andersen ing for all Airmen and gives them a chance They came to Topeka as part of their study Program Manager for the U.S. Army Com- Air Force Base, Guam, in January to visit to work with co-workers from different about the different levels of government mand and General Staff College. Airmen with the 190th Air Refueling Wing duty sections, increasing morale and cohe- within the United States. The officers have taken two preparation who deployed in with multiple KC-135s to sion, said Tafanelli. The officers were greeted by Brig. Gen. courses, one on culture and social relations support planes flying in the Pacific “We’re extremely proud of the work the and the other on tactics and military deci- throughout the month. 190th is doing in Guam,” said Tafanelli. sion process. In line with the courses, the The 190th has been rotating with other “This is an essential mission for our nation class takes tours or field studies trips to units to support this growing mission since and greatly benefits the Kansas National view and learn about the government. December 2013, but has deployed many Guard as well. The experience our Airmen “The field trips have a building block ap- times to Guam since 2000. will gain collectively on this deployment is PAID proach,” said Brettmann. “The trips start “The goal for the 190th is to help support invaluable and will help them to work to- PRSRT STD PRSRT SALEM, OR the 24/7-presence in the Pacific,” said Lt. gether better, provide them with unique U.S. POSTAGE with visiting local governments, then state PERMIT NO. 178 PERMIT governments, and then in October the class Col. Chris Ioder, aircraft maintenance com- training opportunities, and help to ensure will visit Washington D.C. to view and mander. “We always put the mission first, their overall readiness for future wartime learn about our national government.” ensuring we are ready to launch in a mo- and domestic response missions.” The international officer class has al- ment’s notice.” An incident during Tafanelli’s landing ready visited Leavenworth and Kansas City On Jan. 14, Tafanelli and state enlisted aptly demonstrated the unit’s experience to see local government. Also, they viewed leadership traveled to Guam with a new and readiness. During the landing, two tires the good and bad areas of Kansas City, then round of deploying Airmen. While touring (Continued on Page 2) discussed why things are the way they are in these areas. The day before the Topeka tour, the class visited the Truman Library to see some decisions made by the president and talk about foreign policies. At the end of the day, the class visited the Kansas Museum of History to learn more about the state that they will be living in for the next year. While in Kansas, in order to find a place to live, a car to drive, then to interact with the community and learn more about the American lifestyle and family, each officer is set up with a group of people or sponsors who help them integrate into and learn (Left to right) Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli, the adjutant general of Kansas, talks with 2800 Topeka Blvd. 2800 Topeka about their new communities for the time OFFICIAL BUSINESS OFFICIAL Stephen Wolborsky, director of Plans, Programs and Readiness of the 36th Wing, Adjutant General of Kansas Topeka, Kansas 66611-1287 Topeka, Penalty For Private Use, $300 they are in the class. and Col. Ron Krueger, commander of the 190th Air Refueling Wing, about the DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY THE OF DEPARTMENT NATIONAL GUARD OF KANSAS GUARD OF NATIONAL “Each officer gets three sets of spon- growth in Guam, Jan. 14. Tafanelli was in Guam to inspect and ensure the Airmen of sors,” said Brettmann. the 190th ARW were ready for their mission while deployed. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. DEPARTMENT AND AIR OF THE ARMY FORCE DEPARTMENT (Continued on Page 2) Jake Meyer, 190th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs) Page 2 Plains Guardian • February 2014 73rd Civil Support Team trains with Nebraska National Guard and FBI Continued from Page 1 regardless of origin, whether intentional or accidental, as Threats of this type that the teams trained for are very nuclear and high yield explosive incident site by identify- well as response to natural and manmade disasters. rare, but for Cole and his team it is something that they al- ing agents/substances, assessing current and projected con- “The law was changed in 2007 to allow Civil Support ways need to be ready. sequences, advising on response measures and assisting Team’s to respond to events that aren’t related to Weapons of “The threat is out there and we need to make sure we are with appropriate requests for state support. The team has Mass Destruction,” said Cole. “We are now also capable of prepared for it here in this country and here in Topeka,” the capability to respond to two simultaneous events and supporting the state in the event of a natural disaster. That is said Cole. “Conducting training brings a level of trust and conduct 24-hour operations. a mission that we are refining and being able to get out there. security to the community that we are capable of respond- Since its inception, the role of the CST has broadened to So, if there is an event somewhere in the state, we can be ing and identifying to prevent them or mitigate the circum- include response to the release of any chemical, biological, there and provide eyes and ears for the National Guard lead- stances to limit losses to life and property.