THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE WISCONSIN NATIONAL GUARD VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2 • SUMMER 2014 Click here to find out about the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s Best Warrior Competition. 112th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment photo by Spc. Kimberly S. Chouinard 14 2013 NGB Media Contest winner Trained, tested, and hope to Summer 2014 never be needed — the Volume 6, Issue 2 on the cover Official Newsletter of the contamination response team Wisconsin Army and Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Ryan Bleskey with the 32nd In- fantry Brigade Combat Team expresses http://dma.wi.gov relief upon removing his rucksack at the The Adjutant General: completion of the 12-mile road march, Maj. Gen. Don Dunbar part of the Wisconsin National Guard Best Deputy Adjutant General Army: Warrior Competition held at Fort McCoy, Apr. 13. See the complete story on Page 20 Brig. Gen. Mark Anderson Wisconsin24 National Guard Deputy Adjutant General Air: FROM TAG BATTERY A, 1-121ST FIELD Brig. Gen. Gary Ebben 3 4 Deputy Adjutant General, Civil Support: Soldiers help set the pace ARTILLERY PREPARES FOR AFGHANISTAN Brig. Gen. John McCoy 7 CHECKING IN ON THE 829TH ENGINEERS Director of Public Affairs: at Best Ranger Competition 8 SUPPORTING VIGILANT GUARD ALASKA Maj. Paul Rickert 10 MIDWEST AIR GUARDSMEN SHARE RE- At Ease Editor: SPONSE PRACTICES 11 DISASTER TRAINING IN Vaughn R. Larson PORTAGE WITH THE CERFP 12 AIRPORT DI- SASTER TRAINING TESTING THE 54TH CST Joint Force Headquarters Public Affairs 16 18 SIMCOM EXERCISE 19 WEATHER SAFETY 112th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment 37 20 BEST WARRIOR 26 SEXUAL ASSAULT 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team A Wisconsin Air National AWARENESS 29 DIVERSITY PLAN UPDATED Public Affairs 30 STARBASE BACK ON TRACK 31 BUSINESS 157th Maneuver Enhancement Guard founding member VISIT TO THE 115TH FW 32 STREET RE- Brigade Public Affairs recounts the early days NAMED FOR SGT. RYAN ADAMS 34 THREE 115th Fighter Wing Public Affairs GENERATIONS OF DENSONS 36 SAFETY SUMMIT 40 AIR GUARD RECRUITER MASTER 128th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs CLASS 41 PREPARING AIR GUARD ENLISTED Volk Field Combat Readiness The on-line, interactive @ease offers many features you LEADERS 42 TWO HATS, TWO JOBS FOR Training Center Public Affairs may not be aware of. Follow the red caption text to see ad- BRIG. GEN. KOON 43 RAVEN UAV TRAINING ditional photos and videos. Click on the blue text to open re- 44 CHALLENGE ACADEMY GRADUATION How to Reach Us lated sites. Click on the teasers above to go directly to that 46 A TRIBUTE TO GEN. MACARTHUR E-mail: [email protected] 48 CPT. PARK AT THE U.S. SENATE Phone: (608) 242-3056 Fax: (608) 242-3051 page in this issue. 49 NEW COMMANDER FOR 32ND BRIGADE Department of Military Affairs; The pages are designed to print out at 8.5-by-11 inches, 50 MERITORIOUS SERVICE 54 VETERANS, Attn: Vaughn R. Larson giving you the option of reading @ease off-line. FAMILIES, RETIREES 2400 Wright Street; Madison, WI 53708-8111 Submissions: For photo or story submissions, The Wisconsin Army and Air National Guard’s At Ease newsletter is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Contents of At Ease please call (608)242-3056 are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, or the Department of the Army or Air Force. The editorial content of this publication or e-mail [email protected] is the responsibility of the Wisconsin National Guard Public Affairs Officer. @ease 2 Summer 2014 From the Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Don Dunbar, Wisconsin adjutant general, and Gov. Scott Walker at the site of a storm- damaged farm in Dodgeville, Wis., July 1. Wisconsin Emergency Management photo by Lori Getter fter 13 years on a wartime remain the same. We are our on a path to conclude, there are minuteman in ways once thought footing, the winds of change nation’s first military responders still threats to our nation, and impossible. It will be a great day Aare blowing for our nation. in emergencies and natural we must remain vigilant as it is when combat operations cease The president recently announced disasters and the primary combat highly unlikely that our nation in Afghanistan, but our missions a plan that would bring all U.S. reserve force for the United States will respond to future threats endure — first military responder forces home from Afghanistan Army and the United States Air without accessing the National and primary combat reserve. We by the end of 2016. The 32,000 Force. Guard early in the crisis. Never remain “Always Ready, Always American troops currently Over the past 13 years, our in our nation’s history, has the There.” operating there will be reduced to National Guard has become an National Guard been this relevant 9,800 by the end of this year. operational reserve and we’ve to national defense and homeland Our combat mission in been proud to serve side-by-side security. The Army and Air Force Afghanistan may be changing, with the Army and Air Force, and have provided great leadership but the fundamental core the federal reserve in this war and invested in systems that allow missions of the National Guard on terror. While this conflict is assured access to the modern @ease 3 Summer 2014 Brig. Gen. Mark Anderson, the deputy adjutant general for Army, addresses deploying Soldiiers, their families and friends during a formal sendoff ceremony for the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s Battery A, 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Regiment, April 2 in Milwaukee. Below right, Gov. Scott Walker presents Battery A commander Capt. Aaron Ammerman with a state flag during the ceremony. Wisconsin National Guard photos by Vaughn R. Larson ‘We will continue the long tradition of excellence’ Vaughn R. Larson The mission is notable because, in the global war and Capt. Joe Trovato on terror, National Guard field artillery units have Wisconsin National Guard rarely been assigned field artillery missions. In fact, the first National Guard field artillery battery to do A second Wisconsin Army National Guard high so was Battery A’s sister unit from Plymouth. mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS) battery “The training over the past year has been intense, is conducting a fire support mission in Afghanistan. challenging and fun — but most importantly, it “An artillery battery being selected to perform has prepared us for the mission ahead,” said Capt. an artillery mission overseas — does it get any Aaron Ammerman, Battery A commander. “I have better than that, Alpha Battery?” Command no doubt that these gentlemen are ready for the next Sgt. Maj. Bradley Shields, the Wisconsin Army leg of the journey, and we’ll raise the standards by National Guard’s senior noncommissioned officer, which others will be measured. We will continue the asked members of the Sussex-based Battery A, 1st long tradition of excellence the state of Wisconsin Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Regiment, during has built. an April 2 sendoff ceremony held at the Wisconsin “I stand here today immensely proud to Air National Guard’s 128th Air Refueling Wing in Milwaukee. Continued on Page 5 @ease 4 Summer 2014 Wisconsin National Guard sends second artillery unit to Afghanistan Continued from Page 4 command such an outstanding group of capable, knowledgeable and dedicated individuals,” he continued. “Together we have accomplished great things, and we are just hitting our stride.” Battery A has been training since August on core skills such as weapons, vehicles and combat lifesaving, along with language and anti-terrorism courses. The unit has also honed its artillery skills during three live-fire training events. “The morale of this unit is pretty high,” said 1st Sgt. Jason Grundel. “Most people are pretty excited for the mission because it is a field artillery mission.” That morale was not lost on the Wisconsin National Guard’s senior leadership. “Alpha Battery — the last few weeks have been tough on you, but you’re ready,” said Maj. Gen. Don Dunbar, Wisconsin adjutant general. “If you weren’t ready, we wouldn’t send you. I see that pride in your eyes and the confidence you have in each ot h e r.” Gov. Scott Walker agreed. “You are well-prepared,” Walker said. “You are the best of the best of the state. You are well-trained. You are going to do well and we look forward to seeing you back home.” Brig. Gen. Mark Anderson, the deputy adjutant general for Army, noted that it wasn’t that long ago when Battery B was deploying to conduct the same mission in Afghanistan. “At that time they commented that when the Army turns to an Army Guard organization to do a true shooting mission reputation overseas. your families while you’re gone so you can well together, particularly in a stressful overseas, they turn to Wisconsin because “When we send Wisconsin Soldiers, we just focus on being a Soldier and get home environment. we’ve got the best field artillery in the send the very best,” he said. safe,” Dunbar said. “Watching the battery grow over the nation,” Anderson said. “So guess what? Wisconsin National Guard leaders “One of the cornerstones to a successful past several months has been one of the They turned [to us] twice and came right thanked family members and employers deployment is constant, unwavering most amazing experiences I’ve ever been back to Alpha Battery.” for supporting their Soldiers during the support from the home front, and the witness to,” Ammerman said. “The last few Anderson, a field artillery officer mobilization and upcoming deployment.