New Mexico Minuteman - Fall 2011
New Mexico Minuteman - Fall 2011
New Mexico Minuteman - Fall 2011
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150th Fighter Wing<br />
moves forward with<br />
new commander<br />
Page 2<br />
Joining the<br />
offi cer ranks<br />
Pages 14-15<br />
Proud to become<br />
an American<br />
Page 27
Governor<br />
Susana Martinez<br />
Bob Ulin<br />
Publisher<br />
Justin Ritter<br />
Graphic Designer<br />
The Adjutant General<br />
Maj. Gen.<br />
Kenny C. Montoya<br />
Public Affairs Officer<br />
Lt. Col. Jamison Herrera<br />
Editor<br />
Sgt. Suzanna Dominguez<br />
Public Affairs Specialist<br />
Joseph Vigil<br />
Contributors<br />
150th Fighter Wing Public<br />
Information Office<br />
2251 Air Guard Rd. SE<br />
KAFB, N.M. 87117<br />
Public Information Officer<br />
1st Lt. Brian Raphael<br />
200th Public Affairs Detachment<br />
47 Bataan Blvd.<br />
Santa Fe, N.M. 87508<br />
Commander<br />
Capt. Elizabeth Foott<br />
ON THE COVER: Officer<br />
candidates from class 54-11<br />
complete the first obstacle on<br />
the obstacle course before<br />
being pinned to second<br />
lieutenants at the Onate<br />
Training Complex, in Santa Fe, N.M.,<br />
Sept. 11, <strong>2011</strong>. Photo by: Capt.Elizabeth<br />
Foott, 200th Public Affairs Detachment<br />
Marie Lundstrom<br />
Editor<br />
Chris Kersbergen &<br />
Darrell George<br />
Advertising Sales<br />
CORPORATE OFFICE:<br />
8537 Corbin Dr., Anchorage, AK 99507<br />
(907) 562-9300 • (866) 562-9300<br />
Fax: (907) 562-9311<br />
www.AQPpublishing.com<br />
Published by AQP Publishing, Inc., a private fi rm in<br />
no way connected with the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Department of<br />
Military Affairs, or the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard, under<br />
written contract with the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Department of<br />
Military Affairs. This <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Department of Military<br />
Affairs magazine is an authorized publication for employees<br />
and military members of the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Department<br />
of Military Affairs. Contents of this publication are<br />
not necessarily the offi cial views of, or endorsed by, the<br />
state of <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong>, the U.S. Government, Department<br />
of Defense or the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard.<br />
The appearance of advertising in this publication,<br />
including inserts or supplements, does not constitute<br />
endorsement by the state of <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong>, DoD, the <strong>New</strong><br />
<strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard or AQP Publishing, Inc. of the products<br />
or services advertised.<br />
<strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />
C O N T E N T S<br />
150th Fighter Wing moves forward with new commander<br />
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard secures Los Alamos during wildfire<br />
226th Military Police Battalion trains for law and order<br />
Bump assumes command of the 111th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade<br />
Engineers conduct AT on the border 6▼<br />
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard team completes “Toughest event on the Planet” ▼<br />
10<br />
11<br />
12<br />
14<br />
15<br />
16<br />
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17<br />
18<br />
19<br />
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111th MEB hosts Bataan Liberation Prayer Breakfast<br />
Forty years and state command chief looks for a fishing hole to call his own<br />
B Co., 1st Bn. races away with TAG Challenge trophy<br />
Joining the officer ranks<br />
www.nm.ngb.army.mil<br />
2▼<br />
3▼<br />
4▼<br />
5▼<br />
8<br />
Officer Candidate School Class 55-12 9▼<br />
Rael shares leadership qualities with newly commissioned second lieutenants<br />
Youth ChalleNGe begins training in Santa Fe<br />
Youth ChalleNGe Academy graduates 32 Cadets<br />
Sexual Assualt Prevention and Response Program<br />
116th Transportation Company drives its way to a successful AT<br />
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard hosts high school football camps<br />
Soldiers display true meaning of Citizen-Soldier 21<br />
150th Fighter Wing honors their hometown heros 22<br />
Warrant officers gather to discuss professional development 22<br />
<strong>New</strong>s Briefs 24<br />
Camp Defy aims to keep children out of trouble 26<br />
Drug Demand Reduction educates youth on tough subjects<br />
Proud to become an American<br />
26<br />
▼<br />
▼<br />
<strong>2011</strong> Youth Adventure Camp gives children a sample of military life<br />
Chaplain Corps ready to support the needs of our Soldiers<br />
27<br />
28<br />
28<br />
Everything advertised in this publication shall be made<br />
available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard<br />
to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital<br />
status, physical handicap, political affi liation or any other<br />
non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron.<br />
Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by<br />
the Offi ce of Public Affairs, Joint Force Headquarters –<br />
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong>, <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Department of Military Affairs.<br />
All photographs and graphic devices are copyrighted to<br />
the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Department of Military Affairs unless<br />
otherwise indicated.<br />
All submissions should pertain to the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong><br />
National Guard and are subject to editing. Contributions<br />
and reader comments should be sent to:<br />
suzanna.y.dominguez@us.army.mil<br />
<strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong> / NEW MEXICO National Guard 1<br />
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▼
150th Fighter Wing moves forward with<br />
new commander<br />
By Tech. Sgt. Kathee Mullins, 150th Fighter Wing/Public Affairs<br />
In view of recent events, The Adjutant General, Kenny C. Montoya,<br />
spoke with members of the 150th Fighter Wing at Kirtland<br />
Air Force Base, in Albuquerque, N.M. He emphasized about<br />
learning from our past, gaining insight as leaders, and why the<br />
decision for the new wing commander is a solid choice for the<br />
bright future of the wing and the multiple missions entrusted to<br />
the (150th) defenders.<br />
That new wing commander is Col. Joe Martinez.<br />
“The fi rst time I saw Col. Joe Martinez, he was coming from<br />
his F-16. He shook hands with his crew and he treated them like<br />
equals. From Princeton to combat, he is the perfect guy to lead<br />
this wing,” said Montoya. “I want to tell you how proud we are of<br />
you and how great you are, but I also want to challenge you to be<br />
better, ‘Beyond the Standard,’” said Montoya in closing.<br />
Assistant Adjutant General of the Air National Guard, Brig.<br />
Gen. John D. Bledsoe took the podium to thank the family and<br />
friends in attendance for being present and for their continued<br />
support.<br />
“We selected ‘Jo-Mart’ (Martinez) for his expert, capable leadership<br />
abilities. He is quite a visionary and will take us to new<br />
heights,” said Bledsoe. “We have every confi dence in his abilities<br />
as a leader.”<br />
Martinez then took the opportunity to address the wing defenders<br />
for the fi rst time as their commander.<br />
“I will lead from the front,” he said. “Col. Gallegos set the path.<br />
We have gone from F-16s to multiple missions. That’s a big change<br />
and with change comes uncertainty and doubt. We now have four<br />
great missions and we are moving forward.”<br />
The 150th FW is a classic associate wing with the 58th Special<br />
Operations Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base. <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong><br />
Air National Guardsmen work side by side with members of the<br />
58th SOW instructing combat aviators in aircraft such as the HC-<br />
130P/N Combat King, MC-130P Combat Shadow, UH-1N Huey,<br />
and HH-60G Pave Hawk.<br />
Along with the classic association, the 150th FW has two additional<br />
missions. The fi rst mission is to be an Intelligence Target<br />
Production Center performing imagery and computer analysis for<br />
target planning. The second is to be a highly mobile civil engineering<br />
response force to support contingency operations worldwide<br />
known as Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair<br />
Squadron Engineers, or RED HORSE.<br />
“We have tremendous opportunities before us…we have a great<br />
heritage, and we are not looking back; we are moving forward,”<br />
said Martinez. “We are fi ghting the fi ght. Our greatest resource is<br />
our people.<br />
2 NEW MEXICO <strong>Minuteman</strong> / <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />
Brig. Gen. John D. Bledsoe, left, hands off the command of the NMANG<br />
150th Fighter Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base to the newly appointed commander,<br />
Col. Joe A. Martinez on Aug. 6, <strong>2011</strong>. Photo: Staff Sgt. Roberto Bilbao<br />
“We won’t lose our identity; we are Citizen-Soldiers—<strong>New</strong><br />
<strong>Mexico</strong> National Guardsmen and women. We have a long heritage<br />
of helping our communities, and a proud legacy as Citizen-<br />
Soldiers. We will keep our identity and move forward.”<br />
Martinez most recently was the commander of the 150th<br />
Operations Group and has extensive fl ying and leadership experience.<br />
His previous assignments include fl ight commander, chief<br />
of standardization and evaluation for squadron and group levels,<br />
assistant operations offi cer, chief of wing plans, and deputy commander<br />
of the 150th Maintenance Group.
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard<br />
secures Los Alamos during<br />
By Sgt. Suzanna Dominguez, State Public Affairs NCO, JFHQ<br />
The <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard was<br />
activated June 26, <strong>2011</strong>, by Gov. Susana<br />
Martinez to assist local law enforcement<br />
agencies within Los Alamos due to the Las<br />
Conchas Fire.<br />
The Las Conchas Fire started on private<br />
property in Los Alamos County and<br />
quickly spread in the extreme drought conditions<br />
of the entire state of <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong>.<br />
Soon after fi re crews realized the severity<br />
of the fi re, they requested the assistance of<br />
many state and county agencies, including<br />
the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard. Martinez<br />
ordered the Guard to assist emergency<br />
management agencies to brace for oncoming<br />
wildfi res and to prepare the town of Los<br />
Alamos for possible evacuations.<br />
The following day, a mandatory evacuation<br />
was ordered and the National Guard<br />
was an integral part of the evacuation<br />
effort, manning traffi c control points and<br />
assisting citizens to leave in an orderly and<br />
effi cient manner.<br />
According to Capt. Ben Soveranez,<br />
the offi cer in charge, Soldiers and Airmen<br />
manned traffi c control points and conduced<br />
roving patrols with local and state law<br />
enforcement to ensure that the residences<br />
and local businesses of Los Alamos were<br />
safe and secure.<br />
“Our role as National<br />
Guardsmen is to assist<br />
the community in any<br />
way needed,” said Soveranez.<br />
“When the governor<br />
called us out, it was part of<br />
our duty to come here to<br />
assist the residents of Los<br />
Alamos.”<br />
Soldiers also assisted<br />
with the identifi cation and<br />
marking of all residences<br />
and citizens who were left<br />
in the city to ensure that<br />
local offi cials had an accurate<br />
accounting in the event<br />
of an imminent evacuation<br />
of all personnel in the city.<br />
Soldiers and Airmen<br />
were required to stop every<br />
non-emergency response<br />
vehicle to identify the occupants and their<br />
purpose for being in and around the city.<br />
“We checked to make sure they were<br />
DOD employees and that they were going<br />
to where they were supposed to be and<br />
not hindering the fi refi ghters’ efforts,” said<br />
Air Force Staff Sgt. Kenneth Griego, 150th<br />
Operation Group.<br />
Because many routes were closed<br />
completely and others restricted due to<br />
security concerns, it was extremely important<br />
for the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard<br />
to assist local law enforcement<br />
and emergency responders with<br />
accountability and traffi c control.<br />
“If they were not authorized<br />
personnel, we turned them<br />
around and directed them to an<br />
alternate route,” said Griego.<br />
With the fi re being unpredictable<br />
and the uncertainty of the<br />
residents’ return, the citizens of<br />
Los Alamos were assured that<br />
their personal properties and the<br />
city of Los Alamos were<br />
in good hands with the<br />
partnership of the local<br />
and state law enforcement<br />
agencies and the<br />
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard.<br />
Because of the burn scar left by the Las<br />
Conchas Fire, the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National<br />
Guard was asked to assist with erosion<br />
management by emplacing concrete barriers<br />
to try to channel projected runoff during<br />
the monsoon season.<br />
Other fi res the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National<br />
Guard assisted with were the Wallow Fire in<br />
Luna and Reserve, the Track Fire in Raton<br />
and the Donaldson Fire in Hondo.<br />
<strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong> / NEW MEXICO National Guard 3
226th Military Police Battalion<br />
trains for law and order<br />
Story and photos by Sgt. Suzanna Dominguez, State Public Affairs NCO, JFHQ<br />
Military Police units serve an important<br />
role in the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National<br />
Guard. MPs are trained in fi ve main<br />
functional areas: police intelligence<br />
operations, internment and resettlement,<br />
law and order, area security and<br />
maneuver and mobility support, which<br />
makes an MP unique. MP units are<br />
ready to deploy at a moment’s notice,<br />
whether keeping law and order during a<br />
fi re in our communities, or deploying to<br />
combat performing internment/resettlement<br />
missions.<br />
With the 226th Military Police Battalion<br />
being called to communities throughout<br />
the state for various missions, it is<br />
important, now more than ever, to train<br />
with an emphasis on law and order.<br />
With the new battalion commander, Lt.<br />
Col. Steve Garcia, the MPs did just that<br />
during their annual training.<br />
During the 226th annual training,<br />
which included the 126th Military Police<br />
Company, the 919th Military Police<br />
Company and the 226th Headquarters<br />
Detachment, they concentrated on the<br />
law and order function that is vital to<br />
being an MP.<br />
“This year’s annual training was<br />
broken into two distinct phases,” said<br />
Capt. Isaac J.Tenorio, commander of the<br />
126th MP Co. “We had a military phase<br />
and a police phase.”<br />
The fi rst week of annual training<br />
focused on the police phase, which was<br />
conducted in Deming, N.M., and focused<br />
on law enforcement certifi cation.<br />
The military portion was conducted<br />
at Stallion Range on White Sands Missile<br />
Range, N.M., and focused on small<br />
arms qualifi cation and weapons familiarization.<br />
According to Tenorio, the purpose of<br />
conducting AT this way was to ensure<br />
that every MP was given an opportunity<br />
to get their law enforcement certifi cation.<br />
“Part of the law enforcement certifi -<br />
cation are two blocks of instruction on<br />
4 NEW MEXICO <strong>Minuteman</strong> / <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />
the use and employment of oleoresin<br />
capsicum spray and the X26 taser,” said<br />
Tenorio.<br />
One of the MP requirements of<br />
learning to employ both weapons was<br />
to experience their effects fi rsthand by<br />
being sprayed across the forehead and<br />
being tasered for fi ve seconds.<br />
Although some traditional Soldiers<br />
from the 226th are civilian police offi cers,<br />
the battalion asked two highly qualifi ed<br />
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> State Police offi cers to conduct<br />
the taser and OC spray training.<br />
“We have all the confi dence in the<br />
world that our Soldiers could accomplish<br />
the task,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jose<br />
A. Chavez, 226th MP Bn. training and<br />
operations noncommissioned offi cer.<br />
“We wanted our Soldiers to get the<br />
best training available from the best<br />
instructors available, and we believe we<br />
accomplished that.”<br />
According to Chavez, a law enforcement<br />
certifi cation has never been<br />
done in the state, and the MPs from<br />
the 226th Bn. accomplished the task<br />
while having fun.<br />
In addition to law enforcement certifi<br />
cation, the battalion wanted to provide<br />
individual training for cooks, mechanics,<br />
and administrative Soldiers in their<br />
military occupational specialty sets.<br />
The battalion qualifi ed 100% of their<br />
Soldiers on SAQ, while expending a<br />
huge amount of ammunition on some<br />
quality training to include .50-caliber,<br />
M-203 grenade launcher, and M-500<br />
shotgun.<br />
“We had max participation from all<br />
Soldiers who went to AT this year,” said<br />
Tenorio. “We had “non-MPs” volunteer<br />
to be tasered and OC’d which refl ects<br />
the overall commitment and dedication<br />
of Soldiers in the battalion. We accomplished<br />
all these events and training<br />
objectives while always keeping safety<br />
at the top of our priority list.”
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard<br />
Bump assumes command of the<br />
111th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade<br />
By Sgt. 1st Class Douglas Mallary, 111th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, NMARNG<br />
Brig. Gen. Juan Griego, Land Forces Component commander, hands the 111th MEB guidon to Col.<br />
Thomas Bump, incoming commander, during a Change of Command ceremony at the Rio Rancho<br />
Armory July 9, <strong>2011</strong>. Photo: Staff Sgt. Tony Olmos, 920th Engineer Company, Detachment 1<br />
The 111th Maneuver Enhancement<br />
Brigade kicked off July drill with an early<br />
morning Change of Command ceremony.<br />
Col. Thomas Bump replaced Col. Severo<br />
Martinez as the brigade’s commander July<br />
9, <strong>2011</strong>, at the Rio Rancho Armory, where<br />
the 111th is headquartered.<br />
To assume command of the 111th,<br />
Bump relinquished command of the 515th<br />
Regiment (Regional Training Institute), in<br />
Santa Fe, N.M., to Col. Eric Judkins.<br />
Martinez, who had commanded the brigade<br />
since November 2009, stepped down<br />
to complete his resident course at the U.S.<br />
Army War College before deploying to Iraq.<br />
Brig. Gen. Juan Griego, Land Forces<br />
Component commander, presided over<br />
the passing of the brigade colors from<br />
Martinez to Bump. Griego also presented<br />
the Meritorious Service Medal to Martinez<br />
for his tenure as commander of the 111th<br />
MEB. Griego said that Martinez earned the<br />
trust and confi dence of his Soldiers and<br />
oversaw the integration of infantry into the<br />
brigade while supporting forward elements<br />
of the 111th in Kosovo and readying other<br />
units for multinational force and observers<br />
duty in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt.<br />
Griego then reassured the audience<br />
that the 111th remains in capable hands.<br />
“Col. Bump is a proven leader. He has<br />
consistently stepped up to provide his<br />
knowledge and experience to successfully<br />
accomplish the mission,” said Griego.<br />
“It has been an honor and a privilege<br />
to command this brigade,” said Martinez.<br />
“One of the great things about command<br />
is getting to meet talented young Soldiers<br />
like Sgt. Fabian Martinez (a <strong>New</strong><br />
<strong>Mexico</strong> Guardsman seriously wounded in<br />
combat). I’m a better person for getting to<br />
know this strong man.”<br />
“To the Soldiers of the 111th,” said<br />
Bump, “always remember that offi cers<br />
come and go. The legacy of this unit is in<br />
your hands.”<br />
During the ceremony, Martinez presented<br />
Army Commendation Medals to<br />
Sgt. 1st Class Gary Griego, Staff Sgts.<br />
Cruz Castro, Eric Mares, Michael Yardman,<br />
and Sgt. Manuel C de Baca.<br />
Besides Griego, Martinez, and Bump,<br />
the offi cial party consisted of Chaplain<br />
1st Lt. Timothy Martin, who delivered the<br />
invocation and benediction, and 111th<br />
MEB Command Sgt. Maj. James Rivera.<br />
Distinguished guests at the ceremony<br />
included Mahlon Love, the civilian aide<br />
to the Secretary of the Army; Maj. Gen.<br />
Kenny Montoya, the Adjutant General of<br />
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong>; Brig. Gen. Paul Peña, deputy<br />
adjutant general; retired Maj. Gen. Melvin<br />
Montaño, former adjutant general; and<br />
retired Brig. Gens. Robert Martinez and<br />
George Treadwell.<br />
The 111th MEB has two assigned battalions:<br />
1st Battalion, 200th Infantry, headquartered<br />
in Las Cruces, N.M., and the<br />
717th Brigade Support Battalion, based in<br />
Roswell, N.M. Both battalions had representative<br />
elements in the ceremonial formation,<br />
which also included the headquarters<br />
and headquarters company and Soldiers<br />
of the Recruit Sustainment Program.<br />
<strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong> / NEW MEXICO National Guard 5
Engineers conduct AT on the border<br />
By 2nd Lt. Ernest B. Carlson IV, 2nd Detachment, 920th Engineer Company<br />
The <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard’s 920th<br />
Engineer Company conducted road and<br />
fence repair missions for the U.S. Border<br />
Patrol as part of their <strong>2011</strong> annual training.<br />
The training began July 11, <strong>2011</strong>, and was<br />
composed of three rotations that worked<br />
day in and day out to complete the missions<br />
handed down.<br />
Soldiers from Rio Rancho, Hobbs and<br />
Carlsbad traveled in large convoys with<br />
heavy construction equipment to a small<br />
farm owned by Bill Johnson, who was contracted<br />
to supply the Soldiers of the 920th<br />
with meals and lodging.<br />
The unit had two missions—the fi rst was<br />
to knock out some low water crossings<br />
right on the border road. The second was<br />
to move the border fence to more stable<br />
ground and weld it back in place.<br />
The low water crossings were V-shaped<br />
concrete slabs that were completely ineffective.<br />
The Soldiers installed water culverts<br />
to both raise the road and allow water<br />
to pass without dead-lining the road after<br />
a heavy rain. The 920th rebuilt a total of<br />
seven water crossings.<br />
This accomplishment was an amazing<br />
achievement for the unit due to the fact that<br />
the rock quarry was an hour away from the<br />
project site. The dump truck operators had<br />
a two-and-a-half- to three-hour turnaround<br />
depending on the weather. It was because<br />
of the hustle of the lower enlisted that the<br />
water crossing mission was so successful.<br />
6 NEW MEXICO <strong>Minuteman</strong> / <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />
The second task was to move the border<br />
fence to more stable ground. The existing<br />
fence had either sunk into the ground over<br />
time or was damaged by individuals determined<br />
to get across with vehicles. The Soldiers<br />
used a HYEX to lift the sections of fence<br />
that resemble Normandy barriers onto the<br />
lip of the border road in order to keep it from<br />
eroding into the ground. Once they set the<br />
fence into place, the Soldiers welded it back<br />
together, while making sure that individuals<br />
trying to break through the fence would have<br />
to redefi ne their dedication if they wished to<br />
be successful in breaching the new fence.<br />
The Border Patrol was pleased with the<br />
completion of both missions.<br />
Maj. Gen. Kenny C. Montoya,<br />
the Adjutant General, Command<br />
Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Adair, the<br />
state command sergeant major,<br />
Col. Mark Arellano, counterdrug<br />
coordinator, and Chief Warrant<br />
Offi cer Lawrence Jiron, director<br />
of information management<br />
and recruit sustainment program<br />
commander, visited the working<br />
sites and boosted the Soldiers’<br />
morale. The Soldiers were briefed<br />
by Montoya and Adair, and a few<br />
Soldiers were awarded coins for<br />
their performances which were<br />
“Beyond the Standard.”
<strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong> / NEW MEXICO National Guard 7
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard team completes<br />
“Toughest event on the Planet”<br />
By Tammy Scarlott-Maynard<br />
Want to test your physical and mental toughness? How about<br />
your team skills? How about all three at the same time on a grueling<br />
12-mile obstacle course? That’s the pledge a team of <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong><br />
National Guard Soldiers made when they entered a unique event<br />
called “Tough Mudder” June 25-26 in Beaver Creek, Colo.<br />
Staff Sgts. Joshua Maynard, David McCloud, Aaron Garcia,<br />
Sgts. Monterey Herrera, Nicolas Escandonroguett and Spc. Mark<br />
Currier from the 1st Battalion, 515th Regional Training Institute<br />
Warrior Leader Course, entered this year’s event as Team Tracer<br />
Burnout <strong>2011</strong>.<br />
Tough Mudder has been termed the “toughest event on the<br />
planet” by many. This 12-mile event was designed with the help of<br />
British Special Forces and is intended to test physical and mental<br />
strength beyond what most typical endurance races do. It is not<br />
a timed race and tries to avoid identifying with the term “race” as<br />
they consider the event to be a personal challenge for each participant<br />
to complete the grueling course. The company Travlete<br />
awarded Tough Mudder the “Best Adventure Race” for 2010 (http//<br />
travlete.com/2010/12/28/year-in-review/). The philosophy behind<br />
the event is to support camaraderie among the participants, as<br />
many of the 23 military obstacles in the 12-mile course require the<br />
help of a fellow teammate. With the focus of not fi nishing for time,<br />
many of the teams begin and end the challenge together.<br />
While the event itself attracts many U.S. military for its inventive<br />
series of obstacles, its main focus is to raise money for a most<br />
worthy cause, the Wounded Warrior Project. Each Tough Mudder<br />
event raises millions of dollars through entry fees and spectator<br />
donations. This year’s Beaver Creek event was said to have raised<br />
$3,000,000 on this occasion alone.<br />
Team Tracer Burnout pledged to begin and fi nish this Tough<br />
Mudder as a team.<br />
8 NEW MEXICO <strong>Minuteman</strong> / <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />
Tammy Scarlott-Maynard, wife<br />
of Staff Sgt. Josh Maynard, said<br />
she is proud of each and every<br />
one of them for their commitment<br />
to one another and their professional<br />
goals. For some of them, it<br />
was their fi rst long distance obstacle<br />
course.<br />
Initially, many of these instructors took on the challenge to participate<br />
because of the absurd obstacles and the enticement of<br />
an event that appeals to their adventurous spirit. However, after<br />
fi nishing the course, they each earned a new sense of pride and<br />
a desire to further their physical and mental fi tness. Their hope is<br />
to challenge more men and women of the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National<br />
Guard to commit to a course of physical training that places an<br />
emphasis on team building and accountability. They also plan to<br />
have a large representation of<br />
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard<br />
Soldiers at the event planned<br />
for Albuquerque in 2013.<br />
Watching these men cross<br />
the fi nish line together was<br />
a proud moment for a wife<br />
as well as a proud moment<br />
for the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National<br />
Guard. They truly embrace<br />
what it means to be an<br />
American Soldier and to live<br />
“Beyond the Standard.
Offi cer Candidate School Class 55-12<br />
Back row, from left, Benjamin Jensen, Michael Simpson, Katherine DePalo, Jose Cabezuela, Thomas Etterling.<br />
Front row, Jordin Martin, Jerome Bustamante, Daniel Soliz, Antonio Garcia, Keely Wells.<br />
The Offi cer Candidate<br />
School Class 55-12 completed<br />
the consolidated Phase I in<br />
Salina, Kan. June 10 – 24 , <strong>2011</strong>.<br />
The class consists of 220 offi cer<br />
candidates from eight different<br />
states. Phase I is the fi rst step<br />
in the OCS commissioning<br />
process in which candidates<br />
are evaluated in various leadership<br />
positions. They must also<br />
complete a 5-mile foot march<br />
with a 35-pound ruck sack,<br />
conduct day and night land<br />
navigation, cover operations,<br />
training management and leadership<br />
doctrine.<br />
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> led the way<br />
by having the fastest female,<br />
Offi cer Candidate Katherine<br />
DePalo, complete the 5-mile<br />
foot march with a time of one<br />
hour and 21 minutes. All ten<br />
candidates completed Phase I<br />
successfully and advanced to<br />
Phase II.<br />
<strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong> / NEW MEXICO National Guard 9
111th MEB hosts Bataan<br />
Liberation Prayer Breakfast<br />
By Sgt. 1st Class Douglas Mallary, 111th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, NMARNG<br />
The 111th Maneuver Enhancement<br />
Brigade of the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Army National<br />
Guard hosted the 2nd Annual Bataan Liberation<br />
Prayer Breakfast at its headquarters<br />
in Rio Rancho Aug. 7, <strong>2011</strong>. Honorees<br />
included two Bataan survivors who were<br />
joined by approximately 130 Soldiers for<br />
the event.<br />
The distinguished guests included<br />
William Overmier and his wife Ann, John<br />
Love, Margaret Garcia, Mahlon Love, and<br />
Ty Teel. Overmier and John Love are both<br />
Bataan survivors, having served in the<br />
200th Coast Artillery. Garcia represented<br />
her father, Evans Garcia, another Bataan<br />
and 200th Coast Artillery veteran, who<br />
died earlier this year. Mahlon Love is the<br />
civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army<br />
for <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong>, and Teel is the commander<br />
of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post<br />
5890 in Rio Rancho.<br />
Maj. Gen. Kenny Montoya, the Adjutant<br />
General of <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong>, and Col. Thomas<br />
Bump, commander of the 111th MEB, also<br />
attended the breakfast.<br />
Overmier was the guest speaker, sharing<br />
how he joined the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National<br />
Guard for gas money and how he and his<br />
comrades were outfi tted with World War I<br />
equipment as they fought on the Philippine<br />
Islands during the fi rst few months of U.S.<br />
involvement in World War II.<br />
On April 9, 1942, approximately 12,000<br />
American Soldiers, including members of<br />
the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard’s 200th<br />
and 515th Coast Artillery regiments, were<br />
ordered to surrender to the Japanese at<br />
the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines.<br />
The Japanese then forced their prisoners<br />
to walk 65 miles to prisoner-of-war camps<br />
during the now infamous Bataan Death<br />
March. In the POW camps, these Soldiers<br />
endured degrading and horrifi c treatment,<br />
diseases and malnourishment. Many of<br />
the prisoners were shipped to Japan for<br />
10 NEW MEXICO <strong>Minuteman</strong> / <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />
William Overmier, a Bataan veteran and former prisoner of war, studies a historical display at the 2nd<br />
Annual Bataan Liberation Prayer Breakfast held Aug. 7, <strong>2011</strong>, in the Rio Rancho Readiness Center.<br />
The event, hosted by the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Army National Guard’s 111th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade,<br />
honored Bataan veterans and commemorated their freedom. Overmier was the guest speaker.<br />
Approximately 130 National Guard Soldiers attended the breakfast with Bataan survivors and their<br />
family members as well as other dignitaries. Photo: Sgt. 1st Class Douglas Mallary, 111th MEB, NMARNG<br />
forced labor. Of the 1,800 soldiers that<br />
were sent to the Philippines during World<br />
War II as members of the 200th and 515th<br />
– many from <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> – only some<br />
900 returned.<br />
Overmier bluntly stated that some of his<br />
fellow Soldiers died aboard the “hell” ships<br />
en route to Japan as American planes<br />
attacked the vessels.<br />
“The pilots had no way of knowing that<br />
there were Americans on those ships,”<br />
said Overmier. “I know that sounds negative,<br />
but that’s what happened.”<br />
Overmier witnessed more of his brothers-in-arms<br />
falling to sickness, starvation<br />
and abuse at the hands of their Japanese<br />
captors, who routinely confi scated anything<br />
of value from American prisoners.<br />
During the breakfast, all present<br />
recited the Pledge of Allegiance. They<br />
were treated to the playing of “America<br />
the Beautiful” and “God Bless America”<br />
after Bump’s opening remarks. Maj.<br />
Danny Olson read Psalm 23 and Capt.<br />
Richard Turk read Psalm 91. <strong>New</strong>ly promoted<br />
Spc. Emily Gallo recited the Bataan<br />
“motto” written by Frank Hewlett in 1942:<br />
“We’re the Battling Bastards of Bataan; no<br />
mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam; no pills,<br />
no planes, no artillery pieces; and nobody<br />
gives a damn!”<br />
Besides honoring the Bataan veterans<br />
and commemorating their liberation, the<br />
prayer breakfast united past and present<br />
warriors, since many of the Soldiers there<br />
were veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq.<br />
In his benediction, Chaplain 1st Lt. Timothy<br />
Martin said, “We ask that you instill in<br />
each of us the fi ghting spirit of the Battling<br />
Bastards of Bataan.”
Forty years and<br />
state command chief<br />
looks for a fi shing<br />
hole to call his own<br />
By Tech. Sgt. Kathee Mullins, 150th Fighter Wing Public Affairs<br />
When the Air Force split off from the Army and became their own branch of the<br />
military, the Army lost a great Soldier and future sergeant major. At least, that is what<br />
some believe happened with State Command Chief David T. Griego.<br />
And after 40 years of meritorious service, Griego, hangs his hat up one last time<br />
in a place that has been home for four decades. He has seen a lot, accomplished a<br />
lot and has acquired a very large family, all because he could fi re a musket qualifying<br />
as an expert.<br />
In 1971, a very young Griego held his hand up and took an oath to defend and<br />
protect his country. He traded his grocery store job for working at, what was the<br />
188th POL (Petroleum, Oils, and Lubricants) and a chance to go overseas. From<br />
airman basic to state command chief, Griego gained knowledge and respect from<br />
his peers and superiors, but he never lost his title of a thrifty, generous, caring, go-to<br />
guy. Exactly 40 years later he ends his career; but he won’t be gone, he still has<br />
family here.<br />
“At 41 years old I became adjutant general and he has 40 years in the Air Guard.<br />
When I think of Chief Griego, I think of his loyalty to the offi cer corps and his<br />
dedication to his Airmen. And he is never afraid to say what he thinks when<br />
it comes to his Airmen. He is truly a symbol of a great senior NCO. We<br />
will all miss him. Thank you for everything you have done,” said Maj. Gen.<br />
Kenny Montoya, Adjutant General of the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard.<br />
Griego’s younger brother, Adam, also a member of the 150th Fighter<br />
Wing, told the audience how thrifty his brother was through the years.<br />
“When David was younger, he would buy dented cans of food and bring<br />
them home to Mom. He was always thrifty, but generous. In fact he is the<br />
only one I know that would walk three blocks to the Lobos game to save the<br />
$5 parking,” said Master Sgt. Adam Griego. “Once when his battery needed<br />
to be replaced, he went to the automotive store and bought the cheapest<br />
battery, putting it in the trunk of his car. He changed the battery out one<br />
night in the pouring rain when the old battery would no longer crank. He<br />
was so happy that he got the very last crank out of the old battery.”<br />
“Yet as thrifty as he was, he was always generous. He would get a new<br />
truck or vehicle and pass the old one down to Dad or one of the nieces or<br />
nephews. We are proud of you. We love you. And thank you for everything,”<br />
added Adam Griego.<br />
The fi rst sergeants, represented by Master Sgts. Cupp and Lamb, said they<br />
couldn’t ask for a better command chief, adding that the chief always kept<br />
them entertained by yelling at Gorman (Senior Master Sgt. James Gorman).<br />
Griego began his farewell speech by saying, “Thanks to my family for<br />
your love and support.”<br />
Then he went on jokingly to clear the record one last time about himself.<br />
“I do have a little green in me, my father was in the Army,” Griego said. “I<br />
get my soft attitude from my mom. And as far as being accused of being<br />
anti-offi cer…my wife is an offi cer.<br />
“To my boss, I don’t have the words to express my gratitude. To my<br />
fellow Guardsmen, thank you for being here today. My fi nal salute goes to<br />
you,” he said in closing.<br />
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Army National Guard State Command Chief<br />
David T. Griego retired after 40 years of service with the<br />
150th Fighter Wing on Kirtland Air Force in Albuquerque,<br />
N.M., Aug. 7, <strong>2011</strong>. Photos: Staff Sgt Roberto Bilbao.<br />
The Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Kenny C. Montoya, honors State<br />
Command Chief David T. Griego by pinning the Distinguished Service<br />
Medal on Griego at a retirement ceremony at the 150th Fighter<br />
Wing on Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque.<br />
<strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong> / NEW MEXICO National Guard 11
B Co., 1st Bn. races away with TAG Challenge trophy<br />
By Sgt. 1st Class Douglas Mallary, 111th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade and Spc. Eric Martinez, 200th Public Affairs Detachment<br />
The <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Army National Guard<br />
held its fi nal TAG Challenge of the year<br />
at the Onate Training Complex Sept. 11,<br />
2010.<br />
This Challenge saw the largest turnout<br />
yet with 18 10-member teams competing,<br />
six more teams than last year. Also in<br />
attendance at this year’s competition was<br />
Gov. Susana Martinez and fi rst gentleman<br />
Chuck Franco. Martinez took in the opening<br />
ceremonies, observed the APFT and<br />
spent time speaking with the Soldiers and<br />
Airmen.<br />
“The events and the competition from<br />
the other teams was tough,” said 1st Lt.<br />
12 NEW MEXICO <strong>Minuteman</strong> / <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />
Tommy Truex, executive offi cer, Company<br />
B, 1st Battalion 200th Infantry. “Our team<br />
and the two Air Guard teams were neck<br />
and neck the whole time.”<br />
The two-time defending champs from<br />
Company B, 1-200th Infantry once again<br />
bested their competitors by winning three<br />
of the fi ve events to take home the TAG<br />
Challenge’s traveling cup.<br />
“The 2nd and 3rd place teams were<br />
really close, but 1st was a run away—Bravo<br />
Company. 1-200th earned 400 points, Alpha<br />
Company 1-200th earned 290 and Air 2<br />
earned 250 points,” said 1st Lt. Michael<br />
Roybal, Company B, 1-200th Infantry.<br />
“This one was extremely important<br />
because we wanted the traveling cup. You<br />
can only win it once a year,” said Truex.<br />
“That’s why we pushed ourselves so hard.”<br />
The biggest hurdle for most of the competitors<br />
was the Challenge’s four-and-ahalf-mile<br />
ruck march with a 35-pound ruck.<br />
“The ruck is the toughest event for most<br />
teams because it’s not just you. The time<br />
recorded is the time it takes for the last<br />
man on your team to cross the fi nish line,”<br />
said Roybal. “So you’re pushing yourself<br />
to keep up with the rest of the team, and<br />
everyone else is taking care of the last man<br />
by pulling him along. It’s pretty brutal.”
“It was our biggest kick in the pants for<br />
sure,” said Truex. “We had two guys help<br />
pull whoever was struggling.”<br />
The top three overall scores in the APFT<br />
competition were not from Company B, but<br />
no other team could beat their average.<br />
“We had seven different individuals in<br />
the extended scale, although we didn’t have<br />
anyone with the top three overall scores,”<br />
said Truex.<br />
The men’s top three APFT scores were<br />
earned by Pfc. Hugo Diaz-Maya (389), Company<br />
A, 1st Battalion, 200th Infantry; Tech. Sgt.<br />
Nathaniel Bartnick (370), Air 2; and Master Sgt.<br />
Billy Martinez (367), Air 2. The extended scale<br />
was used for competitors who scored more<br />
than the normal maximum of 300 points.<br />
The top three women for the APFT (and<br />
their scores) were Sgt. 1st Class Anna Vigil<br />
(299), Joint Forces Headquarters; Spc. Traci<br />
Woodard (289), 111th Maneuver Enhancement<br />
Brigade; and Pfc. Krisha Armada (279),<br />
919th Military Police Company.<br />
Company B only lost two events: the relay<br />
race to the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Air National Guard’s<br />
Air 2 Team and the marksmanship range to<br />
1/171st Aviation Battalion team.<br />
“We did not win the marksmanship event,<br />
which was surprising. That shows that we<br />
still have stuff to work on,” said Truex. “We<br />
are going to get in some more range time,<br />
but we’ll stick with our PT plan and continue<br />
to dominate.”<br />
Awards were presented after closing<br />
remarks by Maj. Gen. Kenny Montoya, the<br />
Adjutant General of <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong>, and State<br />
Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Adair.<br />
With the last TAG Challenge of the year<br />
completed, Company B looks forward to<br />
defending their title next year.<br />
“We are going to continue to dominate<br />
and bring the heat. We are planning on<br />
bringing more than one team next time and<br />
we’ll get 1st and 2nd place,” said Truex.<br />
<strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong> / / NEW NEW MEXICO National Guard 13
Joining the offi cer ranks<br />
Six candidates accept commission<br />
By Sgt. Suzanna Dominguez, State Public Affairs, JFHQ<br />
After 18 rigorous months of training, six candidates from the Offi cer Candidate<br />
School class 54-11 accepted their commission into the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Army<br />
National Guard as second lieutenants Sept. 11, <strong>2011</strong>, at Onate Training Complex<br />
in Santa Fe, N.M.<br />
Offi cer Candidates Carlos Chavez, Heather Macdonald, Jose Martinez, Laura<br />
Martinez, Erin Montoya, and Anthony Ulibarri took the oath of offi ce that initiated<br />
their service as commissioned offi cers.<br />
The day’s events began with a ruck march led by the Adjutant<br />
General, Maj. Gen. Kenny C. Montoya, followed by completion<br />
of the obstacle course and rappel tower.<br />
Gov. Susana Martinez surprised the candidates at the rappel<br />
tower when she arrived and pinned the new second lieutenants.<br />
“It was truly an honor to have Gov. Martinez take the time to<br />
pin all of us and welcome us into the offi cer ranks,” said 2nd Lt.<br />
Erin Montoya, a graduate of class 54-11. “I really respect her<br />
for taking an interest in our Soldiers and the organization.”<br />
After getting into their dress attire, the second lieutenants<br />
were joined by their families and friends for an offi cial ceremony<br />
where they were pinned by loved ones and reaffi rmed the oath<br />
of offi ce administered by Maj. Gen. Montoya.<br />
“We were focused, driven, and inspired by each other to<br />
push through the obstacles that were in front of us,” said 2nd<br />
Lt. Jose Martinez, class president.<br />
According to Martinez, because of the shared experiences<br />
gained from four branches of the Armed Forces: Army, Marines,<br />
Navy and Air Force, the graduating class will have the opportunity<br />
to make a difference as leaders and Citizen-Soldiers.<br />
Col. Richard Rael, guest speaker for the ceremony, addressed<br />
the new offi cers. Rael offered the new offi cers words of wisdom<br />
to assist them in their journey as leaders.<br />
Maj. Chirstopher Garcia also addressed the offi cers and their<br />
families, assuring the family members that their Soldiers’ hard<br />
work and dedication to the program helped mold them from fi ne<br />
Soldiers to young offi cers.<br />
“We made them work long hours, we took them out of state<br />
to train and kept them away from home for days at a time,” said<br />
Garcia. “They came home grouchy, tired and sore; but after 18<br />
months of grueling training and 243 hours of classroom instruction,<br />
the fi nal product is what you see today.”<br />
Garcia went on to announce the winners of the Physical Fitness<br />
Award, Academic Excellence Award, Leadership Award and<br />
the Erickson Award.<br />
Winning the Physical Fitness Award and the Leadership<br />
Award was 2nd Lt. Jose Martinez. The Academic Excellence<br />
Award and the Erickson Award were awarded to 2nd Lt. Anthony<br />
Ulibarri.<br />
The lieutenants have been assigned to various units throughout<br />
the state where they will implement the training they have<br />
learned over the past 18 months.<br />
14 NEW MEXICO <strong>Minuteman</strong> / <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />
Offi cer Candidate Carlos Chavez is<br />
pinned to the rank of second lieutenant<br />
by Gov. Susana Martinez at the Onate<br />
Training Complex in Santa Fe, N.M.<br />
Offi cer Candidate Laura Martinez is pinned to<br />
the rank of second lieutenant by her daughter<br />
Rory Martinez during the OCS graduation<br />
ceremony at the Regional Training Institute in<br />
Santa Fe, N.M.<br />
Offi cer Candidate Heather<br />
Macdonald struggles over<br />
one of the many obstacles<br />
on the obstacle course<br />
before being promoted to<br />
second lieutenants at the<br />
Onate Training Complex<br />
in Santa Fe, N.M..<br />
Governor Susanna Martinez and the fi rst gentleman, Chuck Franco, pose for<br />
a picture with the newly promoted second lieutenants at the Onate Training<br />
Complex in Santa Fe, N.M. Sept. 11, <strong>2011</strong>.
Rael shares leadership qualities with<br />
newly commissioned second lieutenants<br />
The following keynote address was delivered by Col. Richard Rael (USPFO)<br />
at the OCS graduation Sept. 11, <strong>2011</strong>, at the Onate Complex, Santa Fe, N.M. Maj.<br />
Gen. Kenny C. Montoya, The Adjutant General, wanted to share this with you, the<br />
members of the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard.<br />
As you start your careers as leaders today, I<br />
would like to offer some brief thoughts on what<br />
I believe are the qualities a young leader must<br />
have to be successful.<br />
For starters, great leaders must have vision,<br />
the ability to get your eyes to see beyond the<br />
day-to-day tasks and problems; to be able to look<br />
beyond tomorrow and discern a world of possibilities<br />
and potential. You must see what others<br />
do not or cannot, and then always be prepared<br />
and ready to act on your vision.<br />
An additional quality necessary for leadership<br />
is self-confi dence. Not the chest pumping, inyour-face<br />
bravado that we read about or see in so<br />
many war movies. Rather, it is the quiet self-assurance<br />
that allows a leader to give others both real<br />
responsibility and real credit for success. A leader<br />
is able to make decisions but then delegate and<br />
trust others to make things happen. This, by no<br />
means, means turning your back after making a<br />
decision and hoping for the best. It means trusting<br />
in your Soldiers at the same time you hold<br />
them accountable.<br />
Another essential quality of leadership is integrity.<br />
Without this, real leadership is not possible. Too<br />
many times in today’s world, it seems like integrity,<br />
or honor or character, is kind of quaint, a curious,<br />
old-fashioned notion. How many times do we have<br />
to read about the successful and intelligent people<br />
in and out of government who succumb to the<br />
easy wrong rather than to the hard right?<br />
Inattenti on, a sense of entitlement and the<br />
notion that rules do not apply to you is a proven<br />
path to failure.<br />
A real leader must have personal virtues: selfreliance,<br />
self-control, honor and morality.<br />
A further quality of leadership is courage: not<br />
just physical courage, (I have no doubt that any<br />
of you would, without hesitation, jump on that grenade<br />
if need be) but moral courage!! The courage<br />
to do what is right and not just what is popular;<br />
the courage to stand alone if need be; the courage<br />
to act; the courage as a military offi cer to “speak<br />
truth to power.” Understand this: for everyone who<br />
becomes a leader, the time will inevitably come<br />
when you must stand alone. When alone, you<br />
must say, “This is wrong; I disagree with all of you.<br />
Because I have the responsibility, this is what we<br />
will do.” Don’t fool yourselves. It takes real courage.<br />
And will you be ready when you are tested?<br />
A fi nal quality of real leadership, I believe, is<br />
simply common decency, treating those around<br />
you and, above<br />
all, your subordinates,<br />
with fairness and respect. A true test of<br />
leadership is how you treat those you outrank, or<br />
as President Truman once said, “How you treat<br />
those who can’t talk back.” Besides, as a second<br />
lieutenant, you really don’t outrank anyone. You<br />
will learn this very soon.<br />
I also ask you to remember that the true backbone<br />
of the Army is the enlisted soldier, the NCO.<br />
Depend on them, believe in them, and always<br />
support them…but don’t cuddle them…develop<br />
them and prepare them for both peacetime and<br />
war, if need be. The most powerful weapon in<br />
the U.S. arsenal is not the F22 Raptor, the M1A2<br />
battle tank, or even the mighty aircraft carrier; it is<br />
the well-trained and ready Soldier. And this will<br />
be your charter, your responsibility.<br />
Whatever your military occupational specialty<br />
may be, use your authority over others for constructive<br />
purposes. Help them to watch out and<br />
care for their families, help them improve their<br />
skills and advance, and ease their hardships<br />
whenever possible. All of this can be done without<br />
compromising discipline or authority.<br />
Common decency builds respect and in a<br />
true democratic society, respect is what prompts<br />
people to give their all for a leader, even if it means<br />
great personal sacrifi ce.<br />
And know this… At some point along your path<br />
you will surely encounter failure or disappointment<br />
of one kind or another. Most of us have. If<br />
at those times you hold true to your standards,<br />
then you will always succeed, if only in knowing<br />
you stayed true and honorable.<br />
In the fi nal analysis, what really matters are not<br />
the failures and disappointments themselves; but<br />
how you respond, how you learn, how to move<br />
forward and how you improve.<br />
The qualities of leadership I have described<br />
today do not suddenly emerge fully developed<br />
overnight or as a revelation after you become a<br />
leader. These qualities have already started to show<br />
once you chose to become an offi cer; it is now up<br />
to you and throughout your career to strengthen<br />
them and resist the temptation of self before service.<br />
I hope you keep these thoughts with you as you<br />
advance in your careers. Above all, remember that<br />
the true measure of leadership is not how you react in<br />
times of peace or times of peril. The true measure of<br />
leadership is how you react when your Soldiers look<br />
you in the eye and say, “Sir, what do we do next?”<br />
<strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong> / NEW MEXICO National Guard 15
By Lt. Col. Jamison Herrera, State Public Affairs Offi cer<br />
The <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Youth ChalleNGe Academy Class 20<br />
graduated 32 cadets June 18, <strong>2011</strong>, at Bates Hall on the<br />
campus of <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Military Institute, Roswell, N.M.<br />
Over the previous fi ve months, the graduates were<br />
challenged by cadre, teachers, and members from the<br />
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard to exceed in academic<br />
excellence (GED/high school attainment), life-coping<br />
skills, leadership/followership, and physical fi tness. On<br />
graduation day the cadets exemplifi ed those expectations<br />
set before them.<br />
Gov. Susana Martinez and the fi rst gentlemen, Chuck<br />
Franco, attended the graduation and Martinez delivered<br />
keynote remarks for the ceremony.<br />
Also in attendance were Roswell Mayor Del Jurney,<br />
Maj. Gen. Kenny C. Montoya, Adjutant General of the<br />
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard, Brig. Gen. Paul Pena,<br />
deputy adjutant general, and retired Brig. Gen. Jack<br />
Fox, who serves as the Youth ChalleNGe director.<br />
The graduates will continue the fi nal phase of the<br />
program, which includes a 12-month post-residential<br />
mentor phase.<br />
16 NEW MEXICO <strong>Minuteman</strong> / <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />
Youth ChalleNGe begins<br />
training in Santa Fe<br />
Story and photos by Sgt. Suzanna Dominguez, State Public Affairs NCO, JFHQ<br />
The <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Youth ChalleNGe<br />
Academy Class 21 began their oneweek<br />
pre-challenge phase at the Onate<br />
Training Complex in Santa Fe, N.M., July<br />
25, <strong>2011</strong>.<br />
The pre-challenge phase began when<br />
52 student candidates arrived in Roswell,<br />
N.M., and were in-processed, received<br />
haircuts, were issued equipment and<br />
formed into a platoon where a cadre of<br />
instructors began to train them.<br />
With the help of Soldiers in the <strong>New</strong><br />
<strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard, the academy<br />
will transition candidates into cadets<br />
before leaving for Roswell to complete<br />
their 22-week resident course.<br />
During their stay in Santa Fe, the candidates will be challenged physically<br />
and mentally in an environment that encourages camaraderie, leadership and<br />
responsibility.<br />
The candidates will learn several basic common skill tasks, in addition to completing<br />
confi dence and team building exercises. Some of the skills the candidates<br />
will learn include military protocol, rank recognition, marching maneuvers, chain<br />
of command, and uniform inspection.<br />
Youth Challenge Academy graduates 32 Cadets
Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program –<br />
victim advocates can help<br />
By 1st Sgt. Cecilia R. Chavez<br />
The purpose of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program is to reinforce<br />
the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard and the Department of Defense commitment to eliminate<br />
incidents of sexual assault through a comprehensive policy that centers on awareness, prevention,<br />
training and education, victim advocacy, response, reporting, and accountability.<br />
The policy on the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program applies:<br />
• Both on and off post and during duty and non-duty hours.<br />
• Working, living, and recreational environments (including both on- and off-post housing).<br />
The goals of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program are to:<br />
• Create a climate that eliminates incidents of sexual assault, which impact <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong><br />
National Guard’s men/women, civilians, and family members. If an incident should occur,<br />
ensure that victims and subjects are treated according to DoD or military policy.<br />
• Create a climate that encourages victims to report incidents of sexual assault without fear.<br />
• Establish sexual assault prevention training and awareness programs to educate service<br />
members.<br />
• Ensure sensitive and comprehensive treatment to restore victims’ health and well-being.<br />
• Ensure that leaders understand their roles and responsibilities regarding response to sexual<br />
assault victims, thoroughly investigate allegations of sexual assault, and take appropriate<br />
administrative and disciplinary action.<br />
Sexual assault is a crime defi ned as intentional sexual contact, characterized by use of<br />
force, physical threat, abuse of authority, or when the victim does not or cannot consent.<br />
Sexual assault is<br />
• Rape • Indecent assault (unwanted, inappropriate sexual contact or fondling)<br />
• Non consensual sodomy (oral or anal sex) • Attempts to commit these acts<br />
If you are interested in supporting the Sexual Assault Response Program by being a<br />
victim advocate please contact 1st Sgt. Cecilia Chavez. An advocate provides quality support<br />
and assurance to rape / sexual assault victims. Victims turn to victim advocates for a<br />
great deal of support during a critical time of need. If you or someone you know has been<br />
sexually assaulted and needs assistance, listed below are victim advocates who are trained<br />
and can support our <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Soldiers in the time of need.<br />
615th Trans Bn., Taos.............. SFC Norman Martinez<br />
111th Bde., Rio Rancho........... SFC Crystal Romero<br />
111th Bde., Rio Rancho........... CPT Mack Stanford<br />
HHC 111th, Rio Rancho........... 1LT Jose Arellano<br />
HHC 111th, Rio Rancho........... SFC Cesar Ceja<br />
HHC 111th, Rio Rancho........... MAJ Stanford Mack<br />
HHC 111th, Rio Rancho........... SFC Ronette Martinez<br />
As your sexual assault response coordinator, my goal is to ensure that service members<br />
who are victimized receive the sensitive, confi dential and immediate comprehensive care<br />
and treatment they need to restore their health and well-being.<br />
For more information contact:<br />
Cecilia R. Chavez<br />
505-474-1515 (offi ce phone) • 505-274-1139 (BB)<br />
Cecilia.chavez@us.army.mil<br />
717th CSB, Roswell................ MAJ Victor Santos<br />
HHC, 717th CSB, Roswell........ SFC Annabelle Gasca<br />
JFHQ, Santa Fe........................ SSG Donna Sullivan<br />
RTI, Santa Fe........................... MSG Andrew Spears<br />
150th WING, Albuquerque....... SMSgt John Singletary<br />
150th WING, Albuquerque....... MAJ Tracy O’neal<br />
<strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong> / NEW MEXICO National Guard 17
1116th Transportation Company<br />
1116th Transportation Company<br />
drives its way to a successful AT<br />
By 1st Lt. Elizabeth Castillo, 1116th Transportation Company<br />
The 1116th Transportation Company participated<br />
in the 27th Annual Golden Coyote multicomponent<br />
annual training exercise with Army<br />
National Guard units from fi fteen different states,<br />
including Indiana, Nebraska, <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong>, North<br />
Dakota and South Dakota, as well as a Colorado<br />
Air National Guard unit, a Navy medical unit and<br />
a United States Army Reserve unit. More than<br />
2,100 Soldiers participated in the exercise at<br />
Custer State Park, the largest state park in South<br />
Dakota, spanning 71,000 acres of mountainous<br />
terrain and known for its wildlife.<br />
The Golden Coyote mission was twofold.<br />
In phase one, the 1116th participated in warrior<br />
lanes training, conducting land navigation,<br />
leader reaction course, mobility operations<br />
in urban terrain, Humvee egress assistance<br />
trainer, virtual convoy operations trainer and<br />
convoy lanes. The warrior lanes training was<br />
supported by trained observer controllers from<br />
the South Dakota National Guard.<br />
In phase two, the Golden Coyote Task Force worked in conjunction<br />
with the Sioux Indian Reservation and the U.S. Department<br />
of Forestry to provide the Sioux Nation with fi rewood for the<br />
long South Dakota winters. This humanitarian mission required<br />
the Soldiers of the 1116th and other transportation companies<br />
to conduct convoys through hundreds of miles in the Black Hills,<br />
with individual missions involving one day of picking up the timber<br />
and a second day of dropping off the timber on the reservation.<br />
The timber hauling missions were requested by the higher headquarters<br />
12-24 hours in advance, and all proper documentation<br />
had to be submitted prior to the mission. Golden Coyote was an<br />
operational mission making it fantastic real world training.<br />
The 1116th convoyed approximately 1,000 miles one way from<br />
Gallup and Farmington, N.M., to Camp Lancer with 33 M-915A3<br />
tractor trailers, 42 M-871 trailers, one lowboy trailer, two LMTV’s,<br />
eight Humvees, and a water buffalo. The 1116th was completely<br />
self-suffi cient for both the timber hauling mission and the warrior<br />
lanes training.<br />
The 1116th Soldiers were dedicated to ensuring the safety of<br />
their Soldiers, sensitive items and all their equipment. The truckmasters,<br />
Sgt. 1st Class Jefferson Henio and Sgt. 1st Class Julian<br />
Chino, worked diligently to coordinate the mission packets and<br />
the warrior lanes training packet to provide the convoy commanders<br />
and assistants complete convoy packets for mission accomplishment.<br />
The maintenance section completed several scheduled<br />
services and repaired a number of vehicles during AT. All the<br />
assigned Soldiers stepped up to ensure the overall success of the<br />
Golden Coyote humanitarian mission.<br />
18 NEW MEXICO <strong>Minuteman</strong> / <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />
The 1116th was also able to train all tasks on the mission<br />
essential task list. A transportation company is required to conduct<br />
convoy operations, redirect vehicle operations using movement<br />
tracking systems, conduct truck platoon operations, establish<br />
areas of operations, perform composite risk management<br />
procedures, conduct unit supply & administration operations,<br />
manage transportation operations, manage maintenance operations,<br />
and deploy and redeploy. This full spectrum METL training<br />
is a major advantage for a unit preparing for deployment to a<br />
combat theater.<br />
Sgts. Everett Gilbert, Irvin Livingston and Paul King earned the<br />
Army Achievement Medal for putting their U.S. Forest Service training<br />
to use immediately after arriving in South Dakota and ensuring<br />
that all timber loads were completed safely for the Soldiers’ safety<br />
and the safety of the civilian community. They spent the majority<br />
of the annual training attached to 516th Engineer Company<br />
at Camp Custer Forward Operating Base deep in the Black Hills<br />
of South Dakota. Sgt. 1st Class Terrance Paden was awarded an<br />
Army Commendation Medal for hauling a mission critical 10K forklift<br />
with the only lowboy trailer available to each of the timber drop<br />
sites throughout the Sioux Indian Reservation.<br />
Staff Sgt. Terrill Lee and Sgt. 1st Class Dean Schultz were<br />
awarded ARCOMs and a South Dakota TAG coin for stopping<br />
and assisting a stabbing victim outside Ellsworth Air Force Base<br />
where Camp Lancer was located. Lee and Schultz rendered fi rst<br />
aid, diverted traffi c and waited for the Rapid City fi rst responders to<br />
arrive, then continued on to complete their mission.
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard hosts<br />
high school football camps<br />
By Sgt. Suzanna Dominguez, State Public Affairs NCO, JFHQ<br />
The <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National<br />
Guard Recruiting and Retention<br />
Offi ce hosted high school development<br />
football camps June 20<br />
– 24, <strong>2011</strong>, in Santa Fe and Albuquerque,<br />
N.M.<br />
The camps were tailored<br />
to high school football teams<br />
throughout the Albuquerque Metro Area and were designed to improve<br />
individual and team development. Participating teams included La Cueva<br />
High School, St. Pius High School and Manzano High School.<br />
Throughout the week, football teams traveled to Santa Fe to participate<br />
in the National Guard High School Team Building Course held at the Onate<br />
Training Complex. Teams participated in a fast rope run, team relay, rappel<br />
tower operations and a confi dence course.<br />
The National Guard also teamed up with The National Football League<br />
to host the High School Player Development Program for high school players<br />
throughout Albuquerque. The camp was held at the University of <strong>New</strong><br />
<strong>Mexico</strong> Practice Fields throughout the week.<br />
The camp focused on character development and life skills as well as<br />
football fundamentals.<br />
<strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong> / NEW MEXICO National Guard 19
20 NEW MEXICO <strong>Minuteman</strong> / <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong>
Soldiers display true meaning of Citizen-Soldier<br />
Story contributed by Company B, 1st Battalion, 200th Infantry<br />
Before any training can take place in the<br />
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard, there are several<br />
hours dedicated to planning. We plan<br />
according to the location, weather and terrain.<br />
But there are those few incidents we<br />
don’t plan for but are always prepared for.<br />
On June 24, <strong>2011</strong>, Company B, 1st<br />
Battalion, 200th Infantry, troops were conducting<br />
a unit training event in the Jemez<br />
Mountains near the Valles Caldera at the<br />
East Fork of the Jemez River. During the<br />
training the Soldiers were approached<br />
by a frantic civilian who explained that a<br />
rock climber had fallen off a rock that was<br />
roughly 40 feet up and landed on his back.<br />
Staff Sgt. Christopher Poccia and Staff Sgt.<br />
Danny Theragood grabbed fi rst aid bags<br />
and headed to the scene of the accident.<br />
Upon Poccia and Theragood’s arrival<br />
at the accident, they were met by 20 children<br />
who had witnessed the horrifi c fall.<br />
The children were participating in a guided<br />
climb, when the lead guide had fallen<br />
from the rock face. Theragood and Poccia<br />
immediately determined that the climber<br />
had sustained signifi cant injury to his right<br />
side, and was having problems breathing.<br />
Spc. Shane Keno and Pvt. Shaun Kelly<br />
secured VS-17 panels along with additional<br />
supplies, and Spc. Ivan Urioste contacted<br />
the local hospitals in Los Alamos and<br />
Jemez Springs to report the incident and<br />
provide them with the closest mile marker<br />
and grid coordinates of the accident.<br />
Company B troops activated their<br />
emergency plan and jumped into action.<br />
As Theragood and Poccia began assessing<br />
and rendering aid, Sgt. Andrew Lucero<br />
stabilized the injured person’s neck to prevent<br />
additional injury. Urioste and Pvt. Jose<br />
Rodriguez began to cordon off the area<br />
and move the children to a secure spot.<br />
While Theragood, Poccia and Lucero<br />
worked on the injured civilian, Keno and<br />
Kelly moved to the entrance of the trail<br />
head to set up VS-17 panels to guide fi rst<br />
responders into the location and to clear<br />
the parking lot of civilian vehicles to make<br />
way for emergency personnel. When EMS<br />
arrived on scene approximately 15 minutes<br />
later, they found Company B Soldiers<br />
waiting for them at the trail head to guide<br />
them in and carry their EMS gear down the<br />
quarter-mile trail to the injured climber.<br />
When EMS reached the<br />
injured man, again they<br />
found Company B Soldiers<br />
had already conducted a<br />
thorough assessment, had<br />
secured the patient in a<br />
stokes litter, cervical collar<br />
and backboard and had him<br />
ready for transport to the<br />
trail head and into the waiting<br />
ambulance. Sgt. Seth<br />
Heath and Keno then carried<br />
the injured man the quarter<br />
mile up a ravine, and to the<br />
ambulance, where care was assumed by<br />
an arriving paramedic ambulance. Once<br />
care was assumed by paramedics, the<br />
Soldiers of Company B then ensured that<br />
the children from the guided tour were<br />
accounted for and safe.<br />
These Soldiers displayed the type of<br />
personal courage, willingness to serve,<br />
and professionalism which encompasses<br />
the values of the Company B, 1st Battalion,<br />
200th Infantry “Gunslingers,” the<br />
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Army National Guard and the<br />
United States Army.<br />
The following Soldiers’ actions on that<br />
day should be emulated by all, and are<br />
in keeping with our closest traditions and<br />
values as Citizen-Soldiers: Staff Sgt. Danny<br />
Theragood (paramedic), Staff Sgt. Christopher<br />
Poccia (paramedic), Sgt. Andrew<br />
Lucero, Sgt. Seth Heath, Spc. Ivan Urioste,<br />
Spc. Shane Keno, Pvt. Shaun Kelly, Pvt.<br />
Jose Rodriguez.<br />
<strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong> / NEW MEXICO National Guard 21
150th Fighter Wing honors their hometown heroes<br />
By Tech. Sgt. Kathee Mullins, 150th Fighter Wing/Public Affairs<br />
The Air National Guard recognized 401 members of the 150th<br />
Fighter Wing during the Hometown Heroes Salute ceremony Saturday,<br />
Aug. 6, <strong>2011</strong>, at Kirtland Air Force Base. The HHS is one of the Air<br />
National Guard’s largest Airman Recognition endeavors in history. The<br />
purpose of the campaign is to honor Airmen, their families and others<br />
who do not wear the uniform but sacrifi ce nonetheless for our nation.<br />
“Our entire nation thanks you for your service. To those of you that<br />
own one of these fi ne Guardsmen or women, our nation can’t thank<br />
you enough. My hat goes off to you all for your tenacity and sincerity<br />
of service for your country. It is no small task, personally I give you a<br />
heartfelt thanks,” said Brig. Gen. John D. Bledsoe, Assistant Adjutant<br />
General of the Air National Guard.<br />
Hometown Heroes is a great way to celebrate and commemorate<br />
our veterans, their selfl ess contribution toward the freedom of our<br />
nation, and to let them know how grateful we are for their service.<br />
The Hometown Heroes program recognizes and awards Air National<br />
Guard members who deploy for more than 30 continuous days in<br />
support of contingency operations worldwide.<br />
The program recognized 150th Fighter Wing members who have<br />
been deployed for more than 30 consecutive days from September<br />
2001 to January 2010. Many of the 150th Fighter Wing members have<br />
deployed multiple times in support of contingency operations with the<br />
majority of them completing tours nearer to 365 days.<br />
Warrant offi cers gather to discuss professional development<br />
By Chief Warrant Offi cer 2 Anna Hall, Joint Forces Headquarters Property Book Offi cer<br />
Thanks to a generous invitation from retired<br />
Brig. Gen. Jack R. Fox, the warrant offi cers of<br />
the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Army National Guard had the<br />
opportunity to get together for a barbecue<br />
luncheon, a Warrant Offi cer Advisory Council<br />
meeting and a tour of the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National<br />
Guard’s Bataan Memorial Museum.<br />
Joining the warrant offi cers for lunch was<br />
Maj. Gen. Kenny C. Montoya, the Adjutant<br />
General, Brig. Gen. Paul J. Pena, deputy adjutant<br />
general and Col. Brian E. Baca, chief of<br />
staff. Montoya thanked special guests Chief<br />
Warrant Offi cer (Ret.) Salvador Soto and Chief<br />
Warrant Offi cer (Ret.) Kenny M. Fernandez<br />
for their past contributions to the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong><br />
National Guard and for their continued effort in<br />
making the Guard successful.<br />
Addressing the 23 warrant offi cers present,<br />
Montoya spoke openly, stating that “I<br />
don’t think you guys brag about yourselves<br />
enough—you’re really amazing.” He urged<br />
the warrant offi cers to focus on leadership<br />
and to maintain a good attitude.<br />
“I want you to become a more diverse Warrant<br />
Offi cer Corps. I need for you to continue<br />
to build a Guard that is open to everybody<br />
that wants to be great,” Montoya said.<br />
22 NEW MEXICO <strong>Minuteman</strong> / <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />
Montoya commended several warrant<br />
offi cers for their dedication. After a civilian<br />
aircraft tragedy in May, Montoya, Chief Warrant<br />
Offi cer Jesse Espinoza, Chief Warrant<br />
Offi cer Dominic Esparza, Lt. Col. Raphael<br />
Warren and 1st Lt. Mario Tafoya hiked to<br />
over 11,000 feet in the mountains between<br />
Angel Fire and Taos, N.M. and recovered the<br />
remains of the civilian pilot. It was a diffi cult<br />
trek; however, the chiefs were well prepared<br />
for the mission.<br />
Montoya also commended Chief Warrant<br />
Offi cer Art Buhl, who recently brought<br />
the state to a ranking of fourth in the nation<br />
regarding the timely management of fi nancial<br />
loss investigation for lost property. Montoya<br />
commended the property book offi cer team<br />
for their efforts with the turn-in of excess equipment<br />
across the state. He also applauded<br />
Chief Warrant Offi cer Juan Espinosa for his<br />
recent achievement of attaining the National<br />
Guard Bureau’s coveted Green Plus rating,<br />
the highest rating possible, during the Annual<br />
Statement of Assurance for Internal Controls<br />
Program assessment.<br />
In closing, Montoya reminded the warrant<br />
offi cers that, “It should be deeds before<br />
More than 23 million military veterans live in the U.S. today. They<br />
are our neighbors, parents, co-workers, employees, grandparents,<br />
PTA members, baseball coaches, grocery store workers, teachers,<br />
fi remen, friends. They live, work and play in our hometowns.<br />
The blanket of freedom under which we live was woven by our<br />
veterans, their sacrifi ces and those of their families, friends and for the<br />
Citizen-Soldiers and their employers.<br />
The Air National Guard Hometown Heroes Salute recognition program<br />
began in August 2008 as a way to acknowledge the Airmen,<br />
families and communities answering the call of duty to deploy and<br />
protect the nation. It is a National Guard Bureau funded program. For<br />
more information about the program, go to http://www.goang.com/<br />
HometownHeroes.<br />
words with your Soldiers. Never ask them to<br />
do something that you wouldn’t do yourself.”<br />
Following the lunch provided by the<br />
WOAC, the meeting commenced covering<br />
several topics such as upcoming offi cer<br />
development programs, fund raising events,<br />
newly implemented warrant offi cer committees<br />
and future retirements.<br />
The special event for the afternoon was<br />
a guided tour of the museum, led by Fox,<br />
Soto and Spc. Charles Martinez. Fox told<br />
the group that “Our [Bataan Museum’s] sole<br />
purpose is to preserve your history.”<br />
The warrant offi cers spent the afternoon<br />
revisiting the history of the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong><br />
National Guard from The <strong>Minuteman</strong> days<br />
to the current areas of operation in Iraq and<br />
Afghanistan. He urged the warrant offi cers to<br />
continue to support the museum and contribute<br />
items of historical value so that the history<br />
of the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard stays alive<br />
in the hearts and minds of future generations.
<strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong> / NEW MEXICO National Guard 23
NEWS BRIEFS<br />
The NMNG welcomes a<br />
new commissioned offi cer<br />
By 2nd Lt. Andrew Talbott,<br />
University of <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Army ROTC<br />
James Raschel’s life-long dream<br />
to become a commissioned offi cer in<br />
the United States Army and become a<br />
Black Hawk pilot came to fruition when<br />
he was commissioned a second lieutenant<br />
in aviation on Dec. 17, <strong>2011</strong> in<br />
front of family and friends at the University<br />
of <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong>’s Continuing Education<br />
Building.<br />
Raschel joined the Army National<br />
Guard at the age of 17 and attended<br />
Basic Combat Training at Ft. Knox, Ky.,<br />
followed by Advanced Individual Training<br />
in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. Upon<br />
returning to <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong>, he attended<br />
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.<br />
His ultimate goal was to become a Black<br />
Hawk pilot and a commissioned offi cer<br />
in the United States Army. Unsure of<br />
how to obtain his goal, a friend referred<br />
him to the Army Reserve Offi cer Training<br />
Corps at the University of <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong>.<br />
Being committed to the ROTC program<br />
is not easy work; it requires personal<br />
sacrifi ces and commitment to the<br />
program. With all the work that cadets<br />
put in to the program, they receive a<br />
benefi t that the majority of students<br />
graduating from college will never<br />
experience. Learning Army Values and<br />
fundamental leadership skills helps<br />
ROTC students in their Army careers<br />
and civilian life.<br />
While taking ROTC classes, Raschel<br />
learned a variety of things—from what<br />
the Army Values are to land navigation.<br />
24 NEW MEXICO <strong>Minuteman</strong> / <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />
He attended fi eld training exercises<br />
and learned basic rifl e marksmanship.<br />
Taking classes and attending labs<br />
as well as physical training, students<br />
grow stronger, both physically as well<br />
as mentally.<br />
Since Raschel joined ROTC while<br />
still in the National Guard, he qualifi<br />
ed for the simultaneous-membership<br />
program. This enabled him to have<br />
his school paid for under the National<br />
Guard’s tuition-assistance and the GI<br />
Bill. He also had the opportunity to<br />
shadow a platoon leader during drill.<br />
The UNM Army ROTC program allowed<br />
him to graduate from Embry-Riddle<br />
and pursue his dream of becoming<br />
a commissioned offi cer in the United<br />
States Army.<br />
Grant County Forerunners<br />
send care packages to<br />
deployed troops<br />
By Leon Pearce, PNM Forerunners<br />
Bob Garrod and Leon Pearce of<br />
Silver City, who represent the PNM<br />
Forerunners, sent 22 care packages to<br />
Soldiers of the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National<br />
Guard’s Company C., 1st Battalion,<br />
200th Infantry, out of Santa Clara, who<br />
are currently serving a one-year deployment<br />
in Kosovo.<br />
The 22 boxes contained snacks,<br />
foodstuffs, green chili, beef jerky, candy,<br />
cookies, toiletries, tooth brushes and<br />
other items donated by Grant County<br />
Forerunner members.<br />
Postage for the 22 boxes will cost<br />
the group approximately $250, which<br />
will be paid by Forerunner members.<br />
Any amount not donated by members<br />
will be picked up by the Forerunner<br />
organization.<br />
The Forerunners in Grant County<br />
are a group of 52 retirees from PNM<br />
and TNMP (Texas-<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Power<br />
Co.) employees who help people in<br />
the community.<br />
They also collect supplies for area<br />
schools and aluminum tabs from cans<br />
which are given to Ronald McDonald<br />
House in Albuquerque.<br />
Garcia takes charge of<br />
226th MP Bn.<br />
By 1st Lt. Tabitha Baker,<br />
919th Military Police Company<br />
The 226th Military Police Battalion<br />
commander, Lt. Col. Rick Ryczkowski,<br />
relinquished command of the battalion<br />
to Lt. Col Steve Garcia June 5, <strong>2011</strong>, at<br />
the Veterans Park in Farmington, N.M.<br />
Ryczkowski, who stood up the<br />
226th Battalion in 2008, started with<br />
one company and left with two fully<br />
functional MP companies with approximately<br />
350 Guardsmen strong.<br />
Garcia is excited to be the second<br />
battalion commander for the 226th<br />
MP Bn.<br />
“Battalion command is an extreme<br />
honor to me,” said Garcia. “My father<br />
regretted not getting his opportunity to<br />
command a battalion. So I promised<br />
him I’d be the best one if I was granted<br />
the honor.”
Garcia has many expectations for<br />
his MP Bn., with special emphasis in<br />
police and law enforcement training<br />
with local and state agencies.<br />
“I am focused on doing the right thing<br />
all the time. I’m surrounded by the most<br />
professional Soldiers in <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong>,<br />
and I’m truly humbled to be their battalion<br />
commander,” said Garcia.<br />
Romero promoted<br />
to colonel<br />
By Sgt. Suzanna Dominguez,<br />
State Public Affairs NCO, JFHQ<br />
Lt. Col. Carla Romero, Human<br />
Resources offi cer, was promoted July<br />
18, <strong>2011</strong>, to the rank of colonel at the<br />
Regional Training Institute in Santa Fe.<br />
Romero joined the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong><br />
National Guard in May 1982 and wascommissioned<br />
in August 1990 through<br />
the State Offi cer Candidate School<br />
program. After accepting her commission,<br />
Romero became a platoon leader<br />
for the 3631st Maintenance Company<br />
and has held various positions since<br />
then including commander of the 804th<br />
Maintenance Company and the 1115th<br />
Transportation Company, S1 and S3<br />
offi cer for the 515th Corps Support Battalion,<br />
executive offi cer for the 804th<br />
Quartermaster Battalion, Active Guard<br />
and Reserve manager and her current<br />
position as the human resources offi cer.<br />
“When I joined the National Guard<br />
in 1982 as an E1 (private), I never in<br />
my wildest dreams thought I would be<br />
standing here today as a colonel,” said<br />
Romero.<br />
Romero was pinned by Maj. Gen.<br />
Kenny C. Montoya, The Adjutant General,<br />
her husband Tom, and her two<br />
children, Connor and Camryn.<br />
“I am thankful for the many excellent<br />
NCOs and offi cers who have worked for<br />
or with me throughout the years. It is<br />
because of them that I am able to be<br />
promoted to this rank,” said Romero.<br />
Command Sgt. Maj.<br />
Eicherly retires<br />
By 1st Lt. Tabitha Baker,<br />
919th Military Police Company<br />
After a successful career, Command<br />
Sgt. Maj. Richard Eicherly retired from<br />
the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Army National Guard.<br />
“Sgt. Maj. Eicherly always wanted to<br />
do the right thing. Even when he was<br />
sick he was still coming in to work,<br />
making the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard<br />
the great organization it is today,” said<br />
Maj. Gen. Kenny Montoya, the Adjutant<br />
General.<br />
Eicherly was awarded several<br />
medals in his retirement ceremony<br />
including the Legion of Merit for his<br />
selfl ess service during his military<br />
career. Soldiers from the G3 staff, and<br />
even more dear to his heart, recruiters<br />
from all over the state, attended the<br />
ceremony, presenting him awards and<br />
praise for all his hard work and dedication<br />
throughout the years with the <strong>New</strong><br />
<strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard.<br />
NEWS BRIEFS<br />
Judkins assumes<br />
command of 515th RTI<br />
By Lt. Col. Jamison Herrera,<br />
State Public Affairs Offi cer<br />
Col. Thomas Bump relinquished<br />
command of the Headquarters 515th<br />
Regiment to Col. Eric Judkins during a<br />
change of command ceremony July 10,<br />
<strong>2011</strong>, at the Regional Training Institute<br />
in Santa Fe, N.M.<br />
Judkins, a West Point graduate,<br />
joined the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Army National<br />
Guard in June 2000, and has held various<br />
positions since then. He has served<br />
in many capacities, including Joint Task<br />
Force commander at Plaquemines<br />
Parish for Hurricane Katrina, battalion<br />
commander for Operation Jump Start<br />
on the Southwest border. He led the<br />
relief effort for the Hatch fl ood recovery.<br />
Judkins also deployed to Guantanamo<br />
Bay, Cuba, in 2008 and served as Joint<br />
Task Force GTMO director of commissions<br />
support and as the operations<br />
offi cer for the Joint Detention Group.<br />
Judkins praised his staff for their<br />
efforts in providing the very best training<br />
available to the Soldiers that walk<br />
through the RTI doors and produce<br />
better Warriors upon completion of that<br />
training.<br />
“The RTI has a critically important<br />
mission and training is core—integral to<br />
mission accomplishment. We are a force<br />
multiplier in combat,” said Judkins.<br />
Judkins is married to the former<br />
Monica Young and has two children:<br />
Marcus 14 and Thomas 12.<br />
<strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong> / NEW MEXICO National Guard 25
CAMP DEFY aims to<br />
keep children out of trouble<br />
By Sgt. Joseph Romero,<br />
Youth Mentorship coordinator<br />
The <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard partnered<br />
with the city of Las Cruces Weed and Seed<br />
program to host the <strong>2011</strong> Camp DEFY—Drug<br />
Educations for Youth—in Las Cruces, N.M.<br />
Weed and Seed is a community-based<br />
strategy aimed at preventing, controlling and<br />
reducing violent crime, drug abuse and gang<br />
related activity and is sponsored by the United<br />
States Department of Justice.<br />
Camp DEFY is a big part of the Weed<br />
and Seed initiative and has been planned<br />
and coordinated by Soldiers from the <strong>New</strong><br />
<strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard Counterdrug Support/<br />
Drug Demand Reduction program for<br />
over a decade. They continue to serve and<br />
support the Weed and Seed project.<br />
The week-long summer camp is designed<br />
to create a bond and a strong foundation for<br />
young children between the ages of 7-11<br />
and instill in them the importance of positive<br />
Drug Demand Reduction Educates Youth<br />
on Tough Subjects<br />
By Spc. Brad Beitler, Youth Mentorship coordinator<br />
The <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard Drug<br />
Demand Reduction Section set a goal to<br />
reach out to as many youths in the Albuquerque<br />
community as possible in order to spread<br />
the awareness and knowledge of gangs,<br />
drugs, alcohol and tobacco. DDR continued<br />
their partnerships with the Albuquerque<br />
Police Department, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s<br />
Department, United States Attorney’s Offi ce,<br />
150th Security Forces Squadron, Detachment<br />
1, 342nd Training Squadron—Pararescue &<br />
Combat Rescue Offi cer School, <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong><br />
Boys and Girls Clubs and Police Athletic<br />
League to broaden the mission to educate<br />
more children about these tough subjects.<br />
These agencies hosted the Gang Resistance<br />
Education and Training camp. The<br />
seven-week program reached out to approximately<br />
350 children, ages 11-14, to educate<br />
them about gangs. GREAT camp also<br />
educated the children about the dangers<br />
of drugs, alcohol and tobacco by not only<br />
providing them with preventive educational<br />
26 NEW MEXICO <strong>Minuteman</strong> / <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />
values, good decision<br />
making and a drug-free life<br />
style within our society. The<br />
camp provides drug awareness<br />
classes, mentorship,<br />
and several fun activities<br />
that children from the Weed<br />
and Seed area rarely get to<br />
participate in. Camp DEFY<br />
was originally started by the<br />
U.S. Navy and has been<br />
held in Ruidoso, N.M., for<br />
the past seven years.<br />
Camp UNITY is another<br />
Weed and Seed initiative planned and coordinated<br />
by the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard.<br />
This two-week camp was divided into two<br />
phases. Phase one provides various life skills,<br />
drug-awareness, and goal-setting classes<br />
with the objective of overall UNITY and togetherness<br />
to achieve team and individual goals.<br />
Phase two is the reward for participating in<br />
classes, but also providing them with activities<br />
they could enjoy that would not involve<br />
drugs or negative life consequences. The<br />
camp was deemed a huge success.<br />
The preventive classes these children experienced<br />
included overall dangers of drugs,<br />
alcohol and tobacco; dangers of methamphetamines;<br />
gang prevention; and leadership<br />
skills. By using many community resources,<br />
the success of the camp was heightened and<br />
received great feedback from children, parents<br />
and other community members.<br />
The activities that the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National<br />
Guard’s DDR program and their partners<br />
provided children were plentiful and diverse.<br />
Some of the activities and games included,<br />
but were not limited to rock wall climbing;<br />
gauntlet activities (an apparatus that acts as<br />
a fun maze); competitive and noncompetitive<br />
athletics; dodge ball; swimming; rappelling;<br />
fi shing; simulated weapons training;<br />
paintball games; archery; water games; and<br />
numerous others.<br />
a year-round/summer-long program at the<br />
Weed and Seed. This year the DDR program<br />
ventured to Denver, Colo., with a stop in<br />
Santa Fe, N.M. to visit with Gov. Susana Martinez<br />
and the fi rst gentleman, Chuck Franco.<br />
Teens were able to take in a rare luncheon at<br />
the governor’s mansion followed by a state<br />
Capitol tour led by the governor.<br />
The <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard’s DDR<br />
program participants are proud to play a large<br />
role in the community’s efforts to increase<br />
the level of awareness of drugs, alcohol and<br />
tobacco. Abasic premise of the program is<br />
that drug prevention starts with the community’s<br />
youth. DDR is proud to team up with<br />
Albuquerque citizens to keep young men and<br />
women off substances that can ruin lives,<br />
families, and possibly whole communities.
PROUD TO BECOME AN<br />
AMERICAN<br />
By Staff Sgt. Anna Doo, 200th Public Affairs Det.<br />
CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo – Just days after America celebrated<br />
her 235th birthday, Pfc. Jose Manuel Valdez was sworn<br />
in as a citizen of the U.S. in a ceremony held at the U.S. Embassy<br />
in Pristina.<br />
Valdez, an infantryman with the U.S. contingent of Kosovo<br />
Forces 14 rotation, had been working on the administrative process<br />
to offi cially become a citizen for about six months and completed<br />
the interview and offi cial ceremony while on a yearlong<br />
deployment to Kosovo.<br />
The process of obtaining citizenship for Valdez, who has been<br />
living in the U.S. for more than 22 years, was relatively quick.<br />
Valdez said he was relocated to California from his birthplace of<br />
Ceballos, Durango, <strong>Mexico</strong>, when he was just 2 years old. He lived<br />
in California for the next 11 years and then moved to Roswell, N.M.,<br />
where he has spent the past 12 years.<br />
Valdez enlisted in the U.S. Army in March 2007 and has been<br />
an infantryman ever since. He said his cousin was in the military,<br />
and while on a tour to Iraq, earned his citizenship. Learning that<br />
Soldiers serving in the military, while on deployment can earn citizenship,<br />
prompted Valdez’ interest in travelling the same path to<br />
naturalization. Valdez is currently serving in Company C, 1-200th<br />
Infantry, based in Las Cruces, N.M., as part of KFOR14 in Multinational<br />
Battle Group East.<br />
The reasons for Valdez to work toward citizenship were numerous,<br />
but a couple stood above the rest. Valdez said he wanted to<br />
make sure he prepares for future possibilities and is eligible for<br />
as many jobs as possible. He is looking forward to being able to<br />
plan for the future. Right now, he plans to complete this current<br />
tour of duty and return home to his civilian job as a supervisor with<br />
Penasco Valley Telecommunications.<br />
“Just the fact of being able to vote, and looking down the road<br />
toward jobs in law enforcement or border patrol are the best reasons<br />
to get citizenship,” Valdez said. “I’m looking forward to reenreenlisting, do at least three more years, and then we’ll go from there.”<br />
Valdez said he had been preparing for the interview process<br />
and the ceremony since he learned the application paperwork<br />
was complete. Before the ceremony, Valdez said, “I’m not nervous<br />
about the ceremony; I’m actually nervous about the interview proprocess; I don’t know what that’s going to be like.”<br />
With the application complete and the interview process<br />
behind him, Valdez stood in front of the American fl ag, ready to<br />
take the Oath of Allegiance. MNBG-E commander, Col. Michael D.<br />
Schwartz, and U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Kosovo, Christopher<br />
W. Dell, assisted Valdez in the fi nal steps to becoming a citizen.<br />
Pamela Hutchings, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services<br />
Field Offi ce director, Vienna, administered the Oath of Allegiance<br />
to Valdez who repeated each word. Valdez was presented with a<br />
certifi cate and received congratulatory remarks and well wishes<br />
from both Dell and Schwartz.<br />
“We are all glad you took the effort, and took that leap, and did<br />
all the things you needed to do to become a citizen of the United<br />
States of America,” said Schwartz.<br />
Schwartz then presented Valdez with two commander’s coins—<br />
one from pre-mobilization from N.M. and one from the deployment<br />
in Kosovo.<br />
Dell echoed Schwartz’s remarks and the satisfaction and pleasure<br />
those in attendance were feeling on the occasion.<br />
“You had a choice, a choice that you exercised to become an<br />
American,” said Dell. “We are all extremely proud of you—proud<br />
of your service, grateful for it, and very simply proud to call you an<br />
American.”<br />
Finally, Valdez, full of conviction and pride, led his fellow Soldiers<br />
in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. His platoon sergeant, Staff Sgt.<br />
Luis R. Sandoval, summed up the occasion with a few words.<br />
“Every time you have somebody that looks for citizenship,<br />
especially someone who’s been in the U.S. for his whole life, it’s<br />
just something special,” said Sandoval. “Especially with him being<br />
a Soldier and serving his country, it’s just a perk for him. He’s<br />
already an American; he’s lived his whole life in the U.S.; he’s serving<br />
his country, and now he can voice his opinion by voting. One<br />
more great American Soldier.”<br />
N.M. leadership visits Kosovo<br />
The <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Kenneth<br />
C. Montoya, center, along with the State Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth<br />
Adair, right, visited Soldiers from the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> Army National Guard<br />
stationed in Kosovo Aug. 9-11, <strong>2011</strong>. Montoya and Adair, along with the<br />
state human resources manager, Col. Carla Romero, spoke with Soldiers<br />
on Camp Bondsteel, Camp Novo Selo, and near Camp Nothing<br />
Hill, Kosovo. The Soldiers are currently serving as part of the NATO-led<br />
peacekeeping operation of Kosovo Forces 14. Photo: Staff Sgt. Anna Doo<br />
<strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong> / NEW MEXICO National Guard 27
By Sgt. Suzanna Dominguez,<br />
State Public Affairs NCO, JFHQ<br />
The <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard and<br />
Family Support Program hosted its annual<br />
Youth Adventure Camp July 7- 9, <strong>2011</strong>, at<br />
the Onate Complex in Santa Fe, N.M.<br />
The annual youth camp is open to relatives<br />
of <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard servicemembers<br />
who are between the ages of 7 to<br />
14 years old. The children are separated by<br />
age into their respective groups and have<br />
the opportunity to have a military experience<br />
by wearing a uniform that includes a<br />
team t-shirt and hat, learning drill and ceremony<br />
and making up cadences.<br />
“The campers were very involved in all<br />
the activities that the camp offered,” said<br />
Sgt. Maj. Brenda Mallary, commander of the<br />
13-14 year olds and a 3rd year volunteer.<br />
28 NEW MEXICO <strong>Minuteman</strong> / <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />
<strong>2011</strong> Youth Adventure Camp<br />
gives children a sample of military life<br />
The Chaplain Corps of the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard is<br />
fully staffed and ready to support the needs of our soldiers and<br />
their families. With the recent appointments of Chaplin Capt. Will<br />
Pasieczny as the chaplain for the 717th Brigade Support Bn. in<br />
Roswell and Chaplin Capt. Timothy Martin as the chaplain for the<br />
1st Bn., 200th Infantry of Las Cruces, the Chaplain Corps has<br />
reached staffi ng capacity.<br />
In February, Chaplain Capt. T. C. Broom was appointed as<br />
chaplain for the 615th Transportation Bn. Chaplin Lt. Col. Bruce<br />
Farrell transferred into the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard as the Joint<br />
Forces Headquarters chaplain last fall.<br />
All of these chaplains have served in support of contingency<br />
operations in theater.<br />
Chaplain Candidate 1st Lt. Stephen Jimenez of Albuquerque,<br />
transferred into the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard and is slated to<br />
appear before the November Chaplain Accessioning board. He<br />
will be assigned to the 515th Combat Sustainment Support Bn.<br />
in Belen.<br />
Chaplin Maj. Michael Lindsay is currently deployed in Kosovo.<br />
“The campers were kept busy the entire<br />
time. The campers had a great time.”<br />
The teams participated in hands-on<br />
weapons familiarization, museum visits, rappelling,<br />
paint ball, and water survival activities.<br />
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> law enforcement personnel<br />
also volunteered their time and expertise<br />
for the youth by presenting drug and alcohol<br />
awareness and prevention training.<br />
The <strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> National Guard Youth<br />
Adventure Camp experience enables participants<br />
to better understand and appreciate<br />
their relatives’ service to our state<br />
and country.<br />
According to Mallary, this year’s camp<br />
was yet again a success for all involved.<br />
“The overall camp was a success. I<br />
enjoy working with all the volunteers during<br />
the camp. It is great how we all work<br />
together to make the camp a success,”<br />
said Mallary.<br />
Chaplain Corps ready to support the needs of our Soldiers<br />
Story and photo contributed by the Chaplain Corps<br />
Photos: Senior Airmen Jamie Emerson, Family Programs<br />
With Chaplin Capt. Ben Yazzie assigned to 226th Military Police<br />
Bn. and Chaplin Capt. Ricardo Russo assigned to the Onate Training<br />
Complex, the chaplain positions for the organization are fi lled.<br />
The organization is currently recruiting chaplain candidates for<br />
the future needs and is focusing their efforts on Roman Catholic<br />
priests.
<strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong> / NEW MEXICO National Guard 29
30 NEW MEXICO <strong>Minuteman</strong> / <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong>