Summer 2010 - STATES - The National Guard

Operation Total
Warrior Prepares
the Total Force
By Army Lt. Col. Jack McKenna, Massachusetts National Guard Public Affairs
WORCESTER, Mass. – Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry
Regiment, Massachusetts Army National Guard, and the U.S. Army
Reserves 342nd Military Police Company attended an Operation Total
Warrior event at the DCU Center here, Feb. 7, 2010.
Operation Total Warrior is a Department of Defense program that brings
support agencies together to speak to families and service members both
prior to and after deployment. The event is geared toward deploying
National Guard and Reserve Soldiers.
Attended by more than 750 Soldiers and family members, the event
consisted of briefings conducted in breakout sessions such as
Communication for Couples, Deployment Survival, and Family Battlemind
Training, all intended to help give families the tools needed to face the
separation deployment causes.
Many other sessions such as veterans benefit briefings were included in
the daylong event.
By Tech. Sgt. Andrew Reitano, 102nd Intelligence Wing Public Affairs
HYANNIS, Mass. – The 102nd Intelligence Wing was honored as a
Diversity Hero by the American Red Cross at their 8th Annual Heroes
Breakfast here, March 4, 2010.
The event honored individuals and organizations that showed courage,
dedication and unselfish character by their acts of heroism in their
community during 2009.
The wing was recognized for its successful diversity programs which have
allowed its members – of diverse backgrounds and experiences – to share
their willingness to respond to make a difference in their communities.
24 Minuteman Summer 2010
Members of the 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry Regiment, Massachusetts Army
National Guard, and the U.S. Army Reserves 342nd Military Police Company
attended the daylong Operational Total Warrior event at the DCU Center in
Worcester, Mass., Feb. 7, 2010 (U.S. Army photo by Lt. Col. Jack McKenna).
“There would have been no way I could have pulled all of these groups
together to brief my troops,” said Capt. Brien Durkee, company commander
of the 342nd Military Police Company, USAR. ✯
102nd IW Honored as Diversity Hero
Eleven 102nd Intelligence Wing Airmen of varying ethnicity, military rank, professions and walks of life stand together in the Wing Headquarters building, Feb. 7.
The 102nd Intelligence Wing was honored as a Diversity Hero by the American Red Cross March 4 during the 8th Annual Heroes Breakfast in Hyannis, Mass.
(U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Aaron Smith).
Just two of the ways members of the wing make a difference in their
communities is by volunteering their time and efforts to projects that
include Habitat for Humanity and serving in the honor guard, which is
actively involved in various community functions.
According to the local chapter of the Red Cross, the Heroes Breakfast
grew out of a desire to sponsor an event closely related to the mission of
the American Red Cross. For over a century, the Red Cross has been a
community leader in emergency preparedness and response. The Heroes
Breakfast honors that longstanding tradition of heroism by recognizing
local individuals and groups whose extraordinary acts of courage or
kindness make them a hero. ✯