Pennsylvania Guardians - Summer 2012 - Keep Trees

March
for the
Fallen

Governor
Tom Corbett
Governor
Tom Corbett
Adjutant General
Maj. Gen. Wesley E. Craig
Executive Editor/State Public Affairs Officer
Maj. Edward Shank
Managing Editor
Sgt. Matthew E. Jones
State Public Affairs Staff
Staff Sgt. Ted Nichols
Sgt. Damian Smith
Joan Nissley
Adjutant General
Maj. Gen.
Wesley E. Craig
State Public Affairs Office
Pennsylvania National Guard
Fort Indiantown Gap
Building 8-41
Annville, PA 17003
www.dmva.state.pa.us
Bob Ulin, Publisher
Marie Lundstrom, Editor
Gloria Schein, Graphic Artist
Chris Kersbergen & Darrell George, Advertising Sales
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Pennsylvania Guardians magazine is published by the Pennsylvania National Guard to
keep its members, the Guard command and public officials, better informed on the issues
and events affecting the Pennsylvania National Guard.
Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Office of Public Affairs,
JFHQ-PA. All photographs and graphic devices are copyrighted to the Pennsylvania National
Guard, unless otherwise indicated.
Quarterly Magazine for the Pennsylvania National Guard – Summer 2012
Features:
Partnering for peace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Three wings change command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
A fitting memorial for a fallen militiaman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Delaware Valley Salute to Troops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Training Center receives “Accreditation with Excellence” . . . . . . 11
Marching for the memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Vietnam volunteer tops off his career . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Gunslingers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Flying, fighting and winning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
New Armed Forces Reserve Center officially unveiled . . . . . . . . 20
Departments:
Keystone Newsmakers . . . . . . . . . . 22
Curator’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
ON THE COVER: A member of the Pennsylvania National
Guard marches in honor of Sgt. Edward Koehler during
the Bataan Memorial Death March in White Sands, N.M.,
March 25, 2012, as part of the three-day March for the
Fallen. Photo: Col. Colleen Dickinson
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Summer 2012 / GUARDIANS / 1

ARTNERING
for
PEACE
The Pennsylvania National Guard members in the police operational mentor and liaison team, under
the command of Lithuanian forces, have been fostering a partnership between the Afghan National
Army and Afghan National Police as part of their mission. Photo: Spc. Fred Brown
By Sgt. Matt Jones _______________________________________________________________________________________________
The ongoing, groundbreaking partnership
between Lithuanian forces and the
Pennsylvania National Guard has given
birth to a new partnership in Afghanistan.
Members of the Afghan National
Police and Afghan National Army have
started conducting joint operations with
the help of the State Partnership Program
partners serving in one of the police
operational mentor and liaison teams.
The Afghan policemen and soldiers
teamed up with Pennsylvania Army and
Air Guard members, under the command
of Lithuanian forces, in the Ghor
First Lt. James Currey, deputy commander of the
3rd Police Operational Mentor and Liaison Team,
has been helping to foster a partnership between
the Afghan National Army and Afghan National
Police as part of their mission.
Photo: Spc. Fred Brown
Province in April for training and subsequent
operations.
The Afghan National Police and
Afghan National Army have made major
strides in training and conducting area
operations. According to 1st Lt. James
Currey, deputy commander for the 3rd
Police Liaison Team, they are ready to
put that training to the test together.
“This was the first joint patrol with the
ANA and the ANP in the Ghor province,”
said Currey, a member of the Pennsylvania
Army National Guard. “It was pretty
significant seeing the ANA and ANP
working together, taking the lead on a
joint patrol.”
This patrol is a significant step in
strengthening the relationship between
the policemen and soldiers in Ghor for
the security of the people in Afghanistan.
“This is helping them take the next
step forward,” Currey said, “toward the
Afghan Forces Security Forces taking
over security from coalition forces.”
During one patrol, they traveled to a
village to get a sense of issues and concerns
of the people and how the Afghan
and coalition forces can assist. They quickly
found a problem in dire need of fixing.
Flooding from melting snow had put
many homes in danger of being damaged
or even swept away. The ANA and ANP
successfully took the lead and helped the
villages create a waterway to divert the
flooding from the homes.
“For the first time, they’re doing very
well,” Currey said. “Naturally, we will
continue to work with them and help
them self-sustain in this area.”
This ongoing partnership is intended
to help accomplish the mission, but
everyone benefits, Currey explained.
“Working with multiple elements is a
good experience, I think, for everybody,”
Currey said. “It shows that you can bring
different experiences to the table and all
work toward the same goal.” ❖
Information from a field report by Spc. Fred
Brown of the American Forces Network in
Afghanistan was used in this story.
The Pennsylvania National Guard members in the police operational mentor and liaison team, under
the command of Lithuanian forces, have been fostering a partnership between the Afghan National
Army and Afghan National Police as part of their mission. Photo: Spc. Fred Brown
Summer 2012 / GUARDIANS / 3

In early 2012, the three wings of the
Pennsylvania National Guard experienced
a simultaneous change of leadership.
4 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2012
Two of the commanders moved on to
positions elsewhere, while the third moved
from one wing to another.
Col. Gerald Otterbein accepts
command of the 193rd Special
Operations Wing in a ceremony
in Middletown, Feb. 12, 2012.
Photo: Tech. Sgt. Mariko Bender
Three wings change command
The 171st Air Refueling Wing hosts a change-of-command ceremony Feb. 5, 2012. Photo: Master Sgt. Ann Young
Col. Anthony Carrelli, the former
commander of the 111th Fighter Wing,
assumed command of the 171st Air

Col. Anthony Carrelli assumed command
of the 171st Air Refueling Wing.
Refueling Wing from Brig. Gen. Roy
Uptegraff, who served as the unit’s wing
commander since 2006. Uptegraff will
become the Air National Guard assistant
to commander, Air Mobility Command,
Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
Carrelli commanded the 111th Fighter
Wing from 2009 to 2012, the 111th
Maintenance Group from 2006 to 2009,
and the 111th Aircraft Maintenance
Squadron from 2003 to 2006. He is a
veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Col. Gerald Otterbein assumed command
of the 193rd Special Operations Wing.
Col. Gerald Otterbein assumed
command of the 193rd Special Operations
Wing from Brig. Gen. Eric Weller. Weller
is transitioning into the position of deputy
commander for Mobilization and Reserve
Affairs, U.S. Special Operations Command,
MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.
Otterbein is a full-time commercial
airline pilot who has served as the vice
wing commander since 2003. He has
deployed in numerous operations including
Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Uphold
Col. Chip Eissler assumed command
of the 111th Wing.
Democracy, Joint Guard, Flowing Pen,
Noble Anvil, Desert Thunder, and most
recently, Operations Enduring Freedom
and Iraqi Freedom.
Col. Chip Eissler assumed command
of the 111th Wing from Carrelli.
Eissler commanded the 103rd Fighter
Squadron from 2003 to 2005, the 111th
Operations Group from 2005 to 2011, and
the 111th Air Operations Group from
2011 to 2012. He also has served in Iraq
and Afghanistan. ❖
Summer 2012 / GUARDIANS / 5

A fitting memorial for a fallen militiaman
Story and photos by Sgt. Matt Jones
The Pennsylvania National Guard marked
Black History Month in a special way this year.
In a ceremony at the Union League of
Philadelphia on Feb. 25, state Adjutant General,
Maj. Gen. Wesley Craig, presented a new state
medal named in honor of a Civil War-era civil rights
leader and state militiaman, Maj. Octavius V. Catto.
Catto was killed in Philadelphia in 1871 while on duty
defending African-Americans at polling places by those who
opposed their right to vote. He was a professor at the Institute
for Colored Youth and a community leader who led desegregation
efforts in Philadelphia in the 1860s.
“It was my privilege to be able to honor the memory of a
great Pennsylvania military officer who was killed while defending
liberty,” said Craig. “The spirit of Major Catto is alive in today’s
Guard members, and this new state medal allows us to formally
recognize our Soldiers and Airmen for their outstanding
community service and support.”
The first Pennsylvania Army National Guard recipient was
1st Sgt. Kevin Bittenbender of Lewisburg, Pa. The first sergeant
of Company A, 55th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, was
recognized for volunteering a modestly estimated 500 hours of
his time for various organizations since 2005.
Bittenbender is a board member of the Lewisburg Fourth of
July Committee and the organizer of last year’s Freedom Bike
Ride, which is a three-day, 120-mile ride through north central
Pennsylvania, with multiple stops at armories, veterans’ hospitals
and veterans’ homes along the way.
6 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2012
Maj. Gen. Wesley Craig, Pennsylvania Adjutant General, speaks at the Union
League of Philadelphia, Feb. 25, during the presentation of the Octavius V.
Catto Medal. The medal is a new state award presented to Pennsylvania
Guard members who distinguish themselves through sustained community
leadership.

He also volunteers as the shooting coach for the U.S.
Paralympics biathlon team. In this role, he travels to events across
the nation and the world. He further donates his time and
talents by customizing the athletes’ rifles, developing individual
training curriculums and recruiting injured service members into
the program through his visits to Walter Reed Army Medical
Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital.
“Despite the demands of being a traditional Guardsman,
father and husband, he gives very generously of his free time –
hundreds of hours every year – to help coach the U.S. Paralympics
biathlon team,” said Col. George Schwartz, commander of the
Pennsylvania Guard’s 55th Heavy Brigade. “First Sgt. Bittenbender
and his wife, Molly, even host athletes in their home during
training periods. He is also very proud of the fact that several of
the athletes he works with are disabled veterans.”
The first Pennsylvania Air National Guard recipient was
Maj. Jonathan Bell, a chaplain in the Pittsburgh-based 171st Air
Refueling Wing. A Johnstown, Pa., resident, Bell was recently
recognized as the Chaplain of the Quarter for U.S. Central
Command and was nominated as 2011 Air National Guard
Chaplain of the Year for his service overseas.
“We are so proud and humbled to have Chaplain Bell in our
unit,” said Col. Steven Painter, vice commander of the 171st Air
Refueling Wing. “He epitomizes what the Catto medal stands
for and really puts light on the term Citizen-Soldier.”
In addition to being recognized as an outstanding military
chaplain, Bell is a leader in his community as well. He personally
stepped up with personal funds and elbow grease when an elderly
neighbor’s roof sprang a leak. For another local woman, he
replaced her rickety porch with a new ramp so she could leave
the house for her medical appointments. He has volunteered
time in support of hunting education programs, the
Rails-to-Trails project and the Wounded Warrior Foundation.
“He just returned from a seven-month deployment, and yet
he remains a constant figurehead in the community,” Painter
pointed out. “He is always helping out the community in any
way he can.”
Craig, who spoke at the ceremony and pinned the recipients,
praised the men and what they have accomplished in their
communities and in uniform.
“There is no doubt that these individuals are deserving of
the honor bestowed upon them,” said Craig. “They have distinguished
themselves from among their peers and – through their
acts of military and civic leadership – exemplify the best that
our National Guardsmen have to offer.”
The medal was originally created shortly after Catto’s death,
but no records show that it had ever been awarded before it
disappeared.
It was approved for re-introduction into the commonwealth’s
military decorations system in December 2011 and is awarded
to members of the Pennsylvania National Guard who distinguish
themselves as leaders through their community support and
public service. Any Pennsylvania National Guard member can
be recommended for the award at any time, but the Adjutant
General must approve before it is awarded.
As this year’s Black History Month officially came to an
end, the Pennsylvania National Guard had created a new way
for its members to honor the memory and legacy of civil rights
leader and Citizen-Soldier, Maj. Octavius V. Catto. ❖
The Octavius V. Catto Medal is a new Pennsylvania National Guard
award presented to state Soldiers and Airmen who distinguish themselves
through sustained community leadership. It is named in honor
of a Civil War-era civil rights leader and militiaman who was killed
while defending African-Americans’ right to vote.
Maj. Gen. Wesley Craig, Pennsylvania Adjutant General, left, pinned the new state Octavius V. Catto Medal on Maj. Jonathan Bell and 1st Sgt. Kevin
Bittenbender at the Union League of Philadelphia, Feb. 25. The medal is a new state award presented to Pennsylvania Guard members distinguished by
sustained community leadership.
Summer 2012 / GUARDIANS / 7

Delaware Valley
Salute
to Troops
By Sgt. Matt Jones
In February, members of Delaware
Valley-based National Guard units
received something they may have gotten
before, but which their predecessors often
never had – a formal “Welcome Home.”
Radio station 1210 AM’s Dom
Giordano hosted the ceremony in conjunction
with a live broadcast and free
lunch for representatives of several local
units. Members of the 131st Transportation
Company, the 111th Fighter Wing, the
104th Cavalry Regiment, and the 1st
Battalion of the 111th Infantry gathered
at the Radisson Philadelphia Northeast
Hotel in Trevose to represent the
thousands of local men and woman who
have deployed in recent years.
Many members of the community,
many of whom have served in uniform,
Capt. Stefan Wieszczynski speaks with a
member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars at the
Salute to the Troops event hosted by radio
station 1210 AM WPHT, Feb. 20, 2012.
8 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2012
Maj. Gen. Wesley Craig, Adjutant General of Pennsylvania, speaks with radio personality Dom Giordano
at the Salute to the Troops event hosted by radio station 1210 AM WPHT, Feb. 20, 2012.
Several posters signed by Delaware Valley residents were on display at the Salute to the Troops event
hosted by radio station 1210 AM WPHT, Feb. 20, 2012.

Sgt. Michael Gustin poses at the Salute to the Troops event hosted by radio station 1210 AM WPHT, Feb. 20, 2012.
came out to show their support. Several
large panels were displayed for people to
sign as part of the “world’s largest thankyou
card.”
Giordano said that the event was not
a celebration of war, but a way to honor
those who volunteer to fight it.
“It’s not about saying we endorse
going to war in Iraq or anything else,”
Giordano told a reporter at the event.
“It’s about saying these people did an
outstanding job. They put their lives
on hold to go, and they put themselves in
harm’s way.”
Master Sgt. Mark Frohm of the 131st
Transportation Company was one of those
people. He said the reception at the event,
as well as the unit’s official homecoming
ceremony late in 2011, was appreciated
by him and others.
“For us to come back and get this –
the United States of America welcoming
their people back home – it’s just outstanding,”
said Frohm, whose unit lost
three Soldiers during their deployment to
Afghanistan.
Military veterans, including Maj. Gen.
Wesley Craig, the Adjutant General of
Pennsylvania, spent time on the air with
Giordano as part of the broadcast. ❖
Summer 2012 / GUARDIANS / 9

Training Center receives
“Accreditation with Excellence”
By Sgt. Matt Jones
The Northeast Counterdrug Training Center, headquartered
at Fort Indiantown Gap, recently received its third accreditation
from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement
Agencies, or CALEA.
In addition, the center was awarded CALEA’s elite
“Accreditation with Excellence” status for its history of flawless
on-site assessments.
The Lebanon County facility is one of only 24 accredited
Public Safety Training Centers across the nation. Not only is the
Northeast Counterdrug Training Center one of the first to achieve
the excellence accreditation, it is also CALEA’s sole example of
a military-operated, civilian law-enforcement training academy.
During the accreditation process, the center was described
as a dynamic organization that remains vigilant about changing
trends and utilizes both the CALEA and military planning
processes to meet client training needs. Since its first award in
2006, the center has had annual student registrations ranging
from 10,000 to 15,000 while maintaining a student satisfaction
rating of more than 90 percent.
Lt. Col. Gilbert Durand, the PA Counterdrug Joint Task
Force commander and Training Center executive director, said
receiving the third accreditation and excellence status is a testament
to the hard work of task force members and the quality
training standards for public safety.
“Everyone in the organization ensures that their particular
responsibilities in the accreditation process are executed
efficiently and successfully,” Durand said. “This commitment to
standardization and unit cohesion is what ensures that the
Northeast Counterdrug Training Center remains a center of
training excellence.’’
The Northeast Counterdrug Training Center hosted a methamphetamine
awareness class on March 14 at Fort Indiantown Gap. The organization
was recently recognized by the Commission on Accreditation for Law
Enforcement Agencies for its history of flawless on-site assessments.
Photo: Sgt. Matt Jones
Founded in 1999, the Northeast Counterdrug Training Center
is operated by the Pennsylvania National Guard. Its mission is
to provide cost-effective training in law enforcement and drug
prevention. It provides all necessary facilities, instruction and
support to enhance the capabilities of law enforcement and
homeland security students.
For more information, visit www.counterdrug.org. ❖
The Northeast Counterdrug Training Center was recognized March 24, 2012, by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies for its
history of flawless on-site assessments. Courtesy photo
Summer 2012 / GUARDIANS / 11

Marching
for the
memory
By Maj. Ed Shank and Spc. Daniel Gardenier
12 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2012

Prior to his assignment as the
commander of the 28th Infantry Division’s
2nd Brigade Combat Team, Col. John
Gronski had never met Lt. Col. Mike
McLaughlin.
Gronski, a career infantry officer
recently assigned from another brigade
into the Pennsylvania National Guard,
assumed his role just as the 2nd Brigade
began its training for the “surge” of U.S.
troops that would be sent to Iraq in 2005.
McLaughlin, a field artillery officer
assigned to brigade staff, had a knack for
dealing with people and worked well in
complex situations. Gronski took notice
of those skills and, when the need arose,
selected McLaughlin to work with Iraqi
leaders in an effort to join forces against
the terrorists that would eventually lead
to a movement known as The Sunni
Awakening.
As the two men spent countless hours
discussing and executing missions designed
to bring communities together, embolden
the local population, and recruit Iraqi
police forces, Gronski and McLaughlin
began to form a bond.
“We became close friends,” Gronski
said. “He was one of those guys who I
knew that, when we got back home, we
would continue to be good friends.”
But that was not to be.
On Jan. 5, 2006, a suicide bomber
killed McLaughlin and dozens of civilians
during a recruiting event for the Iraqi
Police Department. Just minutes earlier,
Gronski had been standing next to him
as the two men admired the success of
the event.
Six years after the incident that took
his friend’s life, Gronski, now a brigadier
Twenty Soldiers and Airmen participated in the first
leg of the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 28-mile
March for the Fallen on March 24, 2012, at Fort
Indiantown Gap. Photo: Sgt. Matt Jones
general assigned as the deputy adjutant
general of the Pennsylvania Army
National Guard, often thinks about Mike
McLaughlin and the 82 other Soldiers,
Marines and Sailors that died while
assigned to 2nd Brigade during the unit’s
12-month tour of duty in Ramadi, Iraq.
Brig. Gen. John Gronski stays positive as he enters the final part of the first day of the Pennsylvania
National Guard’s 28-mile March for the Fallen on March 24, 2012, at Fort Indiantown Gap.
Photo: Staff Sgt. Ted Nichols
Summer 2012 / GUARDIANS / 13

Pennsylvania Guard Soldiers participate in the first leg of the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 28-mile
March for the Fallen on March 24, 2012, at Fort Indiantown Gap. Photo: Sgt. Matt Jones
As someone who takes pride in staying
physically fit, Gronski often carries
those thoughts with him as he runs
through the winding, tree-lined roads of
Fort Indiantown Gap, headquarters for
the Pennsylvania Guard. He also included
rucksack marches in his physical training
regimen. It was during one of his outings
in the fall of 2011 that he decided to
remember Mike McLaughlin by marching
Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Reilly, who marched in
honor of Staff Sgt. Brian Mowery, nears the finish
line during the Pennsylvania National Guard's
March for the Fallen on March 24, 2012, at Fort
Indiantown Gap. Photo: Staff Sgt. Ted Nichols
14 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2012
in his name at the Bataan Memorial Death
March in White Sands, N.M.
“I think [a 26.2-mile ruck march is] a
great tribute to our fallen warriors,” said
Gronski. “It takes a lot of physical and
mental toughness for the average Soldier
to put a 35-pound pack on their back and
march such a long distance. There are
many ways to pay tribute to our fallen, but
a ruck march is something mentally and
physically you have to immerse yourself
in. I wanted to honor Mike by marching
in his name.”
When word of his plan began circulating
to his fellow Soldiers and Airmen
on post, others began asking if they could
join Gronski while he trained. Soon the
small group of Soldiers began to wonder
if there would be enough interest that
they could represent each of their fallen
warriors in the New Mexico march. With
39 Soldiers killed in action in the Global
War on Terror, the Pennsylvania National
Guard has the somber distinction of
losing more Guardsmen than any of 54
states or territories.
By Christmas they got their answer.
Gronski’s Friday morning training
sessions grew from a solo event to one
that included up to 30 participants, each
with 35 pounds or more on their backs,
often barely able to see through the snow
or freezing rain in the predawn hours as
they traversed the slippery mountain
roads. A separate group of Soldiers from
the western part of the state also began
training with the intent of marching in
Twenty Soldiers and Airmen, including Brig. Gen.
John Gronski, left, and Capt. Paolo Sica, right,
participated in the first leg of the Pennsylvania
National Guard’s 28-mile March for the Fallen on
March 24, 2012, at Fort Indiantown Gap.
Photo: Sgt. Matt Jones
the Bataan Memorial. Soon the state’s
total exceeded 50 participants.
Lt. Col. Matthew Saracco, commander
of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s
Recruiting and Retention Battalion, was
Pennsylvania Guard troops participate in the first
leg of the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 28-mile
March for the Fallen on March 24, 2012, at Fort
Indiantown Gap. Photo: Sgt. Matt Jones

Capt. Bryson Meczywor nears the finish line on the first leg of the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 28-mile March for the Fallen on March 24, 2012, at Fort
Indiantown Gap. Photo: Staff Sgt. Ted Nichols
among the first to join the general on his
hikes. He recalled the dedication it took
to train.
“There were snow blizzards when we
first started preparing for it,” Saracco
said. “You couldn’t move forward if you
didn’t put your hand in front of your eyes,
and you’re trying to walk through the
snow coming sideways. I mean, it was no
joke – 27 degrees getting up at 4:30 in the
morning and saying ‘it’s time to go get my
water and my ruck and get ready to go
out there again.’
“Some people say that we’re a little
sadistic,” he added. “My wife is one.
She’s like, ‘Why do you have to go this
Friday? You can’t take a day off?’ I’d say,
‘I guess I could, but this is just something
I’ve got to do.’”
Of those that trained, only nine
Pennsylvania Guard members actually
made it to New Mexico for the march.
Amazingly, three of them placed in the top
nine in the ‘military heavy’ category of
the event, including first and third places.
Although financial restraints prevented
the other members of the team from
traveling to the event in the Southwest,
the Pennsylvania’s KIAs were not
forgotten. More than 50 Soldiers and
Airmen pulled together at the last minute
and conducted 28-mile marches in Erie
and Fort Indiantown Gap in memory of
the fallen. ‘Gold Star Family’ members
traveled from towns near and far to
meet the Guardsmen marching for their
loved ones.
Though Gronski’s plans did not go
off as originally intended, he believes it’s
all for the best.
“Just from the history of how this
all developed, and the first one that we
did and what it’s going to mean to
those people in future years,” he said.
“I think there’s no question that we will
continue to conduct the 28-mile ruck
march at Fort Indiantown Gap for years
to come.”
For more information on
Pennsylvania’s fallen Soldiers visit:
http://www.milvet.state.pa.us/png_kia_
narrative.pdf or http://j.mp/GSTIuk. ❖
Pennsylvania Guard troops participate in the first leg of the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 28-mile
March for the Fallen on March 24, 2012, at Fort Indiantown Gap. Photo: Sgt. Matt Jones
Summer 2012 / GUARDIANS / 15

First Sgt. William Brown of Company A, 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, recently retired from the National Guard after serving in every decade since 1970.
Vietnam volunteer tops off his career
By Sgt. Tom Bourke, 2nd Infantry Brigade
The first thing William D. Brown Jr.
faced when he stepped off the transport
plane onto the runway in Vietnam in 1970
was an assault on his senses. The heat
was unbearable, and there was a terrible
stench.
Within a few months, the young Soldier
from Clairton, Pa., would learn there were
other ways to face assaults in Vietnam.
Serving in every decade from the 1970s
to today, Brown’s 35-year military career
recently concluded.
As the top enlisted Soldier in
Company A, 2nd Brigade Special Troops
Battalion, 1st Sgt. Brown’s Soldiers held
an informal retirement ceremony for
him at the end of his last Pennsylvania
National Guard weekend drill on Feb. 12.
Staff Sgt. Brad Fogle met 1st Sgt. William Brown
when Fogle first enlisted as a private.
16 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2012
“He’s been the first sergeant ever since
I came to the unit as a private nine years
ago,” said Staff Sgt. Brad Fogle. “My first
impressions of him were of intimidation
and respect. When he walked down the
hall, everyone got out of his way.”
Fogle said that as his military career
progressed, Brown became both a source
of guidance and a close friend. “His
example shows us the right way to be
Army noncommissioned officers. When
he leaves the unit, it will be like losing a
family member.”
Brown believes that the number one
responsibility of being a company first
sergeant is taking care of the Soldiers.
During his tenure, he strived to ensure
that they had everything they needed to
First Sgt. William Brown stands with Capt. Adam Love in front of the 2nd Infantry Brigade Fallen
Heroes Memorial.

complete their missions. Now that he is
approaching 60, he thinks it is finally time
to retire and end his long military career.
“The neighborhood that I grew up in,
Clairton, was a patriotic town,” Brown
said. “I originally enlisted because I saw a
lot of guys coming back from the war, and
I knew it was something I wanted to do.”
Returning to the firebase after completing
a typical mission on Aug. 13, 1971,
Brown and the rest of his unit were
preparing to board helicopters to go back
into the jungle. That was when the enemy
assaulted his position with mortar fire.
“As soon as the rounds exploded, I got
knocked back on my butt,” Brown said.
“It felt like someone punched me in the
side of the head.”
Brown was evacuated by helicopter to
an aid station with shrapnel wounds in
his arm, hip and head. After medical
personnel stitched him back up, he spent
three weeks in the hospital recovering
from his injuries.
Once healed, he returned to his unit
to finish his tour of duty. However, the
doctors were not able to remove all of
the shrapnel, and he still has a piece of it
embedded in his body today.
“It scared me a little bit,” said Brown.
“But I thought if that’s all they could do
to me, it wasn’t too bad. It was actually
motivating.”
After his tour in Vietnam ended,
Brown returned to his home town, joined
the Army Reserve and got a job at U.S.
Steel’s Clairton Works, where he is still
employed as a heater on the coke ovens.
Exiting the military in 1973, he took a
10-year hiatus before joining the
Pennsylvania National Guard in 1983.
Trained as a combat engineer for
Vietnam, Brown helped clear booby traps,
disable tripwires and build fighting positions
during his combat tour. He returned
to his engineering roots when he came
back into the Army a decade later.
“As engineers, we deal with explosives,
field fortifications, heavy equipment,
and we support the ground troops in any
number of ways,” Brown said. “A lot of
guys who’ve recently deployed to Iraq and
Afghanistan have had to act as infantry.
We have a motto that says engineers can
grunt, but grunts can’t engineer.”
Brown also explained that the military
has much better training and equipment
today than it did during the 1970s. He
also believes that today’s Soldiers, who
all volunteer to serve, are generally more
motivated compared to draftees who did
not seek out military service
“Most of our Soldiers are here because
they want to serve their country,” Brown
said. “The commonwealth of Pennsylvania
is in good hands with the young Guard
members of today.”
Capt. Adam T. Love, a Johnstown
resident, is Brown’s company commander.
“I’ve known 1st Sgt. Brown since I was a
cadet training to be an officer in 2001,” he
said. “He is fair, knowledgeable and easy
to talk to. His Soldiers and NCOs hold him
in high regard. We all strive to achieve
that kind of respect from our Soldiers.”
Brown credits his military longevity
and success to having a supportive wife.
Now that he is retiring, he plans to
continue working at the mill and looks
forward to spending more time with his
family.
“During my military career, I have
done stuff that most people only dream
of,” Brown said. “Not too many guys at
my age are still wearing the uniform. But
just because I’m retiring, it doesn’t mean
I’m ready for the rocking chair yet.” ❖
Summer 2012 / GUARDIANS / 17

GUNSLINGERS
Company B, 2-104th General Support Aviation Battalion, conducted slingload training using M-777A2 howitzers on April 14, 2012, at Fort
Indiantown Gap’s West Field. The Soldiers, part of the 28th Combat Aviation Brigade, can be called on to airlift artillery, vehicles, supplies, or
even downed aircraft during deployment or state active duty. Photos: Sgt. Neil Gussman
18 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2012

Flying, fighting and winning
By Sgt. Matt Jones
The Airman’s Creed says it is the
mission of all who wear the uniform to
“fly, fight and win.” One Pennsylvania
Airman has not spent time on the battlefield
yet, but she has certainly done all
three … on the racetrack.
Airman 1st Class Emily Shertzer of
Jonestown, Pa., was recently named the
Female Athlete of the Year by the Air
Force for her sustained success in military
athletic competitions.
Of Shertzer’s many athletic accomplishments
in 2011, she had the fastest
female time in the history of the All-Guard
Marathon Team with a time of 2 hours
and 54 minutes, at the National Guard
Marathon in Lincoln, Neb. She won the
top spot for National Guard females and
second place among all female runners.
It was her first marathon.
In 2011, she also won the International
Biathlon Union’s summer biathlon and
set the course record for the Missoula
Half Marathon in Montana. Despite so
many accomplishments, Shertzer manages
to stay modest about her achievements.
“I know there are many quality
athletes in the Air Force who are deserving
of this distinction, some of whom are
teammates that I’ve had the pleasure of
competing with the past year,” she said.
In November, Shertzer led the Air
Force at the 2011 Armed Forces Marathon
Championship and Marine Corps
Marathon when she finished with a U.S.
Olympic Marathon Trials qualifying time
of 2:45, coming in second place for women
and less than 30 seconds behind first place.
In January, she ran the U.S. Olympic
Marathon Team Trials with a time of 2:49.
This was not her first brush with the
Olympics. She tried out for the 2008
pentathlon team, but placed third at the
qualifying trials in Beijing. Though a significant
accomplishment, only two women
went on to compete in the games. After
training for this event for three years, she
moved on to other athletic endeavors.
Shertzer continues to challenge
herself not only by running marathons, but
by honoring her fellow service members.
In March, she donned a 35-pound rucksack
and joined other Soldiers and Airmen
on a 26.2-mile march to honor the 39
National Guardsmen killed in action since
Sept. 11, 2001.
Shertzer is a full-time environmental
planner at Fort Indiantown Gap and a
member of the Air Guard Band of the
Mid-Atlantic. She performs with the
Lebanon Community Concert Band and
has played with the Central Pennsylvania
Symphony Orchestra.
Shertzer graduated from Moravian
College in Bethlehem, where she received
a bachelor’s degree in biology with a
minor in music. She also holds a master’s
degree in environmental science from the
University of Texas in San Antonio. ❖
Airman 1st Class Emily Shertzer of the 553rd Air Force Band of the Mid-Atlantic crosses the finish line
of the Missoula Half Marathon on July 10, 2011. The win was one of many accomplishments that
contributed to her being named Air Force 2011 Female Athlete of the Year. Courtesy photo
Summer 2012 / GUARDIANS / 19

New Armed Forces Reserve Centers
OFFICIALLY
unveiled
By Sgt. Matt Jones
Leaders from the United States Army
Reserve and Pennsylvania National
Guard, along with elected officials, cut
the ribbon at the newly constructed
Danville Armed Forces Reserve Center
on March 21 and the Scranton Armed
Forces Reserve Center March 22, 2012.
They were completed in 2011, but the
flooding resulting from Hurricane Irene
and Tropical Storm Lee pushed back the
date of the ceremony.
The 122,003-square-foot facility in
Scranton consists of a shared training
center, a shared heated storage building,
a shared vehicle maintenance facility and
two separate unheated storage buildings.
Construction on the facility was started
May 6, 2010. The Danville Armed Forces Reserve Center was officially unveiled on March 21, 2012. Photo: Tom Cherry
The Scranton Armed Forces Reserve Center was officially unveiled March 22, 2012. Photo: Tom Cherry
20 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2012

The facility will be home to approximately
600 members of the Pennsylvania
National Guard. Pennsylvania National
Guard units calling the armory home will
be the 55th Heavy Brigade Combat Team
Headquarters, the 55th Brigade Special
Troops Battalion, the 228th Brigade
Support Battalion, and the 1st Battalion
of the 109th Infantry Regiment.
Additionally, Army Reserve units
stationed at the facility will be the 80th
Signal Battalion, the 412th Engineer
Company, the 858th Medical Company,
the 233rd Quartermaster Platoon and
the 220th Military Police Detachment.
The Danville facility is now home to
Company A and the Headquarters
Company of the 3rd Battalion of the
103rd Armor, Pennsylvania Army
National Guard, and the Army Reserve’s
542nd Quartermaster Company.
The 77,904-square-foot facility
includes a shared training center, a
shared vehicle maintenance facility and
two separate unheated storage buildings.
Construction on the facility was started
April 27, 2010. ❖
Summer 2012 / GUARDIANS / 21

KEYSTONE NEWSMAKERS
Guardsmen called to state active duty for standoff
By Sgt. Matt Jones
Members of the Pennsylvania National
Guard were called into service during
a standoff between a Lebanon resident
and the Pennsylvania State Police on
March 15, 2012.
The resident, Samuel Snyder, had
locked himself in his home and was
22 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2012
violently preventing police officers from
entering. After a long, overnight stalemate,
in which shots were fired by Snyder,
the incident site commander requested
the use of a National Guard engineering
vehicle.
The Guard crew loaded up a vehicle
from the combined support maintenance
Pennsylvania National Guard members deploy an engineer vehicle in North Annville March 15, 2012.
A women’s history month celebration was held at Fort Indiantown Gap March 18, 2012.
shop at Fort Indiantown Gap and then
unloaded it near Snyder’s home, only a
few miles from Fort Indiantown Gap.
The 14-hour standoff ended abruptly
when Snyder exited his home carrying a
grenade, which was later found to be
inert. Snyder was struck by a single bullet
and died. ❖
Women’s
history month
By Staff Sgt. Ted Nichols
The Pennsylvania National Guard
hosted its annual Women’s History Month
luncheon on March 18, 2012, at Fort
Indiantown Gap.
The luncheon featured guest speaker
Maria Montero, who serves as executive
director for the Pennsylvania Commission
for Women and executive director for the
Governor’s Advisory Commission on
Latino Affairs.
The annual event is organized by
the Joint Force Headquarters Diversity
Committee and honors the contributions
of women throughout history.
Roughly 15 percent of Pennsylvania
National Guard members are women. ❖

By Sgt. Matt Jones
Two Guard members rescued a driver
from his truck after it caught fire in March
on Interstate 95 in Philadelphia.
Staff Sgt. Krystal Brown and Staff Sgt.
Angel Mendez acted instinctively when
they passed a burning vehicle and noticed
the driver was still inside. After pulling to
228th BSB Fields
New Containerized Kitchen
Guard members step up during hot situation
Members of the Pine Grove-based Company D, 228th Brigade
Support Battalion, used their new container kitchen, known as a CK,
for the first time on April 21, 2012, at Fort Indiantown Gap.
While their unit was busy firing their rifles on a nearby range, several
food service specialists tried out their new gear. The new CK requires
four Soldiers and one supervisor to prepare and serve the food.
The CK is the first device of its kind to be fielded since the Mobile
Kitchen Trailer, or the MKT, was introduced in 1975. The MKT was
designed to feed about half as many Soldiers only one meal a day. The
CK can feed more than 500 troops three meals a day if needed.
The kitchen is capable of operating in temperatures ranging from a
frigid 25 below zero to more than 120 degrees. ❖
the side of the road and jumping over the
highway barrier, the two Guard members
pulled the unconscious driver from the
burning vehicle.
“We just worked together as a team,”
Brown told reporters.
“We stayed calm and assessed the
dangers around us,” Mendez added. “I
wasn’t sure how much time I had or how
fast the flame was going to move.”
Eventually, the rescued driver regained
consciousness.
“His eyes were open the whole time,
and I just kept talking to him,” said
Brown, recalling how she encouraged him
to pull through. “I knew he heard me.”
Both of the Guard members are
combat veterans. ❖
Summer 2012 / GUARDIANS / 23

CURATOR’S CORNER
By Charles Oellig
In the early days of the 20th century, our governor, the commander in
chief of the National Guard of Pennsylvania, had his own military staff
composed of lieutenant colonels and a few noncommissioned officers.
Sgt. Charles A. Bair was the commissary sergeant on this staff. In 1912,
Commissary became part of the Quartermaster branch.
Bair had formerly been a member of Company K, Fourth Regiment
Infantry, NGP of Lancaster. His hat insignia is a gold wreath and keystone
with a silver crescent, the insignia of the Commissary Corps. All enlisted
members of the governor’s military staff wore crossed sabers on the collar.
He is also wearing a 10-year rifle qualification badge and a revolver
qualification badge. This photograph first appeared in the February 1913
issue of “Our State Army & Navy Journal.” ❖
This is the 33rd in a series of historical photographs of Pennsylvania
National Guardsmen of the past, submitted by Charles Oellig, curator
of the Pennsylvania National Guard Military Museum at Fort
Indiantown Gap. The museum is open Mondays and Fridays,10 a.m. to
4:30 p.m., or other days by appointment. Call (717) 861-2402 or visit
us online at www.pngmilitarymuseum.org for more information or to
schedule an appointment. The museum is closed on major holidays.
24 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2012