ACU 223rd Guatemala Egypt to Arkansas Transformation The ...

ACU 223rd Guatemala Egypt to Arkansas Transformationarkansas minutemanVol. 27, No. 3 Fall 2005KATRINA!The Arkansas National Guardhelps hurricane victims.

The Arkansas MinutemanThe Arkansas MinutemanPublication StaffMaj. Gen. Don C. MorrowThe Adjutant GeneralCapt. Kristine M. MunnState Public Affairs OfficerManaging EditorBuddy GarrettState Information OfficerSenior Writer/Copy EditorSgt. Chris A. DurneyPublic Affairs NCOICEditorMs. Adrienne BrietzkePublic Affairs SpecialistNews EditorMaj. Keith MooreArkansas Air National GuardPublic Affairs OfficerTech. Sgt. Bob Oldham189th Airlift Wing (AETC)Public Affairs NCOIC1st Lt. Heath Allen188th Fighter Wing (ACC)Public Affairs Officer1st Lt. Chris HeathscottNGMTU Public Affairs Officer1420inside14161820Hot Springs Squadron Put to the Test223rd Combat Communications Squadron providesvoice and data support for major exercise in Utah.Egyptologist Digs Arkansas GuardCultural Resources Manager helps Arkansas NationalGuard preserve history, protect lands.Guatemalan School Helped by GuardState Partnership Program fosters help and understanding,benefits school in Guatemala.Transformation!The Arkansas National Guard is undergoing a lot ofchanges. How will they affect you?Presenting the Colors. Members of the 39th Brigade Combat Team present the Colorsduring the 39th BCT change of command ceremony Aug. 7 on the grounds of the StateCapitol in Little Rock. Maj. Gen. Don C. Morrow (center), adjutant general of Arkansas,oversaw the passing of command from Brig. Gen. Ronald Chastain (left) to Col. Mike Ross(right). The historical ceremony marked the last time that all of the 39th Brigade’s unitsassembled in their configuration prior to the restructuring and re-stationing plan that tookaffect this year. The Sunday ceremony was unique in that it employed traditional buglecalls to execute commands as opposed to the more common verbal cues. Sgt. 1st ClassTom Gaminsky of Det. 1, 70th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment photographed the event.1st Lt. Brent SarverDet. 1, 70th Mobile PAD CommanderThe Arkansas Minuteman is an unofficialpublication published quarterly under theprovisions of AR 360-1, AFR 35-101 andthe Arkansas Military Department. Itis distributed free to all members of theArkansas Army and Air National Guard.The magazine is edited and published bythe Public Affairs Office, Arkansas NationalGuard. It is designed to provide Guardmembers and their families with timelyand factual information on policies, plans,operations and technical developmentsof the Arkansas National Guard. Viewsexpressed herein are not necessarilythose of any state or federal governmentagency. Stories and photos are solicited.Publication is based on availablespace and reader interest. The PublicAffairs Office reserves the right to edit allsubmissions. Email stores and photos tochristopher.durney@ar.ngb.army.mil orkristine.munn@ar.ngb.army.mil, or sendon disk to: Editor, Arkansas Minuteman,Bldg. 6000, Camp Joseph T. Robinson,North Little Rock, AR 72199-9600. Telephone(501) 212-5025 or DSN 962-5025.Deadline: First business day of eachquarter preceding publication. Method ofreproduction: Offset. Circulation: 17,000.Page 2 Fall 2005Front CoverOver 200 busses disgorged nearly9,000 Hurricane Katrina evacuees atFort Chaffee MTC Sept. 3 -- 4. Checkout our special section, beginningon page 24, for the full details, andfor all of the Katrina coverage. Maj.Craig Heathscott of the 35th AviationBrigade caught the scene from aBlackhawk.24Katrina Hits the Gulf CoastArkansas Soldiers and Airmen swarm into Mississippiand New Orleans to lend a helping hand.departmentsCommander’s Corner..........................................................4From the Editors...................................................................5Of Interest.............................................................................6Photo Op............................................................................38Army Guard News..............................................................40Air Guard News..................................................................42Fall 2005 Page 3

The Arkansas Minutemancommander’s cornerThe Arkansas MinutemanFrom the Adjutant GeneralEvery Soldier is a recruiterAs of the date of this writing, the ArkansasNational Guard remains deeply committed to thehurricane relief mission in Louisiana. There arethousands of National Guard Soldiers and Airmenfrom all over the country--hundreds from Arkansas--still working in the affectedareas to bring security, comfort and aid to the unfortunate souls hit sohard by natural disaster.It is with great pride that I applaud the incredible effort put forth by ourNational Guard men and women, many having recently returned from extendeddeployments in harms way. Nothing short of superhuman effort hasgone into the Arkansas National Guard response to the devastation along theGulf coast and New Orleans. From the very beginning of operations in thewaning hours of Katrina’s landfall, our commanders, NCOs and troops havebeen at their very best, reacting to the first call quickly and with determination.Literally within the wake of the storm’s movement through the Gulfregion, Arkansas had Soldiers and Airmen on the ground and bringing aid tothose who’s lives are forever changed by the destruction.Throughout the hurricane relief operations, Arkansas’ citizens, government and citizen Soldiers have shown their willingness towork together to abate the effect the storms have had on people’s lives. The disaster response effort is one of the best examples of theunique ability of the National Guard to excel at both the state and federal mission. The inherent skill and capabilities the Guard usesto respond to natural disasters are the same ones that enable it to successfully respond to potential terrorist threats.Nowhere was this more evident than at Fort Chaffee, where nearly 10,000 evacuees and refugees found solace, medical attention,food, temporary housing and help. Working with the governor’s office, Sebastian County Emergency Management, ArkansasDepartment of Emergency Management, FEMA, the Red Cross, and countless other organizations and agencies, the Arkansas NationalGuard saw to it that these neighboring peoples were given hope among ruin.Growth and TransformationThe Arkansas National Guard is transforming and changing. We are in the midst of a major reorganization and re-structuring ofthe Army National Guard, and will soon see growth and change in our Air National Guard units.The driving force behind Army transformation is the creation of a military that is more responsive, deployable, agile, versatile,survivable and sustainable. And while our overall strength does not significantly change, and no jobs will be lost, the change affectsnearly 90 Army Guard units throughout the state. What it boils down to is an Arkansas National Guard that is better equipped, betterable to respond to current and future missions, and more efficient.For the Air Guard, it means that Arkansans will be seeing a different type of aircraft in the skies over our state in just a few shortyears. For the 188th Fighter Wing it means new missions, new training and new experiences. For the 189th Airlift Wing it meansmore C-130s and additional manpower.All in all, it means that our Army and Air National Guard is growing, changing and maturing into a Guard that stands ready, at amoment’s notice, to respond to natural disaster or terrorist threat with equal speed, determination and ability, while maintaining ourCitizen Soldier values.Don C. MorrowMajor GeneralThe Adjutant GeneralPage 4 Fall 2005The strength of the Army National Guard depends upon dedicated Soldiers like you.In fact, as a Soldier, you are the most valuable recruiter the ARNG has. Current ARNG Soldiers are consistently more productivethan other sources, according to Recruiting and Retention NCOs (RRNCOs).By letting your friends, family, and associates know about the tangible and intangible rewards you’re receiving through theARNG, you present them with the opportunity to succeed at your side while improving the ARNG.Soldiers make the best recruiters. Target the best and brightest from our community, people who have demonstrated theirability to be successful, who can make the ARNG better. Look for people of vision, who are willing to develop a life plan andwho can see how the Army National Guard will help them achieve their goals.STRENGTH IN NUMBERSMaintaining strength is everyone’s responsibility. When your team has a vacancy, you and all your team members suffer.Each of you has moretasks to accomplish andthe satisfaction of doing agood job is more difficultto achieve. If every Soldieris a recruiter . . . everySoldier wins.While there maybe one Recruiting andRetention NCO percompany, there are at least120 Soldiers in that unit,many who live, work, goto school and contributeevery day in their community.The RRNCO assignedto your unit can bein only one place at a time;120 Guard members cancover a lot more groundand meet a lot more prospects.When you develop a YOU CAN attitude about unit recruiting, everyone wins.* You win because your team is at full strength.* Your referrals win because they receive a valuable benefits package and a chance to serve in a great organization.* Your unit wins because it is in a higher state of readiness.* The Army National Guard wins because it has quality prospects enlisting.* Your country, state, and local communities win because they have a unit prepared to serve whenever they are calledRAISE THE TEAMWhen every Soldier is a recruiter we all work together to RAISE THE TEAM. That’s why the Army National Guard wantsyou to have all the tools you need to accomplish your goals. In turn, this will provide Recruiting and Retention NCOs with away to encourage every new enlistment to bring them at least nine leads.SPEAKER’S KITReview the Every Soldier Is A Recruiter speaker’s kit on the Battle Disk. Think about the information and suggestions itcontains, and then work to incorporate as much of this material into your own presentation about the Army National Guard aspossible. Although the speaker’s kit provides a great deal of useful information, the most effective recruiting presentations almostalways come “from the heart” and highlight what the Guard has meant to you personally.For more information, call 1-800-GO-GUARD.Fall 2005 Page 5

The Arkansas Minutemanof interestThe Arkansas MinutemanMemorial dedicated to fallen Guard members“SGT Kenneth A. Melton.”“SPC Lyle W. Rymer II.”“SGT Russell L. Collier Jr.”The names read as a litany of personalsacrifice and bravery.“CW4 Patrick W. Kordsmeier.”“CPL Jimmie D. Buie.”“SFC William W. Labadie.”Against the dark concrete background,the names illuminate the couragewith which National Guard troopsanswer their nation’s call.“SFC Troy L. Miranda.”“SGT Michael A. Smith.”“SSG Stacey C. Brandon.”Randomly placed across eightpanels, the names call to mind the fragilenature of life and death.“SPC Jeremy W. McHalffey.”“SGT Ronald W. Baker.”“CPT Arthur L. Felder.”The names include officers andenlisted troops, young men and seasonedveterans – each different and related atthe same time.“SPC Joshua S. Marcum.”“SSG Billy J. Orton.”“SSG Hesley Box Jr.”Fifteen names. Fifteen fallen heroes.On Saturday, Sept. 10, officialswith the Arkansas Army National Guardunveiled a Killed in Action memorial,located on the grounds of the postchapel. Eventually, the memorial willhonor all Arkansas Guard troops killedin battle. Brig. Gen. Ronald Chastain,former commander of the 39th BrigadeCombat Team, said it was fitting thatthe first troops honored be those whomost recently gave their lives defendingfreedom in Operation Iraqi Freedom II.Chastain led the 39th during its activationfor Iraqi Freedom.“Though the enemy may changeand the venue may vary, the grim experiencesof war remain constant. Thosethat died did their best to hide their fearsfrom home and from their fellow warriors,but still they went. In a momentof valiance, they made their sacrifice,”the general said, calling each soldier byname and recounting personal memoriesof their character and personality.Chastain told the group of familymembers, friends and fellow troops thatGuard troops serve their country in avaluable way.“It should be obvious to every Arkansanthat their sacrifice deserves muchmore appreciation than just honoringthem this one day,” he said. “The story ofthe citizen Soldier, the National Guard,is too often untold. It’s too little understood,and it’s too under appreciated.There’s more to being in the NationalGuard than just civilians wearing the uniform.Every time we put on this uniform,we are saluting the Constitution of theUnited States of America.”Maj. Gen. Don C. Morrow, adjutantgeneral of Arkansas, said the memorialwill serve as a reminder of thecosts inherent in maintaining peace andsecuring freedom around the world. “Ihope that for years and years to come, aspeople pass by this site, they look at thismemorial and understand what it costs tokeep this country of ours free and to giveus, the American People, the opportunityto live what we all know is the greatestlife in the world in this greatest of allcountries,” he said.Col. Steve Rucker (Ret.) explainedthat a committee including Chaplain(Col.) Royce Thomas, Lt. Col. ChadSparks, State Command Sgt. Maj. DebbieCollins, Senior Master Sgt. BuddyBurns and Command Sgt. Maj. B.T.Walker helped design the concrete memorialthat consists of eight large panelsformed in a crescent shape, with waterfountains and lights sunk into their bases.Lewis, Elliott & Studer Architectsdonated services to complete the design,and Mike Kierre of K&E Constructiondonated his services to build the monument.Private monies funded the project.In the future, names of troops whoserved in other conflicts – War WithMexico, World War II, Korea and bothUnion and Confederate Soldiers from theCivil War – will be added to the memorial.Family members and friends of fallentroops copy names from the ArkansasArmy National Guard’s Killed in Actionmemorial, unveiled Saturday, Sept. 10.The memorial will eventually honor allArkansas Guard troops killed in battle,but the first 15 soldiers honored weremembers of the 39th Brigade CombatTeam, killed during Operation IraqiFreedom II. (U.S. Army National Guardphoto by Sgt. Rick Fahr, Det. 1, 70thMobile Public Affairs Detachment.)Page 6 Fall 2005SGLI coverage increases after Sept. 1, 2005The maximum level of Servicemembers’Group Life Insurance coveragehas been increased from $250,000 to$400,000.Anyone in military service onSept. 1, 2005, had their coverageincreased to $400,000, even if theypreviously declined or elected lessercoverage. If they still desire no coverageor less than the maximum, theywill have to go to their PersonnelOffice and re-elect no coverage or lessthan the maximum.Servicemembers can only elect coveragein increments of $50,000. Previously,members could elect coverage inincrements of $10,000.The SGLI coverage amounts availablewill be:Global war on terrorism veterans arereminded that they can commemoratetheir service or that of their unit at theArkansas National Guard Museum.In recognition of a donation of $25to the museum, a brick will be placedin the Walk of Honor in front of themuseum.The bricks are custom engravedwith a maximum of three lines of text,each line with no more than 13 letters/numbers. The museum will work withunits and individuals on the wording andlayout of the bricks.$50,000–$250,000; $100,000–$300,000;$150,000–$350,000;$200,000–$400,000.Members in the VGLI Programbefore Sept. 1, 2005 are not affected.However, all separating service memberscovered under SGLI on or after Sept. 1,in an amount greater than $250,000 willbe able to convert to VGLI at the newhigher level.The premium rates for SGLI coveragewill remain the same. Currently, therate is 6.5 cents per $1,000 per month, or$16.25 per month for $250,000. Therefore,if a member elects the new maximumcoverage of $400,000, they willpay $26.00 per month.SGLI members serving in areas oroperations designated by the Secretary ofDefense as combat operations, or zonesWalk of Honor bricks available at museumMuseum director Steve Ruckernoted that some have used two or threebricks to show the information theywanted. He also noted that the 125thMedical Battalion placed an entire rowof bricks showing their commandersfrom the inception of the unit until itwas deactivated. “Units could do thesame for OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom)– we’ll work to ensure the bricks for aunit are placed together if requested,”said Rucker.Order forms are available at themuseum or on-line at www.arngmuseum.com.of combat, will have the premiums for$150,000 of coverage paid for by theDepartment of Defense. This is onlywhile they are serving in designatedareas or operations. Once they are nolonger serving in such areas they willonce again have to pay the premiumsthemselves.The Department of Defense willbe paying a death gratuity of $150,000for deaths that occurred in specifiedcombat conditions on or after October7, 2001 but before September 1,2005 or were incurred in the theaterof operations of Operations Enduringand Iraqi Freedom. This gratuity is inaddition to the existing Department ofDefense death gratuity that is increasingfrom $12,420 to $100,000 for thesame group of servicemembers.Jobs for former andcurrent GuardsmenHelmets to Hardhats is a nationwidenon-profit program that helps Guardsmen,Reservists, transitioning militaryand veterans find quality careers in theconstruction industry. The organizationhas recently partnered with the NationalGuard to provide this FREE civilian jobsearch program to you.There are currently many civilianjob openings from California to NewYork and the organization wants to makesure that you have the opportunity to applyfor them while they are available.If interested in a civilian career withhigh pay and great benefits, registertoday. It’s free, and once you register,you can begin to show which careers youare interested in and Helmets to Hardhatscan help you along the way.Click www.helmetstohardhats.orgon the web.Fall 2005 Page 7

The Arkansas Minutemanof interestThe Arkansas MinutemanNew citizens realize dreamsBy Laura Kelley, KTHV-TV, Little Rock; published by permissionIt’s the dream of thousands of peopleevery year, who come to the UnitedStates looking for a fresh start.“This is a great day in these people’slives and really in the life of America.Where people come to this country. Theygo through the process and become naturalizedcitizens. We’re proud of them andI must tell you I had to choke back a tearwhen they said that pledge of allegiancefor the first time that was really special,”says Senator Mark Pryor.It’s taken years for some of theseimmigrants to become U.S. citizens.They’ve had to sift through moundsof paperwork, endless delays -- andfinally -- pass the American citizenshiptest.“We need to do alot better in termsof tracking people. It should be moreelectronic and less paper intensive andthere are alot of issues--bureaucraticissues with it in addition to some majorpolicy decisions that we need to make,”says Pryor.But for those like Magarita Orton,the hassle was well worth it.Orton came to the U.S. in 1996 witha plan to become a U.S. citizen and livethe American dream with her husband,Billy. But part of that plan was cut shortwhen Orton’s husband was killed in Iraqlast year while serving with Arkansas’39th Brigade.“He wanted one day I just get all thepaperwork and get together and be ableto be a U.S. citizen, and he would be soproud and so excited about it already.The date yesterday was our wedding anniversary,”Orton says.And then there are people likeLizbeth Valderrabano who received hercitizenship in December.Friday she stood with the colorguard watching others achieve theirAmerican dream.“This country has given me alot.From education to opportunities andthere’s alot of things out there unfortunatelyin other countries that we don’thave,” Valderrabano says.These new citizens will now go onto vote, to serve on juries, and will haveall the rights granted to Americans byour Constitution.“I’m a devoted American even if Inever have the citizenship, but now I gotit,” Orton says.Top: Magarita Orton realized her dreamof becoming a U.S. citizen in August.Her husband Billy was killed in Iraqwhile serving with the 39th BrigadeCombat Team.Middle: New U.S. citizens taking theoath.Employer relationsDistance LearningCourse available forGuard, Navy ReserveThe Army National Guard andthe U.S. Navy Reserve have bothrecently developed an EmployerRelations/ESGR Distance LearningCourse.These courses are the newestway troops can receive employerrelations training to ensure they areeducated on their rights and responsibilitiesunder USERRA as well asESGR programs and services. Takingthese courses can help to reduceemployer conflicts and improveemployer relations at the unit leveland thereby improve your recruitingand retention efforts. It is alsoa convenient means of providing requiredemployer relations/USERRAtraining to IRR/ING troops.The ARNG employer relationsDL course can be accessedby all members of the ReserveComponents at the following link:http://onlinecampus.ngpec.org.New users must register as a newstudent and then will be allowedto enter the DL platform and selectthe ESGR/employer relationstraining course. The course takesapproximately 30-40 minutes tocomplete and produces a certificateof completion when finished.As a reminder, additionalESGR training resources are availableon line at the following linkon the ESGR web site: http://www.esgr.com/members2/utResources.aspConsumer alert - new identity protection service for military personnelArkansas Attorney General MikeBeebe issued a consumer alert recentlyregarding a new service available to helpmilitary personnel protect their credit recordswhile they are deployed around theworld protecting their fellow Americans.All members of the military maynow request an “active-duty” designationfor their credit records while away fromtheir usual duty station. The active-dutydesignation will limit access to creditrecords and provide additional protectionagainst identity theft for the ArmedForces.“Identity thieves use no discretionin choosing their victims,” Beebe said.“Unfortunately, our men and women inuniform can be prime targets for ID theftwhile deployed stateside or overseas.They should not have to worry aboutmonitoring their credit records whileserving our country on active duty. Thisnew safeguard will give our troops addedcredit protection while they are awayfrom home.”Military personnel can initiate their“active-duty” credit status by contactingany one of the three nationwide consumercredit-reporting bureaus. They are:Equifax: 800-685-1111 or www.equifax.com; Experian: 888-EXPERIAN (888-397-3742) or www.experian.com, TransUnion: 800-916-8800 or www.transunion.comIdentity thieves often operate by tryingto open new credit-card accounts orother lines of credit under their victims’names. Once an “active-duty” alert isput on a credit record, any attempt toopen a new line of credit in that person’sname will be stopped until the credit bureauis able to directly confirm its legitimacywith the member of the military.The “active duty” alert will remainon a credit record for one year. It may berenewed through the credit bureaus if adeployment lasts longer than a year andmay be removed sooner if the deploymentends in less than a year.This service is similar to the fraudalert that any consumer can place on hisor her credit record if identity theft issuspected. By contacting any one of thethree credit bureaus, a consumer may initiatethese measures, and access to theircredit records will be limited.“While there is no way to completelyinsulate yourself from identity theft,fraud alerts can be a great tool whenyou suspect illegal activity,” Beebe said.“While all of us should closely monitorour credit histories, this new tool isspecifically designed to give our militarypersonnel some added peace of mindwhile on deployment.”Beebe reminded all Arkansas consumersthat they may now obtain a freecopy of their credit report from each ofthe three credit bureaus every twelvemonths. For more information on freecredit reports, call (877) 322-8228 orapply online at www.annualcreditreport.com.For more information on other consumermatters, contact the Public ProtectionDivision of the Attorney General’sOffice at Suite 1100, 323 Center Street,Little Rock, AR 72201. The office canbe reached by calling 682-2341 (LittleRock) or 1-800-482-8982.Spanish-speaking consumers can call(501) 683-3130. TDD service is availablefor the hearing impaired at 682-6073.The address on the World Wide Web iswww.arkansasag.gov.“Wounded Warrior” amendment signed into lawSeverely injured servicemembers and their families will see their burdens eased by new legislation in the form of anamendment to the Emergency Supplemental Funding Bill, which was passed by the House of Representatives on May 5,2005, passed by the U.S. Senate on May 10, 2005, and signed into law by President Bush.This legislation includes a provision that creates Traumatic Injury Insurance that willissue active duty service members a payment ranging from $25,000 to $100,000, shouldthey incur a life altering injury while serving their nation. This provision, known as theWounded Warrior Bill, was introduced as an amendment to the Emergency SupplementalFunding Bill by Senator Larry Craig (R-ID), Chairman of the Senate Committee onVeterans Affairs. Senator Craig introduced the amendment at the urgent request of threeinjured soldiers from the Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated toassisting the new generation of severely injured servicemen and women.The Traumatic Injury Insurance will make an immediate payment to the servicemembers and their families within days of the injury occurring, providing sorely neededfinancial relief. The Soldiers and their loved ones can then focus on healing and recovery.In addition, thanks to an amendment to the amendment (a second degree amendment),by Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH), the legislation passed will make Craig’s measureretroactive to the start of Operation Enduring Freedom, which began in Afghanistanon October 7, 2001.Page 8 Fall 2005Fall 2005 Page 9

The Arkansas Minutemanof interestThe Arkansas MinutemanASU ROTC accepting applicants for programThe Arkansas State University MilitaryScience Department ROTC department iscurrently interviewing applicants for entryinto their officer producing program.The battalion commander, Lt. Col.Larry Aikman, assumed his duties a yearago and has been working toward thegoal of producing “Lieutenants that contributefrom the first day they arrive intheir units.” Aikman, who was awardeda Silver Star as a scout platoonleader in the first gulf war,understands the importanceof leadership at the platoonlevel. “Platoon level leadershipmakes all the difference,especially in today’senvironment,” said Aikman.Aikman went on to say “Wehave to train lieutenants thatare capable of operating in afull spectrum of operations:everything from disaster reliefto full up combat. It takes aspecial kind of person, onethat is flexible and adaptive...a leader that can solve problemswith little guidance.”The ASU ROTC battalionhas a diversity of cadre,active duty, national guard,and contracted personnel.This diversity helps studentsdecide what options mightbe best for them: active duty,national guard or reservecomponent.The ASU ROTC programhas expanded its recruitingefforts and is focusing on severalareas. Maj. Don Fuller, the ExecutiveOfficer of the battalion, stated that “wewant the combat veterans, Soldiers thatknow the importance of leadership incombat.” This semester saw enrollmentin the program jump nearly a third sincelast year. Many of this years’ students areveterans of various deployments. “Welike the experience that these Soldiersbring to the program and we will beactively recruiting them this year,” saidFuller. The ASU battalion is in the processof scheduling visits to various unitsacross the state. Aikman stressed that“we will be engaging the 39th InfantryBrigade very hard. They established atop notch reputation while in Iraq.” TheASU program recently established a newprogram at ASU Beebee. The programwas established to help reach a wideraudience and to provide an opportunityfor National Guard and reserve membersto work toward earning a commission.When asked what kind of person theprogram was looking for, Aikman did nothesitate a second in responding “we arelooking for the dedicated veteran, scholars,athletes and individuals with leadershipexperience. We are also looking forwomen. While we have many women inour program they are under-represented.We are actively seeking women leadersfor our battalion.” Aikman expressedthat it is a challenge to get the informationout, “the ROTC program is constantlychanging. Just recently we receivedword that the monthly stipend for ourseniors has jumped to $450.00 a month.This, in combination with drill pay andtuition assistance, can go a long way tooff-setting the cost of an education. Weare not looking for the individual whois just interested in the financialaspects, but it helps.”Aikman went on to explainthat there are several new optionsfor individuals to comeinto the program. “We cancontract sophomores into ourprogram now. We have optionsthat will guarantee that aSoldier receives their commissioninto the national guard orreserve, and we have opportunitiesfor Soldiers to serve inthe Simultaneous MembershipProgram. The SMP programplaces a student in a positioninside a guard or reserve unitwhere they will receive leadershipopportunities.” Aikmanstressed that unit commandersand leaders are the best judgesof leadership potential andthat he welcomes referrals byleaders in units across the state.The Arkansas National Guardrecognizes that cadets in theROTC program are the futureleadership of the Guard and hasmade a commitment to protectthose in the program from deployments.The ASU ROTC program will becontacting units, individual Soldiers andcommanders in the upcoming months.For more information, to set up aunit visit, or set up an interview contact:Capt. Marden Hueter(870) 972-2143mhueter@astate.eduPage 10 Fall 2005National Guard families haveaccess to free legal counselBy Master Sgt. Bob HaskellSpecial to American Forces Press ServiceMembers of theNational Guardmobilized for federalduty, and theirfamilies, can getfree counsel at anyactive duty militaryinstallation that hasa legal assistanceoffice. That’s theword from Air National Guard Maj. TomSerrano who is a lawyer at the NationalGuard Bureau.That’s especially important for thefamilies of mobilized Guard memberswho may have to deal with legal issuesin the wake of one of this country’shistoric natural disasters.“National Guard families are entitledto legal assistance,” Serrano said.“They can contact the legal assistanceoffice on an active duty base for manykinds of legal assistance they mayneed.”An Army Guard family can turnto the Navy for help. There are severalactive duty installations in the regionstricken by Katrina that can offer thisfree legal help. Legal assistance linkscan be found through each service’sfamily assistance Web sites.Neither Guard members who havebeen placed on state active duty nor theirfamilies qualify for free legal assistance,Serrano said. “Families of activated anddeployed reservists can use the legaloffices at nearby installations,” statesthe Military Times’ 2005 Handbook forthe Guard & Reserve. “Service memberscan get free legal advice on a variety ofproblems, from writing wills and understandingrental contracts to dealing withcreditors. This includes reservists whoare ordered to active duty.“Legal assistance attorneys donot represent clients facing military orcivilian criminal charges or assist clientson matters relating to private businessventures,” thehandbook furtherstates.Serranooffered theseadditional tips toNational Guardfamilies whoare faced withputting their livesback together:“It is never too late to obtain a powerof attorney. That is particularly importantfor the spouse of a National GuardSoldier or Airman who deployed someplace a long way from home, such asIraq or Afghanistan.”“Guard members can get powers ofattorney from military lawyers in theirareas of operation and mail them home.”Serrano acknowledged that the hurricaneand subsequent flooding could posesome challenges as far as getting thelegal document into the right hands.But he stressed that powers of attorneycan be obtained at any time. Healso explained that the circumstances ofthe storm do not warrant special considerations.In other words, the hurricaneand flooding may not guarantee a higherpriority, but the process can still be completedin a timely manner if people canwork out the logistical details.“Do not take unnecessary chancesto get your life back to normal. Do notgive people money simply because theypromise to repair your roof or removethat uprooted tree from your livingroom. You may never see them, or yourmoney, again,” said Serrano, who assistedmilitary families in Florida in thewake of Hurricane Andrew.“If someone you do not know approachesyou with an offer to repairyour home, make sure they are legallybonded, that they have a certificate ofinsurance, that they can prove who theyare and who they represent before doingbusiness with them,” Serrano advised.Contactingyour Soldier orAirman:The AmericanRed Cross isthere to helpThe American Red Cross offers manyservices for military personnel.Emergency messages can be sentto U.S. Armed Forces personnel servinganywhere in the world, includingships at sea, embassies and isolatedmilitary units. The information orverification in a message assists theservice member’s commanding officerwith making a decision regardingemergency leave.How to Contact the Red Cross toSend an Emergency Message:The contact point for Arkansas is:American Red Crossof Greater Arkansas401 S Monroe St.Little Rock, AR 72205-5410501-748-1000Web site:http://www.redcrosslittlerock.orgWhen calling the Red Cross tosend an emergency message to a familymember, it is helpful to have thefollowing information:Service member’s:• Full Name• Rank/Rating• Branch of Service• Social Security Number• Military Address• Information about the deployedunit and the home base unit (fordeployed service members only)Fall 2005 Page 11

The Arkansas Minutemanof interestThe Arkansas MinutemanNew Army Combat Uniformbecoming popular, cautionurged if buying commercially--Check label before purchaseThe new Army Combat Uniform, or ACU, is starting to show up more and morethroughout the Arkansas National Guard. At first only a few, mostly in the commandgroup, had the new high-tech ACU, but now it’s almost commonplace.The ACU was first introduced on the Army’s 229th birthday as the replacementfor both the Battle Dress Uniform and the Desert Camouflage Uniform. The uniformbegan showing up on Soldiers in deploying units in April, according to the Army’sProgram Executive Office.The ACU consists of a jacket, trousers, moisture wicking t-shirt and the browncombat boots. The black beret will be the normal headgear, but there is a matchingpatrol cap to be worn at the commander’s discretion.The new uniform features 20 changes to the BDU, including the removal ofthe color black and the new digital print pattern. The new color scheme uses greenwoodland,grey-urban environments and sand-brown desert.The ACU became available for purchase through the Arkansas National GuardMWR in August, and fielding to the total Army should be complete by December,2007. Soldiers considering buying an ACU prior to official issue should budget about$200.00 for the full uniform, including boots.Beware of Cheap ImitationsWhile some Soldiers are anxious to get the new uniform and exploring opportunitiesto purchase them from civilian vendors, troops should be warned that ArmyRegulation 670-1, Wear and Appearance of the Military Uniform, does not authorizethe wear of commercially-produced ACUs. Many commercial vendors have lookalikeACUs that do not meet the Army’s specifications for quality and design, andtherefore are not authorized.AAFES military clothing sales stores are officially scheduled to get the ACUs inApril 2006, although they may get the uniforms as early as January 2006. In accordancewith AR 670-1, Soldiers and commanders are responsible for ensuring thatthey are purchasing and wearing uniforms that are authorized for wear. Uniformsmust be produced by certified manufacturers and meet the specifications for qualityand design. Soldiers purchasing uniforms, uniform items or heraldic items fromestablishments other than the Army military clothing sales store must ensure that theitems are authorized for wear and that they comform to appropriate military specifications,or are manufactured in accordance with Uniform Quality Control Program, orthe heraldic quality control system.Army uniforms, uniform items and heraldic items procured by the Defense LogisticsAgency and sold in the AMCSS are procured in accordance with appropriatemilitary specifications and are authorized for wear. Commercially-purchased itemsthat are authorized for wear in lieu of military-issue items must conform to the basicspecification of the military-issue item, unless otherwise specified in AR 670-1. Optionaluniforms and other uniform clothing items sold in the MCSS, post exchangesor by commercial sources will contain a label, stamp or certificate.Page 12 Fall 2005The new Army ACU (beware imitations)Integrated blouse bellows forincreased upper body mobility.Mandarin collar that can beworn up or down.Moisture-wicking desert tant-shirt.Velcro for wearing unit patch,skill tabs and recognition devices.Zippered front closure.Elbow pouch for internal elbowpad inserts.Knee pouch for internal kneepad inserts.Bellowed calf storage pocket onleft and right leg.Hot-weather or temperateweathertan, rough-leather, Armycombat boot.Capt. Robin Lowery, Physician’s Assistant, Troop Medical Clinic--Photo by Susan KingTilted chest pockets with Velcroclosure.Integrated Friend-or-Foe identificationsquare on both left andright shoulder pocket flap.Shoulder pockets with Velcro.Rank insignia centered on thefront of the blouse.Three-slot pen pocket on bottomof sleeve.Velcro sleeve cuff closure.Two-inch, black nylon web belt.Forward tilted cargo pockets.Draw string leg cuff.Moisture-wicking socks.Fall 2005 Page 13

The Arkansas MinutemanfeatureThe Arkansas MinutemanHot Springssquadron isput to the testBy Tech. Sgt. Bob Oldham189th Airlift Wing Public AffairsBy the numbers:• 103 computer user accounts• 3,550 feet of local area network• 35 phone drops• 4,800 feet of phone wireOn a post known for testing the Army’s newest generationwar-fighting equipment, members of the Arkansas Air NationalGuard were put to the test as they provided communicationsupport for a major combined, joint exercise.Here at the remote desert base in Northwest Utah, nearly60 members of the 223rd Combat Communications Squadronhelped provide voice and data support for Patriot ExerciseWest 2005 July 9-23. The exercise was held at essentially twolocations: Dugway and the adjacent Volk Field and Fort Mc-Coy in Wisconsin.Getting here was half the battle. Members of the HotSprings unit trucked and hauled equipment to Little Rock AirForce Base where they were met by two mammoth C-5 cargoaircraft that airlifted their equipment and personnel to the SaltLake City airport. From there, members drove roughly 80miles to Dugway to set up operations.“The Patriot 2005 venue has validated our capabilitieswith our new communications equipment,” said Lt. Col. MarcHuneycutt, 223 CBCS commander.About a year ago, the unit received a new mission: deployabletheater communications. Since then, unit members havebeen learning about the new equipment, its capabilities andhow best to apply that technology to help the war fighter.With an upcoming operational readiness inspection loomingin early 2007, unit members have little time to check outon all the new equipment, considering the majority drill oneweekend a month and still have to maintain all their war skillstraining.He said his people have had a chance to provide services to“real customers with dynamically changing requirements.”The colonel’s unit joined with three other ANG units fromaround the United States, which has brought peopletogether with different skill sets that has enhancedthe overall learning of 223 CBCS members.“We’ve been able to take the people with thestrongest skill sets and match them with somewho aren’t quite up to par, and it’s resulted insome marvelous training,” he said.While deployed here, unit memberssupported the Army, British medics and AirForce personnel at here and at WendoverAFB about 50 miles away on the Utah andNevada border.They linked four sites on basetogether by using Tropospheric SatelliteSupport Radios. TSSRs use line-of-sitetechnology to beam information to andfrom users. They replace cable, whichgreatly reduced the time unit members spent“pulling cable,” Master Sgt. Scotty Welland, acommunications focal point representative, said.One site, located on top of Cedar Mountain,would have required about 10 miles of cable.TSSRs reduced the amount of cable to a few nominalfeet, saving time and money.Page 14 Fall 2005Newly promoted Senior Airman Sarah Caudill, a 223rd Combat Communications Squadron communication and maintenanceapprentice, troubleshoots a phone bank July 19 to ensure it was working properly. Earlier in the morning, Maj. Gen.Don C. Morrow, Arkansas’ adjutant general, promoted her to her new rank, but living in near-field conditions prohibited herfrom sewing on her new insignia. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Bob OldhamIn addition to the sites on post, unit members connectedWeindover to Dugway via TSSR. TSSRs are rated to serve approximately35 miles, but the dry desert climate allowed themto connect to Wendover 50 miles away.Unit members also provided reach-back capability toLangley AFB, Va., via satellite uplink. The uplink was theonly way Patriot West participants could access the Internet orthe Defense Switching Network for phone service. Membersbeamed voice and data 26,000 miles into space to a satelliteand then back down to Earth at Langley – all in real time.For Senior Airman Sarah Caudill, a communications maintenanceapprentice, this was her first deployment since shejoined the unit a year ago.She recently graduated from technical school and is scheduledto deploy in September for a tour of duty in SouthwestAsia, and she said the training she’s received here has beeninvaluable.Her training highlight?“Learning how to pack up all the equipment and prepare itfor shipment,” she said.The teamwork between units amazed her.“We just got along so well, it just flowed,” she said.Staff Sgt. Sandra Jeter, a tech controller who’s been in theunit three years and had 13 years in the Army, has years ofcommunications experience under her belt. In fact, she teachescollege-level courses on Cisco routers at South Arkansas CommunityCollege -- the same routers the ANG uses.She said she’s received some of the best training ever duringa deployment.“On a scale on one to 10, it’s an 11,” she said. “The amountof knowledge I have obtained [from the 223 CBCS’ sister unit]has just been phenomenal.”The exercise “allows Guard units – or any units – toparticipate, accomplishing training that they can’t typically accomplishby themselves or at home,” said ANG Lt. Col. TomFloyd, national director for the exercise.Patriot Exercise 2005 participants included forces from theUnited Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Bolivia, Civil AirPatrol, the U.S. Army and Air National Guard.Fall 2005 Page 15

The Arkansas MinutemanfeatureThe Arkansas MinutemanArcheologist/Egyptologistdigs GuardStory and photos by Sgt. Chris A. DurneyArkansas National Guard Public AffairsPhoto IllustrationTammy Hilburn shows an uncharacteristic amount ofexcitement as she picks and climbs her way through theunderbrush of the backwoods of Camp Joseph T. Robinson.“This is it,” she yells from within the thicket, “it’s righthere, oh wow,” her voice trailing off to quiet astonishment.She and her small crew of archeological interns havediscovered one of Camp Robinson’s long forgotten historicaltreasures, the remnants of an underground hospitalbuilt in 1943. As the Cultural Resources Manager for theArkansas National Guard it’s her job to document, exploreand possibly even preserve this and other historical sites atGuard installations all over Arkansas.Hilburn is an experienced archeologist hired by theArkansas National Guard to protect archaeological and culturalresources on federal and state property. Hired in May,Hilburn is the Arkansas Guard’s first archeologist, and onewith a twist. She is also a board certified Egyptologist. Andshe can read hieroglyphics.“Cultural resource management is an issue all overthe world,” explains Hilburn. “The Egyptians are dealingwith it and so are we -- learning how to preserve antiquitieswhile going on with our lives.“This is especially true with our military installations.”she continues. “We have a critical mission to fulfill and wehave to do that while still being sensitive to our past. It’salso about compliance,” she explains, “making sure that wedo the right thing by the law while making sure that trainingis not interrupted.”Page 16 Fall 2005So, just what does a cultural resource manager do forthe Arkansas Guard? “We’re involved in a lot of complianceissues,” she explains. “Basically, we go through theNational Environmental Protection Act process, makingsure that our activities don’t have a large amount of environmentalimpact,” she says.“We also have to comply with laws designed to protectarcheological resources on state and federal property,”she continues. “These laws largely revolve around nativeAmerican sites in Arkansas. We want to make sure that wedon’t disturb anything that needs to stay where it is,” saysHilburn. “By finding and identifying these types of areaswe can make sure that we remain in compliance with thelaw, and that our training mission isn’t compromised by anunknown cultural resource issue,” she notes.From Arkansas to Egypt, and BackHilburn grew up in Arkansas but didn’t develop a fascinationfor archeology until college. “I was finishing a degreein French at Arkansas State University,” she explains,“when I became interested in symbolic languages, and Iwanted to learn an ancient language. I decided to studyancient Egyptian, which is one of the oldest, and that ledto my becoming an Egyptologist.” She’s currently workingtowards a PhD in anthropology, skeletal biology andEgyptology at the Institute of Egyptian Art and Archeologyat the University of Memphis.“I’m interested in how people thought about things,”she says, describing her fascination for the discipline,“and what kind of experiences they had. It’s a way to timetravel. We’re the only people who get to time travel. Byreading ancient texts and doing digs you can really start toget a feel for what it was like during their lives,” she says.A big part of her professional research was on thetomb of Tutankhamen, Egypt’s boy king. “I did a narrativesequencing of the burial inclusions of Tutankhamen,”explains Hilburn. “I looked at all of the things that wereburied with the mummy and in the gut chamber -- wherehis guts were placed -- and figured out what it meant,” shesays. “They thought that their stomach was where theirmemories were.”According to Hilburn being an Egyptologist helpsher in her position as a cultural resource manager. “It’sdemanding,” she says, “you have to wear many differenthats and know many different languages, and you have tobe diplomatic.“You also have to be able to work under close scrutiny,”she continues, “and all of this translates very wellto working as a cultural resource manager for the Guardbecause a lot of different hats have to be worn. There are alot of different aspects to the job that require a little bit offlexibility,” she says.Digging Camp RobinsonOn the western edges of Camp Robinson, somewherenear the south end of the airfield, Hilburn and her crewcarefully survey what is left of the underground hospital.A December 12, 1943 article in the Arkansas DemocratMagazine describes in detail the magnificent new facility.“Battle Conditions Are Simulated in the Camp RobinsonHospital; Men Are Trained How to Work Under Bombs”reads the headline.All that’s left of the three-room structure, and the connectingtunnels, are three depressions in the earth, a fewpieces of rusted metal and some broken wood beams. Butthat doesn’t dim Hilburn’s obvious excitement at the prospectof a significant archeological dig.Wearing a favorite floppy hat and armed with a fewsmall tools, she wades into the brush and begins to unearthsome of the remnants. With an air of confidencethat comes from long hours of experience, she directs heryoung interns to measure, survey and sketch the site. Afteran hour or so she reluctantly guides her crew out of thedense woods and back to their vehicles. “We’ve got a lotof planning to do before we can begin a dig in earnest,” sheexplains. “And a lot of paperwork.”Above: Arkansas National Guard Cultural Resource ManagerTammy Hilburn (right), along with college interns RyanWitherspoon and Blake Suitor, excavates a portion of theruins of an underground hospital built in 1943 on CampJoseph T. Robinson. Hilburn is an archeologist and Egyptologistworking to preserve historical and cultural areas ofArkansas Guard posts and facilities all over the state.Top left: Some of Hilburn’s tools of the trade.Facing Page: Tammy Hilburn contemplates the dig.Fall 2005 Page 17

The Arkansas MinutemanfeatureGuatemalanschool benefitsfrom Arkansas’generosityStory and photos by Tech. Sgt. Bob Oldham189th Airlift Wing Public AffairsAs children start back to school in the United Sates, Guatemalanchildren are already in class and one school is a little bitbetter off, thanks to a group of philanthropic Arkansans.Members of Arkansas’ delegation, led by Maj. Gen. DonC. Morrow, the state’s adjutant general, and Brig. Gen. GalenBryant, the Arkansas ANG commander, donated schoolsupplies and American foam footballs Aug. 5 to a needyschool in Jutiapa built by Americans in 2004. Jutiapa is a 45-minute helicopter ride southeast of the nation’s capitol.“That was a real highlight, the trip to the school,” saidMorrow.He said it warmed his heart to see 140-plus students inthe school, which he estimated to be 40 feet wide by 120 feetlong.The previous school looked like a building that someonemight keep goats in, with a leaky roof and holes in the walls,according to an American Embassy official.“I’d like to thank the North Little Rock Chamber ofCommerce, Arkansas’ Hispanic community and members ofthe Arkansas Army and Air National Guard for their selflesscontributions of school supplies,” General Morrow said.School officials, parents and students were ecstatic aboutthe donation.The average Guatemalen lives on about $1 per day. This farmer grows food on about seven acres to feed his family and sixother families.Page 18 Fall 2005Graphic by Tech. Sgt. Albert Petrie,189th Airlift WingThe Arkansas Minutemanand the state’s highway department to discuss aspects of highwaysecurity such as the importance of providing forthe safety of its citizens with specific training andeducation programs and providing well-designedroads and highways. Guatemala has expressedinterest in improving its highway security.“On this trip, we observed a Guatemalanhighway security vehicle helping a strandedmotorist,” said General Morrow.The ideas they learned in Arkansas ontheir visit were implemented and operationalwithin five months here.Enhancing the Arkansas-Guatemala partnershipis the fact the Little Rock-based Heifer Internationalis active in Guatemala, helping people lead better“All the supplies given would never have been receivedfrom Guatemala,” a school spokesman said through an interpreter.“This is going to be of great help, including the balls micro-irrigation and low-impact grazing practices.lives by teaching soil and water conservation, composting,because we don’t have any sports.”According to Heifer’s web site, “Rural farmers inThe school has four classrooms: one for pre-school age Guatemala’s Central Highlands suffer from low agriculturalchildren, one for first graders, one for second and third graders,and one for fourth, fifth and sixth graders.available farmland. As a result, many farmers have eitherproduction due largely to poor soil fertility and a lack of good,The average Guatemalan child won’t go past the third turned to chemical fertilizers or have had to migrate to othergrade because they’re usually needed around the home to help areas in search of seasonal work.”raise food or take care of the family. Families simply can’tThe Foundation for Holistic Development, with supportfrom Heifer Guatemala will provide 200 families withafford the missing labor of a child in school. Typically, onlychildren whose parents can afford the missing labor move on an opportunity to improve family nutrition and income. Eachup the school ladder.family in the program will receive two dairy goats, which willThe average Guatemalan lives on about $1 a day, accordingto embassy officials.ally enough excess to sell in local markets. Manure from theprovide meat and milk for family consumption, and eventu-A U.S. Southern Command program, New Horizons 2004 families’ goats will be used as organic fertilizer, thus replacingwas an avenue for Guard civil engineers and medical teams to costly external inputs, while increasing the productive capacitydeploy to Jutiapa and help build the school and provide medicalsupport to locals in the area.(Arkansas Army National Guard Sgt. Maj. Ed Lyons con-of their small plots.U.S. Embassy Chargé Bruce Wharton said programs like tributed to this article.)New Horizons and the school supply donation make his andthe ambassador’s jobs easier.Spanish immersion benefits State Partnership Program“I think they’re enormously effective at showing a UnitedStates that’s a good neighbor that cares about the people ofCapt. Tracy Saucy, State Partnership Program coordinator,and Sgt. Maj. Edwin Lyons, Arkansas SPP deputy,Guatemala,” he said.Captain Tracy Saucy, the state’s partnership programrecently completed a three-week Spanish language immersioncourse in Guatemala.coordinator, said she plans to apply for rotations in 2007 for189th Airlift Wing civil engineers and medical teams to deployNot only did the course improve their Spanish languageto Guatemala and further strengthen the partnership relationship.skills, it gave them valuable insight into the people, cultureand land that makes up the “other half” of the Arkansas StateGuatemala’s partnership with the state of Arkansas viaPartnership Program.the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program wasAt the Proyecto Lingüístico Francisco Marroquín inestablished in 2002. To date, 43 states, two territories, and theAntigua, Saucy and Lyons received instruction seven hours aDistrict of Columbia are partnered with 49 countries aroundday, Monday through Friday, and were expected to study twothe world.hours each day.While the program is run by the National Guard, it isn’tFor more information about our Spanish immersionjust a military-to-military relationship, according to Captaincourse in Guatemala or the Arkansas-Guatemala state partnershipprogram, please call me at (501) 212-5485, emailSaucy.She said that in the past visits have included the ArkansasDepartment of Emergency Management and state policetracy.saucy@ar.ngb.army.mil.Arkansas began it’s State Partnership Program withamong others.Guatemala in 2002.In March, a delegation from Guatemala visited ArkansasFall 2005 Page 19

The Arkansas MinutemanThe Arkansas MinutemanfeatureThe times they are a-changin’By Capt. Kristine MunnArkansas State Public Affairs OfficerPhoto illustration by Sgt. Chris A. Durney.Susan King photographed Capt. Lowrey.Page 20 Fall 2005There are a few incontestable truths about change, the mostnotable being that it is inevitable; change happens whetherwe like it or not. Another important realization about changeis that it is essential; success and greatness do not come fromstagnation. The key to change is how we deal with it.In his book “Who Moved My Cheese?” Spencer Johnson,M.D., uses a simple parable to illustrate a subject that can bevery problematic. The story is about a group of mice who arefaced with change and how each one of them reacts and adaptsto the “moving of their cheese,” or change. While the formatof the book is purposely unsophisticated, the message is indispensable:the cheese is always moving. Anticipate the move,move with the cheese and savor the adventure.Change is upon the Arkansas National Guard, our cheeseis moving. We have known about the impending changes forquite some time, namely transformation and Base Realignmentand Closure (BRAC), and now it is time to accept the changesand get ready to enjoy the taste of our new cheese.While transformation and BRAC are two different andvery separate issues, their impact on the Arkansas NationalGuard has one striking similarity: change. In order to remainready, reliable and essential, we must change to meet the futureneeds and challenges ahead, or, as Johnson puts it, “if youdo not change, you can become extinct.”Often we fear change because it can cause uncertaintyand apprehension. However, change can be advantageous andexciting. Imagine how Benjamin Franklin must have felt duringhis early experimentation with electricity. Where wouldwe be now had he not had the courage to attempt change? AsJohnson would say, “old beliefs do not lead to new cheese.”The Arkansas National Guard is in the midst of incrediblechange. Though we don’t know precisely what transformationand BRAC will bring, we do know that our ability toaccept and adapt to the changes will determine the level of oursuccess. Just as the mice in Johnson’s book learned to “enjoythe taste of new cheese because the cheese is always moving,”we too must learn to embrace our own changes and continuethe proud and honorable tradition of the Arkansas NationalGuard’s service to the state and nation.“You have a choice,” said retired Navy Vice AdmiralArthur Cebrowkski, chief of DoD’s Office of Force Transformation.“You can either create your own future, or youcan become the victim of a future that someone else createsfor you. By seizing the transformation opportunities, you areseizing the opportunity to create your own future.”The Army’s shift to a modular force made up of smaller,more rapidly deployable units will not only improve warfightingcapabilities, but will reduce stress on soldiers and theirfamilies, said Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey.The new Army force model will consist of 77 brigadecombat teams -- 43 active duty and 34 National Guard, Harveysaid. In the active-duty units, soldiers will be deployed orready for deployment one year in every three, which meansthey will have two years at home station. In the NationalGuard, soldiers will be deployed or ready for deployment oneyear in six, he said.Harvey concluded that these changes, in conjunction withexisting programs like family readiness groups and ArmyCommunity Service, will give soldiers and their families predictabilityand stability.In Arkansas, a large portion of the transformation planmerely re-designates unit titles to properly align structurallywith the design of the new brigade combat teams and unit ofaction fires brigades. However, several units will be completelyrelocated, some will receive entirely new missions, andnearly all will experience changes in their personnel strengthnumbers.“The driving force behind the reorganization,” said Maj.Gen. Don C. Morrow, the adjutant general of Arkansas, “isthe need for a force that is more responsive, deployable, agile,versatile, survivable and sustainable. This transformation representsthe sweeping measures needed to accomplish the Armyvision, changing the way we think, train and fight.”While the Arkansas Guard’s overall personnel strengthwill not change significantly, and no jobs will be lost, the planaffects nearly 90 Army Guard units throughout the state andincludes closing armories in DeWitt, Lake Village, Marianna,McGehee and Piggott.A number of factors influenced the decision to closearmories, said Morrow. A common thread being the estimatedcosts associated with bringing the facilities up to Army standardsand the estimated annual savings per armory in maintenanceand operating costs. Further rationale included thenegative growth projected in each of the areas, the decreasingnumber of soldiers living in the counties where they performtheir military duty and competition with nearby armories forrecruits. The new design will also allow the Guard to makemore effective use of its limited full-time resources, he said.Implementation of the restructuring plan began in September2005 but the process is expected to be phased in over a12 to 18-month period. During that time, the Guard will focuson minimizing the disruption to the soldiers and their familiesand will work to expedite retraining for soldiers transitioninginto new career fields.“Being chosen among the first to implement these restructuringactions is considered a notable distinction,” saidMorrow, “and it is a testament to the confidence that the Armyleadership has placed in the Arkansas Guard’s ability to leadthe way ahead.”Fall 2005 Page 21

The Arkansas MinutemanThe Arkansas Minutemanfeature“Transformation is a journey, it is not a destination,” saidarmy chief of staff, Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker. “And transformationis not synonymous with modernization. It is not onlydone in the material dimension of the process. It involvesdoctrine. It involves organization. It involves training. Itinvolves the way we develop our leaders. It involves the waywe structure our installations; the way we train, equip, raiseour soldiers; how we treat our families.”Though the term, “transformation,” applies to all services,it is often used to describe the changes taking place in theArmy and its reserve components. The Air Force’s versionof transformation began as a program called “Vanguard” andhas now transitioned to what is now known as “Future TotalForce.” The ideas and principles behind Future Total Forceare essentially the same as those outlined in Army transformation.However, the implementation process for Future TotalForce is somewhat different and appears, in this instance, to bemore closely related to BRAC.BRAC is a process that is governed by law, specifically,the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990. Theprocess begins with a threat assessment of the future nationalsecurity environment, followed by the development of a forcestructure plan and basing requirements to meet these threats.DoD then applies published selection criteria to determinewhich installations to recommend for realignment and closure.The Secretary of Defense publishes a report containing therecommendations and forwards it to an independent commissionappointed by the President.The commission has the authority to change the Department’srecommendations and holds regional meetings tosolicit public input prior to making its recommendations. Thecommission forwards its final recommendations to the Presidentfor review and approval. The President then forwards therecommendations to Congress which has 45 days to act on thecommission’s report on an all-or-none basis. After that time,the commission’s recommendations become law.In May, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld released190 recommendations for closing and realigning militaryinstallations, calling them an opportunity to “reset our force,”to make it more efficient and cost-effective.After nearly four months of study, which included visitsto affected installations and public hearings around thecountry, the independent BRAC commission approved 119 ofDoD’s original recommendations with no change and acceptedanother 45 with amendments proposed by the panel. Thirteenrecommendations were rejected, another 13 were significantlymodified, and five additional closure or realignment recommendationswere added.Of DoD’s 33 major closure recommendations, the panelapproved 21, recommended seven bases be realigned ratherthan closed, and rejected five recommendations outright. Inaddition, the commission recommended closing rather thanrealigning another installation, for a total of 22 major closures.In Arkansas, the panel recommended the realignment ofthe Arkansas Air National Guard’s Fort Smith-based 188thThe List39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT)Headquarters, Little RockDet. 1, Headquarters and Headquarters Co., BeebeHeadquarters Brigade Troop Btln, Conway239th Engineer Co., Clarksville (consolidates with unit previouslyin Booneville)239th Military Intelligence Co., Little RockTBD Signal Company, Pine Bluff39th IBCT Support BattalionHeadquarters, Hazen(Det. 1, 39th Spt. Btln. relocates to Hazen from Little Rockand dissolves)Co. A (-), StuttgartDet. 1, Co. A, Pine Bluff (formerly Det. 2, Co. A)Det. 2, Co. A, West HelenaCo. B, Heber Springs (previously Conway)Co. C (Medical), Lonoke (formerly Co. C (-))1st Battalion, 206th Field ArtilleryHeadquarters, Russellville(Former Det. 1, Headquarters and Headquarters Spt. Bttry. atLittle Rock dissolves)Forward Spt. Co., RussellvilleBttry A (-), MorriltonDet. 1, Bttry. A, Perryville (formerly 239th Military IntelligenceCo.)Bttry. B (-), Dardanelle (formerly Bttry. C)Det. 1, Bttry. B, Paris (formerly Bttry. B)Fire Spt. Elements, Little Rock (consolidated near brigadeheadquarters)1st Squadron, 151st CavalryHeadquarters, 1st Btln., Warren (formerly 3rd Btln., 153rdInfantry)Forward Sprt. Co. (-), 1st Btln., WarrenDet. 1, Forward Sprt. Co., MonticelloMounted Reconnaissance Troop 1 (-), Crossett (previouslyMarianna)Det. 1, Mounted Reconnaissance Troop 1, El DoradoMounted Reconnaissance Troop 2, MagnoliaDismounted Reconnaissance Troop (-), CamdenDet. 1, Dismounted Reconnaissance Troop, Fordyce (previouslyWest Helena)Fighter Wing, replacing the unit’s aging fleet of F-16 FightingFalcon jet aircraft with 18 A-10 Thunderbolt “Warthog”aircraft.The commission also voted to transfer nine C-130H Herculesaircraft from Pope Air Force Base, N.C., to the ArkansasAir National Guard’s 189th Airlift Wing located at Little RockAir Force Base.Finally, nine new joint-use facilities were recommendedwhich, in some cases, will replace older facilities, and willcombine Army National Guard and Army Reserve centers. Inaddition to the benefit of brand new readiness centers, this actionwill allow also for the consolidation of physical structuresin areas where more than one readiness center exists in closeproximity to another.At publication time, the panel’s recommendations wereawaiting Congress’ approval. If approved, the DoD has twoyears to begin executing the recommendations and must completeall actions within six years.Undoubtedly, these are some of the most significantchanges our military has seen in decades, but like it or not,change is happening, transformation is occurring and ourcheese is on the move. At this moment, we are living history1st Battalion, 153rd InfantryHeadquarters, MalvernForward Sprt. Co., Benton (formerly Co. B, 212th SignalBattalion)Co. A (-), ArkadelphiaDet. 1, Co. A, PrescottCo. B (-), TexarkanaDet. 1, Co. B, HopeCo. C (-), MenaDet. 1, Co. C, DeQueenCo. D, Sheridan (weapons company)2nd Battalion, 153rd InfantryHeadquarters (-), SearcyDet. 1, Headquarters, WynneForward Sprt. Co., CabotCo. A (-), Walnut RidgeDet. 1, Co. A, Rector (formerly Co. B (-) 875th Eng. Btln.)Co. B (-), BatesvilleDet. 1, Co. B, Augusta (formerly Det. 1, Co. B, 39th Sprt.Btln.)Co. C (-), Forrest CityDet. 1, Co. C, BrinkleyCo. D, Newport (weapons company)87th Troop CommandHeadquarters, Camp Robinson25th Rear Operations Support Det., North Little Rock224th Maint. Co. (-), Mountain Home (formerly under thecommand and control of the 142nd FA)Det. 1, 224th Maint. Co., Marshall (formerly under thecommand and control of the 142nd FA)871st Troop CommandHeadquarters, Camp Robinson119th MPAD, Camp Robinson (formerly Det. 1, 70thMPAD)106th Army Band, Camp Robinson296th Ambulance Co., Hot Springs (formerly Charleston)Co. B, 205th Med. Co., Dumas (formerly Lake Village)216th MP Co. (-), West MemphisDet. 1, 216th MP Co., North Little Rock (new split)1123rd Trans. Co. (-), Camp Robinson (previously MarkedTree)Det. 1, 1123rd Trans. Co., Blythevilleand it is up to us to make the most of our new opportunities sothat future generations can continue to prosper.“Life is no straight and easy corridor along which wetravel free and unhampered, but a maze of passages, throughwhich we must seek our way, lost and confused, now andagain checked in a blind alley. But always, if we have faith,a door will open for us, not perhaps one that we ourselveswould ever have thought of, but one that will ultimately provegood for us.”– A.J. Cronin, taken from the book “Who Moved MyCheese?”875th Engineer BattalionHeadquarters, JonesboroCo. A, JonesboroCo. B (-), Marked Tree (formerly at Rector)Det. 1, Co. B, HarrisburgCo. C, ParagouldHorizontal Construction Company, North Little Rock142nd Fires BrigadeHeadquarters and Headquarters Bttry, FayettevilleTarget Acquisition Bttry, FayettevilleUnmanned Aerial Vehicle Platoon, SpringdaleTBD Signal Co., Springdale (formerly Co. A, 212th SignalBtln. from Hot Springs)142nd Fires Brigade, Brigade Support BattalionHeadquarters and Headquarters Co., Booneville(Det. 1, 239th Eng. Btln. deactivates)Co. A (-), (Supply and Transportation), Lincoln (formerlyDet. 3, 224th Maint. Co.)Det. 1, Co. A, Berryville (formerly Det. 3, 224th Maint. Co.)Co. B, (Maintenance), RogersCo. C, (Medical), Fayetteville1st Battalion, 142nd Fires Brigade (MLRS)Headquarters and Headquarters Sprt. Bttry, HarrisonBttry A, BentonvilleBttry B, SpringdaleBttry C, RogersCo. D (-), Brigade Sprt. Btln., Harrison2nd Battalion, 142nd Fires Brigade (M109A6 - PaladinHowitzer)Headquarters and Headquarters Sprt. Bttry, Fort SmithBttry A, Van BurenBttry B, Siloan SpringsBttry C, OzarkCompany “X” (-), Brigade Sprt. Btln., Fort Chaffee (vice935th)Det. 1, Company “X”, Charleston35th Aviation Brigade - Re-named 77th Aviation Brigade188th Fighter Wing - Transitioning to A-10189th Airlift Wing - Gaining additional C-130s123rd Intelligence Squadron - Anticipating expansionPage 22 Fall 2005Fall 2005 Page 23

The Arkansas Minutemancover storyThe Arkansas MinutemanBy Buddy Garrett and Sgt. Chris A. DurneyArkansas National Guard Public AffairsHurricane Katrina slammed into Louisiana at 6:10 a.m.,Aug. 29, 2005. Even with urgent warnings from the NationalWeather Service, people by the thousands elected to stay intheir homes and ride out the hurricane, which hit the coastwith winds up to 140 miles per hour, eventually collapsingseveral sections of the levee system in New Orleans.The storm ripped apart this little corner of heaven knownfor its easy living, easy music and easy southern traditions.The Big Easy suddenly became a swampland of death and destruction.The disaster brought out the worst in some people,the best in others.In the midst of this maelstrom came hope and rescuebearing the name National Guard. More than 50,000 Armyand Air National Guard personnel helped Louisiana and Mississippivictims crawl out from under the debris left by thestorm and move to shelters where they received food, clothing,and medical attention.Digging into the rubble to rescue them, and opening itsdoors at 59 readiness centers, including Fort Chaffee, the ArkansasNational Guard became a beacon of hope in a stormysea. Long after Katrina had gone, the Arkansas NationalGuard continues to be a helping hand to those in need.Nearly 1,000 Soldiers and Airmen from Arkansas weremobilized to Mississippi and Louisiana to assist in the hurricanerelief efforts.First there was Task Force Razorback, which moved intoMississippi on August 30th and was comprised of 350 combatengineers, transportation specialists, medics, military policeand support personnel primarily from Jonesboro, MarkedTree, West Memphis and Little Rock.Then there was Task Force Arkansas, a joint unit of 500Soldiers and Airmen from across the state who deployed toLouisiana September 1st. Soldiers from the 39th InfantryCombat Team and the 142nd Fires Brigade banded togetherwith Airmen from the 188th Fighter Wing in Fort Smith, the189th Airlift Wing in Jacksonville, and the 223rd CombatCommunications Squadron in Hot Springs. The fight was on.Skills honed in Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedomand Iraqi Freedom served the Arkansas Guard memberswell as they fanned out in Mississippi and Louisiana to performsuch critical missions as clean up and debris removal,medical support, assistance to local law enforcement andgeneral humanitarian aid.They took with them more than 140 vehicles, includingfuel trucks, water trucks, 2 1/2 ton “deuce and a half” cargotrucks, five-ton trucks, Heavy Expanded Mobility TacticalTrucks (HEMTTs), and HMMWVs. They also took withthem the spirit of the Guard, a deep desire to serve their stateand country, and to help their neighbors to the south.And they flew. Mission after mission from Little RockAir Force Base and Camp Robinson delivered needed troops,vehicles, materials and medical services to the storm wearyregion. Then they loaded their aircraft with people whoselives would be forever altered, and whose monicker wouldchange from Louisianan to evacuee.First into Mississippi and Alabama were two UH-60MEDEVAC Black Hawk helicopters, which performeddramatic search and rescue missions daily. They resuced terrifiedand tired people, including children and infants, fromrooftops and flooded homes. For many it was their first flight,and certainly their first time in a helicopter. Some of themwill remember it for the rest of their lives, others will relive itonly through stories and historical images.The 189th Airlift Wing cranked up the engines on all ofthe available C-130s and answerd the call. Within two hoursof notification they had aircraft on the way to Louisiana. Allin-all,they flew over 60 sorties and over 80 hours, deliveredover 100 tons of cargo and over 400 military personnel. Theybrought back with them over 600 evacuees and 60 patients.On Sept. 1, Arkansas opened its arms wide and welcomednearly 10,000 people displaced by Katrina. Gov. MikeHuckabee announced Operation KARE (Katrina Assistanceand Relief Effort), a coordinated effort that involved all stateagencies. It was at that point that the Arkansas NationalGuard joined hands with over 50 state and federal agencies,and volunteer organizations, to help the people streaming outof the Gulf coastal areas hit hard by Katrina.According to the National Guard Bureau, Guard Soldiersand Airmen have been the tip of the spear in the on-goingrelief effort. More than 47,000 members continue life savingand life sustaining missions in Mississippi and Louisiana,proving once again that the National Guard is eminentlycapable of conducting operations across the full spectrum ofhomeland defense.Once again it was the Guard, especially the Arkansas NationalGuard, that responded quickly and effectively, workingwith brother units and services from all over the country tobring help, home and hope to people ravaged by the hurricanethat many are calling one of the worst natural disasters to everhit the country.Special Section:26282930323436Army engineersclear streetsMaintenance Companylends hand to evacueesMedical teammakes pointAir Guard makesa differenceChaplain mendsbodies and heartsAir Guard uniteyes damageFort Chaffeewelcomes evacueesPage 24 Fall 2005 Fall 2005 Page 25

The Arkansas Minutemancover storyThe Arkansas MinutemanArmy engineersclear streetsafter KatrinaBy Spc. Chris Jones40th Public Affairs DetachmentAfter Hurricane Katrina, all but three houses on one block inWaveland, Miss., were left in pieces, with rubble up to six feethigh. The Army Corps of Engineers and the National Guard werecalled in to help clear the streets of fallen trees, smashed carsand segments of houses.Arkansas National Guard Staff Sgts. Henry Laxton and BobbyFarmer have been operating bulldozers and sweeping roads ofdebris to allow transportation to flow in an area that was near thecenter of Hurricane Katrina’s deadly path.The streets of Waveland were temporary rivers during thestorm, explained Annie Singleton, who said her husband escapedthe violent waves by kayaking down the street with the familycat in his lap.“All the debris was in the street, so nobody could really get tous for four or five days,” said Andrew McDonald about the stormaftermath.Farmer and Laxton are both members of the 875th EngineerBattalion out of Jonesboro, Ark., and have been working dog-gedly since last week. Laxton said that the job can be emotionallydraining. “Sometimes it gets to you,” Laxton said of workingin the devastated city, and of being constantly surrounded by citizenswho have lost all their personal belongings and, sometimes,loved ones.The job places Laxton and Farmer in extreme heat, with littletime for rest, and in conditions which offer constant distractions.Still, Laxton said he understood his job from the moment hearrived in the area. The engineers in his unit have been workingnonstop to make the streets of Waveland clear for transportation.“We all knew right where to start, and we just got right into it,”Laxton said.Singleton, who returned to where her home used to sit acrossfrom the McDonalds’ house, said the military’s presence in therelief effort has been indispensable. “I love what the militaryis doing here,” she said. “The best part of my day is whenI look up and see a helicopter, because I know that somebody’sgoing to help.”Right: Mississippi Gulf coastal lives and possessions werescattered by hurricane Katrina, but Soldiers and Airmenfrom the Arkansas National Guard quickly arrived to provideaid, comfort, cleanup and security in the Bay St. Louis area.Over 350 Arkansas Soldiers and Airmen made up Task ForceRazorback, operating out of the Trent Lott Air National GuardTraining Center in Gulfport, Miss. (Arkansas National Guardphoto by Sgt. Chris A. Durney.)Far Right: Staff Sgts. Henry Laxton (front) and Bobby Farmerof the Arkansas National Guard’s 875th Engineer Companydrive bulldozers Tuesday afternoon while clearing the streetsof Waveland after Hurricane Katrina left the city’s roads litteredwith debris. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Chris Jones, 40thPAD.)Upper Right: An Arkansas National Guard engineer clearsdebris in Bay St. Louis, Miss., in the aftermath of hurricaneKatrina. (Arkansas National Guard Photo by Master Sgt. RobCarr)Page 26 Fall 2005Fall 2005 Page 27

The Arkansas MinutemanThe Arkansas Minutemancover story224th MaintenanceCompany lendshand to evacueeBy Sgt. Joshua CarrollDet. 1, 70th Mobile Public Affairs DetachmentMembers of the 142nd Fires Brigade’s 224th MaintenanceCo. were mobilized to Fort Chaffee and the area around NewOrleans.The 224th is headquartered in Mountain Home and is comprisedof wheeled vehicle mechanics. On Sept. 7 a few membersof the unit ran into a mission that they don’t get very often.The president of Jefferson Parish, La,. decided to open the parishto the public for a limited amount of time, so residents therecould check on their homes and get any of their belongings thatthey might need.Debbie Himbert was one of the few who decided to go backinto her hometown of Metairie, La., to see firsthand the damageto her home. Himbert drove 17 hours from Montgomery, Ala., toher cousin’s house in Covington, La., just so she would be readywhen people were allowed back into the parish.After they had made the grueling trip from Montgomery,and had already been through the horror of watching HurricaneKatrina destroy their hometown on TV, the Himbert family wasmaking their way through the streets of Metairie when their vanbroke down three blocks from their home.Himbert, who had reached her emotional limit, noticed thatTask Force Arkansas, members of the Arkansas National Guardwho had been mobilized to assist in the relief efforts in Louisiana,had moved into King High School.The call for help went out to the members of the 224th, whosemission was to perform maintenance, repair and recovery operationsfor military and emergency service vehicles in the area, butthat day Debbie Himbert needed their assistance. Spec. BrianAdcock, Staff Sgt. James Bresette and Sgt. Joseph Milan assistedHimbert so she could continue on her journey and regain herpeace of mind. While this wasn’t a huge burden to these threesoldiers, to Debbie Himbert it meant everything.Three members of an Arkansas National Guard medical teamwere activated for service in Gulfport, Miss. Their mission wasto help prevent the outbreak of disease among soldiers.Battalion surgeon Lt. Col. David Stills headed up the group.“Obviously the devastation here is hard to wrap your mindaround, it really does look like a war zone,” said Stills. Hespoke from prior experience having been mobilized for dutywith the 39th Brigade Combat Team in Iraq.Second lieutenant Kimolyn Felix was alerted on Sept. 1, andsaid that she was glad to be helping in any capacity. As a patientadministration supervisor with Arkansas Children’s Hospital inLittle Rock, Ark., she had been expecting the alert. “This is unbelievable,”she said. “My eyes couldn’t even fully comprehendwhat I was seeing.” The only other time she had been mobilizedwas to facilitate the mobilization of the 39th Infantry at Fort Sill,Okla. Felix said her employer has been extremely understandingto the needs of the disaster victims by letting her go.Several health agencies were called to service in the area toprevent outbreaks in the civilian population from diseases suchas hepatitis and cholera. The National Guard medical mission isto keep the soldiers safe.Batesville, Ark. native Maj. Karen Ryan said that she washappy to be helping. “I am just glad to be able to protect ourtroops with immunizations and, in turn, they can continue to helpthe local citizens.”The “shot team,” was unsure of where it would be sent next,but all agree to serve as long as necessary. “It does seem thatpeople have been orderly, and are trying to help the community,”said Stills. “The scale of this disaster is tremendous.”For Maj. Sharon Wells, this is all just being a part of theGuard. “We served a vital need here, and I feel proud to bea part of this effort,” she said. This was also the first activationfor Wells, who is a nurse practitioner with the VA hospitalin Fayetteville, Ark. “My colleague at the Veterans hospitalagreed to handle all of my cases while I am away for as longas needed,” she said. Wells added that the VA hospital has alsocontributed the services of other medical professionals to therelief effort.Medical teammakes a pointwith SoldiersBy Sgt. Mark A. Woodall,Det. 1, 70th Mobile Public Affairs DetachmentSpc. Brian Adcock, Staff Sgt. James Bresette and Sgt. JosephMilan of the 224th Maintenance Company out of MountainHome lend their expertise to help New Orleans evacuee DebbieHimbert and her family get back on their way. (ArkansasArmy National Guard photo by Sgt. Joshua Carroll, Det. 1,70th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)Page 28 Fall 2005Spc. Andrea Garrison of the 296th Medical Company fromHector Ark., receives shots from Maj. Sharon Wells as a precautionarymeasure during Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.The 296th supported the 875th Engineer Company as theycleared roads and cleaned up areas around Bay Springs,Miss., one of the hardest hit areas in the path of Katrina.(Arkansas National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Bob Barnett,Det. 1, 70th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)Fall 2005 Page 29

The Arkansas Minutemancover storyThe Arkansas MinutemanAir Guard membersmade a differencewith survivorsStory and photos by Tech. Sgt. Bob Oldham189th Airlift Wing Public AffairsRight: Staff Sgt. Angela Dohm, 189th Airlift Wing MedicalGroup, prepares an injection site for a shot at a free clinicSept. 14.Facing page: M-16 rifles were stored in a temporary armoryin a classroom of Grace King High School until Airmenneeded to check one out before traveling out into the JeffersonParish community.“Jimmy, welcome, come on in. It’s so good to see you again.”That’s the greeting 2nd Lt. Jimmy Jones, a nurse with theArkansas Air National Guard’s 188th Fighter Wing, receivedSept. 14 from Skip Elliot whose mother is bedridden andcouldn’t be moved when Hurricane Katrina tore through the cityAug. 30.The lieutenant hadn’t met the Elliot family before untilabout a week after the hurricane struck. Now, he’s a member ofthe family.Members of the Arkansas Air National Guard contingentcame across the Elliot household and discovered that ConnieElliot was short of medication and needed electricity to run amachine to help her breathe easier.The lieutenant was assigned the task and stoped by daily tocheck on Mrs. Elliot, her husband and son. It was one of manystops he made everyday. He checked Mrs. Elliot’s pulse andbreathing and helps her perform an abbreviated physical therapysession to help prevent bed sores.After his initial visit, he saw a couple of power companiesworking to restore power to the area. He stopped and explainedthe situation and gave the crews the address. “The next day,there were three trucks at the house, working to get the powerback on,” he said.It took an extra day of work from the power crews, butPage 30 Fall 2005power was eventually restored. “We’ve got power Jimmy, we’vegot power,” Skip said excitedly and near tears as the lieutenantentered the house. “Do you want some coffee?”Eventually, the home health company that usually visits thefamily resumed operations. They stopped two days before thehurricane hit. In the meantime, the lieutenant was there everyday.Miles away, Airman 1st Class Joshua Blanchard, a Jacksonvillenative and a member of the 189th Security Forces Squadron,stood guard at a community center with two senior NCOs.He had recently graduated from basic training and securityforces technical school. In New Orleans he was a physical presence,helping keep order in one area of town. Civilian medicsprovided shots at the community center to help alleviate thestress on local hospitals. “We’ve been doing a lot of walkingaround the neighborhoods,” he said.One day he helped an older couple move a refrigerator fromtheir house to the curb. “Their lives have been turned upsidedown,” he said. “We help give them a little peace of mind.”He said seeing the city come back to life in just a few weekshas been refreshing.Across town, Staff Sgt. Angela Dohm, a 189th MedicalGroup medical technician, was giving shots to civilians at aprivate clinic. The clinic staff sas about 400 patients a day, eachreceiving three shots: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and Tetanus. “Theimmunizations are free,” said owner and Dr. Jerry Cvitanovich.“We haven’t charged anybody anything since we reopened.”He said he saw about 35-40 other patients for other thanimmunizations at his East Jefferson After Hours Urgent CareCenter.Dohm said she enjoyed going out on “meet and greets”where Airmen meet with residents and help determine theirmedical needs. “People love it, they absolutely love it,” shesaid. “The people are so grateful.”She stopped nursing school to take on the military assignmenthere. She didn’t have to, but she volunteered because shewanted to make a difference.Capt. Seth Tolliver, a nurse in the unit, is one of her nursinginstructors at school. She said he’s been working with her, andthat she hoped to pick back up once her tour of duty in Louisianawas over. If not, she’ll have to sit out until next fall, essentiallyputting her life on hold.But she said that’s nothing compared to seeing the abandonedpets and the elderly “and the loss that they feel.”While members faned out across the Parrish, they workedfrom Grace King High School, which they affectionately calledhome.Classrooms were converted to living quarters, a commandpost and a morale, welfare and recreation room. Laws prohibitguns in schools, but one room was an armory, housing M-16rifles and 9-mm pistols.Class ceilings were decorated with art; books, chairs anddesks were pushed into a corner to make room. Military greencots littered the rooms.Electricity was restored, so hot showers and air conditioningbecame favorites among the troops, said Lt. Col. Chris Rowzee,the team’s officer in charge.Outside, members of the 223rd Combat CommunicationsSquadron from Hot Springs kept Internet and phone connectivityonline with a satellite uplink.In the courtyard, uniforms hung on makeshift clothes lineswhile Airmen and Soldiers told stories of their time in andaround the city.Outside the command post was a picture of Capt. MarkMobley, a 189th Civil Engineering Squadron engineer, standinghands on hips, by a very large tree that was lying on its side. Heappeared to be assessing the situation. Below the photo wereabout 20 funny captions, such as “I think we’re gonna need abigger chainsaw.” Many of the captions can’t be reprinted, butthe captain took them in good humor.The colonel said her troops made a difference and themorale of the troops was high. She attributed the high morale tothe fact that the Airmen knew that they were making a differenceand that Meals, Ready to Eat weren’t the only thing they had toeat.She said a local fire department made jambalaya one nightfor the troops, a pizza chain stopped by with free pizzas and theGuard unit contracted with a local vendor to provide hot meals.Fall 2005 Page 31

The Arkansas MinutemanThe Arkansas Minutemancover storyChaplain helpsmend bodiesand unite heartsStory and photos by 1st Lt Nathan D. Broshear4th Air Expeditionary Wing Public AffairsA chaplain from the Arkansas Air National Guard performedone of the most unusual wedding ceremonies of his career themorning of Sept. 7, at an emergency medical clinic in NewOrleans.Captain Shane Pair, a Protestant United Methodist chaplainwith the 188th Fighter Wing at Fort Smith, Ark., wed Mike andJessica Bailes at Ames Elementary School in Jefferson Parish.The couple was displaced when Hurricane Katrina hit the area,living with their two children in a 6-foot by 8-foot garage.The Bailes came to the clinic because their two-month-oldson’s cleft palette was in need of medical attention (it had beenoperated on before the storm) and their two-and-a-half-year-olddaughter was due for immunizations.Doctors from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md.,were manning the clinic and saw that the young child’s palettewould need a more serious operation. They surprised everyonewhen they offered to repair their child’s palette free of charge,move the family to Maryland and even help the father earn hisGED. Once that’s completed, officials at the university areprepared to enroll the father into a trade school so he can learn avaluable skill.“After this outpouring of good news, the couple took someof us aside and said, ‘we wanted to get married before the storm,can we do that now?’” said Chaplain Pair. “I was thrilled to be apart of their special day.”The ceremony was anything but traditional. Theystood in the hallway while a soldier played the pianoand one of the doctors sang a song for the couple.“There were soldiers holding flowers in the hallway,”said Chaplain Pair. “I joked that those guys werethe ugliest flower girls I’d ever seen at a wedding.”Like most couples he’s married before, the Bailesseemed a bit nervous, but afterwards “they were bothgrinning ear-to-ear,” said the chaplain.Touched by the romance of the day, nurses work-ing at the shelter took up a donation as a parting gift to thecouple. Chaplain Pair gave them a camouflage military bible,“Given the situation here in New Orleans…it was a fitting gift.”“Everyday military members, aid workers and chaplainshave a chance to dramatically change the lives of people affectedby the hurricane,” said Chaplain Pair. “Thanks to the kindnessand generosity of everyone involved — meeting this coupleproved to be a chance to heal, a chance to unite and a chance togive.”Left: Chaplain Shane Pair of the 188th Fighter Squadron,weds Mike and Jessica Bailes at a ceremony Sept 14th atAmes Elementary School, a temporary medical clinic forthose affected by Hurricane Katrina.Below: Chaplain Shane Pair of the 188th Fighter Squadronwith Mike and Jessica Bailes after their wedding. Doctor Carreno,at left, of Johns Hopkins University sang a solo duringthe wedding. The Bailes are headed to Baltimore, Md., wheretheir son will undergo surgery to repair a cleft palette and Mr.Bailes will further his education.Page 32 Fall 2005Fall 2005 Page 33

The Arkansas MinutemanThe Arkansas Minutemancover storyAir Guard unitkeeps eye onhurricane damageBy Tech Sgt. Bob Oldham189th Airlift Wing Public AffairsWithin hours after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coastregion, members of one Arkansas Air National Guard unit had abird’s eye view of the devastation and destruction.The 123rd Intelligence Squadron’s counter-drug teamshifted into high gear when C-26 pilots from other states beganlanding at Little Rock Air Force Base with digital imagery takenas the planes flew over the coastal region.“Before we had any official tasking, we had our guys outhere,” said Lt. Col. Ken Temple, the squadron’s commander.He said those in the C-26 flying community called andasked if the unit could support the additional workload. Hourslater, planes began landinghere with the first views of thedamage. While the planes arenormally used for NationalGuard counter-drug operations,they’ve come into focusfrom others around the nationwho see their value clearly.“This is the most soughtafter source,” said 2nd Lt.Paul Needham, the squadron’soperations officer, referring tothe imagery his unit producesin conjunction with the C-26crews. “It’s the most detailed.We have the quickest response,and we’re providing the mostproducts among any of theother platforms.”The unit has the capabilityto take high-resolution imagery,analyze it and pinpointcertain characteristics customersmight be looking for,such as spills, people strandedon rooftops and damage tobridges.The C-26 crews fly overpredetermined or ad hoctargets and take photos with an85-megapixel digital cameramounted in an external podunderneath the plane. Theimagery is stored on a harddrive. The analysts remove thehard drive and download theimages and begin formattingand analyzing the imagery.C-26 crews also use acamera that was originallydesigned for the RF-4 Phantomthat uses film that is fiveinches wide and up to 1,000 feet in length. The first imagery the123 IS received Aug. 30 was off one of these cameras. Airmenprocess it and can scan and digitize it, if needed.The unit uses an 11-member crew that works in two shiftsup to12 hours in length to provide up-to-date imagery to thedecision makers.That imagery is then sent to the Federal Emergency ManagementAgency, state governors, Northern Command, ArmyCorps of Engineers or any other entity that might have a validneed for an aerial view of the damage.Those entities then might use the imagery to decide whereto direct rescue operations, airdrop supplies and equipment orhelp determine the structural integrity of roads and bridges.Master Sgt. Christopher Klober, a 123rd analyst, hasreviewed imagery after the Oklahoma City bombing, numeroustornadoes, fires and wartime imagery but he’s “never seen thisseverity on this scale” before.He said he tries to stay detached from the imagery because itcan become emotional on analysts if they start thinking about theimpact the hurricane has had on individual lives.“You try not to think in those terms,” he said. “We look forspecifically identified areas or problems, based on a commander’sobjectives.”Page 34 Fall 2005Fall 2005 Page 35

The Arkansas Minutemancover storyThe Arkansas MinutemanFort Chaffee MTCwelcomes nearly9,000 evacueesBy Sgt. Rick FahrDet. 1, 70th Mobile Public Affairs DetachmentAbove: Arkansas Army National Guard troops unload neededfood and supplies September 4th for Hurricane Katrinaevacuees arriving at Fort Chaffee Maneuver Training Centernear Fort Smith, Ark.Top right: New Orleans evacuees are processed at FortChaffee Arkansas National Guard post Sept. 4, 2005. (ArkansasNational Guard photos by Master Sgt. Dianna Seerey)A generation after Northwest Arkansas’ Army training postserved as a way station for Cuban refugees, Fort Chaffee wasagain at the heart of a massive humanitarian relief effort overLabor Day weekend.The Relief MissionSurvivors fleeing the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina beganarriving at the post on Sept. 3, said Col. Tommy Hunt, post commander.“The first delivery was at 1100 hours Saturday (Sept.3). They came throughout Saturday afternoon and Saturday nightand through Sunday morning. That was when we received ourlast evacuees,” he said.Tired, hungry and worried Louisianans came in planes andbuses, flooding the post with some 8,500 men, women and children.“Some of the folks, we found, all they had was the shirt ontheir back, and they may have gone out the front door when theflood was coming in the back,” Hunt explained.The colonel said that the post’s initial mission was to houseevacuees. The mission evolved during the day Saturday, andby nightfall post officials had learned that instead of providinglong-term housing, the post would serve as a reception station,processing evacuees before sending them to shelters elsewhere.As evacuees streamed onto the post, they first went to anin-processing center where they received medical attention, ifnecessary, and were able to register with various agencies to allowfamily members to locate them.From there, they were taken to on-post dining facilities formeals and housed in barracks until they could be sent to variousshelters around the state and elsewhere.During the short time they were on post, evacuees receivedclothing and personal items, such as toiletries and snacks. Childrenreceived games and toys, and volunteer and military medicalpersonnel provided comprehensive medical services.Volunteers worked alongside military personnel to providehumanitarian and social services and food and clothing. Organizationssuch as the American Red Cross and Salvation Armyset up help stations, and a number of law enforcement agencies— the Arkansas State Police, Sebastian County Sheriff’s Department,Fort Smith Police Department, Barling Police Departmentand Arkansas Game and Fish Commission — helped secure thearea.By Monday, many evacuees had already been sent to sheltersin such locations as Mena, Imboden, Cass and Hot Springs.Fewer than 100 evacuees remained on post as of Sept. 7, withthose folks waiting on family members to pick them up.Hunt noted inherent challenges in coordinating hundreds ofvolunteers and dozens of military personnel. However, he saidthe personnel meshed together well. “We were overwhelmedwith the support we got here. ... They acted like they had workedtogether forever. I can’t say enough about them,” he said.The Chaffee mission was successful, Hunt said, becausethe goal was clear. “We treated these people like human beings.They are our neighbors,” he explained. “We were trying to makePage 36 Fall 2005sure these people didn’t have to wait any more than they had to.They had been waiting for a long time. We were trying to makethese people’s lives easier.”The commander recalled an instance that exemplified themanner in which volunteers and military officials undertook therelief effort. “When we sent the first load of buses out, it wasdelayed just for a short period of time because the people wantedto stay. That speaks well for the support people here at FortChaffee. The evacuees were treated very well,” Hunt said.The Military MissionWhen the call came to turn Fort Chaffee into an evacueeprocessing station, dozens of military personnel sprang to action.From Labor Day weekend until the following Wednesday,the post was abuzz with activity. In that time, volunteers andmilitary personnel received, processed and shipped to reliefshelters those thousands of men, women and children, but theirduties encompassed much more.Military personnel provided security, distributed goods,performed medical services and maintained the grounds. Troopscame from the 224th Maintenance Co., 39th Infantry Brigadeand 1st and 2nd battalions of the 142nd Field Artillery. Public affairspersonnel from the Arkansas Air and Army National Guardserved as liaisons between military officials and the civilianmedia covering events at Chaffee as they unfolded.Military police controlled access at the post’s main gate andkept peace in the barracks areas.“We had no problems here, maybe a shouting incident orsomething like that, but for all practical purposes, these peoplewere glad to be here, and we were glad to take care of them,”explained Hunt.Hunt said the atmosphere at Chaffee differed greatly fromimages from other evacuee shelters. “Everybody could see thison TV, and they see some of the things with the shootings andArkansas National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Dianna Seereyall the trouble that some of these cities had. We didn’t have thathere, and we didn’t treat them like prisoners. We didn’t loadthem up like a bunch of cattle on a trailer,” he noted.A sense of security and stability was crucial to maintainingharmony and contentment, the commander said. “They felt safehere. We had a presence of military. We had a presence of civilianpolice departments and they would park and do night patrols,and the people could see those, and they felt safe,” he explained.Because virtually every available building was housingevacuees, many of the activated military personnel slept in tents.Troops with the 142nd erected a virtual tent city Monday, withroom for hundreds of personnel.Capt. Russ Brashears, training officer for the 142nd’s 2ndBattalion, noted that in addition to military personnel directlyhelping with relief efforts at Chaffee, other troops were servingsupport roles elsewhere. “We are running many operations outof the armories,” he said.As evacuees were arriving, the main missions were caringfor their health and welfare. As the evacuees left the post, militarymissions turned to clean-up and maintenance.“We have been sanitizing buildings and linens, anythingassociated with when the folks were here,” Hunt said. “We havebeen cleaning out the buildings and getting them ready in casewe need to use them again.”The colonel estimated that the post can be ready to accommodatelarge numbers of people within “a couple days.” “Thefacilities are ready. We don’t close them down until right beforewe think the first freeze is coming. We’re ready, and it doesn’ttake long to reopen if we need to.”Hunt said civilian volunteers and military personnel helpedmake the evacuees feel as comfortable as possible. “Hopefullythey will remember Fort Chaffee as a place where somebodytried to take care of them.”Fall 2005 Page 37

The Arkansas Minutemanphoto opThe Arkansas MinutemanArkansas National Guardhelps areas hit by KatrinaArkansas National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Rob CarrThis page -- Left: Patriotism amid ruin. Middle left: Sgt. 1st Class David Pitts and Sgt.Darrell Sparks help a hurricane Katrina survivor in the small Mississippi Gulf coasttown of De Lisle at an aid distribution point Aug. 2, 2005. Bottom left: 1st Lt. RustyFontenot and Sgt. 1st Class Johnny Wayne McCarroll of the 875th Engineer Companydiscuss debris clearing plans with Maj. Steven Hull, 871st administrative officer. Bottomright: A young evacuee stands outside of his temporary home on Fort ChaffeeMTC.Facing page -- Top left: Governor Mike Huckabee greets Brig. Gen. Larry Haltom,deputy adjutant general of Arkansas, and Fort Chaffee commander Col. Tommy Hunt.Middle left: Spc. William Flowers and Sgt. Andy Graves of the Arkansas NationalGuard’s 1123rd Transportation Company deliver ice and water to survivors of hurricaneKatrina in the small Mississippi Gulf coastal town of Lizana. Bottom left: Spc.Adam Anderson, of the 39th Brigade Combat Team, stays focused while patrollingthe street of downtown New Orleans during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Topright: Evacuees check out their temporary homes at Fort Chaffee MTC. Middle right:Spc. Chad Robinson and Spc. Charlie Morris of the 39th Brigade Combat Team patrolthe streets of New Orleans. Bottom right: Members of Company B, 205th MedicalCompany bring needed supplies to survivors of Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi.Arkansas National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Dianna SeereyArkansas National Guard photo by Maj. Craig HeathscottArkansas National Guard photo by Sgt. Chris A. DurneyArkansas National Guard photo by Sgt. Chris A. DurneyArkansas National Guard photo by Sgt. Joshua CarrollArkansas National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Bob BarnettArkansas National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Rob CarrArkansas National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Dianna SeereyPage 38 Fall 2005Arkansas National Guard photo by Sgt. Joshua CarrollFall 2005 Page 39

The Arkansas Minutemanarmy guard newsThe Arkansas MinutemanLuke Stricklin receives standingOvation on Grand Ol’ Opry debutThe Arkansas National Guard’sown Luke Stricklin made his GrandOl’ Opry debut Saturday night andreceived a standing ovation after singinghis poignant single, “American byGod’s Amazing Grace.”“It was just overwhelming,”Stricklin said. “Everyone was sowelcoming and I got to meet so manylegends like Porter Wagoner, Bill Anderson,Little Jimmy Dickens, LorrieMorgan and the Carol Lee Singers whowere all so kind to me. It was a dreamcome true. I hope they have me back.”For his second song, Stricklinsang the self-penned, “Things I’mMissing.” He performed on both the8:00 and 11:00 p.m. shows, receiving astanding ovation each time.His debut album, “Americanby God’s Amazing Grace,” releasedon Sept. 27, was produced by LukeWooten.From left: Porter Wagoner, Luke Stricklin,Pete Fisher, vice president, generalmanager, Grand Ole Opry.Homeowner Assistance Program helpsCurrent law (title 42 United States Code, Section 3374), authorizes the HomeownersAssistance Program, administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.This program allows for some monetary relief for eligible federal personnel --both military and civilian -- faced with losses on the sale of their primary residencewhen there is an announcement of a base closing or realignment action and realestate values drop as a result of the base closing or realignment. The governmentmay purchase the home by paying the existing mortgage off, or reimbursing anemployee who sells his or her home for part of the losses. Payments are tax free tothe employee.Eligible employees for HAP include military and civilian employees who areowner-occupants on the date of the announcement, or own property they occupiedprior to a recent transfer, overseas assignment, or directed move to base quarters.Zoo bugs Chaffeefor Burying BeatleFort Chaffee Maneuver Training Centeris coming to the rescue of the St. LouisZoo, and they aren’t bugged about it onebit.The Fort Chaffee Environmentalsection has been working in coordinationwith the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,and the St. Louis Zoo to transfer 12 matingpairs of the endangered AmericanBurying Beetles to the zoo for a capturedbreeding program.The Fort Smith area post is a favoritespot for the rare beetle, and has hada banner year capturing and tagging 860of the bugs during the post season. It isthought that military training activitiesmay actually promote beetle activities.The zoo will attempt to breed thebeetles and reintroduce the offspring tothe wild to repopulate areas where theyno longer exist.The American burying beetle(Nicrophorus americanus) can be recognizedit by the orange markings on itsshiny black body. It grows to be about3 cm long when it is an adult, which isbigger than many other beetles.The American burying beetle isa scavenger, and it helps clean up theenvironment by eating the dead bodiesof animals. The beetles are nocturnal,and they find their food by smell. Whena male and a female burying beetle finda dead animal, they bury it by digging ahole beneath the body and then coveringit with dirt. They do this to keep thecarcass as food for their babies.Page 40 Fall 200539th Brigade Combat Teammakes history at state capitolThe 39th Brigade Combat Team made history Aug. 7 when commanding generalBrig. Gen. Ronald Chastain handed over the reins of the Arkansas National Guard’slargest unit to Col. Mike Ross during a formal change of command ceremony on theground of the state capitol.The morning ceremony marked the last time that all of the 39th Brigade’s unitsassembled in their traditional configuration before the complete restructuring and restationingplan took effect in September.The unique ceremony employed traditional bugle calls to execute commands asopposed to the more common verbal cues. Bugle calls have a marked place in militaryhistory that dates back to the days of Alexander the Great. They have been usedfor hundreds of years for many purposes in armies throughout the world to signal,alert and inform soldiers and units. Another ceremonial tradition is the unit’s flags, orcolors. The Brigade displayed its full accompaniment of colors and battle streamers,representing a portion of the unit’s history.The host and reviewing officer for the change of command was Maj. Gen.Don C. Morrow, the adjutant general of Arkansas. Music was provided by theArkansas Army National Guard’s 106th Army Band.The 39th Brigade Combat Team is battle proven, recently completing an 18-month mobilization in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, returning in March.Ross is a native of Paris, Ark., and began his military career by enlisting in theArkansas National Guard in 1972. He was commissioned in 1976 upon graduationfrom the Arkansas National Guard Military Academy.He has served as commander of the 142 Field Artillery Brigade and the 223rdRegional Training Institute, and as Mobilization and Readiness Division Chief at theState Area Command (now JFHQ), Recruiting and Retention Manager, and Directorof Military Support. Ross is a full-time National Guardsman and most recentlyserved as Deputy Commander of the 39th.Col. Mike Ross (right), 39th Brigade Combat Team commander, accepts an ivoryhandledBowie knife from Brig. Gen. Ronald Chastain, former commander. Theknife symbolizes Ross’ position as commander of the “Arkansas Brigade.”Curtis takes reins of87th Troop CommandCol. Larry W. Curtis took over thereins of the Arkansas National Guard’s87th Troop Command from Col. CarlonL. Smith in a change of command ceremony,Aug. 7, at Chappell ReadinessCenter.The 87th Troop Command consistsof the 871st Troop Command whichincludes the 25th Rear Support Detachment,the 875th Engineer Battalion,1123rd Transportation Company, 212thSignal Battalion, 233rd RegimentRegional Training Institute, Det. 1, 70thMobile Public Affairs Detachment, andthe 106th Army Band.The short ceremony took placein the drill hall at Chappell ReadinessCenter, and was hosted by Maj. Gen.Don C. Morrow, adjutant general ofArkansasOutgoing commander Smithhanded the Brigade flag to Morrow,who then presented the flag to Curtis,symbolizing, in graphic form, the passingof responsibilities of command, andmaintaining the unbroken succession ofcommand.Curtis is a native of Maryville,Tenn., and enlisted in the U.S. MarineCorps in 1971. He was honorably dischargedin 1974, and enlisted in the ArkansasNational Guard in 1981. He wascommissioned in 1983. Curtis currentlyserves as the Human Resources Officerfor the Arkansas National Guard.Fall 2005 Page 41

The Arkansas Minutemanair guard newsThe Arkansas MinutemanAir Force finalizesnew utility uniformBlue and green tiger stripes are out;the digitized pattern with subduedgreen, tan, blue and gray is in.After reviewing more than150,000 bits of feedback throughoutthe initial seven-month wear test ofthe proposed utility uniform, Air Forceleaders recently decided to eliminatethe original color scheme and conducta limited field test of the new pattern.Special operations and survival,evasion, resistance and escape Airmenare conducting a limited-weartest of the new design at Eglin AFB,Fla.; Hurlburt Field, Fla.; and FairchildAFB, Wash.Airmen who participated in theinitial wear-test stopped wearing themore vibrant blue-green uniformMarch 1.The original wear test involvedmore than 700 Airmen at 32 basesworldwide who kept detailed daily logsannotating likes, dislikes and washand-wearproblems. They also completedthree surveys.The uniform is scheduled to beprocured in mid-2005, officials said.Airmen can expect to purchase theuniform sometime in fiscal year 2007.The proposed uniform will be phasedin over four or five years.188th lands Thunderbirds for‘06 air show - Mar. 31 - Apr. 2The Thunderbirds - the U.S. Air Forcedemonstration team will highlight the188th Fighter Wing’s air show, March 31- April 2, 2006, according to the wing’sPublic Affairs Office. This marks theT-bird’s second straight appearance atEbbing Air National Guard Base.The internationally famous aerialdemonstration team got its start in 1947,while the jet age was still in its infancy.Military aviation was hurtled into thefuture with the creation of the U.S. AirForce as a separate service. Just six yearslater, on May 25, 1953, the Air Force’sofficial air demonstration team, designatedthe 3600th Air Demonstration Unit,was activated at Luke Air Force Base,Arizona.The name “Thunderbirds” was soonadopted by the unit, influenced in partby the strong Indian culture and folkloreof the southwestern United States whereLuke is located. Indian legend speaksof the Thunderbird with great fear andrespect. To some it was a giant eagle …others envisioned a hawk. When it tookto the skies, the earth trembled from thethunder of its great wings. From its eyesshot bolts of lightning. Nothing in naturecould challenge the bird of thunder,the story said, and no man could standagainst its might. The story of the Thunderbirdwas repeated, voice-by-voice,across the generations, until at last, itassumed the immortality of legend.A more appropriate name couldn’thave been selected, as it is with the samecommanding presence the Thunderbirdstook to the skies.Seven officers and 22 enlisted wereselected for the first demonstration team,most were handpicked from the cadre atLuke.The first aircraft selected for the newdemonstration team was the straight wingF-84G Thunderjet built by Republic Aviation.Their straight wing configurationwas considered well suited for aerobaticmaneuvers, and although the aircraftcould not exceed the speed of sound, likesome military aircraft, it easily met theneeds of a demonstration aircraft.The original demonstration sequenceconsisted of a series of formation aerobaticslasting 15 minutes. The spare pilottook-off a few minutes in advance of theDiamond to run a weather check, adviseof any encroaching traffic, reiterate thelocation of obstructions and then landedto be used as a spare aircraft. As theseason progressed, the opportunity wasutilized to perform ‘solo’ maneuvers withthe spare aircraft while the Diamondburned off fuel and repositioned out ofsight of the crowd.Mindful of their mission to show theAir Force’s best aircraft, the Air Forceselected the swept wing F-84F Thunderstreakas their second aircraft in 1955.The Thunderstreak was modified forthe team by adding smoke tanks for thefirst time, and red, white and blue dragchutes.With the move from the F-84F to theF-100 Super Sabre in 1956, the Thunderbirdsbecame the world’s first supersonicaerial demonstration team. That sameyear, the Thunderbirds moved to NellisAir Force Base, Nevada, simplifyinglogistics and maintenance for the aircraft.Although never a routine part of theThunderbird show in 1956, the solowould fly supersonic at the request of theair show sponsor. Eventually, the FederalAviation Authority, a precursor to theFederal Aviation Administration, bannedall supersonic flight at air shows and consequently,today’s sequence is entirelysubsonic.Almost a footnote in the history ofThunderbird aviation, the Republic-builtF-105B Thunderchief performed onlysix shows between April 26 and May9, 1964. Extensive modifications to theF-105 were necessary, and rather thancancel the rest of the show season to accomplishthis, the Thunderbirds quicklytransitioned back to the Super Sabre.While the switch back to the F-100Dwas supposed to be temporary, the F-105never returned to the Thunderbird han-Page 42 Fall 2005Air National Guardofficer receivesBronze Star MedalLt. Col. Richard Oxner Jr., the 189thMission Support Group deputy commanderofficer received the BronzeStar Medal at Little Rock Air ForceBase in a ceremony, Oct. 1.Brig. Gen. Galen Bryant, commanderof the Arkansas Air NationalGuard, pinned the medal on the LittleRock residentRep. Vic Snyder attend the ceremonyas guest speaker.Oxner earned the medal whileengaged in ground operations againstthe enemy at Balad Air Base, Iraq, accordingto the citation. He was in Iraqfrom Dec. 21, 2004, to April 26, 2005.The 272-person 332nd ExpeditionaryCivil Engineer Squadron under hiscommand performed more than 500runway repairs on two runways.He maintained oversight of $150million in enhancements and improvementsgar. The F-100 ended up staying with the of representing American airpower moreto facilities, runways andteam for nearly 13 years.impressively than the Phantom. critical ramp space for the Air Force’sThe Thunderbirds started the 1969 1974 brought with it a fuel crisis and strategic base in Iraq.training season still in the F-100Ds, but as a result a new aircraft for the team, The decoration, authorized byin the spring of 1969 the team received the sleek, swift and highly maneuverable Executive Order No. 9419 on Feb. 4,the first of the new McDonnell Douglas Northrop T-38A Talon, the Air Force’s 1944, is awarded to a person in anyF-4E Phantom IIs and began the team’s first supersonic trainer. Economically, the branch of the military service who,conversion.T-38 was unmatched. Five T-38s used while serving in any capacity with theThe F-4’s conversion was the most the same amount of fuel needed for one Armed Forces of the United States onextensive in the team’s history. Among F-4 Phantom, and fewer people and less or after Dec. 7, 1941, shall have distinguishedother modifications, paints that had equipment were required to maintain thehimself by heroic or meri-worked on the F-100 made the F-4 look aircraft.torious achievement or service, notpatchy because of multicolored alloys Although the Talon did not fulfill the involving participation in aerial flight,used in the F-4 to resist heat and friction Thunderbird tradition of flying frontlinein connection with military operationsat Mach II speeds. As a result, a polyurethanejet fighters, it did meet the criteria against an armed enemy.paint base was developed and used of demonstrating the capabilities of a The award recognizes acts ofto cover the problem. The white paint prominent Air Force aircraft.heroism performed in ground combatbase remains a part of today’s ThunderbirdThe T-38A was used throughout the if they are of lesser degree than thataircraft.Air Force during this time period in a required for the Silver Star.Compared with its predecessors, the variety of roles because of its design, It also recognizes single acts ofF-4 was immense. It was big. It was economy of operation, ease of maintenance,merit and meritorious service if theheavy. It was powerful. With the earthshakinghigh performance and exceptional achievement or service is of a lesserroar of eight J-79 engines from safety record. In fact, Air Force fighter degree than that deemed worthy ofthe four diamond aircraft, no demonstrationpilots still use this aircraft during under-the Legion of Merit; but such serviceaircraft accomplished the mission graduate pilot training today.must have been accomplished withdistinction.Fall 2005 Page 43

The Arkansas MinutemanTRAIN for a CAREER1. We can help you be competitive in today’s tough civilian market.2. Earn money for college while attending hands-on skill training in a valuable career field.3. Earn while you learn - great pay and benefits while you attend Air Force Technical Training, andmoney for civilian college and vocational schools.4. Montgomery G.I. Bill - up to $288 a month for attending college, based on course load.5. Montgomery G.I. Bill “Kicker” - up to an additional $350 a month for attending college, based oncourse load.6. Student loan repayment up to $20,000.7. Cash bonuses up to $10,000 for enlistment in critical career fields.8. $15,000 Prior Service Bonus for enlistment in critical career field (must be qualified).9. Guard Tuition Incentive of $1,000 per semester for four semesters of college.10. Plus many other great benefits!JOIN the TEAM!www.goang.comTHE ARKANSAS AIR NATIONAL GUARDCentral Arkansas: (800) 538-7260 email: eddie.mcelyea@arlitt.ang.af.milSouthern Arkansas: (800) 631-0509 ken.esaw@arlitt.ang.af.milNorthern Arkansas: (800) 272-2057 bobby.shepard@arftsm.ang.af.milarkansas minutemanArkansas National GuardTAG-DZ-PACamp Joseph T. RobinsonNorth Little Rock, AR 72199-9600Page 44 Fall 2005