the joint newspaper of the nebraska army …pany (ground ambulance,) has helped nine soldiers enlist...

Nebraska Guardhonors late adjutantgeneral in January

February 2009 VOL. 59, NO. 1

Prairie SoldierTHE JOINT NEWSPAPER OF THE NEBRASKA ARMY AND AIR NATIONAL GUARD

Now available on-line at www.neguard.com

� New rigger unit finalpiece to airborne puzzle .... 3

� Nebraska adjutant generalreceives second star ......... 4

� Medical Soldiers helprewrite book on detaineecare in Iraq .......................... 12

� Nebraska unit plantingfirst seeds in Afghanistan . 13

� Soldier dreams of playingfor Nebraska Huskers ........ 20

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�Retired Lt. Gen. (Neb.)Stanley M. Heng dies inJanuary after lengthyillness; served asNebraska’s adjutantgeneral from 1987-2000

Air Guardsmen pass majorinspections with flying colors

‘Team Dragon’ Soldierswelcomed home aftertough year-long trainingmission in Afghanistan

State’s top ArmyGuard recruitingassistant sayshonesty key to hercontinued success

Army celebrating noncommissioned officers in 2009

By Tech. Sgt. Alex SalmonStaff Photojournalist

A s a distant “thump, thump, thump,” soundgradually echoed through the air aroundthe Nebraska Army National Guard Avia-

tion Support Facility, Dec. 11, the crowd of chil-dren, wives, husbands, parents, friends and othersbegan to get excited.

After all, members of the Afghan National ArmyEmbedded Training Team were scheduled to ar-rive soon aboard a CH-47 “Chinook” helicopterafter a year-long deployment to Afghanistan.

Guests began running outside to meet the heli-copter and welcome their loved ones home, only tohear an announcement over the loud speakers:

See TEAM DRAGON on 5.

By Sgt. Michael ColemanStaff Writer

M ost Soldiers knowthat GRAP – theGuard Recruiting As-

sistance Program – is a greatway to help enlist Soldiers andearn extra cash.

But Staff Sgt. Christina L.Green has taken the programto a new level.

Green, a member of the Lin-coln-based 313th Medical Com-pany (Ground Ambulance,) hashelped nine Soldiers enlist intothe Nebraska Army NationalGuard and has another 11 can-didates in the process of enlist-ing. That makes her the most

See GREEN on 14.

NBy Maj. Kevin HynesEditor

ebraska’s fourth-longest serv-ing adjutant general, retired Lt.Gen. (Neb.) Stanley M. Heng,

died after a lengthy illness Jan. 12. Hewas 71.

Heng served as the adjutant generalfor Nebraska for 13 years, beginning in1987 when he was appointed to the postby then-Gov. Kay Orr.

Along with leading the NebraskaArmy and Air National Guard, Hengalso served as the director of the Ne-braska Emergency ManagementAgency. He retired in December 2000after having served as adjutant generalfor three separate governors.

Heng is survived by his wife, Sharon,three grown children, Mark, Nick andLisa, and 10 grandchildren.

According to Brig. Gen. Tim Kadavy,current adjutant general for Nebraska,the state owes much of its recent success

to the late general who helped put theNebraska Guard into position to effec-tively serve in the current Global Waron Terrorism.

“Lt. Gen. Stan Heng spent nearly 14years faithfully serving his state andcountry as the adjutant general forNebraska,” said Kadavy. “The NebraskaNational Guard has performed superblyduring the past seven years in supportof the Global War on Terrorism andowes its success to the vision, leader-ship and action of General Heng. Weowe him a tremendous debt of gratitudefor his service to the Nebraska National

See HENG on 10.

FBy Maj. Kevin HynesEditor

or those Nebraska ArmyGuard Soldiers wearingstripes, listen up.

2009 is your year.Beginning in January 2009

has been designated by the U.S.Army as the “Year of the Non-commissioned Officer.”

According to Gen. George W.

Casey Jr., Army chief of staff,the year-long observation is de-signed to build public aware-ness of the im-portant rolesthat Army ser-geants of allranks play intoday’s Armywhile also focusing on enhance-ments to such areas as NCOeducation, fitness and leader-

ship.“We’re taking this year and

making it the Year of the Non-commissionedOfficer so we canrecognize theircourage, theircommitment,their compe-

tence and their contribution tothis war,” said Casey during aJan. 5 kick-off event at Fort

Bliss, Texas.“There is no doubt in my mind

that our noncommissioned of-ficer corps is the glue that holdsthis Army together and allowsus to accomplish the impos-sible,” said Casey. “We wouldn’tbe the Army we are today with-out our noncommissioned of-ficer corps and I would not bethe officer I am today without

See NCOS on 9.

Retired Lt. Gen. (Neb.) Stanley M. HengNebraska Adjutant General

(1987-2000)

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Alex Salmon

Flying High

By Maj. Kevin HynesEditor

A

See INSPECTIONS on 7.


Welcome Home: Maj. Vernon Chandler isgreeted after a year-long deployment to Af-ghanistan by his wife, Lisa, and their daugh-ter, Katie. Chandler was part of “TeamDragon,” made up of 16 Nebraska GuardSoldiers that asssisted with the Afghan Na-tional Army Embedded Training Team.

fter nearly two years of plan-ning, preparing and exercising,the Nebraska Air National

Guard’s 155th Air Refueling Wing con-ducted a pair of major inspections in lateJanuary designed to test the organi-zation’s ability to support two major mis-sions.

“I’m very pleased with the results,”said Col. Rick Evans, commander of the

Lincoln-based 155th ARW, after an AirMobility Command inspector generalteam gave the unit its official gradesduring a debrief on Feb. 12.

The wing received an overall “Excel-lent” rating from the nuclear operationalreadiness inspection (NORI) and an over-all “Satisfactory” rating from its opera-tional readiness inspection (ORI).

“Clearly we are one of the top KC-135units in the nation when it comes to thenuclear business, so those results prove

Heading Out: Members of the 155th Air Refueling Wing process out of theiralternate work location before returning to their primary work center during the155th ARW’s operational readiness inpection in Gulfport, Miss., in January. TheAirmen’s primary building had received simulated damage earlier in the day.

Prairie Soldier February 20092

Master Sgt. Vern MooreSenior Airman James Lieth

NEWS DIGEST

Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Timothy KadavyState Public Affairs Officer Lt. Col. Bob VranaEditor Maj. Kevin HynesPublic Information Officer David NoreStaff Photojournalist Tech. Sgt. Alex Salmon

STAFF WRITERS

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

Prairie Soldier1300 Military Road, Lincoln, Nebraska 68508-1090

DSN 279-7302, phone (402) 309-7302 and facsimile (402) 309-7310

The Prairie Soldier is the newspaper of the Nebraska Army and Air NationalGuard, authorized and published by the State Public Affairs Office, Military Depart-ment of Nebraska, in accordance with AR 360-1 and AFI 35-101. It is Army and AirForce-funded and published bi-monthly by contracted photo-offset process. Circulationis about 8,000.

Deadline for all submissions is the first Wednesday of the month: Febru-ary, April, June, August, October, and December.

Letters, articles, notices of events, photographs and art are welcome, but may beedited for clarity or brevity. Publication of any submission is at the discretion of theeditor. Submissions can also be emailed to [email protected]. All photos mustbe high resolution and include complete caption information.

The views and opinions expressed in this newspaper are those of the writers andare not necessarily those of the Military Department of Nebraska or the U.S. Depart-ment of Defense.

The Prairie Soldier can be read on-line at www.neguard.com

Commander-in-Chief Gov. Dave Heineman

Nebraska Army National Guard

Nebraska Air National GuardSenior Master Sgt. Lee StraubeMaster Sgt. Alan Brown

Master Sgt. Kent DisneyMaster Sgt. Kevin Nye

Capt. Andrew J. Nelson

Nebraska Air National Guard1st Lt. Camara Minks

Sgt. Jeff Kassal Sgt. Michael Coleman

Senior Airman Brandon Kusek

�President Obama vows not towaver in America’s defense

WASHINGTON, (AFPS) – PresidentBarack Obama pledged a “prudent use”of military power as the nation workstoward “ushering in a new era of peace”in his inaugural address to the nationJan. 20.

“Our security emanates from the just-ness of our cause, the force of our ex-ample, the tempering qualities of hu-mility and restraint,” he said from thewest side of the Capitol after taking theoath of office as the 44th president. Anestimated 2 million people crowded theNational Mall and surrounding area tohear his address.

The use of these principles will allowAmerica to develop greater understand-ing of other nations and greater coop-eration against common threats fromthem, he said. “We will begin to respon-sibly leave Iraq to its people and forge ahard-earned peace in Afghanistan,”Obama said. “With old friends andformer foes, we’ll work tirelessly to lessenthe nuclear threat and roll back thespecter of a warming planet.”

Obama said Americans will not apolo-gize for their way of life, nor waver in itsdefense. “And for those who seek to ad-vance their aims by inducing terror andslaughtering innocents, we say to younow that our spirit is stronger and can-not be broken; you cannot outlast us,and we will defeat you,” he said.

America is a country of doers andrisk-takers; it is an immigrant countrywhere each generation worked hard toprovide for the next, he said.

“For us, they packed up their fewworldly possessions and traveled acrossoceans in search of a new life,” Obamasaid. “For us, they toiled in sweatshopsand settled the West, endured the lashof the whip and plowed the hard earth.

“For us, they fought and died in placeslike Concord and Gettysburg, Normandyand Khe Sahn,” he continued. “Timeand again, these men and womenstruggled and sacrificed and worked tilltheir hands were raw so that we mightlive a better life. They saw America asbigger than the sum of our individualambitions, greater than all the differ-ences of birth or wealth or faction.”

�Obama thanks troops,pledges support followingmeeting with Joint Chiefs

WASHINGTON (AFPS) – In his firstvisit to the Pentagon as commander inchief, President Barack Obama thankedU.S. troops and pledged to provide theresources they need to accomplish theirmissions, Jan. 28.

Obama spoke to reporters after meet-ing with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates todiscuss military readiness, “difficult de-cisions” on Iraq and Afghanistan andother national security threats and ob-jectives.

“I want to first of all thank all of themen and women in uniform who arerepresented here. They are the best thatthis country has to offer,” Obama saidafter he and Vice President Joe Bidenshook hands with a row of troops fromall service branches who lined an E-ringPentagon hallway.

“All of you who are serving in the U.S.armed forces are going to have my fullsupport and one of my duties as presi-dent is going to be to make sure that youhave what you need to accomplish yourmissions,” he said.

Obama said the first point he ad-dressed with the Joint Chiefs – the se-nior-ranking officers of each militaryservice branch – was gratitude for theservice and sacrifice of troops and mili-tary families, who he said were respon-sible for national freedoms that some-times are taken for granted.

He also suggested he would relievesome of the pressure placed on the mili-tary by more evenly distributing respon-sibility among other U.S. governmentelements.

“We have for a long time put enor-mous pressure on our military to carryout a whole set of missions, sometimesnot with the sort of strategic supportand the use of all aspects of Americanpower to make sure that they’re notcarrying the full load,” he said. “Andthat’s something that I spoke to thechiefs about and that I intend to changeas president of the United States.”

�Spokesman calls Aghanistantroop buildup ‘delicate’ endeavor

ASHINGTON (AFPS) – Defense Sec-retary Robert M. Gates is expected topresent the Pentagon’s proposal for aU.S. troop increase in Afghanistan toPresident Barack Obama in the near

future, Pentagon Press Secretary GeoffMorrell said Jan. 29.

“I think everybody’s committed todoing this as quickly and responsibly aspossible,” Morrell told Pentagon report-ers. “In the coming days, the secretaryhopes to present the president with hisrecommendation.”

Gen. David D. McKiernan, who com-mands U.S. forces in Afghanistan as wellas NATO’s International Security Assis-tance Force, has asked his bosses for a30,000-troop increase, which effectivelywould double the U.S. military contin-gent in Afghanistan. Gates and othersenior civilian and military officials at thePentagon have said they believe it is nec-essary to send more troops to Afghani-stan to suppress resurgent Taliban fight-ers and al-Qaida terrorists.

The White House is reviewing U.S.strategy in Iraq and Afghanistan,Morrell said. Any U.S. troop increasefor Afghanistan, he said, needs the ap-proval of the new commander in chief.

Increased violence in Afghanistan andPakistan threatens global security andconstitutes “the central front in our en-during struggle against terrorism,”Obama said during a Jan. 22 visit to theState Department.

Obama also is studying several op-tions presented to him by Pentagon offi-cials for a drawdown of U.S. combattroops from Iraq.

During his Jan. 27 testimony beforethe Senate Armed Services Committee,Gates said if Obama approves the Af-ghanistan troop increase, that most ofthose extra forces could be provided toMcKiernan by midsummer. Gates ismindful of the balancing of risk regard-ing U.S. troop strength in Iraq and Af-ghanistan, Morrell said, noting that theIraq drawdown affects the numbers ofadditional troops available for deploy-ment to Afghanistan.

“It’s a delicate plus-up, because you’vegot to do it commensurate to the infra-structure that exists” in austere Afghani-stan, Morrell said.

tional observers and Coalition elementsfor their concerted efforts in makingtoday’s provincial elections an event ofwhich all Iraqis should be proud and aneffort the world should applaud,” Petraeussaid.

�Officials congratulate Iraqisafter provincial elections

WASHINGTON (AFPS) – Senior mili-tary officials congratulated the Iraqipeople for holding provincial electionsJan. 31, praising the Iraqi and U.S.forces that helped make the electionssafe. More than 14,400 candidates com-peted for 440 seats in 14 of 18 Iraqiprovinces. Though five candidates werereported killed in the campaign leadingup to the polls, there were no reports ofdeaths or major violence on the day of theelections.

Gen. David H. Petraeus, commanderof U.S. Central Command, issued a state-ment Jan. 30 in which he applauded thework of everyone involved in the effort tohave a successful election.

“Congratulations to the Iraqi Govern-ment, the Iraqi Security Forces, the Iraqipeople, the United Nations, the interna-

�Gates cites high demandfor Guard’s domestic mission

WASHINGTON (AFPS) – The NationalGuard must be able to meet its domesticresponsibilities in addition to its opera-tional missions, Defense Secretary Rob-ert M. Gates told the Senate Armed Ser-vices Committee Jan. 27.

“The demand for Guard support of civilauthorities here at home remains high,”Gates said in a statement to the commit-tee.

“For example, the ‘man-days’ thatGuardsmen have spent fighting fires,performing rescue and recovery, and otherduties increased by almost 60 percent in2008 as compared to 2007.”

To compensate, the Defense Depart-ment has “substantially increased” sup-port for the Guard and Reserve, which fordecades had been considered a low prior-ity for equipment, training and readi-ness, the secretary said.

“Today, the standard is that the Guardand reserves receive the same equipmentas the active force,” Gates said. “For (fis-cal) 2009, the base budget request in-cluded $6.9 billion to continue to replaceand repair the National Guard’s equip-ment.”

Gates said the Commission on the Na-tional Guard and Reserve, a panel cre-ated by Congress four years ago, has alsohelped to ensure that both reserve compo-nents are better trained, manned, andequipped for this new era. “We have taken,or are taking, action on more than 80percent of the commission’s recommen-dations,” Gates said.

For example, the panel suggested acombined pay and personnel system to fixproblems that arise when Guard and Re-serve members shift from the reserve paysystem to the active duty system. Gatessaid the Defense Department now islaunching that integrated system.

Shortly after he became the secretaryof defense, Gates implemented mobiliza-tion policies that are more predictableand conducive to unit cohesion. “I havetried to ease, to the extent possible, thestress on our reserve components,” hesaid. “We have provided greater predict-ability as to when a Guard member will bedeployed by establishing a minimum stan-dard of 90 days’ advance notice prior tomobilization. In practice, on average, thenotification time is about 270 days.

“There is no longer a 24-month lifetimelimit on deployment,” he continued, “buteach mobilization of National Guard andReserve troops is now capped at 12months.”

The goal is five years of dwell time forone year deployed.“We have madeprogress towards this goal, but are notthere yet,” Gates acknowledged

Photo courtesy of retired Capt. Douglas Hartman

Early Days of Nebraska AviationMembers of the Fremont, Neb., Signal Corps pose for a photograph in front of their Model D. Curtissairplane sometime in 1913. The airplane, which was the first aircraft of the Nebraska National Guard,was destroyed in an accident in 1914. The Nebraska National Guard Historical Society photographwas recently discovered by retired Capt. Douglas Hartman while he was researching another project.It was the first time that Hartman, who wrote “Nebraska’s Militia: The History of the Army and AirNational Guard (1854-1991,)” had seen the photograph.

Defense Department photo

Pentagon Meeting: President BarackObama addresses the media during hisfirst visit to the Pentagon since becomingcommander-in-chief, Jan. 28. Obama andVice President Joe Biden met with Secre-tary of Defense Robert M. Gates and allthe service chiefs to get their inputs on theway ahead in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Prairie Soldier February 2009 3Photo Story

By Chief Warrant Officer Mark Roland

Unit Public Affairs Representative

Leaping Into Action�New rigger unit final piece of Nebraska puzzle

embers of Detachment 2, 165thQuartermaster Company, leptinto operation, Jan. 24, when

they conducted their first mission insupport of a Nebraska Army NationalGuard airborne operation during a para-chute jump at the Husker Drop Zonenear Mead, Neb.

According to unit officials, theSeward, Neb.-based parachute riggingdetachment is the final piece of thepuzzle to make the Nebraska NationalGuard self-sustaining when it comes toairborne operations.

“Our war-time mission is to deliver120,000 pounds of cargo through 64 footdiameter cargo parachutes, to drop sup-plies to the battlefield…water, ammu-nition, food,” said Sgt.1st Class WilliamVanSetten, detachment readiness ser-geant and Rigger Operations noncom-missioned officer. “The backup (mis-sion) is the personnel side of it. We’llsustain 146 parachutes for personneldrops.”

The detachment, which is part of acompany headquartered in Duluth ,Ga.,began operation last March whenVanSetten became the first member ofthe new organization. The detachmentcurrently stands at 54 percent of itsstrength and is working hard to fill itsranks, said VanSetten.

The unit is scheduled to officiallystand up later this year.

According to VanSetten, the unit ac-tually began supporting airborne op-erations two weeks earlier when it wasscheduled to support a jump at theGreenlief Training Site near Hastings,Neb. That jump was cancelled becauseof the weather.

The detachment is currently respon-sible for providing rigger support toBeatrice’s Troop C (Long Range Surveil-lance,) 1-134th Cavalry, which potentiallyhas 90 paratroopers, and Omaha’s 195thForward Support Company (Special Op-erations) (Airborne) in Omaha, which haspotentially 160 jumpers.

Packing parachutes – which are con-sidered life support systems for para-troopers – is an involved process withmany checks and inspections. Packingbegins with the inspection of the para-chute material on a light table and theinspection of all suspension lines andknots. Riggers then go through a me-ticulous process to fold and secure aparachute into a deployment bag to en-sure that it will open properly during ajump.

“A (Soldier) coming out of RiggerSchool – by the book – takes 52 minutesto pack a parachute. With about twoyears of experience they can get it downto six to 10 minutes,” said VanSetten

At the military occupational skills(MOS) school, Soldiers not only learnhow to properly pack a parachute, theyare also required to jump with the para-chute they pack as part of their finaltesting.

“A parachute rigger is the only MOSin the Army that being airborne is partof your MOS,” said VanSetten. “Youhave to go to jump school before you goto Rigger School, for your own jumpproficiency as well as your confidence inyour own packing.

“Anything you pack, you jump,” headded. “When you’re in the school envi-ronment, it’s new to you. It does makeyou kind of nervous, but it does instill inyou the spirit to do things right.”

For Spc. Waylon Lippold, a recentgraduate of the Rigger School who has

been packing parachutes for two weeksat the Det. 2, 165th QM Co., the firstjump with a parachute he packed was anervous event.

“There are a lot of details learning topack a parachute. A lot of small detailsyou have to remember; a step-by-stepprocess,” Lippold said.

“You go through a couple of weekslearning how to pack (a parachute) andyou jump with the first one…there isalways that ‘What did I forget?’ in yourhead. Then you jump out and it was thebest opening I’ve ever had. It was agreat experience,” he said.

The weather for the riggerdetachment’s first support mission wasthe coldest jump many of the Soldiershad ever made. The ground tempera-ture was 1 degree with a six-knot wind,but the conditions were perfect for ajump.

“When the air is cold, the parachutefalls the slowest, the air is the densest,”VanSetten said. “And this is the first

M

time these parachutes have beenjumped. They’re brand new and that’swhen the canopy has the most porositydensity. So everyone had a very-verysoft landing… almost a stand up land-ing.”

With the in-state parachute riggingcompany the Nebraska National Guardairborne operations are a lot easier tologistically coordinate. Prior to the Det.2, 165th QM Co., standing up, para-chutes had to be delivered by quarter-master units out of Fort Bragg, N.C.

According to Sgt. 1st Class EdwardWhitehill, readiness sergeant forOmaha’s 195th FSC (Special Opera-tions) (Airborne,) the support providedby rigger unit was a key component tothe success of the unit’s weekend jumpoperations.

“Their support was a critical piece towhat was required,” Whitehill said. “Ican’t say enough about the 165th. Theyjumped through hoops to meet our needsand our timelines.”

Careful Eye: Sgt 1st Class William VanSetten, Detachment 2, 165th QuartermasterCompany, rigger operations nonommissioned officer-in-charge, supervises Spc. WaylonLippold as he pulls suspension lines through stow loops. All steps of the foldingoperations are carefully supervised and inspected to ensure the parachutes, considereda life support system for airborne Soldiers, work properly.

Photos by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Mark Roland

Keeping the LinesStraight: Spc. WaylonLippold, parachute riggerfor Detachment 2, 165thQuartermaster Company,carefully lays out the anti-inversion net at the bottomof the parachute before hebegins the folding process.

Into the Great Wide Open:Airborne Soldiers jump into aclear morning sky over theHusker Drop Zone near Mead,Neb. on a cold morning, Jan.24. The jump was the firstoperation that members ofSeward’s Detachment 2,165th Quartermaster Com-pany, provided parachutes forsince standing up as a newunit. The jump included Sol-diers from the Nebraska andUtah National Guard as wellas active duty Soldiers fromthe U.S. Army Special Op-erations Command based atFort Bragg, N.C.

Billowing Business: Spc. Waylon Lippold, a parachute rigger with Seward’s Detachment 2, 165thQuartermaster Company, starts the parachute folding process by carefully aligning each panel of thecanopy and lining up each radial seam on long tables.

Inspections: Spc. Waylon Lippold, a parachute rigger with Seward’sDetachment 2, 165th Quartermaster Company, inspects the airchannel of the T10-D personnel parachute. The air channel, formedby the radial seams of the parachute canopy, allows the air to flowthrough to properly open the parachute from the top down.


TBy Maj. Kevin HynesEditor

‘Pike’s’ return helps grow bonds between veterans, current Soldiers

he ‘Pike’ is back.The ‘Pike’ – or rather

the ‘Pike Patch’ – is thedistinctive unit emblem of the67th Infantry Brigade.

Featuring a white, spear-likedevice that was used by infan-trymen in the Middle Ages, thepike patch was worn by Ne-braska Army National GuardSoldiers assigned to the state’sprimary Army combat organi-zation from the time it was or-ganized in 1963 until the pointthat the brigade became part of35th Infantry Division in 1984.

With the activation ofNebraska’s new 67th Battle-field Surveillance Brigade lastSeptember from the 67th AreaSupport Group, the patch hasreappeared on Nebraska Sol-diers’ shoulders from Omahaand Nebraska City to Lincoln,Beatrice, Fremont andHastings for the first time intwo decades.

According to the Soldiers whofirst wore the patch years ago,it’s a sight for sore eyes.

“Obviously, something thatleaves and comes back is meantto be,” said 1st Sgt. TimothyGreiner, the senior noncommis-sioned officer for HeadquartersCompany, 67th BfSB, who firstwore the patch as a 17-year-oldprivate when he joined the 67thInfantry Bde.’s operations sec-tion as a radio operator.

According to Greiner, whorecently returned to the bri-gade and became the headquar-ters company’s first sergeantduring an assumption of respon-sibility ceremony Jan. 10, whenthe brigade transferred to the35th Infantry Div., it was hard

on everyone within theorganization to lose thedistinctive patch.

“It was really hardfor us to see the patchgo away. A lot of usmoved out of the unitwhen it happened,” hesaid.

One of those Soldierswho experienced thatchange was retiredCommand Sgt. Maj.Donald Lintz, whoserved as a member ofthe 2-134th Infantryand the 67th InfantryBrigade headquartersstaff .

Lintz, who would goon to become the statecommand sergeantmajor, said it feels goodto see the ‘Pike’ back onthe shoulders of Ne-braska troops.

“It really makes youfeel proud,” said Lintz,as he watched a groupof 67th BfSB Headquartersmingle about on the “Spirit of1776” armory drill floor shortlyafter Greiner assumed the firstsergeant mantle.

Above the Soldiers stood afreshly painted ‘Pike Patch’symbol that had been placedthere as part of the 67th’s tran-sition to its new mission. “Youfeel like you’re part of the orga-nization again when you seethe patch up there.”

Lintz said he believes manyof the 67th Infantry Bde. veter-ans felt like they were losing adear friend when the patch wentaway in 1984 and again whenthe brigade was deactivated inthe late 1990s as part of thestate’s transition away from acombat-exclusive force struc-

ture.Those feelings have resur-

faced with the reintroductionof the patch.

“We were proud of it then,”said Lintz. “When we lost thebrigade, when we lost the col-ors… I was at that ceremony. Itwas kind of like losing an oldfriend.”

“Now that it’s back, you feelproud of the brigade again,”Lintz added.

Greiner said he understandsthose feelings.

“There’s an old saying, ‘Letit go,’” said Greiner. “The stateof Nebraska let the brigade goto switch to the ASG. Theydidn’t want to at the time be-cause it took a lot of positionsout of the state of Nebraska.

They didn’t want to let it go, butthey had to.”

“Look at it today – it cameback,” he added. “In my mind,that means that it was meantto be in Nebraska. It was meantto be the 67th Brigade.”

Even the younger membersof the organization – Soldierswho have joined the organiza-tion long after the changes –say they understand at leastpartially what the reintroduc-tion of the ‘Pike Patch’ meansfor Nebraska.

“It means a lot to me,” saidStaff Sgt. Jerod Ideus, who re-cently joined the brigade head-quarters as a training sergeantafter having spent much of hismilitary career assigned to the1-167th Cavalry. “When I firstread about the history of thatpatch, it means strength.There’s a lot of honor in it, too.”

“I look at all these pictureson the walls in this buildingand you see all of these older

gentlemen wearing that patch,”Ideus said. “Now, we’ve finallygot it back.”

Ideus said he and other Sol-diers now understand that theyhave a bond with earlier gen-erations of Nebraska Soldiersthat they didn’t realize before.

He added that he would likethe brigade’s younger Soldiers– those who don’t already knowabout the history of the patchand the brigade – to be told thehistory of the organizationthey’re entering when they re-ceive their patch.

“Once you start reading someof the stuff they did back in the60s… that’s cool,” said Ideus.

“I think that most (of the67th BfSB Soldiers) know, butthere are some that need to.When they come in and receivetheir patch, their section ser-geants need to put it on theirshoulders and say, ‘This is whatit means to be in this organiza-tion and to wear this patch.’”

TBy Sgt. 1st Class Bob Harpst734th Transportation Battalion

Transportation battalionheadquarters cited forwork during Iraq mission

he Nebraska Army NationalGuard’s Kearney-based 734thTransportation Battalion was

honored for meritorious service during itsdeployment to Iraq when it was presentedwith the Meritorious Unit Commenda-tion during a ceremony at the NationalGuard armory in Kearney, Jan. 10.

During its August 2006 – August2007 deployment to Iraq, the battalionheadquarters and its subordinate unitscompleted 1,415 convoy security mis-sions while traveling 2.4 million milesover the most dangerous roads in theworld. They also experienced 754 com-bat related incidents.

According to the organization’s com-mendation citation, “Headquarters andHeadquarters Detachment, 734thTransportation Battalion, and its sub-ordinate units displayed exceptionallymeritorious service in support of Opera-tion Iraqi Freedom. The battalion dis-tinguished itself by providing timelyand responsive convoy security through-out the theater during intense combatoperations.”

“One of the largest transportationbattalions in Multi-National Corps Iraq,the unit included active Army and ArmyNational Guard companies as well asUnited States Navy electronic warfareaugmentees. The unit’s extraordinaryexecution of its convoy security missiongreatly aided Coalition Forces in pro-moting economic and domestic securityfor the Iraqi people. Headquarters andHeadquarters Detachment, 734th

Transportation Battalion’s outstandingperformance of duty is in keeping withthe finest traditions of military serviceand reflects distinct credit upon theunit, the 13th Sustainment Commandand the United States Army.”

The Meritorious Unit Commendationis awarded by the Secretary of the Armyto units “for exceptionally meritoriousconduct in the performance of outstand-ing service for at least six continuousmonths of military operations againstan armed enemy.”

Subordinate units under the 734thTransportation Battalion also awardedthe Meritorious Unit Commendationwere Company B, 1-16th Infantry; Bat-tery D, 1-5th Field Artillery, both fromFort Riley, Kan; 259th Engineers of theArizona National Guard; 755th Chemi-cal Company of the Nebraska ArmyNational Guard; and augmentees fromthe United States Navy Electronic War-fare Detachment.

General receives second star


imothy J. Kadavy, Nebraskaadjutant general, received hissecond star Feb. 13 when Gov.

Dave Heineman officially pinned therank of major general onto the Omahanative.

During the same ceremony Kadavywas promoted to the permanent rank ofbrigadier general. According to NationalGuard Bureau policy, adjutant generalsare allowed to wear the rank insigniaone above their permanent rank untilthey attain the rank of permanent majorgeneral.

Assisting Heineman in pinning thetwo-star rank on Kadavy’s uniform wereKadavy’s wife, Laurie, and son Peter.Kadavy’s other son, Seth, is a member ofthe Corps of Cadets at Virginia TechUniversity and was not able to attendthe ceremony.

As the adjutant general for Nebraska,Kadavy serves as the senior officer of theNebraska Army and Air National Guardand the director of the Nebraska Emer-gency Management Agency. He hasserved as the adjutant general sinceNov. 3, 2007, when he succeeded retiredLt. Gen. (Neb.) Roger P. Lempke.

According to Heineman, he was ex-traordinarily honored to participate inthe promotion ceremony.

“As a West Point graduate, I knowwhat this means,” said Heineman. “I amjust extraordinarily pleased with the jobthat General Kadavy has done as theadjutant general for our state.”

“We had a great leader in GeneralLempke and now we have a terrific leaderin General Kadavy. We’ve been very,very fortunate in our state to have thatkind of leadership in the Nebraska Na-tional Guard and that’s why the Ne-braska National Guard is so well re-

spected,” said Heineman.According to Kadavy, he appreciates

the opportunity to serve as the adjutantgeneral for Nebraska, adding that healso appreciates all the work that theNebraska National Guard and NebraskaEmergency Management Agency haveaccomplished in the 15 months since heassumed the post.

“You just all make it extremely easyto be the adjutant general because youcare so much about your nation andyou care so much about your state,”Kadavy told members of the NebraskaMilitary Department that attended theceremony, “whether it’s preparing unitsor Soldiers and Airmen to support theGlobal War on Terrorism, whether it’sresponding to a tornado in Kearney asyou did last May, or it’s helping otherstates out such as we’ve done withforest fires in California, or in a matterof three days pulling together 1,000Soldiers and Airmen to go down andhelp citizens in Louisiana.”

“I can’t say enough about how proudand how appreciative I am of what youdo each and every day,” Kadavy added.

Photo by David Nore

Honoring Iraqi Service: Chief WarrantOfficer 2 Todd Wagner places the Merito-rious Unit Citation streamer on the colorsof the 734th Transportation Battalion dur-ing a Jan. 10 ceremony in Kearney, Neb.

Photo by David Nore

New Stars: Timothy J. Kadavy (center)receives his new stars from his wife,Laurie, and Governor Dave Heinemanduring a Feb. 13 ceremony at theGovernor’s Hearing Room in Lincoln.

Standing Tall: Members of Headquartersand Headquarters Company, 67th Battle-field Surveillance Brigade, stand in forma-tion at the “Spirit of 1776” armory in Lincolnas their new ‘Pike’ emblem looks down onthem from a nearby wall.

Photos by Maj. Kevin Hynes

Back To The Start: 1st Sgt. Timothy Greiner accepts the colors ofHeadquarters and Headquarters Company, 67th Battlefield Surveil-lance Brigade, during an assumption of responsibility ceremony Jan.10, in Lincoln. Greiner started his military career in HHC, 67th InfantryBrigade, an organization that eventually became the 67th BfSB.

Prairie Soldier February 2009 5

“The first helicopter is only carrying thebags. The Soldiers are about 10 minutesbehind.”

Loved ones - especially children - werenot deterred, however, and continued tofile outside to ensure they were the first towelcome their Soldier home.

Marge Payer, the wife of CommandSgt. Maj. John Payer, and her daughterJill, 13, were among those who were wait-ing anxiously for their Soldiers’ return.

“It’s a reunion back with your husbandand it’s a beautiful thing,” she said. “Justhappy to be back together again.”

“We’ll be able to see him every day,”added Jill. “He’ll be home for Christmas.”

According to Payer, her family markedthe days of the deployment by creating aconstruction paper chain with each linksignifying a day that their Soldier wasgone. Payer said she had the honor ofadding the last link to the chain to markthe last day of separation.

Sixteen members of the Nebraska ArmyNational Guard, code named “TeamDragon,” were mobilized for duty in De-cember 2007 under the command of Col.Kevin Neumann. The Soldiers came froma variety of units from across Nebraska tocreate the Afghan National Army Embed-ded Training Team (ANA-ETT) and wereresponsible for providing trainingmentorship to members of the newly form-ing Afghan National Army and AfghanNational Police Force.

Among those who gathered at the Ne-braska Guard air base to welcome TeamDragon home was Janelle Marr, whosehusband is Capt. Drew Marr. Janelle,who stood with her two children, C.J.,eight, and Kenzie, five, likened herhusband’s return to starting anew.

“I hate to sound hokey, but it’s like thefirst day of the rest of our lives,” saidJanelle. “It’s like a new beginning.”

C.J., who sported a shirt proclaiming,“Warning! My Dad is home and I will runyou over to get to him,” was ready to haveanother male in the family again. Withouthis father there, in public, “I have to go inthe girl’s bathroom,” said C.J.

Kenzie quickly ticked off the thingsthat she missed doing with her dad themost: “Going to the water park with himin the summer and jumping on the tram-poline.” She added that as soon as she sawher dad she was going to go at him like a“flying monkey” and give him a tight,tight hug.

Moments passed until once again the“thump, thump, thump” sounds of anapproaching helicopter were heard. Thistime there was no doubt it was the Sol-diers.

The lumbering Chinook landed androlled to its parking spot, nearly blowingover some of the smaller guests with itsrotor wash. With the rear cargo door fac-ing the crowd, it slowly lowered to thedelighted cheers of family, friends andguests.

After what must have felt like an eter-nity to family and friends, the 16 Soldiersfiled out of the Chinook, shook the handsof distinguished guests and then quicklyfound their families and friends for a longoverdue welcome home.

After Command Sgt. Maj. John Payerreunited with his family, the excitementof what this day meant was palpable. “It’sreal important,” said Payer. “The familiesall out here to see us…that’s what makesus tick when we’re over there.”

“Coming home to them is a truly spe-cial moment for all of us,” Payer added.

Capt. Drew Marr echoed Payer’s com-ments, adding: “This day means every-thing. We all came home…that’s the im-portant part. We’re all here.”

Kenzie Marr had said she was going togive her father a “monkey hug” and shewas able to accomplish her mission.

“I got a huge ‘monkey hug,’” said Marr.“It was wonderful. You just can’t beat it.”

Following the family reunions, a for-mal ceremony was held to officially wel-come the members of Team Dragon home.Among those who spoke was Brig. Gen.Timothy Kadavy, Nebraska adjutant gen-eral, who thanked the Soldiers for theirservice.

While working with the Afghan Na-tional Army and Afghan National PoliceForces, “you made a tremendous impacton their professionalism and their abilityto lead their country into the future,” saidKadavy.

Neumann, commander of “TeamDragon,” addressed the crowd with wordsof thanks to the Soldiers and hope for thefuture in Afghanistan.

“Words can’t express how thankful weare that we all made it back together andin one piece,” said Neumann. “Our mis-sion is complete and I am confident wehave left Afghanistan a more secure andbetter place than it was when we arrived.”

As Neumann’s last order of business,he called upon six-year-old Katie Chan-dler, daughter of Maj. Vernon and LisaChandler, to sing the Army Song, just asshe had a year earlier when “TeamDragon” deployed.

Then, with the year-long deploymentbehind them, “Team Dragon” stood atattention as Command Sgt. Maj. JohnPayer took charge and bellowed the wordsthat they and their families had so longedto hear: “Team Dragon, dismissed.”

Young girl singsspecial song towelcome father,Soldiers home

“F irst to fight for the right andto build the Nation’s might”is definitely not a part of

any normal lullaby.But when you’re the daughter of a

Soldier, lullabies are a bit different.Six-year-old Katie Chandler has of-

ten drifted off to sleep to the lyrics of theArmy Song sung by her father, Maj.Vernon Chandler, who is the executiveofficer for the state Recruiting and Re-tention Command. By the time Katiewas three years old, she knew the songby heart.

“Proud of all we have done, fightingtill the battle’s won,” is a definitely poi-gnant line of the song considering theyear the Chandlersrecently endured.

Major Chandlerwas one of 16 Ne-braska Army Na-tional Guard Sol-diers who made up“Team Dragon,”which deployed toAfghanistan in De-cember 2007 to as-sist in the on-goingAfghan NationalArmy EmbeddedTraining Team(ANA-ETT) effort.

During a De-cember 2007 send-off for her father and his fellow Soldiers,Katie, then only five years old, volun-teered to sing the Army Song. Katie saidshe wanted to sing “for my daddy and allthe Soldiers.”

During Chandler’s deployment Katiecontinued to practice, mostly by singingalong with her favorite country singer,Taylor Swift. “She has her Taylor SwiftCD in the truck and she bellows it out inthe back seat,” said Chandler. “Sheknows all the words to every song.”

Although she had Taylor Swift tokeep her busy during the day, Katiemissed her father’s lullabies at night.

“When he was gone, sometimes shewould ask me to sing the Army Song, theNational Anthem and any other patri-otic song I could think of before she wentto bed,” said Lisa Chandler, Katie’smother.

After a long year, Chandler’s deploy-ment was near its end and Katie wasasked if she would once again sing theArmy Song to welcome the Soldiers homeduring a ceremony in Lincoln. Shequickly said yes.

As the Dec. 11 welcome home cer-emony drew to a close, Col. KevinNeumann, commander of Team Dragon,called on Katie to sing the Army Song asshe had done prior to their deployment.Katie stood in front of the Soldiers, theirfamilies and other distinguished guestsand belted out the Army Song, with herfather at her side.

“I’m extremely proud of her,” saidChandler. “She wanted to do it. She’salways been patriotic without any spur-ring from either one of us. She’s alwaysbeen very supportive, even at such ayoung age…she loves Soldiers.”

Katie’s version of the Army Song hasgained her quite a bit of notoriety. OtherSoldiers have expressed their apprecia-tion to Chandler. Katie can even be seenon the internet.

“Part of it is on YouTube,” said Chan-dler. It turns out one of the PatriotGuard riders put a video on YouTubethat includes a little snippet of Katiesinging, he said.

With her father home from his de-ployment, the patriotic lullabies are sureto resume.

“And the Army Goes Rolling Along.”


Photo by David Nore

Lifting Her Voice:Six-year-old KatieChandler sings theArmy Song while herfather, Maj. VeronChandler, watches.

TEAM DRAGONcontinued from page 1.

Photo by David Nore


A Year In The Making: Five-year-old Kenzie Marr gets a welcome home kiss from herfather Capt. Drew Marr after he returned home Dec. 11 from a year-long deploymentto Afghanistan where he helped train the new Afghan National Army and police force.

Let The Celebration Begin: A crowd of friends and family members break into loud cheers as a Nebraska Army National GuardCH-47 “Chinook” helicopter carrying members of “Team Dragon” lands at the Nebraska National Guard air base in Lincoln, Neb.,Dec. 11. The Soldiers carried by the helicopter were returning to Nebraska and a reunion with their families and friends after servingfor a year in Afghanistan.


By Capt. Andrew J. NelsonStaff Writer

A

Nebraska Army NationalGuard truck drivers preparefor next overseas mission

scene repeated manytimes during the pastdecade occurred again

Feb. 7 at the Penterman Armoryin Lincoln.

Soldiers walking around car-rying brown folders labeled “de-ployment file.” Others sitting inrows of chairs chatting with eachother or talking on cellularphones, waiting for an openingat desks under signs labeled, “fi-nance,” “chaplain” and “educa-tional services” to be asked abouttheir health, their families, theirinsurance.

About 140 Soldiers of the1195th Transportation Companyfrom Kearney, Lexington andMcCook went through SoldierReadiness Processing – SRP – onFeb. 6-7 at the National Guardair base in Lincoln. The unit isexpected to deploy to Iraq laterthis year.

It’s the second time the unithas been mobilized for an Iraq-related mission. About 70 per-cent of the 1195th’s Soldiers havebeen deployed before.

It’s easier for those experi-enced Soldiers to go through SRPand other pre-mobilization train-ing, said Sgt. 1st Class MartinMisener, the 1195th’s readinesssergeant. They know it’s impor-tant, but also routine and some-thing that needs to be done.

“They won’t be lollygaggingaround,” Misener said. “They’llget right on the training tasks.”

The Soldiers who have de-ployed are “really adamant abouttraining the people who haven’t,”Misener said, and “making surethey are prepared to go.”

Younger Soldiers might getfrustrated with waiting duringSRP, Misener said, but the vet-erans are there to tell them it has

only begun. Waiting is a way oflife during mobilization and dur-ing war. In theater, the Soldierswill find themselves waiting allthe time for any number of things:To pick cargo up, to drive througha gate, for the Xbox to arrive.

“You go 100 mph and thenyou’ll wait some more,” he said.

One of the Soldiers passing onhis experience to greener troopsis Sgt. Christian Norseen of ru-ral Loup City. The 26-year-oldtruck driver deployed with theunit to Kuwait in March 2004,back when it was the CompanyB, 735th Main Support Battal-ion.

“They ask me what it’s likeand I tell them the best that Ican,” he said. “But you can’t re-ally explain it until you experi-ence it.”

Pfc. Ashley Nanfito, 20, ofKearney is one of those who willsoon begin her first deployment.She said the veterans freely sharepointers on things like convoysecurity and battle drills.

“Most of my friends say it isnot that bad,” she said. “You getused to daily life. It goes byquicker than you think.”

The first time the unit de-ployed, Norseen had only a fewweeks notice. This time, he andthe rest of the unit’s membershad more than a year.

“It’s a lot easier,” he said. “Butat the same time it weighs onyour mind… Before, you didn’thave to think about it and worryabout it.”

The 1195th is expected tomobilize in April, going first toCamp Roberts, Calif., beforemoving to Fort Stewart, Ga., said1st Lt. Jessica Hoelting, the1195th’s executive officer. Afterthat, the Soldiers expect to go toIraq with a mission of providingsecurity for convoys; they shouldreturn to Nebraska after about ayear.


N

Nebraska’s military families to receiveadditional support through newly created‘Yellow Ribbon Reintegration’ program

ebraska NationalGuard families nowhave another resource

to assist them throughout theentire deployment cycle.

Called the Yellow RibbonReintegration Program, it isdesigned to augment the cur-rent family program by host-ing informational events andactivities, while also provid-ing referrals and communityoutreach services to Guards-men and their families.

“The goals are buildingready, resilient families andsupporting them throughoutthe deployment cycle,” saidJeanne Felker, Nebraska Yel-low Ribbon coordinator. Work-ing along with Felker are LisaChandler, Tiffany Albanezand Alisia LaMay, all YellowRibbon support staff.

Felker knows firsthand theissues a family goes throughduring a deployment. Her hus-band, Command Sgt. MajMark Felker, has been de-ployed twice.

“Helping other people helpsme. I enjoy working with mili-tary families… because I un-derstand what families gothrough,” said Felker. “I havea passion for getting out thereand letting our military fami-lies know there are resourcesavailable to help them build abridge over deployment.”

Chandler, who also knowswhat families go through dur-ing a deployment, echoedFelker’s comments.

“I just want to serve the

families and the Soldiers,” saidChandler. “I am a militaryspouse and that is where myheart is.”

“It’s about serving the fami-lies and the Soldiers,” sheadded.

The Yellow Ribbon programis designed to be a “proactiveinformation conduit” for fami-lies throughout the deploymentcycle, according to Felker.

During pre-deployment, pro-gram specialists will help pre-pare service members and fami-lies for the rigors of militaryservice while helping increasethe family’s resilience.

Once the service member hasdeployed, Yellow Ribbon activi-ties and events will focus onresource awareness and skillbuilding opportunities; thisknowledge enables families tobetter cope with the challengesand stresses associated withseparation. Felker said in ad-dition to the existing FamilyProgram activities and pro-grams that support familiesduring deployment, Yellow Rib-bon events will be made avail-able at 30 to 60 days after theservice member has mobilizedand then again at 30 to 60 daysprior to homecoming.

When the service memberreturns from deployment, theYellow Ribbon program eventsfocus on reconnecting the ser-vice member with the familyand community, while assist-ing with reintegration into ci-vilian life.

The Yellow Ribbon Programhas been instituted to ensureboth families and Soldiers areaware of all the resources avail-

able to them.According to Chandler, the

resources available to Soldiersand their families is an everexpanding list. She said a fewexamples of what the YellowRibbon program provides areinformation, services, referraland proactive outreach to Sol-diers, spouses, employers andyouth.

“It’s about going a little fur-ther into it than the initialmobilization and the tradi-tional reunion,” said Felker.

According to Felker, theYellow Ribbon program helpsgive service members peace ofmind while they are deployed.

“Knowing there are re-sources available for your fam-ily allows the service memberto focus on the mission,” shesaid.

“A Soldier who knows thattheir family is being well takencare of is a more effective Sol-dier,” said Chandler. “If wecan be there to put their mindat ease knowing that theirfamily has resources backhere, they can do their dutyand their mission.”

Felker said she feels fortu-nate to work in a state likeNebraska where a strong Fam-ily Program exists and com-munities are so supportive ofmilitary members and theirfamilies.

“I feel that the inception ofthe Yellow Ribbon Program isboth the National Guard andthe Department of theDefense’s way of recognizingthe sacrifices that our GuardFamilies make in the name offreedom,” said Felker.

Tie A Yellow Ribbon

Wii-habilitationWii-habilitationWii-habilitationWii-habilitationWii-habilitationGuard donation to be used by hospital to study popular gaming system’s use in rehab program

OBy Tech. Sgt. Alex SalmonStaff Photojournalist

ne of the most popular home gam-ing systems around today mayhave found an application for

Soldiers and Airmen who have sufferedinjuries requiring intensive rehabilitation.

On Feb. 13, the Nebraska NationalGuard presented Madonna Rehabilita-tion Hospital in Lincoln, Neb., with acheck for $4,000 earmarked to purchaseNintendo Wii Fit systems to enableground-breaking research into the ap-plication of the popular video game sys-tem as an in-home physical rehabilita-tion tool.

“We have expensive equipment in therehab hospital,” said Marsha Lommel,president and chief executive officer forMadonna. “But when people go home theydon’t have access to that equipment.”

Along with civilian patients, Madonnaserves Soldiers and Airmen from Ne-braska and Iowa who have injuries re-quiring rehabilitation. The story of onesuch Soldier brought the attention ofNebraska Sen. Ben Nelson to Madonna.Nelson and Maj. Gen. Robert Bailey,deputy adjutant general for the state ofNebraska, met with the leaders of Ma-donna and discussed ways the NebraskaNational Guard could help.

After discussion between Madonna andthe Nebraska National Guard, the deci-

sion was made to donate the money spe-cifically for the Wii systems. The moneycomes from an earlier $15,000 donation tothe Nebraska National Guard from Tri-West Healthcare Alliance.

“They had this idea of using the Wiisystem and doing some research to see ifthose can be used by people that were

receiving care,” said Bailey.According to Madonna’s proposal for

the distribution of donated funds, twoWii systems will be purchased. The firstsystem will be deployed in the day roomfor therapeutic use by outpatients. Whilepatients wait between therapy sessions,they will be encouraged to use the Wii

systems to practice skills while havingsome fun. Data will then be collected onthe benefits of the Wii.

The second Wii Fit system, and theremainder of the money, will be usedspecifically for research purposes withinMadonna’s Institute for RehabilitationScience and Engineering. The research-ers will explore necessary adaptationsto the pressure and motion sensor con-trollers to ensure usability for disabledpatients and incorporate the data into aresearch study on the usefulness of theWii Fit system for clients recoveringfrom injuries.

Madonna is on the cutting-edge withresearch on the use of the Wii Fit systemin rehabilitation and officials hope thedonation by the Nebraska NationalGuard will lead to future grants to ex-pand their research for home use of theWii Fit in rehabilitation.

“We know of no one who is doing thekind of research we are doing in our gaitand motion lab to look at the physiologi-cal effects of using the Wii,” said Lommel.

The union between Madonna and theNebraska National Guard aims to pro-vide injured Soldiers and Airmen withthe best care possible.

“It means a lot to me,” said Lommel.“They deserve the very best care.”

“We formed a great partnership,” saidBailey. “All of us are looking for ways thatwe can contribute to the health care… forour returning warriors.”


Wii-search: Judith Burnfield, Ph.D. P.T., director of the Institute for RehabilitationScience and Engineering at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, Neb., demon-strates a muscle and skeletal rehabilitation research tool on Command Sgt. Maj.Richard Birch, state command sergeant major. The Nebraska National Guard donated$4,000 to Madonna to assist in research on the possible benefits of the Nintendo WiiFit system for home use by rehabilitation patients.


Going, going, going...Photos by Senior Master Sgt. Lee Straube

INSPECTIONS continued from page 1.

Photos by Tech. Sgt. Alex Salmon

The National Guard air base in Lincoln, Neb., said goodbye to a 50-year-old icon when the base water tower was taken down in late January and early February. The towerwas removed by Spiral Solutions of Omaha, Neb., from Jan. 27 - Feb. 9. The motto, ‘Your Very Best’ was painted on the tower after one of the workers heard Col. Rick EvansIII use those words to describe his expectations of the 155th Air Refueling Wing during its operational readiness inspection. The tower thus served its final days as a moralebooster for the members of the Air Guard unit participating in the inspection. The tower was removed to make way for additional construction projects on the base.

our reputation is well-de-served,” said Evans.

He added that “the Air Force’srefocus on the nuclear missionmade this perhaps the highest-visibility of the two inspections.”

On the conventional side, theinspector general indicated thatthe 155th ARW is “an extremelymotivated combat-ready wingwith strong leadership.”

“That statement says a lotabout the quality of our peopleand how they perform underpressure,” said Evans.

Evans added that “it was mostimpressive to see that the 155thARW was rated ‘Satisfactory’ orhigher in every major graded areaand sub-area on both inspections.This is a clear indication that thewing was up to the inspectionchallenge and is also mission-ready across the board.”

The late January inspectionswere the first time the 155thARW received back-to-backnuclear and conventional inspec-tions since it converted to theKC-135R Stratotanker missionin the mid-1990s.

The unit’s last conventionalORI was in April 1996 when ap-proximately 370 Nebraska AirGuardsmen deployed to the Com-bat Readiness Training Centerin Gulfport, Miss.

In 1996 the unit was pairedwith the 121st ARW fromRickenbacker Air NationalGuard Base, Ohio, a partnershipthat was renewed for this year’sORI.

Evans said working with the121st ARW again was beneficial“because we were very familiarwith our primary partner.”

Both the 155th ARW and121st ARW started their inspec-tions on Jan. 21 when teams ofAMC inspectors arrived at bothbases to conduct the nuclear ORI.

For the 155th ARW, this wasthe unit’s third nuclear inspec-tion since converting to the KC-135, and first since November2002.

According to an Air ForceNews Service article, “the inspec-tion tests every aspect of a wing’snuclear surety program… thisincludes the examination of ev-erything and everyone, fromcharacter and abilities to safeweapons handling, accountabil-ity, management and adminis-tration.”

Both the Nebraska and Ohiounits both received passinggrades on the nuclear surety in-spection, results that attractedattention at the highest level ofthe Air National Guard.

“I am extremely pleased withthe results of these inspections,”said Lt. Gen. Bud Wyatt, direc-tor of the Air National Guard.“The skill and dedication dis-played by our Airmen at the 121stand 155th Air Refueling Wings

reflect the professionalism ourentire Air National Guard teamdemonstrates every day.”

“Supporting the Air Forcenuclear enterprise is just one ofthe important missions the AirGuard is committed to fulfilling,”he said. “These inspec-tions validate the capa-bility of the Air Guard toexecute our nation’s mostcritical missions.”

After the nuclear in-spections were complete,the 155th and 121stARWs joined up atGulfport CRTC for thecombined ORI, starting onJan 25.

During the ORI, the155th ARW was inspectedin many different areas,starting with the its abil-ity to respond to a contin-gency deployment taskingby deploying people, cargo andaircraft to a simulated forwardoperating base.

At the forward base the 155thARW joined up with the 121stARW and members from the AirForce Reserve’s 88th Aerial PortSquadron and 459th LogisticsReadiness Squadron to form the902nd Air Expeditionary Wing.

Together, members of the902nd AEW prepared to defendthe base against attacks whilesupporting 24-hour contingencyflying operations. 155th ARWmembers were mostly assignedto the night shift, while the 121stARW covered the day shift.

The units were then testedwith a variety of simulatedground and air attacks and otherdisasters. Evaluations centeredon the unit’s ability to surviveattacks and then recover the baseso that it could continue operat-ing tankers in support of combatoperations.

The final phase consisted oftearing down the base and safelyredeploying all personnel, cargoand airplanes back to Lincolnwithin 48 hours.

The 155th ARW deployed atotal of 312 people and approxi-

mately 53 tons of cargo toGulfport, Miss. This was theunit’s second largest deploymentever, following only the 1996 ORIdeployment.

According to Evans, it wasextremely important for the unitto do well during the inspections.

“It’s one thing to assess your-self and your organization andthink you’re on the right track,”he said. “It’s more valuable tohave an outside party come in,assess you against establishedstandards and tell you that you’reon the right track.”

“That’s exactly the feedbackwe received from the AMC IGteam,” Evans said.

Evans said the inspectorswere particularly impressed withthe Nebraska Guardsmen’s atti-tude throughout the inspections.

“I think the IG team chief’scomments told us what’s impor-tant: ‘Wing personnel werehighly motivated and well pre-pared for these inspections… the155th ARW is clearly a combat-ready wing who’s ready to meetany mission tasking.’”

Evans said along with receiv-ing passing grades, the 155thARW also takes away a clearer

understanding of how to best sup-port assigned missions under dif-ficult conditions.

“We were told that the IGteam’s mission is ‘to improvereadiness and capabilitiesthrough inspections.’” Evanssaid.

“There is absolutely no doubtthat the 155th is a better organi-zation due to going through theinspection process.”

Evans noted that the intenseinspection preparations wereextremely valuable in two ways.

First, he said, “solid prepara-tion resulted in the wing passingboth inspections.”

“Secondly, and more impor-tantly, our combat readiness hasincreased. Our members are nowmore familiar with everythingthey need to do to safely deployand effectively operate in a de-manding wartime environment.”

“The challenge now is to main-tain our skills at a high level,”added Evans.

Evans also noted that “itclearly takes a team effort to suc-ceed in any big endeavor andthat was the case during theseinspections.”

In fact, he added, the IG teamchief highlighted “superb team-work” as strength within thewing. “It took all 900 members ofthe wing working together to suc-ceed and the IG team validatedthat our teamwork is solid acrossthe board,” said Evans.

The 155th doesn’t have muchtime to enjoy its inspection suc-cess. The unit will now undergo athree-day Environmental, Safetyand Occupational Health Com-pliance Assessment Manage-ment Program evaluation,known as an ESOHCAMP, inmid-March.

Carrying The Load: A memberof the 155th Air Refueling Wingmoves luggage after arriving inGulfport, Miss. for the operationalreadiness inspection.

What’s The Plan?: (From left) Col. Adam Dabrowski, Col. Richard Evans, Lt. Col. Carl Tesch and Col.Keith Schell form a plan of action after “bugging out” of their work center in response to a simulated attackduring the 155th Air Refueling Wing’s operational readiness inspection in January at Gulfport, Miss.

Sand-bagger: Master Sgt. Scott Spadyhelps move sandbags to fortify buildingsduring the 155th Air Refueling Wing’soperational teadiness inspection inGulfport, Miss., in January.

This Is My Rifle! Tech. Sgt. Mark Groves gets training on clearing aweapon from Tech Sgt. David Schmidt during the operational readi-ness inspection. Members of the 155th Air Refueling Wing weretested on their ability to deploy and function in a combat scenario.


See NCO HISTORY on 9.

�Today’s NCOs share history ofservice, leadership stretching backto earliest days of United States

Striped HistorStriped HistorStriped HistorStriped HistorStriped Historyyyyy

(Editor’s Note: The follow-ing was taken from the Depart-ment of the Army’s Year of theNCO Website at www4.army.mil/yearofthenco)

Revolutionary War & EarlyUnited States (1775-1840)

The history of the AmericanNoncommissioned Officer (NCO)began in 1775 with the birth ofthe U.S. Army.

The U.S. NCO did not copy theBritish. He, like the U.S. Armyitself, blendedtraditions ofthe French,British andP r u s s i a narmies into au n i q u e l yAmerican institution.

As the years progressed, theAmerican political system, dis-dain for the aristocracy, socialattitudes, and the vast westwardexpanses further removed theU.S. NCO from his Europeancounterparts and created a trulyAmerican NCO.

During the early years of theAmerican Revolution, little stan-dardization of NCO duties or re-sponsibilities existed.

In 1778, during the long, hardwinter at Valley Forge, InspectorGeneral Friedrich von Steubenstandardized NCO duties andresponsibilities in his Regulationsfor the Order and Discipline ofthe Troops of the United States.

Among other things, thiswork set down the duties andresponsibilities for corporals,sergeants, first sergeants, quar-termaster sergeants, and ser-geants major, which were theNCO ranks of the period. It alsoemphasized the importance ofselecting quality Soldiers forNCO positions.

The development of a strongNCO Corps helped sustain theContinental Army through se-vere hardships to final victory.

From the American Revolu-tion to World War II, the non-commissioned of-ficer received hispromotion from theregimental com-mander.

Entire careerswere often spentwithin one regi-ment. If a man wastransferred fromone regiment to thenext he did not takehis rank with him.Without perma-nent promotions ofindividuals, stripesstayed with theregiment.

In 1821 the firstreference to non-commissioned of-ficer chevrons wasmade by the WarDepartment.

A General Orderdirected that ser-geants major and quartermastersergeants wear a worsted chev-ron on each arm above the elbow;sergeants and senior musicians,one on each arm below the elbow;and corporals, one on the rightarm above the elbow.

The chevron went through aseries of changes between 1840and 1860. In 1847 the chevronwas worn in the inverted “V.” A

few years later it was turnedpoint down in the “V.” Epauletsonly were worn with the dressuniform.

Chevrons remained pointdown until a new uniform regu-lation in 1902 again placed thepoint up, where it remains.

In 1825, the first attempt wasmade to establish a systematicmethod for noncommissioned of-ficer selection.

The appointment of regimen-tal and company NCOs remained

the preroga-tive of theregimentalcommander.

Regimen-tal command-ers were ex-

pected to accept the companycommander’s recommendationsfor company NCOs unless therewere overriding considerations.

In 1832, Congress added tothe ranks of noncommissionedofficers, creating the ordnancesergeant. This was a specializedposition, with the duties center-ing on receiving and preservingthe ordnance, arms, ammunition,and other military stores of thepost to which he was assigned.

In 1840, an effort was made togive the NCO Corps greater pres-tige by adopting a distinctivesword. The model 1840 NCOsword remains the sword of theNCO Corps and is still used onspecial ceremonial occasions.

Civil & Indian Wars(1861-1885)

During the Civil War, non-commissioned officers led thelines of skirmishers, which pre-ceded a regiment. Noncommis-sioned officers also carried thenational and regimental colorsof their units. This deadly taskwas crucial to maintaining regi-mental alignment and aidingcommanders in locating units onthe battlefield.

The Indian Wars between1861 and 1885 usually consistedof numerous scattered skir-

mishes over wideareas. This type ofwar led to the fur-ther enhancementof an NCO’s role asa small-unitleader.

Often fightingin small detach-ments, troops re-lied heavily on theknowledge andabilities of theirNCOs.

In 1885, the firstretirement systemwas established forenlisted men. Thesystem allowed aman to retire after30 years of servicewith 75 percent ofhis active duty payand allowances.

Advances intechnology during

the last half of the 19th Centurygreatly affected the NCO Corps.The Army was forced to competewith industry for technical work-ers. In 1908, Congress approveda pay bill, which rewarded thosein technical fields in order tomaintain their services.

A master electrician in theCoast Artillery made $75-$84 permonth, while an infantry ser-

geant major earned $25-$34 permonth. The infantry sergeantmajor made about the same as asergeant in the Signal Corps ($34-$43 per month).

Early 20th Century(1902-1909)

The duties of the noncommis-sioned officer were further de-fined during the early 20th Cen-tury. The five or six pages ofinstructions that von Steuben’sRegulations had provided in 1778grew to 417 pages when the Non-commissioned Officers Manualwas written in 1909, reflectingthe greater complexity and bu-reaucratization of a modernarmy.

In 1902, the chevron wasturned to what we would todaycall point up. It also was greatlyreduced in size. Though manystories exist as to why thechevron’s direction was changed,the most realistic is that it lookedbetter. Clothing had becomemore form-fitting; indeed, theten-inch chevron of the 1880swould have wrapped completelyaround the sleeve of a 1902 uni-form.

Post-World War I & theInterwar Years (1930-1948)

Since the Army had given littlethought to raising a wartimecadre of NCOs during World WarI, it had to default to its tradi-tional method in which officersidentified potential NCOs in theranks.

Training for these men aftertheir selection was completelyon-the-job. While this practiceworked well in the small Regular

Army and the Na-tional Guard whereofficers had suffi-cient time to knowtheir men, it couldnot work as well inthe press of orga-nizing, training,and deploying newunits, particularlywhen so many ofthe junior officershad themselvesonly recently re-ceived their com-missions.

Thus, manyunits suffered frominadequate NCOleadership untilc o m m a n d e r slearned how toidentify men whowould perform wellor Soldiers demon-strated a talent forleadership on thebattlefield.

After World WarI, Congress reorga-

nized the NCO ranks. Five NCOranks were established: mastersergeant, technical sergeant,staff sergeant, sergeant and cor-poral. First sergeant became aposition comparable in rank tothe technical sergeant.

There were 231 vocationalskills that could add $3 to $35 tothe Soldier’s monthly pay.

During the late 1930s, techni-cians were created in enlistedgrades three, four and five (NCOranks of corporal, sergeant andstaff sergeant).

To distinguish techniciansfrom NCOs, the former had a “T”placed in the center of their chev-rons.

The Army introduced this sys-tem in order to provide morepromotion opportunities for tech-nical personnel. This system alsoprotected the prestige of NCOranks because technicians couldnot hold leadership positions. In1948, the technician ranks werediscontinued, but they would besucceeded by the specialist ranksin 1955.

World War II (1949-1959)The Army’s experience with

NCOs during World War II wasmuch like its experience duringWorld War I.

One important difference wasthat while NCO training wasstill on-the-job, many wartimeunits had a lengthy period oftraining in the United States be-fore deploying overseas, givingmany new NCOs invaluable lead-ership experience. On the otherhand, many units spent muchmore time in combat than dur-

ing the earlier war.Casualties and other losses

forced commanders to watch forpotential new NCOs among theirmen, and these men usually hadonly their natural leadership tal-ent and combat experience toguide them once promoted.

The creation of the Women’sArmy Corps during World WarII led to women in the NCO ranksfor the first time.

In 1945, Congress passed leg-islation entitling enlisted menwith at least 20 years of service,and not more than 29, to be placedon the retired list. They there-upon drew 2.5 percent of theiraverage pay for the six monthspreceding retirement, multipliedby the number of years of activeservice. These men remained inthe reserve until completion of30 years of service.

In the immediate post-WorldWar II era, the service for thefirst time began a systematic ef-fort to improve the training ofNCOs. The Army developed acareer guidance plan for eachstage of an NCO’s career.

Across the Army, major com-mands established schools toprovide Soldiers with the train-ing needed to perform effectivelyin NCO leadership positions.

Leading the way in this fieldwas the postwar constabulary inoccupied Germany. The sensi-tive and decentralized nature ofthe constabulary’s operationsrequired the highest caliber ofNCOs.

On Dec. 17, 1949, the firstclass enrolled in the 2nd Con-stabulary Brigade’s NCO school.Two years later, the school be-came the Seventh Army Non-commissioned Officers Academy.In 1959, Headquarters, Depart-ment of the Army, establishedthe first Army-wide standardsfor NCO academies.

In addition to NCO academies,the Army encouraged enlistedmen to advance their educationby other means. By 1952, theArmy had developed the ArmyEducation Program to allow Sol-diers to attain credits for aca-demic education. This programprovided a number of ways forthe enlisted man to attain a highschool or college diploma.Korean War & Pre-Vietnam

Era (1951-1970)During the Korean War, the

massive expansion of the activeArmy combined with decisionsnot to keep draftees and mobi-lized reserve component Soldierson active duty for the durationcreated serious personnel turbu-lence.

On The Border: Cpl. But-ler Miltonberger poses fora photo on the U.S.-Mexicoborder sometime in 1916.Miltonberger would go onto command the 134th In-fantry Regiment duringWorld War II and becomethe first National GuardBureau chief from Ne-braska (1946-47.)

National Guard heritage painting by Keith Rocco

From Cornrows To Hedgerows: Members of the Nebraska National Guard’s 134th Infantry Regimentfight through the hedgerows of Normandy, France, during the pivotal battle of St. Lo in July 1944. Theregiment would experience heavy casualties during the battle, causing many Nebraska sergeants to takeon high levels of responsibility.

Nebraska National GuardHistorical Society photo

Nebraska National Guard Historical Society photo

Civil War Service: 1st Sgt. Joseph W. Johnson,Company A, 1st Nebraska Veteran VolunteerCavalry, from Plattsmouth, Neb., poses for aphotograph in 1865. Hundreds of NebraskaSoldiers like Johnson would serve in the CivilWar, fighting primarily in the Western Theater ofOperations.


NCO HISTORY continued from page 8.By late 1951, many NCO posi-

tions were filled by enlisted menwith less than two years of ser-vice; this situation would onlyworsen as the war continued.Some of these men did reveal anatural talent for their duties,but while most were diligent, theylacked the expertise provided bylengthy experience and extensivetraining.

The Army recognized from thestart of the war that a partialmobilization would fail to meetthe demand for NCOs. BasicTraining Centers conductedeight-week leadership trainingprograms for promising recruits,and branch schools ran similarprograms.

However, not enough drafteesvolunteered for the programs —indeed, by 1953, draftees werebeing involuntarily ordered toleadership courses — and mostgraduates lacked experience asleaders since they went directlyoverseas after the course.

Another effort to address theshortage of squad leaders was aneight-week course at the Infan-try School for selected graduatesof the leadership courses at basictraining installations, designedto produce infantry squad lead-ers for units overseas. This pro-gram, however, did not begin untilthe summer of 1953.

Many units established theirown leadership training pro-grams. These courses and pro-grams varied in length and effec-tiveness depending on the con-cerns of the commanders whoestablished them and the qualityof the instructors assigned tothem.

Generally, commanders spokehighly of these programs andsome saw them as the only thingpreventing the collapse of enlisted

leadership intheir units.

In 1958, twogrades wereadded to theNCO ranks. Se-nior leaders ex-pected thatthese grades, E-8 (master ser-geant) and E-9(sergeant ma-jor), would pro-vide for a betterdelineation ofresponsibilitiesin the enlisted structure. Theyalso hoped that additional gradeswould help in obtaining and re-taining good NCOs.

At this point the NCO rankswere corporal, sergeant, staff ser-geant, sergeant first class, mas-ter sergeant, and sergeant ma-jor. In 1960, Elvis Presley waspromoted to sergeant while serv-ing with the 3rd Armored Divi-sion in Germany.

In 1963 a comprehensive studyof recruit training showed thatthe quality of NCO instructors atArmy training centers was farbelow that found in the otherservices.

In response, the Secretary ofthe Army established a pilot drillsergeant course.

This course would provideNCOs who, for the first time inthe history of the Army, wereformally prepared to conduct re-cruit training.

The success of the pilot courseresulted in the adoption of thedrill sergeant concept at all basictraining installations in the Armyand the establishment of the U.S.Army Drill Sergeant School.

The program initially was lim-ited to male Soldiers, but in 1972six NCOs from the Women’s

Army Corps became the first fe-male students at the drill ser-geant program.

Sept. 11, 2001 to PresentDay (2001-Present)

On Sept. 11, 2001, membersof the al-Qaeda terrorist networkattacked the World Trade Cen-ter and the Pentagon; these actsplunged the United States into awar with Islamic fundamental-ists. Seeking to destroy one ha-ven for the terrorists, the UnitedStates launched attacks on Af-ghanistan.

Afghanistan’s government, aradical Islamic fundamentalistgroup known as the Taliban,openly supported the terroristal-Qaeda organization.

They wrongly assumed thattheir landlocked country was im-penetrable to attack.

In October 2001 the first in-sertion of Special Forces teamsinto Afghanistan occurred.Within hours, these teamsstarted assisting the NorthernAlliance, an ally of the UnitedStates, and directed air strikesagainst Taliban positions. In thepassing days, the teams split intothree-man sub-teams to cover agreater area.

As the collapse of the Taliban

began, the North-ern Alliance ap-proached the keynorthern city ofMazar-e Sharif.

By Nov. 5, theSpecial Forces unitsand their NorthernAlliance allies hadreadied their as-sault on Mazar-eSharif. At a key po-sition in the defenseof the city TangiGap, the Talibanand their foreign al-

lies massed for a determinedfight. However, Special Forcescalled in devastating air strikes.These air strikes allowed theNorthern Alliance to charge for-ward with horses, foot Soldiers,and troops mounted in trucks tocrush the Taliban and foreignforces with ease.

The Taliban and al-Qaedaforces reeled in defeat. On Nov.13, 2001, Kabul, the capital, fellto the Northern Alliance. Theremnants of the Taliban and al-Qaeda forces fled the country orsought refuge in the mountains.

After crushing the Taliban inAfghanistan, the United Statesturned its attention to the unre-solved issue of Iraq. In preparingfor the second war against Iraq,the United States formed a coa-lition with Britain, Spain and anumber of other nations.

In the opening months of2003, the 3rd Infantry Divisiondeployed to Kuwait in prepara-tion for the invasion of Iraq.After months of preparation onMarch 19, 2003, the UnitedStates plunged into war againstIraq with devastating airstrikes.

On the next day, the 3rd In-fantry Division and the Marine

Expeditionary Force streamedacross the border and capturedthe Iraqi oilfields in Rumaila.By the 22nd, the 3rd InfantryDivision crossed the EuphratesRiver streaming northward.

In the days that followed,the Iraqis crumbled withoutmajor resistance and the op-eration slowed due to highwinds and dust storms. In Najafand Nasiriya, Iraqi forces foundit impossible to match Ameri-can Soldiers training and prepa-ration in the use of firepowerand technology.

Following the defeat of theIraqi army, a guerrilla war en-sued. Insurgent forces adoptedthe car bomb as a major meansof inflicting carnage.

As the insurrection contin-ued, militia groups took controlof many areas and the situa-tion in Iraq deteriorated.

In early 2007, the U.S. re-sponded, with a “surge” oftroops, to purge all militia andinsurgent groups from Baghdadand other key areas in Iraq. Bythe end of 2008, this effortproved successful and the situ-ation in Iraq stabilized.

Today, NCOs lead theirtroops in combat in both Iraqand Afghanistan. These NCOscontinue the history and tradi-tions of those who went beforethem.

They retain the duties andresponsibilities given to themduring the American Revolu-tion and the role as a small unitleader received on the WesternPlains.

They are leaders that trainand prepare their Soldiers forcombat as they did in WorldWar I, World War II, Korea,Vietnam and Desert Storm andthroughout America’s history.

the noncommissioned officercorps who trained and mentoredme throughout the year.”

According to Command Sgt.Maj. Richard Burch, state com-mand sergeant major for theNebraska Army NationalGuard, Nebraska is planning touse the year-long observance tofocus attention on the incred-ible work and contributions thatNebraska’s NCOs are makingon a daily basis, both at homeand abroad. He said it’s a long-overdue opportunity.

“For years and years the slo-gan has always been that NCOsare the backbone of the Army,”said Burch, Feb. 2. “Officers areultimately responsible for whathappens in a unit. They are thecommanders that lead units, orthe platoon leaders that leadthe platoons or the section lead-ers that lead the sections.”

“But within that commandstructure is the NCO supportchannel, which basically has twomain functions – that’s missionaccomplishment and takingcare of the Soldiers,” Burch said.“So it’s important that we rec-ognize the value that NCOsbring to the operational mis-sion as well as the sustainmentof our units. The NCO is who weexpect to ‘take care of the day-to-day business’ so our officerscan focus on command respons-iblities.”

According to Burch, the yearwill include both formal recog-nition events as well as a num-ber of informal ones.

For example, he said, two ofthe Nebraska Army National

Guard’s major subordinate com-mands – the 67th BattlefieldSurveillance Brigade and the92nd Troop Command – will hostat least two NCO induction cer-emonies this year. NCOs will alsobe recognized during a number ofother state events and localevents, including the upcomingBest Warrior Competition to beheld at Camp Ashland in March.

Burch said the state’s NCOswill also have increased opportu-nities to participate in of civicoutreach events to heightenawareness in the civilian com-munities about the changing rolesand responsibilities that ser-geants play in today’s military.

Burch said his overall goal forthe observance is a better under-standing – both within the Ne-braska Military Department andthe entire state of Nebraska – ofwhat NCOs bring to the Guardand the Army as a whole.

“It gives us the opportunity toaddress the many facets of theNCO’s job,” Burch said.

“Accomplishment of the mis-sion has probably been broughtto light significantly more duringthe Global War on Terrorism be-cause we’ve got (sergeants, staffsergeants and sergeants firstclass) out there doing such thingsas serving as convoy command-ers.”

Burch said he recently talkedwith retired Brig. Gen. JimMurphy about the responsibili-ties that today’s Guard NCOshave. Burch said he askedMurphy if past leaders would’veever had a staff sergeant serve asa convoy commander as staff ser-

geants now commonly do in Iraq.“He agreed that back in his

day, that would’ve been unheardof,” said Burch. “But we rely onthem more now because we knowthat our NCOs are better pre-pared than ever before (and)they’re more professional thanever before.”

“Particularly in the Guard andReserve, they have so much moreto bring to the table than theirmilitary training,” Burch said,adding that many sergeants arecarpenters, electricians, com-puter technicians or communityand business leaders in their ci-vilian lives. “It probably makesthem better adaptive to dealingwith situations they might runinto in a war-time environment.”

According to Pete Geren, sec-retary of the Army, the year-longrecognition will give leadersthroughout the Army the oppor-tunity to educate the Americanpublic about what an incrediblejob NCOs are doing.

“We have many things thatwe want to accomplish,” saidGeren. “One is to just recognizethe contributions that our NCOsmake – past and present – andrecognize them for internal andexternal audiences. We want toinform the country, inform theCongress and also inform youngpeople about what NCOs do forour Army and help them betterunderstand what an exciting op-portunity and a career the choiceof being an NCO in the UnitedStates Army is.”

(Editor’s Note: Army NewsService contributed to this ar-ticle.)

NCOS continued from page 1.

Photo by Maj. Kevin Hynes

Leading The Way: Staff Sgt. Nicholas Province listens to instruc-tions as he and other members of the Nebraska Army NationalGuard’s Afghan Agribusiness Development Training Team con-duct a training exercise at Camp Ashland in May. Sergeants likeProvince now perform a wide array of leadership roles in today’sArmy National Guard that would have been unimaginable just adecade earlier.

“The goal of the corps of NCOs, whose dutyis the day-to-day business of running theArmy so that the officer corps has time tocommand it, is to continue to improve ourArmy at every turn. We want to leave theArmy better than we found it. Regardless ofthe kind of unit you’re in, it ought to be an‘elite’ outfit because its NCOs can make itone.” — Sgt. Maj. of the Army William G. Bainbridge

Fifth Sergeant Major of the Army


HENG continued from page 1.

Guard.”Heng was born on Nov. 4, 1937, in

Nebraska City, Neb., and grew up on hisfamily farm. He graduated from Ne-braska City High School in 1955 andreceived his bachelor of Arts degree inHuman Relations from Doane College,Crete, Neb., in 1987.

He entered military service on Jan.23, 1956, when he enlisted in the U.S.Army. He was assigned to Fort Chaffee,Ark., and Fort Banks, Mass., as a per-sonnel specialist. He was honorably dis-charged from active duty in November1957 and joined the Nebraska ArmyNational Guard in March 1958 and wasassigned to the 2nd Battle Group, 134thInfantry, in Nebraska City, Neb., at-taining the rank of platoon sergeant.

Heng began his full-time employmentwith the Nebraska National Guard inJune 1960, serving in various capacitiesincluding administrative supply tech-nician, staff training assistant, depart-ment adjutant and secretary to the gen-eral staff.

Commissioned in May 1964, Hengwas assigned as assistant communica-tions officer, Headquarters and Head-quarters Battery, 168th Field ArtilleryGroup. He became commander, Head-quarters and Headquarters Battery,168th Field Artillery, in March 1966. InMarch 1968 he was transferred to Head-quarters and Headquarters Detachmentand assigned as headquarters adjutant.He was assigned as company com-mander, Company C, 2-134th Infantry,in April 1974.

In May 1975 Heng was reassigned toHeadquarters and Headquarters De-tachment as race relations and equalopportunity officer. He was assigned asassistant director of administration inOctober 1979.

In May 1980 he was assigned as com-mander, Headquarters, Command andControl. He was assigned the post ofsecretary to the general staff, Head-quarters, State Area Command in March1983. In October 1986 he became com-mandant, Nebraska National GuardMilitary Academy. He was appointedadjutant general of the Nebraska Na-tional Guard in June 1987.

Heng was buried with full militaryhonors on Jan. 17 in Lincoln, Neb.

According to Maj. Gen. Raymond Rees,the adjutant general of Oregon who be-came an adjutant general the same yearas Heng and worked with the late generalin various capacities, Heng was respectednation-wide.

“I had the great good fortune to workwith Stan Heng as an adjutant general,as a senior official at the National GuardBureau and as a close personal friend,”said Rees, who served as acting NationalGuard Bureau chief several times duringHeng’s tenure in Nebraska. “His genuineconcern for Soldiers and Airmen and hisstrong belief in the National Guard

marked his outstanding leadership instate and national matters.”

“He worked diligently through thehard times of the post-Desert Storm erato preserve the effectiveness of the Ne-braska National Guard. He had the vi-sion and courage to take bold steps todramatically alter troop structure of longstanding so that it would fit the needs ofthe Nebraska for the 21st Century,” Reessaid.

While serving as adjutant general,Heng was confronted with a number ofissues that would ultimately affect thevery nature of the Nebraska NationalGuard.

In the early 1990s, following DesertShield/Desert Storm and subsequent De-fense Department decisions to downsizethe American military (including theNational Guard,) Heng, like many Na-tional Guard leaders across the UnitedStates, was faced with difficult decisions.Chief among these issues was how tomake the Guard viable for the 21st Cen-tury in an era where even the very needfor a National Guard was being calledinto question.

“Long before transformation became aprinciple in vogue in the United Statesmilitary, General Heng recognized andprovided Nebraska and the nation withthe type of force that was useful andrelevant,” said retired Maj. Gen. WalterZink, who served under Heng in variouscapacities during the late general’s stintas adjutant general.

One of several major decisions wasmade in May 1992 when the NebraskaAir Guard was tapped to convert from theRF-4C Phantom II aerial reconnaissancemission to the KC-135R Stratotankeraerial refueling mission.

“The decision to transition from theRF-4C to the KC-135R was very tough,but in the end it was the best decisionpossible for the Nebraska Air NationalGuard,” said Maj. Gen. Robert Bailey,deputy adjutant for Nebraska.

That decision would result in a neworganization – the 155th Air RefuelingWing – which has since served in everymajor American operation including thebombing campaigns of Bosnia, Kosovoand Serbia, Operation Noble Eagle in theUnited States, and Operations EnduringFreedom and Iraqi Freedom overseas. Itwould also result in a building boom at theNational Guard air base in Lincoln, add-ing $58 million in new construction andrehabilitation of the base’s aging facilitiesto meet the new mission’s needs.

“General Heng had a unique ability tosee the big picture and he clearly took thelong view,” said Bailey. “Today we have along-term, secure mission which contrib-utes daily to the U.S. Air Force mission.More people are involved in the missionand we can immediately see Nebraska’simportant contribution to the defense ofAmerica.”

“Today’s fighter units, across the na-

tion, are searching for future missions.We have General Heng and the past lead-ers of the unit to thank for providingstability all these years... and well intothe future,” Bailey said. “He also taughtus to never rest on what is comfortable...toalways be looking for opportunity andmissions, to insure the viability of theNebraska Air National Guard well intothe future.”

For the Army Guard, perhaps the larg-est single decision Heng made affectedthe 67th Infantry Brigade. The brigadetraced its heritage back to the earliestdays of the Nebraska militia through theAmerican Civil War, Plains Indian Wars,the Spanish American War and WorldWar I to World War II where the 134thInfantry Regiment earned numerous lau-rels during the bloody fighting at St. Lo,France, and in the Ardennes Forest dur-ing the Battle of the Bulge.

Following Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield, the Army commissioned astudy and found that it needed additionalcombat service support units, primarilyin the transportation and logistical fields.

In December 1997, after the state hadalready deactivated the 2-134th Infantryand the 1-168th Field Artillery Battal-ions, Heng announced that the NebraskaArmy National Guard would voluntarilyparticipate in Phase I of the Army Na-tional Guard’s Division Redesign Studyby transforming the 67th Infantry Bde.into an area support group.

The Guard’s Division Redesign Studyhad been conducted to develop alterna-tive uses of the Army Guard combat unitsto enhance the Guard’s relevance to theNational Military Strategy.

At the time the decision affected over1,500 state Soldiers, or roughly 40 per-cent of the Nebraska Army Guard, mostof whom were serving in combat armsspecialties.

“Our proposal gives us a chance to getin the front row… to be on line to receive

more units with more relevance to theneeds of the Army,” said Heng at the timeof the 1997 decision.

The decision, while painful, offeredmany different positive aspects. At thetime, nearly 95 percent of Nebraska ArmyGuard units were closed to female mem-bership because of the combat exclusionrule. By changing from a combat-centricforce to a combat service support mission,a new generation of women to join theGuard and receive a wide array benefits incommunities that had been closed to thembefore.

Additionally, the decision allowed theaffected units to receive new, more mod-ern equipment while also receiving morefederal funding for training. Ultimately,that decision would bring a variety of newlogistical and transportation units to theCornhusker state, many of which were thefirst Nebraska Army National Guard unitsto deploy into Iraq following the start ofOperation Iraqi Freedom in March 2003.

According to Kadavy, Heng’s vision,timely decisions and true caring for theSoldiers and Airmen of the Nebraska Na-tional Guard have had a long-lasting im-pact on the Nebraska Military Depart-ment.

“During his career General Heng madea tremendous positive effect on the lives ofthousands of Soldiers and Airmen throughhis leadership, character and compassion,”Kadavy said during the Jan. 17 funeral.“He was a genuine compassionate leader.It’s who he was each and every day.”

Kadavy said the decisions Heng madeduring his 13-year tenure as adjutant gen-eral helped place the Nebraska NationalGuard into a position that has allowed it toserve exceptionally well during the cur-rent, on-going conflict.

“His decisions brought relevant mis-sions and structures and as a result ourstate and nation are well-served.”

“General Heng will surely be missed,but he will never be forgotten.”

Late general’s family remembershim simply as ‘Dad,’ ‘Grandpa’By Maj. Kevin HynesEditor

F or many Nebraska Soldiers andAirmen, he was known as “Gen-eral Heng.”

To a few, however, he was simplyknown as either “Dad” or “Grandpa.”

For both groups, however, it was easyto see that the late Lt. Gen. Stanley M.Heng’s family meant more to him thanmere words could ever fully say.

According to Mark Heng, who servedas the family spokesperson followingthe late general’s funeral Jan. 17 inLincoln, Neb., he will always rememberhis father as a lovingly committed hus-band and father.

“My father loved his wife,” Heng said.“He was a good man. He was graciousand caring. He really loved his childrenand grandchildren.”

“Dad was always there whenever weneed something,” Heng added. “He lovedus unconditionally.”

Lt. Gen. (Neb.) Stanley Heng servedin the military for 45 years, the last 13of which as the adjutant general of theNebraska National Guard and direc-tor of the Nebraska Emergency Man-agement Agency.

A few days before his retirement onDec. 2, 2000, Heng spoke briefly aboutthe philosophy he carried with himthroughout his time in the militaryand the debt of gratitude that he owedhis wife, Sharon, for all of the sacri-fices she made along the way.

“She was a Soldier,” said Heng in2000, adding that over the course ofhis 45-year military career his wifehad spent more than 1,000 weekendsat home on her own. “We are a veryclose family and I honestly don’t thinkthat I cheated them because they werealways at the top of my list of priori-ties.”

According to Sharon Heng, thegeneral’s wife since October 1959, she

never felt cheated by the times thecouple was apart because of militaryresponsibilities. “I never saw it as asacrifice,” she said in a December 2000Prairie Soldier article. “When we gotmarried, Stan was already in the Na-tional Guard, so I knew what I wasgetting into. I knew that he was prob-ably going to make a career out of it, soI just accepted that part of our lives.”

“Also, knowing that he was doingwork in the Guard was much easier todeal with than if he had been off play-ing golf or something like that,” shesaid.

Making things easier was an agree-ment the two made early on that Gen-eral Heng would always try to comehome at night if at all possible.

“It really wasn’t as hard as it mightsound,” she said. “In all those years, Idon’t think there was ever a time thatStan missed one of our kids’ athleticevents or dance recitals.”

Mark Heng said he and his brotherand sister always appreciated thattheir father was always there for them.

“He was just always there,” he said,adding that he also appreciated thecommitment his father had made tohis home state.

“I know he loved the state of Ne-braska,” Heng said. “He loved Ne-braska and he loved serving the stateof Nebraska.”

“I think what I’ll miss probably themost is the way he treated my mother,”Heng added.

That commitment to family and ser-vice wasn’t lost on others, either. Ac-cording to Maj. Gen. Raymond Rees,the adjutant general of Oregon whowas appointed TAG the same year asHeng, he and his wife developed astrong friendship with Stan and SharonHeng over the years.

“Stan and Sharon were a greatteam,” said Rees. “Their wit, loyaltyand dedication made them an exampleto all.”

Nebraska National Guard photo

All Smiles: Nebraska’s Adjutant General: Maj. Gen. Stanley Heng smiles as he talkson a radio in this undated photo. Heng was remembered as a general who loved visitingwith his Soldiers and Airmen during field training exercises.

Heng Memorial



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‘He was the heart and soul ofthe Nebraska National Guard’

Former adjutant general rememberedfor his vision, concern for Guardsmenhe “heart and soul of the

Nebraska NationalGuard” was laid to rest

Jan. 17 when more than 400family members, friends,former comrades and currentGuardsmen gathered at the“Spirit of 1776” armory in Lin-coln, Neb., to honor the late Lt.Gen. (Neb.) Stanley M. Heng,former adjutant general forNebraska.

“Leaders come in many dif-ferent forms and it’s easy to saythat General Stanley M. Hengwas the right leader for theNebraska National Guard,”said retired Maj. Gen. WalterZink II, one of several formercolleagues who spoke aboutHeng during the funeral ser-vices. “But saying that doesn’treally do justice to GeneralHeng’s leadership qualities.”

“When he became adjutantgeneral of the Nebraska Na-tional Guard, he assessed whatthe organization needed andapplied the leadership prin-ciples and qualities to make himthe right person to lead theNebraska Guard,” said Zink.

According to those who knewand worked with Heng early inhis career, it was always evi-dent that the Guard officer wasdestined for bigger and betterthings.

“I first met Lieutenant Hengthe very first year that I cameto Nebraska,” said retired Maj.Gen. John Ramey, former com-mander of the 35th InfantryDivision. “It was at CampAshland as an instructor forthe (Officer Candidate School)class. Lieutenant Heng was ourcommittee chairman, so he wasin charge of the rest of us. Itdidn’t take you very long to lookat him and to see that this guywas destined to go much higherin the ranks.”

“It was also a time that Iestablished a friendship withhim that was everlasting andnever waivered,” Ramey said.“General Heng was a peopleperson. He would never askanyone to do anything that hewould not do himself. GeneralHeng mentored me and sup-

ported me all theway through mymilitary careerand obviously,without his sup-port, I would havenever progressedto the levels that Idid.”

Another one ofthose who metHeng at CampAshland and devel-oped a lifelongfriendship withhim was retiredBrig. Gen. JamesMurphy, former assistant ad-jutant general, Army, for theNebraska National Guard whonow serves as the civilian as-sistant to the Secretary of theArmy. According to Murphy,he too feels fortunate to havebeen mentored by Heng as ayoung lieutenant.

“I moved here from ChevyChase, Md., and didn’t know aperson in the state of Ne-braska,” said Murphy.

“I hooked up with these twogentlemen (Heng and Ramey)…that was the best move I evermade.”

Murphy said he and Hengwould often talk about issuesranging from leadership tech-niques to Army procedures dur-ing their time at Camp Ashland.Heng, Murphy said, was alwaysprepared with an answer, of-ten pulling a manual out of hismeticulously cared-for uniformthat had the answer they werelooking for.

“The Army has had a fewslogans over there years.‘There’s Strong and then there’sArmy Strong,’ or ‘Be an Armyof One.’ The best one that Ithought summed up Stan Hengwas, ‘Be All that You Can Be,’”Murphy said. “This will alwaysremind me of Stan.”

“I value all of the hours thatI spent with him at CampAshland,” he said. “The legacythat General Heng continuedwas the importance of educa-tion and working with the

troops to get that extra 10 per-cent… be it knowledge, be itleadership or training.”

There were also some lightermoments, said Murphy.

“We as staff were typical lieu-tenants. I remember many ses-sions where we spent manymoments talking about wherewe were going to go next. Wefigured that we were going to becaptains for life,” said Murphy.“Later, Stan and I used to laughabout that, ‘This might be as faras we go.’”

According to Zink, probablythe biggest key to Heng’s lead-ership success was his genuineinterest in his Soldiers and Air-men.

“What is indelibly etched inmy mind is General Heng’s un-conditional love of the Soldiers.He thrived in the field or on thebase with his Soldiers and hisAirmen,” said Zink. “And theyall knew it.”

“Whenever General Hengwas with his troops, there wasalways a chemistry that youcould almost touch. And becauseof the example that he set, hegrew an outstanding group ofleaders, both (noncommissionedofficers) and officers,” said Zink.“Just through his example hementored junior leaders on ac-cepting hard assignments andchallenging themselves andtheir subordinates to performto the highest standards.”

Along with being a greatmotivational leader, Heng was

also a committed family man,said Ramey, who added thatthe late general seemed to al-ways be interested in how thefamilies of his Guardsmen weredoing.

“General Heng was an out-standing Soldier and leader, buthe was also a very compassion-ate person,” Ramey said. “Hewas concerned about hisfamily’s wellbeing as well asyour own relatives.”

“I had many meetings withhim over the years as we wentthrough the levels of command– some good and some not sogood,” Ramey added. “But, ev-ery meeting that we had al-ways started out with, ‘How’syour family?’ He was genuinelyconcerned. He wanted to knowhow your family was.”

And the Soldiers knew thatcompassion and interest wasreal, said Zink.

“General Heng was first andforemost a family man,” saidZink. “With his wife Sharon,they were proud of their chil-dren and grandchildren. Andhe took great delight in askingabout the families of his troops.It was commonplace to see himin the field visiting with a youngSoldier or Airman about a newmarriage or a new baby or justasking how college was going.”

“Soldiers and Airmen knowwhen a leader is going throughthe motions. And each of Gen-eral Heng’s troops knew thathis interests were genuine,” headded. “If you look in the dictio-nary for the definition of Ne-braska National Guardsman,you would see a picture of Ma-jor General Stanley Heng.”

According to retired Com-mand Sgt. Maj. Tom Shunk,Heng’s last appointed statecommand sergeant major, theenlisted force knew and trustedthat Heng had their best inter-ests at heart.

“General Heng realized thatSoldiers’ families were just asimportant to the success of theNational Guard as new units or

updated equipment,” saidShunk, adding that Heng al-ways took in account the effectsupon Soldiers’ families andemployers before he made amajor decision.

“He encouraged the enlistedmembers to lead,” Shunk said,adding that Heng understoodthe skills that many enlistedSoldiers and Airmen broughtto the organization. “GeneralHeng also encouraged Soldiersto seek out new skills and at-tend schools needed to enhancetheir potential.”

Brig. Gen. Tim Kadavy, cur-rent adjutant general for Ne-braska, said that dedication hasindeed had a lasting impact,giving the Nebraska NationalGuard the skills, expertise andmoral compass it has needed totackle the on-going challengesof the Global War on Terror-ism.

“During his career GeneralHeng made a tremendous posi-tive affect on the lives of thou-sands of Soldiers and Airmenthrough his leadership, charac-ter and compassion,” saidKadavy. “He was a genuine,compassionate leader… it’s whohe was each and every day.”

“Additionally, he was theheart and soul of the NebraskaNational Guard during those13 years,” he added, saying thatthe decisions he made have hadlong-lasting impact throughoutthe Nebraska Army and AirNational Guard.

Zink agreed, saying thatHeng’s legacy continues on to-day.

“As the Nebraska NationalGuard – Army and Air – achievesuccesses in the Global War onTerrorism, much of the founda-tions for those successes comesfrom the leadership and ex-amples set by General StanleyHeng,” said Zink.

“Still today, we stand on hisshoulders. That is the legacythat will continue to be feltacross our formations for a longtime to come.”

Heng Memorial

Photos by Maj. Kevin Hynes

On Behalf of a Grateful Nation: Retired Maj. Gen. Walter Zink presents the American flag to SharonHeng, wife of the late Lt. Gen. Stanley M. Heng who died Jan. 12 after a lengthy illness. Heng servedas the Nebraska adjutant general from 1987 - 2000. He was buried in Lincoln, Neb., with full militaryhonors on Jan. 17.

Military Honors: A Ne-braska Army NationalGuard honor guard es-corts the casket of the lateLt. Gen. (Neb.) Stanley M.Heng onto the “Spirit of1776” armory drill floor asthe late general’s familywalks behind it, Jan. 17.

Final Goodbye: Sharon Heng, wife of the late Lt. Gen. (Neb.) StanleyM. Heng, pauses to touch her husband’s coffin at the conclusion of hisfuneral services, Jan. 17, in Lincoln, Neb.

Farewell: Maj. Douglas Wagner salutes asmembers of the Nebraska Army National Guardhonor guard prepare to fold the flag over thelate Lt. Gen. (Neb.) Stanley M. Heng’s coffin,Jan. 17, in Lincoln, Neb.


�Nebraska Army Guard Soldiersmake huge impact in Iraq duringyear-long medical deployment

OBy Lt. Col. Anita CuringtonSpecial for the Prairie Soldier

Unit helps rewrite book on detainee care in Iraq

n Oct. 2 2007, the Ne-braska Army NationalGuard’s 110th Medical

Evacuation Battalion was re-des-ignated as Task Force (TF) 110thMultifunctional Medical Battal-ion (MMB) and alerted for de-ployment.

It was a moment when thereality of the upcoming deploy-ment to Iraq really began to sinkfor the members of the Lincoln-based organization.

“I was happy to be deployedwith peopleI knew,which pro-vided a goodsense of

community,” said 1st Lt.Bernadette Brown-Clerk on herfirst impression after beingalerted for the deployment.

Another 110th Soldier, Spc.Gary Sons, added: “To tell youthe truth, I wasn’t scared or ner-vous. I was ready. I expected it tohappen soon anyway.”

Battalion officials soon learnedthat their mission was to estab-lish Joint Detainee HealthcareOperations at Theater Intern-ment Facilities/ReconciliationCenters (TIFRC) in order to pro-vide full spectrum level II healthservice support and force healthprotection for detainees and coa-lition forces in accordance withestablished standards of medicalcare and international guidelines.

This work would ultimatelysupport the successful rehabili-tation and reintegration of de-tainees back into Iraqi society.

The first task for the unit wasto reorganize and convert into aMultifunctional Medical Battal-ion.

The Multifunctional missionincorporated the missions thatwere once accomplished by threedifferent types of medical battal-ions: Evacuation, Medical Logis-tics and Area Medical Support.

Concurrently, the unit beganpre-mobilization station trainingcoordination with both FirstArmy and the Nebraska ArmyGuard’s Pre-Mobilization Train-ing Assistor Element.

From Oct. 25 - Nov. 15, 2007,the unit’s medics attended man-datory military occupational spe-cialty pre-deployment training atCamp Bullis, Texas. Followingthis training, Headquarters andHeadquarters Detachment, TF110, attended five days of pre-training at the Greenlief Train-ing Site in Hastings, Neb.

According to 1st Lt. JosephMangiameli, the Nebraska train-ing facility made a huge impacton the unit’s readiness. “Greenliefis a fantastic asset to the stateand its Soldiers,” he said.

The Greenlief training in-cluded individual weapons quali-fications, Army Warrior Tasktraining and driver qualifications.The Nebraska Soldiers also at-tended numerous briefings whilecompleting on-line courses re-quired prior to overseas deploy-ment.

“Although many objectiveswere accomplished at GreenliefTraining Site, one which provedto be invaluable was knocking

out all of the paperwork for oursecurity clearances,” said StaffSgt. Dennis Hartman.

The unit mobilized into fed-eral service on Dec. 1, 2007, insupport of Operation Iraqi Free-dom (OIF) 07-09 under TaskForce 134 (Detainee Operations)and the 62nd Medical Brigade.

The unit reported to its mobi-lization station at Fort Lewis,Wash., on Dec. 4, 2007, wherethe 110th MMB linked up withits subordinate unit, the 996thArea Support Medical Company(ASMC) from the Arizona ArmyNational Guard.

While at Fort Lewis, the GuardSoldiers accomplished such tasksas Soldier readiness processing,central issue facility equipmentprocessing, mandatory briefings,weapons qualifications, combat-ive training, Army Warrior tasktraining, Iraqi language train-ing, land navigation, medicalcommunications for combat ca-sualty care (MC4) training andunit movement operations.

Following a break for theChristmas holiday, the unit be-gan concentrating on such col-lective tasks as base defense,defeating improvised explosivedevices, short-range marksman-ship, detainee operations, con-voy lanes and the Mission Readi-ness Exercise (MRE) validation.

TF110 left Fort Lewis theevening of the Jan. 28 and flewfrom McChord Air Force Base,Wash., to Bangor, Maine. Theythen flew to Leipzig, Germany,and finally arrived in Kuwait onJan 30 at 6:20 a.m. local time.

Everyone arriving at CampBuehring, Kuwait, is required tospend a minimum of 10 daysacclimating and preparing fortheir mission.

“The stay in Kuwait was good.It gave us plenty of time to accli-mate. I enjoyed the extra time toget a good workout program go-ing,” said Spc. Heather Davey.

While at Camp Buehring, theunit completed more requiredtraining including company-levelcounter-insurgency training,staff enabler training, counter-IED awareness training,counter-remote control IED elec-tronic warfare (CREW) trainingand some more medical training.

And then it was time to movenorth into Iraq.

“When first entering Iraq, allI had for a base of knowledge waswhat I had heard in the media,which was, ‘All of them (Iraqis)hate us, they don’t want us hereand they all want you dead.’ I’vefound this to be most untrue.Most of them want the same thing

we want: Peace and an end to thewar,” said Spc. Michael Rieke,recalling his thoughts about ar-riving into Iraq.

The unit arrived at Camp Lib-erty in Baghdad, Iraq, on themorning of the Feb. 19, 2008.

The unit was originally to bestationed in Ramadi, but a deci-sion to change the final destina-tion from Ramadi to Baghdadwas made as a result of TIFRCconstruction being behind sched-ule. Because of that, detaineehealthcare wasn’t needed yet.

The unit command post be-came operational within two daysof arriving and began its left seat/right seat training with mem-bers of both the 62nd MedicalBrigade and TF 31st CombatSupport Hospital (CSH).

The 31st CSH was located withone of the Theater InternmentFacilities (TIF) near the BaghdadInternational Airport. NebraskaSoldiers soon began working di-rectly with TF31 to providehealthcare to the detainees whilealso providing such services aspatient administration, phar-macy, dental and medical logis-tics.

Once TF 110 MMB completedits LS/RS training, the NebraskaSoldiers assisted other unitswithin the Iraqi theater by pro-viding mental health support tothe 31st CSH in Bucca, provid-ing medical maintenance andpatient administration supportto the 86th CSH in Baghdad andproviding administrative sup-port to the 261st Medical Battal-ion in Balad.

To accomplish this, TF110detainee operations liaison offic-ers continuously traveled toRamadi and Taji to work throughmedical issues associated withthe construction and planning ofthe TIFRCs. The staff also vis-ited with the other two MMBs inIraq to “crosstalk” within theirfunctional areas, compare oper-ating procedures and to discussbest practices and lessonslearned.

TIFRC operations continuedto fluctuate throughout the de-ployment following Gen. DavidPetraeus’ decision to off-rampRamadi as a TIFRC location inJune 2008.

The focus of TF110 shifted tothe Taji TIFRC, which was slatedto open in December 2008, and tofuture detainee medical plan-ning.

“People remained positive

about it and the Force HealthProtection section continued tomake plans for the healthcarefacilities,” said Davey.

A team of four Nebraska per-sonnel visited Camp Bucca for 10days to learn about the medicalsystems there in comparison tothe systems in place at CampCropper. TF110 then developednew initiatives.

One new initiative was a pro-gram of instruction for the med-ics that begins at pre-mobiliza-tion and continues until rede-ployment. The second initiativewas a Nurse Case Managementprogram that assigns detaineeswith chronic medical conditionsto a nurse for education and pa-tient monitoring.

“There appeared to be a lack ofcontinuity of care. I saw NursingCase Management as a means toprovide that continuity alongwith several other benefits,” saidMangiameli, who was respon-sible for the initial program con-cept.

A third initiative involved thetesting and implementation ofan electronic medical encountersystem into the wire medicineprogram while a fourth involvedstandardizing detainee health-care and doctrine.

TF110 reviewed over 140Standard Operating Procedures(SOPs) resulting in the develop-ment of a theater-wide compre-hensive and standardized de-tainee medical care SOP, a de-tainee leader’s guide, a wire medi-cine SOP, and the algorithm-di-rected troop medical care guidefor patient screening. TF110 alsodetermined the correct manningfor future TIFRC medical unitscoming into theater.

These products assisted in

doctrinal writing for detaineemedical operations that was sub-mitted to the Army Medical De-partment (AMEDD) and will beadded into leader’s guides, fieldmanuals and mission trainingplans.

TF110 was called upon in Sep-tember 2008 to provide an inde-pendent assessment team to in-spect detainee healthcare opera-tions at Camp Bucca and CampCropper. Three members ofTF110 spent the month at CampBucca inspecting wire medicineoperations, compound treatmentrooms and CSH operations.

“I helped inspect facilities,audit records and folders, andinterview detainees. It washands-on proof of our counter-insurgency efforts within thehealthcare field. Overall, the tripwas rewarding and I am glad tohave had the experience,” saidStaff Sgt. Andrew Singsaas, partof the Independent AssessmentTeam.

After completing the inspec-tion of Camp Bucca, home to over18,000 detainees, the team re-turned north to inspect CampCropper while also assisting the328th CSH. TF 110 then pro-vided officials at the Fort Lewis-based First Army with a packageof specific training requirementsfor detainee healthcare opera-tions and scenarios.

TF110 redeployed in mid-No-vember back to Fort Sill, Okla.,and after completing de-mobili-zation activities, returning to Lin-coln, Neb., in time for Thanksgiv-ing activities.

(Editor’s Note: Lt. Col. AnitaCurington was the commander ofthe 110th MMB during its year-long deployment.)

DeploymentRecap

Photos courtesy of the 110th Multifunctional Medical Battalion

At Least It’s A Dry Heat: Sgt. 1st Class Kristine Loeck and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ronald Helton holdup a thermometer that reads 130 degrees during the long, hot summer members of the Nebraska ArmyNational Guard’s 110th Multifunctional Medical Battalion spent at Camp Liberty, Iraq.

Patch Ceremony: Lt. Col. Anita Curington places the patch of the62nd Brigade onto the shoulder of Staff Sgt. Dennis Hartman duringa patching ceremony at Camp Liberty, Iraq. Also pictured are:Command Sgt. Maj. Randy Stucker (far left), Spc. Ross Hartman(center) and Spc. Gary Sons (far right.)

Running Tough: Maj. ThadFineran and other 110th Multi-functional Medical Battalion Sol-diers participate in the ‘Army 10-Miler’ race while stationed in Iraq.


First Seeds

By Lt. Col. Shelly HerrodExecutive Officer, ADT Forward 28

�Nebraska Agricultural DevelopmentTeam begins year-long mission helpingAfghan farmers grow better futures

BAGRAM, Afghanistan – The Ne-braska Army National GuardAgribusiness Development Team hit theground running once it arrived at BagramAirfield in Afghanistan late last autumn.

Because the unit did not fall in onanother ADT, it was without a lot of theequipment to become mission capable onits own.

That didn’t stop the Nebraska GuardSoldiers, however. The unit immediatelylinked up with the PRT (Provincial Re-construction Team) and Task Force War-rior SECFOR (Security Force) for someright seat rides that afforded the ADT’sAgricultural team and SECFOR leader-ship an opportunity to become familiarwith the ADT’s areas of operations and achance to meet the local leaders and otherrepresentatives.

By December the unit finally receivedthe equipment necessary to conduct itsown missions. Since then the unit hasconducted 83 missions throughout theADT’s four assigned provinces: Bamyan,Panjshir, Parwan and Kapisa. The totalsquare miles is 9,885.

The team’s initial visits entailed KLE(key leader engagements) with villageelders, governors, agricultural directorsand Directors of Agriculture, Irrigationand Livestock (DAIL). The leaders ad-dressed their immediate agriculturalneeds and concerns within their prov-inces to the ADT team.

A majority of the concerns addresseddrought, lack of irrigation, animal health,disease and immunizations, storage forproduce, seed wheat and trellising forgrapes. Flooding is an issue in some areasand impacts the yield of certain crops andfeed for livestock.

The unit is also working closely withrepresentatives from the USDA, PRT andCMA (cooperative medical assistant.)

According to Col. Mike Johnson, com-mander of the Nebraska ADT, the teamis working to establish the foundation forfuture Guard ADTs to build upon.

“Our work is just the beginning withplans for ADTs to continue to provide

agricultural support for the next fiveyears,” said Johnson. “A team from Ken-tucky will replace our team upon ourredeployment to Nebraska. The project isexpanding with a total of seven teams incountry and working by this summer.”

“We will continue to work to identifyshort-, medium- and long-term goalsneeded to improve in the area of agricul-ture in Afghanistan. We will work hard tocomplete important projects and insure aseamless hand off to those that follow us,”Johnson said. “We will work with theAfghanistan people to build a better lifefor their families and help end the con-stant struggle for them to have enoughfood.”

These local visits are already yieldingpositive results and providing the ADTwith direction regarding the areas of fo-cus for the team. The team has discoveredthat most of the Afghan farmers who ownvineyards do not trellis or prune theirvines, allowing grapes to lie on the grounduntil harvested. This reduces productionand profit for local Afghan farmers.

The team is currently working on fourCERP (Commanders Emergency Re-sponse Program) projects involving dem-onstration vineyards and grape trellisingtotalling approximately $440,000 outsideBagram in the Parwan and Kapisa Prov-inces.

The grape trellising and one of thedemonstration vineyards combine re-sources and expertise with Roots of Piece,which is designed to provide income forvillagers, who are hired for planting, andlocal suppliers, who provide the equip-ment, while giving farmers in the sur-rounding area an opportunity to observeand participate in training sessions onplanting, trellis construction, insect man-agement and irrigation.

Another of the ADT’s projects involvesgrape harvest baskets. This project isdesigned to further support grape grow-ers in the Shamali and Bagram Airfieldarea of operations by providing heavyduty harvest baskets via the agriculturaldepots. The results should ensure thatmore fruit reaches the market in goodcondition, increasing profits for the grapegrowers.

The grape basket project is in coordina-

tion with the ANDS (Afghanistan Na-tional Development Strategy) and MAIL((Ministry of Agricultural, Irrigation andLivestock.) This project is designed to pro-mote horticulture for export while alsoincreasing production for expanding mar-kets and developing human capacity forsustained growth.

Since 55 percent of the families withinTF Warriors AO own livestock, the ADThas implemented an animal public healthinformation campaign designed to edu-cate and train the local population onavailable animal health care services. 28different posters, pamphlets and printedmaterial will be distributed to provideinformation on the treatment of diseasesin the local language.

Every month a specific topic will bepromoted and distributed via posters orpamphlets. The Nebraska team’s goal is toprovide the people of Afghanistan with abetter understanding of the diseases thatplague their livestock along with preven-tive measures and services provided bythe VFUs (Veterinary Field Units).

Future projects for the ADT includeadditional grape plants in Parwan andJan Quadam and Zinzee Sufi Baba Vil-lage, cherry tree and apricot orchards inPanjshir Province and several projectswith Albironi University that include landleveling, a windmill, cattle chutes, wind-mill overflow, skid steer, and stock tanks.The projects total approximately $850,000.

A new concern is insect infestation,which is affecting the grape vineyards andpomegranate trees. In Southern Tagab

Valley the borer beetle is causing exten-sive damage to the pomegranate orchardswhile the cicada bug is affecting the grapevineyards.

The ADT is working to solve this prob-lem in conjunction with a USN Entomolo-gist and local producers regarding a pestmanagement plan.

Johnson recently participated in a ra-dio interview and answered questions atRadio Sada-e-Azadi, also known as PeaceRadio, in Jabal Saraj District of ParwanProvince. Peace Radio’s audience consistsof approximately 1.5 million listeners,including Afghans in the provinces ofKapisa, Parwan and Panjshir.

During the interview Johnson dis-cussed the team’s mission and upcomingprojects. Concerns voiced to Johnson werethe inability of the government in the pastto understand and alleviate certain cropdiseases and survival of the livestock dur-ing harsh winter months.

Johnson explained that the ADT isworking to identify diseases, teach thefarmers what to look for and assist withidentifying issues with the livestock. Theteam is also working toward a program tohelp provide vaccinations and improvedfeed for the animals.

The focus for the team is going to in-clude continuation of KLE and monthlymeetings with universities and Agricul-tural Ministers, directors and governors.

The team is already beginning to seeprogress from its visits and is winning thehearts and minds of the people in Af-ghanistan.

Middle Easterners’ hopes not much different than most Americans’ says speakerBy Maj. Kevin HynesEditor

W hen it comes to defin-ing the goals and con-cerns of average Middle

Eastern citizens, the results arenot much different than whenattempting to define the goalsand concerns of average Ameri-cans.

That was one of the messagesthat Dr. NaserZ. Alsharifbrought to the“Spirit of 1776”armory in Lin-coln, Jan. 29,when he servedas the keynotespeaker for the

Nebraska Military Department’s“Greater Middle East HeritageCelebration.”

Alsharif, the associate profes-sor of Pharmacy Sciences atCreighton University MedicalCenter in Omaha, said that con-trary to popular misconceptions,average Middle Eastern citizensshare many dreams with Ameri-cans.

Citing a recent survey by theGallup Organization in which50,000 Muslims were polled, poll-

sters found that the vast major-ity of Muslims said their top hopeswere for security and democracy.

“When they asked young Mus-lims, ‘What are your hopes forthe future?’ their number oneanswer was, ‘A good job,’” saidAlsharif. “They don’t talk aboutjihad. They don’t talk about vio-lence. Their hopes, if you believethis survey, (are to find a goodjob.)”

During his presentation, at-tended by Nebraska Military De-partment employees and localcommunity leaders, Alsharif de-tailed the rich history of theMiddle East and how it actuallytakes its definition and geo-graphical identity from the 19thCentury when England, Russiaand other European nations werecompeting for influence.

Alsharif said the region’s his-tory, which includes the storiesof early Judaism, Christianityand Islam, has affected theregion’s political, religious, cul-tural and societal make-up inmany different and often unex-pected ways.

Alsharif says he is a case inpoint. “I happen to be an Arab, aMuslim, an American and a Pal-estinian,” he said.

“Those are very importantparts of my nationality; my iden-tity as an individual,” Alsharifsaid, adding that like many natu-ralized citizens who hale fromthe Middle East, he is extremelyproud to be an American, yet iskeenly aware of the issues facingpeople still living in the MiddleEast.

“They’re proud to be Ameri-cans, but they have their issuesand they’re passionate about it.They want to talk about it,” hesaid. “They’re not radical or irra-tional – they’re passionate. Andthere is a difference.”

Alsharif, who along with serv-ing as a professor, is the presi-dent of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee(Omaha Chapter), a member ofthe Islamic Speaker Bereau (Ne-braska) and a board member ofthe Conference for InclusiveCommunity (Midlands Region.)He admits that he, like every-one, has personal biases that af-fect his views of the world thatwere shaped by his personalbackground and experiences.

“I am an American because Ibelieve in everything this nationstands for in terms of what theConstitution says this country

represents,” he said. “I believe init strongly and wholeheartedly.”

“As a Palestinian – that’s theemotional part of me,” he added.“The history of my people as Pal-estinians is a history that hassadly been impacted by our gov-ernment after the second WorldWar. And it’s not easy for me totalk about because I do believe inthis country and it stands for, butwhen it comes to that issue…(Ihave) many issues to strugglewith.”

Alsharif said he is also equallyproud to be a Muslim and anArab. Unfortunately, he added,popular media often paints theMiddle East with a broad brush,making distinctions that oftendo not tell the true story.

For example, he said, there isa difference between being a fun-damentalist Muslim and being aradical or irrational Muslim.

“If I am a fundamentalistMuslim, then I believe in thefundamentals of Islam,” he said.“There’s nothing wrong withthat.”

“Now if I’m a radical or irratio-nal Muslim or Christian or Jew,then I’m in trouble and I shouldbe targeted as far as what are myactions and what are my plans,”

Alsharif said. “But if I’m a funda-mentalist Muslim, then I’m proudof that because then I’m a betterMuslim.”

According to Brig Gen. TimKadavy, adjutant general of Ne-braska, understanding culturaldifferences and learning how toaccept people as they are andhow they act is important intoday’s age more than ever be-fore. That’s why events like theGreater Middle Eastern Lun-cheon are important because theygive opportunities for membersof the Nebraska Military Depart-ment to learn more about theworld around them.

Kadavy said all too often,people want to place people intolarger groups rather than deal-ing with them as individuals.

The Nebraska NationalGuard, he added, has to rise abovethat.

“My view is that we judge in-dividuals by deeds, by characterand by their heart, not by wherethey were born or what groupthey belong to or whether they’remale or female,” he added.

“Our goal here is to provideopportunities and the qualitypursuit of those opportunitiesand dreams for all.”

Photo courtesy of Lt. Col. Shelly Herrod

Building New Friendships: Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Miller, Nebraska Army National Guard,hands out ‘Husker Aid’ items to local Afgan children during a stop to check out veterinaryfield units and agricultural depots in the Parwan Province of east centeral Afghanistanin December. The ‘Husker Aid’ items were donated to the members of the NebraskaNational Guard’s Agribusiness Development Team by Lincoln East High Schoolsecretaries.

Alsharif


GREENcontinued from page 1.

successful GRAP participant in theNebraska Army Guard.

Green is a 15-year veteran of boththe Nebraska Air and Army NationalGuard. She said she gets the interestof potential Soldiers by sharing herexperiences and telling them whatthe military has helped her accom-plish.

“It has helped me out in going toschool and I’ve been able to travel theworld,” said Green, who received helpfrom the Guard while earning threedegrees. She is currently studying tobecome a registered nurse.

“I am a single mom with two kids.I know what it takes to rely on familyto take care of my kids when I am attraining or deployed,” she said. “Ihelp others understand the good, badand ugly.”

Green said she believes honesty isa key to recruiting. “There is a lot ofmisunderstanding about the militaryright now,” she said.

Green is currently working full-time for the Guard on a temporaryassignment, helping prepare the313th Medical Company for mobili-zation. She has already been on fourdeployments with the Air Guard.

“I don’t see a point in lying aboutit,” she said. “Deployments are goingto happen.”

Green also shares what it is like tobe a woman in the military. “Theexperience that I’ve had has mademe a stronger person and I can letother women know what they cando.”

Sgt. 1st Class Scott Stanley, a Ne-braska Army National Guard re-cruiter, says about a quarter of theNebraska Army National Guard isfemale and Green’s help is valuablein recruiting women into the Guard.

“It is huge for potential recruits tosee women already serving and suc-cessful in uniform,” Stanley said.

GRAP is a useful tool for recruit-ers and Soldiers. It provides a sourceof candidates who are not only inter-ested in, but informed about, theNational Guard. “GRAP is real criti-cal,” said Stanley. “Soldier referralshave always been the best source ofrecruits.”

GRAP compensates participatingSoldiers with a cash incentive foreach successful referral. Green hasearned about $18,000 through GRAPand could make as much as $22,000more for the recruits who have notyet gone to basic training.

“I highly recommend that (otherGuardsmen) do it,” she said. “Themoney is very helpful.”

Green is planning on using herGRAP income to help pay for a house.

Nebraska Soldier scores 402 points on physical fitness test

WBy Tech. Sgt. Alex SalmonStaff Photojournalist

hen the Army came up withthe term, ‘Army Strong,’ itprobably had somebody like

Private First Class Holden Isley in mind.Isley, a member of Lincoln’s 1167th

Brigade Support Company, set thephysical fitness standard at a nearlyimpossible level to match recently, whenhe scored a 402 on his final Army Physi-cal Fitness Test (APFT) at the end of hisBasic Combat Training at Fort Jackson,S.C.

His score of 402 is believed to be thehighest score ever achieved at Fort Jack-son.

Sgt. 1st Class Chris Robinson, a drillsergeant with Company E, 313th Infan-try Battalion, said Isley’s score of 402crushed the previous mark of 350 andwas the highest he or any drill sergeanthad even heard of.

A perfect score on the APFT is 300.However, when Soldiers score above 300,like Isley, they are then eligible to bescored on an extended scale, addedRobinson.

In order to reach his score, the 24-year-old Isley ripped off 132 pushupsand 114 sit-ups in two minutes and rantwo miles in 11 minutes and 52 seconds.

Originally born in Vietnam, the di-minutive Isley and his siblings wereadopted and moved to the United Statesin 1994.

Isley attended Bishop NeumannCatholic High School in Wahoo, Neb.,and received a two-year degree in Mar-

keting from Southeast Community Col-lege in Lincoln.

Isley said he initially had no desire toserve in the Army Guard, but followedhis brother’s lead and enlisted.

Following basic training Isley saidhe now finds the Army more appealing.

“After basic training it’s pretty fun,”said Isley. “I did PT (physical training)so good (my first sergeant) let me set upthe claymore and blow (it) up.”

“Pretty fun stuff,” he added.Isley said he has always enjoyed work-

ing out and staying ac-tive. He has been lift-ing weights three timesa week for three years.

During BCT, Isleyused his free time atthe end of each day’straining to help im-prove his APFT score.Isley said he and sev-eral other Soldiers ran,did pushups, sit-upsand dumbbell flies.

In doing so, hehelped motivate otherSoldiers to improvetheir own scores.

“I tried to motivatethem to keep their bodyactive…so they cankeep themselves ingood health,” he said.

“I got to help out allmy buddies,” he added.“Show them how to dothe exercise to help im-

prove their PT score.”Robinson said he and fellow drill ser-

geants have limited time with Soldiers,but Isley stepped up and served as amotivating force, not only in his com-pany, but for the whole battalion.

“He was a great Soldier. I was proudto have him,” said Robinson. “He defi-nitely motivated me. He would push meharder when I’d run against him.”

After scoring the 402 points, Robinsonsaid he hopes to use Isley’s experience tomotivate future Soldiers as well.

“I kept his card,” said Robinson. “I’mgoing to use that as kind of a motiva-tional tool.”

“Here’s something to strive for, here’ssomething to try to beat,” he added.

Isley said he has no doubt that hisrecord won’t stand forever.“The recordis meant to (be broken,)” said Isley.

Still, the experience has Isley feelinggood about what he accomplished andwhat he has the ability to achieve in thefuture.

“I feel pretty good,” said Isley. “Everytime I go someplace, I keep thinking tomyself that I can do it. I want to leavesomething behind where people lookback, or my drill sergeant looks back,(and say,) ‘Wow, that guy worked hard.’”

Working hard isn’t anything new toIsley, either. He said it’s part of hispersonal creed: To make the most out ofevery moment.

“When you’re young, time is yourbest friend, so just don’t waste it…don’tabuse it,” he said.

“Just keep yourself active.”

Army Strong

New full-time chaplain to provide spiritual support to Camp Ashland SoldiersBy Tech. Sgt. Alex SalmonStaff Photojournalist

T he Nebraska Army Na-tional Guard’s 209thRegiment (Regional

Training Institute) at CampAshland, Neb., finally has some-one it has needed for quite some-time.

A full-time chaplain.C h a p l a i n

(Maj.) PhillipHouser re-cently becamethe first full-time chaplainfor the RTI. ALutheran pas-tor, Houser isan Air Forcechaplain who is currently in theprocess of transferring to the Ne-braska Army Guard.

According to Houser, roughly4,000 students go through Camp

Ashland each year and it is notunusual for many of the Sol-diers to have recently returnedfrom deployment. That some-times leads to additionalstresses.

In the past, Camp AshlandSoldiers and faculty had fewchaplain and worship servicesavailable.

“My duties are essentially toprovide spiritual and emotionalsupport and care for the stu-dents, and for the staff and fac-ulty of the Regional TrainingInstitute,” said Houser.

Camp Ashland’s 209th RTIis one of six full-time noncom-missioned officer (NCO) educa-tion system schools in the Na-tional Guard. The school is re-sponsible for training Midwest-ern Soldiers from both the re-serve and active components ofthe Army.

The primary focus of the

209th RTI is the Warrior LeaderCourse (WLC) and it is the lead-ing trainer of the WLC in theentire Army school system.

The RTI is also responsiblefor the initial phase of the basicNCO course, the first twophases of the truck driver train-ing (88M) Military Occupa-tional Specialty qualification,and houses officer and warrantofficer candidate schools.

Finally, the RTI providesquarterly instruction for Armyinstructor trainer courses.

Houser has already begunsplitting his time between theRTI and Joint Force Headquar-ters in Lincoln, and is workingto establish the chaplaincy atthe RTI.

“There has never been achaplain in the history of theRTI,” said Houser. “This is abrand new position that hascome about as a response to a

perceived need.”“The leaders of the RTI, in

concert with the leadership ofthe Guard, recognized the needfor a full-time person to serve inthis capacity,” added Houser.

Even though Houser admitshis new position is in its in-fancy, there are many goals hehopes to reach. “In the short-term, my goals are to establisha very visible, productive, mean-ingful chaplaincy presence atthe RTI,” said Houser. “We havebegun that process, but we’restill in the crawling stages.”

Although Houser has alreadyperformed worship services atthe RTI, having a proper facil-ity for an office and a place ofworship has been challenging,he said. “One of my most impor-tant goals is to move from amakeshift facility for servingthe community out there, to apermanent place,” he said.

“The space we ultimately usefor worship will be a space that ispermanently set aside for that,but it will also be a space that canbe and will be utilized for othereducational classes,” he said.

Houser is looking forward tocontinuing to serve the Soldiersand faculty of the RTI. He said heis thankful that leaders ad-dressed the need for a full-timechaplain.

“The welfare and morale ofthe troops is really valued veryhighly…cherished even. And ifit were not for that, my rolewould be impossible,” saidHouser. “The chaplaincy isthere to support the studentsas they go through the pro-grams, and the faculty as theydo their jobs.”

“My hope is that we can builda chaplaincy program that re-ally will help facilitate their wel-fare and their well-being.”

Houser

Photos by Tech. Sgt. Alex Salmon

Feel the Burn: Pfc. Holden Isley demontrates one of the pushup strengthing techniqueshe learned from his drill sergeants while at basic combat training. Isley’s physical fitnesstraining helped him score what is believed to be the highest Army Physical Fitness Testscore ever at basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C.

Focused Training: Pfc. Holden Isley shows the trainingstyle that helped him perform 114 situps during his basiccombat training at Fort Jackson, S.C. Isley’s Army PhysicalFitness Test score of 402 is the highest score ever attainedby a basic training graduate at Fort Jackson. Isley alsohelped other members of his basic training platoon improvetheir physical fitness scores by training at night.


Guard Family

NEWSYou Can Use

T IG VoiceBy Lt. Col. Owen McCauley

State Inspector General

he purpose of this article is toupdate leaders, Soldiers and fam-ily members on the actions the

These are involun-tary mobilizations andthe Soldier has to havea previous deploymentwithin 72months of invol-untary deploy-ment. All Sol-diers deployedunder 12301 (d),which is a vol-untary mobiliza-tion, are not en-titled to accruePDMRA daysunless in Iraq orAfghanistan.

PDMRA daysdo not continueto accrue whilea Soldier is ontransition leaveand/or extensionof orders for the purpose of PDMRA us-age.

�For complete guidance refer to DAPPG Chapter 8-5. A summary is depictedin the table listed above, but does notcover all the complexities of this programor this process:

�For Title 10 or AGR Soldiers, PDMRAdays “not” used within 12 months of re-turning from deployment or during PCStravel are lost. Nebraska Army NationalGuard AGR Soldiers used all of theirPDMRA “days.”

Unused PDMRA days cannot be re-tained and carried to the new PDS forlater use.

Reserve component Soldiers may useaccrued PDMRA during any authorizedR&R leave period, in combination with orin lieu of using chargeable annual leave.

However, PDMRA cannot be used “inconjunction with” R&R leave to extendthe overall authorized R&R leave periodof 15 or 18 days.

No orders are published at the mobili-

zation station by HRC,instead a memoran-dum is published au-thorizing additional

days of pay andallowances be-yond current12302 mobiliza-tion orders.

�The gap inadministrativepolicy from Jan.19 – Aug. 15,2007 and whenSoldiers of theArmy NationalGuard were re-leased from Ac-tive Duty(REFRAD) cre-ated a popula-tion of approxi-mately 21,000

Army Guard Soldiers who were REFRADwithout receiving the benefit of PDMRAbecause administrative guidance was notpublished.

The Way Ahead:�ASA, M&RA recommended that the

Department of Army’s G-1 (Personnel)along with Army National Guard andU.S. Army Reserve develop and staffcourses of action that would provide a fairand expeditious means for PDRMA com-pensation. Proposed recommendationswere submitted to OSUD, P&R for reviewand consideration. It was revealed thatlegislative changes are needed to supportand ensure proper implementation.

The OSUD, P&R must brief the Secre-tary of Defense and make the request forrapid law change before congress. Thefinal resolution is therefore many monthsdown the road.

�Proposed legislation (S. 3310) wasforwarded to the Secretary of Defense forfinal review and further recommenda-tions prior to submission to the Commit-

tee on Armed Services in the Senate.This proposed legislation addresses the

issues associated with gaps in adminis-trative guidance and delivery of PDMRAbenefits for shadow area Soldiers.

�The proposed legislation would pro-vide for a one time cash payment of $200per day for each day of PDMRA earnedand limits the final payment to 40 totaldays. All payments under the pendingproposal must be made not later than oneyear from the date of enactment of theproposed legislation.

This legislative solution is what theleadership of the Army, Army NationalGuard and OUSD, P&R request. NationalGuard Bureau will continue to monitorthis proposed legislation, and once final-ized, will publish clear, comprehensiveguidance on making restitution for allSoldiers affected.

�During discussions with the NebraskaCongressional Delegation in December,Brig. Gen. Tim Kadavy, Nebraska adju-tant general, explained the program andasked our representatives for support inapproving legislation authorizing PDMRAbenefits.

The Nebraska Army National Guard’sPersonnel Office maintains a list of Sol-diers who are affected by this delay andmaintains and distributes updates onpending progress when received.

�In addition to Nebraska, the Minne-sota National Guard has also been proac-tive in briefing their Congressional del-egation and governor.

The Minnesota governor contacted theSecretary of the Army to discuss the is-sues with the PDMRA program.

The Nebraska National Guard com-mand group, personnel office and inspec-tor general will continue to monitor theprogress of the implementation of thePDMRA program.

As additional information becomesavailable, commanders of units affectedby this program will receive updates.

Leaders keeping eye on Post Deployment/Mobilization Respite Absence program

Nebraska National Guard is taking toassist Soldiers in receiving PDMRA ben-efits.

The Nebraska Army National Guardhas approximately 220 Soldiers awaitingguidance (mostly 734th TransportationBattalion and 1-167th Cavalry Soldiers)on the implementation of the Army’s Post-Deployment/Mobilization Respite Ab-sence (PDMRA) benefits. The basic de-tails of the details of the program are:

The Secretary of Defense directed thata program to compensate active and re-serve component Soldiers who are re-quired to deploy above the standard rota-tional goal for involuntary mobilizationsbe implemented. The Office of the UnderSecretary of Defense for Personnel andReadiness (OUSD P&R) established anew category of administrative absenceentitled “Post-Deployment/MobilizationRespite Absence (PDMRA).”

Here are the facts:�PDMRA program guidance was pub-

lished in August 2007, five months afterthe OSD, P&R guidance which directedretroactive implementation to Jan. 19,2007.

�PDMRA was established to compen-sate Soldiers for breaking their dwelltime. The Reserve Component model fordeployment is 1:5, one-year deployed andthen five years of dwell at home. The Title10 or Active Guard and Reserve (AGR)Soldiers are treated the same as activecomponent Soldiers and should have twoyears of dwell time.

�This program applies to creditabledeployments and mobilizations that wereunderway on, or commenced after Jan.19, 2007.

For reserve component Soldiers, cred-itable mobilizations are defined as mobi-lizations under Title 10, United StatesCode, sections 12301a, 12302, or 12304.

Note: Soldier will earn one day of PDMRA during month13-17. Soldier will earn two days during month 18-23.

Deployment/Mobilization beyond the followingnumber of creditable months during the mostrecent 36 months (Active) or 72 months (Re-serve)...

...generates for each month or fraction thereofthe following number of days for administrativeabsence...

12 18 24

1 2 4

Volunteer Spotlight: Jennifer Smithy name is JenniferSmith, wife of StaffSgt. Thomas Smith,

leader not really knowing whatI was getting into. The journeyhas been great as I have reallyenjoyed getting to know thefamilies of the CST.

The members of the unit arespread out geographically, withseveral of our members livingin Omaha. This has been a chal-lenge in trying to plan activi-ties since we try to plan activi-ties so all families can attend.

Unit members travel fre-quently to train and attendschools, so trying to find a timeto get all the families togetherhas been tough.

Being a military spouse isvery rewarding. I get to provideessential support for some ofthe most brave and honorablecitizens in our country. With-out the support of the spousesand families, deployments forour Soldiers would be muchharder.

A book I would recommendall military families read be-fore a deployment is When DutyCalls: A Handbook for Fami-lies Facing Military Separation,by Carol Vandesteeg. The bookmade me feel better about pre-paring for a deployment andit stresses the importance ofan FRG during the roughtimes.

Mand mother to three-year-oldHeather and a child due at theend of May.

I am currently the FamilyReadiness Group leader for the72nd Civil Support Team basedin Lincoln. I grew up as an AirForce brat in Cheyenne, Wyo., soI always knew that the militarylife was a lifestyle I could live.

After my graduation fromChadron State College in 2004,my husband got a job with thenewly formed Civil Support Teamand we have been in Lincoln eversince. The CST is unique becauseall 22 of its members are activeduty, either Air Force or Army.

Being the FRG leader for the72nd CST has been a rewardingexperience. The things I havelearned and the people I havemet have changed my life.

It was rough in the beginning,as it was a new experience to livein Lincoln.

The CST was a newly formedunit, so we were starting fromscratch, which was a little intimi-dating. The staff in the StateFamily Program Office helped usalong the way by providing ustremendous support.

I took on the role as the FRG

eterans Affairs (VA)now has a MortgageCounseling Program.

a spouse if his/her name is on themortgage) has the following in-formation available when theycall the 1-877-827-3702 assis-tance line:

�Reason for default? Has theproblem been resolved?

�Does the individual desire toretain the property?

�Plan to bring the loan cur-rent.

�Monthly gross and net in-come.

�Monthly expenses.�Installment payments (car,

credit cards, mortgage, etc.).�Copies of pay stubs for all

involved parties (never sendoriginals).

�What actions are being con-sidered against them?

When calling the 1-877-827-

3702 number, one of the follow-ing actions will happen:

�If the caller has a VA guar-anteed loan, the call will beredirected to a live VA loantechnician. This technician mayintervene on actions beingtaken by the mortgage holder.

�If the caller does not have aVA guaranteed loan, the callwill be redirected to their re-gional loan center. The loancenter may only offer guidanceon what actions the loan holdermay want to consider taking.

As of Oct. 10, 2008, VA mayrefinance a loan up to 100 per-cent of the value of the prop-erty. Loan holders may alsowant to look into FHA Hope forHomeowners and FHA Secureloans. 1-888-995-HOPE (4673.)

VA mortgage counselors trained to helpveterans experiencing mortgage problemsBy Bonnie BesslerTransition Assistance Advisor

VVA can only intervene on

VA guaranteed loans. However,if the veteran does not have aVA guaranteed loan, counsel-ing advice can still be sought.

First, make sure that theindividual does not just ignorehis/her mortgage default prob-lem. Ignoring the problem maymake it impossible for the VAcounselor to assist in any man-ner.

Ensure the service memberor other mortgage holder (theVA centers may only speak with

Red Cross helps families cope with deploymentBy John MoyesFamily Program Office

On Nov. 12, 2008, theAmerican Red Crossinitiated a new train-

ing tool for military familiesat Grand Island, Neb.

The two instructors,Michelle Hultine and Lyndy

Bixler, presented the programCoping With Deployments: Psy-chological First Aid for MilitaryFamilies.

Both are licensed mentalhealth counselors in Nebraskaand have had many years ofexperience counseling individu-als with mental health concerns.

Prior to presenting this pro-

gram, each instructor receivedspecialized training in Wash-ington DC from an AmericanRed Cross Services to MilitaryFamilies lead trainer.

The purpose of this courseis to increase the ability ofmilitary families to success-fully cope with stresses duringthe deployment cycle.


mentorship as a leadership re-sponsibility.

In fact, he has made it one ofhis priorities to insure that Sol-diers and Airmen have everyopportunity for advancementand to create the conditions forevery member to have a longand successful career in theNational Guard.

This is the leader’s responsi-bility. Leaders, at every level,must develop the skills of their“up and coming” Soldiers andAirmen. Mentoring is a criticalpart of the leader’s “tool kit” toinsure that we prepare leadersfor the future.

You may be familiar withthe terms “hard power” and“soft power,” which come fromthe writings of Harvard Profes-sor Joseph Nye.

In his book entitled SoftPower the author defines these“powers” as actions betweennation-states. Examples of hardpower used by nations are toembargo goods, economic sanc-tions and freeze assets; mili-tary response is also a hardpower tool.

Soft power initiatives areanother way nations exertpower over one another. Ex-amples of soft power may in-clude foreign aid, cultural andeducational exchanges. Allthese tools, soft and hard, areused to gain influence, lever-age or control over anothernation’s activities.

VA UpdateBy Bonnie Bessler

Transition Assistance Advisor

On Military ServiceBy Maj. Gen. Robert Bailey

Nebraska Deputy Adjutant General

M

E

any of you have heardMaj. Gen. TimKadavy talk about

While the NationalGuard is not in the businessof controlling the lives of ourmembers, we would like tocontrol the work environ-ment in such a way as toinsure that all members haveequal opportunity, fairness inadvancement and are treatedwith respect.

We gain or lose influence withothers based on how we use thetools of leadership. To be effec-tive we must use all the tools,hard and soft power tools, inthe leader’s “kit bag”.

Most of the “hard” tools avail-able to leadership in the questto develop future leaders aredirected by regulation. Thesetools are primarily provided tous from military guidelines forleadership and are requiredactions to evaluate and grownew leaders.

Examples of hard tools mightinclude challenging our mem-bers in new positions, perfor-mance appraisals, rating re-ports and various technicalevaluations. These typical lead-ership tools are commonly usedto help develop people and chal-lenge them to excel in new ways.

Again, these tools are di-rected by regulation and testedby time.

Conversely, soft tools, whilein many cases highly desirable,are not required. Examples ofsoft tools are employee recogni-tion, monetary awards anddecorations just to mention afew. Mentoring is, in my view,one of the “soft” tools in the

leader’s kit bag.While everyone has heard of

mentoring, few people formallymentor others. Mentoring,while always encouraged, is dif-ficult to force on people.

Mentoring is more the “art”of the leader.

Why should we considermentoring? Soldiers and Air-men learn from their surround-ings.

We have a highly educatedforce of Soldiers and Airmen.They are observant and drawconclusions, form opinions anddevelop themselves, based onthe actions and behavior of theirleaders.

Yet, the question must be, dothey always learn the correctlesson from these observations?This is where mentorship canbe invaluable.

In a mentoring situation,three parties must gain – thementoree (the person receivingthe mentoring), the mentor andthe organization. Clearly theintended benefactor in thementoring relationship is thementoree. Yet, in my experi-ence, every mentoring experi-ence was also a great benefit tothe mentor as well.

The senior member, usuallythe mentor, invariably learns agreat deal, not just about thementoree, but about the chal-

lenges others face within theorganization. This benefitcan be so strong that manywould say it is a form of “re-verse” mentorship. The men-tor gains great insight into

how his or her leadership stylecan be adjusted and as a result,will become a better leader.

The benefit to the mentor isnot a by-product of the relation-ship, but rather a direct out-come of mentoring.

In the end, the mentoree andmentor should both gain, andas a result be successful and beprepared for advancement.

Finally, throughout the en-tire process of mentorship theorganization is the clear win-ner. The organization has im-proved leadership at all levelswith junior officers and enlistedmembers ready to assumegreater levels of responsibility.

Preparing leaders, Soldiers,Airmen and civilians for thechallenges of the future iseveryone’s responsibility. Eachservice member needs and de-serves our best effort in thisregard, and the organizationculture must encourage thisdevelopment at every opportu-nity.

How can we do this together?First, we must recognize that

anyone can mentor. Mentoringdoes not take a special skill.

What it does take is a specialconcern for the future of ourNational Guard. It cannot bedirected be regulation or forcedon anybody. Yet, it can be andshould be available to every-

one.Each individual has a role,

and each person can reach outas either a mentor or someonewishing to receive mentoring.Mentoring does require the will-ingness to work one-on-one witha Soldier or Airman in a rela-tionship based on respect andtrust.

If you are a young Soldier orAirman in our organization andyou want to be more engagedand involved in unit activities,or your own development,please seek out a senior NCO orofficer and ask if he or she couldhelp you understand the bestpath to a successful enlistmentor a career in the Guard.

This isn’t a time for shynessor hesitation. You must be ag-gressive. The decision you makemay help you with your careergoals and a successful Guardexperience.

For the senior NCO or officer,you know your people best; youprobably have a mixture of hardchargers and possibly a few slowstarters.

Yet each person can gain byyour mentorship.

Each Soldier and Airman willadd greater value to your orga-nization if you will take time toshow them the path to personalgrowth and increased responsi-bility.

The outcome is simple – bet-ter Soldiers and Airmen in yourunit. And you will be a better,more respected leader and yourunit will be more successful inany future operation.

Mentorship helps prepare each Guardsman for future challenges

Chief’s BusinessBy Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steve Weber

Nebraska Army National GuardCommand Chief Warrant Officer

Nebraska warrant officers mirroredother athletic teams’ success in 2008

very year is a greatyear for Sports;2008 just proved

outstanding.The Nebraska Corn-

huskers football team hadsignificant success. CoachPelini’s football team won theGator Bowl with a dramaticcome-from-behind victory.

A nine-win season is some-thing we Husker fans can talkabout until spring football anddefinitely gave fans hope for nextyear.

The Husker volleyball teamhad a victory over Washington inthe NCAA tournament and pro-duced a tremendous effortagainst Penn State in the finalfour at the Qwest in Omaha.

Doc Sadler’s basketball hasbeen seen as a scrappy bunch ofyoung men who don’t know theword quit and they tirelesslyleave their best efforts on thecourt especially when the chipsseem to not fall their way.

Finally, the Arizona Cardinals(my pick to win the Super Bowl)led by Kurt Warner made a greatplayoff run, but fell short due toa last minute drive by the Steelersand Ben Roethlisberger.

I began reflecting on all thisand the lessons we can learnfrom sports. Now I don’t haveany insider information, I onlydraw my opinions based on 40years of being an “expert” Ne-braska fan.

From my view, I see strongleadership coming fromNebraska’s Athletic Director andour coaches. It seems to me thatthey have created a culture thatemphasizes a strong work ethic,a healthy caring respect for eachother, integrity in all circum-stances and a sense of commit-ment to each other that raises ateam to success.

Chief Warrant Officer 2Zachary Hartmann, Nebraska’swarrant officer recruiter, canvouch for the fact that I’m alwayslooking to apply a sports meta-phor to our state’s warrant of-ficer strength goals. I am confi-dent that what I believe to betrue about Nebraska’s athleticprogram is also true about Ne-braska Army National Guard’sleadership, the Guard’s Soldiersand our warrant officer team.

Let me explain by sharing afew winning examples of Ne-braska-like excellence.

The Nebraska Warrant OfficerCorps scored 31 new warrantofficers in 2008. This was a T.D.(Team Delivery) of 100 percent ofauthorized strength. This goalwas achieved by a great team ofSoldiers who decided to makethe commitment to become a war-rant officer.

Many more of the Guard teamcontributed to this achievement,including warrant officer recruit-ers, warrant officer TAC (Teach,Assess and Counsel) officers,leadership at the Regional Train-ing Institute (including instruc-tors) and all the Personnel Officestaff members who accomplishthe hard work and put togetherSoldiers Federal RecognitionBoards packets. Capt. SamanthaKeech and the Medical Commandcrew have contributed greatly byproviding Chapter 2 physicalexams for new officers.

The game is still on.We are challenged by our head

coach (Maj. Gen. Tim Kadavy) totake warrant officer strength to

125 percent. I have relatedto Hartmann that we arenow in the fourth quarter ofthis strength game. We areon offense and driving tothe goal line, filling somehard to fill critical warrant

officer positions in the 67thBattlefield Surveillance Brigadeand the 623rd Vertical Engi-neers.

On Super Bowl Sunday, 19Soldiers (attending Pre WarrantOfficer Candidate training atCamp Ashland) committed to joinour warrant officer team. This isa warrant officer class that I con-sider to be filled with All Ameri-can recruits. If there were a war-rant officer scouting service suchas Warrant Officer Scout.com itwould rate this class as the bestin the country.

As this future class of warrantofficers train this year, I will re-mind them to strive for excel-lence and to build toward thesignificant success of the entirewarrant officer team.

“Just as last year’s class dem-onstrated, you must emulate astrong work ethic. You need tohave a healthy caring respect foreach member of the team with asense of commitment to eachother that you will not let anymember of the team down.“

“My advice is that you mustmaintain personal integrity inall situations set before you. Iexpect you to uphold the ‘ArmyValues’ keeping them in yourthoughts and actions. I encour-age you to come together as ateam, just like the tradition ofNebraska’s Husker teams, witha can-do attitude. If you do, youwill have fun scoring the win-ning T.D.”

I will remind the other 130members of the Nebraska war-rant officer team to do likewise.

eterans Affairs Com-munity Based Out-reach Clinics, com-V

monly known as CBOCs, areexpanding in the NebraskaWestern Iowa VA HealthCare System.

This is good news for veteransas services will be more widelyavailable across Nebraska. Hereis an update of what has beenhappening with the CBOCs:

�Oct. 14, 2008, — the Lincolnclinic located at 600 South 70thStreet unveiled one of three OIF/OEF Transition Clinics. The Lin-coln clinic is unique as it providesits own clinic entrance and isslightly removed from the rest ofthe clinic. This clinic is set up toprovide a “one stop shop” with afocus on general health care,mental health care and socialservices for issues that are uniqueto OIF/OEF veterans.

This clinic is open Mondaythrough-Friday with Wednesdayevening appointments available.To contact this clinic call TollFree 866-851-6052, ext 9-6301.

�Nov. 3, 2008 — Norfolk cliniclocated at 710 South 13th Street,Suite 1200, opened its doors to abrand new CBOC. Norfolk hasalways had a CBOC but wasunable to accommodate all theveterans that live in this area.

With that shortfall a new clinicwas opened.

To contact this clinic call (402)370-4570.

�Holdrege opened a newCBOC at 1118 BurlingtonStreet. To contact this clinic call(308) 995-3760.

�Additional CBOCs are be-ing planned for in the future.Plans call for one to be located inBellevue at Erhling BerquestHospital. It is expected to opensometime early this year. VA isalso looking for adequate spacefor a clinic in O’Neill and is plan-ning to expand the current clinicin North Platte.

�Ground breaking ceremoniestook place on Oct. 10 at the siteof the Alliance State VeteransCemetery. When complete, thecemetery is expected to accom-modate 8,500 burial sites on 20acres.

Questions should be ad-dressed to Bonnie Bessler, Ne-braska National Guard transi-tion assistance advisor. She canbe reached at (402) 309-7433 orat bonnie.bessler@ us.army.mil.

Veterans Affairs openingnew outreach clinics inNebraska communities

Worth Repeating“With malice toward none, with charity for all, with

firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let usstrive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’swounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, andfor his widow and his orphan — to do all which may achieveand cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, andwith all nations.” — Abraham Lincoln

Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865.


Editor, Prairie Soldier

My TurnMy Turn

Kevin J. Hynes

The Adjutant GeneralThe Adjutant GeneralMajor General

Timothy J. Kadavy

EditorialsPvt. Brian Bruce

734th Transportation Battalion

“To try and get in better shape for themilitary.”

Pvt. Tony Steinhour313th Medical Company

(Ground Ambulance)

“I want to do better in school.”

Pvt. Megan ReynoldsRecruit Sustainment Program - Kearney

“To stay in shape and work out moreoften.”

“What is your newyear’s resolution for2009?”

Street Talk

Pfc. Jenna Medley92nd Troop Command

“My resolution is to make it to churchevery Sunday except drill weekend.”

Pfc. Erin Gold734th Transportation Battalion

“To quit smoking. It’s hard.”

T

J

Sgt. Tyler Schik734th Transportation Battalion.

“I would like to spend two-to-threehours a day studying instead of

messing around.”

Editorials

General Heng was visionary leaderwho knew where we needed to go

his past Janu-ary the Ne-braska Na-

tional Guard lost oneof our great leadersand a dearest friend,retired Lt. Gen. (Ne-braska) Stan Heng.

Many of our moresenior Soldiers and Airmenserved with and knew GeneralHeng. For those of you who didnot, he was the Nebraska Na-tional Guard adjutant generalfrom 1987 to the end of 2000.

He was an extraordinary Sol-dier and leader who alwaysworked to ensure Soldiers andAirmen were always at theheart of every issue and thefocus of every decision.

During his tenure as theadjutant general, General Hengwas a true transformer, evenbefore transformation was invogue in Washington. Changesin technology, demographics,Force Structure and equippingdrive a need for continuous re-view, updates and at times de-cisions to ensure an organiza-tion is positioned to succeednot just today, but well into thefuture. General Heng under-stood this fact and did his duty

as a leader to ensure the Ne-braska National Guard was al-ways pushing forward and po-sitioned for success.

A senior leader’s most sig-nificant duty is to provide theirorganization a vision for thefuture. A vision provides a con-trol to ensure change is man-aged and that it does not over-whelm or surprise the team.

Vision is a long-term eventand requires continuous disci-pline to ensure it becomes real-ity. General Heng knew wherehe wanted to take us and hadthe strength to keep from devi-ating off course.

The Nebraska Army and AirNational Guard that we havetoday is the result of GeneralHeng’s long term vision anddedication to relevance, oppor-tunity and capability. Changeis never easy and many did notagree with some of the deci-

sions, but in retro-spect they were onthe mark.

We are an organi-zation with many op-portunities for all Ne-braskans. Our endstrength continues togrow and units pos-

sess readiness levels unattain-able just a few years ago.

It was not easy to let go of theArmy combat brigade or totransform to an air refuelingwing. But we could not man thebrigade and the RF-4 was alegacy aircraft about to be re-tired to the boneyard.

The easy thing to do is noth-ing, but ultimately the Ne-braska National Guard wouldhave been left irrelevant, inad-equately equipped and under-funded.

Today, we are a NebraskaNational Guard that is criticalto the national defense, home-land security and emergencyresponse.

We are the organization thatGeneral Heng envisioned dur-ing his tenure as our adjutantgeneral.

We owe him a huge debt ofgratitude.

anuary 12, 2009, wasa sad day.

That afternoon Ireceived an e-mail mes-sage announcing that re-tired Lt. Gen. (Neb.)Stanley M. Heng had diedafter a lengthy illness.

In a way, I felt like I’dlost a major mentor in my pro-fessional life, a person to whomI’d looked up to since the day Ifirst met him in October 1990.

Back in 1990 I was markingmy first drill as a NebraskaArmy National Guard journal-ist and had been assigned tocover the send-off ceremony formembers of the 24th MedicalCompany (Air Ambulance,) whohad just been mobilized for Op-eration Desert Shield.

As I waited for the ceremonyto begin at the Naval Annex build-ing in Lincoln, my noncommis-sioned officer-in-charge, StaffSgt. Ron Bradrick, and I werestanding alongside a wall when Inoticed a general officer walkingup to us.

Up until this point my historyof interaction with generals waspretty short. Granted, I’d takenphotos of a few over the yearsand had even been able to inter-view one or two, but other thanthat, my basic philosophy waspretty simple: if a general comesinto your area…get out of thearea.

So, needless to say, I had somepretty strong preconceptionsabout how generals are supposedto look, sound like and act.

As General Heng walked up,he saw Sergeant Bradrick andreached out his hand, saying“How’s your family Brad?”

Listening to these two Sol-diers talk, it was as if they weretwo life-long friends rather thana two-star general talking to astaff sergeant.

Moments later, SergeantBradrick introduced the generalto me, who immediately startedasking me about my family,where I was from and where I

was going to school.I doubt the meeting had much

of a impact on General Heng, butit did have a significant one onme. I remember thinking as hewalked away, “This is no ordi-nary general.”

As I attended the late Ne-braska Guard leader’s funerallast month, the memories cameflooding back. I remembered thetimes I traveled with him tovarious annual training exer-cises and listened in as he talkedto the Soldiers and Airmen heencountered. I rememberedtrips to places like Fort Knox,Ky., Fort Riley, Kan., and Wash-ington, D.C., and how he alwaysseemed to be able to identifywith the people he met on adeeply personal level.

I also remembered talkingwith General Heng early on aboutthe changes the National Guardwas facing in regards to tighten-ing military budgets and increas-ingly harsh questions about theneed for a National Guard tofight “tomorrow’s wars.”

As these memories floodedover me, I started thinking aboutthe late general’s legacy.

General Heng was a personwho was extremely interestedin preserving the history ofNebraska’s Army and Air Na-tional Guard, while at the sametime realizing that if the organi-zation was to survive and berelevant in the future, hard de-cisions had to be made now.

In my mind, today’s NebraskaNational Guard is GeneralHeng’s legacy– an organizationmade up of highly professionalSoldiers and Airmen who havebeen increasingly called upon toserve America in one of the most

turbulent eras inrecent memory.

But that onlytells part of thestory.

I think thatwhen I rememberGeneral Hengyears from now, I

will remember the man whoalways took time to ask how Iwas doing, who got to know mywife and our sons’ names, whoseemed to be genuinely inter-ested in the work I was doingand my professional develop-ment.

I will always rememberfondly one moment when I waspreparing to go to school for sixweeks to pursue my commis-sion. My wife and I were put-ting some finishing touches onsome legal paperwork at theJudge Advocate General’s of-fice when General Heng stoppedin. Seeing my wife, he askedhow she was doing while alsogiving her a little pep talk aboutwhat getting my commissionwould mean for our family inthe long term.

He then bent down to talk tomy one-year-old son, Patrick, whopromptly told General Heng – toboth my wife’s and my horror – togo away. Laughing, GeneralHeng winked at us and said, “Iguess that’s my cue.”

I last saw General Heng lastsummer when he and his wife,Sharon, stopped by my office.General Heng wanted to talkabout some camera issues, butthe visit quickly descended totalking about our families andremembering a few of the ‘goodole days.’

I think that’s probably whatI’m going to miss the most –knowing there was a leader outthere who truly cared about hisSoldiers and Airmen, a leaderwho took the time to simplylisten and be a good mentor.

Farewell, General Heng. Youwill never be forgotten. And youwill definitely be missed.

General Heng: Late Nebraska Guardgeneral had extraordinary human touch


Technical SergeantJames L. DaberkowDonald DissmeyerSteve R. FisherDavid J. RudebuschDaniel R. Westman

Staff SergeantDouglas D. CarlsonJonathan D. CarrisonChristopher D. KingChristopher KrotzMichael D. WellmanDaniel Williams

Senior AirmanAmanda A. ColbornChristine M. KoenigAimee LempkeBradley J. MetzSean W. MillerVictoria Pelan

Gregory S. PollmannJeffrey Tlamka

PROMOTIONS

AWARDS

We Salute

RETIREMENTS

Army National GuardBronze StarMaj. Craig W. Strong

Legion of MeritSgt. Maj. Robert J. BergmanMaster Sgt. Richard C. Tomjack

Meritorious Service MedalLt. Col. Daniel G. LonowskiLt. Col. Martin J. RileyLt. Col. Chad R. StevensLt. Col. Timothy M. ZegersMaj. Kevin L. GarnerMaj. Steve P. PetersenChief Warrant Officer 4 Jeffrey A. HusaSgt. 1st Class Chad M. BruceSgt. 1st Class Guadalupe M. CallerozSgt. 1st Class Dennis L. CullisonSgt. 1st Class Sylvester GrandberrySgt. 1st Class Dale E. Jackson Jr.

Sgt. 1st Class Ricky L. KerstSgt. 1st Class Kevin E. MeyersSgt. Patricia J. Rupp

Army Commendation MedalMaj. Mary J. MangelsMaj. Thomas E. McLeodMaj. Steve PetersenSgt. 1st Class Bruce A. NakaiStaff Sgt. Joseph G. Serkiz Jr. Sgt. Nicholas A. KempSgt. Carol A. MillerSpc. Troy A. BearArmy Achievement Medal1st Lt. Clinton F. BradyChief Warrant Officer 3 Gregory J. ReicksChief Warrant Officer 2 Torrey J. BakerChief Warrant Officer 2 Monty A. WoodwardWarrant Officer KC SohlWarrant Officer Tollie H. YoderSgt. 1st Class Dale T. Alexander Jr.

Sgt. 1st Class Daniel R. JamisonSgt. 1st Class John C. JurgensenSgt. 1st Class Paul M. KimbleSgt. 1st Class James C. MendozaSgt. 1st Class Scott R. StanleySgt. 1st Class David E. StrohbehnSgt. 1st Class Mitchell S. TaylorStaff Sgt. Dominik G. ChaseStaff Sgt. Christopher L. HarmonStaff Sgt. Kirsten L. JespersenStaff Sgt. Nicole D. KordikStaff Sgt. Christopher I. RussellStaff Sgt. Ryan E. ThompsonStaff Sgt. Gregory L. WolffSgt. Christopher P. HerndonSgt. Eric J. Martin

Nebraska National GuardLegion of MeritCol. David D. ZwartMaster Sgt. Patrick J. Ness

Nebraska National GuardMeritorious Service MedalMaster Sgt. Kerry D. WyattSgt. 1st Class Cecilio T. Roman

Nebraska National GuardCommendation Medal1st Lt. John M. HeatleySgt. 1st Class Rodney P. BussingerSgt. 1st Class Dustin E. GuentherSgt. 1st Class Jay D. HannaSgt. 1st Class Gregory D. LeikerSgt. 1st Class Tomas C. OrtizStaff Sgt. Peggy J. DavisStaff Sgt. Denise Y. RothwellSgt. Petra L. BlevinsSgt. Steven P. CannonSpc. Stuart J. MasonSpc. Lisa N. Weyers

Nebraska National GuardIndividual Achievement MedalSgt. 1st Class Chad J. AdamsSgt. 1st Class Terence G. BurnsStaff Sgt. Maren C. StewartSgt. Justin R. OlsonSpc. Elizabeth R. DeanSpc. Brian D. SloanSpc. Scott E. Upchurch

Nebraska National GuardRecruiting Achievement MedalSgt. 1st Class Chad J. AdamsSgt. 1st Class Carl J. DehlingSgt. 1st Class Daniel R. JamisonSgt. 1st Class Paul M. KimbleSgt. 1st Class Cecilio T. RomanStaff Sgt. Kirsten L. JespersenStaff Sgt. Nicole D. KordikStaff Sgt. Christopher I. RussellStaff Sgt. Chad A. Schroetlin

Staff Sgt. Scott R. StanleyStaff Sgt. Maren C. StewartStaff Sgt. Ryan E. Thompson

Air National GuardBronze Star MedalCol. Robert A. Athan

Meritorious Service MedalLt. Col. Barbra S. Buls

Air Force Commendation MedalCapt. Christopher L. GanshertTech. Sgt. Jesse H. Arant

Air Force Achievement MedalTech. Sgt. Brannon K. LauritzenStaff Sgt. Matthew J. WattierSenior Airman Nathan S. TeschSenior Airman Brittney C. Truscott

Army National GuardMajorGrant W. Siedenburg

CaptainJeremy D. ChancellorWilliam R. Harris Jr.James R. HewittJeremy K. Smith

First LieutenantSarah M. DanceJoyce B. DolezalJessica A. HoeltingAdam M. Hogue

Chief Warrant Officer TwoMathew L. Vanderpol

Master SergeantMonte A. KerchalPaul M. Kimble

Terry D. Rasmussen

Sergeant First ClassJeffery A. HolbrookChristopher I. RussellRyan E. Sullivan

Staff SergeantChristine E. BraunJoseph C. HaagAdam C. JunckLanden C. KoopmanJohn C. MooreNathan J. ReicksTravis D. RichardsMatthew D. SimmsJosiah D. Unger

SergeantBradley C. ArnoldAaron D. BuettnerDustin J. Douglass

Juan C. FrancisBrandon J. JancikRichard J. MapleNicholas R. Noel III

SpecialistMathieu K. EthingtonJuan C. FrancisLemarcus D. GaskinsAaron E. JohnsonJeffery H. Mann

Private First ClassJeffrey L. StoutAndrew S. Turner

Private TwoDirk E. ArnesonLaurette E. BealJames D. Bishop Jr.Aaron D. DebartoloJacob J. Fosket

Caylub A. HayesTrevor J. KurtzhalsDaniel J. WardynAlec M. Zackery

Air National GuardLieutenant ColonelRobert E. Hargens

Chief Master SergeantRocky W. Heberlee

Senior Master SergeantRandal M. EickmeierThomas J. Kripal

Master SergeantJennifer E. ElogePaul. M. SavickVicky R. Stevens

Army National GuardChief Warrant Officer Scott J. ZaskeMaster Sgt. Patrick J. NessSgt. 1st Class Craig A. BrownStaff Sgt. Donovan P. RedlStaff Sgt. Matthew D. Schaub

Air National GuardMaster Sgt. Timothy D. Majerus


TAPSLt. Gen. (Neb.) Stanley M. Heng

ShortakesNebraska’s military, vets to be honored during May event

Nebraska’s militarymembers and theirfamilies will be saluted,

May 16, when the NationalGuard Association of Nebraskaand Gov. Dave Heineman host“Salute to Nebraska’s Military”at Mahoney State Park.

While many of the day-longevents are still in the planningstage, the day will feature con-certs – including an eveningheadline act – as well as a num-ber of activities and displays

including youth fishing instruc-tion, archery range, BB gunrange, pony rides, paddle boats,climbing walls, informationalexhibits, the Army Guard’s “Pa-triot Chopper,” NASCAR Car#88, educational exhibits andan evening barbecue.

According to event organiz-ers, a wrist band – available fora minimal fee – will be requiredfor some of the listed events,however access to the militarydisplays, informational exhib-its, educational seminars andGame & Parks demonstrationswill be available without wrist-

bands. May 16 is also free parkentry and fishing day.

The event is open to mem-bers of the Nebraska NationalGuard, Nebraska-based activeduty and reserve forces andtheir families, Nebraskans whoare veterans of any branch ofthe U.S. military and theirfamilies, and current state andfederal employees of the Ne-braska National Guard, Ne-braska Military DepartmentNebraska-based active dutyand reserve forces and theirfamilies.

The event is being conducted

in partnership with the Ne-braska Game & Parks Commis-sion, the Employees of the Ne-braska Military Department,the Nebraska National Guard,Stars & Stripes Sertoma, andVA-Nebraska-Western IowaHealth Care System.

Mahoney State Park is lo-cated south of Ashland, Neb.,near Interstate 80. A block ofrooms, cabins and camp sitesare available at Mahoney StatePark. Reservations will be ac-cepted on a first come, firstserved basis through April 15.2008 rates apply.

Standard cancellation policywill apply.

Attendees are also remindedto be prepared to provide proofof military service if requested(military ID, employee ID, DD-214 or proof of members in aU.S. military organization suchas the American Legion, DAV,VFW or Patriot Guard.)

People looking for more infor-mation, are encouraged to checkout the event’s Website atwww.armedforcescelebra-tion.com or contact Sgt. DaveRickers at (402) 230-9128 or TerriKattes at (402) 429-4725.

Offutt Air Guardsmen playSanta for Omaha group homeBy Capt. Wendy Squarcia170th Group

T he men and women of Offutt AirForce Bases’ 170th Group, Ne-braska Air National Guard, had

the privilege of playing “Santa” for thesecond year in a row for the Youth Careand Beyond Group Home in Omaha,Neb.

The Guardsmen volunteered to pro-vide individual Christmas gifts to eachand every child and adult in the agency,as well as a few group gifts to help outthe residences.

The gifts included clothes, toys, books,DVDs, pots and pans, a steam cleaner, abike, Creighton tickets and a GeorgeForeman grill.

According to Ginger Apprich, devel-opment director for the group home, thevolunteer response from the individualGuard members was tremendous.

“The 170th Group lit up the faces ofthe children and adults and made theirholiday,” she said.

The Youth Care & Beyond GroupHome is a small, but determined non-profit agency located in the heart ofNorth Omaha. The group home pro-vides services to residents from the en-tire state of Nebraska. Their mission is

to enhance the lives of special peopleboth now and in the future.

Many of those services are life-chang-ing for the residents. There are cur-rently 28 clients at the group home withthe hopes of expanding the mission intoother areas of preventative and sup-portive care.

Youth Care and Beyond has been apart of the Omaha community, provid-ing services to clients for nearly 30years. There are three individual grouphomes that make up Youth Care andBeyond, which provides services to chil-dren 10-18 years of age and adults 19-years and older.

“Most of our clients are wards of thestate and have been abused and ne-glected, and all have developmental dis-abilities,” said Apprich. “We bring outthe ‘ability’ in them.”

Funding for the facility comes in theform of donations, grants andfundraisers, with a small portion com-ing from the state.

The 170th Group has “adopted” thisgroup home and will be playing a largerole in helping them with specific needsin the future. Recently, the home neededa washer and dryer for one of the boy’shomes.

After sending the email out request-

ing help, it took less than five minutes toget a response from one of the unitmembers offering both a washer anddryer.

Youth Care and Beyond has beenvery appreciative for all the donations.

“Wow, you guys must be angels,” saidApprich recently.

Photo courtesy of the 170th Group

Warm Thank You: (From left) Col. Mark White, commander of the 170th Group,Nebraska Air National Guard, and Capt. Wendy Squarcia, a member of the 170th Groupwho served as her unit’s Youth Care and Beyond Group Home project officer, hold athank you card created for the 170th Group in appreciation of the donations made bythe unit shortly before Christmas. Unit members donated clothes, toys, books, DVDs,pots and pans, steam cleaner, Creighton basketball tickets and even a GeorgeForeman grill to the Omaha organization.

Prairie Soldier February 2009 19Sports

Cross Country Championship Meet atPole Green Park in Mechanicsville, Va.

Lined up against Justin was a field ofover 200 “Bantam” age-group (10-years-old-and-under) national qualifiers.

Suddenly, as the gun fired, Justinshot off the line. His race plan wassimple: get out fast and lead from startto finish.

Justin is the 10-year-old son of Ne-braska Air National Guard Senior Mas-ter Sergeant Laura Liedke and her hus-band Gregg. Sergeant Liedke is theairfield manager for the 170th Opera-tional Support Squadron at Offutt AirForce Base while Gregg recently retiredafter a 30-year career with the Air ForceWeather Agency.

Their son is no ordinary competi-tor. He is one of the most-talentedyouth distance runners in Nebraskahistory.

He is the Nebraska State Cross Coun-try champion for 2007 and 2008, holdsthe Nebraska State Record for the Ban-tam Boys 1500 meter “Metric Mile” run

OBy Maj. Mark Hopson170th Group

Airman’s son wins national championship, earns USA Track & Field honors

n Dec. 13 Justin Liedke toed theline at the 2008 USA Track andField National Junior Olympic

with a time of 4:51.92 and is a multiple-time All-American who placed third inlast year’s National Junior OlympicCross Country Cham-pionship Meet as a 9-year-old in the 10-and-under race.

This past summer,Liedke finished secondin the 1,500 meter runat the National JuniorOlympic Track & FieldChampionship Meet.

In other words, heentered this year’s Na-tional Meet as a favor-ite.

Liedke competes forthe Cornhusker FlyersTrack Club. The Fly-ers are based inOmaha and their mis-sion is to promote thesports of Track & Fieldand Cross Countrythroughout Nebraska.Eight Flyers have won Junior OlympicCross Country National Championshipsin the club’s 32-year history.

Liedke was racing to become theninth.

Flyers Coach John Wissler said: “We

knew Justin was better at longer dis-tances than his main competitors. But,if it came down to a speed race in the last

100 meters, he might bein trouble.”

“So, he needed to seta fast pace and build abig enough lead that theother runners wouldn’thave the kind of speednecessary to catch him,”Wissler said.

Liedke did just that,winning his nationalchampionship.

In fact, his margin ofvictory was the largestof the 10 different age-group races at the Na-tional ChampionshipMeet.

For that reason,Liedke was named theUSA Track & Field Ath-lete of the week for theweek of Dec. 15.

He joined other USA Track & FieldAthletes of the Week for 2008 includingBeijing Olympic Gold Medalists BryanClay, Stephanie Brown Trafton andSanya Richards, as well as Hall-of-Famemarathoner Join Benoit Samuelson.

“I had a good start. At 800 meters Ifelt good, so I took the lead,” Liedke saidlater.

“I jogged the course with (teammate)Nick Falcon the night before and hemade some jokes that helped relax me.”

Justin stretched his lead to 30 meterswith 1,000 meters to go.

“I knew I had to run a hard 1,000 tothe finish. When I got to the last turnwith 300 meters to go, I didn’t hear anybreathing behind me so I just ran ashard as I could to the line.”

Liedke finished the 3,000 metercourse in first-place in a time of 10:39, afull 26 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher, averaging a 5:43-minutemile pacer over the 1.86 mile course.(That converts to a 8:34 mile-and-a-halftime.)

“What was really cool,” he said, “waswhen I crossed the finish line and en-tered the chute, someone handed me alittle white card. It said, ‘This is theshell that started the race you won.’ Iturned the card over and there was theshell casing from the Starter’s pistol.”

Liedke said he was surprised to benamed the athlete of the week.

“I’m humbled by the whole experi-ence,” he said. “To be named with theworld’s best is an honor.”

T

Riders from the skyNebraska Air National Guard cyclists aim to tame prairies, spread Guard messageByLt. Col. John Rued170th Group

wenty years ago, SeniorMaster Sgt. Ron Perdunnand I first crossed bike

paths on a week-long cycling tourof Nebraska.

At that time there were nobike paths – just miles and milesof rural highways. Ron was arelatively young Airborne Main-tenance Technician and I was avery young navigator. We wereboth stationed at Offutt.

The catalyzing event for thiscareer-long friendship was thenow defunct SWATH – SACWarriors Across The Heartland– an annual recruiting and pub-lic affairs event sponsored by theStrategic Air Command head-quarters that featured cyclistsand runners carrying the AirForce message to hamlets andfarmsteads across the GreatPlains.

Since then, the use of bicyclesto educate and recruit hasevolved: SAC went away, Strate-gic Command arrived andSWATH remained... at least fora while.

When SWATH faded, a suc-cession of popular U.S. Air ForceRAGBRAI teams bloomed in itsplace. As the teams grew in size,regional teams – reflecting aunique identity and culture –spun off.

One of these was the NebraskaAir National Guard cycling team,now in its fourth year.

The RidersPerdunn and I are both mem-

bers of the Nebraska Air Guard’s170th Group at Offutt Air ForceBase. Together with Master Sgt.Mike Minnick and Senior Mas-ter Sgt. Mark Forster of the 155thAir Refueling Wing in Lincoln.We are the core of the Nebraskacycling team.

Team membership varies an-nually and is dependent on rideravailabilities – unit deploymentsand family commitments do af-fect participation.

Team membership is not re-stricted to Guard members, ei-ther. We have attracted ridersfrom the active duty and civilianworld as well as among our fam-ily members and friends.

That diversity is a majorsource of team strength, saidPerdunn, adding: “On the team,we have had the entire spectrumof riders with military back-grounds. From Airmen to com-manders, I have never seen atime that we, the military com-munity, have put at the disposalof the local communities such adiverse group to sit among, re-late to and discuss Guard lifewith in such a low-key environ-ment.”

We four have a long history ofriding, initially each participat-ing for specific reasons.

For me, a girlfriend got mestarted in cycling, thinking thatit would strengthen our relation-ship.

It did; I still have the bike.Cycling’s sustained appeal to

me is that age-old challenge: manand machine interfacing withnature.

Forster started cycling in 1981as a way to get back in shapeafter a car accident. The low im-pact physical therapy coupled topractical transportation soonfixed cycling as a lifestyle staple.

He sums cycling as “a sportthat can be combined with com-muting to work, vacation travel,going to lunch…it has a low im-

pact on the body and you can seesomething new every ride, ver-sus jogging on a treadmill whereyou never move.”

Perdunn began riding whilestationed in England in the early’80s. “Everyone cycled every-where,” he said. “I started ridingthe 12 miles to work and every-one thought I was crazy. When Icame back to the states it felt likenobody rode.”

Touring was “like all the crazypeople coming together,” he said.

Why We RideThe concept of public relations

and recruiting drives is not new.Regional air shows attract AirForce hardware. Air Force re-cruiters trek over lonely roads asthey travel between rural highschools.

But these activities target aspecific demographic: aviationenthusiasts and high school stu-dents. They lack the serendipi-tous nature of the cycling tour.

And therein lays the adven-ture: You never know who youwill meet; you never know whoyou can influence.

“The benefit of these rides,”Forster said, “is exposing youngpeople to positive images of theGuard in a non-threatening en-vironment.”

Perdunn agrees,saying the Guardhas an obligation toget out among thepeople. “I enjoy be-ing connected to astate and servingwithin the state,” hesaid. “It’s their teamand they can’t see uswhen we’re hidingbehind the basefence all the time. It’sgood to get out andsay ‘Here we are,’and tell our stories.”

The RidesThe Nebraska Air

Guard team favorsthree regional rides:Bike Ride Across Ne-braska (BRAN),Tour de Nebraska(TDN), and the (DesMoines) Register’sAnnual Great BikeRide Across Iowa(RAGBRAI).

Each ride has its unique fea-tures. But, as unique as eachride is, there are similarities.

Daily leg lengths average 60miles, although places of scenicor historical import often beg oneto get off the bike to explore.Long summer days harken tothe days of youth when responsi-bilities were few while the cama-raderie of fellow teammates andfellow cyclists make you trulyfeel part of something bigger.

And, finally, the sense of ac-complishing a physically de-manding feat makes you feelpretty good.

Our GoalsOur goals on these tours are

simple: First, to establish an AirGuard presence among those whomay not have familiarity withtheir hometown Air Force,whether they are fellow riders orpeople we meet along the way.Second, to participate in passive,non-threatening discussions ofour chosen profession.

“Most of the people I talk to insmall towns aren’t even awarethat the Air Guard exists,” saidForster.

“During the Tour de Nebraskain 2006, I talked to one indi-vidual for over an hour about theGuard,” said Forster. “He just

asked questions rather than hav-ing a recruiter tell him about thebenefits.”

“The most common question Iget asked is, ‘Are you a recruiter?’”said Perdunn. “Afterwards theyseem to open up with everythingthey wanted to know about themilitary, but were afraid to ask.”

“I have asked after speakingwith several people, ‘Would ithave made a difference if I was arecruiter?’ They all said theydidn’t want me to sell them themilitary, but they did want toknow about it — and what it hadto offer — without the sales pitch.”

The Way AheadGuard participation in cycling

tours is a cost effective way toreach out and expose ourselves –figuratively – to the public,whether it is to other riders, hostcommunities, or people we meetalong the way.

Air shows are expensive. Re-cruiters are few. We offer an al-ternative to getting the word out.

Fortunately, our approach hasbeen recognized for its inherentbenefits at the national level. Allthree rides have been approvedby the National Guard Bureauas supporting the recruiting mis-sion.

This means that Active GuardReserve members have the op-tion of riding in a permissive TDYstatus.

Currently, traditional mem-bers desiring to ride will have toride on their own time, thoughwe are working with our IowaGuard cycling counterparts to fig-ure out a way to put the part-timers on orders.

Interested in riding? Try it.Whether it is to train for these

sanctioned recruiting rides, toexplore a new facet of fitness, orto extend your social network-ing within an area of similarinterest, we invite you to ridewith us.

No doubt, riding can be chal-lenging. But riding is also a lotof fun, especially in a group…this group.

For more information contactus at [email protected] ([email protected]);[email protected],mil;[email protected]; [email protected].

Photo courtesy of Lt. Col. John Rued

Rolling Along: Members of the Nebraska Air National Guard biking team rolltoward the finish line of the Bike Ride Across Nebraska (BRAN.) Pictured are: Lt.Col. Wayne Snyder, Master Sgt. Clare Koble, Lt. Col. John Rued, Brenda Nolt andSenior Master Sgt. Ron Perdunn.

Championship Form: JustinLiedke, son of Senior Master Sgt.Laura Liedke, crosses the finishline of the 2008 USA Track andField National Junior OlympicCross Country ChampionshipShip, Dec. 13.

Photo by Action Sports Images

Prairie Soldier February 200920Dreaming In

RedSports


Marathon officials encourage runners to try out for Nebraska team

he Nebraska NationalGuard Marathon Teamis looking for a few good

runners interested in tacklinga pretty big challenge.

According to Sgt. 1st ClassJennifer Kramer, state mara-thon program coordinator, Ne-braska is looking for runners tocompete in May’s Lincoln/Na-tional Guard Marathon, whichserves as the primary trials forthe ‘All Guard’ Marathon Team.

Kramer said she hopes tofield between 11 and 17 run-ners on this year’s team.

“Last year we had a malemake the (All Guard) team forthe first time in several years,”said Kramer. “We didn’t haveany females make the team,though, because many of therunners who have made it inthe past had conflicts withschools, deployments or were

injured.”Kramer said she hopes that

will change in 2009. A number offemale runners will be back forthe race this year.

Kramer said she’s also alreadyhad inquiries from three athleteswho are considering becomingmembers of the state team. Shesaid she’s looking for even more.

According to Kramer, Guards-men who sign up to run the fullmarathon will receive a Ne-braska uniform in exchange foragreeing to participate in a num-ber of recruiting events and racesduring the year.

For those not sure they’reready to tackle the 26.2-mile raceor take on the additional recruit-ing commitments that come withbeing on the team, Kramer sug-gests the half-marathon race.

“It’s a good way to get yourfeet wet and to see if the programis for you,” she said.

For those that compete in thefull marathon, they are eligible

to compete for a spot on the “AllGuard Marathon Team,” madeup of approximately the top 50Guard marathoners in the na-tion.

Staff Sgt. Michael Hagen isthe new National Guard BureauMarathon Program coordinator.A former Kansas Air Guards-men, Hagen now works full-timefor the Army Guard in Lincolnoverseeing the team’s participa-tion in a number of national races.

Hagen has taken the team tothe Air Force Marathon at WrightPatterson Air Force Base, the St.Jude’s Marathon in Memphis,Tenn., and the Mardi Gras Mara-thon in New Orleans, La.

Hagen said the team did par-ticularly well during the Feb. 1race in New Orleans. “The racewent really, really well,” he said,adding the Guard fielded threehalf-marathon relay teams –mens, womens, and mixed — forthe Merrill Lynch “Run For TheChildren race, which benefited

Children’s Hospital. Each Guardteam won its individual category.

“On average, we beat the sec-ond place team by probably 28minutes,” said Hagen. He saideach member of the four-personrelay team completed a four-mileleg during the race. “The run-ners were really proud of theiraccomplishments.”

Following the race, the teamswere presented with a $200 giftcard to be used at local restau-rants. After a quick discussion,the teammates donated the cardsback to race organizers so thatthe Children’s Hospital could givethem to families in need.

“They pretty much decided atthe finish line to tell the organiz-ers to keep the cards and give itto a family that could better useit,” said Hagen.

Along with the relay teams,Guard runners also did quitewell. Troy Harrison of the Penn-sylvania National Guard tookfifth overall in the men’s race

while Varinka Barbini, Ken-tucky National Guard, placedthird overall in the women’srace.

The race results were justhalf the success, however. Alongwith running in New Orleans,the Guard team also helped lo-cal recruiters by setting up aNational Guard informationalbooth at the “Health and Fit-ness Expo” before the race.

There, the runners talkedwith other athletes about Guardbenefits while informing themabout the National GuardMarathon Program.

Hagen said the team col-lected a total of 58 leads forGuard recruiters at the Expo. Itwas the largest collection ofleads that Hagen has seen sincetaking over the program andthe largest that many on theteam have seen in some time.

Kramer encouraged peopleinterested in the state programto contact her at (402) 309-7112.

Dreaming In

T


RedGuard Soldier followsdream by attendingwalk-on tryouts forNebraska Huskers

Dream (drem) n. 1. To have a deepaspiration; hope for something. 2. Toconsider something feasible or practi-cal; conceive even remotely.

he first thing a person noticeswhen meeting Pvt. MichaelWesson, a truck driver with Co-

end of the month, I was doing a mile inunder seven minutes.”

“I just kept going and going and goinguntil by the end of six months I wasconditioned to do six miles a day,”Wesson said. “So, when I got to basic, itreally wasn’t that hard for me. In fact, Iwas able to get into Alpha Squad, whichwas made up of the fastest runners. Iran that at 375 (pounds.) It just blew mydrill sergeants away.”

According to Wesson, he had to learnhow to train differently. In order to go tobasic training, Wesson had to pass abody composition test, which he did byrecording a 28 percent body fat compo-sition, earning him a waiver for hisweight.

Basic training, however, was stillhard.

“The fact is, you don’t get to eat likeyou’re used to and you don’t get to eatafter everything you do like you did athome,” he said. “You aren’t constantlysupplementing, so you aren’t buildingmuscle. You aren’t working out yourbiceps except when you are doing push-ups. I was doing weights every day.”

“Running (however) really strength-ened my legs and toned them out,” hesaid. By the end of basic training, Wessonhad slimmed down to an incredible 202pounds, essentially losing nearly half ofhis body weight. He also earned theconfidence of his drill sergeants, whodesignated him a trainee squad leader.

After returning home from basictraining, Wesson settled into life as astudent-Guard Soldier. Still, the dreamof becoming a Husker football playernagged at him.

Last summer, he learned thatNebraska’s new coach, Bo Pelini, haddecided to reinvigorate the Cornhuskers’legendary walk-on program.

The program allows students to tryout for the football team while payingtheir own way to college. Over the years,hundreds of Nebraska students, includ-ing Nebraska Army and Air Guards-men, have participated in the program.

Even though earning a spot on thewalk-on team was a distinct long shot,Wesson decided to reach for his dream.Wesson said he began working out withhopes of attending the team’s tryoutslast fall. “In comparison to high school, Ican really move. I’m much, much stron-ger. And I’m more alert in my surround-ings. Why not?” said Wesson.

As fortune would have it, though, twodays before the scheduled tryouts, Wessonwas mobilized for the Hurricane Gustavrelief effort.

“That kind of put me behind a littlebit,” Wesson said.

This past winter, Wesson said, one ofhis buddies told him that the Huskerswere again planning to hold tryouts inJanuary for current University of Ne-braska-Lincoln students. About threeweeks before the planned Jan. 29 work-outs, Wesson’s buddy called again to in-form him that the tryouts would beginpromptly at 6 a.m. at the Hawks Champi-onship Center.

“I trained and trained,” he said, addingthat he put particular emphasis on weighttraining and running the 40-yard dash. “Iwanted to be the biggest guy therestrength-wise because I didn’t know whatto expect from the tryouts.”

According to the Lincoln Journal-Starnewspaper, approximately 40 UNL stu-dents showed up for the early morningworkouts. Wesson was among them. Hesaid the tryouts were run “militaristi-cally.”

“(The coaches) came in and said ‘Lineup. Get in line. We’re going to take yourweight and your name,’” Wesson said.“Everything was ‘Yes, sir,’ ‘No, sir.’ Youhad to have respect for them or they(would) kick you out right away.”

The prospects then began running.First the 40-yard-dash, then three 55-yard-dashes, then ‘shuttles,’ whichWesson said consisted of four 15-yarddashes.

Wesson said he consistently met theminimum times for a lineman while beat-ing out athletes trying out for the “skillposition.”

The coaches, said Wesson, seemed par-ticularly interested in who was willing toput in the effort required of a Division 1football player.“They were looking at howbig your heart was, but at the same timethey were looking at how good of conditionyou were in,” he said.

Wesson said his only struggle came atthe end of the shuttle run. After his part-ner made several false-starts requiringthe two to start over, Wesson said hesimply didn’t have enough gas left in thetank. “My body just gave out and said,‘You gave it your all.’”

At the end of the tryouts, the coachesgathered the prospects around them andtold them to keep working out if they wereinterested in participating in walk-on try-outs later this summer. They then named10 athletes that they wanted to see backat those tryouts.

Wesson’s name was among those listed.“It was very fulfilling,” said Wesson

about hearing his name announced. “Iwas like, ‘Hmm, I guess I did make animpact.’ I was kind of expecting (to) hearit when I was outlasting the skill players.They were just giving up.”

“I was just gassing it…just going andgoing,” he added. “This is my dream.”

Later, after the athletes were filing outof the Hawks Center, one of the coachesthanked Wesson for coming out. “I said,‘No problem sir,’” said Wesson. “Theyasked if I was military and I said, ‘Yes, I’min the Guard.’”

“He said that’s probably why you lastedso long,” added Wesson.

Wesson said he’s planning to train hardand return for the tryouts. He said hisgoal is to decrease his weight to around240 pounds while trimming his 40 time toaround 4.7 seconds.

“I know what to expect now. I knowwhat to train for.”

Even though making the walk-on teamis still a very distinct long shot, Wessonsaid the experience whetted his appetiteto see his dream – or at least the pursuitof his dream – through to the finish.

“It would be amazing,” said Wesson.“I’ve got time. Why not live the dream andgo for it? You only live once.”

lumbus’ 1074th Transportation Company,is his large, brickwall-like frame. Packing300 pounds on a five-foot ten-inch frame,he looks like the type of Soldier who couldrealistically pick up the truck the Armytaught him to drive.

The next thing is the grip of his hand asit engulfs yours in a warm, strong hand-shake.

But ask him about his dream of playingfootball for the Nebraska Cornhuskersand suddenly the smile of a star-struckelementary student explodes from his face.

“It’s always been there,” he says, hisface creased by the large, toothy smile.“When you grow up a Nebraska boy…youwant to play Husker football. It’s thatsimple.”

“I grew up watching the ’97, the ’95 andthe ’94 teams. I heard about the ’70 and ’71teams,” said Wesson, referring toNebraska’s five national championshipfootball teams. “I actually came up herewhen I was young and stood in the standsand thought, ‘Wow, I’d love to play heresomeday.’”

Despite putting up good numbers as anoffensive center and defensive lineman forthe Papillion-LaVista football team,Wesson didn’t play enough to attract at-tention from any college football teams. Atthe time, he said, it didn’t matter.

“I knew from the 11th grade year thatI was going to Nebraska because theGuard was going to pay for it,” saidWesson, who enlisted in the NebraskaArmy Guard two years ago last Decem-ber.

However, simply getting qualified to goto basic training was a huge challenge. Atthe time of his enlistment, Wesson said heweighed around 375 pounds.

“I was a big boy,” said Wesson, addinghe spent most of his high school yearslifting weights and supplementing his dietto build up his size for football. “I didn’tknow what running was, to be honest. So,I hit the track every day after school.”

The first day, Wesson said, hestruggled to finish a complete 400-meterlap. The next day, he completed two. “Bythe end of the week, I was doing a mile in16 minutes, but I was doing it. By the

Photo by Maj. Kevin Hynes

Memorial Stadium Goal: Pvt. Michael Wesson stands overlooking the football field atNebraska’s Memorial Stadium. Athough he’s not a Nebraska Cornhusker Footballplayer yet, Wesson hopes to make the team as a walk-on lineman. He recently took thefirst step when he attended tryouts for the walk-on program, Jan. 29.

the joint newspaper of the nebraska army …pany (ground ambulance,) has helped nine soldiers enlist...

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