2011 Winter

24 Pages·2011·2.7 MB·English

Official Publication of the Iowa National Guard Winter 2011
734th ADT
Making a diff erence
in Afghanistan
KFOR Aviation
reaches out
Social media brings Airmen closer to families // Farewell to the Fallen // Iowa's Civil War record
Winter 2011 | The Iowa Militiaman | 1
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Winter 2011
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Th e Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Tim Orr
Public Aff airs Offi cer Col. Greg Hapgood
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734th ADT making a difference Editor/Designer Master Sgt. Duff McFadden
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Capt. Peter Shinn State Photographer Capt. Tim Mills
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F 66 Contributing Writers/Photographers:
2nd Lt. Brandon Cochran
KFOR aviation reaches out
Th e Iowa Militiaman is an offi cial publication
Sgt. Jerry Boffen
authorized under the provisions of AR 360-1. It is
published by the Iowa National Guard State Public
Aff airs Offi ce and is printed four times annually.
1100 News and opinions expressed in this publication
are not necessarily those of the Adjutant General
of Iowa or the Department of Defense.
Full color version available online at
Man's best friend www.iowanationalguard.com/publicaff airs/militiaman.htm
Maj. Amy Price
8 » Farewell to the fallen Follow the Iowa National Guard on Facebook
www.facebook.com/IowaNationalGuard
Master Sgt. Mike Battien
14 » Social Media brings
Address all submissions to:
Airmen closer to families
Th e Iowa National Guard Militiaman Magazine
Staff Sgt. Rich Murphy
State Public Aff airs Offi ce
7105 NW 70th Ave.
»
20 Iowa's Civil War record
Johnston, Iowa 50131-1824
Lt. Col (Ret.) Mike Musel
or e-mail: [email protected]
Comm: [phone]
3 TAG Sends
DSN: 431-4582
s Maj. Gen. Tim Orr
The Adjutant General
t
n 13 Family Readiness
Rebecca Schrader
e OOnn tthhe Cover
Family Assistance Specialist
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PPhhoottoo by Capt, Peter Shinn
18 Education Offi ce
t Chief Warrant Offi cer 1 UU..SS.. AAir Force Chief
r Matt Wolf MMaasstter Sgt. Don Kuehl,
a JJaacckkson, Minn., (left)
22 Through the Ranks aanndd 1st Lt. Scott Shirk,
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EEmmmetsburg, Iowa, both
Command Sgt. Maj.
ooff the 734th Agribusiness
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John Breitsprecker
DDevelopment Team, take
D Joint Senior Enlisted Leader aa soil sample from a
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23 Chaplain's Corner
farm site just north of
Chaplain (Col.) Jim Luder Asadabad, Afghanistan,
Iowa State Chaplain as a government
ooffiffi cciiaall wwaattcches on.
2 | The Iowa Militiaman | Winter 2011
TAG Sends
Maj. Gen. Tim Orr, The Iowa Adjutant General
Caring for our families
Supporting our most valuable assets
T
his past summer we had an numerous family readiness groups among
aggressive agenda. We held our first our commands.
state-wide Army annual training Today, we have created the Iowa
event at Camp Ripley, we finalized the National Guard Warrior & Family Services
mobilization preparation for over 3,400 Branch. This is a Joint-Force initiative
Soldiers and Airmen, and have concluded that serves as the foundation for support
over 30 individual unit send-offs. to families of Iowa Army and Air National
We anticipate a busy upcoming year, Guard members. The Warrior & Family
as well. With that said, we are fully Services Branch acts as a network allowing thhe Warrior & Familly SServices Branchh is to
committed to supporting our deployed families to mutually support one another. call 1-800-294-6607, ext 4416, or e-mail
forces, their families, and the employers This branch consists of seven full-time them at [email protected].
of deployed Soldiers and Airmen. In this Family Assistance Specialists, multiple Finally, I’m frequently asked by the
issue of the Militiamen magazine, I want Family Readiness Groups, a State Child public, “What can we do for our deployed
to focus on caring for families. and Youth Program, and a Psychological warrior’s families while they are gone?”
Military readiness is directly tied to Health section. The program also includes It is really the simple things that matter
family readiness. In every deployment, Survivor Outreach Services, the Yellow most, like mowing the grass, shoveling
our Soldiers and Airmen leave behind the Ribbon Programs, the State Chaplain’s snow, dropping off a home-cooked meal,
one thing they cherish the most – their Strong Bonds Program, Health and Well- or offering to watch the kids. Whatever
families. We couldn’t do our mission ness Team, Military and Family Life you decide to do, it will make a difference
without the support of our families. Consultants, and Military One Source for those families and show we really care
When I talk with Soldiers and Airmen, resources. about our deployed warriors. I challenge
their concern isn't the mission – they’re The Warrior & Family Services Branch you to give your best effort in getting
anxious to do the mission and they is available to our Army and Air National involved and making a difference.
understand the mission. The one thing Guard team members and their families. To all of our military families in the
they’re concerned about, is making sure I encourage you to use these resources to Iowa National Guard, I offer my sincerest
their families will be okay while they are assist your family or help other families in thank you. Your courage, service, and
gone. need. The best way to get in contact with sacrifice are an inspiration to us all.
At each unit send-off ceremony, I ask
our warriors to focus on their mission and
let them know that our focus back home
is on taking care of their families. This
is a vital component to mission success.
The service member and their unit are
strengthened, knowing their families are
provided information, resources and the
support they need.
We have learned valuable lessons from
past deployments and have sought to
improve our support capabilities. Our
commitment is to continue to improve
our family support program.
The Iowa National Guard has
transformed from the “Guard” of 2001.
There’s no institution where things have
changed more dramatically. Like other
elements of the Iowa Guard, our family
organization and support capabilities have
continued to improve for the better. When
Capt. Tim Mills, commander, 135th Mobile Public Aff airs Detachment husgs his daughter, Kennady, age
the War on Terror first began, we had two 8, while daughter Taylor, 13, looks on, at the unit's homecoming ceremony, following a year-long Iraq
full-time family support personnel and deployment as part of Operations Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn. (Iowa National Guard photo by Justin Cato).
Winter 2011 | The Iowa Militiaman | 3
Story and phtos by Capt. Peter Shinn Sadat’s focus has been on providing for plies, clothing, shoes, hats, coats and gloves,”
widows and their families and ensuring Parmenter said.
O
n a late Summer day outside For- schoolgirls have the materials necessary to get
ward Operating Base Wright, Sgt. a quality education. “Director Sadat has been instrumental in
1st Class Melissa Brumley helped helping us narrow the focus of this eff ort and
load a slightly scuff ed Toyota Corolla with “My staff and I were pleased to present ensuring these much-needed items get to
boxes of clothing for the families of war wid- clothes and supplies to widows’ families and widows and schoolgirls.”
ows and school supplies for the Fatima Girls children at the Fatima Girls School,” said Sa-
School in nearby Asadabad, Afghanistan, the dat. “We’re very grateful to the ADT and all After 30 years of war, Parmenter noted, there
provincial capital of Kunar. the American families that donated materials are a large number of widows in the province,
to this cause.” most of whom have families to support. Like
Brumley, of Stewart, Iowa, is the Non- Brumley, Parmenter also pointed out the
commissioned Offi cer in Charge of Ad- Th e Iowa ADT receives school supplies and critical importance of increasing literacy rates
ministration for the Iowa National Guard’s clothing from a number of private charitable among Afghan girls and women.
734th Agri-Business Development Team. She groups in the United States, according to
expressed pleasure at being able to help the Maj. Mary Parmenter, of Perry, Iowa. Par- Parmenter pointed to Sadat as the lynchpin of
schoolgirls of Kunar province. menter, Operations offi cer for the Iowa ADT, the eff orts on both fronts in Kumar province.
channels that materiel through the Women’s She also praised Sadat’s personal courage.
“We know the rate of literacy among women Aff airs Department to the Afghan citizens
and girls in this province is very low, and we who need it the most. “Director Sadat is the most prominent wo-
also know educating women is important to man in the Kunar provincial government,”
long-term development here,” Brumley said. “We have a number of American organiza- she said. “In this society, which is extremely
“Honestly, it’s a joy to help in this way.” tions that are providing us with school sup- male dominated, that takes a lot of guts.”
Th e Iowa ADT is part of Combined Joint
Task Force 101, also known as Task Force
Bastogne. Th e ADT’s primary mission is to
improve food security in Kunar province by
“We know the rate of literacy
building the capacity of the Government of
the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to deliver among women and girls
agricultural services.
in this province is very low,
Th at means the ADT works with local and
provincial agricultural offi cials, as well as and we also know educating womenn is
with individual Afghan farmers and livestock
important to long-term development hhere.
producers.
Honestly, it’s a joy to help in this waay.”
But agriculture is not the ADT’s sole focus.
Th e ADT is also working closely with the Ku-
nar Province Department of Women’s Aff airs. SSggtt.. 11sstt CCllaassss MMeelliissssaa BBrruumley
Naseema Shfi q Sadat, a European university
734th Agribusiness Development Team
graduate, who has lived most of her life in
Kunar province, heads the Women’s Aff airs
Department. She is also the director of the
Fatima Girls School.
4 | The Iowa Militiaman | Winter 2011
As two Afghan children look on (above), Sgt. 1st Class Melissa Brumley of Brumley (below) speaks through an interpreter to staff members of the
the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agri-Business Development Team, helps Kunar Province Director of Women's Aff airs after loading their vehicle with
load school supplies and clothing for schoolgirls and families of widows in supplies for local schoolgirls and clothes for the families of widows in the
Kunar Province, Afghanistan. province.
Winter 2011 | The Iowa Militiaman | 5
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o most teenagers, the months of July and August are associat- and learn English from us.”
ed with a summer break from school. Th is is their opportuni-
ty to go to the pool, pick up a summer job, enjoy the weather, Th is is the fi fth rotation of Kosovo Forces (KFOR) aviation Soldiers
or take a vacation with their friends and families. Th ese two months participating in the eff ort to reach out to the local communities by
provide a chance to forget about school; a time to just be a teenager teaching English at the Youth Center.
and revel in the precious months away from the classroom.
“We inherited the program from the KFOR 12 aviation element,” said
Many teenage students in the vicinity of Ferizaj/Urosevac, Kosovo, Owens. “I think a lot of the attendance we have is due, in part, to the
have taken advantage of a unique opportunity during those summer great job that KFOR 12 did in securing and maintaining the trust of
months, thanks in large part to a group of U.S. Soldiers from Task the local population and the parents of these kids.”
Force Griffi n, the aviation component of Multinational Battle Group
Th e sessions are typically broken up into two main groups; one large
East (MNBG-E).
group of students and a smaller, more advanced group of about 10
Twice a week, between 10 and 15 Soldiers from the Arkansas and students.
Iowa National Guard spend several hours teaching English to local
Th e focus of the large group is to familiarize the students with read-
students at the Youth Center in Ferizaj/Urosevac. Normally, between
ing and carrying on conversations in English, said Master Sgt. Terry
60 and 80 students attend the sessions, all of whom are there volun-
Martin, Cabot, Ark., HHC, 1-114th, the noncommissioned offi cer in
tarily.
charge of operations for Task Force Griffi n.
“What’s really cool about this is all of these kids are here because they
Th e majority of the Soldiers will work with the larger group to im-
want to be,” said Capt. Joshua Owens, Conway, Ark., a helicopter
prove the students’ English comprehension through various exercises.
pilot and commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
Th ese exercises include reading current news articles or popular song
1-114th Security and Support Aviation Battalion, Arkansas National
lyrics, playing various word games, or simply holding a conversation in
Guard, Task Force Griffi n.
English.
“Nobody has to be here. Th ey’re all out of school for the summer and
“I think it’s important to have the kids do more than just read some-
could be doing any number of things, but they choose to come here
6 | The Iowa Militiaman | Winter 2011
Chief Warrant Offi cer 2 Jeremy Walburn, Des Moines,
Iowa, a helicopter pilot with C Company, 2-147th
Aviation Battalion, Task Force Griffi n, Multinational
Battle Group East (above), helps two students with a
reading exercise at the Youth Center in Ferizaj/Urosevac,
Kosovo. Capt. Eric M. Nelson, Madrid, Iowa, a
helicopter pilot and commander of C Company, 2-147th
Aviation Battalion, Task Force Griffi n, Multinational
Battle Group East (right), reads a lesson from a Test
of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) handbook,
to a group of students at the Youth Center in Ferizaj/
Urosevac, Kosovo,
Winter 2011 | The Iowa Militiaman | 7
1st Lt. Aaron Rosheim, Ames, Iowa, a helicopter pilot with C Rosheim is among a group of MNBG E Soldiers who visit the Youth
Company, 2-147th Aviation Battalion, Task Force Griffi n, Center twice a week to prepare a group of students to take the Test
Multinational Battle Group East, explains an essay assignment to a of English as a Foreign Language. Rosheim is deployed as a part of
group of students at the Youth Center in Ferizaj/Urosevac, Kosovo. MNBG E in support of the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.
thing in English,” said Martin. “I can pick Nelson said that the TOEFL is needed for a have to go outside of Kosovo for that, since
something up that is written in French or variety of the students’ educational endeav- there really aren’t any schools for helicopter
another language and read it, but that doesn’t ors, especially at the university level, so it’s an mechanics available in Kosovo. Being fl uent
mean I know what it means. So I try to get important test for some of the students. in English will really help me realize my
the kids engaged to see if they actually com- dream.”
prehend the material.” “With all the diff erent goals you guys have,
it’s important to fi nish school and get a Th e students aren’t the only ones that get
Once the students reach a high enough level degree,” Nelson said to his group of students. something out of these teaching sessions.
of English comprehension, they are encour- “Even if you end up changing your mind Many of the Soldiers have also expressed
aged to participate in the advanced group, about what you want to do in life, having their satisfaction with the program.
which is designed to prepare the students to that degree will open up a lot of opportuni-
“A lot of the kids that I’ve been able to work
take the Test of English as a Foreign Lan- ties for you.”
with are the same age as my daughter,” said
guage (TOEFL).
Many of the students in Nelson’s group Chief Warrant Offi cer 4 Jim Funk, Ames,
Th e TOEFL evaluates an individual’s ability refl ected his sentiments on the importance of Iowa, a helicopter pilot with C Co., 2-147th.
to use and understand English in an academic education. “It’s really cool to talk with these kids, be-
environment, said Capt. Eric M. Nelson, Ma- cause I see a lot of similarities between them
drid, Iowa, a helicopter pilot and commander “I’d like to be a journalist when I fi nish and my daughter.”
of Company, C 2-147th Aviation Battalion, school,” said Elira, one of the students. “I
Iowa National Guard, Task Force Falcon. think that for me to be a really good journal- “Th is is my favorite part of my job, just see-
ist, it’s important for me to be able to speak ing the kids develop,” added Owens. “Th ese
Th e Soldiers prepare the students for the more languages than just my own.” kids are amazing.”
TOEFL through reading, listening and
essay-writing exercises. Th ey also engage the Nazim, another student in Nelson’s group, Th e Soldiers of Task Force Griffi n plan to
students in conversations on topics such as had a similar perspective. continue these outings throughout the re-
mainder of their deployment in Kosovo and
current local and world events, as well as daily
“I want to be a helicopter mechanic,” he intend to pass the torch to their KFOR 14
conversational topics.
said. “It’s just a dream of mine. I’ll probably successors.
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Farewell to the Fallen
by Master Sgt Mike Battien to AFMAO. Th is is the most visible activity to develop equipment and practices to prevent
Iowa ANG Public Aff airs for families and the public. Each member of similar deaths.
these teams moves with precision, control and
purpose. Th ey perform this solemn event It’s all part of a huge job, accomplished by a
The fi nal, haunting strain of "Taps" with the same meticulous attention to detail small force. Each service maintains a liaison
rings through my head, as another and care every time – even when family and team at AFMAO to facilitate accurate record
American Servicemember returns media are not present. keeping and to help families at every step.
home for the last time. Th e ultimate price is When autopsies, embalming or cremation,
paid once again. Th e Dignifi ed Transfer is open, at family and fi nal prep are done, each person heading
discretion, to DoD and public media. One home is given a fi nal semi-formal farewell.
I recently spent three months at the Air of Dover’s colonels, an AFMAO chaplain
Force Mortuary Aff airs Operations Center and a high-ranking member representing the What’s most amazing is the sense of purpose
(AFMAO) at Dover Air Force Base, Del. Fallen’s service, make up the Offi cial Party and reward felt in every person serving at this
AFMAO is the Department of Defense’ who march to the plane, pray for the Fallen unique facility. Every four to six months,
primary provider of mortuary services for and oversee the transfer. When the transfer half of the total workforce rotates out and is
casualties from Iraq and Afghanistan. to AFMAO is complete, a new set of Airmen, replaced by a new group.
Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and civilians takes
DoD changed its long-standing policy in over. Dignifi ed Transfers happen at all hours Many of the incoming Airmen are part of the
April 2009 to allow full media coverage of of the day and night – DoD policy mandates 512th Mortuary Aff airs Squadron (Air Force
Dignifi ed Transfers – the formal process that war casualties are expedited home on Reserve) based at Dover. A large number of
of returning the fallen to America from next-available aircraft. them are on tour number two, three, or more.
war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. When Th is duty makes you feel like you’re part of
that change occurred, Air Force leaders Each fallen Servicemember receives care something truly honorable and it fosters a
committed to providing a video of the and compassion through their stay at desire to return and continue the endeavor
Dignifi ed Transfer to the families as a AFMAO. Personal eff ects are cataloged and fi nd ways to improve the process and
keepsake. It’s through that video production and services are coordinated with family experience for future Airmen.
I saw the dignity, honor and respect that members. Brand-new dress uniforms are
AFMAO provides each fallen hero. built specifi cally for the individual while It’s also duty that would be even better if
they are prepared for burial, or cremation. it wasn’t necessary. As part of the video
Highly trained Honor Guard “Carry Teams” Medical examiners and mortuary specialists production, I added Taps as a closing tribute
lift and transport fallen Servicemembers from complete thorough forensic studies ensuring and the fi nal note still gives me chills every
the aircraft and oversee the actual transfer positive identifi cation and work with leaders time I hear it.
Winter 2011 | The Iowa Militiaman | 9
Dogs assist Iowa Soldiers
with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
1100 || TThhee IIoowwaa MMiilliittiiaammaann || WWiinntteerr 2 2001111