2013 Georgia Department of Defense Annual Report

Georgia

Department of defense

2013

annual report

contents
Letter from the TAG

3 78th Troop Command

18

4 Georgia Air National Guard

19

Chain of Command

5 116th Air Control Wing

21

Joint Stationing Map

6 165th Airlift Wing 22

Mission Statement

Economic Impact 7 117th Air Control Squadron

23

2013 Timeline

9 165th Air Support Operations Squadron

23

11 224th Joint Communications Squadron

24

48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team

13 283rd Combat Communications Squadron

24

78th Aviation Troop Command

14 139th Intelligence Squadron

25

648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade

15 202nd Engineering Installation Squadron

25

560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade

16 530th Air Force Band

26

201st Regional Support Group

17 Combat Readiness Training Center

26

Georgia Army National Guard

1 | Georgia Department of Defense

Georgia State Defense Force

27 Language Training Center

41

Joint Staff 29 Educational Opportunities 42
Defense Support of Civil Authorities

31 Georgia Military College

42

4th CMD Support Team

33 University of North Georgia

42

Counterdrug Task Force

35 The Georgia Guard As A Business

43

Public Affairs 36 Georgia Guard Diversity/Breakdown

44

Emerging Missions 37 Historical Roots 45
Agribusiness Development Teams

37 Georgia’s TAG Lineage

State Partnership with Nation of Georgia

38 A Global Presence 47

Youth ChalleNGe Academy

39 Soldiers Killed In Service Since 9/11

48

STARBASE 41 Officers of the Georgia Army Guard

49

122nd Regional Training Institute

53

41 Officers of the Georgia Air Guard

46

2013 Annual Report | 2

State of Georgia
Department of Defense
OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL
1000 Halsey Ave. Building 447
Marietta, GA 30060

I

t is with great pride that I present you with this Annual Report outlining
the accomplishments of the Georgia Department of Defense for 2013. This
report reflects the outstanding support and capabilities that our more than
15,000 men and women bring to the global war fight and right here in our
great state of Georgia.
Over the course of 2013, the Georgia Department of Defense conducted
numerous operations and received accolades indicative of our quality
organization and outstanding personnel. The Army Chief of Staff selected the
Georgia Army National Guard as the National Guard 2013 Army Communities of
Excellence winner based upon our best business practices. Globally, we continued
to provide ready units to the war fight. Within the United States, our units have
provided personnel and equipment capabilities in support of protecting our
southern borders against both illegal immigration and drugs. Here in Georgia,
your National Guard service members have continued to fight the war on
drugs alongside local and state law enforcement agencies through counterdrug
operations. It is indeed humbling to lead such great Georgians as they accomplish
numerous and varied missions all around the world time and time again.
As we face an uncertain federal military budget in the coming years, the
Georgia Department of Defense will also face challenges maintaining operational
readiness, force structure and mission sets as we compete with the active
component and reserves to remain relevant. Over the course of the War on
Terrorism, the National Guard and specifically the Georgia National Guard have
successfully evolved from a strategic force to an operational force. We must be
vigilant and ensure we do not lose the progress we have fought so hard to achieve.
Now more than ever, we need you, our fellow Georgians, to show your active
support for the Georgia Department of Defense and enable us to be ready when
called upon.
The Soldiers, Airmen, State Defense Force members, and state employees
of the Georgia Department of Defense remain a ready and relevant force that
has proven to be integral to our country’s global and domestic operations. As
evidenced by the operations carried out over the past year by our well trained and
dedicated personnel, your Georgia Department of Defense has answered the call
of both its nation and state and is well postured to do so when asked again. The
citizens of Georgia can take comfort and pride in knowing its Georgia National
Guard is Always Ready, Always There and Always on Target – that is YOUR
Georgia National Guard!
Sincerely,

James Butterworth
Maj. Gen. Jim Butterworth
The Adjutant General of Georgia


Mission:

The Georgia Department of Defense provides
ready and relevant military forces to the Combatant
Commanders, and with the consent of the Governor
provides command and control, and capabilities to
support Homeland Defense and Defense Support to
Civil Authorities.

Vision:

A strong and growing joint military organization,
recognized as a leader in strength, readiness, and
innovation; an interagency partner and leader; postured
for effective response; chosen for new missions and
force structure, that provides opportunities for members
who live the Ga. DoD values to realize their potential
through service to the State and Nation.

Values:
•
•
•
•
•

Integrity First
Service before Self
Initiative
Teamwork
Continuous Improvement

Priorities:

• Defend the Homeland
• Support the War-Fighter
• Continuously Transform the Force

Goals:

• To care for our members and their families
• To be accountable and have the highest of
integrity
• To tell the story of the great work Georgia
National Guardsmen do every day
• To enhance existing and develop new partnerships
with our host communities
• To stay prepared and shape the future through
continuous improvement

Focus:
•
•
•
•

Ready Units, Soldiers, Airmen, and Families
Competent, Adaptive, Learning Leaders
Seamless Connectivity to All Leaders
Balanced Contributions from Army and Air
Service Components
• High Quality of Life for our Soldiers, Airmen
and Families


Ga. DoD Chain of Command
Governor
Nathan Deal
Commander-in-Chief

Maj. Gen.
Jim Butterworth
Adjutant General

Brig. Gen. Joe Jarrard

Asst. Adjutant General - Army
Commander
Ga. Army National Guard

President of
the United
States

National
Guard
Bureau

Maj. Gen. Tom Moore
Commander
Ga. Air National Guard

Organization
Composition
11,152 Army Guardsmen

Mr. Russel Carlson
Deputy Adjutant General
Ga. Dept. of Defense

Brig Gen. John King
Director
Joint Staff

Brig. Gen. Tom Danielson
Commanding General
Ga. State Defense Force

74%

2737 Air Guardsmen
670 SDF Members

18%

536 State Employees

3.5% 4.5%

Economic Impact

T

from our Guardsmen and civilians
employed by the GaDoD. With
a federal budget of $680 million
and state budget of $9 million, the
Georgia Department of Defense also
produces lasting results in the state
with flourishing youth programs,
an outstanding military readiness
capability, and ingenuity in military
construction programs – which at
present are injecting more than $57
million into the Georgia economy.
Despite our large presence in the
state, the Georgia Department of
Defense and its operations account
for only .001 percent of the state
budget in 2014 – just $9 million.
Overall, the Georgia
Department of Defense annually
injects more than a billion
dollars worth of money into the
Georgia making it a vital part of
our thriving economy. This is
accomplished through payroll,
logistics, maintenance and service
contracts, construction and many

other ways. As such, the Georgia
Department of Defense is one of the
largest employers in Georgia and
significantly impacts our economy.
Additionally, the fact that 150 of the
159 counties either have a National
Guard armory or are immediately
adjacent to a county with one,
demonstrates our statewide
economic presence and impact.
While our economic impact
in Georgia is significant, the most
important asset we have is our
service members. The Georgia
Department of Defense service
members are not just the protectors
of your communities; we are your
brothers and sisters, your neighbors
and friends. In times of peace,
we live side-by-side by with you,
working to make this state great.
And in times of war and peril, know
that your Georgia Department
of Defense will answer the call as
we are always ready, always there,
always on target!

13,889

he motto for the Georgia
Department of Defense
reads “always ready, always
there, always on target!”
That statement paints a
highly accurate portrait of what
this organization offers the state of
Georgia and the nation. In meeting
the requirement to provide ready
and relevant forces to the combatant
commanders and homeland
defense and defense support to
civil authorities, the Georgia Army
and Air National Guard have a
significant economic impact upon
the economy of the state of Georgia.
With a 15 percent increase
in personnel since 2005, more
than 15,000 men and women make
up the Georgia Department of
Defense, hailing from each of the
159 counties across the Peach State
– making our service members and
civilian staff truly “home grown.”
In payroll tax alone, the
state collects more than $25 million

Georgia
Guardsmen

$2,292,941 in state funds saved by State Defense Force utilization

$680MILLION
Federal funds brought into the state of Georgia

$9 million:

Amount Georgia
funds the Guard

144 million

11,652

YCA
Graduates

in drug related seizures
In addition to having Guardsmen in every Georgia town, the
Georgia Guard also has a unit based in 55 of Georgia’s counties.

$25 million

in state income tax from
Guard’s Federal payroll.
$61 million in military
construction.

More than

16,500

Georgia Guardsmen have
deployed since 9/11/2001
1,693 deployed in 2013

2013
Timeline

National Guard Red Horse Civil
Engineers from New Mexico
operate heavy equipment across
the wide expanse of the Remagen
DZ at Fort Stewart, GA, bringing
the vital assault landing strip back
to life.

Lt. Col. Charles Drown, left, medical
element commander with the 165th
Medical Group, and Capt. Christal
Lavelle a physicians assistant with the
116th Medical Group, Georgia Air
National Guard, cover a simulated
patient with an aluminum warming
blanket during the Vigilant Guard 2013
exercise at Camp Blanding, Fla., May
21, 2013.
Lawmakers honor Ga.
Guardsmen at the Capitol
Feb. 22, 2012 – Lt. Gov.
Casey Cagle presents a
resolution honoring the
Georgia Guard on the floor
of the State Senate.

Georgia
National
Guard
leadership gather to honor the
fallen at Marietta National
Cemetery.

Jan. | | | | Feb. | | | | March | | | | April | | | | May | | | | June | | | |

U.S. Air Force Gen. Mike
Hostage,
commander,
Air
Combat Command, presents
the Purple Heart Medal to
Air National Guard Tech.
Sgt. Barry Duffield, 116th
Civil Engineering Squadron,
Explosive Ordnance Disposal
Flight team leader, during a
ceremony at Robins Air Force
Base, Ga., Jan. 7, 2013

The Georgia Agribusiness
Development
Team
II (ADT II) returned
home
from
their
10-month deployment to
Afghanistan with friends
and family filling the
265th Regional Support
Group National Guard
armory.

U.S. Army Spc. Donnie Kessler,
a pathfinder instructor, with the
356th Battlefield Surveillance
Brigade, of the Georgia Army
National Guard, gives a class
on basic pathfinder skills to
soldiers from Cameroon and
the Gabonese Republic. The
soldiers were participating
in Central Accord 2013, a
joint exercise in which U.S.,
Cameroon and neighboring
Central African militaries
partner to promote regional
cooperation and increase aerial
resupply and medical readiness
capacity.
Starting line for the Some Gave All
5K held in Lula, Ga. - and run the
same day by 648th MEB Soldiers in
Kabul - in memory of Maj. Kevin
Jenrette who was killed in action
June 4, 2009 while deployed with the
48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.


Guardsmen of the Georgia
Army and Air National Guard
joined forces with the Army
Reserve’s
310th
Tactical
Psychological
Operations
Company (Airborne) in a jump
training exercise.
Soldiers
from the Ga. National Guard
were from C-Troop (LRS)
3-108th CAV. the 165th Air
Wing from Savannah flew the
C-130 aircraft.

The Ga NG Counter Drug Task
Force will be featured on CBS
Atlanta’s 11:00 news tonight!
Watch as they support local
sherrifs with drug eradication.

Members
of
the
128th
Airborne
Command
and
Control Squadron received
water survival training at Lake
Tobesofkee today. It was the
first time the 128th (part of
the 116th Air Control Wing/
JSTARS) received hands-on
water survival training from
the Army Guard.

Soldiers of the 648th
MEB learn the history
of the Korean War
at the 2nd Infantry
Division Museum during
Warpath III the largest
exercise on the Korean
Peninsula since 1953.

July | | | | Aug. | | | | Sept. | | | | Oct. | | | | Nov. | | | | Dec. | | | |
Hundreds of members of Forsyth County
welcomed the more than 300 Georgia
Guardsmen of the 560th Battlefield
Surveillance Brigade (BFSB) to the
community at a ceremony marking the
dedication of the Cumming Regional
Readiness Center.

Nine female Georgia Guardsmen have been
selected to integrate into combat related
positions that were formerly all male.
Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle; Maj.
Gen. Jim Butterworth, Adjutant General,
Georgia National Guard; as well as the
oldest and youngest attendees of the Guard
birthday celebration, cut the cake for the
birthday reception. The was cut and served
as the culminating event for a day of activities
marking the National Guard’s 377th birthday.
The Georgia National Guard 48th
Infantry Brigade Combat Team set
high marks for the eXportable Combat
Training Capability (XCTC) program
to provide Soldiers with an experience
similar to combat missions overseas.


A Soldier from Georgia’s 560th Battle Field
Surveillance Brigade (BFSB) pushes off a UH-60
Blackhawk for his first jump of the day.


The GAARNG was selected as the
2013 Army Community of Excellence
winner from among its 53 peers.
The award recognizes continuous
bu s i n e s s pro c e s s i mprov e m e nt ;
individual innovation; groundbreaking
initiatives; and dedication to efficiency,
effectiveness, and customer care. These
efforts directly affect the quality of
support to Soldiers, Families, civilian
employees, and retirees who work, live,
train and rely on our organization.
The GAARNG is organized into six
major subordinate commands (MSCs):
the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat
Team in Macon; the 560th Battlefield
Surveillance Brigade in Cumming;
the 648th Maneuver Enhancement
rig
en oe arrard Brigade at Fort Benning; the 78th Troop
Georgia’s Asst. Adjutant General - Army Command, 201st Regional Support
Commander - Georgia Army National Guard Group / Region 4 Homeland Response
Force, and 78th Aviation Tro op
Command at the Clay National Guard
he Georgia Army
Center in Marietta.
National Guard
The organization’s mission is to
(GAARNG) consists
provide well trained and motivated
of more than 11,100
forces to the Governor and Combatant
Citizen-Soldiers
Commanders in order to support unified
training in more than
land operations – offensive, defensive,
57 hometown armories and regional
stability and civil support. In 2013, the
facilities across the state. Georgia’s Army
GAARNG surpassed all federal and state
Guard has the eighth largest authorized
requirements to include the deployment
end strength allocation in the nation,
and redeployment of more than 1,400
comprised of combat, protection and
Soldiers, representing all six major
sustainment units.
subordinate commands to Afghanistan,
Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada,
El Salvador, the Country of Georgia,
Germany, Korea and Uganda.
In addition to overseas operations,
the GA National Guard Counter Drug
Task Force continues to perform as one
of the most successful Counter Drug
Task Forces in the country assisting
in over $144 million in drug related
seizures and the apprehension of 1,185
drug related suspects. The GAARNG
also provided key aviation support to
the Office of Homeland Security on our
nation’s southwest border to safeguard
our citizens.
The GAARNG’s four strategic
priorities ensure continued preparedness
to meet all missions: quality strength;
ommand
gt
a j logistics excellence; preeminent facilities;
hillip
t r i n g f i e l d and continuous improvement. Relative to
State Command Sergeant Major
quality strength, the GAARNG finished

B

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J

T
C
P

S

S

. M

.

as one of the best in recruiting for FY13
nationally, enlisting more than 1,815
quality recruits and officer candidates.
The GAARNG’s logistics excellence
efforts are preparing the state to lead the
nation in the National Guard Bureau
Command Logistics Review Team
(CLRT) evaluation in March 2014. The
road to success involved a year of internal
inspections including C ommand
Supply Discipline Program evaluations
conducted on each MSC during the 2nd
quarter. In addition, numerous Supply
& Maintenance Instruction Team visits
were conducted during the 3rd & 4th
quarter combined with more than 70
field logisticians trained by G4 subject
matter experts in our Logistics Survival
Course.
In support of the GARNG’s third
strategic priority of preeminent facilities,
the organization is in the process of
executing four military construction
projects in 2013 totaling $53,000,000
in federal funding matched with
$4,000,000 in state funds. Additionally,
the Construction Facilities Management
Office executed 17 minor construction
projects that included eight existing
facility renovations and four site
improvements totaling $9,000,000 in
federal funding and $3,000,000 in state
matching funds.
C ont i nu ou s i mprov e m e nt i s
the hallmark of the GAARNG and
its personnel. To complement this
effort, the GAARNG’s 122nd Regional
Training Institute and Region Training
Site-Maintenance achieved the highest
rating of accreditation from TRADOC
(Training and Doctrine Command)
and CASCOM (C ombined Arms
Support Command) as an “Institution
of Excellence.” It is a multi-state institute
for Active Duty, Army Reserve, and
National Guard Soldiers in Military
Intelligence, Signal, Infantry, Military
Police, Transportation, and Ordnance
training in addition to offering Officer
Candidate leadership training.
These accomplishments set the
condit ions for t he GAARNG to
continually be in a position of strength
for increased federal and state funding,
future force structure, and full-time
manning.



Col. Randall Simmons
Commander

The 48th Infantry Brigade Combat
Team (IBCT), headquartered in Macon, is
made up of more than 3,500 Citizen Soldiers
who operate out of 26 hometown armories
throughout the state.
The 48th IBCT is organized into six
subordinate battalions: the 1st Squadron,
108th Cavalry (CAV) (Reconnaissance,
Sur veillance, and Target Acquisition
(RSTA)); 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry (IN)
Regiment; 2nd Battalion, 121st IN Regiment;
1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery (FA)
Regiment; 148th Brigade Support Battalion
(BSB); and the 48th Brigade Special Troops
Battalion (BSTB).
The 48th IBCT is trained and ready
to enter its available year for worldwide
deployments or defense of the homeland
as a cohesive, well disciplined, well trained
and lethal team of teams, of which is “The
Brigade” of choice for the unified land
operations. The 48th IBCT spent most
of 2013 preparing for future overseas

deployments in 2014. The Brigade’s
culminating training event for 2013 was
the Exportable Combat Training Capability
exercise #13-06 (XCTC) at Fortt Stewart,
Ga. The 48th IBCT Headquarters and select
units will deploy in 2014 to Afghanistan to
conduct a variety of training and security
missions as the United States hands over
security operations to the government of
Afghanistan. Additionally, the 48th IBCT
was the first ARNG unit selected to support
the Department of Defense’s regionallyaligned forces mission and will deploy select
units to Central America to advise and train
partner nation militaries.
The 1-108th CAV “Roughriders” spent
the past year training and executing cavalry
operations in support of the 48th IBCT.
The 1-108th successfully completed all
gunnery requirements ensuring Troops A
and B met the milestones for a culmination
combined arms live fire exercise (LFX).
Troop C qualified on all assigned weapon
systems and executed a dismounted scout
team combined arms live fire exercise which
included supporting fires from their snipers
and mortar section. The 1-108th snipers ran
the 48th IBCT “SniperX” to provide sniper
sustainment training for all brigade sniper
teams.
The 1-121st IN “Spartans” focused
on offensive unified land operations. The
Spartans started the year with Soldier
readiness processing and individual skills
training and shifted to company level forceon-force operations in February when two
rifle companies conducted attacks, with one
company in the defense as an opposing force.
Battalion and company mortars maintained
proficiency through integration into attack/
defense operations.
The 2-121st IN “Warriors” focused on
the validation of each maneuver element
and specialty/staff section with a focus
on offensive unified land operations. The

Warriors conducted Soldier and family
readiness activities, individual and team to
squad level re-validation, and the validation
of the battalion staff throughout the year.
The 1-118th FA “Old Hickory” set the
standard for indirect-fire training during
XCTC 13-06, where the battalion processed
109 fire missions, fired 2,276 high explosive,
white phosphor us, and illumination
rounds, and conducted 46 reconnaissance,
selection, and occupation of position (RSOP)
operations without incident. External
evaluators certified both of the battalion’s
firing batteries at the culmination of the
training. The unit orchestrated the company
combined arms live fire lanes by integrating
fires from close air support (CAS), 105mm
Artillery, and mortars from the brigade’s
maneuver battalions. Upon completion of
XCTC 13-06, the unit demonstrated that it
had refined and perfected the field artillery
mission to deliver fires for the Brigade.
T h e 1 4 8 t h B SB, “ Wi s h m a s t e r s”,
coordinated and conducted three brigade
level training events during 2013. Operation
“Sharp Scalpel” started off the year by
improving the medical proficiency of brigade
medics. Gunnery training was conducted
in April and a brigade logistics exercise
was conducted in May, which facilitated
logistics-focused training for all six battalion
logistics sections and four forward support
companies.
The 48th BSTB “Strykers” built upon
combat support focused weekend training
and integrated its key enablers into the
maneuver battalions within the brigade.
The battalion’s training focus was mission
command, sustainment and mobility
operations. Stryker conducted weapons
qualifications, demolition and obstacle
emplacement training, command post
operations, and increased intelligence
c o l l e c t i o n a n d a n a l y s i s o p e r at i o n s
throughout the year.

48th IBCT Units
• 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry, of Calhoun
• 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, of Winder
• 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, of Forsyth
• 1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery Regiment, of Savannah
• 148th Brigade Support Battalion, of Macon
• 48th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, of Statesboro


Home-stationed at Clay National
Guard Center in marietta, the 78th Aviation
Troop Command (ATC) is the aviation
arm of the Georgia Army National Guard,
commanded by Colonel Brock Gaston, with
Command Sergeant Major Timothy Jones
as his senior enlisted leader.
The mission of its 650 pilots, aircrew,
maintenance and support personnel is
to mobilize and deploy aviation forces in
order to provide command and control,
counter-drug, air movement, medical
evacuation (MEDEVAC) and air assault
(AASLT) support for combat operations
worldwide and defense support of civil
authority operations during state and
national emergencies. With the same
operational and training requirements as
active aviation components, the command
maintains 42 rotary wing, fixed wing and
unmanned aircraft systems to support all
Georgia National Guard units, as well as
supporting all services to include routine
support to the 75th Ranger Regiment, the
4th and 5th Ranger Training Battalions and
the Maneuver Center of Excellence based
out of Fort Benning.
During training year 2013, the 78th
ATC executed more than 8,000 accident
free flight hours encompassing multiple
deployments and training exercises.
Detachment 1, Company B, 1-169th
Aviation kicked the year off when they were
called upon by the National Guard Bureau
to conduct relief operations in October 2012
in response to the devastation Hurricane
Sandy wrought on the east coast of the
United States. In early February, Company
C(-), 1-169th Aviation returned home
from Afghanistan, after executing over 300
MEDEVAC missions in support of Regional
South Command West.
In May, Georgia’s aviation command
was called on again to conduct an 1,800
mile cross country mission to Canada,
where three UH-60 Black Hawks, three
HH-60 Black Hawks, two CH-47 Chinooks,
and one C-26 Metroliner flew 560 hours
while supporting Canadian ground forces’
pre-deployment combat training.
The C-26 fixed wing detachment left
home in July to conduct combat operations
in support of Operation Enduring Freedom
and in August two UH-60, two HH-60,
and two CH-47 helicopters supported
the 48th Infantry Brigade’s Exportable
Combat Training Capabilities Exercise
in preparation for their deployment to

Afghanistan.
Throughout the year, in conjunction
with its primary counter drug mission,
C (-), 2-151st Aviation was tasked to be a
primary executor of ongoing Southwest
Border Patrol Missions, using LUH-72
Lakotas.

Col. Brock Gaston
Commander

78th ATC Units
• 78th Aviation Troop Command Headquarters, Clay National Guard
Center, Marietta
• 1st General Support Aviation Battalion of the 171st Aviation Regiment,
Clay National Guard Center, Marietta
• Company H, 171st Aviation Regiment, Clay National Guard Center,
Marietta
• C Company, 2nd Aviation Security and Support Battalion of the 151st
Aviation Regiment, Clay National Guard Center, Marietta
• B Company(-), 1st of the 169th General Support Aviation Battalion,
Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah
• C Company(-), 1st of the 169th General Support Aviation Battalion, Clay
National Guard Center, Marietta
• C Company, 1st General Support Aviation Battalion of the 111th Aviation
Regiment, Clay National Guard Center, Marietta
• Detachment 1, C Company, 1st Air Assault Battalion of the 185th Aviation
Regiment, Winder
• 935th Combat Service Support Battalion, Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah
• Detachment 9, Operational Airlift Command, Clay National Guard Center,
Marietta
• Detachment 1, B Company (UAS), 48th Brigade Special Troops Battalion,
Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah
• Army Aviation Support Facility No. 1, Winder Barrow Airport, Winder
• Army Aviation Support Facility No. 2, Clay National Guard Center,
Marietta
• Army Aviation Support Facility No. 3, Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah


648th Maneuver Enhancement
Brigade

Colonel R. Scott Carter
Commander

648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade


The current GA Army National
Guard MEB force structure contains
a brigade headquarters, three separate
batt alions, and a s eparate signal
company. The units of the 648th MEB
are the 878th Engineer Battalion,
headquartered in Augusta, GA; the
348th Brigade Support Battalion,
headquartered in Ellenwood, GA; the
1-214th FA, headquartered in Elberton,
GA; and the 620th Signal Company in
Weston, WV.
The MEB is a fully operational force,
fully engaged in both its contingency
(war) and peacetime missions. In
Januar y 2013, the 878th Engineer
Battalion and 848th Engineer Company
mobilized to Fort Bliss, Texas, and
deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan,
in order to conduct route-clearance
operations and training and mentoring
Afghan National S ecurity Forces

648th MEB Units

The 648th Maneuver Enhancement
Brigade (MEB) was activated on Oct.
1, 2007 in Columbus, GA and is now
headquartered on Fort Benning. The
unit has an assigned strength of over
1,600 Soldiers. The current brigade
commander Colonel R. Scott Carter and
his senior enlisted advisor, Command
Sergeant Major John Rainwater took
command in March 2013.
The 648th MEB is a missiontailored force which conducts support
area operations, maneuver support
operations, consequence management,
and stability operations in order to
assure the mobility, protection, freedom
of action to the supported force. MEBs
are uniquely designed for both war
fighting and operational support roles.

Headquarters and Headquarters
Company, Fort Benning, GA
• 878th Engineer Battalion,
Augusta, GA
• Headquarters and Headquarters
Company, Augusta, GA
• Co A, 878th EN (Forward
Support Company), Augusta, GA
• 876th Engineer Company
(Vertical Construction), Toccoa,
GA
• Detachment 1, 876th Engineer
Company (Vertical Construction),
Hartwell, GA
(Sapper), Swainsboro, GA
(Sapper), Douglas, GA
• 874th Engineer Detachment
(Construction), Fort Stewart, GA
• 175th Engineer Detachment
(Asphalt), Fort Stewart, GA


in Route Clearance Operations. In
addition, the 1st Battalion, 214th Field
Artillery also deployed to Afghanistan
where they were charged with
conducting base defense operations and
disrupting enemy forces in their area of
responsibility.
Training is key to the success of the
MEB. In June 2013, staff members of
Brigade Headquarters deployed to Fort
Leavenworth, KS and embedded with
the 301st MEB, an Army reserve unit to
participate in a Division-level Warfighter
Exercise. The MEB was also chosen to
participate in the 2nd Infantry Division
Warfighter exercise, one of the largest
exercises ever conducted on the Korean
Peninsula since the Korean War and
will begin movement to South Korea
in November 2013. The 648th “Team
MEB” was a key participant as the Army
validated its 2020 initiatives.

• Headquarters Co. 348th BSB,
Ellenwood, GA
• Co A, 348th BSB, Ellenwood,
GA
• Co B, 348th BSB, Hinesville,
GA
• 1160th Transportation Company,
Rome, GA
• 620th Signal Company,
(detached to WV ARNG) Weston,
WV
• 1st Battalion, 214th Field
Artillery, Elberton, GA
Battery, 1-214th FA, Elberton, GA
• Battery A, 1-214th, Winder, GA
• Battery B, 1-214th FA,
Thomson, GA
• Battery C, 1-214th FA,
Waynesboro, GA
• 1214 Forward Support
Company (FSC), 1-214th FA,
Washington,GA

560th Battlefield
Surveillance
Brigade
The Georgia Army National Guard’s
560th Battlefield Sur veillance Brigade
(BFSB) is commanded by Colonel Raymond
Bossert and based at the Cumming Regional
Readiness Center in Cumming. The brigade’s
senior enlisted leader is Command Sergeant
Major Roy Marchert.
Since its inception on Oct. 1, 2007, the
brigade’s mission is to provide command
and control of reconnaissance, surveillance,
and intelligence operations in support of
a division, corps, or joint task force. The
headquarters provides command, control
and supervision of the tactical operations
of the brigade and attached units, while
the headquarters company provides unit
administration and logistical support for the
brigade staff sections. The 560th is authorized
1,109 Soldiers with which to carry out that
mission.
During 2013, the 560th BFSB relocated
its he adqu ar ters f rom E l lenwo o d to
Cumming. The relocation began in April
2013 and culminated in a ribbon cutting
event at the newly constructed Cumming
Regional Readiness Center (CRRC) in
September. The event was attended by the
Adjutant General, the Commanding General
of the GAARNG, and several prominent
members of the Cumming community. The
CRRC is 100,000 square feet of space for
training Georgia Guardsmen, featuring a
theater style auditorium that seats 250 and a
drill hall that can seat 400.
The 560th BFSB carried out several
significant and unique training events in
2013:
In March 2013, elements of the 560th
BFSB par ticipated in Op eration Ke y
Resolve. Operation Key Resolve is an
annual command post exercise that includes
reception, staging, onward movement, and
integration held by United States Forces
Korea. It is conducted with Republic of
Korea Forces and focuses on the United
States Pacific Command Operations Plans
that support the defense of South Korea.
The 3/108th Cavalry and the 165th

Quartermaster Company participated in
Operation Central Accord in March 2013.
Operation Central Accord is a multinational
exercise in which US, Cameroon, and
neighboring central African countries
partner to promote regional cooperation
while increasing aerial resupply and
medical treatment capacity. The exercise
was hosted by the Cameroon Defense Force
and sponsored by United States Army
Africa. Major focuses of the operation were
parachute rigging, pathfinder operations,
aerial resupply, casualty evacuation, field
hospital operations, and first aid techniques.
In June 2013, elements of the 221st MI
Battalion deployed to Camp Williams, Utah
to participate in the Panther Strike training
exercise, which was an exercise designed
specifically to reach military intelligence
training requirements. This two-week
exercise allowed military intelligence Soldiers
within the 221st MI Battalion to train in
realistic combat scenarios, sharpening their
skills for future support of the war fight.
Elements of the 560th BFSB participated
in Operation Atlas Vision in July 2013 in
Munich, Germany. Atlas Vision is a bilateral
US – Russian ground forces exercise that
consists of a battalion level command post,
computer assisted exercise.
Small elements of the 560th BFSB
participated in Operation Beyond the
Hor i z on i n E l S a l v a d or t o c on du c t
comprehensive humanitarian civic
assistance exercises. Soldiers specializing
in engineering, construction, and health
care provided service to communities while
receiving valuable deployment training and
building important relationships with partner
nations.
Supporting operations through the state
partnership program, in July 2013, the 560th
BFSB mobilized and deployed elements of
various specialty skills to the Republic of
Georgia. The Georgia Training Support
Team (GTST) was deployed to provide
functional area support to the U.S. Marine
Corps’ Georgia Training Team Core and
Rotational Mobile Training Teams. These
teams had the mission of training Georgian
infantry battalions to deploy in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom.
Over the course of the year, the 560th
BFSB participated in numerous, but smaller
overseas deployment training exercises and
conducted multiple new equipment fieldings.

Col. Ramond Bossert
Commander
560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade

560th BFSB Units
• 3rd Squadron, 108th Cavalry,
Atlanta, Marietta and Douglasville
• 221st Military Intelligence
Battalion, Gillem Enclave, Forest
Park
• 420th Network Signal Company,
Cumming, GA
• 230th Brigade Support Company,
Cumming, GA
• 165th Quartermaster Company
(Light Air Drop Supply), Marietta
Company, 560th Battlefield
Surveillance Brigade, Cumming,
GA



Col. Vernon Atkinson
Commander

capability to assist civil authorities in
saving lives and mitigating suffering
in response to a CBRN incident
while continuing to provide trained
and ready troops to support overseas
contingency operations. The Region
4 HRF senior enlisted leader is
Command Sgt. Maj. Melvin Farr.
The HRF supported the Florida
National Guard at Camp Blanding
for Vigilant Guard 2013 as part of a
multiple disaster scenario exercise
featuring hazardous material events.
In July 2013, the HRF provided
additional support to the Atlanta
police department in case of an
incident at the Peachtree Road
Race. The HRF will concluded the
unit’s second external evaluation in

December 2013 at Fort McClellan,
Ala.
The specialty skill sets within the
HRF include: command and control,
logistics support, communications,
hazardous material operations,
CBRN security, hazardous material
detection
and
identification,
collapsed structure and confined
space rescue, personnel and
equipment decontamination, medical
triage and stabilization, and disaster
mortuary affairs.
Throughout 2014, the HRF will
continue to partner with various
local and state first responders to
provide real-world training and
maintain readiness for the next
CBRN incident.

Region 4 HRF Units

The Georgia National Guard’s
Region 4 Homeland Response Force
(HRF) was selected as one of ten
homeland response forces to support
FEMA Region IV as a consequence
management agency for chemical,
biological, radiological, and/or
nuclear (CBRN) incidents. The
201st Regional Support Group is
the headquarters command of the
Region 4 HRF, which changed unit
designations from the 78th Troop
Command on Oct. 1, 2013. The 201st
RSG/ Region 4 HRF headquarters is
located at the Clay National Guard
Center in Marietta.
Currently
commanded
by
Col. Vernon Atkinson, the 201st
Regional Support Group mission is
to man, train, and equip a homeland
response force to provide a response

• 201st Regional Support Group, Clay National Guard Center,
Marietta
• 4th Civil Support Team, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Marietta
• 170th Military Police Battalion, Decatur
• 178th Military Police Company, Monroe
• 190th Military Police Battalion, Kennesaw
• 179th Military Police Company, Savannah
• 278th Military Police Company, Fort Gordon
• Joint Task Force 781 CERFP, Clay National Guard Center,
Marietta
• 877th Engineer Company, Augusta
• 870th Engineer Detachment, Decatur
• 177th Engineer Company (TOPO), Dobbins Air Reserve Base,
Marietta
• 138th Chemical Company, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Marietta
• 202nd Explosive Ordnance Detachment, Marietta
• 1177th Transportation Company, LaGrange
• 248th Medical Company, Marietta
• 116th and 165th Medical Groups

HRF Accomplishments - 2013
-May 2013 Vigilant Guard exercise at Camp Blanding, Fla.
-Dec. 2013 Second External Evaluation at Fort McClellan, Ala.


78th Troop
Command
Commanded by Brig. Gen. Craig
McGalliard since Oct. 1, 2013, the
78th Troop Command’s mission is
to command, control, and supervise
Georgia National Guard units attached
to the troop command and to provide
manned, trained and equipped units
available for service in time of war or
national emergency. The 78th Troop
Command’s Senior Enlisted Advisor is
Command Sergeant Major John Smiley.
The 78th Troop Command also
provided trained and ready troops
to support overseas contingenc y
operations. The 78th’s senior enlisted
leader for 2013 is Command Sgt. Maj.
John Smiley. Previously assigned the
Homeland Response Force mission,
it continues to support its stateside
mission of providing Defense Support
to Civil Authorities (DSCA) in times
of disaster, and provides its subordinate
units in support of Operations Enduring

Freedom and New Dawn.
T h e 2 0 1 s t R e g i on a l Supp or t
Group (RSG) deployed early 2013 as
Agribusiness Development Team III
to Afghanistan and the 265th Regional
Support Group (ADT II) and returned
home to Metter, Ga. Nearly 190
Soldiers of the 1230th Transportation
Company mobilized to Afghanistan the
summer of 2013, marking their second
mobilization since Sept. 11, 2001.
The 179th MP Company returned
2013 from Afghanistan after a
successful Kabul Base Cluster mission.
The 278th MP Company and 1-214th
Field Artillery deployed to Afghanistan
in 2013.
As p ar t of st ate p ar t ne rsh ip
programs, the 110th Combat Service
S u p p o r t B at t a l i o n f r o m T i f t o n
supported several logistics missions in
Africa while the 124th Mobile Public
Affairs Detachment assisted the country
of Georgia with their national disaster
response plan and coverage of the
48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team’s
exportable Combat Training Capability
exercise.

Brig. Gen. Craig McGalliard
Commander
78th Troop Command

78th TC Units
• 122nd Regional Training Institute, Clay National Guard Center, Marietta
• Regional Training Site-Maintenance, Georgia Garrison Training Center,
Hinesville
• 116th Army Band, Joint Forces Headquarters, Ellenwood
• 124th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Clay National Guard Center,
Marietta
• 161st History Detachment, Clay National Guard Center, Marietta
• 1962 Contracting Team, Clay National Guard Center, Marietta
• 139th Chaplain Detachment, Clay National Guard Center, Marietta
• Headquarters Detachment, 265th Regional Support Group, Metter
• Headquarters Detachment, 110th Combat Service Support Battalion,
Tifton
• 82nd Maintenance Company, Fort Benning, Columbus
• 1148th Transportation Company, Fort Gordon, Augusta
• 1177th Transportation Company, LaGrange
• 1230th Transportation Company, Thomasville


Georgia Air National Guard
Guardsmen of the Georgia Army and Air National
Guard joined forces with the Army Reserve’s
310th Tactical Psychological Operations Company
(Airborne) in a jump training exercise.


M aj . G en . T homas R. M oore

Commander

T

he Georgia Air National Guard
is always committed to its vision
of developing top-tier Airmen
and units to protect our nation
across the spectrum of conflict and to
protect its citizens from natural and manmade disasters with our joint services and
interagency partners.
Even with the uncertainty during
sequestration, we will continue to maintain
the high deployment tempo and level

Chief Master Sgt. Joseph Greene
State Command Chief

of excellence expected of the more than
2,800 Airmen of the Georgia Air National
Guard. Several of the Georgia Air Guard’s
operational units deployed personnel and
equipment throughout the year in support
of global operations in addition to the
units’ Air Expeditionary Force taskings.
The Georgia Air Guard’s core missions are
still in high-demand.
The Georgia Air Guard’s largest unit,
the 116th Air Control Wing (ACW) based
at Robins Air Force Base, flying the E-8C
Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar
System (JSTARS) aircraft, has continuously
deployed aircraft and personnel in
Southwest Asia for the last 12 years,
amassing more than 94,000 flying hours in
support of combatant commanders, with
8,800 being flown in 2013.
The 165th Airlift Wing based in
Savannah, flying the C-130H aircraft, has
deployed aircraft and personnel to Iraq
and Afghanistan, on average, every 18
months. In 2013, the unit flew more than
2,800 hours, 980 of which were flown in
combat operations in the Middle East. In
February, C-130 aircraft returned from a
four-month deployment for the eleventh
time in support of the War on Terror.
Our geographically separated
units also continued their support of
the Global War on Terror in 2013.
The 202nd Engineering Installation
Squadron deployed for 180 days to
support Forward Operating Locations in
Iraq and Afghanistan.Twenty percent of
Brunswick’s 224th Joint Communications
Support Squadron mobilized for a
six-month rotational deployment to
support operational requirements in the
USCENTCOM AOR. The 117th Air
Control Squadron deployed 80 personnel
to support OEF in Southwest Asia, and 25
of the 283rd Combat Communications
Squadron returned from a six-month
tasking to Southwest Asia.
Although some of our units did not
deploy this year, they did support real
world taskings and important inspection,
training and exercise operations in their
regular and joint environments. The

165th Air Support Operations Squadron
conducted its first Combined Unit
Inspection, as well as support GA ARNG’s
48th IBCT during its XCTC exercise at
Fort Stewart, GA. Several personnel from
the 139th Intelligence Squadron were
tasked to support Active Duty USAF and
national intelligence missions at NSA/CSS
Georgia and 1AF/AFNORTH. Members
from the 116th Force Support Squadron
participated in the 57th Presidential
Inauguration by feeding more than 5000
guard members.
The 530th Air Force Band, otherwise
known as the Air National Guard Band
of the South, concluded its 66-year
history with a deactivation ceremony in
September 2013. As of October 1, 2013,
the trademark name and logo will be
carried by the 572nd Air Force Band from
Tennessee.
When not deployed, our units
continue to maintain mission readiness
by taking an active role in supporting
Georgia’s homeland defense and defense
support to civil authorities’ missions.
By providing unique capabilities – such
as information awareness assessment,
engineering, airlift and communications
support – the Georgia Air Guard is
well positioned to meet the growing
demands of civil authorities. Our
Airmen train regularly during exercises
with the Georgia National Guard’s 78th
Homeland Response Force; the 4th Civil
Support Team; the Chemical, Biological,
Radiological/ Nuclear, and Explosive
enterprise; FEMA Region IV; other FEMA
regions; and with our partners in the
Georgia Emergency Management Agency.
Our dual-status nature, with
responsibilities to the state and federal
government, makes our mission unique
and provides the flexibility for both local
and global response.
In these times of fiscal constraint, we
are expected to do more with less, but we
will continue to provide highly motivated
mission-ready forces for employment
by the Governor and the United States
Department of Defense.


116th Air Control Wing

Col. Kevin D. Clotfelter
Commander
116th Airlift Wing

With nearly 11 years of continuous
deployment support to United States
C entral C ommand and increasing
involvement to all combatant commands,
the116th Air Control Wing (ACW)
c o nt i nu e s t o p rov i d e E - 8 C Jo i nt
SurveillanceTarget Attack Radar System
(JSTARS) aircraft as ‘a national asset’.
The Command, Control, Intelligence,
Surveillance and Reconnaissance airborne
platform detects, tracks, and solves
problems to optimize the use of military
force and safeguard American lives.
Residing at Robins Air Force Base,
Warner Robins, Georgia, JSTARS is
the sole provider of the much lauded
and persistently tasked E-8C fleet. The
116th ACW has been on a continuous
deployment cycle since 9/11 and flown
more than 86,000 combat hours with
over 8,800 hours in deployed operations
during the calendar year of 2013.
The 116th ACW is established as
the total force host and the Air National

Guard lead for Team JSTARS with
the 461st Air Control Wing providing
Regular Air Force personnel to the
‘Active Associate’ construct.The 116th is
considered a ‘Total Force’ expert, helping
to meet future force construct demands.
As we begin 2014, the 116th ACW
and Team JSTARS is ready to meet the
challenges that lie ahead, focusing on the
core missions of Global Reach, Global
Power, Global Vigilance.
The wing was recently awarded its
17th Air Force Outstanding Unit Award,
deploying close to 2,000 personnel who
supported six United States combatant
commanders during the highest
operations tempo in the wing’s history.
T h e 1 1 6 t h O p e r at i o n s G r o u p
displayed unsurpassed combat readiness
by deploying crews to five separate
theaters within a 13-day window to
supp or t shor t - not i c e d e pl oy me nt
operations. Simultaneously, Team JSTARS
conducted 10 C ombined Planning
Operations Exercises along with seven
Joint Air Sea Battle Exercises with Naval
Forces. Team JSTARS has continued to
set the pace by flying over 6,000 flight
hours in support of DoD operations.
The 116th OG continued its tradition
of success by awarding an elite group
the Georgia Medal for Valor, the Earl T.
Ricks Leadership Award, the Lance P
Sijan Leadership Award and the General
George C. Kenney “Lessons Learned”
Award.
Superior maintenance and
operations integration is at the core of
effective flying. The 116th Maintenance
Group’s 96 percent sortie completion
rate increased aircraft availability to
support critical missions around the
globe in multiple overseas and domestic
locations, surpassing an unprecedented
86,000 combat hours flown. The focus on
maintenance earned the 2013 Secretary
of the Air Force Field-level Maintenance
Award for the 116th and 461st Aircraft
Maintenance Squadrons.
The 116th Mission Support Group
also provides support, both overseas
and abroad. The group’s Force Support,
C o m mu n i c at i o n s , L o g i s t i c s , a n d
Security Squadrons deployed personnel


and provided logistics support to four
Combatant Commands. At home, the
MSG Contracting Office awarded over
$5.4 million worth of contracts, insuring
construction and repair projects,and
commodities purchases were completed
to meet mission requirements.The 116th
Civil Engineering Squadron, an arm of
the MSG, managed and maintained nearly
1M square feet of real property at Robins
AFB and Dobbins ARB and coordinated
over $2.4 million of sustainment,
restoration and modernization projects.
Making national headlines, Force Support
fed more than 5,000 guard members
assisting with the 57th Presidential
Inauguration and the 116th Explosive
Ordnance Flight interviewed as subject
matter experts afterthe Boston Bombing.
Epitomizing ‘Service Before Self ’, the
synergistic efforts of three Security Forces
personnel stepped into action to perform
CPR on a Delta passenger in flight, saving
her life.
Maintaining a healthy force is
always a challenge, but in 2013, the
116th Medical Group (MDG) prepared
more than 550 members for deployment
to prime locations and performed the
important task of monitoring the medical
status of flying personnel. The MDG is
fully mission capable to respond to any
emergency. The group also participated
in four CBRNE Enhanced Rapid Force
and Homeland Response Force exercises
and evaluations to include Search and
Extraction capabilities. Fifty ANG
members earned qualifications in one or
more of the following certifications: Basic
Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life
Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support,
Trauma Nurse Core Course and PreHospital Trauma Life Support. During
drill weekends, the116th MDG evaluated
the health status of approximately 1,300
personnel.
The men and women of the 116th
ACW are proud to serve and consider it
an honor to take an active role in their
communities and in protecting thenation.
The 116th’s reach spans globally
because our support begins locally.The
116th continues to be always ready, always
there, and always on target. Go Guard!

165th Airlift Wing

Georgia’s 165th Airlift Wing is
located at Savannah International
Airport and is composed of more than
900 men and women, who support,
maintain and fly the unit’s eight
C-130H “Hercules” aircraft.
The mission of the 165th Airlift
Wing is to provide tactical airlift of
personnel, equipment and supplies.
During 2013, aircraft and crews of
the 165th flew missions to dozens of
nations around the world. The unit
maintains one of the highest aircraft
operational readiness records in the
National Guard and the U.S. Air Force.
As a National Guard Wing, part of
its dual-mission is also subject to be
called upon for assistance during state
emergencies to airlift food, medical
supplies, equipment, and personnel
domestically or internationally. These
missions extend the emergency relief
support during natural disasters such
as floods, earthquakes, forest fires,
search and rescue operations, and
defense support to civil authorities.
For example, after the devastation
of Hurricane Sandy, 165th crews were
on alert stand-by to aid victims in the
northeast. Ultimately, other units were
called to participate in these efforts, but
Wing members were ready to answer
the call if necessary.
The 165th ser ves as the host
base for Brunswick’s 224th Joint
Communications Support Squadron,
Hunter Army Air Field’s 117th Air
Control Squadron, the 165th Air
Support Operations Squadron, and
the Combat Readiness Training Center
both in Garden City, Ga.
In January, the wing served as the
lead unit in an operational readiness
exercise. The wing was validated
as a ready-to-deploy unit with a
“satisfactory” rating. Immediately,
the wing started preparing for a unit
compliance inspection which was
just recently completed, receiving a
satisfactory grade.
The war effort continued with

twelve members of the 165th Small Air
Terminal heading to Afghanistan for a
five-month rotation with 25 members
of the Civil Engineering Squadron and
Fire Department.
In 2013, the 165th flew more than
2,800 hours, of which 980 hours were
flown in combat/combat support
operations in the Middle East. This
increased the wing’s combat experience
to ten years of combat operations and
well over 11,600 combat flight hours
without a single mishap.
In October 2012, the 165th C-130
aircraft began the more than 6,000mile journey for a four-month stint at
an undisclosed location in Southwest
Asia. This is the tenth time the 165th
has deployed to the Middle East or
Afghanistan in support of the War on
Terror. Accompanying those aircraft
were more than 85 Georgia Guard
Airmen, including members of the
Wing’s operations personnel and
its maintenance department. This
included four flying crews.
In May and June 2013, the unit
t o o k p a r t i n t w o S OU T HC OM
Operation Coronet Oak deployments.
The purpose of Coronet Oak is to
resupply U.S. Operations in South
and Central America. From April to
June, it also provided one airlift and
two crews to support Operation New
Dawn, providing CONUS aeromedical
transport for AMC.
Since the beginning of operations
in the Persian Gulf, the 165th has been
integrally involved in air operations.
Several elements of the Wing have
deployed throughout the region, with
Airman serving in Uzbekistan, Turkey,
Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
Previously in 2009, the 165th
deployed to Afghanistan in support
of Operation Enduring Freedom. In
2005, the unit deployed aircraft and
more than 100 personnel to KarshiKhanabad, Uzbekistan, for 11 months.
During this period, the unit airlifted
more than 35,660 tons of cargo in
support of the War on Terror.It was
initially called to active duty in 2003 in

Col. James Edenfield
Commander
165th Airlift Wing

support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Savannah’s C-130s were joined by
additional C-130s from the Nevada
and Delaware Air National Guard and
attached the 737th Air Expeditionary
Squadron to put aircraft in the air and
move equipment, food and people in
support of deployed operations.
The Wing continues to receive
numerous awards, including nine Air
Force Outstanding Unit Awards, and
enjoys the reputation of being one of
the top airlift units in the nation.
This is all directly attributed to the
professionalism and esprit-de-corps of
the Guardsmen who have served, and
are now serving, within its ranks.


117th Air
Control Squadron
Control of the highly charged
and congested airspace over a given
combat zone is the responsibility of
the Georgia Air National Guard’s
unique 117th Air Control Squadron
(ACS), of Savannah.
During exercises, contingencies,
o r a c t u a l w a r, t h e 1 1 7 t h AC S’s
command and control mission is
to provide air control for military
aircraft in their sector. As a Control
and Reporting C enter, the 117th
serves as the senior command and
control element for the Theater Air
Force Commander and directs the
air war as assigned.
Tr ai n e d ai r c ont rol l e rs h ave
the responsibility of directing
aircraft entering, exiting or crossing
congested airspace using an array
of sophisticated radar equipment
and sensors that provide greater
coverage than most small city

airports.
In fall 2013, the 117th mobilized
8 0 p e rs on nel on Tit l e 1 0 a c t ive
dut y f or a 1 7 9 - d ay d e p l oy m e nt
to Southwest Asia. The unit will
coordinate with Army and Nav y
forces to lead the regional air
defense of the Persian Gulf area.
The unit will track, identify, and
control aircraft in assigned areas
while executing the orders of the
Combined Aerospace Operations
Center. The unit will return in lateSpring 2014.
1 1 7 t h has supp or te d s e ve r a l
test and communications for
a l l AC S u n it s , and t he u n it has
been selected again to be the first
ACS to re ceive ne w upg rade d
communications equipment based
on their track record of excellence.
The unit recently began supporting
c om mu n i c at i ons for E me rge nc y
O p erat ions C enter exercis es for
Hunter Army Airfield.
Tw i c e t h i s y e a r, 1 1 7 t h
operations personnel went to
Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada

to support Carrier Air Wing workups and wargames as they prepared
for deployment to S outhwest
Asia. This gave 117th operations
personnel the opportunity to train
with pilots from carrier groups that
will be supported during the unit
deployment 2013-2014.
The 117th was also
acknowledged for its community
efforts in 2013: contributing
over $1,000 to local charities and
received recognition for its “top
five participation” in the Combined
Fe dera l C amp aig n, w it h a 100%
contribution rate.

165th Air Support
Operations Squadron
Close Air Support (CAS)
for advancing ground units is
often critical in perilous combat
environments like Afghanistan.
The “Battlefield Airmen” of
Garden City’s 165th Air Support
O p erat ions S qu adron (ASOS)
deploy with, advise and assist joint
force commanders in planning,
re qu e st i ng , c o ord i n at i ng an d
controlling CAS, reconnaissance,
and tactical airlift missions.
In May 2013, the 165th ASOS
conducted its first Combined Unit
Inspection consisting of 9th Air
Force STAN/EVAL and ACC Unit
Compliance Inspection. The 165
ASOS was rated an “Excellent”

overall with five members earning
“Superior Performers” and an
additional two members receiving
the Inspector General coin. This
performance far exceeded Air Force
standards.
While 2013 marked the first time
since 2002 that the ASOS did not
have members overseas supporting
combat operations, the training and
operations tempo has not slowed
down. Members have conducted
CAS training missions in Florida,
Michigan New York, North Carolina
and Townsend Bombing Range here
in Georgia. Additionally, members
went to Germany and Latvia to
train on bombing ranges in those


respective countries.
In addition, the 165th ASOS
deployed to Fort Stewart, Ga. to
support the 48th Infantry Brigade
C omb at Te am, G e org i a Ar my
National Guard, during the latter’s
XCTC in September, conducted
annual training at Moody AFB, and
graduated two members from Basic
Airborne School at Fort Benning,
Ga.

224th Joint
Communications

Squadron
The 224th Joint Communications
Support Squadron (JCSS) provides
communications support as directed
by the United States Transportation
C ommand, Air Force Space
Command, and Ga. DoD. It is one of
six active, reserve and Air National
Guard units assigned to the Joint
Communications Support Element.
In 2013, the 224th JCSS
mobilized 20% of its Airmen for a
six-month rotational deployment in
support of operational requirements
in the U.S Central Command’s area
of responsibility. Four Bronze Stars,
ten Joint Service Commendation
Medals, and eight Joint Service
Achievement Medals were awarded

283rd Combat
Communications
Squadron
G e o r g i a’s 2 8 3 r d C o m b a t
C ommunications S quadron is
responsible for “first-in” rapid
deployment and “build-up” of an
integrated force with state-of-theart communications equipment and
multi-skilled personnel.
The unit provides scalable
command and control,
i nte l l i ge n c e, s u r ve i l l an c e an d
reconnaissance,and information
operationscapabilities to
expeditionary air and space forces
for any contingency operation.
The 283rd recently returned
from a six-month Joint

to 224th Airman for contributions
to the success of numerous direct
action combat missions of supported
Joint Task Forces.
During this deployment, the
224th embarked on a five-month
humanitarian mission aboard the
USS Pearl Harbor to six IndoPacific countries in Samoa, Tonga,
the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, the
Solomon Islands and Papua New
Guinea. Their actions enabled
the command element to provide
remote communications and track
move ments of 793 p ers onnel
t hroug hout t he mission. The
squadron’s level of support to
civil authorities in 2013 was also
impressive, providing direct support
to NORTHC OM/CYBERC OM
homeland defense missions.
The Citizen-Airmen of the
224th JCSS consistently displayed
unwaver ing commit ment and
preparedness to respond to both

domestic and federal missions.
The men and women of the 224th
s h ow e d p r o f e s s i o n a l i s m a n d
dedication, responding to both
contingency and humanitarian
operations while maintaining
readiness to respond to any possible
domestic threat. Additionally, the
squadron generously responded
to community needs, donating
more than 500 hours, $20,000 and
57 pints of blood, to a variety of
charities. They continue to personify
the Citizen Soldier on the battlefield
and in the local community.

Expeditionary Tasking in Southwest
Asia.
Located in Marietta, Ga., the
283rd is perfectly situated for
a quick response anywhere in
theregion.


139th
Intelligence
Squadron
The primary mission of the
139th Intelligence Squadron (IS) is
to execute cryptologic intelligence
operations to satisfy strategic,
operational and tactical intelligence
requirements of national decision
makers, combatant commands,
combat operations, plans and forces.
Additionally, the 139th IS
has the state mission to provide a
trained and equipped force to assist
the citizens of Georgia in times of
emergency.
The 45-member intelligence
squadron employs 38 traditional
and seven full-time Guardsmen.
The unit fits the total force initiative
“classic associate” squadron model
of t he Air Force by work ing

alongside the Active Duty’s 480th
Intelligence, Sur veillance, and
Reconnaissance Group at Fort
Gordon. The 139th IS is tasked
to support two distinct USAF
missions: the Distributed Common
Ground System and NationalTactical Integration. Following its
standup in 2008 as Detachment1,
116th Air Control Wing, the 139th
IS was federally recognized as
a USAF Squadron in 2010, and
also declared initial operational
capability in 2010. Full operational
capability is expected to be reached
in late 2014.
The 139th IS continued a high
operational mission tempo in 2013,
with several personnel tasked to
support active duty USAF and
national intelligence missions
at NSA/CSS Georgia and 1AF/
AFNORTH. Additionally, two
personnel augmented the 117th
Air Control Squadron’s deployment
t o C E N T C OM . T S g t Tr av i s
Huffman won NSA/CSS’s National
Threat Operations Center Military

Performer of the Quarter for 1st
Quarter 2013. The amount and
variance of operational support was
quite extensive across the spectrum.
139 IS was recognized with its
first Air Force Outstanding Unit
Award in 2013 for achievements
during the Feb 2010-May 2011
timeframe.
The 139th IS also continues
to support regular production of
the nation of Georgia’s diplomatic,
i n for m at i on a l , m i l it ar y, an d
e c o n o m i c s u m m a r y, w h i c h
supports the Adjutant General and
Georgia Department of Defense
staffs in their efforts with the State
Partnership Program.

202nd Engineering
Installation Squadron

T h e
e n g i n e e r i n g ,
installation, removal, relocation,
repair and serviceability of
sophisticated command, control,
communications, computers,
intelligence, sur veillance, and
reconnaissance systems at Air
Force inst al lat ions worldwide is
the responsibility of the men and
women of the 202nd Engineering
Installation Squadron (EIS)
headquartered at Robins Air
Force Base.
The unit also provides disaster
relief and assists state authorities
during emergencies by providing
d i s a s t e r r e c o v e r y, r e s t o r a t i o n

a n d re p a i r of G a . D o D, f e d e r a l
and civil communcations
infrastructure.
The unit spent much of
2013 preparing for the AFSPC
Un it C omp l i an c e Ins p e c t i on
and preparing for real world
deployments.Beginning in
O c t o b e r, t h e u n it m o bi l i z e d 2 7
Airmen for a 180-day “bootson-the ground” deployment
to the Middle East supporting
For ward Op erating L o cations in
Afghanistan.
Residing at Robins Air
Forc e B a s e , War n e r R o bi ns , G a
the unit consists of 111 highly


skilled technicians (11 of w hom
are full-time) specializing in
communications support for
nine Air Guard bases and 21
g e o g r ap h i c a l l y s e p a r at e d u n i t s
in the southeast region of the
Un it e d St at e s , P u e r t o R i c o a n d
t h e U. S . Vi r g i n I s l a n d s . T h i s
exceptional team ensures the
s qu a d ron l i ve s up t o it s m ott o :
“G l o b a l Te c h n i c i a n s , A ny t i m e Anywhere.”

530th Air Force Band
The 530th Air Force Band (also
known as the Air National Guard Band of
the South) support global Air Force and
Air National Guard missions by fostering
patriotism and communicating a strategic
message by performing musical services
for the military community as well as the
general public.
The unit was officially inactivated
October 1, 2013. Major Alan McConnell
relinquished command to Major General
Thomas Moore, and the few remaining
and former members were recognized for

Combat Readiness
Training Center
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas
Gr ab ow sk i assu me d c om mand of
Savannah’s Combat Readiness Training
Center in 2013, a place where the only
constant in the past year has been
change. The threatened personnel cuts
of early 2012 took effect in FY 2013. A
unit totaling 85 lost 26 of its fulltime
personnel – a total of more than 450 years
combined military experience. Still, the
unit’s strategic vision did not change,
nor the demands placed upon it. While
absorbing the staff reductions, the CRTC
made a concerted effort to lean forward
in a number of areas which will continue
to pay dividends to the state and Total
Force far beyond the foreseeable future.
Colonel Todd Freesemann’s initiative
legitimized the CRTC’s indigenous
Cyber Training School throughout
the Air Force. The staff, working with
Air Education Training Command
(AETC), commenced the arduous task of
accrediting the only Air National Guard
Cyber Training Facility which included

their contributions.
Prior to inactivation, the band was
reduced in size but remained active by
using four ensembles to fulfill mission
requests in three states. The band’s
final community performance was a
Memorial Day parade in Savannah, Ga.,
with its final official performance at Air
Headquarters Family Day celebration in
July at Clay National Guard Center.
Up on i n a c t iv at i on , t he b an d s
marketing name, “The Air National
Guard Band of the South,” its brand and
mission were transferred to the 572nd Air
Force Band, located in Tennessee.

The Air National Guard Band of
the South’s rich history will always be a
part of the heritage of the Georgia Air
National Guard.

each instructor achieving professorial
status so students attending the cyber
courses would not only receive AFSC
credit, but also college credit through the
Community College of the Air Force. The
school now has two ‘regular’ Air Force
instructors permanently assigned to the
team, joining the resident ANG staff of
the CRTC, a feat not seen elsewhere in
the Guard.
The continuing efforts by the Marine
Corps to expand Townsend Bombing
Range moved forward in FY 2013 as
Town Hall meetings were conducted to
better brief the public and our neighbors
in Long and McIntosh Counties of
the possibilities in store. At present,
Townsend owns a 5K acre footprint, but
with the now-allocated congressional
funding, the Range is expected to grow
to nearly 32K acres, facilitating the needs
of the F-35’s scheduled arrival at MCAS
Beaufort in late 2014. At the same time,
Air Force JTACS are training on the
range, working with fighter aircraft from
the Air Force, ANG, Marines and Navy.
The local presence of the 165th ASOS
continues to attract other ground units to
the range from other bases/services.

The CRTC’s continuing flexibility
allows it to improve its Air Combat
Maneuvering Instrumentation with
advancing technologies, providing today’s
air warrior with exceptional logistical
support and the most realistic electronic
war environment utilizing Joint Threat
Emitters and link capability ensuring they
remain on the leading edge of the nation’s
ability to bring the air battle to the enemy,
regardless of the fighter airframe.
Finally, in years past the Remagen DZ
at Fort Stewart had been an exceptionally
critical training area for C-130 pilots
needing Assault Landing training on a
dirt strip. Over the past several years of
war, C-130 crews have continued this
activity in the theater of operations,
but in the days of the drawdown, these
same pilots will be required to continue
this skill. Realizing this need, CRTC
command determined the Remagen
DZ could once again become a valuable
commodity. Working with Ft. Stewart
command, and a hybrid ANG/US Army
Red Horse Civil Engineering Squadron
from New Mexico, the old DZ has
returned to life and the first C-130s are
scheduled to land there in January 2014.



Brig. General Tom
Commanding General

Danielson


When ordered by the Adjutant
General,
the
Georgia
State
Defense Force (GSDF) provides
an organized, trained, disciplined,
rapid response, uniformed force.
GSDF volunteers respond to
needs and emergency situations as
defined by the Adjutant General
and the Governor, and assist local
authorities where such missions do
not conflict, as authorized under the
Official Code of Georgia, Title 38.
In 2013, the GSDF ran its first
formal National Association for
Search and Rescue certification
course for select Search and Rescue
Specialization II personnel, while at
the same time modernizing training
courses across all spectrums of the
GSDF force.
More than 400 GSDF volunteers
met at Fort Stewart to participate
in their Annual Training (AT),

creating a realistic exercise putting
the totality of each unit’s training
into action. AT 2013 was designed
as a force-wide search and rescue
mission run as an Army Readiness
Training Evaluation Program.
In 2013, the GSDF continued
to run nationally recognized search
and rescue courses as well as Officer
Candidate School, Captain/Warrant
Officer Candidate School, soldier
leadership and numerous Initial
Entry Training courses. GSDF also
stood up its own Military Entrance
Processing Station. Other highlights
for the organization in 2013 include
its support of the Georgia Army
National Guard 171st Aviation at
their annual training; providing
search and rescue support to
the Jenkins County Emergency
Management Agency; assisting the
Georgia Army National Guard in
testing its tactical communications
through a communications exercise
and participating in several OPFOR
exercises in support of Georgia
National Guard deployment at Clay
National Guard Center in Marietta
and Ft. Stewart, GA.
Prior-service veterans comprise
approximately 33 percent of the
GSDF force. State Defense Force
members act as a force-multiplier to


the Ga. DoD, capable of immediate
response whenever they may be
needed, assisting with everything
from search and rescue missions,
to disaster relief efforts, to helping
reunite redeploying Guardsmen
with their families.
When called upon, the GSDF
volunteers also provide a variety of
support functions for the Georgia
National Guard including family
support, legal assistance, medical
and chaplaincy support, and
technical assistance in a variety of
other areas. The GSDF also performs
defense support to civil authority
missions such as evacuation and
control during natural disasters,
perimeter safety, and medical
assistance at major public events.
The Georgia State Defense Force
provides a wide variety of training
and educational opportunities – from
military operations to Community
Emergency Response Team training
– for its own personnel as well as the
personnel of the Georgia National
Guard.
The strong working relationship
with the Georgia National Guard
allows the GSDF to remain relevant
and ready to serve the state and
its citizens, now and long into the
future.

Members of the Georgia State Defense Force
(GSDF) unload a simulated casualty during a
medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) training exercise


Joint Staff

Brig. General John King
Director

Joint Staff

Division, Strategic Management
Office, and the State Partnership
Program (SPP).
The Family Programs Division is
responsible for planning, developing,
supervising, and directing family
programs for the Georgia National
Guard and Reserve members and
their families. This includes families
of all deployed military personnel –
regardless of service component –
during all levels of contingency and
mobilization operations throughout
the state. This division also advises
the Adjutant General on matters
relating to family readiness and
quality of life and is instrumental in
assisting service members seeking
employment.
The Strategic Management
Office advises the Adjutant General
on matters relating to organizational
self-improvement. This office uses
several programs throughout the
year such as the Army Performance

The Ga. DoD Joint Staff
is responsible for the strategic
management,
leadership,
and
direction of the Georgia Department
of Defense, which includes the Ga.
Army National Guard, the Ga. Air
National Guard, and the Ga. State
Defense Force. The Joint Staff
provides the Adjutant General with
time-sensitive intelligence and
information and seeks to build the
strength of the Ga. DoD through
internal and external partnerships.
While the primary mission of
the Joint Staff is providing defense
support to civil authorities, homeland
security, and homeland defense, it
provides leadership in several other
areas. The Joint Staff has oversight
of the Ga. DoD’s Family Programs


Improvement Criteria, the Malcom
Baldrige Criteria for Performance
Excellence, and the Managers’
Internal Control Program to
continually improve the efficiency
and effectiveness of business
processes in the organization.
The State Partnership Program
provides
unique
partnership
capacity-building capabilities to
combatant commanders and U.S.
ambassadors through partnerships
between U.S. states, territories
and the District of Columbia and
foreign countries. The SPP supports
U.S. national interests and security
cooperation goals by engaging
partner nations via military, sociopolitical and economic conduits at
the local, state and national level.
The state of Georgia’s partner is the
country of Georgia. This partnership
was one of the first SPP partnerships
established in the program and the
Georgia DoD routinely conducts
several engagements throughout the
year as part of the SPP mission.

The Georgia National Guard’s Joint Force Headquarters
located on Clay National Guard Center.

1st Lt. Monicia Porter, a native of Thomasville, Ga., with the 1230th
Transportation Company in support of the 524th Combat Sustainment
Support Battalion, Task Force Lifeliner, 1st Sustainment Command (Theater),
at Camp Marmal, Afghanistan, ground guides one of her platoon’s vehicles out
of their motor pool in preparation to conduct a sustainment and retrograde
support mission to a remote location in Northern Afghanistan.


Defense
Support of Civil
Authorities
The Georgia Department
of Defense is always ready to
provide support to the Georgia
Emergency Management Agency
(GEMA) and the citizens of
Georgia in the event of natural
and/or
manmade
disasters.
We do this by maintaining
relationships, developing and
subsequently refining our written
plans, conducting exercises and
supporting real world events.
There are several conferences
we also make sure to attend
annually that help us stay at the
forefront of emerging initiatives
in emergency preparedness. In
April 2013, we participated in
U.S. Northern Command Annual
Interagency Hurricane Table
Top Exercise hosted by U.S.
Army North in San Antonio,
Texas. This exercise focused on
synchronization across state and
federal agencies, the purpose
being to present Interagency
Partners the capabilities each
entity brings to the response and
the method by which they bring
those capabilities. This allows
all domestic operations officers
from the National Guard’s
hurricane States and territories
to come together to discuss
their plans, preparedness and
exercises in order to ensure the
National Guard is always ready.
The Georgia Department of
Defense also has representation
at GEMA’s Emergency Managers
Association Group meetings
and their seasonal preparedness
meetings at the State Operations

Center.
At the Georgia Department of
Defense, we continually develop
and refine our written emergency
operations plans by conducting
Joint Planning Group meetings
throughout the year and by
conducting external reviews of
our plans. We work with other
agencies in order to share and
discuss those plans.
For example, in 2013, we
shared our plans with the Georgia
Department of Public Health,
Georgia Emergency Management
Agency, the Alabama National
Guard and the Florida National
Guard.
The most effective way to
remain prepared for natural
or manmade disasters is to
conduct various exercises. The
Georgia Department of Defense
participated in many emergency
response exercises throughout
2013. In addition to participating
in the U.S. Northern Command
Annual Interagency Hurricane
Table Top Exercise, we also
participated in exercises, Ardent
Sentry and Vigilant Guard in
May 2013.
Exercise Ardent Sentry was a
bilateral exercise that involved
numerous federal, provincial,
state and local agencies in Canada
and the U.S. The exercise focused
primarily on Defense Support of
Civil Authorities, but contained
elements of the Homeland
Defense mission as well. The
primary objective of the exercise
was to give federal, provincial,
state and local authorities the
opportunity to work together
across a full spectrum of
training opportunities to better
prepare participants to respond
to state and national crises. The
exercise stressed consequence


management for a range of manmade and natural disasters.
Elements of the Georgia
National Guard also traveled to
Florida in May to participate in
Exercise Vigilant Guard, which
is an annual interagency training
drill. Along with state and local
first responders, members of the
Georgia and Florida National
Guard trained together in this
scenario-based
exercise
to
reinforce the relationship needed
to support the needs of citizens
during domestic emergencies.
During the month of May, the
Ga. DoD participated in GEMA’s
2013 Hurricane Exercise. In
June we conducted an internal
tornado scenario exercise in
order to prepare ourselves for the
potential of tornado emergencies
in the state of Georgia.
During 2013, the Georgia
Department of Defense provided
support to civil authorities during
real-world events, as well. Our
Joint Staff sent representatives
to the Fulton County Emergency
Operations center in support of
the Peachtree Road Race. Our
4th Civil Support Team and
the 116th Air Control Wing’s
Explosive Ordnance Disposal
Team supported local, state, and
federal authorities throughout the
year on a variety of civil support
operations.
Defense stays ready to support
the state of Georgia and its
citizens through our attendance
at conferences, our development
and refining of our written plans,
by conducting exercises and by
supporting real world events.
Defense will always be ready to
provide defense support to civil
authorities.

78th Homeland Response Force participates in training
exercises during Vigilant Guard 2013.


4th WMD Civil
Support Team

T

he 22 personnel of the
4th Weapons of Mass
D e st r u c t i on ( W M D )
C i v i l S u p p o r t Te a m
(CST) provide support
to civil authorities at
domestic chemical,
biological, radiological and nuclear
( C BR N ) i nc i d e nt s ite s by of fe r i ng
identification and assessment of hazards.
They also advise civil authorities and
facilitate the arrival of follow-on military
forces during emergencies and incidents
of WMD ter ror ism, intent iona l or
unintentional release of CBRN materials,
and natural or man-made disasters that
result in, or could result in, catastrophic
loss of life or property. The 4th WMDCST complements and enhances, but
does not duplicate, state CBRN response
capabilities.
The Adjutant General can either
employ the 4th WMD-CST to support the
state response under the direction of the

governor or aid in another state’s request
for response under another governor.
The 4th WMD-CST is comprised
of full-time Army and Air National
Guard p ers onnel. The str uc ture of
the unit is divided into six sections:
command; operations; communications;
a d m i n i s t r at i on / l o g i s t i c s ; m e d i c a l /
analytical; and survey.
E ach WMD-CST deploys to an
incident site using its internally assigned
vehicles, which include a command vehicle,
operations trailer, and a communications
platform called the unified command
suite. This command suite provides a
broad spectrum of secure communications
capabilities the 4th WMD-CST also can
deploy with an analytical laboratory system
vehicle containing a full suite of analytical
equipment to support the characterization
of hazards and several general-purpose
vehicles. The CST can be moved by air, rail,
commercial truck or ship.
The 4th WMD-CST was one of the
first ten WMD-CST units originally
established by the U.S. Department of
Defense.
In 2013, Georgia’s 4th WMD-CST
was active across the state training with
first responders at Cobb County Safety

Village, providing vital support for largedraw events, technical assistance for
Secret Service appointed National Special
Security Event (NSSE) with Defense
Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) for
the National Democratic Convention,
support of other National Level Exercises.
Also in 2013, the 4th WMD-CST
participated in a WMD training exercise
with the Office of Secure Transportation
(OST) with the National Nuclear Security
Administration (NNSA). The exercise
underscored the value the CST brings to
the state and other federal agencies in the
event that a CBRN incident exceeds the
capability of local responders to control.
For large draw events, the unit
provided numerous sweeps and technical
support to Atlanta first responders during
events such as the Atlanta Falcons 2013
season games at the Georgia Dome and
to the Atlanta Police Department for the
2013 Peachtree Road Race. The 4th WMDCST also provided demonstration and
capabilities briefs with local and state first
responders at the Albany Marine Corps
Logistics Base. The 4th WMD-CST can
deploy 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to
assist the State of Georgia and other FEMA
Region 4 states.

Staff Sgt. Jonathon Dean, survey team
chief, and Sgt. 1st Class Deric Richardson,
survey CBRN non-commissioned officer
in charge, briefed and advised local first
responders during a radiological exercise
at Georgia State University.


Staff Sgt. Natasha Daniels swept 4th
CST entry team Guardsmen with a
pancake radiation detector for any
traces of contamination during the
radiological training exercise with GSU
and local first responders.

Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services
participated in a first responder joint
exercise hosted by the Georgia National
Guard’s 4th Civil Support Team along with
other local, state and federal agencies.

Jake Robitzsch and Ken Singleton “evacuate” South Carolina National Guard Sgt.
Joseph Berendzen, Jr. to a nearby utility vehicle for transport to Kennestone Hospital
as part of the 4th CST’s joint first responder exercise at Cobb County Safety Village.

Georgia National Guard 4th CST
team members suited up to approach
the radiological source and make
entry into the building.


Counterdrug
Task Force

The Georgia National
Guard C ounterdrug Task Force
(GANGCDTF) conducts full
spectrum law enforcement support
operations which bridge the gap
between Department of Defense and
civil authorities in the fight against
illicit drugs and transnational threats
to the homeland. The GANGCDTF
contributes military support for local,
state, and federal law enforcement
agencies and community based
organizations in addition to their
parent combatant commanders.
The GANGCDTF’s mission is to
reduce the supply and demand for
illegal drugs by fostering relationships

and partnering with law enforcement,
communit y organizat ions, and
school districts. The GANGCDTF is
comprised of over 40 members of both
the Ga. Army National Guard and
Ga. Air National Guard, who assist
law enforcement agencies specifically
through illegal narcotic and property
s e i z u re op e r at i on s , m a r iju a n a
eradication missions, information and
trend analysis, case support and antidrug classroom instruction.
The GANGCDTF contributed
to the following drug, property, and
currency seizures in FY 2013: 2,349
lbs of cocaine valued in excess of $37.2
million; 2,634 ecstasy pills valued
in excess of $65,850; 14,640 lbs of
marijuana valued in excess of $43.9
million; 766 lbs of methamphetamine
valued in excess of $15.3 million;
property in excess of $3.9 million, and

Air crew members from Georgia’s Army National
Guard Counter Drug Task Force (CDTF) patrolled
the skies north of Rome, Ga. looking for marijuana.
Their efforts resulted in their harvesting over 20 plants
thereby keeping $40,000 of maijuana off the streets of
Georgia.


currency in excess of $19.8 million. In
addition to the $120.2 million in drug
related contraband, the GANGCDTF
assisted in the arrest of 1,185 drug
related suspects. Notably, in the fall of
2013 an Airmen attached to Federal
Aviation Administration assisted in
the tracking and apprehension of four
aircraft valued at $1.6 million and
the seizure of over 694 lbs of cocaine
valued in excess of $11 million in a
single operation.
Our marijuana eradication efforts
in FY 2013 resulted in the detection
and destruction of over 9,544 plants
valued in excess in $23.8 million.
The GANGCDTF continues to
perform as one of the most successful
Counter Drug Task Forces in the
country assisting in nearly $144
million in drug related seizures in FY
2013.

Public Affairs

T h e G e or g i a D e p a r t m e nt
of Defense Public Affairs Office
supp or ts t he 15,000 memb er
organization The State Public
Affairs Office fulfills the Georgia
DoD ‘s obligation to engage the
public, key stake holders and
the command in order to both
inform internal and external
audiences through varied trusted
lines of communications means
and methods and provide valued
community relations in order to set
conditions for situational awareness
of GaDoD activities , capabilities
and to garner support for GaDoD
strategic goals.
The Georgia Guard continues to
be a DOD leader in online presence
and interactivity. Recognized as
the owner of one of the premier
websites in the entire Department of
the Army, The Georgia Guard was
also designated as a Keith L. Ware
award winner in the Command
Blog category. The Professional
Guardsman was recognized as
the third best in the entire Army
component to include active,
reserve and Guard units in all States
and territories.
Public Affairs staff members
were also recognized for individual
contributions in the Keith L.
Ware competition. The Georgia
Guardsman’s Historic Battle Review
column received an honorable
mention for individual writing
in the article series categor y.
Meanwhile, the Georgia Guard
Public Affairs Officer contributed
writing and imagery to Best Field
Newspaper Keith L. Ware award
winning Keris Strike newsletter
which documented the 560th
BFSB’s training mission in Malaysia.
It is said that a picture is worth a
thousand words and it would appear
that the public and the media agree

as Georgia Guard public affairs
crossed a milestone on Veterans
Day with the one millionth view of
its high-resolution image collection
on Flickr. In just over a year, Flickr
site traffic doubled and images of
the Georgia National Guard were
distributed by media outlets across
the nation. Georgia Guard images
were instrumental in the National
Guard Bureau’s 377th Birthday and
Honor their Service campaigns. An
image from the return ceremony of
ADT-III was even featured on the
Country Music Awards.
Production of the Georgia
Guardsman magazine entered its
60th year in November. Six decades
of Georgia Guardsman magazines
are maintained on a digital archive
accessible through the Georgia
Guard’s home page. This resource
continues to provide historical
context of the Guard’s mission and
relevance through the years.
Sequestration had a devastating
impact on community relations.
In the course of 2013, the Georgia
Guard was forced to decline support

to more than 120 requests for static
displays, band appearances, and
guest speakers. These public events
are crucial to building the bridge
between the military and the public
as all too often the general public
does not have the opportunity to
interact with uniformed military
personnel.
In lieu of the opportunity to
communicate face-to-face, the
Georgia Guard concentrated on its
social media presence and observed
a 21% increase in its Facebook
reach among key demographics.
Already the second-most followed
National Guard state on Twitter, the
Georgia Guard added more than
3,000 followers – nearly doubling its
total from the previous year.


Emerging
Missions
Na t i o n a l G u a r d s m e n h a v e
a unique blend of civilian and
military skills. It is this dual, CitizenSoldier nature and temperament
of Guardsmen which allows them
to be so effective when conducting
missions. A Guardsman not only
provides combatant commanders with
a trained military professional but, as
a bonus, Guardsmen bring a myriad
of civilian skills and experiences to the
battlefield.
The National Guard has
conducted missions in E astern
Europe, South America, Africa, and
Central America for over two decades
and is heavily involved in the warfight
in Afghanistan.

Agribusiness
Development Teams
Agribusiness Development Teams
(ADTs) are a collaborative effort of the
Network Science Center at West Point
(NSC), and the National Guard Bureau’s
ADT Mission. The Army National
Guard has employed the Agribusiness
Development Team (ADT) concept
successfully in Central America for
approximately 20 years. The National
Guard Bureau has completed significant
planning to provide the Coalition
Joint Task Force (CJTF) commander
with a resource to favorably impact
the agribusiness sector, and the ADT
so far has been very well received
and has been very busy passing along
agricultural knowledge, providing
security forces (SECFOR), and hard
work as well.
The Georgia ADTs are composed
of Army National Guard Soldiers
and Airmen with backgrounds and

The State Partnership Program,
agribusiness development teams
and training and reconstruction
teams are excellent examples of the
National Guard using civilian skills to
support the geographical combatant
commanders’ theater campaign plans.
Helping civilian populations
through noncombat initiatives is
nothing new to the Georgia National
Gu ard . In t h e War on Te r ror,
Guardsmen have helped Iraqis and
Afghans improve infrastructure,
advance law enforcement, bring
utilities to towns and villages, and
enhance relationships with local
leaders.
For example, as 2013 came to a
close, Georgia Guard engineers used
their military and engineering skills to
make the roads safer in Afghanistan.
The 1230th Transportation Company
was one of the last Coalition units

in Kunduz, Afghanistan prior to
the transfer of authority to the civil
authorities in the region.
Last year, Guardsmen with the
560th BFSB traveled literally half
way around the world to mentor the
Malaysian Army in peacekeeping
op erations. Three agribusiness
development teams with the 201st
HRF have deployed to Afghanistan
to teach the farmers there sustainable
agriculture techniques. And our 18year State Partnership Program with
the nation of Georgia continues, as
that country became the largest nonNATO contributor to the fight in
Afghanistan. Georgia’s Guardsmen
have proven themselves repeatedly
in combat as well as in humanitarian
and domestic response missions.
They consistently perform at the
professional level that the state and
nation expects.

expertise in various sectors of the
agribusiness field and have been
formed to provide training and advice
to Afghan universities, provincial
ministries, and local farmers. ADT
members also bring personal ties
and relationships that allow them to
leverage the assets and expertise of
Land Grant Universities (LGUs) and
Cooperative Extension Services within
their home state.
The ADT undertook and completed
projects to improve the expertise of
Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation,
and Livestock (MAIL) employees and
the general knowledge of farmers in
the area. Specific areas of expertise
and experience for the ADT members
i nclud e ag r i c u ltu re ( t ra dit i ona l
farming), horticulture (orchards
and vineyards), pest management,
irrigation, animal husbandry, food
processing, marketing, agricultural
engineering, soil science, ice
production, and storage.
The Georgia National Guard
committed to a three-year obligation

to provide ADTs in Afghanistan. The
first of these deployed for southeastern
Afghanistan in the spring of 2011. The
majority of the service members come
from the 201st Regional Support Group
and the 265th Regional Support Group.
In preparation for that deployment, the
Georgia Guardsmen have used the new
language lab at Clay National Guard
center to improve their understanding
of the Pashto and Dari languages used
in Afghanistan.
The University of Georgia College
of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences provided additional
agriculture training and technical
expertise at the Abraham Baldwin
Agricultural College in Tifton.
The ADT III completed the last
mission for Georgia in November
2013. They conducted 211 missions
across northern Helmand province to
include agriculture, pest management,
and veterinary training with district
and provincial staff, plus developed an
agricultural radio program to reach
remote communities.


State Partnership
Program with the
Country of Georgia
The State Partnership Program’s
purpose is to establish enduring civilmilitary relationships in order to
improve international security and build
partnership capacity across all levels
of society. In 2013, the partnership’s
eighteenth year, this was accomplished
in three ways: verifying Georgia’s disaster
response capability, preparing Georgian
Soldiers to contribute to coalition
combat operations, and developing a
long-term amputee care capability.
“…We cannot count on full success
without the establishment and activation
of vitally important state institutions…
for we strongly believe that your
assistance and support of our initiative
will undoubtedly strengthen Georgia’s
fledgling democratic institutions and
will help us become active members of
the family of nations.” (Dr. P. Chkheidze,
Permanent Representative; Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary,
Letter to the Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, John M. Shalikashvili,
dated August 31, 1994)
The Georgia National Guard

supported Exercise Shared Horizons, a
multinational disaster response exercise
sponsored by US European Command.
The exercise focused on expanding
Georgia’s disaster response capability
towards a regional disaster response
framework in the South Caucasus.
The success of this exercise, in its final
year, verified Georgia’s regional disaster
response hegemony.
The Country of Georgia is the
largest non-NATO contributor of
forces to International Security Forces
– Afghanistan (ISAF). The successful
conclusion of the Georgia Train and
Support Team (GTST) mission after
three rotations is a testament to the
Georgia National Guard’s commitment
to the country’s successful participation.
Georgian Soldiers continue to own
battle space in Afghanistan and Georgia
is capable of providing interoperable,
effective combat forces for coalition
operations.
Improved disaster response and
combat capabilities enhance Georgia’s
global interoperability and are key
ingredients for Georgia’s NATO
aspirations. Our Georgian partners are
now ready to consider exporting these
capabilities and, in keeping with Dr.
Chkheidze’s wishes, “become active
members of the family of nations”.

The State of Georgia also provided
project management of the Building
Amputee Care – Georgia (BAC-G)
program. This program builds Georgia’s
ability to provide effective long-term
care for amputees. It also improves the
effectiveness of the care by minimizing
the cost and time to transport soldiers to
a care facility outside of Georgia. This,
in turn, allows finite resources to focus
on care and not administrative and
logistical costs of transport and remote
administration. This one-of-a-kind
program is supported at the highest
levels of government and is heralded as
a model of success.
For 2014, the State Partnership
Program will continue to build on past
successes while vigilantly seeking out
and exploring emerging opportunities to
leverage U.S. strategy, develop additional
partnerships, and enhance global
security.


2013 Georgia Department of Defense Annual Report

2013 Georgia Department of Defense Annual Report

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2013 Georgia Department of Defense Annual Report