The Dispatch

February 2012

The monthly magazine of the Texas Military Forces

Texas Soldiers guard Afghanistan PRTs 636th ID Change of Command 10Oral rabies vaccine dropped in South Texas 13

2 THE DISPATCH February 2012

In the Dispatch:4 Texas chemical Soldiers share best practices

5 HHD change of command

6 Texas Guard provides security for Afghanistan PRTs

8 State, federal agencies response and capabilities

9 State agency bridges gaps in Joint Force

10 36th ID uncasing ceremony and change of command

12 Texas Guardsmen at pre-mobilization platform

13 Oral rabies vaccine dropped in South Texas

14 Facebooking responsibly

15 Band of bloggers- Vantage Point

17 Shooting straight- 117 qualify expert

18 News briefs

19 Military History- Texas MOH recipients

Cover- The color guard and Soldiers salute during the 36th Infantry Division change of command, Saturday, Jan. 21, at Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Sgt. Josiah Pugh, 100th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

Headquarters change of command

Chemical Soldiers

Pre-mobilization

AGD

Facebooking?

* The Dispatch is an authorized publication for members of the Tex-as Military Forces and the Department of Defense. Contents of the Dispatch are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the National Guard Bureau, the State of Texas, the Adjutant General’s Department of Texas, or the Texas Military Forces. * The editorial content of this publication is the responsibil-ity of the Texas Military Forces Public Affairs Officer. * Printed by Kinko’s, a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Government under exclusive written contract with the Texas Military Forces. * The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement of the products or services advertised by the U.S. Army or Kinko’s. * Everything ad-vertised in this publication will be made available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user, or patron. If a vio-lation or rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser is confirmed, the publisher will refuse to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected. * Content is edited, prepared and provided by the Texas Joint Military Forces Public Affairs Of-fice, Bldg. 10, 2200 W. 35th Street, Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas. 78703.

Director of Public Affairs Col. William Meehan

Public Affairs Officer Lt. Col. Amy Cook

Public Affairs Deputy Director Maj. Deborah Molnar

Public Affairs NCOIC Staff Sgt. Jennifer D. Atkinson

Public Affairs Staff Staff Sgt. Malcolm McClendon

Staff Sgt. Eric Wilson Staff Sgt. Phil Fountain

Spc. Maria Moy John Thibodeau

Laura Lopez

Managing Editor Staff Sgt. Jennifer D. Atkinson

Contributing Writers and Photographers Lt. Col. Clarence Henderson Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Griego

Staff Sgt. Malcolm McClendon Staff Sgt. Melissa Bright Staff Sgt. David Bruce Staff Sgt. Phil Fountain Staff Sgt. Eric Wilson

Sgt. Josiah Pugh Spc. Jennifer Taylor

Laura Lopez Ashley Fowler

Vol. 7, No. 1 February, 2012

GovernorGov. Rick Perry

The Adjutant General Maj. Gen. John F.

Nichols

The Bulletin Board‘Ticking Bomb’ View of Veterans ErroneousMany of veterans saw a report in the media last week which characterized veterans as “ticking bombs.” In an effort to combat this perception the VA re-sponded with a VAntage Point Blog entry by Alex Horton. Horton’s article puts the issues in perspective by adding context and facts that were absent from the original article. Horton’s blog helps dispell the narrative that veterans are ticking bombs, primed to explode. Read Alex Horton’s full article on VAntage Point at http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/5813/usa-today-perpetuates-erroneous-%E2%80%9Cticking-bomb%E2%80%9D-view-of-veterans/.

Checking Benefits OnlineThe Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have jointly developed the eBenefits portal as a single secure point of access for online benefit information and tools to perform multiple self-service functions, such as checking monthly benefit rates, filing a claim, or checking its status. Vet-erans may enroll in eBenefits and obtain a Premium account by verifying their identity in-person at the nearest regional office or online depending on their status, or calling VA’s toll free number at 1-800-827-1000. Servicemembers may also enroll in eBenefits using their Common Access Card at any time during their military service, or before they leave during their Transition Assistance Program briefings. Visit https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits-portal/ebenefits.portal for more information.

Congress Looks Into VA Backlog IssueThe Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs (DAMA) of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs recently held an oversight hearing to eval-uate if the current disability rating systems at the Departments of Defense (DoD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) are best serving America’s veterans, or if the systems are outdated and need to be updated to reflect today’s veterans’ population. The claims backlog and rating system is one of the most common complaints made by veterans about VA. Opening statements and a webcast of the hearing are available at http://veterans.house.gov/hearing/rating-the-rating-schedule-the-state-of-va-disability-ratings-in-the-21st-century.

Join Us: Military Spouse SummitThe Military.com Spouse Summit, scheduled for March 2-3 in Arlington, VA, is a first-of-its kind event aimed at informing and empowering military spouses. The Summit brings together subject matter experts to address the most press-ing issues facing military families today. Whether it’s learning how to overcome obstacles that stand in the way of career or education goals, or how force restructuring could affect military pay and benefits, the 2012 Spouse Summit will cover the substantive issues which are crucial to maintaining the mental, physical and financial health of our military families. Get more information at www.spousesummit.com.

Photographs Sought for Vietnam MemorialThe Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is collecting photographs of the more than 58,000 American servicemembers whose names are inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The photos will become part of The Education Center at The Wall, a multi-million dollar visitor’s center slated to open in November. For more information or to submit a photograph, visit The Education Center at the Wall website at http://buildthecenter.org/join-the-campaign/pafwan.html or call 202-393-0090.


FORT HOOD, Texas - When disas-ter strikes, first responders and military support units must work quickly and decisively to contain the incident. This requires coordi-nated efforts and effective commu-nication to ensure these disparate agencies present a unified force to engage the catastrophe.

In preparation for such an encounter, the Texas National Guard’s Joint Task Force 71 met with their active duty counterparts in Fort Hood to share what the two teams bring to chemical defense fight.

“We discussed their capabili-ties and how they might be able to assist us in our DSCA mission,” said Craig Parkhill, Defense Support to Civil Authorities coordinator for Joint Task Force 71. “We also dis-cussed some of the unique prob-lems or challenges that they might find at a DSCA mission. It gave us some good indications on what we

have and what they have and how we can bring those together.”

The 2nd Chemical Battalion, stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, con-sists of three chemical companies and a headquarters detachment.

As the active component of the Army family, their mission differs from that of the National Guard because it is federal and designed to engage overseas conflicts. The homeland response force mission of Joint Task Force 71 is one of direct support to civilian agencies and the first responders.

Lt. Col. Christopher Cox, com-mander for the 2nd Chemical Bat-talion, said: “I believe there are lots of training opportunities and lots of opportunity to grow together as two organizations that are at-tempting to achieve the same end states and share some of the best practices. In a large-scale event, we will probably need all of our re-

sources to be able to interoperate between each other. I think that it’s great that we have the oppor-tunity to talk to each other.”

The two Army units did more than talk as they spent all of Janu-ary 26 showcasing capabilities and establishing a long-term communi-cation plan in the event they ever need to work alongside each other.

“We got to see their equip-ment, see how they operate,” said Maj. Mikel Sledge, operations of-ficer for JTF 71. “We also saw how we were similar in the make-up and compilation of their decontamina-tion line, for instance.”

A key discussion point of the day’s tour was shared training opportunities between the two chemical units, and other military assets with whom JTF 71 has met recently.

“We can send soldiers to Ma-rine training,” said Sledge. “We can

send people up to active duty training up here at Fort Hood, and so that opens up a lot of opportunities for us in the future.”

While JTF 71 had much to learn from its active duty sister unit, it also has much to offer in terms of bridging the gap between the active Army and civil authorities.

“We bring to them a closer relationship with the civilian counterparts,” said JTF 71 commander, Col. Lee Schnell.

“At the end of the day,” said Schnell, “it’s about sav-ing lives. It’s about what we can do for the first respond-ers.”

Texas chemical soldiers share capabilities, best practicesStory and photo by Sgt. 1st Class Daniel GriegoJoint Task Force 71 Public Affairs

Joint Task Force 71 leadership meets with the 2nd Chemical Battalion at Fort Hood to share best practices and discuss chemical capabilities.

In a military tradition that dates to the 18th century, Maj. Heather Flores, commander for the Texas Joint Force Headquarters passes her unit's "colors," the unit gui-don, to Brig. Gen. Joyce L. Stevens, Assistant Adjutant General, Texas Army National Guard. The cere-mony marks Flores' completion of her assignment as the commander of the Joint Military Forces' Head-quarters and Headquarters De-tachment. Following the passing of command responsibility, Flores, from El Paso, received a Meritori-ous Service Medal for her achieve-ments during her assignment. (Photo by Spc. Jennifer Taylor.)

Texas Joint Force Headquarters Change of Command


EDINBURGH, Ind. — The notion of security for Americans may entail locking our homes and cars, questioning whether our children are safe or if our bank accounts have been hacked. For an Afghan, that notion could be expanded to include stumbling upon a roadside bomb or militants with hostile intent. For the people of Afghanistan and the troops deployed there, security takes on added dimensions and is a serious concern.

Providing security for the next rotation of Pro-vincial Reconstruction Teams falls to 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry (Airborne), composed of National Guard Soldiers from Alaska, Rhode Island and Texas.

The mission of the security force is to allow the PRTs to be successful in their mission, said Army

Lt. Col. Shawn McGrath, of Lacoste, Texas and commander of the 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry (Airborne). The security elements provide the tacti-cal expertise to allow the specialists of the PRTs to oversee various projects in the reconstruction efforts under way in their assigned province, he said.

By providing freedom of movement for the PRTs and Afghan people, the security force enables the PRT to meet their goals.

“Each of the PRTs have a tactical advisor em-bedded with them to assist with decisions involving security and force protection,” said McGrath.

The PRTs are joint service units drawn from the Air Force, Army (both active and reserve com-ponents), Navy and National Guard. Each PRT is

Texas Guard unit provides security for Afghanistan-bound reconstruction teams

By Army Staff Sgt. David BruceAtterbury-Muscatatuck

assigned to a specific province in Afghanistan with the function to act as a bridge between the Afghan govern-ment and the people.

Working with the other branches can pose challenges as the Navy and Air Force have their own way of doing things, but McGrath says it has been a posi-tive experience working with the other branches.

“They have a wide variety of command ex-periences,” said McGrath. “There are ship com-manders, F-16 and F-18 pilots; a lot of different backgrounds. We try to help

the PRT commanders develop their own command environment to ensure they have a successful mission.”

To prepare the battalion for their mission of providing secu-rity for the PRTs, McGrath said his troops were receiving up-dated counterinsurgency train-ing, cultural training, running operations, convoy security and patrols.

“We receive constant updates from units in Afghanistan, so we can focus on what is current there,” he said. “Normally the

train-up for a deployment is 45 days. We have 70 days to maxi-mize and refine our training for Afghanistan.”

Army 2nd Lt. Timothy Mang-es, of Killeen, Texas, platoon leader with the Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry (Airborne), said that his noncommissioned officers are a key factor to his platoon’s strength.

“We couldn’t do this without the experience of our noncom-missioned officers, some of them have had three or four mobiliza-tions,” said Manges. “We have a pretty good team. The experi-enced noncommissioned officers help facilitate the training and help the younger Soldiers learn and know what to expect down-range.”

Manges said his platoon would be operating in the Kabul area.

“This is truly a counterinsur-gency operation,” he said. “We will be interacting with people around the forward operating base and establishing friendships, but at the same time we have to be able to respond quickly to threats.”

McGrath says developing these relationships are key to building stability in Afghanistan.

“I think it’s in everyone’s best interest to have a successful Afghanistan,” said McGrath. “The important thing is to give them a system that is sustainable. If we give them things that they can-not maintain, then those tools are ineffective. We want to give them systems that can carry Afghani-stan into the future and at least return them to prosperity that

existed in the early ‘70s before the Soviets.”

To provide the security neces-sary for the PRTs to accomplish their mission, Manges said that the battalion has been split up.

“Each PRT has a rifle platoon assigned to it from the battalion’s line companies,” he said.

To fulfill their mission of providing security to the PRTs, the Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry (Airborne) re-ceived training on patrols, both in vehicles and on foot, improvised explosive devices, first-aid, using biometric devices, weapons train-ing, counterinsurgency doctrine, cultural understanding and lan-guage training, said Manges.

With the world marking the 2014 withdrawal from Afghani-stan on their respective calendars, that far-off event doesn’t change the mission for the Soldiers of the 1st, 143rd Infantry (Airborne).

“We are going to continue our mission,” said Manges. “In any conflict you have a political and military aspect. My goal is keep my guys focused on the mission and let the powers-that-be worry about the rest. I’m going to do everything I can to get my guys home safe.”

Texas Guard unit provides security for Afghanistan-bound reconstruction teams

Above- Soldiers with Headquarters Company 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry (Airborne) of the Texas Army National Guard prepare to assault a suspected improvised explosive device lab en-countered while on a foot patrol dur-ing training at Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center, Ind., Jan. 14, 2012. The Texas National Guard battalion has been tasked with pro-viding security for the next rotation of Provincial Reconstruction Teams bound for Afghanistan this spring.


SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Over the last several decades, the United States has developed an array of homeland de-fense measures aimed at ensuring the safety of our citizens from the forces of man, as well as providing measures for recovery from incidents and accidents that arise from the forces of nature.

During the first week of January, members of state and local civilian and military emergency response agen-cies within Texas met with the United States Marine Corps Chemical Biologi-cal Incident Response Force to develop a deeper understanding of capabilities and limits inherent to each group.

Members of the Texas National Guard Joint Task Force 71, recently certified to conduct the Homeland Re-sponse Force mission for FEMA Region VI, attended the conference along with the San Antonio Fire Department and Hazmat team, the Austin Fire Depart-ment and Hazmat team and the Texas Department of Emergency Manage-ment.

Day one of the two day conference included face-to-face introductions and informational briefings; organizations discussed their respective histories,

training events and real-world missions that highlighted the use of available state and local resources.

“These conferences allow us to be more knowledgeable of our partner agencies abilities,” said Army Lt. Col. Michael Rockwell of JTF-71, “in addition to developing relationships with one an-other as individuals. The CBIRF brought in a federal component this time. That familiarity will hopefully make the merg-ing of our groups a more natural occur-rence should we be called upon.”

The CBIRF representatives expressed similar sentiments after meeting with their Texas Guard counterparts.

"These are great for us because we learn what the capabilities are at the state level, the local level and also what that particular FEMA office has to offer,” said Marine Col. Peter Ahern, command-ing officer for CBIRF. “At the federal lev-el, we have found when a group comes out to describe what we do and how we do it, show where we can integrate with the local incident commanders, the level of understanding is much deeper.”

The USMC CBIRF, headquartered in Indianhead, Md., has a primary mission of countering the effects of a chemical,

biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive incident, mirroring the state mission of the 6th CBRN Task Force and 6th Civil Support Team of JTF-71.

One of the most significant distinc-tions between the two resources is how, when directed, a CBIRF unit will forward-deploy to assist not just local, state, or federal agencies, but also the Unified Combat Commanders in loca-tions outside the U.S. in the conduct of consequence management operations.

“We are not only a domestic force," said Ahern, "we also have an interna-tional mission where we support the geographic combat commanders. We did that for the first time this past spring when we supported Pacific Command and U.S. forces in Japan in response to the Japanese tsunami and the nuclear reactor crisis in Fukushima."

The following day, those assembled participated in a tabletop exercise simulating a tornado impacting the city of San Antonio with compounding issues with an end result of improving coordi-nated response measures, streamlining processes and reducing duplicate efforts among the many groups.

The exercise simulations included a large scale destruction zone partially contaminated with radioactive mate-rial and a leaking tanker truck, a need for immediate life saving efforts in that contaminated environment and a coor-dinated wide area search and rescue in uncontaminated environments.

“From start to finish” said Cpt. Rob-ert Kirkpatrick, logistics officer for the 6th CERFP, “we identified opportunities to improve coordination, communica-tion and expectations within our organi-zations.”

“The [exercise] was a unique op-portunity for us,” Maj. Mikel Sledge, 6th CERFP Operations Officer, “to train not only with our state agencies and partners, but training with the CBIRF helped to better educate us on what their capabilities are in the event they are required to respond to a disaster in our region."

State, federal agencies establish continuum of response and capabilitiesStory and photo by Staff Sgt. Melissa Bright Joint Task Force 71 Public Affairs

Soldiers and Airmen with Joint Task Force 71 meet with members of several state emergency management agencies and the United States Marine Corps Chemical Biological Incident Response Force.

CAMP MABRY, Texas - Diligently working at Texas Guard facilities throughout the Lone Star State is a cadre of state employees that aid and support the activities of the Texas Military Forces (TXMF), which are collectively comprised of the Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, and the volunteer Texas State Guard.

Initially established under the Republic of Texas, the Adjutant General's Department (AGD) continued opera-tions after Texas entered the Union in 1845, and is cur-rently the state agency responsible for "building repairs, grounds maintenance, environmental oversight and protection of the state and federal installations that house our National Guard members," according to the Adjutant General's Department Strategic Plan 2011-2015.

Duane Waddill, the agency's executive director, ex-plained their interconnectivity with the Joint Forces.

The civilian professionals help administratively facili-tate the domestic response when the state's forces are ac-tivated by the governor, and perform functions that range from facility management and security to state payroll and human resources.

A twenty-year veteran of Texas state government, Waddill likened the agency he now manages to weather-izing caulk, in that it has the ability to provide a cohesive seal for TXMF activities.

"Our flexible structure allows us to bridge gaps," Waddill said. "We can help fill in the cracks that naturally occur when the Army, Air, and [Texas] State Guard can't cross functions."

Additionally, AGD activities include cooperative partnerships with the National Guard to rebuild trucks for units across the United States, help educate at-risk teens through the ChalleNGe program, as well as excite young minds to math and science through the STARBASE

program. Waddill discussed the value his agency provides the

state, from a fiscal standpoint."For a $10 to $12 million annual investment from the

Texas Legislature [for the Adjutant General's Department], the state receives over $1 billion of benefit, in terms of economic impact from our activities," said Waddill.

The Adjutant General of Texas, Maj. Gen. John F. Nichols, recently held an appreciation breakfast with the Command Group for AGD maintenance professionals on Camp Mabry, the state military's headquarters in Austin. At the event, Nichols expressed his gratitude, and thanked the workers for their years of service, noting that some have served over thirty years on behalf of the state.

While the civilian employees of the Adjutant General's Department often operate in the shadows of the uni-formed personnel that permeate the state's military units, the essential work they perform does not go unnoticed.

State agency bridges gaps in Joint ForceStory and photo by Staff Sgt. Phil FountainTexas Military Forces Public Affairs

Officer Ian McPherson, a shift supervisor with the Adju-tant General’s Department’s security forces, verifies the credentials of a visitor to Camp Mabry, in Austin, Texas.


CAMP MABRY, Texas– The 36th Infantry Division celebrated a success-ful deployment and welcomed a new com-mander during a cer-emony held Saturday, Jan. 21, at Camp Mabry in Austin.

After three years in command and an historic deployment to Iraq, Maj. Gen. Eddy M. Spurgin handed the divi-sion’s colors to newly promoted Maj. Gen. James K. “Red” Brown. Brown served as rear detachment command-er for the division headquarters during its deployment, and as the 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team commander

during a deployment to Iraq in 2005.

“I am proud to stand beside you,” Brown said to his troops. “Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.”

The 36th Div. headquarters is com-prised of more than 700 Texas National Guard Soldiers. In December 2010 they deployed to Basrah, Iraq, where they provided command and control of ap-proximately 8,000 active-duty troops in support of Operation New Dawn.

The headquarters worked hand-in-hand with Iraqi leadership in an effort to improve the security, safety, stability, and economic viability of Iraq’s nine southern provinces. With the Iraqi Se-curity Forces, the unit conducted 570

36th ID: return to duty, new commanderStory and photos by Sgt. Josiah Pugh100th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

February 2012 THE DISPATCH 11

tactical operations that resulted in the discovery of 127 weapon caches, the elimination of 200 roadside bombs, and the arrest of 465 suspected terrorists.

“This time in command has certainly flown by quickly,” said Spurgin. “It seems like just yesterday I was sitting where General Brown is sitting now, preparing to take over the reigns of this great divi-sion.”

“As commanders, we learn very quickly how bittersweet it can be to let go of a command, especially when they have been blessed, as I have been blessed, with outstanding Soldiers and a great staff.”

Opposite page- Former 36th Infantry Division Commanding General, Maj. Gen. Eddy M. Spurgin and Command Sgt. Maj. Wilson L. Early unfurled their unit’s colors during an uncasing ceremony at Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. The ceremony marked the end of the historic deployment for the division.

Above- U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison congratulates the 36th Infantry Division for their outstanding work during a change of command ceremony at Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. For her support of the Texas Military Forces, Adjutant General Maj. Nichols presented her with a decorated Apache helicopter propeller blade. The ceremony marked the end of the historic deployment for the division.

Right- Texas Military Forces Adjutant General Maj. Gen. John Nichols hands over command of the 36th Infantry Division to Maj. Gen. James K. Brown during a change of command ceremony at Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. The symbolic passing of the division colors signifies the beginning of Brown’s command. The ceremony also marked the end of the historic deployment for the 36th Inf. Div. in sup-port of Operation New Dawn.


CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. – With their wrenches in hand, guns at the ready and a classroom full of attentive stu-dents, the soldiers from Task Force Raptor braved the cold and pushed on with training at Camp Atterbury, Ind. The Texas National Guardsmen are at the mobilization platform preparing for their deployment to the Horn of Africa early this year.

The men and women of the Task Force have been training on everything from vehicle maintenance to rescue operations.

Mechanics from Headquarters and Headquarters Troop learned how to maintain and repair vehicle HVAC systems, much needed in the East African heat. They also worked on their general and preventative maintenance skills. For Spc. David Gray this was a great way to knock some of the rust off.

“We’ve been working on exhausts, replacing batteries and doing all kinds of preventative maintenance. Some of this stuff I’ve done only once or a long time ago, so it’s a good refresher. Everyone on my team has been very help-ful and instructive.”

Gray and his fellow mechanics are responsible for the entire Task Force’s fleet of vehicles.

“Knowing that our work keeps soldiers safe with reli-able transportation makes me feel proud. I feel it’s a big

responsibility, but I’m confident that we’ll keep all the vehicles running and mission ready,” said Gray.

In a different part of the camp, instructors from C Troop’s Uganda Platoon put these vehicles to good use at the mounted convoy operations portion of pre-mobiliza-tion training. Here they taught Soldiers skills in navigating through hostile environments while driving in their hum-vees.

For instructor Staff Sgt. Ricardo Cantu, the exercise was instructive both ways.

“When we’re up there teaching, it gives us practice and makes us feel more comfortable with getting up in front of people; and most importantly gives me a refresher on the subject I’m teaching.”

The Texas National Guard instructors from C Troop will teach host nations’ militaries in the northeastern Africa region valuable skills. Skills that they themselves have learned to rely on and eager to impart.

“I feel great going over there and knowing that if I teach them well, they will go home to their families, just like I will. These are basic skills, but can save soldiers’ lives; and it gives me great pride that we can go share our knowledge and experience with them,” Cantu added.

Down the road at another range, the Site Security Team, also part of Troop, conducted rescue operations

training. In this training scenario the team was inserted by heli-copter and made their way to se-cure and retrieve sensitive items from a downed aircraft. Sgt. Josh-ua Everett believes this training is key to prepare them for the role they will play in Africa.

“These tactics are the ones we will use should be have to recover any type of U.S. aircraft or personnel over there. This is the first deployment for many of the guys on our team, exercises like these prepare them for our mission.”

Whether they’re turning a wrench, carrying a weapon or teaching, the men and women of Task Force Raptor (3-124 Cavalry Regiment) continue training and preparing for their deployment.

Story and photo by Staff Sgt. Malcolm McClendonTask Force Raptor Public Afffairs

Staff Sgt. Sergio Zuniga from Task Force Raptor (3-124 CAV) working on the fuel system of a five-ton truck. Mechanics from the task force are honing their skills in preparation for their deployment to the Horn of Africa early this year.

Texas Guardsmen training at pre-mobilization platform


Oral rabies vaccine dropped in South TexasStory and photo by Laura LopezTexas Military Forces Public Affairs

ZAPATA, Texas – Members of the Texas State Guard joined forces with the Texas Depart-ment of State Health Services, the United States Department of Agriculture, as well as other local, state and federal agencies from January 3, 2012 to Janu-ary 18, 2012 to participate in the 2012 Texas Oral Rabies Vaccina-tion Program.

With 1.8 million doses of the oral rabies vaccine expected to be dropped over portions of South and West Texas, Texas State Guard Soldiers with the 3rd Bat-talion, 1st Regiment provided both ground and air crew sup-port that included navigational assistance, the operating and managing of the bait drop and the loading of the baits onto the aircraft. A program the Texas State Guard has actively taken part in since 2007, this is one of the many humanitarian missions they are proud to be a part of.

“The 2012 ORVP mission will be an experience I will not soon forget,” said incident commander 2nd Lt. Stephen Walker, 3rd Battalion, 1st Regiment. “I was honored to work alongside fellow members of the TXSG, members of federal and state agencies and to serve the citizens of Texas. Such a mission truly gives the TXSG members a feeling of giv-ing back to his or her community for such a worthwhile cause.”

Originally initiated in 1995, with the goal of creating zones of vaccinated coyotes and gray foxes along the leading edges of the epizootics, statistics from the Texas Department of State Health Services show animal cases of the canine strain of ra-bies in southern Texas fell from 122 in 1994 to zero in 2000 with

single cases in 2001 and 2004. In addition the fox strain, prevalent in western Texas, dropped from 244 animal cases in 1995 to zero in 2010 and 2011.

A mission Brig. Gen. William L. Smith, Director Joint Staff and Commander, Domestic Opera-tions for Joint Force Headquar-ters of Texas describes as im-portant to the state of Texas, its citizens and to the Texas econo-my, he and other representatives from the Texas Military Forces and Department of State Health Services visited the command post in Zapata, Texas on January 6, 2012 for a first-hand look.

This is another example of

how we can effectively work together with our partnering agencies and benefit our citizens at a time when no disaster is present,” said Smith.

While the vaccine dose dropped is enclosed in a small packet dipped in fish oil and coated with fish meal crumbles, health services representatives say the baits do not pose any risk to humans and will not become established in the environment, making the Texas Oral Rabies Vaccination Program an excep-tionally safe method of control-ling rabies.

Texas State Guard member, Corporal Paul Petit of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Regiment, unloads a bag of bait to be dropped over the South Texas Zapata area during the 2012 Texas Oral Rabies Vaccination Program.


EDINBURGH, Ind. — Facebook. It seems like everyone, and everything, has a Facebook page. From middle school students to U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno to Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center, millions of people, businesses and military organizations log on to Facebook every day to share information, interests and news.

For members of the U.S. military and other government agencies, Face-book makes keeping in touch with friends and family easier than ever. With a click of the mouse, Soldiers can communicate with friends in Japan and family in Nebraska, sharing any details of their lives and occupation that they please from wherever they are. This is, of course, where the prob-lem with Facebook lies.

Just as its slogan states, Facebook is "a social utility that connects you with the people around you." The sec-tion that Facebook appears to have left out of its slogan is the closing sec-tion that says, "to include total strang-ers, the guy that ran the stoplight this morning on Hospital Road, scam artists and a collection of individuals working against ongoing U.S. military interests."

Everything Soldiers and fam-ily members share, including birth dates, vacation photos and even their exact geographical location, can be logged by Facebook applications and then accessed by hackers, identity thieves, and advertisers. For Soldiers, government employees, and civilian contractors, the information shared on Facebook can not only endanger personal privacy, it can put opera-tions security at risk and endanger the lives of service members at home and abroad.

In a social network like Facebook, even the most innocuous details of everyday life can be used against the Army. With just a bit of browsing on

Facebook or other social media plat-forms, the enemy can easily gather valuable information about military officials, capabilities, troop move-ments and more. A 2011 estimate cited by the U.S. Army states that "98 percent of the intel Al-Qaeda collects is from open source," including social networks and blogs.

Surprisingly, much of the informa-tion collected by Al-Qaeda and others come from some of the most inno-cent-looking items and people.

A post by a tech-savvy grand-mother about the details of a unit's upcoming deployment can lead to the accidental disclosure of sensitive information about troop movements. A photograph taken on a Smartphone in a combat zone and put on Facebook can provide opposing forces with exact locations of U.S. forces simply because the image is embedded with geographical data that Facebook uses to "tag" people and locations.

Even personally identifiable information like phone numbers and names of relatives can give America's enemies enough information to compromise operations security and individual privacy.

Although there are risks involved with using Facebook, YouTube or any other social media platform, there are real benefits to being online. By maintaining a social media presence, branches of the military, installations like Camp Atterbury and even individ-ual units can share information, boost morale and strengthen relationships with the public.

Facebook and other social media platforms let Soldiers show their sup-port for the military while sharing pho-tos or maintaining a virtual farm. For those deployed overseas, websites like Facebook aren't just for recreation, they provide Soldiers with an instant connection their friends and family back home, bringing them together

whether they are in Kabul or Kentucky.The key to using and enjoy-

ing Facebook at home or overseas without sharing personal or sensitive information is the same for Soldiers and civilians alike: privacy.

The Army suggests using several strategies to make sure Facebooks profiles and the posts of Soldiers' friends and family help maintain OP-SEC, including:

• Adjust privacy settings to "pri-vate" or "friends only."

• Remove any personally identifi-able information that gives away too much information about you or your family.

• Avoid sharing details about bases and capabilities by not posting photos of or details about formations, quarters, armored vehicles, and/or weapons.

• Disable the GPS feature on your mobile device or turn off tagging or tracking applications on your Face-book account that give your exact location.

• Educate yourself, your friends and your family about what is and isn't safe to share on Facebook or any other social networking platform.

Facebook and its estimated 800 million users, along with dozens of other social media platforms, will con-tinue to grow. Soldiers will find new ways to share their information and the little details of their lives with the world, but there will always be ways to protect the most sensitive information from reaching the wrong hands.

Perhaps the simplest advice on how to maintain both operations and personal security comes from a passage in the 2011 U.S. Army social media and OPSEC guidance:

"If you aren't comfortable putting the same information on a sign in your

yard, don't put it online."

UsingBy Ashley FowlerCamp Atterbury Public Affairs

responsibly

Today, more than ever, Soldiers rely on technology to bring the fight to the front lines. That technol-ogy doesn’t just include high-tech weapons, body armor or Blue Force Tracker. It also included web logs, “blogs,” that allow a more immediate glimpse into military life and history than ever before. Often funny, sometimes painful and poignant, these snippets of opinion, daily life, and commentary on war, the military, and life in general allow more people to see what our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Ma-rines are thinking, experiencing and fighting for.

A view from the front line

band of bloggers

http://www.flickr.com/photos/texasmilitaryforces/

http://www.facebook.com/TexasMilitaryForces

VAntage point

http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/about/

Check us out on the Internet!

Engaging. Not a word which many Veterans typically use to describe their relationship with the Department of Veterans Affairs. A more common word associated with VA and its interaction with Vets? Adversarial.

It’s disappointing, but that’s the reality. For too many Veterans (and families), communicating with VA can be such a hassle that it affects the Department’s ability to carry out its mission of provid-ing benefits and services to America’s former service members. If Veterans and VA are talking past each other—or not talking to each other at all, then two things happen: Vets don’t know what they’re entitled to or how to get it, and VA doesn’t know what needs Veterans have.

At VAntage Point, the official blog of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, that same old way of communicating (or not communicating) goes out the window. Here, VA employees will provide Veterans with a wealth of information. We will talk about things you might not have been aware of and we’ll break down and explain processes which might have bewildered you. But it doesn’t end there. If you’re a student on the GI Bill, a Vietnam Vet, a VA employee, the spouse of a VA patient, or anything else, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute. We’ve opened the comments section of each of our front-page posts and we have a special section for “Guest Posts” where you can submit your own writing for publication.

For us at VA, this is just a start. It’s the beginning of a new relationship between the Department and those we serve—where we strive to get the right information to the right Veteran at the right time. And we hope you’ll join us in making it happen.


Hiring Our Heroes /RecruitMilitary

Veteran Opportunity ExpoOne of 100 hiring fairs for veterans and military spousesscheduled nationwide by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Thursday, March 1 � from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

Irving Convention Center500 LAS COLINAS BOULEVARD � IRVING, TX 75039

This event will be produced byRecruitMilitary in cooperationwith The American Legion.

For event details and directions, visit www.recruitmilitary.com.

Story by Lt. Col. Clarence Henderson 3rd Bn., 141st Inf. Reg.


Find out how You can help a de-ploYed texas servicemember!!

visit http://www.uso.org/waYs-to-volunteer.aspx

From the beginning of warfare, an infantryman’s primary tool to accomplish any mission is his weapon, and today’s Soldier is no different. Without his rifle, he cannot accomplish the defeat of the enemy in close combat, often under extreme circumstances.

The Third Battalion of the 141st Infantry Regiment, 72nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, from Weslaco, Texas, recently completed Individual Weapons Qualification con-ducted at annual training at Camp Swift, near Austin, Texas, resulting in 117 Soldiers qualifying expert.

This accomplishment started with preliminary marks-manship instruction conducted at home station during routine weekend drill periods. Company commanders such as Capt. Fabian Barrera, A Co. commander, strived to place assigned weapons into the hands of their Soldiers every drill, regardless of the task.

“’Hands on weapons’ is the mantra and PMI [becomes] a matter of routine” said Barrera. Preliminary Marksman-ship Instruction is led by small arms Master Gunners and always begins with educating Soldiers in the use of the

“iron”sight. After that, Soldiers receive instruction from their NCOs on proper shooting positions and weapons manipulation. Sergeant First Class Rodriguez explained that Weapons manipulation is “everything you do with your hands,” said Sgt. 1st Class Roberto Rodriguez, with A Co., “the most important being keeping your weapon in action.”

Arriving at Camp Swift, the first order of business was “zeroing” weapons. Zeroing sets each sight to a baseline and then adjustment are made to ensure every Soldier has an accurate sight picture. Each company used all their allot-ted time to obtain “tight” zeros.

Finally, Soldiers practiced on the Engagement Skills Trainer 2000, a virtual marksmanship trainer, as much as possible. The EST 2000 stresses gunnery and tactical train-ing, as well as shoot/don’t shoot training. This time around, the focus was not necessarily on firing itself but rather on obtaining a good shooting posture with all equipment on.

“I firmly believe that the key to shooting well is simply getting your [equipment] organized. If you’re not shooting in the EST 2000 with full kit you’re simply playing a video game,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Gary Krpec, battalion ser-geant major.

Once Soldiers completed the EST 2000 training, they moved to a “call forward area.”

“We can’t sit our Soldiers in the [elements] all day and expect for them to maintain energy and focus,” said Lt. Col. Clarence Henderson, battalion commander. To make sure the Soldiers were kept out of the weather until needed, each Commander developed a call forward plan to continue weapons PMI under cover or indoors until time to occupy the range.

When all was said and done, 117 Soldiers walked away qualified experts.

“When it came time to qualify I can’t tell you how much I was impressed by the drive of our Soldiers” said Hen-derson. “We were afforded enough ammunition to shoot multiple iterations and the heat just simply did not hold anyone back.”

(Staff Sgt. Jennifer D. Atkinson contributed to this article.)

Texas Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. John F. Nichols and some of the 117 Soldiers of 3rd Bn., 141st Inf. Reg., 72nd, Infantry Brigade Combat Team who qualified expert on the M4 rifle during annual training at Camp Swift, near Austin, Texas. (Photo courtesy of Lt. Col. Clarence Henderson, 3rd. Bn.)

Shooting straight: 117 Soldiers qualify expert at AT


News Brief

WASHINGTON – Registration is open for the 32nd National Veterans Wheelchair Games, the largest annual wheelchair sports event in the world. More than 500 Veterans from across the world are expected to compete in the Games, taking place June 25-30, 2012, in Richmond, Va. – the site of the very first National Veterans Wheelchair Games held in 1981.

“The National Veterans Wheel-chair Games are an outstanding event that showcases the abilities and deter-mination of Veterans,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “VA is committed to providing world class care to our wounded heroes.”

The Games, presented by the De-partment of Veterans Affairs and Para-lyzed Veterans of America, are open to all U.S. military Veterans who use wheelchairs for sports competition

due to spinal cord injuries, neurologi-cal conditions, amputations

“We’re thrilled to see the National Veterans Wheelchair Games return to Richmond after 31 years,” said Bill Lawson, national president of Para-lyzed Veterans of America. “Adaptive sports play a crucial role in getting people back into life after serious injury, and the Wheelchair Games are often a life-changing experience for our athletes, representing a unique combination of competition, rehabili-tation and fun.”

Competitive events will take place at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, Hanover Lanes Bowling Cen-ter, The Conservation Club of Virginia, Inc., in Charles City, Sports Backers Stadium, Mary Munford Elementary School and Byrd Park. The athletes compete in all events against others

with similar athletic ability, competi-tive experience or age.

In addition to the competitions, the Games will include a "Kids Day at the Games” on Friday, June 29, at Sports Backers Stadium. Local chil-dren with disabilities will have the op-portunity to interact with the athletes, participate in sporting events, and watch Veterans compete.

Veterans interested in competing may download the registration packet from the Games’ website at www.wheelchairgames.va.gov or contact Marlene Pratt at (804) 675-5000, ext. 3969, or Kristin Windon at (804) 675-5002. The deadline for registration is April 15.

The public is invited to attend any of the sports competitions throughout the week of the Games, and admis-sion is free.

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs announced today a change in regulations regarding pay-ments for emergency care provided to eligible Veterans in non-VA facilities.

“This provision helps ensure eligible Veterans continue to get the emergency care they need when VA fa-cilities are not available,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.

The new regulation extends VA’s

authority to pay for emergency care provided to eligible Veterans at non-VA facilities until the Veterans can be safely transferred to a VA medical facility.

More than 100,000 Veterans are estimated to be affected by the new rules, at a cost of about $44 million annually.

VA operates 121 emergency de-partments across the country, which

provide resuscitative therapy and stabilization in life-threatening situ-ations. They operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. VA also has 46 ur-gent care units, which provide care for patients without scheduled appoint-ments who need immediate medical or psychiatric attention.

For more information about emer-gency care in non-VA facilities, visit www.nonvacare.va.gov.

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs has published a regulation officially amending VA’s medical benefits package to include up to seven days of medical care for newborns delivered by women Veterans who are receiving VA maternity care benefits.

“The regulation change makes formal the commitment VA made to women Veterans,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Erik K. Shinseki. “This falls in line with the broad range of services VA is proud to offer women Veterans who have served this nation.”

Newborn care includes routine post-delivery care and

all other medically necessary services that are in accord with generally accepted standards of medical practice.

The effective date of the rule is Dec. 19, 2011, but the regulation applies retroactively to newborn care provided to eligible women Veterans on or after May 5, 2011.

VA has women Veterans program managers at every VA medical center to help women Veterans learn more about the health care benefits they have earned with their service. For more information about VA healthcare for women Veterans, visit http://www.womenshealth.va.gov.

Wheelchair Games Registration Now Open for Veteran Participation

VA Announces Changes to Emergency Care Payment Policy

VA Publishes Regulation on Newborn Care


Military History- February

KNIGHT, JACK L.— Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 124th Cavalry Regiment, Mars Task Force. Place: Near LoiKang, Burma. Date: 2 February 1945. Entered service at: Weatherford, Tex. Birth: Garner, Tex. G.O. No.: 44, 6 June 1945. Citation: He led his cavalry troop against heavy concentrations of enemy mortar, artillery, and small arms fire. After tak-ing the troop’s objective and while making preparations for a defense, he discovered a nest of Japanese pillboxes and foxholes to the right front. Preceding his men by at least 10 feet, he immediately led an attack Single-handedly he knocked out 2 enemy pillboxes and killed the occupants of several foxholes. While attempting to knock out a third pillbox, he was struck and blinded by an enemy grenade. Although unable to see, he rallied his platoon and continued for-ward in the assault on the remaining pillboxes. Before the task was completed he fell mortally wounded. 1st Lt. Knight’s gallantry and intrepidity were responsible for the successful elimina-tion of most of the Jap positions and served as an inspiration to officers and men of his troop.

LAW, ROBERT D. — Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company 1 (Ranger), 75th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. Place: Tinh Phuoc Thanh province, Republic of Vietnam. Date: 22 February 1969. Entered service at: Dallas, Tex. Born: 15 September 1944, Fort Worth, Tex. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Law distinguished himself while serving with Company 1. While on a long-range reconnaissance patrol in Tinh Phuoc Thanh province, Sp4c. Law and 5 comrades made contact with a small enemy patrol. As the opposing elements exchanged intense fire, he maneuvered to a perilously exposed position flanking his comrades and began placing suppressive fire on the hostile troops. Although his team was hindered by a low supply of ammunition and suffered from an unidentified irritating gas in the air, Sp4c. Law’s spirited defense and challenging counterassault rallied his fellow soldiers against the well-equipped hostile troops. When an enemy grenade landed in his team’s position, Sp4c. Law, instead of diving into the safety of a stream behind him, threw himself on the grenade to save the lives of his comrades. Sp4c. Law’s extraordinary courage and profound concern for his fellow soldiers were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

TExAs MEDAL Of HONOR RECIpIENTs

1862 - Confederate troops under General Henry Hopkins Sibley attack Union troops commanded by Colonel Edward R. S. Canby near Fort Craig in New Mexico Territory. The first major engagement of the war in the far West, the battle produces heavy casualties but no decisive result. This action was part of the broader movement by the Con-federates to capture New Mexico and other parts of the West. This would secure territory that the Rebels thought was rightfully theirs but had been denied them by political compromises made before the Civil War. Furthermore, the cash-strapped Confederacy could use western mines to fill their treasury.

From San Antonio, the Rebels moved into southern New Mexico (which included Arizona) and captured the towns of Mesilla, Doýa Ana, and Tucson. Sibley, with 3,000 troops, now moved north against the Federal stronghold at Fort Craig on the Rio Grande. At Fort Craig, Canby was determined to make the Confederates lay siege to the post. The Rebels, Canby reasoned, could not wait long before running low on supplies. Canby knew that Sibley did not possess sufficiently heavy artillery to attack the fort.

When Sibley arrived near Fort Craig on February 15, he ordered his men to swing east of the fort, cross the Rio Grande, and then capture the Val Verde fords of the Rio Grande. He hoped to cut off Canby's communication and force the Yankees out into the open. At the fords, five miles north of Fort Craig, a Union detachment attacked part of the Con-federate force. They pinned the Texans in a ravine and were on the verge of routing the Rebels when more of Sibley's men arrived and turned the tide. Sibley's second in command, Colonel Tom Green, filling in for an ill Sibley, made a bold counterattack against the Union left flank.

The Yankees fell back in retreat, and headed back to Fort Craig. The Union suffered 68 killed, 160 wounded, and 35 missing out of 3,100 engaged. The Confederates suffered 31 killed, 154 wounded, and 1 missing out of 2,600 troops. It was a bloody but indecisive battle. Sibley's men continued up the Rio Grande. Within a few weeks, they captured Albu-querque and Santa Fe before they were stopped at the Battle of Glorieta Pass on March 28.

Attention Motorcycle RidersJason Pridmore’s

STAR (Skills & Techniques for Advanced Riding) Motorcycle Schoolwill conduct training for Texas Military Forces Soldiers & Airmen May 22, 2012 at the Texas

World Speedway in College Station, Texas at no cost to personnel registered to attend!

Training is open to all motorcycle types, from sports bikes to cruisers, except dirt bikes.Riders will bring their bike, all required PPE, and proof of insurance to training

Riders must have 1 year of riding experience - Training is on a race track Completion of the basic or advanced riders safety course is recommended Individual Medical & Motorcycle Insurance is required Minimum of 250cc motorcycle, in good operating condition Proper Riding Gear including DOT or Snell approved helmet manufactured after 2000 Riding Suit or Leathers (limited number available at no charge through vendor)

Contact: Ms Linda Bovee in the TXARNG Safety Ofice for more info or to sign up. 512-782-5005 or [email protected]

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The Dispatch