Pennsylvania Guardians: Fall 2008 · AIRNEWSMAKERS Fall 2008 / GUARDIANS / 11...
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Transcript of Pennsylvania Guardians: Fall 2008 · AIRNEWSMAKERS Fall 2008 / GUARDIANS / 11...
Fall 2008 / GUARDIANS / 1
This unofficial magazine is an authorizedpublication for members of the PennsylvaniaNational Guard. Contents of the magazine arenot necessarily the official view of, orendorsed by, the U.S. Government, theDepartment of Defense, Department of theArmy and/or the Air Force or the PennsylvaniaNational Guard. The appearance of advertis-ing in this publication does not constitute
endorsement by the State of Pennsylvania,Pennsylvania National Guard, DoD, AQPPublishing Inc., the Department of the Armyand/or the Air Force or the publisher of thismagazine of the firms, products or servicesadvertised.
Pennsylvania Guardians magazine ispublished by the Pennsylvania National Guardto keep its members, the Guard command
and public officials, better informed on theissues and events affecting the PennsylvaniaNational Guard.
Editorial content is edited, prepared andprovided by the Office of Public Affairs, JFHQ-PA. All photographs and graphic devices arecopyrighted to the Pennsylvania NationalGuard, unless otherwise indicated.
Defeating IEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7National Guard road trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Training for training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
2-112th sharpens knife at Shelby
The accidental author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Healing waters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Scotland School for veterans’ children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Weird and wonderful tales of deployment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Letters From the Field, Thoughts From the Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Final Roll Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Guardians on Guard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Army Newsmakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Air Newsmakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Curator’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Features:
Departments:
ON THE COVER:So what happens when manand machine are combined tomake the ultimate battlefieldweapon? You get the 56thStryker Brigade, of course.To make that combinationsuccessful, increased trainingprior to deployment takesplace at locations like CampShelby, Miss.
GovernorEdward G. Rendell
Bob Ulin, PublisherSusan Harrington, EditorGloria Schein, Art Director
Darrell George, Advertising Sales
GovernorEdward G. Rendell
The Adjutant GeneralMaj. Gen. Jessica L. Wright
Executive Editor/State Public Affairs OfficerLt. Col. Christopher Cleaver
Managing Editor1st Lt. Jay Ostrich
State Public Affairs StaffJoan NissleyKevin CramseyCapt. Cory AngellSgt. Damian SmithSgt. Matt Jones
State Public Affairs OfficePennsylvania National Guard
Fort Indiantown GapBuilding 8-41
Annville, PA 17003
www.dmva.state.pa.us
Toll Free: (866) 562-9300Fax: (907) 562-9311
Web: www.AQPpublishing.com
The Adjutant GeneralMaj. Gen.
Jessica L. Wright
www.dmva.state.pa.us
Fall 2008 / GUARDIANS / 3
Final Roll Call
Two Pennsylvania Army National GuardSoldiers were killed in action by improvisedexplosive devices in two separate attacksin Afghanistan on May 20 and June 3.
Killed were 1st Lt. Jeffrey F. Deprimo,35, Pittston, Pa., of Delta Company, 1-109thInfantry, West Pittston, Pa., and Spc. Derek
Holland, 20, Wind Gap, Pa., of Alpha Company, 228th BrigadeSupport Battalion, Bethlehem, Pa.
Deprimo’s Humvee was struck by an improvised explosivedevice near the town of Ghazni, Afghanistan, while on a missionto assess medical facility construction for the Afghan people.
Holland died when an improvised explosive device struck hisHumvee near the town of Zormat, Afghanistan.
Both were serving as security for Provincial ReconstructionTeams that build up Afghanistan’s infrastructure for essentialservices.
Deprimo, a reconditioning technician at Barber Ford, Exeter,Pa., was serving as the security force platoon leader for a PRTnear Ghazni and had been commander of the lead convoy vehicleduring the attack. He was a 1996 honors graduate from MarywoodUniversity, Scranton, Pa., with a bachelor’s degree in music.
“Jeff was a tremendously energeticofficer and leader who always reached forexcellence and cared deeply about hisSoldiers,” said Maj. Gen. Jessica L. Wright,state adjutant general. “Our thoughts andprayers go out to his family and friends asour entire Pennsylvania National Guardfamily and the commonwealth mourn his loss.
Holland was a 2006 graduate of Pen Argyl High School andhe enlisted in the Pennsylvania National Guard during hissenior year.
“Derek was an energetic young man who was admired by hisfellow Soldiers for his work ethic and devotion to duty,” saidWright. “This is a tragic loss and we keep his family in ourthoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
Thirty-two Pennsylvania National Guard Soldiers have beenkilled in action in Iraq and Afghanistan. Deprimo was the fourthand Holland was the fifth Pennsylvania National Guard Soldierto lose his life in Afghanistan. Deprimo was also the thirdPennsylvania National Guard officer to be killed in action duringthe Global War on Terror. Both Soldiers will be posthumouslyawarded a Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge.
Spc. Derek Holland of Alpha Company, 228thBrigade Support Battalion, Bethlehem, Pa.
1st Lt. Jeffrey F. Deprimo of Delta Company,1-109th Infantry, West Pittston, Pa.
Letters From the Field, Thoughts From the HeartDear fellow Soldiers and friends,
I write this letter to you with a heart filled with profound sense of duty and patriotism. My heart races lightly and the tears ofpride well up in my eyes. I look back at the road that brought me to Afghanistan and glance with hope at the long road ahead of me.The war has become the pivotal point on which so many countries hang hopes for the future. This is especially true of my own
country, so far away. If we fail here, then all of the sacrifices that have been made will be for nothing. We cannot allow that tohappen. The memory of the fallen is much too precious a gift to allow to be sacrificed.We all need to understand the importance and willingness of those sacrifices. We all must be grateful for all the sacrifices that
each of us here are willing to make at any given moment in time. Those gifts of courage must never be taken for granted, nor heldin complacent thought, as they are all too valuable to do without. I stand here in Afghanistan, so far from home, and I havecome to understand.I look into the sad, tired and worn faces of the many Afghan people. Both the young and old faces hold the scars of a lifetime
filled with fear and violence. Deep in each of their eyes, I can see the clear uncertainty of an unknown future. A look of life with-out dreams or hope for tomorrow’s youth. A simple life filled only with what is happening now, not with what the future holds.Here, so far away from home, I finally feel as though I am able to make a difference. I am able to stand up for more than
what only matters directly to me. I get the chance to stand up for a people that cannot fight for themselves. I can stand againsttyranny, injustice and terror. I am able to help in providing freedom to those who thought that they couldnever have it. For once, my life has more meaning to it than the “nine-to-five” existence could ever provide.I know that it is possible I could die here, but I cannot let that keep me in fear or control my actions.
God has a purpose for me and if that purpose is to come here and die while providing a future forimpoverished kids here, or protecting the future of kids everywhere from terrorism, it is a fate I accept. I mustmeet that fate with squared shoulders and a brave face, for I firmly believe I am here to make a difference.
Patriot by birth, Soldier by choice,Sgt. Aaron R. LitwhilerCo. A(–) 3/103rd ArmorPennsylvania National Guard
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Guardians on GuardEditor’s note: Graphicsrepresent just some of therecent PA Guarddeployments worldwide.
Williamsport, PA3rd Civil Support
Capt. John Anthony Bilski, TF Pacesetter’s information officer, along with an interpreter, hands out fliersand newspapers to the local population.
Members of 3rd Civil Support Team proudly stand below thestatue of “Casey at the Bat” after they helped secure anothersuccessful Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.
Fall 2008 / GUARDIANS / 5
Kuwait126th Aviation
Afghanistan3/103rd Armor111th FW
Iraq55th BCT GLO Team
271 CBCS193rd SOW
Egypt1/104th Cavalry
Master Sgt. Scott LaRue from the 171st Medical Group tends to awound on a patient at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. He is assigned to anactive duty medical unit there.
Lt. Col. Chris Dutton, deputy commander, 586th Air Expeditionary Group, spent the July 4 weekend at CampBucca, Iraq, with the Scorpion 1-3 Patrol from the 887th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron. Dutton isstanding in the back row, third from the left.
Fall 2008 / GUARDIANS / 7
No longer will the clash of striking swords be heard on thebattlefield. No longer will plumes of white gun smoke rise froma volley of muskets, making the line of troops barely visible.Gone are the days of the massive linear battlefields that forgedour country’s history.
And while it is true the new nonlinear battlefield is not ascluttered, that doesn’t make it any less deadly.
Enter the world of the improvised explosive device – today’sbiggest tactical threat to U.S. troops in theGlobal War on Terror;IEDs have claimed the lives of more than 2,000 servicemembers.
But since any goodoffense requires a greatdefense, more than 50members of the PennsylvaniaArmy National Guard’s 56thStryker Brigade Combat Team recently participatedin an intense, three-day IED defeat training course atFort Indiantown Gap, aimed at turning the tide against thistactical weapon.
“This training is going to save lives,” said Henry Martinez,the class instructor from the Counter Explosive Hazard Center,Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
Martinez is a medically retired combat engineer who servedin Iraq in 2004 and 2005.
With the 56th SBCT scheduled to depart for Iraq soon,Martinez knows he needs to train the Soldiers so they are ableto teach the rest of their units in preparation for their tour.
“I’m glad this (training) was done early so the Soldiers havemore time to train their units and be more prepared,” said
Martinez, whose course centered around two days in theclassroom and a one-day culminating field exercise.
Soldiers learned how important it was to recall minusculechanges in their surroundings and the latest methods ofIED markers, such as Iraqi females, including men dressedas females.
“We were taught to look for anything that was unnaturalwithin the environment,” said Sgt. Corey Hatton, ofBravo Troop, 2/104th Cavalry. “This is probably the mostvital class I’ve had so far. I believe it should be taught
to every Soldier.”Their classroom time
was also spent learningabout the various types ofIEDs (package type, vehicle-
borne and suicide bomb), driving techniques and variousother tactical skills involved in facing the improvised devices,said Sgt. 1st Class Charles Deal, of Bravo Company,1/112th Infantry.
“We are being placed in three different scenarios to imple-ment what we learned in the classroom,” said Deal.
The Soldiers were broken into three groups; each was giventhe task of camouflaging false missiles, buried mines, pressureplates and mortars into the training field, simulating live IEDs.Once hidden, each group challenged the other to perform five-meter scans of their field area in search of their devices.
“IEDs are the number one choice working for the enemyand that’s why this class is the most important before going toIraq,” said Martinez. �
By Airman 1st Class Claire Behney
Simulation IEDs waiting to be placedas part of training for the 56th SBCT,with a Stryker vehicle in the back-ground. The three-day training waspart of the preparation for the 56thSBCT upcoming tour in Iraq.
Instructor Henry Martinez, of the Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., CounterExplosive Hazard Center, explains to Soldiers the significanceof knowing what you’re looking for when scouting for IEDs.Martinez is a medically retired combat engineer andserved in Iraq in 2004 and 2005.
“This training is going to save lives.”– Henry Martinez
Fall 2008 / GUARDIANS / 9
ARMY NEWSMAKERS
Two lucky 56th Stryker Brigade Soldiers were recently given heartfelt gifts from a local school.Sgt. Anthony Costa and Spc. Christopher Otto were each given keys to late model vehicles rebuiltby Swenson Arts and Technology High School in Philadelphia. The Soldiers participated in anessay contest and the winners were decided by the family action center. Pictured above are(left to right) Mr. David Kipphut, principal of Swenson Arts and Technology High School; Spc.Christopher Otto; students Benjamin Kim and Timothy Beattie; and Mr. Dave Phillips, State FarmInsurance. Costa will receive his vehicle in the fall.
Stryker Soldiers hit‘777’ artillery jackpotBy Lt. Col. Kevin M. O'Neill
Although they could not agree ontheir favorite feature of their newM777A2 towed howitzers, the Soldiersof the 56th Stryker Brigade’s 108th FieldArtillery did agree on one thing – they’rethrilled to have them.
Their new capabilities will soon beput to the test as the brigade, alongwith their field artillery unit, preparesto deploy to Iraq later this year, alongwith their newest weapons system, the‘Triple 7.’
The Triple 7 has been in the Army’sinventory since 2006 and althoughthey’ve seen combat in both Iraq andAfghanistan, only a few Army units havethem, none till now Guard units. The108th Field Artillery is the first.
The 108th Field Artillery, alongwith the rest of their brigade, has beenspending the summer preparing fortheir upcoming deployment at CampShelby, Miss. Their 10-day trainingprogram started with an orientationto the new weapon and ended with avalidation firing of nine rounds througheach gun.
Soldiers from the Pennsylvania National Guard's 108th Field Artillery fire their new gun, the M777A2howitzer. Photo: Lt. Col. Kevin O'Neill
During the first day of firing the newguns, Sgt. Maj. Robert Lighty, the opera-tions sergeant for the battalion, wasimpressed with the remarkable accuracyeven while using standard shells.
“All day long, and with all these guns,the rounds have been hitting within 300
meters of each other,” said Lighty.“That’s impressive.”
Others, like Staff Sgt. John Oros, thesection chief of the first gun to fire,reported that their favorite feature ofthe new weapon was its light weight.
“This gun is dramatically differentfrom the M198. It is so much easier towork with,” said Oros.
The M777A2 was jointly developedfor the Army and Marine Corps as alightweight, air-mobile artillery piecethat is perfect for Marine ship-to-shoreoperations and fast moving Armyoperations in challenging terrain.Weighing in at less than 10,000 pounds,the M777A2 is about half the weight ofits predecessor, the M198 howitzer. Thegun can be delivered by the Army’smedium and heavy lift helicopters, theMarine Corps’ MV-22 tilt-rotor Ospreyor air dropped from an Air ForceC-130 Hercules.
Some, like Command Sgt. Maj.Stephen Klunk, felt the best feature ofthe M777 was the ability to emplace theweapon in less than two minutes.
“It’s all done by the computer and itis so much faster and more accurate,”said Klunk.
More stories on page 21.
AIR NEWSMAKERS
Fall 2008 / GUARDIANS / 11
Air National Guard Master Sgt. Troy Shindel, a utilities instructor,explains how to use the 1500 Rowpu to Lithuanian water purifica-tion officer, 1st Lt. Romas Vainius. Photo: Staff Sgt. Dan Palermo
Leaving it better than we found itBy Staff Sgt. Stacy Gault
Every deployment’s mission is important to theoverall work of the Air Force, but during a recentcounter-drug mission in Ecuador, members of the 171stOperations Group seized an opportunity to help othersless fortunate than themselves.
Before leaving Pittsburgh, Lt. Col. Bill Nixoncontacted the chaplain’s office in Ecuador to find outhow our wing could support the community relationsmission there.
The response was succinct and to the point:“Backpacks!”
Upon arrival, it was obvious that children in threedifferent orphanages could use a backpack full of schoolsupplies, clothes, toys and personal hygiene productsthat they didn’t have.
Nixon said Tech. Sgt. Andrea Henry took over the organization and planning of the project. After creating a list ofchildren’s names, volunteers were assigned a specific child and stuffed the backpack with items meant for that child.
“In two days every child had a sponsor, and volunteers were ableto build extra bags, 40 in all, due to the overwhelming responsefrom the unit,” said Nixon.
“You’re an ambassador for the United States no matter what youdo down there. It’s a great opportunity for our people to go out andserve the local community and act as ambassadors,” said Lt. Col.Ray Hyland, one of two deployed detachment commanders.
In addition to the backpacks project, unit members paintedschools, taught English to the children and played soccerand basketball.
“They just want someone to love them,” said Hyland.
Lithuanian soldiers tap intoAir Guard water systemBy Sgt. Matthew E. Jones
Soldiers from Lithuania’s Water Purification Company visited theRegional Equipment Operators Training School at Fort IndiantownGap to get a taste of our military’s newest purification equipment.
They were interested in upgrading from their previous systems,which they acquired from the German military.
The system they were testing out, the 1500 Rowpu, can purifywater from virtually any source and is much easier to deploy, said1st Lt. Romas Vainius, Lithuanian Water Purification Company,General Support Logistics Battalion.
“Rowpu is a smaller and more powerful unit and requires lessvehicular assistance to be deployed than anything we have used,”said Vainius.
It can be airlifted easily or moved by forklift and flatbed.The WP Company, which is part of Lithuania’s rapid-reaction
brigade, expects to have the ability to purify more than 500,000gallons of water per day using the new machines.
Each NATO country is assigned a niche capability and Lithuania’sniche happens to be water purification. They have been called on atleast twice to practice their specialty in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Children in an Ecuadoran orphanage wait to receive a backpack from deployed171st unit members.
“You’re an ambassador for the United States
no matter what you do down there.
It’s a great opportunity for our people
to go out and serve the local community
and act as ambassadors.”
– Lt. Col. Ray Hyland
By 2nd Lt. Caroline Krystopolski and Spc. Gabrielle Andrews
Sgt. Noel Watson and Sgt. Dennis Palmer discuss the best and safest convoy route withthe civilian contractor.
Eleven states, four time zones, 25 military vehicles and2,580 miles equals one successful convoy for the MediumTruck Company whose motto is “Drive like Hell!”
Two weeks later, they did it all over again, driving theCamouflage Freightliners – M915A3s – from California
back to Pennsylvania.“The success of the 5,200 mile round trip convoy and the Combat
Logistics Patrols at the National Training Center stems around the missioncapability of our trucks,” said company 1st Sgt. Michael I. McGinty. “Ourmaintenance section had our trucks in tip-top shape. Not a single vehiclehad to be towed the entire AT.”
After convoying across the continental U.S. in early July, the 1067thTransportation Company, with armories in Phoenixville and Lehighton,immediately began running combat logistics patrols at the National TrainingCenter, Fort Irwin, Calif., providing food, water, ice, construction materialand repair parts to active duty Soldiers training for a deployment to Iraq.
During this three-week Annual Training, the 1067th provided lifesupport for the 1/25 Stryker Brigade Combat Team from Fort Wainwright,Alaska. The Pennsylvania Guardsmen spent their time at NTC transportingmore than 1,800 tons of supplies through the desert to six separate forwardoperating bases, amidst reconstruction and hostile activity in a theater ofoperations resembling the finest details of Iraq.
Nearly every day of the supply missions, each driver performed theduties of the convoy commander. Moreover, active duty observer/controllerswho shadowed supply runs and monitored company operations assessed theunit as excellent and ready for any mission.
“This is one fine company and I am honored to be associated with NCOsand Soldiers of the 1067th,” said Capt. Samuel A. Kieffer, company com-mander. “We are not aware of any other Guard or Reserve unit who hasdone anything like this. The metrics of what these Soldiers have accom-plished is simply astonishing.”
This was the third NTC training rotation for the 1067th TransportationCompany since 2005. �
Fall 2008 / GUARDIANS / 13
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By Sgt. Matthew E. Jones and Spc. Shawn Miller
As the military saying goes, “If it ain’t raining, you ain’ttraining.” But don’t tell that to the Soldiers of the 2-112thInfantry, 56th Stryker Brigade, who withstood three weeksof cloudless skies and temperatures topping 100 degreesduring annual training at Camp Shelby, Miss.This was a bit of a preview for the work to come.These Soldiers, in addition to the rest of the
commonwealth’s unique 56th Stryker Brigade,will be heading back down to Camp Shelbyfor their mobilization training prior to beingdeployed to Iraq by the end of the year.
A point of contactMuch time has been put into finalizing the sweeping transition to becoming a fully operational
Stryker unit and familiarizing the Soldiers with the new weapons systems and their capabilities.The 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team is currently the only National Guard Stryker unit, and
it has become a point of pride for the Keystone State.“The Soldiers in my battalion really understand that it is a privilege to be chosen to be a Stryker
battalion,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Kepner, 2-112th Infantry battalion sergeant major.“They take that very seriously and they’re honored and they understand the extra commitment thatis required.”
“We can go anywhere with Strykers,” said Spc. Joshua McConaughey, a Stryker vehiclecommander with Company A. “They’re made to get things done.”
Upping the op-tempoThe vehicles aren’t the only ones getting it done. As soon as the unit’s transition was nearing
completion and the brigade approached operational readiness, they were alerted for deploymentwhere the pace picked up even further.
Spc. Lance McGee, who had served in the active duty Army for four years, and is now aninfantryman in the 2-112th’s Company C, said being in the National Guard can make it hard todevelop the type of cohesion that these men desperately need to perform their duty.
The unit’s leadership recognized that from the start and began extending drill weekends andannual training since the 56th Stryker Brigade was placed on alert in the fall of 2007.
Fall 2008 / GUARDIANS / 15
Soldiers from the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 56th Stryker Brigadepractice reflexive fire drills at Camp Shelby. These drills test a Soldier’sability to distinguish combatants from civilians.Photo: Sgt. Matthew E. Jones
16 / GUARDIANS / Fall 2008
“Having long drills and a long annual training gives you the time you need to learnto work together,” said McGee. “Doing drills hundreds of times together teachesmuscle memory.”
After enough repetition, you can begin to predict exactly how the rest of yourteam will react to certain situations, said McGee. This is a must because an infantryteam is designed to be much greater than the sum of its parts.
Kepner pointed out that although the training schedule is tough and the troopsare undeniably being pushed harder, the maximization of training time is exactly whatis needed for this deployment.
“We’ve had a robust training schedule and it’s pushing the troops a little bit,” saidKepner. “But they’re getting plenty of opportunities for live-fire, which is exactly thekind of training the battalion needs to prepare for deployment.”
The guys with the boots on the ground agree with those sentiments.“The more training you get, the more you can put in your pocket and take with
you and have a better chance of coming back,” said Pfc. Eric Fuller of the 2ndBattalion’s Headquarters Company. “But it’s not just how much training you do, it’show well you’re prepared for it and how much you absorb that really counts.”
Training for trainingAlthough the battalion was completing much of the training it needs to conduct
prior to deployment, most of their troops expect to repeat the training when theymobilize in September.
Pfc. Justin Roland of 2-112th’s Company C said getting familiar with Shelby wasas important as getting familiar with the training. “After a couple of weeks hereeveryone really gets comfortable with the surroundings and that makes it easier tofocus on the training, making it more effective.”
Focusing in is exactly what the leadership wants from the Soldiers, and being atShelby truly allows them to do just that.
“We’ve really been able to maximize training time down here,” said Kepner. “Theranges have been run with 1st Army personnel, so for range support requirements, wehaven’t had to take that from within our own battalion as we normally do at home.”
His Soldiers agreed.“This is a taste of the training we’ll be getting for deployment, and it tastes good,”
said Fuller.
Soldiers from the 56th Stryker Brigade’s 2-112th Infantry mount their Stryker vehicle following arigorous training exercise at Camp Shelby during their annual training period.Photo: Sgt. Matthew E. Jones
Playing it cool inthe heat
In addition to getting familiar withCamp Shelby, which at 136,000 acres is atough task in itself, the deployingSoldiers must also become familiar withthe environment.
Hot and humid is the norm in south-ern Mississippi and these Pennsylvanianssaid it took some getting used to. Duringtheir annual training, the averagetemperature at Shelby was more than 10degrees hotter than at the battalion’sheadquarters in Lewistown, Pa. And thisdoesn’t account for the humidity.
One morning, Company A was wait-ing for their dismount training to beginand the heat was particularly oppressive.There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, but withthe thick humidity, it felt like they werein one, said Spc. Dave Smith.
Staff Sgt. John Gibbons, a squadleader in Company C, played it cool forhis troops.
“Well, yeah, I guess the heat is alittle rough, but it’s good acclimation,that’s all,” said Gibbons. “Plus it’sprobably worse here than over there(in Iraq).” The average temperature inBaghdad during the unit’s time atShelby was 113 degrees, but it’s hardto make an argument against theMississippi humidity.
The home frontAs the deployment date draws closer,
stresses on the home front start tosurface; but the men of the 2-112th onceagain show their ability to adapt andovercome any obstacle in their path.
An Infantry squad with Alpha Company, 2-112thInfantry, practices live-fire house raid exercisesduring their annual training at Camp Shelby. The2-112th is using the training to prepare formobilization and an upcoming deployment to Iraq.Photo: Spc. Shawn Miller
Fall 2008 / GUARDIANS / 17
A Stryker driver and his crew eagerly zoom to thefiring line during .50-caliber machine gun trainingat Camp Shelby. Photo: Sgt. Matthew E. Jones
Being open and honest with familyabout deployments iskey, said 1st Lt. SamCoover of 2-112th Headquarters, a singlefather with three young children at home.
“I made it no secret whatsoever,”said Coover. “We watch the news and Isay ‘Hey, this is where Daddy is going.’I don’t want it to be a shock to them.”
In the age of the all-volunteer Army,there is a strong sense of duty from theSoldiers of the 2-112th. They note thatthough it will be hard to leave lovedones behind, it is their choice and partof the job.
“It’s always going to be a mixedfeeling,” said Fuller. “I actually have a kidon the way in November, and we mobilizein September, so leaving at that time isa little rough, but I signed up for it, so itis what it is.”
The command is on the same page.“I sort of equate [deployment] to
asking an auto mechanic how he feelsabout fixing cars,” said Kepner. “It is partof this profession.”
For any apprehension on the homefront that the deployment may cause,there is still the bright side that theSoldiers of the 2-112th find through real-izing the importance of spending timewith friends and family.
“As it gets closer to the deployment,it gets a lot more surreal,” said Coover.“We start cherishing the moments moreand more.”
“Roll On”Throughout the three weeks of heat, lack of sleep and constant training, the men
of the 2-112th lived up to the 28th Division motto of “Roll On.” As members of thesole National Guard Stryker brigade, they hope to make a large impact and a goodimpression on the rest of the Army.
If they make the same impression as they did on their sergeant major, they willhave nothing to worry about.
“I am very, very impressed,” Kepner said proudly of them. “The Soldiers nevercease to impress me with their motivation and what they can do.” �
Spc. Joshua McConaughey, AlphaCompany, 2-112th Infantry, engagestargets remotely with a .50-calibermachine gun mounted on his Strykervehicle during annual training atCamp Shelby. Photo: Spc. Shawn Miller
Fall 2008 / GUARDIANS / 19
By Kevin Cramsey
You’ve heard of the accidental tourist. Well, Charlie Oellig isthe accidental author.
Oellig, curator of the Pennsylvania National Guard MilitaryMuseum at Fort Indiantown Gap and historian extraordinaire,says it wasn’t his intention to become a published writer.
But when you’ve been doing research for as long as Oellighas, you’re bound to end up with your name on a history book atsome point in time.
That time happens to be now, and the title of the book is“Marksmanship Awards of the National Guard of Pennsylvania,1878-1921.”
Published earlier this year, Oellig’s involvement came aboutwhen his co-author, Peter J. Eisert, approached him with theidea. Eisert, a nurse at York Hospital, had met his futurecollaborator several years ago during a military insignia swapmeet at the Gap. Needless to say, they had a lot in common.
“Peter had written a book on American Legion badges andhad written some other articles, so he had experience withgetting a book published,” Oellig said. “I had about 30 years’worth of accumulated research on medals, so he came andlooked through it. He did a terrific job of turning it intounderstandable, readable text.”
The 190-page book goes far beyond simply listing namesand recounting dates. It is chock full of historical photographsreproduced in surprisingly high quality. Some of the photos arefrom Oellig’s personal collection of historical artifacts, acollection that includes 200 vintage military uniforms.
The book chronicles the beginning of marksmanship in thePennsylvania Guard to the Scranton-based 13th Regiment in1878, according to Oellig.
“Today, everyone has to shoot,” he said, “but not back then.”A retired military policeman with the Pennsylvania Guard
and a 12-year former employee with the state Historical andMuseum Commission, Oellig has been the curator of the museumsince it opened nearly 20 years ago. He is a Civil War enthusiastand spent many years participating in Civil War re-enactments.
Published by the Orders and Medals Society of America, thebook is being sold in the museum for $45. It is also for salethrough the Orders and Medals Society at a cost of $56. Societymembers can buy it at a discounted rate of $33.
Charlie B. Oellig, curator of the Pennsylvania National Guard MilitaryMuseum, leafs through a copy of a book he co-authored recently on thehistory of marksmanship awards in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
Oellig said he does not expect to make money off thebook. His goal was much more altruistic: To present athorough and historically accurate account of marksmanshipwithin the Pennsylvania National Guard.
Indeed, the book is a treasure trove of information onthe subject.
And that’s no accident. �
Fall 2008 / GUARDIANS / 21
Among the judges’ considerations, a few key factors trulymade the Gap stand out. They include the adjustment of train-ing times and locations to minimize the impact to vegetation,soil and waterways; the building and monitoring of more than150 nesting/roosting boxes to benefit than a dozen bird and batspecies; monitoring water quality; providing outdoor recreationopportunities at Second Mountain Hawkwatch and to over2,400 hunters and anglers; conducting prescribed burns to
manage fuel loads, ranges, maneuver areas,forests and of course the Regal Fritillary butter-fly habitat.
The Pennsylvania Army National GuardFort Indiantown Gap National GuardTraining Center is the only live fire, maneuvermilitary training facility in the state. Withinthe facility, the Regal Fritillary butterfly, afederal species of concern and the pride andjoy of the Gap’s conservation team, hasflourished on the 17,000-acre training facility,the largest population east of the MississippiRiver. This modern-day symbiosis is certainlyno accident.
“We’ve developed training scenarios andmaps that identify the Regal’s habitat as ‘minefields,’ so the Soldiers know to avoid them just
as they would a real minefield in combat,” said Joseph Hovis,DMVA wildlife manager. “It’s these kinds of collaborativeefforts that have turned this installation into a premiertraining site and into what amounts to almost a 17,000-acrenature refuge.”
Gap team earns environmental honorsBy Sgt. Matthew E. Jones
The Pennsylvania National Guard natural resources conser-vation team was scheduled to be presented an award at thePentagon courtyard on June 4, but ironically, Mother Naturewould not cooperate with as the ceremony was hastily takenindoors due to a tornado watch.
Inside, the Fort Indiantown Gap-based teamwas awarded the Secretary of Defense award fornatural resources conservation. This award isgiven biannually to the team that demonstrates aproactive and comprehensive program in supportof conservation, training, and public land.
The Department of Defense owns or leasesmore than 30 million acres of land in the UnitedStates (third largest land manager in federalgovernment). This wasn’t the first award the teamhas received. In fact, they were recently singledout for this year’s U.S. Army Conservation Award.
“In 2007, we were the second busiest NationalGuard installation in the country with more than125,000 Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, Marines andcivilians training at the Gap,” said Lt. Col. GreyBerrier, training site commander. “FortIndiantown Gap provides unit commanders with the land,facilities and resources to train their warriors to standard,safely while concurrently offering outstanding hunting, fishing,trapping, and wood gathering opportunities to outdoorenthusiasts, consistent with its mission.”
ARMY NEWSMAKERS Continued from page 9
Brig. Gen. JerryBeck Jr. sharesa lightheartedmoment withSgt. David Walker.Walker, a combatwounded veteran,joined severalother warriorsalong the YellowBreeches Creekin CumberlandCounty. It was partof Project HealingWaters, a programaimed at support-ing recoveryefforts forcombat woundedveterans.
Story and photo by Lt. Col. Chris Cleaver
Fall 2008 / GUARDIANS / 23
For some combat wounded veterans, the road to recoverycan be like a challenging river with rapids and rocks, undertowsand swift currents. But thanks to Project Healing Waters, someof the hazards have been removed and the remaining clear,calm waters are a primary prescription for mending thewounds of war.
On a sun-splashed May day, seven warriors, armed with flyrods and filled with optimism, spent a day casting their way torecovery on one of Pennsylvania’s most storied trout streams.
“This gives me a peace of mind and serenity that no doctorcan prescribe,” said Brian Mancini, who was severely injuredby a roadside bomb attack in Iraq. Between casts he speaksabout the attack that killed his gunner and sergeant major,interspersed with the love of his newfound hobby.
Only his third fly fishing outing, Mancini easily fooled moretrout than his peers as six fish came to hand during the morning.
“It’s the happiest I have seen him in a long time; it’s alsothe most relaxed I have seen him,” said his wife, Ashley, also anIraq combat veteran who sits near his side as fly line wispsthrough the air.
Project Healing Waters was started by the Federation ofFly Fishers and Trout Unlimited to aid in the physical andemotional recovery of combat wounded veterans.
With the river running slightly spate from recent rain, sometwo dozen TU members tied leaders, lent flies and gave a
helping hand to these American heroes. “This is a genuinepleasure and a privilege for us to do this,” said Jim Hutcheson,president of the Cumberland Chapter TU board. “Anything wecan do to help these warriors get away for a while and enjoythis beautiful countryside in a genuinely fun activity we are justthrilled to do it.”
As the noonday sun arched high overhead, the warriorsretreated to box lunches and candid yarns about fishing tripspast. Sgt. David Walker, formerly of Maine, shared stories offishing the wilderness lakes and streams in the Pine Tree State.Walker grew up fishing and tying flies.
An IED blast in Iraq, however, changed all that. It forcedhim to relearn not only how to fish, but how to use basic skills.“I have problems with my dexterity and tying flies helps mewith my motor skills,” said Walker, with a pipe clenched tightlybetween his teeth. “This is wonderful here. Outside and enjoy-ing nature is therapy for me.”
Walker’s story, like most others fishingthat day, spread across the full range ofemotions – the toll of war, the loss of friends,the void of missing buddies and the challengingroad to recovery.
As lunches finished, fly rods once again archedover the placid water and with all the warriors, it wasthe road to recovery that seemed just a little smoother. �
Located on 183 acres in southern Franklin County nearChambersburg, the Scotland School for Veterans’ Children(SSVC) is a residential school for students in grades threethrough 12 who are children of commonwealth veterans.Tuition, room, and board are provided at no cost to studentswho meet eligibility requirements and are offered admission.
The school, which opened in 1895 as the Pennsylvania’sSoldiers’ Orphans Industrial School, is a unique state-funded
school operated by the Department of Military and VeteransAffairs. Since 1895, more than 10,000 children have graduatedfrom the school. Many of them have gone on to distinguishthemselves in the fields of medicine, law, education, bankingand government, and the vast majority have become successful,productive citizens.
SSVC provides a robust curriculum ranging from collegeprep classes to vocational offerings including computer science,
business programs, and the culinary arts.With an average class size of 17 students,teachers are able to give more one-on-one attention not found any many otherschools. As an added benefit, under-graduate education majors at nearbyShippensburg University assist as tutorson the evening tutoring program.
“Our goal is to motivate students todevelop lifelong learning skills and tochallenge them to achieve their fullpotential as responsible citizens,” statesSuperintendent Ron Grandel. “Thefaculty and staff at Scotland School arecommitted to instilling the values ofrespect, responsibility, kindness,integrity, and safety into the entirestudent body.”
Participation in the Junior ReserveOfficer Training Corp (JROTC) is arequired course of study for all studentsin ninth through twelfth grade. AlthoughJROTC is not designed to recruit for themilitary, students learn valuable lessonsof citizenship and patriotism along witha strong sense of self-reliance.
All students reside in cottages whichfoster a more home-like environmentand they are supervised by a house-parent. Meals are provided in both inthe cottages and in the dining hall.
Scotland School also offers a widearray of campus amenities such as play-grounds, indoor and outdoor basketballcourts, and a sand volleyball court. Inaddition to a pond and picnic pavilion,there is a four-lane bowling alley and anindoor pool on campus.
Off-campus recreational activitiesinclude hiking, camping, shopping,theater, and skiing. Some of the recentexcursions include trips to the Baltimore
By Colin Day, Public Affairs Student Intern
“Our goal is to motivate students
to develop lifelong learning skills
and to challenge them
to achieve their full potential
as responsible citizens.”
– Superintendent Ron Grandel
24 / GUARDIANS / Fall 2008
Fall 2008 / GUARDIANS / 25
Aquarium, amusement parks, and the Gettysburg andAntietam battlefields.
Although academics come first at SSVC, the athletic teamsare well known throughout the state. Scotland teams haveconsistently qualified for district playoffs, with the football,boys’ basketball and boys' track teams winning Class A StateChampionships.
“As you can see, our students receive a well-rounded educa-tion that stretches well beyond the walls of the classroom,”states Grandel. “Because families entrust their children to uswe consider it a privilege to serve those who have done somuch to protect our freedoms and preserve our cherishedway of life.”
To be considered for enrollment:• Prospective students shall be the natural or adopted
child, grandchild, niece, nephew, or sibling of aneligible veteran.
• His or her custodial parent or legal guardian is requiredto have maintained Pennsylvania residency for aminimumof three years prior to admission.
• The child must be at least six years of age before enter-ing the third grade and must not have reached theirsixteenth birthday as of August 1 in the school year inwhich they are admitted.
• The child should be academically capable and have aninterest in living in residence at Scotland School.
Fourteen-year-old Brandon Abernathy is about to enter hissecond year at Scotland School and the ninth grader couldn’t
be happier. According to Brandon, Scotland School is “one ofthe best schools I have ever gone to.” Brandon seems to enjoyall of the unique aspects that a school like SSVC has to offer.“The uniforms are alright. It would be cool if we could wearwhat we want but it keeps people from standing out,” he added.
Understandably, due to his parent’s military careers thefamily has moved around frequently and the stability that thisveterans benefit offers is a perfect fit for this family. Brandon’sfather, Michael Combs, is currently deployed and is notexpected home until the end of January 2009. ShannonAbernathy, Brandon’s mother who spent nearly seven yearsin the military, now works for a defense contractor inChambersburg, Pa.
“Everything they (SSVC) told me was true to the exactwords,” said Brandon’s mother when asked her overallimpression of SSVC. “They really encouraged every talent thatBrandon has shown like they said they would. Brandon hadnothing but good things to say about them and they had nothingbut good things to say about him. Scotland School has reallyhelped him to mature and everyday it keeps getting better.”
As a child of a deployed family member, Brandon hasdeveloped an informal mentorship with other Scotland Schoolstudents who also have deployed family members. He wasamong several students that were recently picked to spend timewith some veterans visiting campus. They spent the afternoondoing some shopping and when they went out to eat they “reallygot to know each other and find out what the veterans did.”
When asked if he was excited to go back to SSVC this yearhe enthusiastically declared, “Yes!”
For more information about the Scotland School forVeterans’ Children visit our website at www.ssvc.state.pa.us. �
According to ninth graderBrandon Abernathy,Scotland School is “oneof the best schools I haveever gone to.”
26 / GUARDIANS / Fall 2008
From the accounts of 2nd Lt. Roy E.Lambert, historical officer, Company G,1st Battalion, 110th Regiment, 28thInfantry Division – dated May 27, 1945.
By Sgt. Maj. Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr.
Grandchildren of the Company Gdogfaces will be treated to many weirdand wonderful tales of World War II. Inaddition to the inside dope on how grand-pop really turned the tide of battle with astrategic bazooka round, they will begripped by the tales of narrow escapesand close calls. The stories will engendergasps of sheer astonishment … no doubtjustified in many cases.
Staff Sgt. Nelson Lee, of Danforth,Maine, for instance, can thrill his off-spring with a tale of the time he,Sgt. Clifford J. Neylon, Staff Sgt. DickCampbell, of Butler, Pa., and Sgt. MarvinConway, of Shurz, Nev., were engaged inopening a C-ration box when a Germanmortar round plunked squarely into themiddle of the case. Purple Hearts were inorder all the way around, but none of theprospective poppas was seriously injured.
From the “Battle of the Bulge: Onslaught in the Ardennes.” World War II Diorama at Wisconsin VeteransMuseum, Madison, Featuring the 110th Infantry.
Tech Sgt. Bernard Treadwell is another of the group who figures to elicit closeattention from his next-generation audience. He was cooking a meal for the companyon July 31, 1944, when he discovered that the day’s ration did not include the necessarycondiments. He walked across the area separating his unit from H Company and
borrowed some salt. Upon returning, hehad some difficulty reorganizing thekitchen. It had been blown out by a roundof high explosive artillery fire.
Tech. Sergeant Robert M. Stump, ofBonneville, Ore., can stir up a few youth-ful listeners with his yarns, too. Includedin the repertory is an occasion upon whichthe fate of a nation hung on a strand oftelephone wire. Sgt. Stump had beenchecking communication after the outfithad dug into position, and he reported tothe platoon leader, Lt. Nation, thateverything was in working order. Lt.Nation started for the C.P. to inform thecompany commander of that fact, butstopped to examine a frayed telephonewire. A second later an artillery shellwhizzed by the spot where the lieutenantwould otherwise have been, and explodedharmlessly a short distance away.
Perhaps the most vehement “Ohs”and “Ahs” will stem from the children ofTech. Sgt. Frank Wooster, of Hamden,Conn., and Pfc. Ernest Allen, fromLumberton, Miss. Both men were ridingon a tank when a Nazi 88mm shellexploded, catapulting both into the air.Allen landed 15 or 20 feet from thearmored vehicle, but both were able to
Fall 2008 / GUARDIANS / 27
stand up, dust themselves off and proceed with their mission, mutteringimprecations upon the inconsiderate “Boche.”
Yes, future descendants of Company G members will get the benefitof many strange and varied experiences. They will hear about Capt. Wiley,the company commander who was so universally admired that the mentalk about him to this day with reverence in their voice. They will hearabout “Dusty,” the private first class who took over the company after allthe officers had been killed or wounded, and who later became one of themost beloved of all first sergeants. They will be entertained by tales ofmen like Pfc. Garland Austin who, spying two Tiger Royal tanks on theroad near the company, slung his M-1 rifle over his shoulder andyelled to his buddy, “Come on, let’s see if they’ll surrender.”
Or, the time Pfc. Addison Looney, from Jackson, Tenn., tosseda dummy potato masher grenade into the C.P. during a solemnofficer’s meeting. “Things got lively in a hurry,” said Looney.“There was a moment of utter silence, during which everyonestared at the grenade – then everything happened at once.I never saw so much brass moving in so many directions sofast. All you could see was feet.” (Incidentally, the reason Looneyisn’t wearing blue denims marked “P” today is that the companycommander, Capt. Kitchen, was in on the deal, which the goodprivate first class had occasion to appreciate a few moments later.)“Those lieutenants were as mad as hornets,” he recalled.
They will hear too of the French donkey, which, objecting to his dailytask of carrying rations up the steep Vosges Mountains regularly, fell offthe mountain at a certain spot and rolled a hundred yards down into thevalley where he lay in the soft snow playing dead until the ration detailpulled out and left him. After the coast was clear, he would trot rapidlyback to the stable for a mouthful of hay and a warm nap, doubtlessreflecting disdainfully upon the gullibility of the human race.
All the same, whatever the tale and whatever the occasion, the kids can berightfully proud of the men at whoseknee they will hear it. He will be thereal Soldier from a fighting outfit –Company George of the 110th.
Certainly, these and many otherstories were told. We can be just ascertain that the stories of thePennsylvania Soldiers and Airmenwho were in far-away places likeBosnia, Afghanistan, Germany,Kosovo, Egypt, Iraqi and elsewherewill be told to their grandchildrentoo. Telling wild and wonderfulstories of their deployments is whatveterans do. It is a Pennsylvanianand an American tradition. �
Note: Company G, 1st Battalion,110th Regiment was first organized assuch on April 1, 1921. It was reorganizedCompany C, 1st Reconnaissance,103rd Armor on June 1, 1959. Thecompany was converted, reorganized andre-designated Company C, 2nd Battalion,112th Infantry on April 1, 1975.
Sgt. Maj. Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr.is the command historian for the28th Infantry Division, PennsylvaniaArmy National Guard, Harrisburg, Pa.
Weary Infantrymen rest in Bastogne on the third day ofthe Battle of the Bulge. The men were assigned to the110th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. DoDPentagram – Dec. 16, 1994.
The Army NEEDSyour storiesBy Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr.
Many Soldiers and Airmen have their own wildand wonderful stories from their deployments.Often, those stories are never told. Since theSept. 11, 2001, attacks the operational tempo anddeployments has increased to a level not seen inPennsylvania since World War II. This, coupled withthe loss of the military history detachments, hascaused a huge loss of historical informationthroughout the Pennsylvania National Guard.
Your story or pictures may seeminsignificant but may have signifi-cant value to the historian writingyour unit’s contribution to theoperation. The stories illustrated inthe article are examples of talesthat enrich and add dimension tothe unit’s facts and statistics.
The Army and the NationalGuard are interested in hearingyour stories, seeing your picturesand journals, and making thempart of the historical record.
Please contact Sgt. Maj. Zapotoczny atcommercial (717) 787-0895, cell (717) 821-3304 ore-mail [email protected]. He willarrange to collect all materials. �
CURATOR’S CORNERIn March of 1916, amidst a revolution in Mexico, Gen.
Francisco “Pancho” Villa with a band of rebels attackedColumbus, N.M. A number of civilians and eight soldiers ofthe 13th U.S. Cavalry were killed.
Gen. John J. Pershing led a punitive expedition into Mexico,but Villa could not be found. Other border towns were raidedin May and President Wilson called for the mobilization of theArizona, New Mexico and Texas National Guards. The rest ofthe state National Guards, including Pennsylvania, were calledup on June 18. The Pennsylvania Soldiers assembled near ElPaso, Texas, at a camp which they named Camp Stewart inhonor of Adjutant General Thomas J. Stewart.
After laying out the camp, most of the time was spentpatrolling the border and training with various types ofweapons. In this photograph we see two members of the 16thRegiment, which would later become the 112th Infantry, 28thDivision. They are standing next to a pair of 1916 White 4 x 2armed cars. They were on loan to the Guard for testing andtraining purposes. These two cars appear to be unarmed,although some were outfitted with M1895 Colt-Browningmachine guns.
The cars were built by the White Motor Company. Theyhad a 4-cylinder gasoline engine and could reach 45 miles perhour, weighed 3.37 tons and carried a crew of three. Thesegranddaddies of today’s Stryker vehicles were “turned in”before the boys retuned to Pennsylvania.
This is the 22nd in a series of historical photographs ofPennsylvania National Guardsmen of the past, submitted byCharles Oellig, curator of the Pennsylvania National GuardMilitary Museum at Fort Indiantown Gap. The museum isopen Monday and Friday, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., orother days by appointment. Call (717) 861-2402 for moreinformation or to schedule an appointment. The museum isclosed on major holidays.
28 / GUARDIANS / Fall 2008
