1Winter 2010/2011 WARRIORS Securing the State, Defending the Nation

For the People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2The Adjutant General . . . . . . . . . 3Dispatches from the Front . . . . . 5Where in the World . . . . . . . . . . 6Joint Forces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Veterans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Homeland Security . . . . . . . . . 26Missile Defense . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30ESGR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Family Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Who We Are . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Awards & Decorations . . . . . . . 34Promotions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Retirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Start of the Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Training Schedule . . . . . . . . . . 36

Departments:

Features:

Winter 2010/2011

Warriors is a commercial enterprise publication,produced in partnership, quarterly, by the State of Alaska,Department of Military & Veterans Affairs, PO Box 5800,Camp Denali, Ft. Richardson, Alaska 99505-5800, phone(907) 428-6031, fax 428-6035; and AQP Publishing Inc.,8537 Corbin Drive, Anchorage, Alaska 99507. Views andopinions expressed herein are not necessarily the officialviews of, or endorsed by, the Departments of the Armyand Air Force, or the State of Alaska. All photos are AlaskaDepartment of Military & Veterans Affairs photos unlessotherwise credited.

Distribution: Warriors is published for all current civilian employees,military members, veterans, and their families, of the Alaska Departmentof Military & Veterans Affairs. It is distributed, free of charge, via mail anddistribution, through each Division within the Department. It is alsoavailable at our Web site: http://dmva.alaska.gov.

HOW TO REACH USLetters: Letters to the editor must be signed and include the writers fullname and mailing address. Letters should be brief and are subject toediting. Submissions: Print and visual submissions of general interest toour diverse civilian employees, Alaska National Guard military members,

veterans and families are invited and encouraged. Please send articles andphotos with name, phone number, e-mail, complete mailing addressand comments to:

Warriors MagazineAlaska Department of Military & Veterans Affairs

Office of Public AffairsPO Box 5800, Camp Denali

Fort Richardson, AK 99505-5800(907) 428-6031 / Fax 428-6035

Concepts for section head logos derived from clipart provided by Alaska Native Knowledge Network. www.ankn.uaf.edu

Governor Sean ParnellCommander in Chief

Major General Thomas H. KatkusAdjutant General, Alaska National Guard

& Commissioner of the DMVA

Ms. Kalei RuppManaging Editor/DMVA Public Affairs

Contributors

Major Guy HayesStaff Sergeant Karima Turner

Private First Class Karina ParaoanDMVA Public Affairs

Specialist Michelle Nash134th Public Affairs Detachment

Second Lieutenant Bernie KaleMaster Sergeant Shannon Oleson

176th Wing Public Affairs

Captain Maria Perkins168th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

Staff Sergeant Jack W. Carlson III49th Missile Defense Battalion

Jeremy ZidekMike Drummond

DHS&EM

Verdie BowenState Veterans Office

Mandi RumbleESGR

Airman Whitney Amstutz36th Wing Public Affairs

Captain Todd MillerChief Warrant Officer Two Chuck Baker

1-207th Aviation

Major Kyle HoltLieutenant Colonel John Woyte

Alaska Army National Guard

Petty Officer Third Class Walter ShinnU.S. Coast Guard

Glenda LandauKenai Peninsula Borough

Office of Emergency Management

Alaska National GuardMilitary Funeral Honors Team

Alaska Military Youth Academy

Family Programs

Airman Saves Boy at Elmendorf Pool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Santa & Mrs. Claus and the Guard Ring in the Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . 8Guard Receives New Equipment to Stay Ready, Reliable . . . . . . . . . . . 17Army Guardsmen Perform Joint Airborne Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Alaska National Guardsman Reigns as Boxer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Alaska Guardsmen Recognize Veterans with Final Honor . . . . . . . . . . 24

Bob UlinPublisher

Marie LundstromEditor

Gloria ScheinGraphic Artist

Chris KersbergenDarrell GeorgeAdvertising Sales

Toll Free:(866) 562-9300

www.AQPpublishing.com

Airborne History. Private First Class Wilson Berlin, left, and PrivateFirst Class Axcel Joe, center, from B Company, 1-143rd Infantry Airborne,Alaska Army National Guard, and Captain Robert Covington, from U.S. ArmyAlaska, prepare to jump from a UH-60 Black Hawk during a joint airborne

operation in Bethel in November. Approximately 20National Guard Soldiers and active duty ArmySoldiers made history by making the first jump intothe Bethel Flats Rotary Wing Drop Zone.Photo: Specialist Michelle Nash, 134th Public Affairs Detachment

MissileDefenseChange ofCommand.Captain Ron Painter,left, incoming ACompany commander,49th Missile DefenseBattalion, AlaskaArmy National Guard,accepts the guidonduring the MilitaryPolice Companychange of command ceremony at Fort Greely inNovember. After accepting the units colors,the incoming commander passes them to thesenior noncommissioned officer, First SergeantJohn Drew, to carry and manage. The Soldiersof this company are responsible to secure anddefend the Missile Defense Complex on FortGreely. Photo: Staff Sergeant Jack Carlson III, 49th MissileDefense Battalion

http://dmva.alaska.gov

2 Securing the State, Defending the Nation WARRIORS Winter 2010/2011

For the PeopleGovernor Sean ParnellCommander in Chief

As 2011 begins, we reflect on theaccomplishments of last year and lookforward to the future. The Department ofMilitary & Veterans Affairs works diligentlyto maintain a safe and secure environmentfor Alaskans. And our men and women inuniform work tirelessly to provide safetyand freedoms for others.

Last year, I met and spoke with manyGuard members before they deployed. Theaviators of B Company, 1-207th Aviation,have been serving for several months inIraq transporting cargo, military membersand distinguished visitors throughout the

country. They represent Alaska and thenation well, and I am proud of their selflessservice. Their deployment has been asuccess, and we look forward to welcomingthem home later this year.

Locally, the Alaska Air National Guardanswers the call of duty, and we havedozens of Airmen serving across theglobe from Guam to Afghanistan. Theyperform a variety of missions rangingfrom air refueling to combat search andrescue. Our pararescuemen have savedcountless lives on the battlefield, puttinginto action all their training, experience

A Prosperous and SafeYear Aheadand professionalism. We continue to keepour deployed and their families in ourthoughts and prayers.

Here on the home front, the Divisionof Homeland Security and EmergencyManagement is closely monitoring weatherconditions across the state and standsready to intercede in the event of a disaster.As we face winter weather at work andplay, we can rest assured that a dedicatedforce is standing by in case of emergency.

I thank all of you at DMVA for servingour state and nation. Your efforts ensure aprosperous and safe year for all Alaskans.

Spreading the Spirit of the Season. Governor Sean Parnell and his wife, Sandy, help Santa and Mrs. Claus during a visit to Hoonah with Operation Santa Claus inDecember. The Parnells flew with members of the Alaska National Guard, Coast Guard, volunteers and representatives from Sikorsky for Operation Santa Claus, the Alaska National Guardsannual community relations program that brings the spirit of the holidays to rural villages across the state. Photo: Petty Officer 3rd Class Walter Shinn, U.S. Coast Guard

3

The Adjutant GeneralMajor General Thomas H. KatkusAdjutant General, Alaska National Guard& Commissioner, Alaska Department of Military & Veterans Affairs

I would like to deviate from my usualcomments regarding the tremendous workand accomplishments of the Departmentof Military & Veterans Affairs and devotethis space to recognizing and thanking thegreat men and women of our organizationserving in uniform.

Despite the changes in our nations over-seas contingency operations, this holidayseason we had more than 200 Soldiersand Airmen deployed in combat operations.Meanwhile, at Fort Greely, Clear Air ForceStation and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, we have more than 600 militarymembers working missions 24 hours a day,7 days a week.

We also have our Alaska Air NationalGuard rescue professionals, refueling tankerunit, and our Civil Support Team ready todeploy support within an hours notice, alongwith our Counterdrug Support Programproviding ongoing assistance to both locallaw enforcement and community-basedoperations.

Recently, I watched our Airmen of the168th Air Refueling Wing work throughone of the states most devastating icestorms to meet their deployment schedule.They had to free four of their aircraft, whichwere frozen to the airfield at Eielson AirForce Base. Despite the additional challengescreated by the weather, they workedthrough them and departed on time and tostandard in an exemplary manner. Thecommunity and all their loved ones lookedon with pride as their hometown AirForce went to war.

In December, I had an opportunity tovisit our 76 Soldiers from B Company,1-207th Aviation, who are deployed to Iraq.Their mission is to transport distinguishedvisitors, troops and equipment via UH-60Black Hawk helicopters from camp to campin a safe and secure manner. This high-profile, no-fail mission has the utmostvisibility in Iraq. It require