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Army National Guard Training Changes

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guard class

By Debbie Gregory.

Army National Guard Lt. Gen. Timothy Kadavy is looking at flexibility and specialized training to create more career opportunities and shorter deployments for National Guard soldiers.

Guard members will continue to serve 39 days a year — one weekend each month and a 15-day training exercise.

Guard Soldiers respond when disaster strikes at home and also answer the call when the country needs them, all over the globe. Theirs is a unique dual mission–serving both community and country.

Beginning in 2018, brigade combat teams will have four rotations to the combat training centers at Fort Irwin and Fort Polk annually.

The 2018 budget request seeks to add 7,000 new Guardsmen to the force.  The focus will now shift to more specialized deployments, that is, sending units with mission-specific skills to carry out operations. As a result, he believes soldiers will benefit in the form of more flexibility.

With that said, the new system and increased training commitment could end up costing Guardsmen more time away from their day-to-day lives, as well as their families. But the hope is that increased flexibility will make up for it.

Kadavy is proud of the men and women under his command and what they have accomplished after more than a decade of war. And with this new plan, which Kadavy calls “Army National Guard 4.0,” he believes he will be shaping the National Guard for the 21st century, the one that will meet the future requirements and demands of the nation.

“We had to take some good hard looks at what we would have to do if we received a demand to mobilize units quickly to a contingency anywhere around the world, say in 15, 20, 30, or 60 days and what type of readiness would we use if we had to achieve that,” Kadavy said. “That’s different than what we were doing over the last 15 years of war.”

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Vet Filmmaker Who Wrote “Sand Castle” Salutes His Generation

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By Debbie Gregory.

Screenwriter Chris Roessner, an Army and Iraq war veteran, turned his war experiences into the controversial Netflix film, Sand Castle.

The Canton, Ohio native grew up in rural Texas and joined the Army when he was 18, a few months before 9/11. Less than two years later he was deployed to Iraq, where he spent the next 14 months serving with a civil affairs unit attached to the 4th Infantry Division.

Roessner describes his deployment to Iraq as “the best and worst thing” that ever happened to him.

Roessner received the Tillman Foundation’s “Make Your Mark” award, and used the opportunity to address the criticism and stereotypes about his generation, often referred to as millennials.

Stereotypical millennials are lazy and entitled. But Roessner believes you can’t support the troops if you’re trashing the generation that’s actually doing the fighting.

“I’m of the opinion that one cannot disrespect our generation and respect the military at the same time. Those two thoughts are in opposition.”

He continued, “We are a group that has been asked to shoulder two of the longest wars in our country’s history, to weather a great recession, to surmount crippling student loan debt.”

There are many combat veterans who have criticized his work as narrow at best and “anti-war” at worst. But Roessner maintains that he wrote his story from his experiences, and encouraged those with a different view to write their own story.

“If I approach this film thinking that my job or my goal to write the film that resonates with every Iraq or Afghanistan war veteran, I would’ve never started,” Roessner said. “But I hope you write your film; I hope you write your book; I hope you do whatever you possibly can to have your story told.”

Roessner had been home from Iraq for more than seven years before he began working on the screenplay.

“Initially, I just wanted it to be cathartic,” he said. “I had no dreams whatsoever of it being made. I just wanted it to exist, so I at least knew that I tried to make some sense of this thing.”

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

U.S. Troops Hone Cold War Skills

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By Debbie Gregory.

In light of increasing threats from Eastern Europe, the United States Army is focused on relearning Cold War-era skills to confront potential Russian threats.

The adjustments include re-camouflaging vehicles to blend into the terrain, dispersing into smaller groups to avoid sophisticated surveillance drones and the use of netting to hide troop positions.

Senior Army commanders are rehearsing updated tactics and strategies that had been previously used to counter Soviet troops when the Berlin Wall was still standing, although the U.S. Army’s presence in Europe is a far cry from the height of the Cold War, when 300,000 soldiers were stationed there, versus 30,000 soldiers.

Russia’s hybrid warfare combines conventional military might with the ability to manipulate events using a mix of subterfuge, cyber-attacks and information warfare. The U.S. and NATO allies recently positioned some 4,500 soldiers in the three Baltic States and Poland as a deterrent to Russian aggression.

American intelligence is closely watching Russian operations in Crimea, eastern Ukraine, and Syria.

The colonels who will more than likely be the next generation of Army generals have spent the bulk of their careers battling Al Qaeda or ISIS.

Col. Clair A. Gill, a 1994 West Point graduate who commands the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade from Fort Drum, N.Y. was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division when Russia was still considered a threat. An accomplished Black Hawk helicopter pilot, Col. Gill spent most of his career battling Islamic militants. He has acknowledged that it took a while to adjust to preparing to fight more conventional battles.

Col. Gills’ West Point classmate, Col. Patrick Ellis, studied Russian to learn the language of his potential adversary. After the Sept. 11 attacks, Colonel Ellis was deployed multiple times to Afghanistan with specialized Army Ranger units.

Now Colonel Ellis commands the Second Cavalry Regiment in Europe.

“We know when we wake up every morning who the threat is,” Colonel Ellis said. “We’re very focused on the Russian threat.”

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, and their families.

New Mexico VA Rejected Majority of Gulf War Veteran Claims

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By Debbie Gregory.

A federal report shows that a Veterans Affairs office in New Mexico has denied 592 out of 640 of benefit claims related to Gulf War Illness (GWI), also known as Gulf War Syndrome.

Data from the U.S. Government Accountability Office shows that Albuquerque’s Department of Veterans Affairs denied about 90% of these claims in 2015.

According to the report, VA staff members noted the complexity of GWI claims, which was first identified in soldiers returning home from Operation Desert Storm and Operation Desert Shield in the early 1990s.

Lack of training on the part of the medical examiners may be to blame. There is a 90-minute training course on Gulf War illness, but currently taking the course is voluntary, and only 1 in 10 of the VA’s 4,000 medical examiners had completed it, according to the report.

Gulf War illness has two main clinical categories: medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness and undiagnosed illness. Symptoms include joint pain, chronic fatigue syndrome and neurological problems.

There were many factors present in the Gulf during the war that could have played a role in causing illness in those present at the time. It is likely that a combination of these factors together is what led to the illness. Exposure to infectious diseases, biological and chemical weapons, as well as toxic elements, such as smoke from burning oil wells, are believed to have caused Gulf War illnesses.

Sonja Brown, acting associate director of the New Mexico VA Health Care System said that the Gulf War Examination training is currently on their curriculum for their medical.

“While I don’t have a percentage of those completed, I can tell you that the training is being taken,” Brown said.

The VA said all its pension and compensation examiners will complete the mandatory 90-minute course on GWI by November, and it will make necessary changes in the notification process by August.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Navy Calls off Search for USS McCain Sailors, Identifies the Dead and Missing

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By Debbie Gregory.

As search and rescue efforts at sea were suspended for the nine missing John S. McCain sailors, the Navy identified the sailor whose remains were located inside the ship’s flooded compartments as Electronic Technician 3rd Class Kenneth Aaron Smith, 22, of New Jersey. Smith was a third-generation sailor.

Divers will continue recovery efforts inside flooded compartments in the ship for the remaining missing sailors. The Navy identified the missing as:

  • Electronics Technician 2nd Class Kevin Sayer Bushell, 26, from Maryland joined the Navy soon after graduating high school.
  • Electronics Technician 3rd Class Dustin Louis Doyon, 26, from Connecticut was an avid skier and runner.
  • Electronics Technician 2nd Class Jacob Daniel Drake, 21, from Ohio recently received a Navy and Marine Corps achievement medal for going above and beyond the call of duty during an inspection.
  • Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Timothy Thomas Eckels Jr., 23, from Maryland enjoyed the outdoors, including hiking, kayaking and working out.
  • Electronics Technician 1st Class Charles Nathan Findley, 31, from Missouri. His love of computers made his choice of electronics technician a natural fit.
  • Electronics Technician 3rd Class John Henry Hoagland III, 20, from Texas was recent high school graduate.
  • Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Corey George Ingram, 28, from New York, was, according to friends, very outgoing and always willing to lend a hand.
  • Interior Communications Electrician 1st Class Abraham Lopez, 39, from Texas. Lopez was responsible for keeping the ship’s communication lines open.
  • Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Logan Stephen Palmer, 23, from Illinois enjoyed bass fishing and whitewater rafting.

The McCain has been towed to Singapore’s Changi Naval Base. The other ship, the Alnic MC, a 600-foot, Liberian-flagged oil and chemical tanker, was towed to Singapore’s eastern anchorage for inspection.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of these brave men.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Mental Health Tricks Used by Special Forces Can Help You

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By Debbie Gregory.

When it comes to overcoming our daily challenges, we civilians can learn a thing or two from our elite military forces.

Our Special Forces are masters of warfare, fitness, endurance, and preparation. Here are some of their mental preparation techniques that we can all use:

Concern yourself with just the immediate: don’t think past the next five minutes. Rather than worrying about the future, just do your best for the next five minutes.

Put your mind on autopilot- intently focus on the present and only the present. Similar to the five minute rule, don’t be concerned with what happened in the past or what the future could bring, just be present. Going on autopilot will help you succeed, regardless of the nature of the challenge in front of you.

Breathing techniques-breathe slow, breathe deep, and clear your mind. Pause, focus and slow your breathing, take several slow deep breathes, clear your mind, and focus 100% on the task at hand.

Practice makes perfect- mental rehearsals contribute to success. Mental rehearsal, also referred to as imagery perspective, is when you clearly imagine what the perfect completion of your task looks like.  This technique can set you up to actually complete the task successfully. This type of imagery is a proven technique to enhance the attainment of the behavior you imagine. These techniques improve learning, enhance performance and reduce the negative effects of stress. Relaxation and imagery provide the foundation for positive change and for relief from stress.

Act and look relaxed- even if you’re far from it! If you have to fake it until you make it, one of the best ways to manage your own stress is to make sure you project an image of personal calm, serenity, and relaxation

Utilizing some or all of these techniques can help you conquer any challenge.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Missing Black Hawk Crew Identified

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By Debbie Gregory.

The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended the active search for five crew members missing after their Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter went down during a training exercise on August 15th off the Hawaiian coast.

The Army has identified the crew as:

  • 1st Lt. Kathryn Bailey, 26, of Hope Mills, North Carolina, was an aviation officer. Her decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon and the Army Aviator Badge.
  • Chief Warrant Officer 2 Stephen Cantrell, 32, of Wichita Falls, Texas, was a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot. He received multiple decorations and awards including the Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster and the Army Achievement Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster.
  • Staff Sgt. Abigail Milam, 33, of Jenkins, Kentucky, was a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew chief. She received multiple decorations and awards including the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal and Army Good Conduct Medal with two loops.
  • Sgt. Michael Nelson, 30, of Antioch, Tennessee, was a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew chief. He received multiple decorations and awards including the Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Achievement Medal.
  • Chief Warrant Officer 3 Brian Woeber, 41, of Decatur, Alabama, was a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot. He received multiple decorations and awards including the Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and Navy Achievement Medal.

They all served with the 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division.

“I know that all the responders helping in this rescue effort join me and the rest of this division in offering the families of the missing soldiers our deepest condolences and sympathies, “ said Maj. Gen. Christopher Cavoli, commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division. “They have been and will constantly remain in our thoughts and prayers during this trying time.”

Our sincerest sympathies go out to the loved ones of these five heroes.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Troops’ Biophysical Data Could Lead to Better Weapons, Performance

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By Debbie Gregory.

Breakthroughs in biometric science mean future troops will fight with weapons that understand them,  inside and out.

The U.S. military is funding research to collect biophysical data from soldiers, sailors, Marines, and pilots in order to improve troops’ performance by understanding what’s happening inside their bodies.

The research will help develop the next generation of fighter jets, body armor, computer systems, and weapons, which will work more cohesively with those at the controls.

Pentagon-backed researchers are designing an entirely new generation of wearable health monitors that will relay valuable information about the person to whom the system is bound, including focus, alertness, health, and stress.

Over the past two years, the military has purchased more than $2 million worth of biomedical tracking devices. But it turns out that off-the-shelf consumer devices, such as Fitbits, aren’t good enough for the military’s biotracking ambitions.

That’s why researchers are creating a new class of wearables, based on new research into what size electrodes are the most efficient.

One application for such sensors would be helmets that record brain activity while their wearers do their jobs. Modern fighter jets expose human bodies to physical forces that are still not entirely understood. For example, in the past, F-22 pilots reported in-flight episodes of confusion, shortness of breath, and skin-color changes, which are symptoms of hypoxia, or decreased oxygen in the blood. These symptoms were due to speed.

Beyond helmets, Air Force researchers are working on a comprehensive cognitive monitoring system, one which may not need a physical sensor on the body, but rather the information would be gathered using cameras.

In fact, one research project configured a laptop camera lenses to detect hemoglobin oxygenation, which lets you read a person’s heart rate from a distance.

Sensors can also detect changes in metabolism that indicate weariness and stress before the person notices.

These innovations are making their way into actual gear and weapons. By 2020, Navy SEAL teams and Army Rangers could take down high-value targets while wearing an exoskeleton that’s earned the nickname ‘Iron Man.’

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Air Force Seeks More Authority to Deal With Civilian Drones

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By Debbie Gregory.

The head of the U.S. Air Force’s Air Combat Command wants permission to deal with civilian drones—including shooting them down

Gen. Mike Holmes, the head of Air Combat Command (ACC), is trying to remedy the problem of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) that are flown near a military airfield.

Holmes reported that back in July, there were two such incidents on the same day.

“At one base, the gate guard watched one fly over the top of the gate check, tracked it while it flew over the flight line for a little while, and then flew back out and left, and I have no authority given to me by the government to deal with that.”

In a second incident, an F-22 Raptor had a “near collision” with a small UAS. The ACC commander was left with few options.

Flying drones within five miles of a U.S. base without getting permission from that installation is already illegal, but actually taking action against them is a federal matter, and only federal civilian agencies can jam drones.

When a civil aircraft enters a restricted airspace, the military can make sure that the pilot faces consequences from the FAA, such as a fine or losing his or her license.

But that’s more difficult with small unmanned systems. While the espionage aspect is a given, there is always the threat of a terrorist or state-sponsored drone swarm attack crippling an air base.

“Imagine a world where somebody flies a couple hundred of those and flies one down the intake of all my F-22s with just a small weapon on it? I need the authorities to deal with that,” Holmes said.

If General Holmes has his way, Air Force security police may soon be carrying weapons such as the Battelle DroneDefender, which utilizes a non-kinetic solution to defend airspace against UASs without compromising safety or risking collateral damage.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Veteran’s Global War on Terror Memorial Moving Forward

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By Debbie Gregory.

It’s been a few years since former Army Aviation Officer Andrew Brennan began his quest to ensure veterans of the Global War on Terror have a memorial in Washington, D.C.

But, finally, the Pittsburgh veteran’s effort to memorialize his comrades’ sacrifices is set to move forward.

The stumbling block has been the 1986 Commemorative Works Acts, which requires a war to be over for 10 years before a memorial can be built.

On August 3, 2017, the Senate cleared the way for the Global War on Terrorism memorial, unanimously passing the first bill in recent history approving a national war memorial before the fighting is over. The bill cleared the House on July 28th.

For those who have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001, the memorial will be a place to honor their dead and wounded, even as those numbers continue to climb.

“Ten years from the end of never … is always never,” Brennan said as he testified at a congressional hearing.

The bill now goes to the White House, where Brennan said staff have assured him it has the president’s support.

The next step is a detailed 24-step bureaucratic process that will include choosing a site, which could take two years; selecting a design through competition, which could take up to three years; and constructing the memorial.

The memorial will include six themes: endurance, sacrifice, all-volunteer, global, multicultural and unfinished.

The foundation has raised about $300,000 so far, but it is estimated the project will run $40 to $50 million to staff, plan, design and construct the project. Brennan said he expects the memorial to be built by 2024.

“This memorial will be wholly dedicated to our 7,000 brothers and sisters who deployed with us but did not return, and their survivors,” Brennan said. “It is dedicated to the 1 million wounded warriors who are reclaiming their lives back here at home. It is for the soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines who struggle in their transition from combat deployments.”

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.


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