EDUCATION PROMOTES READINESS 8 | STATE LAUNCHES SPACE FORCE 24 - MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL ...

 
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EDUCATION PROMOTES READINESS 8 | STATE LAUNCHES SPACE FORCE 24 - MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL ...
Education Promotes Readiness 8 | State Launches Space Force 24
EDUCATION PROMOTES READINESS 8 | STATE LAUNCHES SPACE FORCE 24 - MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL ...
PUBLISHER
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Letter From

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    THE EDITOR
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     THE ADJUTANT
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       GENERAL

          FEATURES
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Leave A Legacy

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                by the various public affairs teams
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                throughout our state; Mississippi Na-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                tional Guard State Public Affairs Office,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                the 102nd Mobile Public Affairs De-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                tachment, the 186th Air Refueling Wing,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                the 172nd Airlift Wing, Camp Shelby
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Joint Forces Training Center, the Com-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                bat Readiness Training Center, and your
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Unit Public Affairs Representative. As                    EDITOR
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                a combined initiative, it is our mission        Lt. Col. Deidre D. Smith
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                to ensure we tell the stories of our            Director of Public Affairs
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                talented and diverse Mississippi Army
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                and Air National Guard service men                    ASSISTANT EDITOR
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                and women.                                          Mr. Daniel Szarek
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   We come from a long line of patri-         Dep. Director of Public Affairs
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                ots in this great state. Members of
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                the Mississippi Army and Air National                 GRAPHIC DESIGNER
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Guard represent less than one percent                Ms. Chelsy Ables
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                of our total state population! The
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                dynamic part of this statistical data                      STAFF
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                is that currently, there are Mississippi              Capt. Terry Hill
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Army and Air National Guard service                  Sgt. Scott Tynes
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    “Iron sharpens iron, so one person          members , whom are actively serving               Sgt. Michael Needham
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    sharpens another”                           and live in every county in the state. I             Spc. Jovi Prevot
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      ~ Proverbs 27:17          am so thankful that I too am ‘Mississip-           Ms. Danielle Thomas
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                pi Made.’
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       As comrades in arms, we have sever-         So, as we continue our distinguished
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    al opportunities to share our patriotism,   service throughout our state, I encour-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    acknowledge each other’s successes,         age each of you to take a vested inter-
                               8                                                           10                                                            14                                                             21
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    and celebrate our service to our nation     est in the positive impacts our service
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    and the great state of Mississippi. I am    members have on our hometowns and               FOR COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    honored to be selected as your Direc-       communities. We have the opportunity             PLEASE PHONE: 601 313 6349
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    tor of Public Affairs for the Mississippi   to share our patriotism, acknowledge
Continuing Education                          Frontier Training                                              Engineers Deploy                                              Traditional Tradesman                                    National Guard. It is my vision to          each other’s successes and celebrate
Fourth school signs mem-                      Special Forces and mili-                                       Gulf Coast engineers receive                                  Career Guardsman develops                                celebrate the service of our Soldiers       our service to our nation and the great
orandum partnering with                       tary police conduct annual                                     warm sendoff from communi-                                    skill dating back to Medieval                            and Airmen. It is my goal to promote        state of Mississippi. I am truly honored
MSNG; giving Guardsmen                        training in Alaska, strength-                                  ty before heading to Middle                                   times; uses it as hobby to                               the Public Affairs’ mission – to tell the   for the chance to serve as your Direc-
the opportunity to receive                    ening state relationships and                                  East for nine-month deploy-                                   build resiliency.                                        stories of the lives you touch in our       tor of Public Affairs for the Mississippi
free tuition.                                 enhancing interoperability                                     ment supporting Operation                                                                                              communities. I want to show the citi-       National Guard. Thank you for this
                                              among our nation’s forces.                                     Inherent Resolve.                                                                                                      zens of Mississippi the heartfelt service   opportunity.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    of our service members during various          Comrades, this is your Mississippi.                   VISIT US AT
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    missions, such as emergency response        This is your time. This is your story.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    and disaster relief. Your contributions     Ladies and gentlemen of the Missis-                     ms.ng.mil/
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    are vital during deployments, missions,     sippi National Guard, it is time to put          or the following Social
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    and training. It’s important to recognize   Mississippi in the forefront, it is time to        Network sites under
  The Guard Detail is the official magazine of the Mississippi National Guard. It is published three times a year with a circulation of approximately                                                                               and appreciate the sacrifices our Fami-     ‘LEAVE A LEGACY!’                               Mississippi National Guard
12,300 copies and also distributed online via the Mississippi National Guard web and Facebook pages. Opinions expressed herein are not                                                                                              lies make to support us throughout our
necessarily those of the Army, Air Force, Army National Guard, Air National Guard or the Department of Defense.                                                                                                                     military service.
   Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Office of Public Affairs, Joint Force Headquarters, Mississippi, State of Mississippi                                                                                     As I embark on this new journey          Lt. Col. Deidre D. Smith
Military Department.                                                                                                                                                                                                                with a team of talented public affairs      Editor-in Chief
   All photographs and graphic devices are copyrighted to the State of Mississippi, Military Department unless otherwise indicated.                                                                                                 professionals, I encourage each of you
   All submissions should pertain to the Mississippi National Guard and are subject to editing. Contributions and reader comments should be                                                                                         to share your stories for publication
sent to: ng.ms.msarng.list.public-affairs@mail.mil.

COVER PHOTO:            Universities across Mississippi joined the adjutant general of Mississippi, Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles, in signing a memorandum of understanding providing free undergraduate tuition to their respective
                        universities for Mississippi National Guard members. Mississippi State University President Dr. Mark Keenum (Top Left), Mississippi University for Women President Mrs. Nora Miller (Top Right), Jackson
                        State University President Dr. William B. Bynum, Jr. (Bottom Left), and University of Southern Mississippi President Dr. Rodney D. Bennett (Bottom Right).
EDUCATION PROMOTES READINESS 8 | STATE LAUNCHES SPACE FORCE 24 - MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL ...
SNAPSHOTS

Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles, the adjutant
general of Mississippi, talks to Soldiers
in the 1387th Quartermaster Company,
184th Sustainment Command, during
exercise Ardent Sentry at Camp McCain,
Mississippi on May 29. Ardent Sentry
is a North American Aerospace Defense
Command and U.S. Northern Command
exercise focused on defense support of
civil authorities during a simulated New
Madrid Seismic Zone earthquake. Ardent
Sentry helps build interagency relation-
ships to prepare for possible severe earth-
quakes. (U.S. Army National Guard photo
by Pfc. Christopher Shannon)

       Scan the QR code to view
            Ardent Sentry.
EDUCATION PROMOTES READINESS 8 | STATE LAUNCHES SPACE FORCE 24 - MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL ...
Colonel
Billy F. Murphy

MSNG Modernization
   On July 1, Governor Phil            I will be establishing a
Bryant signed an executive          Space Task Force in order
order establishing a Space          to conduct mission analysis
Directorate in the Mississippi      on the different facets in
National Guard so “that our         the space program – control,
state is prepared to respond to     operations, electronic warfare,                                                                                      Mississippi National Guard equipment is staged at the Grenada Airfield
ever-changing national security     and early warning to name a                                                                                          hangar located at the Grenada Municipal Airport where the 2nd Battalion,
threats and ensure that our         few. This group will determine                                                                                       185th Aviation Brigade recently finalized a lease on 25 acres for use in
                                                                                                                                                         training and air traffic control. (U.S. Army National Guard Photo by Pfc.
Mississippi National Guard          what types of equipment,                                                                                             Micah Longmire)
members continue to play a          facilities and training are nec-
critical role in the protection     essary to accomplish specific
of this country in the 21st         objectives. We will identify
century.”                           the skillsets for personnel and
   I have the honor of being
named the first director for
this endeavor. As I began
                                    define the right space mission
                                    for the state. Additionally, we
                                    are charged with developing
                                                                                                  The Mississippi National Guard Acquires
researching the different           personnel that will be able to
missions of the United States
Space Command, I quickly
                                    augment current space squad-
                                    rons and elements across the
                                                                                                  Operational Site at the Grenada Municipal Airport
learned that this project has       enterprise during deployments
the potential to be an excep-       and existing operations.
tional mission for the State of        These are exciting times for    Story by Pfc. Micah Longmire                                        operations. Federal Aviation Administration guidelines dictate
Mississippi.                        the men and women of the           102d Mobile Public Affairs Detachment                               that the equipment used by the 2nd Battalion, 185th Aviation
   One of the first documents       Mississippi National Guard.                                                                            Brigade cannot be used near large airports because of func-
I explored was the Space            We now have an opportunity            The Mississippi National Guard recently acquired 25 acres        tional conflicts. Therefore, the unit is restricted to operating
Threat Assessment 2019 from         in this state to move forward      of the Grenada Municipal Airport, following negotiations that       at full capacity either in Grenada or New Albany.
the Center for Strategic &          in this frontier battlespace,      began with the city in 2017. The facility will be utilized for          The airport saw increased military use during the train-
International Studies. I soon       work with cutting edge private     training, weather-safe storage, and air traffic control for mil-    ing exercise known as Ardent Sentry at Camp McCain, and
learned that satellites are         industry, and affect homeland      itary and civilian purposes.                                        the equipment ran at full capacity to receive aircraft vital to
vulnerable to a wide array          defense capabilities. As we            The Greater Grenada Partnership facilitated and finalized       the exercise. Ardent Sentry is a North American Aerospace
of intentional threats from         explore the vast realm that        the agreement as a long-term lease that will serve as a mul-        Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command exercise fo-
numerous countries around           is space and understand the        tipurpose operations center for Camp McCain.                        cused on defense support of civil authorities during a simu-
the world. Most people don’t        complexities and intricacies          The annex allows the Mississippi National Guard to have a        lated New Madrid Seismic Zone earthquake.
realize how much we rely on         that these missions entail, I      permanent footprint for training and increases the capabilities        In addition to exercises, the capabilities provided by the
satellites today. The United        am confident we will spawn         of Camp McCain - which allows for total unit readiness, said        annex promote Camp McCain’s readiness to respond to emer-
States is extremely dependent       true space professionals among     Col. Rick Weaver, the garrison commander of Camp McCain.            gencies and execute missions, while supporting cooperation
on space both economically          our ranks and lay a foundation         Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 185th Aviation Brigade are       between the military and its local partners.
and militarily. Satellites enable   for future growth.                 serving their state and the city of Grenada by providing qual-
our televisions, telecommuni-                                          ified air traffic controllers and permanent equipment such as
cations, worldwide networks,                                           radars and a control tower. This not only allows for increased
and Global Positioning Systems      Billy F. Murphy                    safety in aerial operations, but will also allow for more air
(GPS). If the United States         Vice Commander                     traffic, which may help stimulate the economy of Grenada.
loses any contest in the space      186th Air Operations Group             The airport is used as a recurring site for military train-
battlefield, the risk to our        Mississippi Air National Guard     ing, but when operations were to begin, equipment had to be
national security would be                                             carried in each time, which led to maintenance issues during
substantial.                                                           long-term stays, said Lt. Col. Ashley Sullivan, commander of
   There are many threats                                              the 2nd Battalion, 185th Aviation Brigade.
to our assets in space from                                                 Due to the annex and available space, infrastructure is
counter space weapons. The                                             planned to be built that provides a permanent station to main-
types of weapons can be                                                tain the Mississippi National Guard’s equipment.
kinetic physical, non-kinetic                                             It’s a large enough area to be able to house equipment, yet
physical, electronic, and cyber.                                       this infrastructure will not interfere with the civilian or local    Lt. Col. Ashley Sullivan, (Right) commander of 2nd Battalion, 185th Aviation
                                                                                                                                            Regiment, greets Maj. Gen. Janson Boyles, the adjutant general of Mississippi,
The sophistication of these                                            traffic at all, said Sullivan.                                       and Brig. Gen. Stanley Budraitis, commander, 66th Troop Command, at the
weapons has to be researched                                               The annex is not only beneficial to the airport due to fed-      Grenada Municipal Airport, May 29. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by
                                                                                                                                            PFC Austin Eldridge)
comprehensively so they                                                eral funding, but it is also necessary for the Guard’s long-term
can be defeated in a timely
manner.
                                                                                                                                                                                ng.ms.msarng.list.public-affairs@mail.mil | 7
EDUCATION PROMOTES READINESS 8 | STATE LAUNCHES SPACE FORCE 24 - MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL ...
MSNG Public Affairs

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Mississippi National Guard. We have to be ready at a mo-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     ment’s notice to go defend this country all over the world,”
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     said Boyles.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                      “Developing sound leaders is a
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      cornerstone of readiness in the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     military. This program allows us
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      to develop leadership through
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     partnering with our universities.”
                                                                                                                                                                                                                               - Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Adjutant General of Mississippi

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         More than 50 Army and Air National Guardsmen, re-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     cruiters, senior leaders, and USM cadets were present for
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     the ceremony. Many of them are grateful for the program,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     not just for the monetary advantage, but because it helps
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     relieve some of the stress associated with university life.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        “I think it’s a great deal right now for everybody that’s
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     in the National Guard,” said Devonte Wells, USM Reserve
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadet. “We don’t have to
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     worry about tuition anymore and basically just focus on
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     school.”
                                                                                                                                       The signing of the USM Golden Eagle Free Tuition memorandum was held             Wells, from Brandon, will commission as a second lieu-

USM, MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL GUARD
                                                                                                                                       at the University of Southern Mississippi’s historic Ogletree Alumni House.   tenant in the Mississippi Army National Guard upon grad-
                                                                                                                                       The Ogletree House was built in 1912 and is now home to the USM Alumni
                                                                                                                                       Association. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Jovi Prevot)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     uation in May 2020. He currently serves with the 857th
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Engineer Company based in Picayune.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         The University of Southern Mississippi is the fourth

ANNOUNCE GOLDEN EAGLES FREE TUITION PROGRAM                                                                                                                                                                          institute of higher learning to form a program partnership
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     with the MSNG in offering free tuition to Guardsmen. With
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     notable alumni including retired Army Maj. Gen. Jeffrey W.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Hammond; Senator and retired Army Col. Ronald Rabin;
    Dr. Rodney D. Ben-                                                                                                                                                                                               and Astronaut and retired Army Brig. Gen. Robert L. Stew-
    nett, president of the          Story by Mr. Daniel Szarek                       credit hours per semester); in good standing                                                                                    art, the legacy of serving the nation runs deep in Southern
    University of Southern          JFH-MS Public Affairs Office                     with their unit; must not be within one year                                                                                    Miss pride.
    Mississippi, and Maj.
    Gen. Janson D. Boyles,                                                           of their end of term of service, and must                                                                                           “Military service to our country is among the highest
    the adjutant general of             The Mississippi National Guard and the       maintain a 2.0 GPA to remain eligible.                                                                                          forms of patriotism and selflessness, and we take our role
    Mississippi, sign a memo-
    randum of understanding         University of Southern Mississippi signed an        Once a student is approved for the State                                                                                     as a military friendly institution seriously,” said Bennett. “I
    establishing the Gold-          agreement July 31 allowing the state’s Citizen   Educational Assistance Program (SEAP), the                                                                                      could not be more proud to partner with the Mississippi
    en Eagle Free Tuition           Soldiers and Airmen to receive free tuition      university of choice receives a solid portion                                                                                   National Guard to support the educational goals of the
    Program at the Ogletree
    Alumni House in Hat-            for their continuing education needs.            of tuition for each service member in propor-                                                                                   men and women whose service and sacrifice protects our
    tiesburg. July 31. USM               Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles, the adju-       tion to all other state-supported universities.                                                                                 state and our country through the establishment of the
    is the fourth Mississippi       tant general of Mississippi, and Dr. Rodney      The chosen university will then combine all                                                                                     Golden Eagle Free Tuition Program.” #SMTTT
    university to join an ini-
    tiative offering free tuition   D. Bennett, president of the USM, signed         other benefits the student has and/or quali-
    to eligible Mississippi         a memorandum of understanding for the            fies for to ensure the student graduates with
    Air and Army National
    Guardsmen. (U.S. Army           Golden Eagle Free Tuition Program at the         a zero-tuition balance.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            SCAN HERE
    National Guard photo by         Ogletree Alumni House on the university’s            The free tuition program is designed to
    Spc. Jovi Prevot)               campus in Hattiesburg.                           help improve and maintain MSNG readiness
                                       The memorandum of understanding builds        and education, and to help increase recruit-
                                    on current National Guard education bene-        ing efforts throughout the state. Much like
                                    fits creating an opportunity for Mississippi
                                    Army and Air National Guard service mem-
                                    bers to reach their educational goals as they
                                                                                     military education, civilian and higher ed-
                                                                                     ucation is instrumental in the growth and
                                                                                     advancement of service members and adds
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            FOR VIDEO
                                    continue to serve. In order to be eligible for   value to the total Soldier/Airman concept         Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles, the adjutant general of Mississippi, discusses
                                    free tuition, a service member must be a         within the Guard.                                 the Golden Eagle Free Tuition Program during the signing ceremony. (U.S.
                                    full-time undergraduate student (at least 12         “Readiness is our constant goal for the       Army National Guard photo by Spc. Jovi Prevot)

8 | Guard Detail Summer 2019 ms.ng.mil                                                                                                                                                                                                             ng.ms.msarng.list.public-affairs@mail.mil | 9
EDUCATION PROMOTES READINESS 8 | STATE LAUNCHES SPACE FORCE 24 - MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL ...
MSNG Public Affairs

MS Guardsmen
Take on The Last Frontier
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Left: Sgt. Cody Barber, 114th Military
Story and photos by Sgt. Shawn Keeton     of training in Alaska, Soldiers were ex-    in numerous training venues that chal-          “Being away from Camp Shelby,           “Some Soldiers don’t have the oppor-     Police Company, Mississippi Army Na-
102d Mobile Public Affairs Detachment     cited about a change of scenery for         lenged each and every person. These       which is our natural training environ-     tunity to travel outside Mississippi, so    tional Guard, fires the M2A1 .50 cali-
                                          their training site. Several training op-   events included a field training exer-    ment, causes us to have control of all     coming to Alaska is all a lot of them       ber machine gun, at Fort Richardson,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Alaska, July 17. The unit performed
    When Mississippi Guardsmen think      portunities were scheduled to improve       cise, land navigation, military opera-    of our planning and we have to own         have been talking about,” Krisle said.      range operations as part of their
of annual training, several different     the unit’s readiness ahead of their up-     tions in urban terrain training, range    it,” he said.                              “A change of scenery and training site      three-week annual training.
thoughts surface. Some think of long,     coming overseas deployment.                 operations, tactical combat casualty            The Soldiers were excited about      is good for unit morale overall.”           Middle: Soldiers from the 114th
hot summer days at Camp Shelby. Oth-          “We have been hard charging try-        care, a nine-mile company hike and        the opportunity to test their skills in        As the training progressed, the Sol-    Military Police Company, Mississip-
ers may think of cold mornings on a       ing to get ready for this deployment,”      an eight-mile company ruck march.         this unique location. Land navigation      diers of the 114th hit their stride as a    pi Army National Guard, perform
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       military operations in urban terrain
firing range at Camp McCain. Howev-       said Capt. Margaret Krisle, 114th com-         “The Soldiers know Camp McCain         proved to be particularly challenging      cohesive unit. This will prove beneficial   (MOUT) training at Fort Richardson,
er, the July 2019 annual training for     mander. “Alaska has challenged us in a      and Camp Shelby pretty well,” Krisle      for some.                                  when the unit deploys later this year.      Alaska July 16. The MOUT site
the 114th Military Police Company         way we weren’t expecting. It gave us        said. “This is a wakeup call for them          “The terrain is a lot thicker here,       “We are going to be with each oth-      exercise was part of the unit’s annual
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       training in preparation for an over-
will be one the Soldiers will not soon    a way to realize our faults and correct     as far as mission planning. They have     and there are more obstacles prevent-      er for roughly 11 months. Building the      seas deployment later this year.
forget.                                   them.”                                      to rely on the basics to make sure they   ing direct movements,” said Staff Sgt.     bonds now with each other will help
    Soldiers of the 114th MP Co., from       The annual training marked Krisle’s      are prepared to run their missions.       Ryan Rall, 1st Plt. platoon sergeant.      tremendously once we get overseas,”         Right: Soldiers with the 114th Military
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Police Company, Mississippi Army Na-
Clinton, boarded a C-17 at the 172d       third year in command of the 114th          They couldn’t base their knowledge        “The Soldiers have to work as a team       said Spc. Willie O’Reilly.                  tional Guard, perform tactical combat
Airlift Wing in Flowood, Mississippi,     MP Company.                                 off of previous experience.”              to be successful.”                           Company leaders said the 2019 annu-       casualty care training (TCCC) on July
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       19, at Fort Richardson, Alaska.
July 6, and flew to Fort Richardson,        The training was a combined MSNG            “Alaska has allowed the unit to have        The 23-day training allowed the Sol-   al training in Alaska helped strengthen
Alaska. Over 70 Soldiers from the         effort with the 114th MPs and Com-          more small group leader time,” said       diers to explore Alaska through group      the readiness of the unit and prepare
four-platoon company attended the         pany E, 20th Special Forces Group.          Sgt. 1st Class Tarance Spann, 2nd Plt.    hikes and exercises. For many, this was    them for the mission ahead.
annual training. Slated for three weeks   The Soldiers were able to participate       platoon sergeant, 114th MP Co.            their first time in the 49th state.

10 | Guard Detail Summer 2019 ms.ng.mil                                                                                                                                                                                  ng.ms.msarng.list.public-affairs@mail.mil | 11
EDUCATION PROMOTES READINESS 8 | STATE LAUNCHES SPACE FORCE 24 - MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL ...
MSNG Public Affairs

                                                                                                                                                         Each MPT performance was conducted at differ-
                                                                                                                                                         ent locations. Locations including entertainment/
                                                                                                                                                         community centers, Flying V Ceremonies at Scho-
                                                                                                                                                         field Barracks, a veteran’s shelter and a change
                                                                                                                                                         of command aboard the U.S.S. Missouri for the
                                                                                                                                                         commander of the Defense Information Systems
                                                                                                                                                         Agency (DISA) Pacific Theater.
                                                                                                                                                             “The key note speaker at this ceremony was
                                                                                                                                                         Vice Admiral Nancy A. Norton and it was held
                                                                                                                                                         on the battleship, the U.S.S. Missouri - the same
                                                                                                                                                         battleship where Japan surrendered to the United
                                                                                                                                                         States and ended World War 2. We had a picture
                                                                                                                                                         of the band taken with her,” Kirk said.
                                                                                                                                                            Many performances were a collaboration with
                                                                                                                                                         the 111th Hawaii Army National Guard Band.

                                                                                                                                                            “This made cross-training very
                                                                                                                                                          possible, so we were able to plan
                                                                                                                                                                                                                Sgt. 1st Class Terry Miller leads the 41st Mississippi Army National Guard Band during their Pearl Harbor
                                                                                                                                                          missions with them while perform-                     Performance July 18. The band joined with the 111th Hawaii Army National Guard Band during their
                                                                                                                                                                                                                annual training in Hawaii. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Victoria Miller)
                                                                                                                                                          ing as an active duty band. This is
                                                                                                                                                         something that only National Guard
                                                                                                                                                                   bands can do. ”
                                                                Soldiers of the 41st Mississippi Army National Guard Band pose with Vice Admiral Nancy
                                                                Norton aboard the U.S.S. Missouri in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii July 16. The band played
                                                                                                                                                            - Chief Warrant Officer 3 Casey Kirk
                                                                at the change of command ceremony for Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA)
                                                                during their annual training. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Victoria Miller)           41st Army Band Commander
                                                                                                                                                             “Our unit was recently rated as one of the
                                                                                                                                                         top performing Army National Guard Bands in
                                                                                                                                                         the country as a result of our last Organizational

Mississippi Band
                                                                                                                                                         Readiness Exercise, a Department of the Army
                                                                                                                                                         evaluation that happens every 5 to 6 years for us.
                                                                                                                                                         One recommendation that was made to us was
                                                                                                                                                         that the unit be taken out more so we can per-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                Soldiers of the 111th Hawaii Army National Guard Band and the 41st Mississippi Army National Guard Band
                                                                                                                                                         form as an active duty band and collaborate with       pose inside the rehearsal room in Honolulu, July 16. The two bands collaborated on multiple performances

Conducts Pearl Harbor Performance
                                                                                                                                                         other NG bands to assist them in performance of        during their annual training in Hawaii. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Victoria Miller)
                                                                                                                                                         their missions,” Kirk said.
                                                                                                                                                             Staff Sgt. James Weary, a former active duty
                                                                                                                                                         Soldier, said “this training is like a smaller scale
                                                                                                                                                         deployment. It follows all the same concepts (be-
Story by Sgt. Scott Tynes and Spc. Victoria Miller            was that the entire band for the U.S.S. Arizona was killed                                 cause) it is the direct reflection of what active
JFH-MS Public Affairs Office                                  that day. So being able to perform there, right across                                     duty Soldiers do when they mobilize for a full
                                                              from where they perished, was just haunting. It’s an ex-                                   deployment. Moving troops, moving equipment,
    The Mississippi 41st Army National Guard Band was         perience I know my guys will remember for the rest of                                      and going to a different area of operations.”
given a unique and rare opportunity this July when its 37     their lives.”                                                                                  Kirk said many people assumed the 41st per-
Soldiers went to Hawaii for annual training; performing          The band kicked off its annual training in Camp Shelby                                  formed at Army functions on a regular basis.
and building relationships with other Army bands.             and completed its training in Hawaii. The training was                                        “We had several spectators (at the Pearl Harbor
    The highlight of the tour was a performance at the        centered on missions typically performed by the 25th and                                   memorial) that didn’t know we were a Nation-
Pearl Harbor National Memorial and performing with            111th bands, both based in Hawaii.                                                         al Guard Band, nor that this was something the
their National Guard counterparts in the 111th Hawaii            “To come in and have the ability to play on national                                    National Guard could do - they had assumed we
Army Band and the active duty 25th Infantry Division          historical landmarks and memorials. It was a tremendous                                    were an active duty Army band,” Kirk said. “It
Band.                                                         building exercise,” said Sgt. Joe Raymond.                                                 was educational to them to learn that the Na-
  “Playing at Pearl Harbor is a military band commander’s        In many other performances the band performed in                                        tional Guard can do exactly what our active duty
bucket-list wish,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Casey Kirk,   their individual groups, or musical performance teams                                      counterparts can do.”
commander of the 41st Army Band. “My Soldiers were            (MPT’s). The teams enable the band to perform modular                                      The 41st Band consists of members from all
just in awe of the entire park and the significance of it.    performances at the same time. They are known as the                                       across the state and includes many who are band
We specifically tailored our selections to honor those that   Jackson Regiment (rock band), Magnolia Brass (brass                                        directors or musical instructors in their Civilian     Members of the 41st Mississippi Army National Guard band play a show at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, July
had perished and served there, as well as the veterans        quintet/ceremonial), Crooked Lettas Brass Band (dixie                                      lives.                                                 18. The band played a set highlighting songs from the pre-WWII time period to honor the history of Pearl
that went on to fight the war. One thing that struck me       land style brass band), and Category VI (jazz combo).                                                                                             Harbor. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Victoria Miller)

12 | Guard Detail Summer 2019 ms.ng.mil                                                                                                                                                                                                                        ng.ms.msarng.list.public-affairs@mail.mil | 13
EDUCATION PROMOTES READINESS 8 | STATE LAUNCHES SPACE FORCE 24 - MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL ...
MSNG Public Affairs

                                                                                                                                                                                                       emony for the company on June 22. Family, friends, and com-
                                                                                                                                                                                                       munity members listened as Mayor Dane Maxwell read a procla-
                                                                                                                                                                                                       mation naming Saturday, June 29, 2019, Hometown Heroes Day.
                                                                                                                                                                                                          “We realize the job they have to do. It’s not an easy one,” said
                                                                                                                                                                                                       Maxwell. “They keep the bad guys away from us so the least we
                                                                                                                                                                                                       can do is show our support. We look forward to seeing them
                                                                                                                                                                                                       come home soon.”
                                                                                                                                                                                                          The family of Sgt. Matthew Riley feels reassured after seeing
                                                                                                                                                                                                       so many friends and community members come out to show
                                                                                                                                                                                                       support and extend their well wishes.
                                                                                                                                                                                                          “The ceremony was very nice, and I thought all the speakers
                                                                                                                                                                                                       did a great job,” said Bethany Riley, wife of Sgt. Matthew Riley.
                                                                                                                                                                                                       “This will be his first deployment since we’ve been married, and I
                                                                                                                                                                                                       feel like the Mississippi National Guard has prepared us as much
                                                                                                                                                                                                       as we can be prepared for the separation.”
                                                                                                                                                                                                          As the 859th left the Pascagoula armory in a convoy, residents
                                                                                                                                                                                                       lined the streets waving American flags and signs with messages
                                                                                                                                                                                                       of love and encouragement.
                                                                                                                                                                                                           “It brought tears to my eyes. I didn’t realize how much sup-
                                                                                                                                                                                                       port we have,” said Jones. “They celebrated us and wished us
                                                                                                                                                                                                       success in accomplishing our mission. So many people came out
                                                                                                                                                                                                       whether they knew us or not, and whether they had a Soldier
                                                                                                                                                                                                       leaving or not.”
                                                                                                                                                                                                           After the engineers left Pascagoula and jumped on a plane
                                                                                                                                                                                                       out of Gulfport, they arrived at Fort Bliss to begin the strenuous

Engineers Answer the Call
                                                                                                                                                                                                       mobilization training and familiarization necessary for maximum
                                                                                                                                                                                                       readiness.
                                                                                                                                      Top: Sgt. Mario Rancatore, a team leader assigned to 3rd            Although the 859th began preparing for this deployment over
                                                                                                                                      Platoon, 859th Engineer Company, secures cross-bracing for       a year ago, Hope says training has taken on a different feel since
                                                                                                                                      a guard tower at McGregor Range Complex, New Mexico,
                                                                                                                                      July 25. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Timothy Gray, 5th AR     leaving Mississippi.
                                                                                                                                      BDE)                                                                “I will say once you are on ground for mobilization, not being
                                                                                                                                      Bottom: Sgt. Cord Dearman, a carpenter assigned to 3rd Pla-      able to return home at night after a training day changes your
                                                                                                                                      toon, 859th Engineer Company, Mississippi National Guard,        mindset a good deal. It is hard to leave home, and that’s one
Story by Ms. A. Danielle Thomas                        “The Soldiers over there need a place to lay                                   inspects his vehicle before starting a training mission at Mc-   of the first things that really hits you other than the training,”
                                                                                                                                      Gregor Range Complex, New Mexico, July 25. The engineers
JFH-MS Public Affairs Office (Gulfport Bureau)      their heads down, a place to eat, and a place                                     are training and validating in preparation for an upcoming       Hope said. “These Soldiers all have Family that they love and
                                                    to relax,” said 1st Sgt. Brian Rubino, company                                    deployment. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Timothy Gray)         miss. It really shows the sacrifice that these men and women
    Mississippi Army National Guardsmen will        first sergeant. “So, that’s what we will build                                                                                                     are making.”
serve nine months in the Middle East after a        for them.”
short stop in Texas to prepare for the phys-           Specialist Lauren Jones is deploying for the
ically and mentally challenging conditions          first time and describes it as bittersweet. She’s
they’ll face. The 859th Engineer Company            excited to encounter new experiences, but it’s
(Vertical) trained at Ft. Bliss in various tacti-   hard not being with her son.
cal and technical construction exercises. Since        “It will be difficult being away from my fam-
this is the first deployment for many of the        ily,” said Jones. “But I have a great group of
Soldiers, Capt. Matthew Hope, 859th company         people I’m deploying with. I look forward to
commander, said it’s critical to strengthen their   experiencing many teachable moments with
ability to operate in an austere environment.       them.”
     “We are a vertical unit, meaning we pri-          The Guardsmen say the gestures of support
marily focus on [the] construction of buildings     they received from their leadership and com-
to include carpentry, masonry, plumbing, and        munity before leaving Mississippi will make
electrical,” said Hope. “The Soldiers are being     the separation easier. The 890th Engineer           Staff Sgt. Keiane Magee,
trained to live and work in climate and dif-        Battalion commander, Lt. Col. Chris Thomas,         platoon sergeant for 3rd
                                                                                                        Platoon, 859th Engineer
ficult conditions that are similar to the U.S.      visited the Gulfport Combat Readiness Train-        Company, briefs his
Central Command (USCENTCOM) areas of                ing Center to shake the hand of every Soldier       platoon about the training
operation. These Soldiers are out in the heat       about to board the planes for Texas.                mission at McGregor
                                                                                                        Range Complex, New
and all types of desert, by design, to push them       “I think it’s important for the deploying Sol-   Mexico, July 25. The engi-
to their limits.”                                   diers to see the command team interested in         neers are training and val-
                                                                                                        idating in preparation for
    Once the approximately 160 Soldiers arrive      how they are doing before they ship out,” said      an upcoming deployment.
in the Middle East, they’ll serve as part of Op-    Thomas. “We need to reassure them we are            (U.S. Army photo by Staff
eration Inherent Resolve. Their skills will be      watching over them and making sure they have        Sgt. Timothy Gray)
used to construct facilities for U.S. and coa-      everything they need to be successful.”
lition forces.                                         The city of Pascagoula hosted a sendoff cer-

14 | Guard Detail Summer 2019 ms.ng.mil                                                                                                                                                                                                 ng.ms.msarng.list.public-affairs@mail.mil | 15
EDUCATION PROMOTES READINESS 8 | STATE LAUNCHES SPACE FORCE 24 - MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL ...
MSNG Public Affairs

YELLOW RIBBON
Keeps Families Strong
Story and photos by Capt. Terry Hill         with the G.I. Bill and Tuition Assistance   Companies from across
JFH-MS Public Affairs Office                 Soldiers earn as a member of the Na-        Mississippi participated in a
                                                                                         job fair at a Yellow Ribbon
                                             tional Guard. These benefits continue       Reintegration Program in
    An overseas deployment in the Na-        to grow as multiple academic institu-       Tupelo. Recently deployed
                                                                                         Soldiers of 155th Armored
tional Guard can be a trying time for        tions across Mississippi recently signed    Brigade Combat Team
Guardsmen and their Families. The            a memorandum of understanding with          were able to interact with
anxiety leading up to departure and          the MSNG to provide Guard members           potential employers and
                                                                                         explore prospective job
the separation during may be tough,          free undergraduate tuition.                 opportunities.                  Federal government and Mississippi state entities had an opportunity   The Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program provides resources to recently
but hardships don’t always end when a            Attendees listened to sessions on                                       to share what their programs had to offer Mississippi National Guard   deployed Service Members and their families and also connects them
Soldier returns home.                        financial management ranging from re-                                       members at a Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program in Tupelo.            with potential employers.
   “I really didn’t know which direction     tirement to buying a home. Other pre-
to go. And it’s nice that a lot of people    sentations included
are there to… answer my questions,”          resources for behav-
said Spc. Brianna Irby, a Soldier with       ioral health, transi-
the Mississippi National Guard. She          tion assistance, and                                                                                                                                      knowledge gained through their military service.
described her experience at a recent         healthcare. These
Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program          invaluable resourc-                                                                                                                                          “We want to give them (Soldiers
(YRRP) event in Tupelo.                      es were not limited
   Irby, and the rest of the nearly 3,500    to Soldiers alone.                                                                                                                                          and Family) the ability to be more
Soldiers of the 155th Armored Brigade        Family      members
Combat Team, recently returned from          learned about child
                                                                                                                                                                                                           employable, to know they can
a nine-month deployment to the Middle        and youth programs                                                                                                                                          take all the skills they have in the
East in support of Operation Spartan         through the Nation-
Shield.                                      al Guard as well as                                                                                                                                        National Guard and apply them to a
  The YRRP is a Department of Defense
effort to promote the well-being of Na-
                                             the Strong Bonds
                                             program that offers
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    civilian job.”
tional Guard and Reserve members,            lodging and meals
their Families and communities by con-       for service members
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            - Kim Hart
necting them with resources throughout       and their spouses to                                                                                                                                                     Area Coordinator for
the deployment cycle.                        attend marriage en-                                                                                                                                                    Families First of Mississippi
     Nearly 1,200 Soldiers and Family        richment programs
members attended the two-day event,          throughout         the                                                                                                                                        By the end of the event, more than 50 Soldiers
one of seven held across the state. For      state.                                                                                                                                                    and Family members had interviews scheduled or
Irby, this was her first deployment, but         The job fair ap-                                                                                                                                      were already planned-hires with potential employers.
for others this was not their first expe-    peared to be one                                                                                                                                             Dr. David Anderson, a motivational speaker and
rience at a Yellow Ribbon event.             of the most pop-                                                                                                                                          counselor, provides leadership and guidance at these
  “I’ve learned a lot. There is a lot more   ular events of the                                                                                                                                        events all over the country.
I’m taking home that I wish I had learned    weekend. Federal                                                                                                                                            “A lot of it is just coaching folks up, both Soldiers
during my first deployment,” said Sgt.       and state entities,                                                                                                                                       and their Families and loved ones,” said Anderson.
1st Class James Hall, with Starkville’s      alongside     private                                                                                                                                     “Of how to navigate the deployment cycle and where
2nd Battalion, 114th Field Artillery Reg-    companies,     made                                                                                                                                       their deployment is not just a downer but could be
iment. “My life could be completely dif-     their case for at-                                                                                                                                        a time where they flourish.”
ferent now had I listened.”                  tendees to join their                                                                                                                                        Throughout Mississippi, the Yellow Ribbon Rein-
     Numerous organizations were on          team. Other organi-                                                                                                                                       tegration Program offers those resources and oppor-
hand to provide returning Soldiers and       zations provided re-                                                                                                                                      tunities to Soldiers and their families so they don’t
their Family members resources that          sume writing tips to                                                                                                                                      just flourish during deployment, but thrive during the
would help in the post-deployment tran-      help Soldiers fully                                                                                                                                       post-deployment transition period and beyond.
sition process. Colleges and universities    convey their wealth
presented programs that could be used        of experience and

16 | Guard Detail Summer 2019 ms.ng.mil                                                                                                                                                                                         ng.ms.msarng.list.public-affairs@mail.mil | 17
EDUCATION PROMOTES READINESS 8 | STATE LAUNCHES SPACE FORCE 24 - MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL ...
ceive a future space mission and could easily support
                                                                                                                                a multitude of them.”
                                                                                                                                   With Dr. Mark Esper becoming the 27th Secretary of
                                                                                                                                Defense and Gen. Mark Milley’s selection as the chair-
                                                                                                                                man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, modernization is the
                                                                                                                                top priority of leadership within the Pentagon. It is also
                                                                                                                                their central challenge.
                                                                                                                                   Artificial intelligence and information technology are
                                                                                                                                at the top of the list for developing advancements –
                                                                                                                                and the advancements they seek are out of this world.
                                                                                                                                    Establishing and maintaining a strong space pres-
                                                                                                                                ence and preparing for future operations in the cosmos
                                                                                                                                is one of the main reasons Mississippi established a             Governor Phil Bryant signs an executive order establishing a Mississippi
                                                                                                                                space-specific organization. It wasn’t a difficult deci-         Space Force within the National Guard on July 1. (Photo courtesy of
                                                                                                                                sion however; the state already has a starship state-of-         Alyssa Newton, Sun Herald)
                                                                                                                                mind with the John C. Stennis Space Center. The field
                                                                                                                                center, located in Hancock County, is NASA’s largest             taking the lead in space modernization.
                                                                                                                                rocket engine test facility and already                                       “These are exciting times for the men
                                                                                                                                has personnel from the Space Direc-                                            and women of the Mississippi National
                                                                                                                                torate working on site.                                                             Guard,” said Murphy. “I feel honored
                                                                                                                                  The directorate will include ex-                                                     to be selected as the first direc-
                                                                                                                                perts who specialize in space,                                                            tor of the space program here
                                                                                                                                mobility, and electronic warfare                                                             in Mississippi and look for-
                                                                                                                                operations and in cyber, data-                                                                 ward to future missions
                                                                                                                                link, and radio communications.                                                                  and working with our
                                                                                                                                As with any other wing/compa-                                                                     industry partners in
                                                                                                                                ny-sized element or larger, it will                                                                the state.”
                                                                                                                                have the same administrative sup-
                                                                                                                                port system with personnel and finan-
                                                                                                                                cial management specialists as
                                                                                                                                well as judge advocates
                                                                                                                                and legal aides.
                                                                        Governor Phil Bryant announced the formation of a
                                                                                                                                   The task force will
                                                                                                                                work with MSNG

Magnolia
                                                                   Mississippi National Guard Space Directorate on July 1.
                                                                                     ( Photo courtesy of Twitter/Phil Bryant)   personnel, exist-
                                                                                                                                ing space com-
                                                                                                                                mands, industry
                                                                                                                                partners and other

Space Mission
                                                                                                                                modernization-fo-
                                                                                                                                cused organizations
                                                                                                                                to leverage the skills
                                                                                                                                within the state and focus
                                                                                                                                efforts or building the stron-
                                                                                                                                gest team possible. Using the
Story by Mr. Daniel Szarek                                  space and how it must be protected,” said Bryant. “This             pre-established entities, while
JFH-MS Public Affairs Office                                day we will plant our flag and move forward in protec-              implementing new
                                                            tion. One day, you will be showing your grandchildren               technologies
   President Donald Trump signed Space Policy Direc-        this photograph.”                                                   through re-
tive-4 on Feb. 19, 2019, establishing the sixth branch        Space is a key source of gaining a strategic advantage            search
of the Armed Forces, the Space Force. On July 1, the        and the United States cannot lag behind in the second               and test-
Mississippi National Guard and state leadership made        ‘space race,’ he said. Adversaries are acting to restrict           ing, the
their own big announcement; the formation of the            America’s access but Mississippi’s Space Directorate is             Space
state’s first ever Space Directorate.                       determined to gain the advantage. The new directorate               Direc-
   During a ceremony at the INFINITY Science Center         will establish a task force to conduct mission analysis             torate will
in Pearlington, Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles, the adjutant    in order to build techniques and procedures for future              rely heavily on
general of Mississippi; Brig. Gen. Mike Nabors, assis-      missions conducted by the MSNG.                                     the task force to sup-
tant adjutant general – Air; and Col. Billy Murphy, vice       “The task force will study the personnel, equipment              port mission growth.
commander, 186th Air Operations Group, stood along-         and training requirements for a wide variety of space                   Mississippi is one of only five
side Governor Phil Bryant as he signed Executive Order      missions currently being conducted by the U.S. Air                  states with an established space
1445, establishing a Space Directorate in the Mississippi   Force Space Command and Air National Guard,” said                   mission and the only state where
National Guard.                                             Murphy, director of Mississippi Space Program. “The                 the National Guard, working with
    “[President Trump] understood the importance of         Mississippi Air National Guard is highly suitable to re-            commercial and private enterprises, is

18 | Guard Detail Summer 2019 ms.ng.mil                                                                                                         ng.ms.msarng.list.public-affairs@mail.mil | 19
stuff to practice with,” Burr said. “But they don’t
                                                                                                                                technically make really good blades. You can get
                                                                                                                                them sharp and they look pretty, but they proba-
                                                                                                                                bly won’t hold an edge very well.”
                                                                                                                                     Now Burr primarily uses leaf springs, from
                                                                                                                                automobiles, made of 5160 steel. They are com-
                                                                                                                                posed of iron, carbon and chromium. The chro-
                                                                                                                                mium gives it a little flexibility and helps in the
                                                                                                                                hardening process.
                                                                                                                                   Much of his equipment is hand-me-downs; like
                                                                                                                                the anvil received from his uncle that belonged
                                                                                                                                to his grandfather, who got it from a steel mill he
                                                                                                                                worked for in Ohio. Other things were picked up
                                                                                                                                along the way. Burr says he does not have a lot
                                                                                                                                invested in the hobby currently, but is planning to
                                                                                                                                make larger purchases, such as belt grinders and
                                                                                                                                power hammers, sometime in the future.
                                                                                                                                   To keep costs down, he sometimes even makes
                                                                                                                                his own tools. Made from two rods of rebar, the
                                                                                                                                first thing he crafted was a set of tongs for use
                                                                                                                                in the forge.
                                                                                                                                    Self-taught, Burr said he still makes a lot of
                                                                                                                                mistakes. However, one thing he learned in the
                                                                                                                                Army is that each mistake is a lesson on how to
                                                                                                                                improve his craft. He continues to watch “Forged
                                                                                                                                in Fire” and picks up a few tips “here and there.”
                                                                                                                                He has also read books and watched instruction-
                                                                                                                                al videos on YouTube. Occasionally, he gets tips
                                                                                                                                from Derek Melton, a Clinton-based “Forged in
                                                                                                                                Fire” champion, whom he met once he took up
                                                                                                                                the craft.
                                                                                                                                   “I’ve just been researching stuff like the differ-

On the Road to
                                                                                                                                ent kinds of materials and different techniques,”
                                                                                                                                he said. “The order of doing things is pretty im-
                                                                                                                                portant. I learned the hard way that you get it as
                                                                                                                                close to the dimensions that you want before you
                                                                                                                                quench it and it’s a little less time consuming to
                                                                                                                                finish it up.”

Damascus
                                                                                                                                    Quenching is the rapid cooling of a workpiece
                                                                                                                                in water, oil or air to obtain certain material prop-
                                                                                                                                erties. A type of heat treating, quenching prevents
                                                                                                                                undesired low-temperature processes from occur-
                                                                                                                                ring and hardens the blade.
                                                                                                                                   Eventually, he said he would like to learn more
                                                                                                                                advanced techniques, like Damascus. The Damas-
                                                                                                                                cus technique adds high carbon to the iron of the
                                                                                                                                metal to make a much stronger and durable com-
Story and photos by Sgt. Scott Tynes            come up with one thing that we’ve always          Top: A blade by Kevin Burr    posite. It also often includes folding and forging
                                                                                                  heats to temperature inside
JFH-MS Public Affairs Office                    wanted to do and haven’t done, and do it by       the forge.
                                                                                                                                multiple layers of metal together.
                                                the end of the year,” he said. “A lot of people                                    “Right now, I’m still just kind of refining; mak-
  It was a challenge issued during annual re-   were saying they were going back to school        Top Right: Burr quenches      ing one out of a solid piece of steel,” he said. “I
                                                                                                  a hot blade in oil after
siliency training that started a Soldier down   or learning to play an instrument. Mine was       forging the shape. The        think next I’m going to do San Mai, which is hard
a path that would bring him great happiness     (that) I’m going to make a knife by the end       tongs were the first piece    steel in the middle with some mild steel on either
and satisfaction while molding a skill.         of December. It was pretty close. I finished      he forged using two rods      side of it. My plan is to use the leaf spring in the
                                                                                                  of rebar
    Inspired by the popular History Channel     between Christmas and New Year’s.”                                              middle and then mower blades on the sides.”
show, “Forged in Fire,” Master Sgt. Kevin           The knife he made in December 2018            Bottom Right: Burr begins        Burr said he spends as much time in his shop
Burr considered forging knives about two        was a camp knife because it was relatively        the shaping process on a      as he can find, but it’s a time-consuming hobby.
                                                                                                  lawn mower blade using a
or three years ago and began slowly accu-       simple in design and could be crafted in one      grinder.                      He can’t currently imagine competing on one of
mulating materials and equipment. Howev-        piece from a lawnmower blade.                                                   his favorite shows in the near future because they
er, it was the Army resiliency class in Au-       “I started with the mower blades because                                      have to complete crafted blades in under three
gust 2018 that turned his vision into action.   they are readily available and they’re a soft-                                  hours and a completed knife within five.
   “The instructor challenged each of us to     er steel. They’re easier to work so it’s good                                        “It takes me probably 10 to 15 hours right

20 | Guard Detail Summer 2019 ms.ng.mil                                                                                                            ng.ms.msarng.list.public-affairs@mail.mil | 21
BASIC MOTORCYCLE COURSE
       MSNG Public Affairs

       now from start to finish,” he said.
       “I’m learning tricks and techniques
       to speed the process up. But it real-
       ly takes me weeks to do one because
       I only work an hour here and there
       and on the weekends off. It’s slow
       and meticulous and paying attention
       to what you’re doing. You can’t put
       wood back on a handle and you can’t
       put steel back on a blade.”
                                                                                                                                                     TRAINING COURSES BASIC TO ADVANCED
         The patience and attention to detail

                                                                                                                                                     Jackson, MS
       required are traits he learned in the
       Army, Burr said.
           “It’s just like going out and (per-
       forming routine maintenance) on a
       vehicle,” he said. “If you just go out
       there and blow through it and don’t                                                                                                           •   Sept. 7 & 8
       do a thorough job, you’re going to
       get a quarter-mile down the road
                                                           Kevin Burr displays a pair of knives he made. The camp knife on the right was the first
                                                           knife he crafted in December 2018.                                                        •   Oct. 12 & 13
       and have a breakdown. But if you
       take your time and do things right,             police units for operations overseas.             craft regardless of whether he stays
                                                                                                                                                     •   Nov. 2 & 3
       the way they’re supposed to be done,
       you’ll have a quality product at the
                                                          He started his AGR career in 2005
                                                       with the 114th and later moved to the
                                                                                                         active or retires.
                                                                                                            “I don’t know if full-time knife-mak-
                                                                                                                                                     •   Dec. 7 & 8
       end.”                                           112th Military Police Battalion. While            ing will support my mortgage, but
          The end of a career is also on his           there, Burr volunteered to mobilize               it’s definitely something I’m going to
       mind with about three years before              with the 184th Sustainment Com-                   keep doing one way or the other,” he

                                                                                                                                                     PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
       he is eligible for an active duty retire-       mand (Expeditionary) to Afghanistan               said. “This is my happy place. I can
       ment under the state’s Active Guard             in 2010. He was home from that de-                come up here and forget all about ev-
       Reserve (AGR) program.                          ployment for about a month when                   erything else. The stresses of work
            Burr enlisted in 1997 with the
       114th Military Police Company and
                                                       the 112th was mobilized to Kuwait
                                                       for nine months. Once he returned
                                                                                                         and everything else, they stay outside
                                                                                                         so I can get in the zone. I can spend       EQUIPMENT REQUIRED:
       deployed with them to Ft. Campbell,             home, he transferred back to the                  hours and before I know it the whole
       Ky., and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in               114th as the readiness NCO for a few              day is gone.”
       2002. Twenty-three days after their re-         years before taking his current job as                                                        •   Boots
                                                                                                                                                     •   Long Pants
       turn from Cuba, they deployed again             the operations NCO for 66th Troop
       to Ft. Hood in 2003. The deployments            Command.
       were to replace active duty military               Burr plans to continue refining his
                                                                                                                                                     •   Long Shirt
                                                                                                                                                     •   Gloves
                                                                                                                                                     •   Helmet

                                                                                                                                                     * Contact Unit in Lieu of Drill,
                                                                                                                                                     along with DTS, Travel & Lodging
                                                                                                                                                     State Safety Office is sponsoring
                                                                                                                                                     the Basic & Advanced Motorcycle
                                                                                                                                                     Courses

These blades have just been quenched. The top blade still shows
some of22the
           | Guard         Summer
                   Detailthe
              oil while      bottom 2019
                                    blade ms.ng.mil
                                          has been cleaned.
                                                                                                                                                           CONTACT WAYLAND.J.HAMLIN.MIL@MAIL.MIL TO REGISTER.
MSNG Public Affairs

 COLUMBIA ARMORY
 REOPENING
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Maj. Gen. Janson. D. Boyles, the adjutant general of Mississippi, speaks during the grand
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  opening of the new Columbia Army National Guard Readiness Center July 13. The center
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  was destroyed on Dec. 23, 2014, by a tornado. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Sgt. Scott Tynes)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Columbia Mayor Justin McKenzie and Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles, the adjutant general of
                                                                                                                                                                                              Courtesy Photo      Mississippi, cut the ribbon to officially reopen the Columbia Army National Guard Readiness
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Center July 13. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Scott Tynes)

Story by Sgt. Scott Tynes                    James Barry the next day.                         of two stories that are accessible on each     on. I was afraid I was going to get elec-      tant general of Mississippi, said he was            “This is what connects us to you, the
JFH-MS Public Affairs Office                       The weather had been worsening              level because the lower floor is partially     trocuted.”                                     proud to continue the tradition of Colum-        community,” he continued. “This is what
                                             steadily the morning of Dec. 23, 2014. As         buried in the natural terrain on the east-        Today, First Sgt. Harrod is the opera-      bia hosting a readiness center.                  connects us to the families and the busi-
   Hurricane Barry was moving inland on      he prepared to leave for the holiday, Sgt.        ern side and exposed on the remaining          tions NCO at the battalion headquarters                                                         nesses and the churches and the neigh-
July 14 as Soldiers and Civilians gathered   1st Class Donald Harrod, the readiness            three sides. A rise on the eastern side,       in Lucedale. He visited the new armory         “There is a great legacy here                    borhoods that we represent when we put
to celebrate the reopening of the Colum-     non-commissioned officer for Company              complete with parking, offers easy ac-         in June while final touches were still be-                                                      on this uniform to go overseas.”
bia Army National Guard Readiness Cen-       A, 150th BEB, had his plans precipitous-          cess to the building’s second floor and a      ing made.
                                                                                                                                                                                             in Columbia with this armory.                        Following the tornado, Company A
ter, which had been destroyed by Hurri-      ly changed at the time a tornado ripped           landing that overlooks the assembly hall          “It’s crazy,” he said. “It’s like walking   This has always been an engi-                    moved to Camp Shelby Joint Forces
cane Katrina in 2005 and again by a large    through Columbia.                                 in the center of the structure on the first    into the front office of a major corpora-      neering unit. It’s been both                     Training Center to await the rebuilding
tornado in 2014.                               “It pulled half the roof off the drill hall,”   floor.                                         tion. It’s going to be a magnet for a long     construction engineering and                     of their armory. Shortly thereafter, they
   The irony was not lost on those in at-    he said. “I dodged into the men’s room                When Harrod emerged from his im-           time for VIP visits.”                                                                           deployed to Kuwait with the 155th Ar-
tendance and several speakers remarked       and grabbed onto the pipes. It lifted the         promptu shelter in 2014, he was faced             Mayor Justin McKenzie agreed. He said       combat engineering. Today, it’s                  mored Brigade Combat Team in support
about how timely the circumstances           roof and set it back down. It happened            with a nightmarish sight. The armory was       it was the finest armory he had ever seen      a combat engineering unit and                    of Operation Spartan Shield and returned
were.                                        so fast. I’m glad it didn’t last any longer       in shambles and ceiling tiles floated in the   and he was proud it was located in Co-         we’re very proud of the legacy                   home this past March. The reopening
  “This was built to withstand high winds    than it did or I would have had time to           hallways.                                      lumbia.                                          we have here in Columbia.”                     was the first time Company A assembled
and to be a shelter we can use in case       think about it – like in a hurricane. It was         “It was like I was in a different place        “All of the cities around are going to                                                       as a unit in Columbia since the tornado.
of state emergencies,” said Lt. Col. Paul    very violent.”                                    and time,” he said. “The hallway and drill     be envious about this … and I’m ok with
Lyon, commander of the 150th Brigade            Storm protection was worked into the           hall were knee-deep in water and there         that,” McKenzie said to chuckles from           - Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles
Engineer Battalion (BEB). Lyon trans-        design for the new $11.6 million, 43,400          were no lights. Then the generator did         the audience.
ferred command of the unit to Lt. Col.       square foot readiness center. It consists         what it was supposed to do and came               Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles, the adju-
                                                                                                                                                                                             Adjutant General of Mississippi

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and Russia, a collision between a Russian fighter jet and an

University of Mississippi                                                                                                                       Estonian airliner, and fears of further Russian aggression
                                                                                                                                                against Estonia, a NATO member since 2004.
                                                                                                                                                   The leaders were expected to develop a draft approach to
                                                                                                                                                the situation that would provide policy options to the U.S.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         “The Mississippi National Guard Lecture Series is a
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         professional development program used to prepare
                                                                                                                                                National Security Council. Some questions included how to
                                                                                                                                                de-escalate the situation while also planning to successfully            leaders to serve at all levels of command and key
staff help train next generation of Mississippi National Guard leaders                                                                          deter or defeat Russian aggression, whom to engage interna-
                                                                                                                                                tionally and for what, and the biggest concerns arising from
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         staff positions,”
                                                                                                                                                the simulated conflict.
                                                                                                                                                   “The purpose of the simulation and event overall was to                                                 - Brig. Gen. Amos P. Parker
                                                                                                                                                prepare Mississippi National Guard leaders for senior-lev-
                                                                                                                                                el education opportunities … and to lead at the enterprise
                                                                                                                                                level,” said Ken Pope, an instructor at the CISS, which was
                                                                                                                                                founded in 2008. “We accomplished this by providing an
                                                                                                                                                understanding of the various interagency departments and
                                                                                                                                                agencies; how those agencies operate and work with one
                                                                                                                                                another; and exercising critical thinking skills in a national
                                                                                                                                                security simulation that required the participants to assume
                                                                                                                                                the role of an interagency working group.”
                                                                                                                                                    The Estonia and Russia scenario was chosen due to its
                                                                                                                                                complexity and the difficulty surrounding such a national
                                                                                                                                                security challenge, Pope said.
                                                                                                                                                     “We designed the event and simulation specifically to
                                                                                                                                                place the participants in the role of an interagency working
                                                                                                                                                group tasked to develop an approach to address a complex
                                                                                                                                                national security crisis,” he said. “The participants at this
                                                                                                                                                stage of their careers have focused primarily on tactical and
                                                                                                                                                operational problems. Very few have had exposure to stra-
                                                                                                                                                tegic level or interagency level organizations.”
                                                                                                                                                   The leaders involved were Mississippi Army and Air Na-
                                                                                                                                                tional Guard field grade officers, warrant officers and senior
                                                                                                                                                non-commissioned officers preparing for professional mil-
                                                                                                                                                itary education opportunities and senior leader command
                                                                                                                                                and staff positions.
                                                                                                                                                   “The Mississippi National Guard senior leadership knows
                                                                       MSNG Lecture Series 02-19 Group Photo, July 2019, Oxford, Miss. (Photo   the importance of mentoring and training our next gener-
                                                                       courtesy of UM Communications Department)
                                                                                                                                                ation of leaders,” said retired Col. Chris Scott, Future Op-
                                                                                                                                                erations program manager with the Mississippi National
Story by Shea Stewart                          pare military leaders for positions of         ty’s ROTC program for the two-day event,          Guard. “The (Guard) partnered with the University of Mis-
University of Mississippi Communications       greater responsibility in Mississippi.         which started with classes on July 12 in          sissippi and the Center of Intelligence and Security Studies
                                                   “The Mississippi National Guard Lec-       the ROTC building. Later in the day, in-          to enhance our professional military education of national
   The Mississippi National Guard leaders      ture Series is a professional development      structors and participants toured the Ole         security and interagency processes. This partnership is im-
gathered at the University of Mississippi      program used to prepare leaders to serve       Miss Athletics facilities, including a tour       portant to the development of our officers, warrant officers     MSNG leaders participate in a Professional Military Education Lecture Series
                                                                                                                                                and non-commissioned officers. We look forward to future         at the University of Mississippi in July. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Lt.
recently, were nearly 5,000 miles away         at all levels of command and key staff         of the football program’s facilities con-                                                                          Col. Deidre D. Smith)
from Estonia, but their minds for an af-       positions,” said Brig. Gen. Amos Parker,       ducted by former Ole Miss football play-          training opportunities.”
ternoon were focused on the tiny Baltic        Mississippi Army National Guard assistant      ers Jordan Ta’amu and Dawson Knox.
country that looms under the shadows of        adjutant general - Army. “The program in-         The simulation was held the next day.
Russia.                                        troduces the challenges that leaders face          “This came about as a result of Days
    The MSNG senior leaders, part of a         at the national and state level as well as     of Intrigue,” said Timothy Russell, direc-                                                                Senior leaders from the Missis-               Mississippi builds leaders in their
new Guard leadership development pro-          in the joint, interagency, intergovernmen-     tor of the CISS, referencing the two-day
                                                                                                                                                                                                        sippi National Guard toured the               athletic program, among their
gram held July 12-13 on the UM campus,         tal and multinational environments. The        intelligence simulation held each spring
                                                                                              for UM students enrolled in the CISS
                                                                                                                                                                                                        Manning Center, also referred                 coaching team and among the
were engaged in a national security simu-      program (provides) opportunities to gain
lation titled “Russian Attempt to Fracture     insights and a greater understanding of        program. “We invited colleagues from                                                                      to as the Indoor Practice Facility,           players. Their leadership strate-
NATO in Estonia.” The simulation, with         the volatile, uncertain, complex and am-       the Guard to observe, and they ended up                                                                   at the University of Mississippi              gies and success stories offered
about 50 participants, was conducted by        biguous environment we face every day.”        inviting us to do something similar with                                                                  in Oxford, July 12. Special co-               a greater understanding and a
the university’s Center for Intelligence and      “Our primary focus for this event (was)     them.”                                                                                                    ordination by Mr. Charlie Scott,              different perspective that could
Security Studies, or CISS, which is part       to provide our leaders with an under-               On the morning of the simulation,                                                                    Ole Miss Alumni, made the                     inspire MSNG leaders as they
of the national Intelligence Community         standing of interagency processes in the       Guard leaders were educated on the var-                                                                   guided tour for MSNG leaders                  build leaders in their formation.
Centers of Academic Excellence program.        development of national security policy        ious U.S. intelligence agencies by CISS                                                                   possible with special guests to               (From Left: Jordon Ta’amu, Carol
   Besides the simulation, the participants    and how these agencies assist the pres-        staff. After a brief history lesson on Es-                                                                host the tour; former Ole Miss                Parker, Brig. Gen. Amos Park-
spent their two days on the UM campus          ident in the formulation of national secu-     tonia and its relations with Russia, the                                                                  Football players, Jordan Ta’amu               er, Dawson Knox, Charlie Scott,
involved in the leadership development         rity policy.”                                  Guardsmen were given a mock conflict,
                                                                                                                                                                                                        and Dawson Knox. The tour                     Chris Scott, and Tulio Chirinos:
program designed by the Guard to pre-             The Guard was hosted by the universi-       including rising tensions between Estonia
                                                                                                                                                                                                        presented a behind-the-scenes                 U.S. Army National Guard pho-
                                                                                                                                                                                                        look at how the University of                 to by Lt. Col. Deidre D. Smith)
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