Photo By Matthew Jones | FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa.-Soldiers training at the Pennsylvania National Guard’s...... read more read more
Subscribe
FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – The Pennsylvania National Guard has grown into a stronger and more effective force during 2016 through successful training exercises and missions in Pennsylvania, throughout the United States and around the world.
As part of its federal mission, more than 700 Pennsylvania National Guard personnel deployed throughout the world in 2016 in support of multiple operations, including Operation Enduring Freedom, Kosovo and missions in support of U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Air Force Special Operations Command and NATO.
Deployments
The 201st Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineer (RED HORSE) , 111th Attack Wing deployed to build a medical clinic as part of exercise Beyond the Horizon in La Blanca, Guatemala, March 15 through June 18.
“The clinic holds about eight to ten beds,” said Senior Master Sgt. Ronald Hinsey, 111th RED HORSE Squadron, Det. 1 structures superintendent. “It has the capacity to see approximately 100 patients per day. So, this allows medical personnel to check residents for illnesses that plague this area, like hepatitis, AIDS, and the Zika virus.”
Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division deployed to locations in the Middle East, including Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
“In Jordan we are going to be training members of the Jordanian Armed Forces and we will also be conducting security missions for various American installations and units in Jordan,” said Lt. Col. Richard Collage, commander, 1st Bn., 110th Inf. Reg. “We also have a similar mission, mostly security, in the United Arab Emirates and will have some Soldiers in Kuwait to rotate back and forth.”
Soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division deployed to Kosovo in January, 2016, for a multilateral NATO peacekeeping mission.
Domestic Operations
State active duty missions in 2016 included Winter Storm Jonas and the Democratic National Convention. Missions were primarily public safety/health, welfare, and mobility support to Pennsylvania State Police, local law enforcement, and other first responders.
During January’s Winter Storm Jonas, 326 Guard members conducted 19 missions in 11 counties and delivered over 4,000 meals to stranded motorists in shelters and vehicles.
In July, nearly 2,000 Pennsylvania National Guard members supported the 2016 Democratic National Convention held in Philadelphia. The 213th Regional Support Group provided public affairs and Joint Reception, Staging, Onward movement and Integration (JRSOI) support.
Members of the 3rd Civil Support Team supported the Little League World Series in Williamsport in August
Pennsylvania Guard members with the Pennsylvania Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team (PA-HART) assisted with recovery efforts from Hurricane Matthew in North Carolina in October.
Training
More than 50 members of both the Pennsylvania Air and Army National Guard supported an emergency preparedness training event alongside active duty military members and civilian partners in May as part of Vibrant Response in May, a simulated nuclear disaster scenario in an urban area.
“While this was an exercise, it’s important we take lessons we’ve learned forward,” said Brig. Gen. Wilbur Wolf, director of the joint staff for the Pennsylvania National Guard. “This was a great opportunity to work with our partners at PEMA, FEMA, as well as Title 10 military and other agencies.”
Pennsylvania National Guard members from units across the state participated in Cyber Shield 2016 held at Camp Atterbury, Ind in April.
190 Soldiers from the 1st Battalion 112th Infantry Regiment, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division participated in the Joint Readiness Training Center's Decisive Action Training Environment with the New York Army National Guard at Fort Polk, La. in August.
Fort Indiantown Gap, headquarters of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) and Pennsylvania National Guard, hosted its first division-level warfighter exercise for approximately 4,500 service members from the Army and Air National Guards, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army Reserves, and British army in November. This computer-simulated exercise increased units’ readiness and ability to perform their missions.
Pennsylvania National Guard hosted its first ever Ranger and Sapper assessment courses in September at Fort Indiantown Gap. The course, administered by the Pennsylvania Army National Guard Joint Forces Headquarters Individual Training Branch, is designed to assess the physical, mental and technical abilities of Soldiers selected by their commanders as potential candidates for either sapper or ranger schools.
Strengthening Partnerships
More than 200 Pennsylvania National Guard members participated in overseas exercises and planning meetings in Germany, France, Republic of Korea, Estonia and Lithuania. These events support U.S. allies and align with the strategic objectives and partnerships of the Department of Defense. Additionally, more than 100 Pennsylvania National Guard members participated in 34 events with their partners Lithuania as part of the National Guard’s State Partnership Program.
Pennsylvania Guard members participated in Exercises Saber Knight and Saber Strike, two NATO exercises held in the Baltic nations of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in June.
Representatives from Lithuania's Army Training Center visited the installation during early February 2016 to get an in-depth look at the operation of some of the training facilities located here and gauge best practices and lessons learned in operating them as they develop similar live-fire and combined-arms training resources to train their soldiers.
“The Pennsylvania Army National Guard-Lithuanian Live Fire Shoot House exchange demonstrates continued growth in our State Partnership Program, expanding the scope of military-to-military events focusing on simulations systems and program design,” said Maj. Randy Lutz, Pennsylvania’s State Partnership Program director. “The Pennsylvania National Guard remains committed to fostering and strengthening our state partnership with Lithuania.”
Lt. Gen. Jonas Vytautas Zukas, Lithuania's chief of defense and Rolandas Krisciunas, Lithuanian ambassador to the U.S. met with Pennsylvania Guard leadership at Fort Indiantown Gap in October.
“We are so proud of the partnership we’ve been able to forge,” said Brig. Gen. Anthony Carrelli, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general. “Our objective here today is to showcase a little of what we have available regarding our training assets and capabilities. We are always ready and willing to assist with collaborative objectives. I know this partnership is only going to grow stronger and we’ll continue to do more together.”
Achievements and Milestones
Brig. Gen. Tony Carrelli was confirmed as Pennsylvania’s adjutant general.
“Brig. Gen. Carrelli exemplifies all the characteristics we expect from public servants and has served Pennsylvania and our nation with distinction for more than thirty years,” said Governor Tom Wolf of Carrelli when nominating him in June.
The Eastern Army National Guard Aviation Training Site graduated their 10,000th enlisted student. EAATS training includes individual aircrew qualification, non-commissioned officer professional education, and enlisted military occupational and additional skill identifier training in our primary area of focus on utility and cargo rotary-wing aircraft. The curriculum at the EAATS consists of more than 28 formal courses providing technical and functional training to over 1500 Soldiers annually from all 54 states and territories, the active Army, Army Reserves and international military students.
Pennsylvania Army National Guard Soldier Staff Sgt. Erich Friedlein and his partner Capt. Robert Killian from the Colorado National Guard took first place in the 2016 U.S. Army Best Ranger Competition at Fort Benning, Georgia.
The Pennsylvania Army National Guard hosted iterations of Fitness Improvement Training Program Plus during the summer at Fort Indiantown Gap. FIT-P+ is a commander recommended, 148 hour course. During the 15-day course, participants attend classes and training events geared towards building a healthier lifestyle, resiliency, and reinforcing the Warrior Ethos and Army core competencies, said Sgt. 1st Class Jon Gibbons, the Individual Training Branch noncommissioned officer-in-charge.
The 213th Regional Support Group activated five new units: 228th Transportation Battalion, 721st Transportation Company, 121st Transportation Company, 252nd Quartermaster Company and the 108th Area Support Medical Company as part of a planned reorganization.
Lt. Gen. Timothy Kadavy, Director of the Army National Guard, visited Fort Indiantown Gap during warfighter 17-2, the installation’s first division-level warfighter exercise led by the 28th Infantry Division.
For federal fiscal year 2016, Fort Indiantown Gap was once again the busiest National Guard training center in the nation with more than 700,000 man days and more than 125,000 people trained. The installation generates more than $500 million in the local economy.
In 2016, the Pennsylvania National Guard served the Commonwealth and the United States with pride and distinction. Every Guard member can be sure their efforts during the past year have set this organization up for continued success in 2017.
| Date Taken: | 01.06.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 01.06.2017 11:47 |
| Story ID: | 219447 |
| Location: | FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,848 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Pennsylvania National Guard grew stronger in 2016, by SFC Zane Craig, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
