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The West Virginia National Guard had numerous significant accomplishments in 2017 that included homeland and disaster response missions, deployments around the globe, innovative training and the forging of new partnerships at home and abroad.
“The men and women of the West Virginia National Guard proudly accepted the challenge of service as Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen, impacting the lives of West Virginians and furthering national defense objectives around the globe,” said Maj. Gen. James A. Hoyer, The Adjutant General of the West Virginia National Guard. “As an economic engine for the State of West Virginia that delivers a half billion dollars in economic impact to the mountain state, the West Virginia National Guard once again has proven its value to the people of West Virginia and our Nation and we will continue to do so into 2018 and beyond.”
From providing assistance to the Boy Scouts of America 2017 National Scout Jamboree to responding to Hurricanes Harvey, Maria, and Irma and deploying more than 800 Soldiers and Airmen for contingency operations and state active duty support, the WVNG was engaged on all fronts throughout the year.
In addition to combat and humanitarian support missions, the WVNG also developed new training and strategic partnerships to enhance their response capabilities through activities such as swift water rescue training and Operation Dawson Storm, a multi-state, interagency exercise focused on emergency response capabilities.
Other West Virginia National Guard accomplishments in 2017 include:
• In January, the WVNG’s specialized units including the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and high yield Explosive, or CBRNE Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP), ANG Fatality & Services Recovery Response Team (FRST) and the Joint Incident Site Communications Capability (JISCC), deployed in support of the 58th Presidential Inauguration. These specialized units, unique to the National Guard, provide stand-by assistance in the case of national security threat or disaster in the national capital region.
• The 167th Airlift Wing, located in Martinsburg, W.Va., completed their three-year conversion from 11 C-5 Galaxy aircraft to eight C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, finalizing personnel retraining and operations for a more capable and relevant mobility force.
• In response to the devastating hurricanes that struck the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the WVNG provided support from both the Army and Air National Guard to citizens in need. Fourteen members of the WV Army National Guard provided immediate critical infrastructure support following Hurricane Irma in the U.S. Virgin Islands while both the 167th Airlift Wing and 130th Airlift Wing flew humanitarian support missions carrying more than 65 sorties and delivering much needed personnel and supplies to affected areas. The 130th AW also deployed a team of five Airmen for more than 30 days to Puerto Rico to provide communications support with the Joint Incident Site Communications Capability (JISCC).
• More than 100 Airmen from the 130th Airlift Wing deployed in support of contingency operations for Operation Freedom Sentinel and Operation Inherent Resolve, leading to the increase of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing’s mission capable rate from 87 percent to 98.8 percent, a three-year high.
• The WVNG hosted two special focus events in July, Operation Dawson Storm, a five-day, multi-location, interagency training exercise that provided chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives (CBRNE) incidents training to numerous agencies, including civil support teams from five states. Sentry Storm was hosted by the 167th Airlift Wing whereby training was conducted on C-17 aeromedical evacuation, aircrew and support services readiness training for domestic response.
• In July, more than 1,400 members of the WVNG, U.S. Army, U.S. Army Reserve, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard supported to the Boy Scouts of America’s National Scout Jamboree as a part of Joint Task Force – National Scout Jamboree 2017. The combined efforts of these service members provided logistics, security, aviation, air traffic control, weather expertise, medical, search and rescue, communications and public relations support for the event of over 30,000 scouts, troop leaders, volunteers and 15,000 visitors.
• In October, Christopher S. Walker was selected to become the West Virginia Air National Guard Chief of Staff, making history as the first time an African-American service member has been promoted to the rank of brigadier general in the West Virginia National Guard.
• WVNG leadership signed a memorandum of understanding in December with six W.Va. colleges and universities, setting the stage for an innovative, first-of-its-kind internship program with health science students and the WVNG Fitness Training Program.
• The newly developed West Virginia Swift Water Rescue Team, consisting of more than 50 WVNG members and firefighters from Clendenin and Glasgow, underwent training to achieve FEMA Level 2 status and honed their skills in swift water rescue and response on the Kanwaha River, improving capabilities to respond to West Virginians in need in the event of a natural disaster.
• Both the West Virginia Army and Air National Guard further enhanced international partnerships through training and interactions with our State Partnership Program country, Peru, as well as in Moldova through joint training with the 1st Squadron, 150th Cavalry Regiment on reconnaissance operations.
• The WVNG Counterdrug Task Force flew more than 1,115 hours in 2017 supporting counter narcotics missions which facilitated law enforcement officials eradicating and seizing illegal drugs and assets valued at over $1 billion.
• Camp Dawson’s training center in Kingwood, W.Va. trained a record 174,941 personnel in 2017 and contributed to an economic impact of more than $32 million in the area.
• The WVNG also supported kids and Gold Star Families through Kids Kamp, Youth Leaders Camp, which celebrated 50 years in existence this year, and the Gold Star Families event all held at Camp Dawson.
• WVNG STARBASE programs provided 140 academies with focused STEM curriculum serving a total of 3,500 students in Kanawha, Berkeley and Jefferson Counties.
| Date Taken: | 12.28.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 12.28.2017 09:09 |
| Story ID: | 260430 |
| Location: | WEST VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 143 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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