Command and General Staff College, Texas State Guard (TXSG), a component of the Texas Military Forces, hosted an impressive panel of real world “subject matter experts” in dealing with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS), during disasters.

Posted: April 14, 2014

Nominations for the 2014-2015 Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program (TASSP) will officially open on April 15, 2014 for next year’s class (fall 2014/spring 2015 academic year). Students are encouraged to become members of the Texas Army National Guard, the Texas Air National Guard, the Texas State Guard, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Merchant Marine, or commissioned officers in any branch of the armed services of the United States. These annual awards of up to $10,000 each may make a difference in the life of high achieving students.

In order to be considered for the TASSP, a student enrolling in college straight from high school must meet two of the following four academic criteria at the time of application:

Be on track to graduate, or has graduated high school with the Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP) or the International Baccalaureate Program (IB);
Have a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale;
Achieve a college readiness score on the SAT (1590) or ACT (23);
Be ranked in the top one-third of the prospective high school graduating class.
Additionally, students must be enrolled in a college or university in the fall 2014/spring 2015 academic year in order to be nominated for the TASSP during the current nomination cycle. For more information on specific requirements, please visit http://hhloans.com and click on the “Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program (TASSP)” link.

"The TASSP is a unique opportunity for students build their leadership skills while earning college credit," Rep. Thompson stated. "I'm looking forward to reviewing the qualified applicants that District 29 has to offer."
If you would like to be considered for nomination by Rep. Thompson for the TASSP, please email your resume to district29.thompson@house.state.tx.us no later than June 1, 2014

PLEASE NOTE:  Each State Rep. can award one scholarship.

Posted: April 11, 2014

BASTROP, Texas (KXAN) — As the world continues to watch the search for Malaysian Airlines Flight 370, search and rescue crews closer to home are preparing for a similar scenario.

But large jets crashing into the ocean are fairly rare. Much more likely are small planes crash-landing in fields, creeks or lakes. First responders spent Friday simulating that scenario at Lake Bastrop.

“What we’ve learned is that we need to do it more often, because…everything doesn’t always go right,” said Cmdr. Brian Smallwood with the Texas Maritime Unit. “Sometimes we think if we put it on paper it’s going to go just as it was written, but that doesn’t always happen.”

Using information from witnesses, three divers from the Texas State Guard’s maritime regiment scour the water using sonar equipment. The lake runs just 13 feet deep, a far cry from the depths crews are encountering in their search for the Malaysian Airlines plane.

But the key to the this round of training involving more than 100 rescue workers is to make sure everyone meshes well, and knows each other’s strengths.

“We exercise together, we train together, so that when an incident occurs, we’re not all meeting each other for the first time,” said Greg Pyles with Texas Search and Rescue.

But making sure the search effort is successful requires the right people.

“It takes a person with a lot of commitment to achieve the skill level,” Pyles said, “(and to) commit to the training and the time away from family, and their paying jobs.”

That rescue training involves several agencies and will continue through Sunday.

http://kxan.com/2014/04/11/crews-scour-lake-bed-for-missing-plane-during-exercise/

The Texas State Guard (TXSG) is hosting its second annual team competition which will test five skill sets in Stephenville and Erath County from April 10-13. Approximately 30 soldiers in five six-soldier teams from the Army Component will be competing to win the Gonzales Cup.

The skills to be tested include marksmanship, the ropes challenge course, physical fitness, land navigation, and first aid. Competition will be held Friday and Saturday at the Tac Pro Shooting Range, the Tarleton Challenge Course and Hunewell Ranch.

The Gonzales Cup represents the courage, strength, and skill that the defenders of Gonzales demonstrated while resisting the attack of the Mexican Army during the Texas Revolution in 1835. The Gonzales Cup is engraved with the words “Come and Take It” found on the flag made by the people of Gonzales during the fight.

MAJOR TED PRESCOTT TAKES COMMAND OF 1ST BATTALION

Story and Photo by: CW2 Janet Schmelzer, PAO, 4th Regiment

Posted: 2014/03/31

WEATHERFORD, TX -- On February 22, 2014, the 1st Battalion 4th Regiment welcomed a new Battalion Commander. Major Ted Prescott received the 1st Battalion Guidon during a Change of Command ceremony at the Weatherford National Guard Armory in Weatherford, Texas. 

Major Prescott joined the US Army after graduating from the University of Texas at Arlington as a Distinguished Military Graduate in 1979. He entered the US Army as a Armor officer. He served as a tank platoon leader with A Company, 2/5 Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division during the testing of the XM-1 tank at Fort Hood, Texas. He was the Company Executive Officer for B Company when his battalion was moved to 2nd Armored Division and re-designated as 2-67 Armor.

Following his graduation from Armor Officer Advanced Course in 1983, Prescott served as the S3-Air for 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment upon his deployment to Germany.  He then commanded E Troop and later served as the Squadron Adjutant and Border Officer. In 1987 he completed Combined Arms Services Staff School and served as an Operations Officer at First US Army, Fort Meade, Maryland. There he was involved in the plans and operations for infrastructure projects in Honduras, the Richard Nixon Funeral Plan, and the 1988 Inauguration of President George H. W. Bush. In 1990 MAJ Prescott as a Joint Operations Officer with Joint Task Force 6 at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where he coordinated military support for regional marijuana eradication operations and counter drug initiatives along the US-Mexico border. In 1992 he left the active service.

In 2012 he joined the Texas State Guard and has served as the Executive Officer for the 4th Regiment until his appointment as 1st Battalion commander.

The Texas State Guard has partnered with the Professional Volunteer Service Award to provide Guardsman with recognition for their hours of volunteer service. All TXSG personnel are encouraged to sign up and track their hours on the PVSA website as their hours are incurred. Annually, hours will be reviewed and service acknowledgment will be received by qualified personnel.

Log on to the Personnel Area of the TXSG website for more specific instructions on how to get started today.

Jamey Guarascio-Cosper
1st LT, HQ PAO

By: Brig. Gen. David Cohen

The Medical Brigade of the Texas State Guard is an important medical reserve that the Governor of Texas can draw upon in response to disasters in Texas. As part of the Texas Military Forces, the Medical Brigade, along with the rest of the Texas State Guard, and the Army and Air National Guards, is ready to respond when Texans are in need.

Brig. Gen. David J. Cohen, M.D., M.P.A. is the new commanding officer of the Texas Medical Brigade. He was appointed to the position and also promoted to brigadier general in the Texas State Guard recently.

Brig. Gen. Cohen is a cardiothoracic surgeon, Adjunct Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and a member of the Bexar County Medical Society.

“We train to respond, and we do respond quickly,” said Brig. Gen. Cohen. “We can put State Guardsmen in the field faster than the National Guard can move and thus help Texans more quickly.”

The mission of the Texas State Guard (TXSG) is to provide mission-ready military forces to assist state and local authorities in times of state emergencies; to conduct homeland security and community service activities under the umbrella of Defense Support to Civil Authorities; and to augment the Texas Army National Guard and Texas Air National Guard as required.

In the last few years the Medical Brigade of the TXSG has provided clinics at disaster shelters during and after hurricanes. These included the devastating hurricanes of Katrina, Rita, and Ike, as well as others. “During these and other hurricanes, the Medical Brigade manned medical clinics at some of the evacuation sites, or provided shelter management or public health services,” said Brig. Gen. Cohen.

The Medical Brigade and the TXSG are not a part of the United States Armed Forces and cannot be activated by the President for federal duty or for duty outside of the United States. As part of the Texas Military Forces it serves only in Texas, or rarely in neighboring states. The Commander in Chief is Rick Perry, the Governor of Texas.

“The Medical Brigade is very active in the area of community service to Texans,” said Brig. Gen. Cohen. “Each summer the Medical Brigade is very active in Operation Lone Star in the Rio Grande Valley. We helped staff five free clinics this summer and in 2013 over a one week period provided over 42,000 services to over 9,000 people.” Services at Operation Lone Star included primary medical care, dental care, and even free eye examinations and glasses.
“The Medical Brigade of the Texas State Guard is very active in the community, even when there are not disasters,” said Brig. Gen. Cohen. “We think of ourselves as Texans Helping Texans.”

Other recent community service events have included staffing first aid sites for the 13,000 bicycle riders of the annual Multiple Sclerosis150 mile Houston to Austin bicycle ride, and supplementing University of Texas Medical Branch emergency providers at the Wings over Houston Air Show.

Texas State Guard personnel actively support the state in the event of catastrophic events, and ongoing state military missions. Members receive duty pay [currently $121 daily, regardless of rank] when activated by the Governor and placed on paid state active duty for a limited number of mandatory training days. Certain expenses may be paid in case the guardsman is called to state active duty for disaster response -- for example -- car mileage, housing, and meals costs.

The Texas State Guard consists of six Civil Affairs Regiments, two Air Wings, the Medical Brigade and a Maritime Regiment. Members' entry rank depends on prior

federal military service and/or civilian education. Individuals with no prior military service or ROTC training must attend the Basic Orientation Training (BOT) course. Currently, BOT lasts one or two weekends, depending upon how it is structured. Licensed medical personnel typically serve as officers, often entering with advanced rank. Personnel must be between ages 17 and 70 or when joining, but may continue to serve after age 70, depending upon health and needs of the Guard.

The organizational structure follows the federal military component structure, with comparable positions, ranks, protocols, and authorities. TXSG personnel are eligible for the same State issued military awards and decorations as members of the Texas Army and Air National Guard.

The Texas military uniform worn by most of the Texas State Guard is similar to US Army's Army Combat Uniform military uniform but with Texas markings; the Maritime Regiment's uniform is similar to the Marine's MARPAT Digital Desert uniform. Air units wear a Texas variation of the U.S. Air Force uniform.

The TXSG is headquartered at Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas. It functions under the authority of Title 32 of the U.S. Code and Chapter 431 of the Texas Government Code.

The Chief Military Officer is Major General John F. Nichols, the Texas Adjutant General.

Personnel living in and near Bexar County who want more information about joining the Alamo Group of the Texas Medical Brigade can send an email to the commanding officer COL (TX) James Gardon, at email james.gardon@txsg.state.tx.us

By: Capt. Esperanza Meza
Texas State Guard Public Affairs
Phone: 817-733-6269
Email: esperanza.meza@txsg.state.tx.us

DATE: 2/19/14

TEXAS STATE GUARD ESTABLISHES NEW UNIT IN LONGVIEW, TEXAS

DALLAS – The Texas State Guard (TXSG) has established a new unit in Longview, Tx. The 3rd Battalion, 19th Civil Affairs Regiment will begin regular training at the Longview Fire Training Academy this summer and is currently recruiting to reach its strength of 60 personnel.

The 3rd Battalion is part of the 19th Civil Affairs Regiment, which includes additional units in Dallas and Greenville. The mission of the 19th Civil Affairs Regiment is to provide mission-ready military forces to assist state and local authorities in times of emergencies and disasters.

“Texas State Guard volunteers come from every walk of life, men and women, with and without prior military service,” said Col. Robert Hastings, commander of the 19th Regiment.

The Longview unit is recruiting for members in the counties of Panola, Rusk, Cherokee, Smith, Wood, Upshur, Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Cass, Morris, Camp, and Bowie. Membership is open to Texas residents, age 17 to 70, and in good health.

“The Texas State Guard is a great organization for people looking to combine a public service opportunity with adventure and military service,” said Col. Robert Hastings. “Whether you served in the military before and would like to rejoin a military organization, or you’ve never served but just thought about it, TXSG provides a unique opportunity for military service within the state.”

The TXSG is the state's volunteer military agency; trained, organized and ready to respond when a disaster strikes and Texans need help. The TXSG is comprised of more than 2000 volunteers organized into four components – Army, Air, Medical and Maritime – with individual units assigned throughout the state. The 19th Civil Affairs Regiment trains to execute the following missions:

  Mass care sheltering
  Emergency communications
  Special needs evacuation tracking
  Wide area damage assessment
  Urban search & rescue

In recent years, the TXSG has been called to active duty for hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, and wildfires. TXSG is the lead military component for Operation Lone Star in the Rio Grande Valley – the state’s annual humanitarian medical mission – and provides support to the state’s annual Oral Rabies Vaccination Program and the Joint Operations Intelligence Center.

TXSG personnel train one weekend per month and attend a four-day annual training exercise.

For more information about the Texas State Guard, call 469-554-TXSG or go to: https://tmd.texas.gov/state-guard

By: SSG Malana Nall
HQ, 8th Civil Affairs Regt., TXSG
Email: malana.nall@txsg.state.tx.us

LTC E. A. "Buddy" Grantham Takes Command Of Texas State Guard's 8th Regiment

HOUSTON, TX – Lieutenant Colonel E.A. "Buddy" Grantham assumed command of the Houston based 8th Regiment of the Texas State Guard from outgoing Colonel John Carpenter. The change of command ceremony took place at the National Guard Armory in Houston, Texas.

The 8th, the largest of the Army Component’s six regiments, encompasses 33 Counties along the Texas Gulf Coast. LTC Grantham, a resident of Houston and retired United States Army Officer, commands units based in Houston, Bryan, Huntsville, Nacogdoches and Beaumont. These units and their highly trained soldiers work with local emergency management personnel to protect citizens of the state of Texas during times of natural or manmade disasters.

The Mission of the Texas State Guard is to provide highly trained soldiers for Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA), by providing ready military forces during State Declared Emergencies, to assist State and local authorities in homeland security, community service and with medical services.

The Texas State Guard (TXSG) is one of three branches of the Texas Military Forces (TXMF), reporting to the Texas Adjutant General, Major General John F. Nichols, located at Texas Military Forces HQ, Camp Mabry (Austin), Texas. The Commander-In-Chief of the Texas Military Forces is the Governor of Texas, Rick Perry. The other two branches are the Texas Army National Guard (TXARNG) and the Texas Air National Guard (TXANG).

Story by: CW2 Janet Schmelzer, PAO, 4th Regiment

Posted: 07-FEB-2014

PFC Andy Ritter and PV2 Amanda Ritter Join at the Same Time

On January 5, 2014, husband PFC Andy Ritter and wife PV2 Amanda Ritter were sworn into two different components of the Texas Military Forces.  PFC Ritter joined the Texas Army National Guard and PV2 Amanda Ritter joined the Texas State Guard (TXSG), 2nd Battalion.  Chief Warrant Officer James Smith, 4th Regiment, TXSG, swore in the two soldiers.
PFC Ritter served for three and a half years in the U. S. Army in the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Benning, Georgia.  He was a Bradley driver and Cavalry Scout.  He is from El Campo, Texas.

PV2 Ritter decided that she wanted to “serve my state and be a part of a real life experience” as a soldier in the TXSG.  Ritter is from San Antonio, Texas.  She is presently attending the University of Texas at Arlington and plans on applying for the Tuition benefit offered by the Texas State Guard to complete her degree. The Ritters have been married for two and a half years and live in Arlington, Texas.