Texas Military Department 

Posted: Jan. 24, 2016

Story by: Sgt. Elizabeth Pena

AUSTIN, Texas --There wasn't a dry eye in sight during the final Roll Call ceremony, for the honorary Texas Army National Guard Spc. Rowan Jameson Windham, Jan. 24, 2017, at Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas. 

A final roll call ceremony is a military ritual designed to serve as a tribute paid by soldiers to their deceased comrade.

Each soldier sounds off, Here, first sergeant!‚ when their name is called. But on this day, the auditorium fell silent as Rowan's name was echoed throughout the packed room. Spc. Rowan Windham.

Traditionally, the ceremony includes a visible reminder of the deceased soldier. The head gear and identification tags signify the fallen. In most cases, an inverted rifle with bayonet, but this case a wooden cross and gear stand, signals a time for prayer, a break in action to pay tribute to their comrade.

"He was an incredible kid," said Command Sgt. Maj. Mark A. Weedon, senior enlisted advisor for the Texas Military Department. "He did more in his small 10 years of life, than some of us do in a lifetime."

Rowan's ever lasting impact on the Texas Military Department was evident during the emotional roll call ceremony, as hundreds of service members came to pay their respects with Kleenex in hand.  

Also present at the roll call ceremony were Windhams parents. 

"He would be crying happy tears as Rowan would say, said Brian Windham, father of Rowan. He would be skipping out of here with joy," said Carrie Windham, mother of Rowan, through her own tears of happiness.

Rowan was born with a rare disease, and spent the majority of his 10 years in a hospital battling a genetic disorder called Shwachman-Diamond syndrome. 

The young trooper became a member of the Texas Military Department, just two years prior, at the age of eight, during an honorary enlistment ceremony at Camp Mabry, where he was awarded the military occupation specialties of Cavalry Scout and Apache Pilot.

Thank you and this is the best day ever of my whole entire life, Rowan said in front of hundreds of people, following his enlistment ceremony in March of 2015.

On Dec. 15, 2016, Rowan took his final breath at the Seattle Children's Hospital, following complications from two consecutive bone marrow transplants.

A native Texan, Rowan was an avid, thespian, video gamer, Lego builder, chef, Bigfoot fan and philanthropist who touched the lives of thousands around the world. 

He is survived by his father Brian, his mother Carrie, his sister Zoe, his brother Ian, family members, friends and Texas Guardsmen across the force. 

To read more about Windham's story please visit: http://rowansstory.blogspot.com

Story by: Spc. Christina Clardy

Posted On: Feb. 02, 2017

AUSTIN, Texas – Soldiers of the 36th Infantry Division, their families, and their friends gathered for a ceremony at Cameron Field at Fort Hood, Texas, on Jan. 28, to send off “Task Force Arrowhead” as they deploy to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel.  The Austin-based unit is part of the Texas Army National Guard and is headquartered at Camp Mabry.

The detachment of over 50 experienced officers, warrant officers and senior enlisted T-Patchers will be replacing the current Train Assist and Advise Command group, also from the 36th Inf. Div., who deployed last year.

"We will be taking over responsibility for the Train, Advise and Assist Command-South mission, which includes 4 Afghan provinces and 42 districts," said the incoming TAAC-S Commander, Brig. Gen. Chuck Aris, a native of Waxahachie. "We will assume command of Australian, Bulgarian, and Romanian Troops, and U.S. Army Soldiers from the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions. All Soldiers will be working under a NATO-led mission to help the Afghan people."

In 2014, the regional commands transitioned to a Train, Advise and Assist Command (TAAC) structure, advising Afghan National Defense and Security Forces to promote the long-term success of these institutions and the sovereignty of the Afghan government. Two-thirds of the Soldiers will be deploying to Afghanistan; the rest of the service members will mobilize but remain stateside. Those remaining in Austin will serve as intelligence analysts and advisors to those deployed. The remote capability is made possible by the advances in today's modern combat technology and communications systems.

"We are a team of teams," said Aris. "We have selected our best to ensure that we will excel at this mission… and we have trained for more than a year and a half to build a world-class team. This group has already shown amazing skill, expertise, training and a deep commitment to what they do."

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Kirk A. Burns, who is deploying with the task force, explained that the group is comprised of experienced service members who have been chosen from across the whole division. They are both civilian and military experts in their fields: law enforcement; legal advisors; medical staff; aviation operations; and computer systems.

As a civilian, Burns works for the Texas Department of Public Safety's Cyber Security division and as a computer science professor at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville. In the Army National Guard he is a UH-60 Blackhawk pilot and tactical operations aviation officer. This will be his fourth overseas deployment, having served in Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Kuwait, and now Afghanistan.

"I'm looking forward to advising our Afghan counterparts and sharing some of my experience in aviation with the Afghan military," said Burns. "The more we have talked with our counterparts, the more I have realized that the Afghan government and military truly wants our assistance. They want to protect their country from the outside influences that are keeping it so unstable. They really seem to want to partner with us and learn from us."

At the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Lester Simpson, Commanding General of the 36th Inf. Div., thanked the citizen-Soldiers for their service to Texas and our nation. He also thanked their families for their support, and continued sacrifice as their loved ones are called upon to serve overseas.

"To the parents and children, husbands and wives, and brothers and sisters of those headed overseas - you are the unsung heroes of a nation at war," said Simpson. "You undoubtedly serve through your personal sacrifice and your commitment… and I want to personally thank you for your support and your strength. Because without you, we couldn't do what we do and are called upon to do."

To the Soldiers deploying, the division commander concluded with this encouragement:

"You'll be working hand-in-hand with our allies and our host nation to bring peace and stability to a complex region," Simpson said. "I have complete confidence that you will continue the legacy of exemplary performance that we've become known for, and will return at the end of your tour with pride knowing that you've achieved great things in the name of the 36th Infantry Division."

Courtesy Story by: Sgt. Courtney Champagne

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – The MEDEVAC facility at Bagram Air Field in northern Afghanistan has seen better days. Its shattered windows, leaning walls, and peeling paint serve as evidence of the building’s lengthy history. 

The old hangar was constructed in the 1950s for the Afghan people by the U.S. Government in an effort to impede the spread of communism in Asia. 

During the Invasion of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan in 1979, it was inhabited by Russian forces until they withdrew in 1989, after which the Taliban maintained domination of the location that the old hangar was built on. 

In 2002, Bagram Air Field became home to American forces as part of the US-led invasion of Afghanistan, and the hangar became the workspace for hundreds of medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) crews, providing them with administrative offices as well as break, maintenance, and storage spaces which are critical for successful MEDEVAC operations. 

The primary mission of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion) from Ft. Riley, Kansas (“Boomer Dust-off”) is to save lives by providing MEDEVAC from the frontlines of conflicts in Afghanistan to the medical facility at Bagram Air Field. 

The GSAB mission is vital to the overall success of operations in Afghanistan; ensuring Soldiers and Afghan Nationals are provided with swift medical attention after sustaining battlefield injuries.

In the spring of 2016, the 389th Engineer Company a U.S. Army Reserve unit from Middletown, Iowa teamed up with C. Co., 2-1 GSAB to coordinate the build-out of a new MEDEVAC facility. The aging hanger required replacement to address safety concerns and provide a new facility that met standard operating requirements. 

The Base Support Group Commander, Col. G. Shawn Wells Jr. ordered the hangar’s evacuation due to overall structural instability however it became an urgent necessity to figure out where MEDEVAC crews would now conduct operations. 

A large area maintenance (LAM) tent was placed nearby as a short-term solution. Although the LAM tent provided a covered space for the crew to operate in, it lacked space for administrative offices and break areas, as well as maintenance and equipment storage. It hardly met the crew’s needs as a sensible area of operation. 

The 389th Engineer Company rose to the occasion and immediately began the early design plans to create a work space worthy of Boomer Dust-off as well as future MEDEVAC crews and their missions.

The MEDEVAC crews must be prepared to respond to emergencies at any time, spending long hours in their work spaces on standby. Special considerations were taken into account when weighing the design options of the new structure within the LAM tent. 

The final design was a collective effort amongst Boomer Dust-off personnel, Joint Engineering (JENG) at Bagram Air Field, the Forward Engineer Support Team (FEST-A), the 368th Engineer Battalion’s Construction Management Section, and the 389th Engineer Company. 

A crew of 14 Soldiers were selected to complete the build-out based on their carpentry expertise. Their skills were immediately evident based on their productivity. Only three days into the job, they were an entire day ahead of schedule. 

“This is one project that is going to have a lasting impact here,” said Spc. Kevin R. Suzie, carpentry and masonry specialist with the 389th Engineer Company. 

The end result included crafted trimming, cut and placed balusters, and sections of spacious rooms. 

“Their attention to detail was remarkable”, said Lt. Col. Matthew J. Strub, Deputy Commander of Task Force Victory.

The completed project was executed in just under three weeks. It included creative design solutions to the customer’s specific conditions, including adequate space for storage of a UH-60 Blackhawk aircraft during maintenance and repair. 

“We got to test our skills. We got to make design changes and use creativity”, said Sgt. Kent A. Hortstman, carpentry and masonry specialist with the 389th Engineer Company.

The 1st Combat Aviation Brigade hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on November 10, 2016 honoring both the critical service of the Soldiers of C Co., 2-1 GASB, and the key role of the 389th Engineer Company throughout the construction of the new facility. 

During the ceremony, 1st CAB Commander Col. John M. Cyrulik and Command Sgt. Maj. Roque R. Quichocho presented Soldiers of the 389th with impact awards for their indispensable contribution to current and future MEDEVAC missions. 

Afterwards, leaders conducted a field expedient ribbon cutting in the new facility, in true MEDEVAC style, using trauma shears to cut the ribbon. 

“No other force on the planet goes to the extent that we do to make sure no Soldier gets left behind. This collaboration provides the capability to save lives,” said Cyrulik. 

The highly-skilled and dedicated Soldiers of the 389th provided a site for hundreds of MEDEVAC crews to proudly call their own today, and for many years to come. 

“At the end of the day, nothing gets done without the nuclear fuel that is our Soldiers,” said Cyrulik.

The 389th is a U.S. Army Reserve unit on a nine-month deployment. The unit is assigned to the 368th Engineer Battalion, and the 176th Engineer Brigade, Task Force Chaos.

Story by: Sgt. Elizabeth Pena

Posted: Monday, January 9, 2017

TYLER, Texas – Disaster can strike at anytime. Citizen-soldiers of the Texas Army National Guard are taught to always be prepared.

Texas Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Aaron Dias, recruiting and retention officer for the Recruiting and Retention Battalion, Region II, Team VII in Tyler, was driving back from the Military Entrance Processing Station in Shreveport, Louisiana, to his armory in Tyler with his recruit when disaster struck.

“The sun was starting to set,” said Dias. “It was to that point where you run into the sun it kind of casts a glare on you.”
 
Hiwatha Hudson, a legally blind 55-year-old man had just stepped off to cross the street with his cane.

“My applicant in the passenger seat hollered at me ‘there’s someone on the road!’ said Dias. “Sure enough, as soon as we cast over the hill, I saw a silhouette of a man and I swerved to miss him.”

At that moment Dias was thankful he avoided the man, but as he was pulling over, he saw something horrid.

“Then I looked back in my rearview mirror, I saw someone hit him so I turned around, jumped in the suicide lane and jumped to assist him,” said Dias.

Without hesitation, Dias immediately called 911 and took the situation into his own hands. 

“I jumped out, got my applicant to start blocking traffic. When I came up to the man he was face down and the blood was running down pretty heavy,” said Dias. “So I rolled him over on his side to the recovery position to kind of balance his head so the blood 
would drain out and I held him there and checked his pulse until the EMT arrived.”

The recovery position, one of the many skills learned in the military, is designed to prevent suffocation through obstruction of the airway. 

“We are taught over and over, repetition so that way when it comes to a situation like this, you don’t think you just react. I don’t think if I had that training or that repetition of training I don’t know if I would have done anything successfully like I did,” said Dias. 

Service members in the Texas Army National Guard must go through combat life saving courses throughout their military career and are taught to always be ready to help.

Dias, father of two, has been a member of the guard for over ten years.

“Every other generation of my family has served,” said Dias. “It’s a duty, it’s an honor and opportunity to put on this uniform everyday.”

Hudson has since been transferred to the Ocean Behavior Hospital in East Texas. 

“I am so glad he was there to render aid because if he hadn’t, I would not have my son today,” said Jerleane Hudson, mother of Henry. “I’m praying that God will forever bless him.”

Although he has not made a full recovery, it is Dias’s fast response that saved his life.

“People will drive past people in wrecks all the time they won’t stop and ask if they’re OK. Heck it could've been you, or me and I would pray that someone would stop and do what they could, whether it was helpful or not, at least they were trying. You know, just help," said Dias.

Thousands of fatalities every year in casualties where the cause of the unconscious was not fatal, but the airway was blocked, causing the patient to suffocate. Dias accredits the military with giving him the knowledge and experience to respond to this situation.

“It’s a part of being in the military but it’s also a part of just being raised in a small town. You help anyone that needs help. That also goes hand in hand with being in the guard. We are citizen soldiers we are supposed to help out wherever we can,” said Dias.

Story by: Spc. Christina Clardy

Posted: December 4, 2016

AUSTIN, Texas — Colonel Charles "Chuck" Aris, the Assistant Division Commander of Support, was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in a ceremony on Sunday, Dec. 4, at Camp Mabry.

Maj. Gen. James K. "Red" Brown, the Deputy Commanding General — Reserve Component, United States Forces, promoted Aris to his one-star rank with his friends, family members and colleagues present.

During the ceremony, Brown, a former commanding general of the 36th Inf. Div., and Aris' wife of 26 years, Amy, pinned the new general's rank to the shoulders of his uniform. His son Matthew and daughter Kate presented him with a one-star general's flag, a traditional general officer's belt, and a desk placard. As per Texas tradition, Aris then gave bouquets of yellow roses to both his wife and his mother, Janice. 

"Aris is one of those officers that we always knew was going to rise to the top," said Brown. "He and his family are the ultimate traditional National Guard family. As a civilian, Chuck is a very distinguished and a very successful attorney, who doesn't have to do this; but he chooses to do so as a service to this great state and this great nation."  

Because of his dual military and civilian careers, several military dignitaries and civilian colleagues attended the ceremony, including Maj. Gen. John F. Nichols, the Adjutant General of the Texas Military Department, Maj. Gen. Lester Simpson, Commanding General of the 36th Infantry Division Commander, and fellow attorneys from his law firm. Aris, a resident of Waxahachie, Texas, is also a partner with the Dallas-based Byrne, Cardenas and Aris Law Firm, where he handles civil litigation.

"I want to say thank you to every senior leader, every mentor and every person in my life who has supported, trained, and guided me," said Aris. "But I need to say 'thank you' to my family, because without them, their love and their support, I would not be standing where I am today."

Aris will deploy to southern Afghanistan next year as the Commander of the Train, Advise and Assist Command -- South in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel. 

"Its an honor to be selected for this [promotion and deployment]," said Aris. "I pledge to do my very best to make sure that we excel in this mission and continue the great heritage of the Texas Army National Guard."

His most recent assignments include serving as the acting Assistant Division Commander of Maneuver, division Chief of Staff, and Commander of both the 56th and 72nd Infantry Brigade Combat Teams. He served as a task force commander during a 2005 rotation to Kosovo, and deployed to Iraq in 2009 as an assistant chief of staff in operations.

In 1998, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree and commission from the Texas A&M University and was awarded as a Distinguished Military Graduate in the ROTC program.  After serving on Active Duty in the Army, in 1993 he joined the Texas Army National Guard. Aris also holds a Master of Science from the Army War College and a Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law. 

Aris’ awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with two Oak Leaf Clusters), Kosovo Campaign Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal  (with two service stars), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal.

The mission of the 36th Infantry Division is to provide ready and responsive forces that can deploy to conduct unified land operations in joint and coalition environments, in support of a geographical combatant commander. On order, the division provides defense support to civil authorities within the United States in support of state and federal agencies.

Story by: Sgt. Elizabeth Peña

Posted: Nov. 22, 2016

FORT HOOD, Texas – It was a proud moment for the Texas Army National Guard’s 3rd Battalion 136th Regional Training Institute when Army Sgt. Kayci Landes, walked across the stage as the U.S. Army’s first female cavalry scout Nov. 17, 2016, during a graduation ceremony held at Fort Hood.

The Department of Defense announced that all military occupations and positions would be open to women, Jan. 2016. Landes, a wife and mother of four, had been waiting for this moment since she was seven-years-old.

“I’ve always wanted to be in the combat military occupational specialty; I just wasn’t allowed. As soon as it opened I was like ‘hey combat MOS’s are open, I’m going to have this baby real quick then I’m going to re-enlist for it,” said Landes.

During the 20-day course Landes, along with her peers conducted 200 academic hours to include the Army’s new high physical demands test that both men and women needed to pass at the same standards.

“We’ve got a streak of seven years of not sending anyone home and we’re not afraid to break that,” said Texas Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Michael C. Dixon, an instructor at the cavalry scout course. “She did the 12-mile, she did the hand grenade toss, dummy drag and pulled out the Bradley main gun that weighs collectively almost 300 pounds. She’s done it all.”

The Texas National Guard’s 136th RTI, headquartered at Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas, offers courses to any soldier in the U.S. Army, active, guard or reserve, including numerous MOS’s such as the cavalry scout.

Texas Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Kristopher E. Townsend, instructor and course manager, said his favorite part of being an instructor is educating his students.

“It’s training soldiers, bringing guys into an MOS that I love and being able to depart my experience, what I’ve learned in my career down to the joe’s and bring them into the fold of the cavalry,” said Townsend.

The Texas National Guard instructors led the course for six prior service members that had made the decision to re-class to 19D.

“They have a really good training set up; it’s better than most Army training. It’s been fun and interesting,” said Landes.

In 2014, the U.S. Army Training Command awarded the 136th RTI as an Institution of Excellence, the highest accreditation an RTI can receive.

“We always want to go beyond the program of instruction and make the course better than just the minimum,” Sgt. Steven L. Conwill, 136th RTI. “Being new here to Fort Hood we have access to a lot of newer things that might not have had access to at Camp Mabry or Camp Bowie.”

As the Army welcomes women into combat roles, Texas’ RTI will continue to train soldiers across the force to the best standard possible.

“The RTI is proud to be a part of training so many fine men and women,” said Texas Army National Guard Col. Kevin Countie, 136th RTI commander.  “Supporting the Army’s readiness and combat performance is our top priority.” 

Landes will be stationed with the 1st Cavalry Division, stationed at Fort Hood.

Texas National Guard Transportation Company partners with active duty unit

Story by: Sgt. James Strunk

Posted: Oct. 24, 2016

FORT HOOD, Texas – Soldiers of the 249th Transportation Company made a historical change for the Texas Army National Guard when they re-patched under 1st Cavalry Division, 1st Cavalry Sustainment Brigade during a ceremony at Fort Hood, Oct. 16, 2016. 

“I am anxious and excited just to see where that ultimately takes us – the opportunity that we have now because of this. What we can teach them as well as what they can teach us,” said Texas Army National Guard Capt. Lucas Hamilton, commander of the 249th Transportation Company.

The three-year program pairs an active-duty unit with those in the Army Reserve and Army National Guard so they can train together and deploy together, as well as includes an exchange of assigned personnel between the two partner units to promote better Total Force integration as a part of the Army’s Associated Units Pilot.

“Readiness continues to be my number one priority and in order to maintain that readiness we must leverage our partnerships,” said Maj. Gen. William L. Smith, Deputy Adjutant General-Army and Commander of the Texas Army National Guard, “This Associated Units Pilot Program will be a dramatic shift in what has been a decades old paradigm.”

The 249th Transportation Company joined 27 other Army units selected for the Associated Units Pilot Program, including four from the Texas Army National Guard.

“We are one army and we are not small,” said Lt. Col. Daryl Morse, commander of Special Troops Battalion, 1st Cavalry Sustainment Brigade. “We are big and we are capable; we are capable because of the National Guard.”

This association enables integration of formations from units of different components prior to mobilization through collective trailing. 

“I think this is a fantastic thing,” said Morse. “In a sense it’s just a validation of what we’ve been doing for years. Our sustainment brigade alone has had a connection with the Texas National Guard for years. But it’s something that’s never been formalized.”

During the patch-over ceremony, the 249th Transportation Company officially relinquished command and control of the unit to the 1st Cavalry, for the duration of the pilot program and will include changing of the unit patch on the guardsmen’s uniforms.

Participation in this pilot program, will not an have impact on the unit’s ability to respond or provide assistance during emergency response missions.

Texas Army National Guard Engineers partner with Active Duty in Pilot Program

Story by: Sgt. Elizabeth Peña

Posted: Oct. 19, 2016

WEATHERFORD, Texas – Guardsmen from Texas Army National Guard’s 840th Mobility Augmentation Company, based in Grand Prairie joined efforts with the 36th Engineer Brigade, out of Fort Hood, during a patch-over ceremony at Cherry Park in Weatherford, Texas, Oct. 15, 2016.

“Today should be one of both quiet reflections but also great anticipation, looking back where our Army has been partnering the reserve and active component, but also where our Army is going as we try to find ways to improve and increase readiness in some different innovative ways,” said Col. Mark Quander, commander of the 36th Eng. Brig.

During the ceremony, service members of the 840th MAC removed their unit patch and put on the 36th Eng. Brig. patch.

“While it’s a simple action changing the patches in the Army is a symbol of who you are, what you are a part of and what your mission is,” said Texas Army National Guard Rear Detachment Lt. Col. Paul Cerniaskas, brigade commander (rear) of the 176th Eng. Brig. “Changing patches is significant and necessary to make the Associated Unit Pilot program a success and it is the right thing to do.”

The partnering of forces is the result of the Associated Unit Pilot Program, which is designed to increase the readiness and responsiveness of the Army as a total force. 

“It’s an honor and privilege to be here as we chart a new course toward the integrations of our total force,” said Quander. “After significant downsizing in our forces over the past five or six years, the demands for our forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and across the world continue to remain elevated.”

This multi-year pilot program pairs Active-Duty units with those in the Army Reserve and Army National Guard so they can train together as well as includes an exchange of assigned personnel. 

“For the engineer regiment, this close integration between the 36th and the 176th is nothing new,” said Quander. “The associated unit takes that partnership a little bit farther establishing a more formal relationship between the active component and the reserve component.”
 
A total of 27 units have been selected to undergo the pilot; four of those units come from the Texas Army National Guard. These units will train, build readiness and ultimately fight as one Army.

“What mobility augmentation company does is breach a bypass,” said National Guard Capt. Aaron McConnell, commander of the 840th MAC. “If we run across an infantry, maneuver company or a brigade ever comes across an obstacle - they call us.  I send my first or second platoon out there depending on what needs to happen and we either blow it up or put a bridge over it. Then our third platoon sets up obstacles to keep bad guys from coming in.”

Last year, the 840th MAC trained with an active duty unit at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California and a guardsman from the engineer unit was able to perform mechanical operations on a broken down vehicle during a mission.

“The sergeant major of the active duty unit was with us, and his Humvee deadlined,” said McConnell. “That’s four hours we have to waste for field maintenance team. Sgt. Keith, who is our mechanic, we call him our “MacGyver” we tell him run back there and fix it and he does, because that’s what he does on the day side.”

There are many benefits that come from training alongside the active components as well. 
 
“They’ve got real estate,” said McConnell. “Our highly motivated soldiers have the opportunity to train more. Which is what a lot of them want to do, it’s why they are here, they like training and blowing things up and reducing obstacles.”

Association enables integration of formations from units of different components prior to mobilization through collective training.

“From my personal experience while deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, that’s how we as an organization normally operate. A unit’s component didn’t matter in a deployed environment, what mattered is how ready you were to do the mission and the team building that occurred,” said Cerniaskas. “That’s what the AUP program is all about; maximizing readiness, and building teams in advance of a mission. So we are making partnership the norm and it will make us stronger as an Army and better prepared when our nation calls.”

“Today should be one of both quiet reflections but also great anticipation, looking back where our Army has been partnering the reserve and active component, but also where our Army is going as we try to find ways to improve and increase readiness in some different innovative ways,” said Col. Mark Quander, commander of the 36th Eng. Brig.

During the ceremony, service members of the 840th MAC removed their unit patch and put on the 36th Eng. Brig. patch.

“While it’s a simple action changing the patches in the Army is a symbol of who you are, what you are a part of and what your mission is,” said Texas Army National Guard Lt. Col. Paul Cerniaskas, brigade commander (rear) of the 176th Eng. Brig. “Changing patches is significant and necessary to make the Associated Unit Pilot program a success and it is the right thing to do.”

The partnering of forces is the result of the AUP Program, which is designed to increase the readiness and responsiveness of the Army as a total force. 

“It’s an honor and privilege to be here as we chart a new course toward the integrations of our total force,” said Quander. “After significant downsizing in our forces over the past five or six years, the demands for our forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and across the world continue to remain elevated.”

This multi-year pilot program pairs Active-Duty units with those in the Army Reserve and Army National Guard so they can train together as well as includes an exchange of assigned personnel. 

“For the engineer regiment, this close integration between the 36th and the 176th is nothing new,” said Quander. “The associated unit takes that partnership a little bit farther establishing a more formal relationship between the active component and the reserve component.”
 
A total of 27 units have been selected to undergo the pilot; four of those units come from the Texas Army National Guard. These units will train, build readiness and ultimately fight as one Army.
“What mobility augmentation company does is breach a bypass,” said National Guard Capt. Aaron McConnell, commander of the 840th MAC. “If we run across an infantry, maneuver company or a brigade ever comes across an obstacle - they call us.  I send my first or second platoon out there depending on what needs to happen and we either blow it up or put a bridge over it. Then our third platoon sets up obstacles to keep bad guys from coming in.”

Last year, the 840th MAC trained with an active duty unit at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California and a guardsman from the engineer unit was able to perform mechanical operations on a broken down vehicle during a mission.

“The sergeant major of the active duty unit was with us, and his Humvee deadlined,” said McConnell. “That’s four hours we have to waste for field maintenance team. Sgt. Keith, who is our mechanic, we call him our “MacGyver” we tell him run back there and fix it and he does, because that’s what he does on the day side.”

There are many benefits that come from training alongside the active components as well. 
 
“They’ve got real estate,” said McConnell. “Our highly motivated soldiers have the opportunity to train more. Which is what a lot of them want to do, it’s why they are here, they like training and blowing things up and reducing obstacles.”

Association enables integration of formations from units of different components prior to mobilization through collective training.

“From my personal experience while deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, that’s how we as an organization normally operate. A unit’s component didn’t matter in a deployed environment, what mattered is how ready you were to do the mission and the team building that occurred,” said Cerniaskas. “That’s what the AUP program is all about; maximizing readiness, and building teams in advance of a mission. So we are making partnership the norm and it will make us stronger as an Army and better prepared when our nation calls.”

Texas Guardsman, Border Patrol Agent rescues girl in drowning waters

Posted: Oct. 5, 2016

Story by: Sgt. Elizabeth Peña 

Laredo, Texas -- Rain was pouring heavily and swift waters were rising fast along the Rio Grande River near Eagle Pass. Del Rio border patrol agents working in that area received a report and had to act fast.

“The days before and the day of the incident, Eagle Pass had received a lot of rain so the levels of the Rio Grande had risen more than normal; it got pretty deep,” said Sgt. Josue Gonzalez, border patrol agent and traditional guardsman with the 836th Engineer Company, Texas National Guard.

Gonzalez and another border patrol agent received a report that a large group of adults and children were crossing the river near the port of entry and several of the people in the group were seen floating uncontrollably downriver.

“When we got on site we saw a young man and woman being swept by the currents,” said Gonzalez. “The young man was able to swim so he was able to get back to the other side, but the girl wasn’t that lucky.”

The young woman grabbed onto a rope that was tied to the port of entry pillar as Gonzalez and his partner unsuccessfully attempted to throw her a rescue rope.

“She was afraid to let go of her rope and grab onto ours,” said Gonzalez. “So Garcia and I realized that if anything else would not be done, the possibilities of her being swept away were really high.”

Gonzalez and his partner tied the rescue ropes on to their waists and entered the water, but the strong current quickly swept them away as well, his determination however, remained strong. 

“My adrenaline was pretty high,” he said. “It’s just something that you don’t think about and you do it on the spot as best as you can.”

With the assistance of agents on the riverbank, they were able to maneuver Gonzales and Garcia back to where the young woman was just as the rope she had been holding unto, tore.

After delivering her safely into the hands of local EMT’s, the two agents went back out to rescue other women and children stranded in the river.

“We were able to go back into the water chest deep and start pulling the people in,” said Gonzales. “The water was still rising but luckily we had each other’s back to bring those people in. We lost count at about 45 people.”

Gonzalez was awarded the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery for his action that day, during a ceremony on Oct. 5, 2016, in Laredo. 

“When someone puts on a uniform, whether it’s a military uniform or a law enforcement you’re doing it because you want to help your community and your country,” said Jesus A. Chan, Patrol Agent in Charge of Laredo Unit Intelligence Unit.

“I am honored to have been nominated, and humbled to have received it but this award goes beyond myself,” said Gonzalez. “It goes for every border patrol agent and federal law enforcement, state and local officers that put their uniform on, not knowing the dangers they may come across that day.”

Gonzalez attributes his fast response skills to his basic combat training with the Texas Army National Guard as well as the Army values that are instilled.

“The stress levels they put us through - allows us to keep composure and think,” said Gonzalez. 

Texas Army National Guard Maj. Thomas Diaz De Leon III, commander of the border patrol search training and rescue team and 136th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade plans officer in charge, deployed with Gonzalez in 2007. 

“He was an outstanding soldier then, and is an outstanding agent now, he is very professional and very humble,” said Diaz De Leon. “What he learned through being a soldier of the MEB, helping to mitigate human suffering and the understanding is that we are on call to help local citizens. He brought that understanding to his current job.”

The award was created to honor exceptional acts of bravery in the line of duty. In 2014, the U.S. Attorney General cited 16 recipients for the 2014 Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery. 

“This heroic act measures the true character and fortitude of Agents Garcia and Gonzalez in the face of danger,” said Mathew J. Hudak, acting Chief Patrol Agent, Del Rio Sector.

“He sacrificed himself, so that somebody else may live. I think that is a very huge selfless service act,” said Diaz De Leon.

Patriot Brigade Soldiers partner with 36th Infantry Division
Courtesy story by: Staff Sgt. Nathan Akridge
3rd Brigade Combat Team PAO NCOIC
Posted: Sept. 22, 2016

FORT POLK, La. – The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI) "Patriots" have taken on a new challenge in the effort to elevate U.S. Army readiness. The brigade is now partnered with 36th Infantry Division, Texas Army National Guard, through the Associated Units program. 

"The Associated Units pilot allows us to leverage the capabilities and capacities of the active component, Army Reserve and the Army National Guard as One Army,” Gen. Mark A. Milley, Army chief of staff, said of the Total Force effort. 

The three-year pilot program pairs units from all U.S. Army components for training oversight. The goal is to build relationships, share knowledge and have a fully adaptable and ready force before mobilization. 

To solidify that partnership, Soldiers from the Patriot Brigade replaced their 10th Mountain Division (LI) patch with the 36th Infantry Division’s T patch during a ceremony Sept. 16 in front of Fort Polk’s headquarters building, 

Maj. Gen. Lester Simpson, 36th Infantry Division commanding general, said that although this is the Patriot Brigade’s first time wearing the 36th ID patch, this is not the first time the two units have worked together.

“I am excited about this next chapter in the Army’s Total Force policy that goes far beyond just wearing a patch,” Simpson said. “We will train together, we will fight together, and this will not be the first time. 

“More than 70 years ago, we fought Axis forces in Italy during World War II as part of 5th and 7th Army operations,” he continued. “More than 15 years ago, we exchanged commands during Operation Joint Forge in Bosnia, and over the last 10 years, we have served side by side fighting against terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Col. Brian Sullivan, commander of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI), stressed to the Soldiers the positive changes this partnership brings. 

“Our Patriot Soldiers will gain the experience, insight and professionalism that a National Guard unit can bring to the fight,” Sullivan said. “By giving 3rd Brigade Soldiers access to National Guard facilities and giving the 36th Infantry Division Soldiers access to our facilities, this will be a mutually beneficial arrangement for all units involved. 

“In an era of reduced resources, we must train, deploy and fight as one team,” he added.

Sullivan also spoke about the storied history of the 36th Infantry Division, when Staff Sgt. Homer Wise, from Baton Rouge, La., was presented the Medal of Honor for his actions during World War II. After speaking about how Wise saved his fellow Soldiers lives and suppressed and killed the enemy fire, Sullivan made a connection with the troops on the field before him. 

“Patriots, no matter how many divisions, brigades or battalions the Army might have, it is a lone staff sergeant from Louisiana, wearing the 36th Infantry Division’s patch, that can shake the world.”