CAMP GRUBER, Okla. - Emergency management leadership from nine different states attended the Texas Military Forces  Homeland Response Force training exercise to observe disaster preparedness certification training at Camp Gruber, near  Muskogee, Okla., March 5, 2014.

 Civilian and military visitors ranged from various fire departments and the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality, or  TCEQ, critical infrastructure director to Maj. Gen. Myles Deering, the adjutant general – Oklahoma.

 Joint Task Force 136 Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Texas Military Forces' Homeland Response Force, or HRF, is  conducting a weeklong exercise involving approximately 800 service members rehearsing their response to large-scale  disasters.

 “This is the reason the National Guard is such a great tool,” said Col. Patrick Hamilton, Domestic Operations Commander,  Texas Military Forces. He explained that the HRF often conducts training with other civilian agency first responders.  Hamilton further described how the National Guard provides first responders with additional resources to assist with crisis  management.

 As guests were led through the training area they witnessed soldiers and airmen dressed in chemical suits “responding” to  a large-scale chemical attack. “Casualties,” in the exercise, were evacuated with precaution as service members ensured  the chemical threat was contained.

The scenario involved two large chemical attacks and a broken water main, said Col. Lee Schnell, Joint Task Force 136 Maneuver Enhancement Brigade commander, Texas Military Forces. Service members trained to assist first responders in casualty evacuation, triage, and search and rescue in a contaminated environment.

Even with snow covering the ground, and temperatures hovering around freezing, the service men and women seemed to maneuver easily through the makeshift village in their chemical suits to render aid. 

TCEQ, imbedded several hazardous material specialists into the training to work along side the HRF said TCEQ’s Critical Infrastructure Director Kelly Cook. 

“The HRF is a force multiplier,” said Cook. “We do a lot of the same things, but Texas is a big state and they provide much needed support for large disasters.”

There are 10 HRFs in the U.S. and each one has to certify every 24 months, said Schnell. Leadership from six different states came out to observe this exercise in order to assist with their own unit operations.

The training is a certification exercise for the HRF, but it is also preparation for the next time Texas, or any other state’s emergency response force may need their help.

“I came here today to check on the Texas Military Forces and show my support for the HRF concept,” said Cook, also explaining that this HRF falls under Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, Region 6. “The great Region 6 HRF, we love working with these guys.”

FEMA Region 6 states include Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.

 

 

CAMP MABRY, Texas - The Texas Merci boxcar, a gift from the people of France, was welcomed to the Texas Military  Forces Museum at Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas, in a ceremony held on post, Feb. 23, 2014. 

 In 1949, this boxcar, filled with gifts by the people of France, was delivered to Camp Mabry - as a gesture of thanks to the  American service members for the sacrifices made on French soil during World Wars I and II.

 The boxcar was one of 49 given to the United States that same year – one for each state and the then Hawaiian territory.  Grand Chef de Gare David Knutson, the Texas State commander for the Society of Forty Men and Eight Horses, explained  that in 1947 the American people collected $40 million worth of relief supplies for the people of France and Italy who were  struggling from the aftereffects of World War II. In response, the people of France created the “Gratitude Train,” or the Merci  boxcars to thank the American people for these supplies, as well as the sacrifices made during both world wars.

 “This is a special day to commemorate a special relationship,” said Sujiro Seam, Consul General of France in Houston.  “French and American soldiers spilled blood together. That means much more than the dispute on how to name your fries.” 

 Although originally housed at Camp Mabry, the boxcar was moved and placed under the care of the Travis County American  Legion during the early 1950s, when space was needed to support war efforts.

 The Texas boxcar then was placed under the care of the Society of Forty Men and Eight Horses, a separately chartered  veterans’ honor society established in 1920 by veterans of World War I. The society gets its name from the stencil painted on  the side of the boxcar, “40 and 8,” indicating that the car could hold either 40 men or 8 horses. These boxcars were used heavily for military operations during both World Wars I and II.

“One of the great symbols of World War I and World War II is the boxcar,” said Jeff Hunt, Texas Military Forces museum director. “It is very fitting that the boxcar will have a permanent place with the Texas Military Forces where we can remember what Americans and French did together and continue to do together, in various places around the world.”

The ceremony boasted several unique speakers. The mayor of Austin, Lee Leffingwell, read a proclamation, making Feb. 23, 2014 Texas Merci Boxcar Day in Austin. Retired Navy Lt. Michael Thornton, and Medal of Honor recipient, attended as the keynote speaker. 

“Freedom is built on blood, sweat, and tears,” said Thornton. “Today we commemorate this.”

Freedom and the relationship between the French and the American people was the dominant theme during the ceremony, as many recalled how the boxcar symbolized the struggle for freedom that both countries’ service members have fought for together throughout the years. 

“France was the first ally of the United States,” said Seam indicating the role the French military played during the American Revolution. “But France was also the first country to recognize the Republic of Texas. I hope you Texans know that France was the first ally of Texas.”

The boxcar is on display at the Texas Military Forces museum, along with several of the gifts that arrived inside of the boxcar in 1949. For more information on how to view the boxcar visit the Texas Military Forces museum webpage at   www.texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org.

 CAMP MABRY, Texas – Senior National Guard leaders are making their voices heard on a new parade ground, in the  online auditorium of social media. State and federal military officials have taken to the Internet to send messages directly  to their troops and the public.

 The adjutant general of Texas, Air Force Maj. Gen. John F. Nichols, recently launched an official Facebook page, and has  been posting behind-the-scenes photographs and informal guidance on a range of issues. He is currently one of six adjutants general to have a registered Facebook page with the National Guard Bureau at the Pentagon, in Arlington, Va.

 “The idea is to reach out to our people in another, unique way,” Nichols said. “The vast majority of our service members  are younger than 30 [years of age] – and this is a way to reach them in a familiar forum. And many are traditional members  of the Guard and can sometimes be hard to regularly reach, by nature of their part-time service.”

 This can be a daunting task, particularly for a Guard organization with more than 25,000, actively serving citizen-soldiers  and airmen performing disparate missions across a geographically expansive state and in overseas operations.

 “In many ways, social media is a modern version of our traditional office bulletin boards,” he said. “The only difference is  the Internet has the ability to reach people almost anywhere in the world.”

 For example, the Texas Army National Guard’s 136th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, headquartered in Round Rock, Texas, is currently deployed to Afghanistan as part of Task Force Centurion, and they have been able to share photographs and videos of their soldiers and the positive things they are doing for the nation on their Facebook page.

At the national level, Army Gen. Frank J. Grass, the 27th Chief of the National Guard Bureau, is active on Facebook, as is his senior enlisted adviser, Chief Master Sgt. Denise Jelinski-Hall. Grass is also on Twitter as @ChiefNGB. The adjutant general of Pennsylvania, Army Maj. Gen. Wesley Craig, is also on Twitter as @TAGPNG, the only adjutant general with an NGB-registered account.

Grass and Jelinski-Hall tend to post photographs and comments from events they attend, and give updates on their current activities and projects.

It’s a way for the leaders to interact with service members and the public in a less formal setting.

Facebook and Twitter have been ranked the first and second most popular social networking sites, respectively, according to an eBizMBA analysis of global Internet traffic, dated March 18, 2013.

“It’s important to actively engage people where they are,” said Rick E. Breitenfeldt, the bureau’s public information branch chief, who advises leadership on developing their social media presence. “It’s the way people are communicating today.”

Beyond typical organization pages, he said it can be helpful for leaders to communicate directly with service members and their families.

“Sometimes, it’s important for the force to hear – in first-person – from the leadership,” Breitenfeldt said. “This way, they are able to share messages they think are important, but also behind-the-scenes items that you typically wouldn’t put on an organizational page.”

Their posts range in formality.

Grass has posted official press statements, as well as informal videos of his testimony before a congressional committee, discussing major issues like the current federal budget sequester.

Jelinski-Hall uploads casual, weekly “Mentorship Moment” videos, where she has shared advice on issues ranging from resiliency, core values and ethics to money management.

On Twitter, the micro-blogging site that limits posts to 140 characters, Grass has been known to tweet similar messages that he puts onto Facebook, and to “retweet” messages from accounts he follows, such as the National Guard (@USNationalGuard), the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s account (@thejointstaff) and its chairman, Army Gen. Martin Dempsey (@Martin_Dempsey). Craig of Pennsylvania’s activity on Twitter is very similar.

Additionally, the National Guard’s senior ranking officer frequently uses the hashtag #NationalGuard in his messages, which allows Twitter users to quickly find all posts with that term included.

The use of unique hashtags can be helpful in aggregating information during a crisis or emergency management situation, said Breitenfeldt. It also helps you reach the group of people that would be most interested in hearing your message.

“Hurricane Sandy is a prime example,” Breitenfeldt said. “We operated on high-tempo for an 18-day, straight period of time.”

Breitenfeldt said they used not only #NationalGuard, but also other unique hashtags, including #Sandy, to get word out about the National Guard response to that hurricane last fall.

Beyond sharing information, the effective use of social media for leaders is about finding ways to make connections and share personal insights, Breitenfeldt said.

To date, one of the Texas adjutant general’s most popular posts was about leaders taking calculated risks.

“Don’t be afraid of failure – it means you’re trying,” Nichols posted, March 19, 2013. “If leaders are afraid to make mistakes, we won’t improve as an organization. Do the risk analysis; assess the variables; but be prepared to underwrite the mistakes of your people and take responsibility for them.”

Social media has the ability to spread a message exponentially.

Nearly 50 people “liked” Nichols’ post and it has been shared numerous times, which Facebook reports has been seen by nearly 850 people, more than three times the number of people that currently follow the general’s page.

Among those who “liked” and commented on the post, in his personal capacity, was Air Force Staff Sgt. David Porcelle, a noncommissioned officer assigned to the Texas Military Forces’ Joint Operations Center in Austin, Texas. He wrote, “Sir, a great philosophy… I make mistakes all the time; rarely the same ones twice,” and included an emoticon forming a smiling face.

Porcelle said he first discovered the senior Texas leader’s page when “someone I know ‘liked’ a comment made by Maj. Gen. Nichols, and that [activity] showed up in my timeline.”

He said he follows numerous senior leader and organizational pages, and thinks they are helpful with getting information to a broad cross-section of people, including those who’ve deployed, transferred to new units or retired.

“Social media’s another tool in the box to get instant feedback from every angle and echelon,” he said. “It’s a useful adjunct to more formal means and direct contact.”

This can be invaluable during those times of disaster, when messages need to get out quickly, in real time.

Breitenfeldt said there was a social media multiplier effect in relation to National Guard’s response to Hurricane Sandy, particularly though their follower’s sharing and commenting on the National Guard’s posts.

“We posted 35 stories on our website that received 17,000 hits,” Breitenfeldt said. “But on Facebook, we posted a fraction of the stories, and they were seen a half a million times. On YouTube [a social media video sharing site], our videos received 1.5 million views and were shown on major networks.”

This type of capability can be powerful, particularly in a state the size of Texas, which can face a myriad of disasters, potentially at the same time, including: hurricanes; tornadoes; wildfires; and even blizzards.

In addition to Nichols, other senior Texas Guard officers on Facebook include: Maj. Gen. Joyce L. Stevens, assistant adjutant general – Army and commander of the Texas Army National Guard, Maj. Gen. Manuel Rodriguez, commander of the state-based, volunteer Texas State Guard, and Brig. Gen. William L. Smith, commander of domestic operations.

“With our armories and air wings spread across the state, and units and personnel mobilized around the globe, social media can be a powerful tool to quickly send a message,” Nichols said. “Additionally, I enjoy hearing directly from our soldiers and airmen – getting their feedback.”

While the senior Texas general is still new to the online community, he said he wants to use the platform to talk about more than just himself and his activities.

“I look forward to helping get the word out about the great things we’re doing, [as] a military organization with our inter-agency partners, for the state and nation,” Nichols said.

 CAMP SWIFT, Texas – The Texas Military Forces hosted the first joint-service “Best Warrior Competition” at the Texas  Army National Guard’s Camp Swift, near Bastrop, Texas, Feb. 8-10.

 The three-day long competition consisted of numerous events to challenge the Army and Air Guard participants –  physically and mentally, said Command Chief Master Sgt. Kevin O’Gorman, with the Texas Air National Guard’s  headquarters at Camp Mabry, in Austin.

 In recent years, senior leaders have been laying the groundwork for this event to be a joint-service competition, but care  has been taken “to ensure it was going to be compatible, a level-playing field,” said O’Gorman.

 “For the past two years, we’ve had some of our command chiefs sit on the boards,” O’Gorman said. “This year, we’re  fully integrated. We ensured they are in the cadre, and we have eight [Air Guard] competitors running.”

 Chief Master Sgt. Denise Jelinski-Hall, senior enlisted adviser to the chief of the National Guard Bureau, located at the  Pentagon in Arlington, Va., was on-hand to view the joint-service activities.

 “One of the many benefits that I’m seeing is soldiers and airmen competing side-by-side, getting to know one another,”  said Jelinski-Hall. “This is important, so when there’s a state natural disaster, a flood, fire or a tornado, they already  know each other.”

 The competition’s challenges included: a 6-mile road march; an obstacle course; the use of combat arms; a land  navigation exercise; proficiency in various warrior tasks; writing an essay; and appearing before a board that reviewed  their personal appearance, military bearing and knowledge.

O’Gorman said the Air Guard members came from “all different backgrounds and specialties.”

“So far, we’ve seen some great competitiveness,” O’Gorman said. “We’ve also started seeing the camaraderie that we knew would foster out of this event. We’re all one.”

The Texas Air Guard chief’s assessment was affirmed by an Army Guard participant.

The joint-service nature “benefits the competitors, because you all come along together,” said Spc. Cynthia Chavez, a member of the Texas Army National Guard’s 949th Brigade Support Battalion in El Paso. “I’ve learned a lot from the Air Force that I did not know – we’re all ‘one fight, one team.’ It’s motivating.”

O’Gorman said he sees the joint-service training continuing to build in the future.

“This is what we want to do, this is more of what we want to showcase in our state,” O’Gorman said. “It’s the Texas Military Forces theme, that we’re all one in the uniform.”

  Story by: Staff Sgt. Phil Fountain

 

 CAMP SWIFT, Texas – The senior enlisted adviser to the chief of the National Guard Bureau, located at the Pentagon in  Arlington, Va., visited with soldiers and airmen of the Texas Military Forces during an official visit to the state, Feb. 8-9.

 Story by: Staff Sgt. Phil Fountain

 

 CAMP MABRY, Texas - The vice chief of the National Guard Bureau toured several Texas Army National Guard facilities  during an official visit to the state, Jan. 21-24.

 Lt. Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel, of San Antonio, a member of the Texas Air National Guard, returned to the Lone Star State as  the second-in-command at the U.S. National Guard's headquarters, located in Arlington, Va., to learn more about Army  National Guard operations.

 Lengyel, a command pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours, mostly in the F-16 Fighting Falcon, began his military career  after completing the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at North Texas State University (now the University of North  Texas), in Denton.

 His Texas Air National Guard experience includes previous leadership positions at the 149th Fighter Wing,  headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio - Lackland.

 His current position, Vice Chief, National Guard Bureau, was created in 2012, when the position of Chief, National Guard  Bureau, was included as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Lengyel said.

 "We're going through the process of informing everybody about the new position of vice chief and what it does," Lengyel said. "We're trying to put the lanes in the road on where it is I can best support the chief, in his new role on the JCS."

Lengyel said that he has been empowered to run the day-to-day operations of the National Guard Bureau, on behalf of the chief. This frees up the chief, Army Gen. Frank J. Grass, to work more at the strategic level.

"Part of my portfolio is the process of the administration of all the people and the resources that are in the NGB," Lengyel said. "I'm working closely with the directors of the Army Guard and the Air Guard, to make sure we have a synchronized National Guard Bureau effort."

The three-star general officer said he is adjusting to his new role in the joint-service environment.

"Although we're one National Guard, we have an 'Army Way' and an 'Air Way,'" he said. "It's important that I understand both."

During the four-day visit to Central Texas, Lengyel was briefed on the state's joint domestic operations capabilities and the Texas Army National Guard's 36th Infantry Division, headquartered here, and its subordinate units. Additionally, he visited two armories, one in Round Rock and another in Taylor, facilities at Camp Swift, in Bastrop, and the Austin-Bergstrom Flight Facility, in Austin.

"We're honored that Lt. Gen. Lengyel came to Texas to review Army Guard operations," said Maj. Gen. John F. Nichols, The Adjutant General of Texas. "It's always great to be able to showcase the capabilities and relevance the Texas Military Forces provide to the state and nation."

"There will be ongoing conversations," Nichols said. "I'm proud to have worked with him here in Texas, and look forward to continuing our relationship in his new role."

Throughout his orientations, the vice chief viewed diverse types of Army Guard units, and saw how they can operate in wartime and homeland defense missions.

"It's great to be back in Texas. I'm honored to serve in Washington, but it sure is good to come home," Lengyel said.

 

 CAMP MABRY, Texas - About 20 members of the National Guard's 6th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support  Team (CST), headquartered here, conducted joint-service training involving C-130 Hercules aircraft and crews assigned  to the Texas Air National Guard's 136th Airlift Wing at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Dec. 5, 2012.

 The aircraft loading operation was part of a three-day training mission for the 6th CST, which is responsible for  responding to disasters and catastrophic events, said Air Force Maj. Michael A. Torres, the unit's deputy commander.  When activated by civil authorities, the CST deploys an advance party to the site of the incident, within 90 minutes of  notification, and they must be self sustainable for a minimum of 72 hours.

 "The idea for the [C-130] training was to use organic assets within the state in a way that could help us quickly deploy  and integrate with our civilian partners," Torres said. "Ultimately, we work for the [civilian] incident commander."

 "The CST is different than other civilian counterparts, in that it possesses a mobile, analytical laboratory, which provides  on-scene, presumptive analysis, allowing incident commander's to quickly implement life saving actions," he said.

 The organization is comprised of full-time, Title 32, Army and Air National Guard Soldiers and Airmen, who have been  trained in: operations; administration and logistics; communications; medical science; and reconnaissance and survey  operations.

 "We're built up from many specialties, but we are all trained HAZMAT technicians and specialists," Torres said. "We train  all year in different scenarios and situations to support our first responders."

Torres said there are 57 CSTs located throughout the United States, with at least one in each state and territory, and that the concept was developed in 1999. National Guard assets, similar to CSTs, have assisted in the response to: the 9/11 terrorist attacks; the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster; Hurricane Katrina; and numerous high profile events at large population venues.

During the recent training, 6th CST members coordinated with 136th Airlift Wing personnel to load equipment and vehicles onto the tactical cargo aircraft.

In addition to the 6th CST, the Texas Air Guard benefited from the training activities, said Air Force Lt. Col. Tom Suelzer, the domestic operations officer for the Texas Air National Guard and chief of staff for Joint Task Force 71 (Maneuver Enhancement Brigade).

"The 136th Airlift Wing conducts training throughout the year to maintain a regional and national response capability across the full spectrum of domestic operations," Suelzer said, "from hurricane support to CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear) Consequence Management."

The 136th Airlift Wing's C-130s are available to the Texas governor for disaster relief efforts, and are the only such Air National Guard aircraft controlled by a state along the United States' Gulf Coast.

"The 136th, with its hard-working people and responsive airlift capability, is a state treasure and a key regional asset," said Suelzer.

Additional joint-training is likely to be developed for the 6th CST and the 136th Airlift Wing to conduct in the future, Torres and Suelzer said.

"Training with the 136th [Airlift Wing] provided the opportunity to validate planning, as well as identify future force packaging needs and priorities," Torres said, "depending on the number of aircraft available in an actual emergency response."