CAMP MABRY, Texas - The Adjutant General is pleased to announce Lt. Col. (Promotable) Darrell W. Dement of Cedar Park will assume duties as the Texas Army National Guard Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel (G1), effective Feb. 15, 2013. He replaces retiring Col. Ron McLaurin.

Dement, a Gulf War and Iraq War Veteran, will be the principal staff officer responsible for oversight and control over all matters concerning human resource management within the Texas Army National Guard. He previously served as the Director for Plans & Policy (J5) for the Joint Force Headquarters, Texas Military Forces.

CAMP MABRY, Texas - The Texas Military Forces is honored to have provided a chaplain, a seven-person rifle detail and a flyover by two F-16 Fighting Falcons in support of the funeral for Christopher Scott “Chris” Kyle (Apr. 8, 1974 - Feb. 2, 2013), a retired U.S. Navy chief petty officer and former Navy SEAL, at the Texas State Cemetery, in Austin, today.

Kyle, a native Texan and Iraq War Veteran, was dubbed the “Devil of Ramadi” by Iraqi insurgents, and has been credited with more than 150 confirmed kills by the Department of Defense, which makes him the most lethal sniper in American military history.

Story By: Capt. Adam Musil

Posted: February 11, 2013

AUSTIN, Texas - Continuing its mission to remain adaptable and deployable for contingency operations around the world, the Texas Army National Guard has opened its ranks to what will be one of its most diverse and unique units, Special Operations Detachment-Africa.

“It’s an exciting time for Texas Special Forces as we add the Special Operations Detachment to our [Texas National Guard] current Special Forces structure,” said Lt. Col. Doug O’Connell, SOD-A detachment commander. “The addition of the SOD-A coupled with the two SF Companies currently in place and a theater Special Forces Support Company means Texas now has the ability to support worldwide missions.” 

Lt. Col. O’Connell and his staff have spent the better part of the last two years working to establish the SOD-Africa unit in the Texas Army National Guard, an organization traditionally comprised of standard infantry, artillery, and cavalry units. The new unit officially joined the ranks of the Texas Army National Guard in October 2012 and will directly support the Special Operations Command-Africa, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. When not serving on active duty, SOD-A will provide specialized capabilities to the governor and adjutant general for homeland security operations.

"The members of the SOD-A bring with them an unprecedented wealth of regional and special operations backgrounds,” said Capt. Dan Edwards, SOD-A team member. “As we close in on 100 percent strength, the civilian, academic, and special forces operational experience of our staff is quite impressive."

Despite a geographical orientation to Africa, SOD-A has the ability to deploy anywhere in the world. SOD-Africa is one of eight National Guard Special Operations Detachments, all of which currently rotate to Afghanistan to conduct Special Operations missions.