Task Force Mustang increases equal opportunity leadership overseas

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait – The 36th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB), 36th Infantry Division, Texas Army National Guard (TXARNG), currently deployed as “Task Force Mustang,” appreciated and recognized 16 of its Soldiers for completing the Equal Opportunity Leaders Course (EOLC) on Oct. 14.

The Soldiers were appointed to serve as Equal Opportunity Leaders (EOLs) within their first month in theater as part of Task Force Mustang’s mission to provide full-spectrum Army aviation operations for Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) in the Middle East.

The Military Equal Opportunity (MEO) Program commonly defines a comprehensive effort to maximize human potential and fair treatment for all Soldiers, family members, and DA civilians without regard to race, color, sex (to include gender identity), religion, national origin, or sexual orientation. Task Force Mustang’s EOLs are taking on the additional duty to promote safe and inclusive work environments, and help resolve informal complaints regarding any perceived unlawful discrimination and offensive behaviors in its ranks.

U.S. Army Col. Scott P. Nicholas, commander of Task Force Mustang, expressed his appreciation for the EOLs and how they will support daily operations.

“Regardless of location, number of locations, or type of duty orders our Soldiers receive, every Army aviation unit makes promoting the Army Values a top priority in every workplace, and it starts with training,” said Nicholas. “Task Force Mustang now has an EO program that will deliver that training and amplify awareness, so that our teams remain mission-focused on supporting our partnered forces in the enduring defeat of ISIS.”

Leading the 16 EOLs for Task Force Mustang is U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Mildred A. Restrepo, retention NCO and EO leader for the aviation brigade’s command team. She hosted the EOLC and assisted MEO advisors with certifying the Soldiers’ additional duty.

“It’s great to serve as the EOL for Task Force Mustang,” said Restrepo. “It is a privilege to get to serve as the eyes and ears for the brigade commander, and it is most rewarding when our Soldiers and leaders can resolve potential EO complaints at the lowest level.”

Restrepo is a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, previously serving as the S-1 non-commissioned officer in-charge for the 11th CAB “Task Force Eagle” before the 36th CAB took over their mission last summer. In her civilian career back home, she serves as a police officer for the NYPD.

“I knew I was going to stay for a second tour overseas, but I knew I was not going to be able to keep my same duty in human resources,” she said. “Task Force Mustang saw a benefit to having me serve in their EO office at the time, so it worked out where I could stay and help strengthen the brigade’s EO network.”

Restrepo noted that her EOL training allows her to provide input to the commander with regards to informal complaints.

“Our EOLs are here to serve as resources to all Soldiers, and are ready to take anonymous or informal complaints, while certified MEO Advisors can directly facilitate formal complaints,” she added. “All Soldiers have the right to choose their type of complaint reports, and our EOLs are always there to educate them about their options, as well as support workplace condition checks for their respective unit leaders.”

Numbers in EO complaints easily vary based on mission and deployment durations.

“The highest number of informal complaints we’ve received has been four within a given week, and there have been a couple weeks where we’ve received no complaints at all, which is great,” Restrepo shared. “There have also been instances where a Soldier’s complaint was potentially turning into a formal one, but the Soldier was able to get it resolved with their immediate supervisor, thanks to the unit leader’s attention and the EOL involved.”

U.S. Army Master Sgt. Acie Matthews, operations NCO and MEO Advisor for CJTF-OIR, serves as the coordinator of all EO programs assigned across OIR’s Combined/Joint Operations Area (CJOA).

“EOLs are selected and trusted by their commanders to keep a pulse on the climate and culture of their units,” Matthews stated. “Our goal for EOLs is to have them be an extension of their commander’s ear to the unit and be a voice of the unit to the commander and other leaders. When not dealing with informal complaints, EOLs are tagged with executing their primary military duties, and that varies greatly across the team.”

Matthews brings to CJTF-OIR several years of EO experience, both stateside and overseas.

“Being an MEO Advisor is a very rewarding and humbling position. People are our most valuable resource, so providing support for their rights to be treated with dignity and respect is an absolute honor,” said Matthews. “Prior to this deployment, I served as the Minnesota National Guard State MEO Advisor, and I enjoyed supporting the Soldiers and Airmen during that time.”

He remarked how well Task Force Mustang was heading in the right direction for their EO program.

“Task Force Mustang is unique in that its responsibilities spread across multiple locations, in multiple countries, across the CJOA. Maintaining consistent messaging across such a vast area is challenging,” he added. “However, EOLs across Task Force Mustang are fired up and excited about the opportunity to support their respective commanders’ missions. While deployed, Soldiers are subject to U.S. Army regulations and reporting procedures, which differ slightly from National Guard Bureau’s processes. However, with dignity and respect being the drumbeat, these EOLs are seamlessly integrating the Title 10 rules into their battle rhythms.”

Restrepo couldn’t agree more with Matthews over the importance of their EO teams serving as a support channel to Soldiers.

“Towards the end of a deployment, it’s very common to see an increase in concerns and complaints,” Restrepo shared. “Everything is a fresh start at the beginning of a year-long mission. But, when daily routines change or several things do not go as planned throughout the mission—quality of life changes, resource reductions, Soldiers not talking to other Soldiers, leadership engagements perceived as less common, or Soldiers not letting go over their cultural differences or holding onto their complaints for months—all these things can affect discipline and unit morale. So, our EOLs will prove vital to safeguarding the professionalism and respect between Soldiers and their chain of command.”

To achieve MEO requirements, Restrepo says EO awareness classes will be completed by all Task Force Mustang Soldiers within the next month, and that 15 more Soldiers will complete the EOLC before the start of the new year. Task Force Mustang will have had every company level to brigade level leadership fully supported by EOLs for the rest of its deployment.

“And that’s what we want,” Restrepo concluded. “We want all unit leaders to be able to communicate with their Soldiers about any inequality concerns and have them resolve potential issues at the lowest level possible. EO complaints can happen anytime, but our EOLs will always be there to assist in maintaining a safe and welcoming work environment for everyone until mission complete.”

Always Ready, Always There and Always Forward

The Transatlantic Expeditionary District, headquartered at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, is the only district in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that is expeditionary and forward deployed.

As a contingency district, it relies heavily on military and civilian volunteers to fill the critical roles and responsibilities necessary to take on the complex engineering and construction environment that is the Middle East.

The Expeditionary District, which falls under the management of the Army Corps of Engineers’ Transatlantic Division, was formed in May 2021 from the merger of two battle-tested districts, the Transatlantic Afghanistan District and Task Force Essayons, which focused on construction projects in Iraq.

But the Expeditionary District’s legacy in the Middle East goes back decades to the Trans-East District in the 1960s. The current district has morphed continuously in size and mission scope over the past 60 years, down a windy road paved with temporary districts known by their alphabet soup acronyms of AAO, TAS, AED, TAA, TAC, TAS, TAN, TAM, GRN, GRC, GRS, GRD, TFE and a few more.

Today, roughly 85% of the roles and positions in the Expeditionary District are filled by current Army Corps of Engineers civilian employees from stateside districts. Many have supported contingency operations and natural disaster support in other regions including the U.S., and most have had multiple deployments.

The civilians deployed with the Expeditionary District are often here to accept a promotion opportunity, or to supercharge their experiences and skillsets, which they take back to their home districts and engineering units.

On the military side, one state’s Army National Guard - Texas - stands out for years of unwavering support to the military engineering mission in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Sam Houston, the first president of Texas, as well as an American general, lawyer and politician once said, “A leader is someone who helps improve the lives of other people or improve the system they live under.”

That philosophy holds strong and true in the many engineers the Texas Military Department has deployed over the years to support the Army Corps of Engineers mission across the Middle East and the U.S. Central Command’s combatant commanders.

True to the National Guard’s motto “Always Ready, Always There,” over the years Texas Army National Guard (TXARNG) engineers have stepped up to support Army Corps of Engineers deployed positions, following the lead of Col. Zebadiah Miller, a TXARNG construction and facilities management officer.

“These tours serve two valuable purposes: they fulfill a Corps of Engineers manpower requirement, and the officers gain valuable experience in a world-class organization,” Miller said. “It’s even better when it’s with the Transatlantic Division in such a complex environment.”

Miller was the first of many TXARNG engineers that deployed to support the Transatlantic Division, having sought out his deployment after looking for career-broadening opportunities overseas.

He mentioned that fact to then U.S. Army Col. Mark Quander, at that time the commander of the Transatlantic Division, who was responsible for managing all the Army Corps of Engineers offices in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“The next day I got a call from Human Resources, and I left soon afterwards,” Miller said.

Between 2019 and 2020, Miller deployed with the Afghanistan District, where he was the Kabul Area officer-in-charge. Later, he moved to Bagram to serve as their district operations officer.

After his deployment, he went back to Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas, and told other engineer officers about the growth and career development opportunities with the Transatlantic Division in the deserts of the Middle East.

Following in Miller’s footsteps was Capt. Angel Nunez, who deployed and supported Corps of Engineers under the Army’s Worldwide Individual Augmentation System, then Maj. Ed Zook from 2020 - 2021, Burhan Girgin, a TXARNG civilian from 2020-2022, Capt. Kevin Volz from 2021 – 2022, and the current crop of deployed TXARNG engineer officers, Lt. Col. Peter Ammerman and Capt. Bradly Williams.

Girgin, a Turkish native who immigrated to the U.S. in the mid-90s, spent 23 years in the Texas Military Department in various positions related to geospatial and IT.

When Miller asked him if he could find a geospatial specialist within TXARNG to support the Army Corps of Engineers mission in Afghanistan, he knew he wanted to be that person.

“I always envied our soldiers and airmen going to deployments,” Girgin said. “Of course, that wasn’t an option for a state employee like me at the time. Thankfully though, when I was contacted by Col. Miller in the summer of 2019, I was qualified to retire from my job. I applied for the direct hire position with Army Corps of Engineers and was accepted.”

Girgin knew that after saying goodbye to so many of his fellow Texas Army National Guard soldiers that have served in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, that he also wanted to support his adopted country, the United States, and use his language and cultural skills to make a difference.

After Miller welcomed him during a cold January night in Afghanistan, Girgin would end up working in Afghanistan, redeploy to the U.S. during Covid, then deploy to Kuwait where he supported the Kuwait, Syria and Iraq missions, spending almost two solid years deployed.

“I consider myself very fortunate to join them in the Middle East and contribute to the Army Corps of Engineers mission as a former Texas state civilian employee,” Girgin stated.

For Volz, a military Sapper or combat engineer, with 10 years of military service, deploying to support the Army Corps of Engineers’ mission was one of timing and a bit of influencing by Miller, and mentoring by Zook.

“I had been in contact with the previous two commands of Task Force Essayons holding out for the right time in my career to deploy and timing for this opportunity lined up perfect with the end of my company command,” Volz said.

Volz had grown up wanting to join the military for as long as he could remember and when he was in college decided to change his contract from active duty to National Guard.

“My stepfather became my recruiter and guided me into the Texas Army National Guard,” Volz said.

Volz, who has since redeployed to his stateside duties, was the former Al Asad Air Base’s Corps of Engineers officer-in-charge and Iraq Project Manager. While deployed, he managed both personnel and several complex Special Operations Joint Task Force - Levant construction projects, as well as managed construction efforts on the air base.

Volz used his engineering experience to help shape the current and future footprint of the base.

In his civilian world, Volz is a reliability engineer for a Houston-based energy technology company that has been extremely supportive of his deployments.

“I’d encourage anyone reading this from the TXARNG, or any other engineering unit, to take this opportunity; it’ll be one of the greatest learning experiences in their career,” Volz stated.

Ammerman, another Miller-influenced recruit, is a military engineer and the current deputy commander for TAE. He has been with the Texas Army National Guard for eight years, having transferred from the Hawaii Army National Guard.

He joined the Expeditionary District in November of 2021 and oversees the staff functions along with all personnel actions in the district. Ammerman was also assigned as the interim commander from April through July 2022, following the short-notice promotion and reassignment of the previous TAE commander.

In Ammerman’s 19-year career, this is his fifth deployment to the Middle East, and the first with the Corps of Engineers.

“Col. Miller really sold me on the deputy position when he explained the benefits and experiences I would gain learning about the Corps of Engineer’s processes in a Combatant Command’s area of operations,” Ammerman said. “While being in this billet, I’ve noted numerous positive leadership attributes that I’ll benefit from in the future. Working with this organization has opened my eyes to a multitude of engineering processes.”

Ammerman went on to say that the Texas Army National Guard produced highly qualified engineer officers looking to expand their horizons and the Army Corps of Engineers had the capability and capacity to assist those engineers with fulfilling that quest.

When asked about the impact and influence the TXARNG has had on the Army Corps of Engineers mission in the Middle East, Miller saw it as the start of a legacy, one that he helped shape and mold.

“I’ve been very involved in TXARNG talent management since I was a young major; I’ve had the privilege to see some of these officers like Nunez, Volz and Williams grow from platoon leaders and embrace this broadening opportunity with the Corps,” Miller said. “I’m proud knowing I have officers like Ammerman, Volz and Williams coming up behind me, representing the TXARNG.”

Two additional TXARNG engineers, Lt. Col. Adam Brock and Master Sgt. Brian Randolph, are slated to join the TAE team in fall of 2022, to continue TXARNG’s legacy of service to the Corps of Engineers mission in the Middle East. Brock will relieve Ammerman as the deputy commander, and Randolph will be the noncommissioned officer-in-charge of the Corps’ office supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.

As the sun sets in Texas, another day starts in Kuwait and Iraq, where the motto for the Transatlantic Expeditionary District is “Always Forward.”

It is only fitting that when these mottos are combined, the men and women of the Texas Army National Guard stand tall alongside the Transatlantic Division’s Expeditionary District, and together are “Always Ready, Always There” and “Always Forward.”

“Being an engineer in the TXARNG is a family of its own,” Volz said. “But being a part of a unit with those individuals with such diverse experience and getting to work with the Corps of Engineers in a contingency environment, well that is something really special.”

The 54th SFAB: the National Guard’s security force advisors

National Guard Bureau--Courtesy Story
Capt. Madison Bips, a member of the Georgia National Guard's 1st Battalion of the 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade, returns a salute from a member of the Honduran Armed Forces, Sept. 8, near Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Bips was deployed to Honduras as part of the 54th SFAB's 6-month deployment to Honduras providing security force assistance, which was the first National Guard deployment of its kind. (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Whitney Hughes)

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras – The 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade recently made history as the first National Guard unit of its kind to activate and deploy in support of combatant command missions.

Activated in March of 2020, the 54th SFAB is headquartered in Indiana and has six battalions in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, and Texas. While the five active component SFABs are directly aligned under combatant commands, such as United States Southern Command or United States European Command, the Army Guard SFAB is globally focused and capable of deploying Soldiers to support missions anywhere in the world.

Recently, members of the Georgia National Guard 1st Battalion, 54th SFAB, completed a deployment to Honduras, making them the first National Guard members to deploy as an SFAB.

“The whole intent of having a security force assistance brigade is to assist our partner nations and foreign security forces,” said Col. Jeff Hackett, who commanded the 54th SFAB from its activation until last year.

SFAB Personnel

In addition to the unique nature of the SFAB mission, its manning is also one of its defining characteristics. SFAB Soldiers are all volunteers, hand-selected from other units across all 54 states, territories, and the District of Columbia.

“The way the SFAB is set up is to try to get more mature individuals that already have their key leader development time,” said Sgt. 1st Class Dean DeAngelo, the senior battalion logistics noncommissioned officer, Georgia Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 54th SFAB. “The whole idea behind it is to be able to advise your partner forces two levels up from your current position.”

The brigade also differs from the traditional Army force structure in accomplishing its advising mission. The advisor teams are typically comprised of between four and 12 Soldiers and operate much more autonomously than conventional forces, based on their partner force needs.

These teams are broken down into:

● Maneuver advising Teams
● Field artillery advising team
● Engineer advising teams
● Logistics advising teams






The Selection Process

There are two ways soldiers can join an SFAB.

For immediate eligibility, Soldiers must be the rank of sergeant first class or above and have completed key and developmental positions, such as platoon sergeant for an infantryman. Upon completion of requirements, Soldiers are eligible to be selected through an interview with SFAB leadership.

Soldiers that do not meet these criteria must pass a rigorous five-day assessment and selection. The selection entails an Army Combat Fitness Test, a leader reaction course, team events, a warrior skills test, military occupational skill proficiency and ethical dilemma tests, a subject matter expert interview, and culminates with a ruck march.

“We are getting Soldiers that are senior leaders already, but not everybody is cut out for the SFAB,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Makaryk, commander of the 1-54th SFAB, adding that the success rate of the selection process is not high.

In Makaryk’s Battalion, the average enlisted advisor is 31 years old with 10 years of service and an associate degree. The average officer advisor is 36, with 13 years of service and a master’s degree. Most also have two to three years of deployment experience as well, said Capt. Madison Bips, the unit’s operations officer.

Specialized Training

The SFAB training cycle also differs from Army Guard’s traditional training schedule. Rather than attending training for the traditional one weekend a month and an annual training event, they train one week a fiscal quarter and attend an annual training event.

In addition to the yearly training, SFAB Soldiers are given specialized training opportunities. Soldiers assigned to advisor positions complete the 54-day Combat Advisor Training course at the Military Advisor Training Academy at Fort Benning, Georgia. On top of that, many SFAB members receive cultural and language familiarity training and training on foreign weapons, advanced medical training, driver training, and survival, evasion, resistance, and escape techniques.

In addition to their domestic training, SFAB Soldiers also participate in numerous foreign training exercises.


“What drew me to the SFAB was the opportunity to stand up a unit from the ground up in the Guard and being able to go on overseas training,” said DeAngelo. During his four years with the SFAB, he trained in Brazil as part of Exercise Southern Vanguard in 2021 and deployed to Honduras with the SFAB in 2022.

Now that he has surpassed the three-year mark as an SFAB member, he has reached the end of his time with the unit. But this is by design —the SFAB is structured to return its advisors to the force as more seasoned professionals.

“It’s time for me to move on and take my experience from the SFAB and take it back to the conventional force,” he said.

Texas Guardsmen Fly at Falcon Leap 2022

Story and photo by: Senior Airman Charissa Menken

 

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands – Airmen from the 136th Airlift Wing attend the Falcon Leap Exercise held on Eindhoven Military Air Base commemorating the Allies' joint military effort of WWII - Operation Market Garden September 12-17, 2022, in Eindhoven, Netherlands.
The countries participating in the exercise included Polish, Romanian, Dutch, British, and Italian Air force aircraft. Representing the United States, the 136th Texas Air National Guard sported the new C-130 J Super Hercules to support this mission.
Falcon Leap is a time for remembrance of Operation Market Garden but is also a joint NATO exercise designed to train interoperability of global air power. The 136th flight crews helped drop Army Airborne Soldiers from Rhode Island, North Carolina, and Georgia throughout the week. Weather permitting, the Rigger Teams and Airborne Regiments participated in drops throughout the week, with the last official jumps on Saturday, the 17th. These personnel drops included static line and free fall jumps throughout the week of training.

The exercise afforded training opportunities throughout the week for the 136th Airmen to practice these personnel drops with other nations. Capt. Sean Noyes shares the value of being here and representing Texas,
"This week, we get to work with other Nations on our tactics to inter-fly airdrops of heavy equipment, containers, delivery systems, and personnel.”
Regarding the historical significance of this week,
“It was one of the largest airdrops of WWII, and the U.S. was a big player. So, for the U.S. to be here with our Airborne members and aircraft is quite momentous; it would be something less if the U.S. weren't here for this commemoration.”
The Texas Air National Guard is committed to supporting the mission of U.S. Airpower globally. Capt. Noyes closes with his remarks on the opportunity to participate in this mission.
“I’m glad we’re here; it’s an honor that Texas gets to do it and support this mission, our aircraft fly's all over the world, and we always get good remarks wherever we go; this is just another feather in our cap, and I'm glad we're able to come to do this."

Divisional alignment with 36th Infantry Division bring opportunities to 81st Stryker Brigade Combat Team

Story and photo by: Joseph Siemandel

 

 

YAKIMA, Washington - Soldiers in the 81st Stryker Brigade Combat Team may be afforded new training opportunities as it moves under the 36th Infantry Division out of Texas under the U.S. Army’s new divisional alignment.

“The new divisional alignment opens opportunities to conduct warfighter exercises with habitual units, therefore building continuity and familiarity in the event of large-scale combat operations,” said Col. Matthew James, director of operations for the Washington Army National Guard.

In September, Washington Maj. Gen. Bret Daugherty signed a memorandum of agreement to facilitate unity of effort with the Adjutants General of Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee and New Mexico and the Commanding General, 36th Infantry Division. Under the MOA, which went into effect on Sept. 30, 2022, the 36th Infantry Division, Texas National Guard has coordinating authority with the Washington Army National Guard’s 81st Stryker Brigade Combat Team.

Under this alignment construct, the 36th Infantry Division constitutes nine brigades headquartered in five states: Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Washington, and New Mexico.

Maj. Gen. Win Burkett, the commander of the 36th Infantry Division joined Col. Jim Perrin, commander of the 81st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, to visit Guard members as they trained at the Yakima Training Center. During the visit, he got the chance to talk with soldiers about the alignment and the new opportunities.

“Unlike the Army Associated Unit Program, which was an alignment for Training Readiness Oversite to assist Brigade Combat Teams with their mission essential tasks list benchmarks, this is a true go to war alignment with emphasis not just on training but readiness across personnel, equipment, and maintenance,” said James.

The alignment brings more training, knowledge sharing and leadership development opportunities to develop high performing leaders within the participating states through the Talent Management Alignment Process. While the Adjutants General retain final approval of all positions for organic units within their states, they allow soldiers from participating states to apply for certain positions through their individual talent management processes as they become available.

The divisional alignment will better enable the Army National Guard to plan training and operations with subordinate units in different states, setting the conditions for large-scale operational readiness. It also means the Army Guard will modernize in a predictable and sustainable manner.

“[This alignment] could provide command and key developmental position opportunities within other states; it allows Washington National Guardsmen to compete for coveted positions they may not otherwise have the opportunity to compete for and it may allow for Washington National Guardsmen who live out of state to drill in a state closer to their homes,” said James.

During a panel discussion, Army National Guard leaders addressed the divisional alignment and how it will affect the National Guard. They believe this new alignment will provide soldiers and families with more predictability and lessen the impacts of the demanding implementation requirements on units. They also addressed the new reality of a global environment characterized by great power competition and how the Army is looking to best use Army National Guard Divisions within the Multi-Dominant Operations fight.

“The 36th Infantry Division is classified as a ‘Standard Heavy’ division with subordinate Armor, Stryker and Infantry Brigade Combat Teams. The Army has also defined divisions as the ‘unit of action’ with the intent of deploying division sized organizations to fight a near peer in large scale combat operations,” said Maj. Nick Stuart, G35 future operations with the Washington Army National Guard. “This is a shift from the Global War on Terrorism where Brigade Combat Teams were the unit of action.”

Currently, there is no federal deployments on the docket for the 36th Infantry Division or the 81st Stryker Brigade Combat Team.

Making History: Lubbock-based Texas State Guard Soldier Awarded Texas Purple Heart

By David Brown, 1LT, Texas State Guard 

LUBBOCK, Texas -  On August 20th, a Lubbock-based officer in the Texas State Guard, 1st Lt. Christopher Beck, made history as the first State Guard service member to be awarded the Texas Purple Heart: an honor given for injuries sustained by enemy action while on military duty. Though Texas State Guard soldiers typically don’t encounter ‘enemy action’ as one would find on a battlefield, the award given this day would help ‘make right’ the lack of acknowledgment for an act of military heroism years ago. 

It was August 27th, 2005, 5:15 in the morning, Iraq time.  It was a moment Beck will remember for the rest of his life. 

The floodlights at the U.S. Convoy Support Center (CSC) Scania, some 90 miles south of Baghdad, Iraq had been on for about 15 minutes when the sound of incoming mortar fire broke the early morning quiet.    

Beck (then a member of the Texas Army National Guard on a tour of duty in Iraq) and his crew had been on patrol most of that morning.  “We left at 2100 the night before. There were a few pop shots, but the mission had been pretty uneventful. We’d sent the drivers and the gunners to early chow,” Beck recalls.   

The only warning was an instantly recognizable sound, so close you could hear the dreaded thump of the shell exiting the tube. The first of 11 mortars targeting the CSC was aimed directly at the convoy.  There was hardly enough time to react before “the first one exploded– it hit about 10 feet from us,” Beck says. 

Of the six soldiers nearby, five took shrapnel.  The only soldier uninjured lay beneath Beck, who had thrown himself on top of a gunner to protect him.   

“After we got hit, I helped other wounded soldiers get to the aid station and get treatment.  I grabbed our medic and we went back out with a stretcher…” 

“It was like something out of a movie,” Beck adds. “I took some shrapnel - split my head open, they called it a contusion. My right shoulder was swollen and purple.  Being a grunt they tell us pain is only weakness leaving the body…” but that hardly lessened the pain’s intensity. 

That was 17 years ago.   

“It’s important for us to acknowledge what these soldiers give up, their sacrifices for others,” said Maj. General Anthony Woods, Commanding General of the Texas State Guard.  Woods made his comments at the awards ceremony in Lubbock on August 20th, 2022. While there, Woods also acknowledged the sacrifices made by the families of service members who support the soldiers. Beck and his wife, Kerry, live in Lubbock where Beck works as an architect at WCA Design Studio, LLC.  

Since the creation of the Texas Purple Heart by the State Legislature in 2005, only 20 people had been awarded the Texas Purple Heart before this year, most for their service in the Army or the Texas Army National Guard.  Beck, the 21st recipient, is the first Texas State Guard member to receive the heart-shaped medal with that Lone Star at the center.  

“History was made today,” Woods said. The Texas Purple Heart is the third highest military decoration that can be awarded by the Texas Military Department.   

“It really is an honor to be one of a select few, and as the first State Guard member to receive the Texas Purple Heart…well, it kinda leaves me speechless,” Beck says.  

The Midland native served on ‘both sides’ of 9/11: after 4 years of active duty in the U.S. Army assigned to the 4th Infantry Division based at Fort Hood, Beck joined the Texas Army National Guard in 2003, serving 6 years.  It was during this time that Beck was deployed to Iraq, and was injured by enemy action.  But at that time, there was an issue of eligibility for Purple Heart recognition, due to Beck’s status as a reservist.  

The awarding of the Texas Purple Heart is an overdue acknowledgment of Beck’s sacrifice, and an honor he hopes will be extended to other Texas soldiers injured by enemy action who may not have received full recognition. 

“I’ve been doing some research, trying to pull numbers, get names of (injured) soldiers,” Beck says, adding “I’m going to try to work with state representatives to see if we can’t get others recognized for the sacrifices they made, too.” 

After Beck left the National Guard in order to finish his Bachelor's and Master's degree in Architecture at Texas Tech, he wasn’t fully done with military service.  In 2017, he joined the ranks of the Texas State Guard, one of the three branches of the Texas Military Department, responding to emergencies within the state. He is a 1st Lt. in the 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade. His twin brother, Cpl. Robert Beck also serves in the Texas State Guard.  

Although many in the Texas State Guard are veterans, prior federal military experience is not a requirement.  State Guard members must meet military physical and health standards, undertake ongoing emergency response and leadership training, and demonstrate a commitment to serving their fellow Texans during emergencies or other times of need as requested by state and local officials, often on short notice.  

“I’m not a hero - I know that General Woods called me that - but I was just doing my job,” Beck says. “We’re all soldiers, we train and we do our mission.” 

More information about the Texas State Guard, including contacts for recruitment, can be found at the Texas Military Department website (tmd.texas.gov) under the State Guard tab.

On the Front Lines of the Cyberwars: Texas State Guard Stages Virtual War Games

By David Brown, 1LT, Texas State Guard 

CAMP MABRY (Austin), Texas - In early October 2022, amid saber-rattling from Russian officials in its war against Ukraine, government websites in Colorado, Kentucky, Mississippi, and other states were knocked offline.  Reports say Russian-speaking hackers claimed responsibility for what many suspected to be politically motivated attacks related to U.S. support for Ukrainian forces.  Through it all, Texas’ online sites remained secure, thanks in large part to the constant work of the Texas State Guard’s Cyber Security Team.  

They’ve trained for this.   

When it comes to Cyber Security, the Texas State Guard is on the front lines of Texas’ defense, and exercises like January’s CyberSword 2022 were a test of the Guard’s cyber expertise and an opportunity to develop new strategies for defending Texas’ largest frontier.  Although CyberSword 2022 was technically a multilayered virtual “war game”, the Guard’s participation was anything but light-hearted ‘fun and games’ online.   

“The 86th Texas Legislature codified the Texas State Guard’s role in serving the state in a Cyber Security capacity,” said Captain Mark Bell of the Texas State Guard Cyber Security Unit.  Since the only way to make a computer safe from hackers, Bell said, is to “turn it off” - and taking Texas ‘offline’ is not a viable option - the Texas State Guard Cyber Security Unit maintains constant vigilance.   

The timing of the exercise could not have been more propitious: Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine raised concerns around the world about the threat of state-sponsored cyber-attacks. 

“The thing about the Texas State Guard Cyber Security Unit is we are the only part of the Guard that continuously fights active nation-state threats, 24/7,” said Warrant Officer Christopher Caruso of the Cyber Security Team.  “We are always faced with the fact that Russia, China, Iran, and hackers-for-profit are always trying to attack our systems.  We’ve actually gone out on missions after ransomware attacks” pursuant to the Texas State Guard’s duty to provide mission-ready forces to assist state and local authorities in times of state emergencies. 

“A couple of years ago, I was deployed to Texarkana for a Cyber Security incident there,” said Staff Sgt. Andrew Williams of the Cyber Security Unit. “The threat actors took the entire city offline.  City operations were completely shut down. People couldn’t even pay their water bills, that sort of thing.”  Similar attacks statewide have included the defacing of local government websites, acquiring sensitive data and vandalizing systems for profit. With so many smaller cities with limited resources across a state larger than many countries, Williams says, “it’s a wonder Texas hasn’t been the target of even more cyberattacks than it has.”   

But the inevitability of future attacks only underscores the importance of exercises like CyberSword 2022.  On a Saturday morning in January in a corner of the Texas State Guard Headquarters building at Camp Mabry, the Cyber Security team hunkered over monitors for an annual event involving what Williams described as a “capture the flag” exercise. After almost half a year of planning, the Texas State Guard went on the defensive against “attackers” from the Virginia Defense Force (Virginia’s state guard force).  

In this role-playing scenario, ‘capturing the flag’ wasn’t the primary goal: it was discovering the latest system end-runs that can make computers vulnerable. “To be able to defend against hackers, you must learn to think like one,” Williams said.  Another goal of the exercise, Bell added, was to serve as a checkpoint for internal training being developed for junior-level members of the Cyber Security Unit.  

To make the process even more realistic, planners recruited some of the sharpest “white hat” hackers in the world.  Participants included Sakura Samurai, an elite team of Cyber Security experts, specializing in poking holes in potential cyber defenses for governmental organizations and corporations worldwide (the hacker team counts former Texas State Guard servicemember Robert Willis among its ranks).  Also participating in the exercise was Darrell Beiner, a decorated combat veteran who serves as Cyber Security Section Chief for the Veterans Affairs Administration.  

By staging real-time simulations of cyber-attacks, threat intelligence specialists like Caruso can, as he put it, “understand what a threat actor does, and how they leverage it”, identifying mitigation tools and strategies for Texas’ cyber arsenal. “We set up a simulated enterprise network, complete with web servers, FTP servers, active directory, simulated desktops, and a real physical firewall and an industrial control network inside of it,” Caruso said. Partnering with the VDF marked a first-of-its-kind cross-border interagency exercise for the Texas State Guard Cyber Security forces, and Bell said he expects such training partnerships to become more common as threats become more widespread and complex.   

“The original concept for this was that it was supposed to be just an internal training activity just for the cyber team here in the Texas State Guard,” Bell said. “But it caught the attention of people in higher echelons who understand the importance of sharing cyber security expertise to meet the growing threat. In the future, we are going to be inviting other agencies to participate and expand the exercise to include more complex technologies, make the challenge more difficult, and in coming years help the cyber world become a safer place for everyone.”   

Central to that vision are highly trained experts in the field of Information Technology. The Texas State Guard continues to look for experienced IT professionals and others with an interest in helping defend the Lone Star State from an ever-evolving array of threats.  While prior military experience is not required - the ability to meet the standards of the Guard and a willingness to serve fellow Texans is essential.  

The Texas State Guard, a branch of the Texas Military Department, conducts homeland security and community service activities under the umbrella of Defense Support to Civil Authorities, augmenting the Texas Army National Guard and Texas Air National Guard as required.  More information about the Texas State Guard and recruitment contacts can be found online at tmd.texas.gov/state-guard. 

From Tragedy to Triumph: Texas State Guard Soldier Turns Spotlight on Mental Health

By David Brown, 1LT, Texas State Guard 

DALLAS – In the military, the virtues of leadership and duty are often highly celebrated, while mental health is less often discussed.  But a new memoir by a Dallas-based officer in the Texas State Guard is both a stirring account of resilience amid the mental health struggles of a family member and a powerful reminder of how mental wellness can bolster military preparedness.  “Letters from the Last Pope” by Texas State Guard Capt. Phoebe Sisk (née: Pope), explores the ripple effects of her mother’s suicide and the persistent stigmas surrounding mental illness.  

“My dad told us she went to sleep and didn’t wake up.” 

That’s how 5-year-old Phoebe Pope learned about her mother’s suicide. The youngest of 12 kids, Pope’s family fell upon hard times following the tragedy of her mother’s death and had relatively few possessions, living in a home in Fort Worth that was in a constant state of disrepair.  “For years we didn’t have heat or air conditioning, nor did we have a refrigerator or stove…”  Her parents were artists, money was tight, and fights between them, unfortunately, grew more and more common in Phoebe’s early years.  

While certain first childhood memories were full of love and wonder created by her creative and maternalistic mother, later memories took on the trauma of her mother’s mental health decline and include the day her mother threw the garbage into the front seat of the family car; as well as being left alone at night on a bus bench at 4 years old; and police visits to her grandfather’s home to recover her and her siblings on occasions when her mother swept them away from the family home in the middle of the night. 

Phoebe’s father struggled as a single parent to maintain the home, especially after the worsening of her mother’s mental health that resulted in her taking her own life.  Being a lone wolf, Phoebe’s father wasn’t prone to reach out for help and had very few friends with whom he interacted, creating a sense of isolation for the family. While Phoebe and the youngest siblings felt respected, valued, and included in their small Fort Worth schools, they were aware of whispers from concerned mothers in the community, and that “we kept our lives secret - we didn’t talk about it. We couldn’t help but feel different.” Sisk says. 

Today, as a Captain in the Texas State Guard, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, and the author of a new book on mental health, Sisk is leading the way in discussing mental health with candor and honesty.  

“In anyone’s story, you see a part of your own,” Sisk says. In Sisk’s story, many readers will recognize the feelings of shame and isolation that often accompany tragedy, poverty, mental illness, and other difficult life challenges, just as they will also recognize the same inspiring resilience that allows us to overcome overwhelming odds.  “We don’t rise up despite our stories, we rise up because of them,” says Sisk.  

“We didn’t think of our lives as tragic at the time, it was just our normal,” Sisk says about the experience of growing up a painfully shy child in a family where one beloved parent was gradually and heartbreakingly lost to the family due to mental illness.  After her mother had a wrongful hysterectomy, episodes of manic depression became more common.  Her parents divorced, and her father did the best he could to insulate the kids from their mother’s struggles.  “He really never talked about my mother’s suicide,” Sisk recalls. “He always spoke well of her... always light, never dark.  Much of what I knew about my mom I learned through stories my siblings would share or my father’s memories of her.  I didn’t even know the truth about my mother’s death until after my son was born.” 

According to research published by the National Institutes of Health, the impact of parental mental illness can affect children in a variety of ways, ranging from social deficits characterized by difficulties in work or marriage to issues related to poor self-esteem, and social adjustment. Many kids from such backgrounds have negative experiences in their childhood including abuse, neglect, isolation, and guilt.  But Sisk says having a father who believed in her and strong, supportive relationships with teachers resulted in her developing a sense of self that kept her true to her talents and interests–albeit in a private way. 

Sisk signed up to work on the school paper and joined the band.  Her enthusiasm for school cleared the way for her to skip a grade, graduate early and enter junior college at age 16. Later, at Austin College, Phoebe met Kevin, the man who would become her husband and her inspiration to join the U.S. Marine Corps.  After 4 years of federal military service, the Sisks embarked on careers in business and education; later starting a real estate firm, and raising two kids of their own (Elijah, 21, and Sarah Katherine, 19). 

“Teaching kids and mentoring others made me realize that as people, we rise up to others’ expectations- and that confidence, optimism, and our belief in others are often self-fulfilling prophecies,” Sisk says.  “Encouragement is often overlooked, but all of us, at one point or another, influence others in ways we do not know.  We all need to acknowledge that, at some point, we’ll be playing that role.” 

Sisk found herself playing just such a role in 2021 at a Texas State Guard leadership conference (one of the many educational opportunities available to service members) in her presentation of spiritual mentoring, a sharing that acknowledged the gifts of both intellect and spirit that we impart on others, often with no awareness of the fullness of the impact. 

Sisk’s presentation at that conference was powerful, says Brig. Gen. Roger Sheridan, who now commands the 6th Brigade, Texas State Guard. “It gave leaders at all levels a greater capacity to express themselves and a greater capacity for understanding others.  And the more we understand about others, the better we can do ourselves.”  

Sisk’s message fits squarely within the Guard’s “mission-ready” imperative, according to Capt. David Arnold, who serves in the Texas State Guard’s T3 (operations) section.  “Whether we’re responding to hurricanes, on a security support mission, or some other emergency…we have to be able to know that we can meet our objectives, and that requires resilience. We need to be able to talk about it–and train on it.”  

Though earlier in her life Sisk had been reluctant to speak about her experiences, the pandemic lockdown inspired her to slow down, to take stock of all that she had overcome, and to encourage others not to be defined by the same stigma, shame, and tragedy that had bound her for years.  This realization would serve as the inspiration for “Letters From the Last Pope: A Journey Home” (Scribe Publishing), her memoir aimed at encouraging others to embrace the power of personal transformation through intentional awareness and “radical compassion” to overcome a painful past. 

In her book, framed as 26 stirring ‘letters’ to people who have altered her own life’s trajectory, Sisk explores the concept of epigenetics: how behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way one’s genes work, and thus how unhealed trauma can affect a family for generations.  

According to the Centers for Disease Control, epigenetic changes can alter how the body reads a DNA sequence - but unlike genetic changes, epigenetic changes are reversible.  The book, Sisk says, reflects a realization that “we’re meant to share our stories.”  It is, as Sisk explains it, a kind of “spiritual mentorship” that sets the example for others to do the same, with enormous healing potential. 

“We carry shame and so we don’t tell our stories. But we’re meant to share so that we can begin the healing process - not only for ourselves but for someone else.  That’s the most beautiful part of it, looking at the past through a lens of grace. Those things that happened made us into the people that we are. There are no ‘mistakes’ in that story.  There’s a beautiful thread that will reveal itself – though it’s sometimes hard to see in the middle of pain and challenge.”  

Rising from family tragedy, the author offers a moving, often poetic first-hand account of a little girl who grew up to become not only top of her class in college, but a gifted educator, author, businessperson, public servant, and parent. In “Letters from the Last Pope”, Phoebe Sisk outlines an arc of redemption made possible by embracing mental health with honesty and candor, overcoming ancestral trauma, and building a new future. 

“It makes a lot of sense that we do the work, so our kids don’t have to.” 

Sisk serves in the T3 (operations) unit of the Texas State Guard Headquarters and Headquarters Company (Camp Mabry/Austin), and is an adjunct to the T7 (training) staff.  

As a branch of the Texas Military Department, the State Guard provides mission-ready military forces to assist state and local authorities during emergencies and augments the Texas Army National Guard and Texas Air National Guard as required. “It’s good to be around purpose-driven people,” Sisk says, noting the diverse skills and backgrounds of her colleagues in uniform, and the selfless sacrifice service members undertake on behalf of their fellow Texans. “There’s a sacredness to their service,” Sisk adds. 

The Texas State Guard is looking for healthcare professionals, lawyers, teachers, engineers, and others willing to make a commitment to serving their fellow Texans.  Though many members of the State Guard have prior federal military experience, it is not a requirement for service.  More information about opportunities in the Texas State Guard can be found online at tmd.texas.gov/state-guard. 

A Fake Disaster to Save Real Lives: Texas State Guard Troops Tackle a Worst-Case Scenario

By Phoebe Sisk, Capt., Texas State Guard 

AUSTIN (Camp Mabry), Texas – In the small coastal Texas town of San Patrick, local farmers fretted as the worst possible conditions came to bear.  With drought and heat conditions reaching 2011 records, the failure of the city’s water treatment plant- the sole municipal water source for all 149,000 inhabitants- threatened the worst crop and livestock losses of the decade. San Patrick citizens faced an immediate emergency water shortage advisory and a ban on all non-essential outdoor water use.  

Only…there is no such place as San Patrick, Texas.   

Its inhabitants and the water treatment plant failure were all part of a hypothetical- contrived as a training simulation for disaster response, under the direction of Texas State Guard Lt. Col. Tony Dale, in coordination with seasoned Texas Emergency Operations Center (TEOC) battle staff.  

Even better news? After successfully navigating the evolving constructs of this disaster scenario through applying practices and resources gleaned through this training, participating Texas State Guard soldiers will be better prepared than ever to respond to real-life emergencies within their state.  

According to Dale, this objective was a main goal in developing the TEOC awareness course, a project Dale designed to satisfy a requirement in his own professional military education as a student in the Command and General Staff College program.  “I easily spent 30 hours in the development of this training as a potential qualifier for service members to work in the TEOC, but also to act as a refresher for my own civil affairs staff. While we have all served within the TEOC, it’s important that our training incorporate today’s most current emergency practices and standards so that we are ready to deploy if called on by civil authorities,” Dale said.  

Dale’s comments are reflective of the ever-expanding and adaptive role of the Texas State Guard, which is often called upon to help civilian officials respond to critical situations.  The Texas State Guard is one of three branches of the Texas Military Department, which also includes the Texas Army National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard.  All three state forces fall under the command of the state Adjutant General and the Governor as Commander-in-Chief.  

It is not unusual for Texas State Guard service members to take leave from civilian jobs to deploy for a period of 3 days to 2 weeks in response to hurricanes or other natural disasters.  But many are now serving in support of activities such as border security for much longer periods, and within more varied positions of service and leadership than ever before. Dale acknowledges that from his perspective, as mission requirements have become more encompassing, training needs have also grown to be a greater priority.   

“For this reason, in developing the course exercise, I worked closely with T-3 (Operations Team) as well as with experienced members of the TEOC.  I wanted to ensure that all (variables in) the simulated emergency were realistic and that they elicited responses according to current state emergency operation practices,” Dale said.   /p> In addition to receiving preliminary two-hour training from the TEOC on WEBEOC (a web-enabled crisis information management system that provides real-time information sharing and situational awareness), participants also received training on current PERSTAT (personnel accountability and compensation) forms from the TEOC’s Administrative leader, Texas State Guard Sgt. 1st Class John Saxon. Saxon, a combat Army veteran, joined the State Guard in 2017 and has served within various billets, including five years as an administrative officer handling all aspects of personnel management.   

“Taking care of the troops is priority one,” said Saxon. “One of our main responsibilities within the TEOC is to manage the deployment of service members from home of record to mission, which includes overseeing logistical and administrative tasks involved in troop movement, so training on proper practices and forms becomes very important to ensure safety, accountability, and well-being of our service members,” he said.  

After receiving training from Saxon, participants engaged in a 7-hour role play incorporating the formation of the STAR (State of Texas Assistance Request) initiated by the mayor of the fictitious town of San Patrick.  This was followed by the (mock) mobilization and deployment of Texas State Guard assets, among other state resources, by the State Operations Center (SOC), located at the Department of Public Safety Headquarters in Austin, and managed by the Texas Division of Emergency Management.  Dale’s training scenario provides a stress test for the systems in place, highlighting potential vulnerabilities, and preparing soldiers to take on real-world missions quickly and effectively.  

Staff Sgt. Jason Zachman, the current non-commissioned officer in charge of the TEOC, makes sure all the moving pieces work together to make a rapid Texas State Guard response possible. “The SOC serves as the first warning point and primary control facility- and will operate, as needed, on a 24/7 basis to monitor threats, make notification of threats and provide information on emergency incidents to local, state, and federal officials,” Zachman said. Zachman worked as a member of the Special Operations Center (SOC) team before transitioning to TEOC.    
Zachman is one of a few TXSG service members who has been deployed on state active duty for a period of over two years.  “The learning, exposure, and growth of my positions have been unparalleled,” he said. “Now that I’ve served in the TXSG, I can’t imagine doing anything else that would feel as purposeful as serving my fellow Texans.”   

Like many Texas State Guard soldiers, Zachman is an Army veteran. With his experience as a former military policeman and volunteer fireman, Zachman possesses a uniquely strong skill set in emergency management.  Although Guard members do not have to have prior federal military experience to join, the Guard is always looking for potential recruits with real-world experience in a variety of fields including engineering and construction, medicine, education, information technology, first responders, and other vocations.   

“The readiness of our troops is paramount for executing the missions of the TXSG," said Brig. Gen. Anthony Woods, Commanding General of the Texas State Guard. "When the Governor of Texas activates our forces in times of need for our fellow Texans, our consistent training prepares us to answer the call. I’m proud of the men and women of the TXSG for their commitment to train and deploy when needed.” 

More information about the Texas State Guard, opportunities to serve, benefits, and recruitment contacts can be found online at tmd.texas.gov/state-guard. 

 

Defense Information School honors Texas State Guard Brigade Commander in Hall of Fame induction

By LT Jonathan Hernandez, Texas State Guard, 1st Brigade

Fort Meade, MARYLAND (August 10, 2022) The Defense Information School (DINFOS) inducted Texas State Guard Brig. Gen. Robert Hastings into the DINFOS Hall of Fame Wednesday, August 10, 2022, at a ceremony at Ford Meade, MD. 

The DINFOS Hall of Fame recognizes alum who have a lifetime of service and accomplishment in the military, private sector, and other government and public service roles.

 “As I focus on the moments that stand out to me over the last 40 years, the things that I recall the most are the people who I had the honor and privilege to serve alongside,” said Hastings. “We must never forget that at any point, regardless of our stature, we have the power to influence the trajectory of other people’s lives.”

DINFOS trains U.S. military, Department of Defense civilian, international military, and interagency students in public affairs, journalism, photography, video production, broadcast equipment maintenance, graphic design, and digital media.

“Leadership is not a rank or title; it is a privilege,” Hastings said. “Always put people first, and you’ll find that instead of working with a group of high-performing individuals, you’ll get to work as part of a high-performing team.”

 

While in the Army, Hastings served as a Public Affairs Officer, a DINFOS instructor, and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs in the George W. Bush administration. In the Texas State Guard, Hastings commands the 1st Brigade, which is responsible for 113 counties in North Texas and the panhandle. He has led troops through disaster response, homeland security, and defense support to civil authorities. In his civilian career, Hastings is the executive vice president of Bell Textron Inc. and leads all aspects of the company’s global marketing and communications programs.