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"Texans Defending Texas"

FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLIC RELEASE:

Texas State Guard to Perform Community Service Project

AUSTIN, Texas (March 3, 2016) – Members of 2nd Regiment, Texas State Guard, will take part in a community service project in support of the Zilker Kite Festival, March 6, 2016, in Austin.

“The Zilker Kite Festival is one of our most important activities of the year,” said Col. Robert Woodmansee, Commander, 2nd Regiment, Texas State Guard. “This festival helps kick off a season of outdoor events."

The event will involve approximately 25 soldiers that will be providing logistical and communications support to the event. Soldiers assist with event parking, traffic management and on-site transportation. Additionally, the regiment’s radio communications team will work alongside local amateur (ham) radio operators.

"We are very happy to assist the organizers and sponsors and at the same time the festival gives Texas State Guard soldiers the opportunity to exercise their training and prepares them for real world emergencies such as a hurricane, tornado, flooding event or other natural disaster that can happen anywhere in the state,” said Woodmansee.

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

The TXSG is the state's volunteer military agency; trained, organized and ready to respond when a disaster strikes and Texans need help. The TXSG is comprised of more than 2,200 volunteers

organized into four components – Army, Air, Medical and Maritime – with individual units assigned throughout the state.

Texas State Guard personnel train one weekend each month and attend a four-day annual training exercise every year.

For more information about the TXSG, visit https://tmd.texas.gov.

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The mission of the Texas Military Department (TMD) is to provide the Governor and the President with ready and trained forces in support of the citizens of Texas and State and Federal civil/military authorities at home and abroad.

The Texas Military Department is commanded by the Adjutant General of Texas, the state's senior military official appointed by the governor. The Texas Military Department includes the Texas Army National Guard (TXARNG), the Texas Air National Guard (TXANG), the Texas State Guard (TXSG) and the Domestic Operations Command (DOMOPS).

For more information about the Texas Military Department visit our website at https://tmd.texas.gov.