National Guard @ MindSay 
army
I'm in the middle of buying a house, I should get it, I've been fixing it up already. We were told that certain things needed to be fixed before we were allowed to get an FHA loan, and we figured, hey, we're fixing this, why not this, and this... and this too! It's a first home that we are fixing up and going to sell again in another several years, at least 3. However, I still wish I could like it more than I do. It's cute, and quaint, but it's a ranch with no basement, A small detached garage, and the smallest kitchen I've ever seen in a house. We are going to fix some of these things, but it's not a forever home for me, and I guess I'm ready to have a forever home. Not that I know we will ever be able to buy a forever home. We want lots of land, and a big kitchen and garage, and that's about all we agree on. He wants a log cabin. Two, maybe three bedrooms and two baths, open concept of course. I am opening up to the whole open concept thing, and I like the idea of a log cabin. I want more rooms so lots of family can visit and for kids when they come into our lives. But, like I said, that is going to be a ways down the road.
I'm going to be joining the National Guard soon. I have some weight to loose, and I'd like to get a head start on the running. Can't decide what job I want. I'm stuck between MOS 68X, 68T, and 94F. They are all completely different. I will have trouble getting the two 68 jobs because of the state I'm in, but 94F has a 10,000 kicker. Money aside, I'm not sure what would actually make me happy. I know it's just the guard, so I only have one weekend a month, but still.
I changed my major again, to psychology. I might have mentioned that before. I'm really enjoying it though. It's hard, but it's immensely interesting. I have to sign up for classes soon. I actually should have already started.
Planning the wedding for next May. I'm so excited and nervous all at the same time. I have so much to do still. I only have our location picked, and payed for. Absolutely nothing else. It's scary, and I keep worrying about getting sick while we are at the altar. I was a Jr. Bridesmaid at my sisters wedding a long time ago. All of a sudden, I felt really hot and sick, I got lightheaded, and my vision went black. I fell backwards into a pew. I really don't want that to happen when I'm the bride. We know what we want. Short, but meaningful ceremony. We are going to wash each others feet, and all the normal stuff. We would like to have BBQ, and make it really relaxed. No jeans, but just one step above that. I'm so happy.
I haven't been home in a while. Or at least it feels that way. My dad had a heart attack, and I went home for his surgery, although I didn't make it there until after he was out and awake. Not that he was lucid, but he does remember a lot about what happened that day. He ended up having a quadruple bypass. It was really scary. Now he is back to work, and losing some weight. I think he still has about 50 pounds to go, he already lost about 40. I'm very proud of him. It's Easter and there is nothing special going on. Steve is at work, and here I am.
I've been going to a Unitarian Universalist Church. I really like it. I'm thinking about becoming a member. I'm still Christian, but it's nice to be where there are so many nice people that don't necessarily believe everything the same way, but they still get along, and well at that.
It's good to be back.
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
May 17, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has charged his staff to take action on 20 of 23 recommendations made by an independent commission for changes in the reserve components. Gates presented alternatives to the commission's other three recommendations to department leaders.
In a May 10 memorandum released yesterday, Gates tasked Defense Department leaders to respond within two weeks to his call for action based on his office's assessment and endorsement of the recommendations made in March by the Commission of the National Guard and Reserves.
Four of the recommendations are in line with current policies or practices, so no additional action needs to be taken. Nine of the recommendations can be implemented by making changes within the department. Three require changes in law. Four require coordination with the Department of Homeland Security. Gates offered alternatives to three.
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs Thomas F. Hall called Gates' two-week response requirement "warp speed" for the Pentagon.
"Essentially the department is in agreement with the 23 recommendations," Hall told reporters at the Pentagon.
Key policy changes call for revising how the department determines funding and resourcing for the reserves, including its civil support requirements.
Hall said the department's budgeting and resourcing methods for the reserves are based on decades-old policies.
"We need tanks and things for dual use, but what we really need to look at are ambulances and helicopters and the things to respond to a disaster. And frankly, that's my focus right now," Hall said.
"How do we identify what those civil support requirements are? We've not had a methodical way to take a look at those within our budget," he said.
"I think we need to have an entire new equipping strategy for the Guard and Reserve in light of today," Hall said.
In the memorandum, Gates charges the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the undersecretary of defense for policy, the National Guard Bureau chief, and the commanders of U.S. Northern, Southern and Pacific commands with advocating for reserve-component civil support requirements and required resources. He also calls for a legislative proposal requiring an annual report to Congress outlining civil support requirements and resourcing.
Gates agreed with the commission's recommendation that the National Guard Bureau chief not be made a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Hall said that would make the Guard a de facto fifth service and could cause a competition for resources between the Guard and the chiefs of the Army and Air Force.
"We feel it takes apart, rather than puts together, what we have carefully crafted," Hall said, referring to a National Guard force integrated into its active component.
Instead, the Defense Department's recommendation is that policy changes name the National Guard Bureau chief as an advisor to the defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"We feel that's a better way than creating a so-called fifth service," Hall said.
Gates also proposed a legislative change that will not limit the grade of the National Guard Bureau chief, currently a three-star position, opening the position up as a possible four-star billet after review.
Gates disagreed with the commission on making either the U.S. Northern Command's commander or deputy position a mandatory reserve-component officer's billet. Instead, he calls for a policy change to modify officer military education and assignments that will allow any position in the military to be filled with the best qualified officer, regardless of component. This eventually could include even combatant commands, Hall said.
"I have a vision, and I'll admit it's mine -- and that is one day, when we really get total integration, we will have the joint education, the joint assignments, the joint qualifications for any of our National Guard, reserve or active-duty officers, that they can be fully competitive to be either the combatant commander or the deputy commander," Hall said. "I think that would be the day ... in which we will have achieved what we need in joint education and jointness to make them qualified for that."
In response to the commission's charge that governors have no formal channels for dialogue with the Defense Department regarding use, manning, training and equipping of their National Guard assets, Gates is directing an executive order that will establish a council of governors that would advise his office and the secretary of homeland security.
On the other hand, he disagreed with the commission's recommendation that governors direct federal troops responding to their states in the event of an emergency.
"The secretary did not agree because this is a matter of governance," Hall said. "It is his belief ... that the commander in chief, the president, should determine who best commands forces in any situation."
Gates called for protocols to be developed that will allow for federal forces to assist state emergency-response personnel, emphasizing a "unity of effort."
All legislative amendments are expected to be included in the department's legislative program for fiscal 2008.
Initially, the commission was to report on the proposed "National Guard Empowerment Act," which aimed to increase the authority of National Guard leaders. Instead, the commission broadened its report -- Strengthening America's Defenses in the New Security Environment -- to include U.S. Northern Command, the departments of Homeland Security and Defense, and state governors.
In March, the commission reported that changes are needed to pull together the nation's security team and break down "institutional stove pipes" between agencies.
Commission chair Arnold L. Punaro said he was pleased with Gates' action on the recommendations.
"The fact that the secretary's review and approval of our recommendations were accomplished so quickly is a clear reflection of the secretary's decisive leadership and support for the needed reforms," Punaro said.
The commission's final report addressing changes to improve how the National Guard and reserve components are organized, trained, equipped, compensated and supported to best meet U.S. national security objectives will be delivered to Congress and the secretary in January.
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By 1st Lt. Crystal Stiltner, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 16, 2007 – Oklahoma Air National Guard members arrived here May 14 to participate in Operation Cherokee Angel, a medical humanitarian mission aimed at improving the health and welfare of the local population while training and working alongside Azeri medical personnel. Col. Samandar Mammadov, Azerbaijan Ministry of Defense General Staff's Chief of Operations, welcomed the Air Guard team to the Qaraheybat Training Center, where their eight days of training began.
"The purpose of this training is treatment and rescue," Mammadov said. "This training exercise will accelerate our relations between the countries of Azerbaijan and the United States."
Training by the Oklahoma and Tulsa medical team includes classroom instruction on hospital site selection, field sanitation, shelter assembly, pre-hospital trauma care, patient assessment, and airway management. Classroom instruction will continue and then be practiced in the field by treating local Azeri displaced persons.
"This experience in humanitarian missions and global medicine is critical for future operations," explained Air Force Lt. Col James Davis, a flight surgeon with the 137th Airlift Squadron at Will Rogers Air Guard Base. "We look forward to sharing our medical knowledge with the Azeri forces."
Operation Cherokee Angel is meeting mandatory training objectives for the Oklahoma Air Guard personnel and providing valuable training to the Azerbaijan military, U.S. officials said.
The Oklahoma-Azerbaijan partnership was established in 2002 under the U.S. European Command State Partnership Program, which aligns selected states with nations around the world in an effort to promote stability.
Created in 1993, the State Partnership Program currently includes 54 partnerships worldwide. Twenty-six of those are in the U.S. European Command area of responsibility, including five in Africa and 21 in Europe.
(Air Force 1st Lt. Crystal Stiltner is assigned to the 137th Airlift Wing.)
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By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
May 16, 2007 – National guardsmen in four states are helping to battle wildfires that have burned more than 300,000 acres, Defense Department officials said today.
All of the guardsmen are working under command of state authorities.
In New Jersey, a training mission started a fire at the Warren Grove Training Range in the Pine Barrens. An Air Guard F-16 conducting a close air support training mission dispensed flares that started a fire in the scrub pine forest. While range safety personnel were on the site immediately, the fire jumped a county road and a state road and has burned roughly 13,500 acres, New Jersey Guard officials said.
Conditions on the ground are perfect for fires: low humidity, high wind and no rain for 20 days. New Jersey guardsmen in Blackhawk helicopters are cooperating with state forest officials and dropping water on the blaze, which has damaged about four dozen homes, officials said.
In Florida, 110 National Guardsmen are supporting firefighting efforts in Flagler County. This includes guardsmen from South Carolina, and Georgia. In Southeast Georgia, 41 guardsmen are supporting operations, officials said.
Georgia National Guard aircraft have flown 289.4 hours, delivering more than 2,500 buckets, each filled with 2,000 gallons of water onto hotspots. Guardsmen have also dumped more than 200 buckets, each filled with 700 gallons, on the flames. In Georgia, two CH-47 helicopters and a UH-60 helicopter are supporting the effort, officials said, adding that guardsmen are also providing some ground support.
In Minnesota, two Air National Guard servicemembers are supporting firefighting efforts in Grand Marais, officials said.
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