'It's a Wonderful Deployment' for Indiana Aviators

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq (December 2009) - Members of Task Force 38, with the 38th Combat Aviation Brigade of the Indiana National Guard put their own spin on the movie "It's a Wonderful Life," addressing suicide while making their audience laugh Dec. 4 here at the Freedom Chapel.

LTC Dan Kozlowski, brigade judge advocate with TF 38 and an Indianapolis native, said he and COL David Wood, the TF 38 commander, came up with this innovative approach to suicide prevention.

"We both considered the movie to be a favorite," said Kozlowski. "There is a tendency toward depression around the holidays and we wanted to put out a positive message."

Wreaths at Pentagon Memorial May Begin New Tradition

WASHINGTON (December 14, 2009) - On the western side of the Pentagon, at the memorial to those who died during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack, volunteers had mounted 184 evergreen wreaths on the fence - one for each person who died there.

The wreaths are identical to those which have been placed for years now on graves at nearby Arlington National Cemetery. This year, for the first time, they are being used to honor those who were killed as part of the Sept. 11 attacks.

"Why we're here and why we're including the victims of 9/11 (is) because they are casualties of the war on terror - no different than any other war we have been to," said Morrill Worcester, of the Worcester Wreath Company, during a ceremony Dec. 11 at the Pentagon Memorial. "We just don't ever want to forget these people, that's why we are doing what we are doing."

National Guard Responds to Storm in Seven States

ARLINGTON, Va., (Dec. 21, 2009) - National Guard members in seven states were called to duty over the weekend after a record snowfall blanketed the Northeast.

More than 1,200 Guardsmen in Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware, the District of Columbia and North Carolina responded to requests for road clearance, evacuation and other related missions.

In Virginia, about 400 Guard members were initially mobilized, but Gov. Tim Kaine authorized another 600 Soldiers on Dec. 20. According to a press release from the state, more than 750 Soldiers and Airmen were expected to be on duty throughout the state by the afternoon of Dec. 20.

Arkansas Triplets: “Trying to Do Better Than Him or Him”
FORT BENNING, Ga., (August 27, 2009) - The cadre at the 30th Adjutant General Battalion (Reception) aren’t seeing double - they’re seeing triple. Identical triplets Joshua, Jacob and John Temple arrived at the battalion Aug 17. The Temple brothers are the first triplets to pass through in more than 20 years, said Erma Thompson, chief of personal affairs, who has worked at the battalion since it opened on Sand Hill in 1983..[more]