Fall 2007 - Alaska - Department of Military and Veterans Affairs ...

En Route to Afghanistan. The Alaska Army National Guard’s Sergeant
First Class Robert Nunnally, left, Sergeant First Class Anibal Jorge, center, and
Sergeant First Class Ramon Gutierrez take a quick break after offloading their gear at
Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan. The Soldiers are members of the Afghan National Army
Embedded Transition Team and have been working with various police and security
forces units in Afghanistan since July. Photo: Major Wayne Hunt, Alaska Army National Guard
operations officer of the Alaska Army
National Guard’s Embedded Transition
Team. “Sergeant First Class Anibal Jorge
and I have participated in cordon and
search, as well as drug/explosive/
weapons raid operations, which address
the most common problems we are
currently having in the north.”
“This is a critical mission in helping
build and strengthen the local resources
in Afghanistan to combat radical groups
U.S. Citizens. Twenty-eight Marines, Sailors
and Soldiers, including two Alaska Army National
Guard members, take the oath to become citizens of
the United States of America during a naturalization
ceremony at a military camp in Kuwait. Left: Specialist
Noli Batac, of Juneau, left, recites the Pledge of
Allegiance. Below: Sergeant Erwin Durano, of
Anchorage, fifth from right, stands proudly with other
service members during the naturalization ceremony.
Both men are originally from the Philippines and are
serving with 3rd Battalion, 297th Infantry in Kuwait.
Photos: Specialist Giancarlo Casem, U.S. Army
that inhibit freedom,” said Major General
Craig E. Campbell, adjutant general of
the Alaska National Guard. “The Alaska
National Guard family is proud of what
they are accomplishing and the support
they are providing to the people of
Afghanistan.”
The Embedded Transition Team is
expected to return to Alaska during
summer 2008, after serving a one-year
deployment to Afghanistan. ■
Security Forces
Deploy
By 168th Air Refueling Wing,
Alaska Air National Guard
EIELSON AIR FORCE
BASE, Alaska ... Thirty-one
Alaska Air National Guard
members from the 168th Security
Forces Squadron, stationed at
Eielson Air Force Base, are serving
a six-month deployment in
Kyrgyzstan in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom.
This is the fifth combat
deployment for the squadron since
the start of the Global War on
Terrorism and the second combat
deployment in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom.
Major Carl Alvarez assumed
command in September of nearly
200 Air National Guard Security
Forces personnel from seven states
responsible for the security of a
major Operation Enduring
Freedom forward operating base,
Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan.
“Security Forces’ primary
mission at Manas Air Base,
Kyrgyzstan, is to provide air base
ground defense to protect the
installation and personnel, as well
as protection from standoff
weapons, which may pose a threat
to the airfield and the aircraft
during critical times of flight
including takeoffs and landings,”
Alvarez said. “It’s a privilege to
lead and deploy with these
dedicated Citizen-Airmen from
such diverse backgrounds such as
police officers, school teachers
and a geologist.”
For Senior Airman Jay Adams, an
electrician apprentice from Fairbanks, this
is his second deployment. He previously
served in Iraq in 2005 for six months.
“Being a member of the Alaska Air
National Guard gives me the opportunity
to serve not only my family and friends in
the local community and the state that we
live in, but in the case of our deployment,
serve as a member of the active duty Air
Force and do my part in the Global War
on Terrorism.” ■
Fall 2007 WARRIORS Ready to Serve
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