New Mexico Minuteman - Summer 2010

Page 5
Renovations
honor history,
look toward future
Page 14
150th SFS accomplishes
Silver Flag Training
Page 18
NMARNG trauma
training helps Costa
Rican fi rst responders

Governor
Bill Richardson
Bob Ulin
Publisher
Justin Ritter
Graphic Designer
The Adjutant General
Maj. Gen.
Kenny C. Montoya
Public Affairs Officer
Lt. Col. Jamison Herrera
Editor
Sgt. Suzanna Dominguez
Contributors
150th Fighter Wing Public
Information Office
2251 Air Guard Rd. SE
KAFB, N.M. 87117
Public Information Officer
1st Lt. Brian Raphael
200th Public Affairs Detachment
47 Bataan Blvd.
Santa Fe, N.M. 87508
Commander
Capt. Elizabeth Foott
ON THE COVER: Master Sgt.
Joseph Muller, 150th Security
Forces Squadron, practices a
new tactic on how to proceed
forward with weapons drawn
during the Silver Flag training
at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada. Muller
approaches a target and fi res his weapon.
Photo: Master Sgt. Paula Aragon, 150th PAO
Marie Lundstrom
Editor
Chris Kersbergen &
Darrell George
Advertising Sales
CORPORATE OFFICE:
8537 Corbin Dr., Anchorage, AK 99507
(907) 562-9300 • (866) 562-9300
Fax: (907) 562-9311
www.AQPpublishing.com
Published by AQP Publishing, Inc., a private fi rm in
no way connected with the New Mexico Department of
Military Affairs, or the New Mexico National Guard, under
written contract with the New Mexico Department of
Military Affairs. This New Mexico Department of Military
Affairs magazine is an authorized publication for employees
and military members of the New Mexico Department
of Military Affairs. Contents of this publication are
not necessarily the offi cial views of, or endorsed by, the
state of New Mexico, the U.S. Government, Department
of Defense or the New Mexico National Guard.
The appearance of advertising in this publication,
including inserts or supplements, does not constitute
endorsement by the state of New Mexico, DoD, the New
Mexico National Guard or AQP Publishing, Inc. of the products
or services advertised.
Summer 2010
C O N T E N T S
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920th “Outkast” Engineers enjoy welcome celebrations
Guardsmen succeed in Expert Infantry Badge testing
515th sponsors inaugural Memorial Bataan Death March
Ruidoso hosts MAW
Renovations honor history, look toward future
NMNG 2010-2011 Marathon Team earns plaudits
Get help for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
150th SFS accomplishes Silver Flag Training
Junior Army Guard receives medical training
Flying more than F-16s
NMARNG trauma training helps Costa Rica first responders
State Guard Citizen-Soldiers part of National Guard family
515th Welcomed home
150th Civil Engineer Squadron
Guardsmen go down range
Middle schoolers show off military skills
WW II flyer receives award 60 years later
F-16s take to the air for their last Boss Lift
Mysterious package keeps 67-year secret
www.nm.ngb.army.mil
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We bid adieu 7▼
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Roll on home ▼
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Everything advertised in this publication shall be made
available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard
to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital
status, physical handicap, political affi liation or any other
non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron.
Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by
the Offi ce of Public Affairs, Joint Force Headquarters –
New Mexico, New Mexico Department of Military Affairs.
All photographs and graphic devices are copyrighted to
the New Mexico Department of Military Affairs unless
otherwise indicated.
All submissions should pertain to the New Mexico
National Guard and are subject to editing. Contributions
and reader comments should be sent to:
suzanna.y.dominguez@us.army.mil
Summer 2010 / NEW MEXICO National Guard 1
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All deployed NMNG
units now home:
920th “Outkast” Engineers
enjoy welcome celebrations
By Sgt. Suzanna Dominguez, State Public Affairs, JFHQ
2 NEW MEXICO Minuteman / Summer 2010
Family members, friends and fellow Guardsmen gathered together
to celebrate the return of the 920th Engineer Company April 30, 2010.
The unit returned to Fort Bliss, Texas, after completing a one-year
deployment to Afghanistan. Upon arrival, the Soldiers were immediately
welcomed by Maj. Gen. Kenny C. Montoya, the Adjutant General
of New Mexico, and then continued into a room full of excited family
members and friends waiting to be reunited with their Soldiers.
Nicknamed “Outkast,” the 920th Engineer Company were anything
but, completing missions in 30 different locations in Afghanistan.
“We got the name Outkast because we are the only engineer unit
in New Mexico; and in Afghanistan, we were the only company in our
battalion that wasn’t from Alabama,” said Capt. Rudy Armijo, the 920th
company commander. “We set the standard across the board for engineers
in Afghanistan.”
After completing the demobilization processes in Fort Bliss, the Soldiers
returned to New Mexico where they were offi cially welcomed home
during ceremonies in Roswell, Carlsbad, Hobbs and Rio Rancho.
“This is one of those days for me that is historical,” said Montoya
during the Welcome Home Ceremony in Roswell. “This week we
brought all of our units home. This is the fi rst time in seven years that
every unit has been home.”
In the last seven years the New
Mexico National Guard has deployed
hundreds of Guardsmen to missions in
Iraq, Afghanistan, Cuba and Kosovo.
“This deployment went really well,”
said Armijo. “It was a lot more challenging
than I thought, but we completed
our mission and brought 100 percent
of our Soldiers home.”
Montoya offi cially welcomed the
920th Soldiers home, telling them and
their family members, “You have a great
person next to you. They put on their
uniforms and say, ‘I am willing to die for
you,’ and now they’re home. Mission
complete! Welcome home!”

Guardsmen succeed in Expert Infantry Badge testing
By Sgt. Suzanna Dominguez, State Public Affairs, JFHQ
Fourteen New Mexico National Guard
infantrymen were tested on their profi ciency
in individual infantry arts with the aim of earning
the Expert Infantry Badge in Fort Benning,
Ga., April 12-16, 2010. Eleven of the 14
infantrymen were awarded the EIB.
Soldiers were tested on many events;
most notably engaging targets with hand
grenades, performing fi rst aid, identifying
and clearing foreign weapons, conducting
patrols that include ambush scenarios,
properly entering and clearing buildings
and conducting medevacs. Soldiers also
participated in an Army physical fi tness test,
day and night land navigation course, and
a 12-mile road march, according to Sgt. 1st
Class Gerald Burkhart, New Mexico National
Guard NCOIC for the contingent.
Burkhart said tryouts for New Mexico
Guardsmen started in March with 45 Soldiers
competing for a slot to participate in the course
of testing in Fort Benning. Of those 45 Soldiers,
20 were selected to
go to Santa Fe for the
second phase of tryouts,
with 14 making it
to Fort Benning.
Sgt. Ryan Faraone,
B Company, 1/200
Infantry Battalion, one of
the 11 infantrymen to be
awarded the EIB, said
that to him the most
challenging event was
the 12-mile road march.
“The physical aspect
of the road march isn’t
what was challenging, being that the road
march was the last event for EIB and knowing
that I had already passed all other events,
I wasn’t going to let 12 miles stand between
me and my EIB. It was a great experience. I
recommend that all of our infantry Soldiers
should push to get their EIB,” said Faraone.
Over 500 U.S. Army personnel started
the course of testing April 12 and about 190
Soldiers left April 16 with their EIB, surpassing
the historical average passing rate of less
than 10 percent.
Summer 2010 / NEW MEXICO National Guard 3

By Sgt. Dalene Marsh,
515th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, NMARNG
On a cool March morning in Iraq, over 85 military
members and civilians stood at attention and
recited the Pledge of Allegiance at the opening ceremony
of the fi rst Camp Bucca Memorial Bataan
Death March.
To honor its heritage, the 515th Combat Sustainment
Support Battalion, along with Morale, Welfare
and Recreation, sponsored the inaugural march.
Unlike the annual 26.2-mile march at White Sands
Missile Range in New Mexico, the Camp Bucca
Memorial Bataan Death March was 13 miles long.
After the pledge, Lt. Col. Kenneth Nava, 515th
commander, stood before the eager participants
and related the unit’s history. For those experiencing
the march for the fi rst time, he explained why some
make the gruesome trek.
“Marchers come to this memorial event for many
reasons: personal challenge, the spirit of competition
or to foster esprit de corps in their unit. Some
march in honor of a family member or a particular
veteran who was in the Bataan Death March or
was taken a prisoner of war by the Japanese in the
Philippines,” said Nava before he started on the 13-
mile march around and through Camp Bucca.
Not all of the 85 participants were from Camp
Bucca. Spc. William Anderson, of the 308th Battalion
Support Brigade, traveled a few hours by
convoy from Contingency Operating Base Basrah
to march with his wife, Staff Sgt. Jill Walling, who
is stationed at Camp Bucca. This was the fi rst time
either of them had participated in the Bataan Memorial
Death March.
Capt. Michael Calhoon, who has participated in
the annual march in previous years, was the fi rst
515th member to pass the fi nish line. When asked
why he continues to march each year, he explained,
“At fi rst it was a physical challenge, but then gained
more meaning. After serving with this unit, it is to
honor our lineage.”
Honor and esprit de corps are what it is all
about.
4 NEW MEXICO Minuteman / Summer 2010
515th 515th sponsors sponsors inaugural
inaugural
Memorial Memorial Bataan Bataan Death Death March
March
Participants await the start of the inaugural Camp Bucca Memorial Bataan Death
March during the pre-dawn hours of March 21 in Iraq.
From left, in front, Maj. Edna Ashley, Capt. Lori Kirkland, Staff Sgt. Kimberly Balmores,
Chief Warrant Offi cer Vicente Fernandez, and in back, Master Sgt. Cecilia Chavez
compete March 21 in the fi rst Camp Bucca Memorial Bataan Death March in Iraq. The
gang won in the civilian light team category.

Renovations
honor history,
look toward
future
By Staff Sgt. Anna Doo, 200th Public Affairs Detachment, NMARNG
Spring is a time of rebirth, hope, and a
renewed sense of possibility. This spring
brought the grand reopening of a renovated
museum, new monument and some
incredibly vibrant veterans to the annual
Bataan Day Ceremony on April 9, 2010, in
Santa Fe, N.M.
As the second event announces the
coming of spring, the yearly Bataan Memorial
Death March being the fi rst, the annual
Bataan Day Ceremony was blessed with
beautiful spring weather replete with warm
temperatures and only a slight breeze.
Surviving veterans of the nations’ confl icts
attended the outdoor ceremony to be honored
with remembrance for their sacrifi ce,
courage and bravery. In addition, the veterans
were honored for their hope; the hope
that lies in kinship with their fellow brothers
in arms, the hope that kept them looking
to the skies and horizon for rescue during
and after the more than 60-mile Bataan
Death March during World War II.
Following the ceremony and after nearly
six months of planning, hard work and
numerous late nights, the New Mexico
National Guard Bataan Memorial Museum
reopened its doors to chirping birds, the fragrance
of cherry blossoms, and to some of
the veterans’ for which it commemorates.
Sgt. 1st Class Douglas Bowman, facilities
manager and historian for the museum
was a pivotal member of the entire renovation.
He directed much of the remodeling
ensuring that the building’s historical
status remained intact.
Bowman said, “It’s been a steady process.
It was tedious when we fi rst started
it with all the dust and contractor traffi c.
I had to assist and make sure areas of
entry were available for all the workers,
it took awhile. But now we have a new
product, a better way
to showcase the New
Mexico National Guard
Museum with the focus
on the Bataan legacy.
The focus is keeping
the New Mexico heritage,
which includes
Bataan veterans, alive.”
In addition to rummaging through carefully
preserved boxes of artifacts, documenting
and displaying the donation of
more than 300 weapons from the New
Mexico Military Institute, and rearranging
the entire museum, Bowman directed the
creation of the Bressi Library. An airy room
with lots of natural light and new hardwood
fl oors that match the original fl ooring of
the museum. The library is a space that
invokes quiet research, contemplation and
remembrance of the heroes chronicled in
the volumes sitting on the shelves.
Capt. Elizabeth Foott, 200 th Public
Affairs Detachment commander and the
offi cer in charge said, “We wanted to create
an atmosphere where our visitors could
spend some time reading and refl ecting
upon our rich history. We believe that we
have achieved this goal. We invite everyone
to come and visit this new asset.”
The public and members of the military
are encouraged to use the Bressi Library
to research military history. The library contains
many old and rare books that can be
read. In the future, there will be technology
provided to conduct online research in the
museum’s library.
Another addition to the ancient building
and grounds of the museum is the refl ection
park. It is a space intended for conversations
and refl ection stirred by curiosity of events
and fond memories of service. It is also the
Brig. Gen. Jack Fox, right, helped Secretary of Veterans Affairs,
John Garcia, left, unveil the new memorial in front of the Bataan
Memorial Museum in Santa Fe, NM.
Photo: Staff Sgt. Anna Doo, 200th Public Affairs Detachment, NMARNG
location of a new monument dedicated to
the men and women who have served and
who are serving at home and abroad.
The monument is made of sturdy cinder
block, rebar, concrete and stucco. It is as
strong and steadfast as the loyalty and
duty of the service members honored in
the museum. Solid brass plaques adorn
the interior spelling out historical military
highlights of New Mexico.
The emblem etched into the top of
the monument between the Army and Air
National Guard logos is that of the 200 th
Coastal Artillery. This unit once called the
museum home. It was the original armory
from where they deployed in 1941.These
New Mexicans fought against their Japanese
captors for their survival during World
War II in the Philippines. The words encircling
the Philippine Sea Lion read, “The
Battling Bastards of Bataan, No Mama, No
Papa, No Uncle Sam.”
The legacy of the brave men who were
forced to surrender or perish fl ows through
the veins of New Mexico National Guardsmen
and brings with it a will to go above
and beyond the call of duty. This includes
the task to continue renovations on the
building that was once the in-processing
station for new recruits, once an armory,
and is now the museum safeguarding the
memories and stories of service members
who will never be forgotten.
Summer 2010 / NEW MEXICO National Guard 5

WE BID ADIEU
Story and photos by Master Sgt. Paula Aragon,
150th Public Information Offi ce, NMANG
Most people look at April
15 as tax day. For the Airmen
in the New Mexico National
Guard 150th Fighter Wing,
April 15, 2010, will always
be remembered as the day
the fi rst fl eet of F-16s left the
150th ramp and headed for a
new home with the District of
Columbia Air National Guard.
Although this day may be
a bittersweet day for Airmen
throughout New Mexico, it
does mark the end of the
chapter for fi ghter jets as a part
of the 150th wing. Looking at
them as they are sanitized and
no longer display the yellow
fi n fl ash or the “Dickie Bird,”
you could see the sadness
on all Airmen’s faces. As the
aircraft taxied down to ‘end of
runway’ for a fi nal check and
the removal of pins, they were
cleared for departure while an
overwhelming silence came
over members of the 150th.
The jets made their way to
the runway and then became
airborne. Once they were
out of sight, everyone walked
slowly from the fl ight line and
returned to their jobs with
heavy hearts.
Members of the 150th can
be proud that they are handing
off aircraft which have
been maintained by some of
the fi nest maintainers in the
Air Force. It took a Wing to
raise these aircraft and all
the hands that have touched
these fi ne-tuned machines
will have the opportunity to
welcome with open arms our
new mission.
With a pen in hand, and a
new future on the horizon, we
salute the past and embrace
our future.
Summer 2010 / NEW MEXICO National Guard 7

By Staff Sgt. Anna Doo, 200th Public Affairs Detachment, NMARNG
A bright spring day in Rio Rancho, N.M.,
brightened the already joyous spirits of the
friends and families of the 720th and 1115th
Transportation Companies. A ceremony recognizing
more than 250 troops served to welcome
them home from a year-long deployment
to Iraq.
The troops, along with their loved ones,
were honored at the Santa Ana Star Center
with guest speakers including and the Governor
of New Mexico, Bill Richardson and Maj.
Gen. Kenny C. Montoya, the Adjutant General
of the New Mexico National Guard, and the
mayors of Rio Rancho, N.M. and Las Vegas,
N.M. Remarks of sacrifi ce on the parts of the
Soldiers and their families’, support from the
community, and continued pride in the spirit
of New Mexico National Guardsmen highlighted
the ceremony.
8 NEW MEXICO Minuteman / Summer 2010
Roll on
According to Maj. Ted Chavez, commander
of the 1115th Transportation Company,
headquartered in Taos, N.M., the unit
performed approximately 157 successful
missions with more than 250,000 miles driven
between Baghdad and Kuwait.
Chavez addressed the troops he led for
the past year commenting on the call sign of
‘Unforgiven’ bestowed upon them by the 41st
Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Oregon
National Guard whom the New Mexico
Guardsmen fell under.
Chavez concluded his speech with a
directive to his troops, “You are released from
combat operations in support of Operation
Iraqi Freedom. Mission complete!”
Amidst the roar of the troops and their loved
ones, Chavez and the 1115th fi rst sergeant,
Jerry Garcia, could be seen exchanging the
subdued American fl ag patches on their right
shoulders with the colorful red, white and
blue fl ag patches; symbolizing the close of
the combat tour for the unit.
Next to address his troops was Maj.
Thomas Gonzales, 720th Transportation
Company commander. His comments, like his
fellow commanders’, were short and poignant.
Gonzales made it a point to recognize each
convoy team and the individuals who worked
to keep them all fed, supplied and cared for.
Gonzales also wanted to give the families’
of the veterans a piece of advice, “If your Soldier
gets up in the middle of the night and
walks outside, don’t be worried; he’s just
looking for the port-a-john.”
The 720th Soldiers erupted into laughter
at this remark and looks of understanding
passed across many of the faces. This is

home
simply a testament to the less than desirable
living conditions sustained for the deployment
which speaks to the sacrifi ce and
unshakeable will of the Soldiers.
Gonzales recounted the accomplishments
of the 720th saying that the unit drove
more than 400,000 miles and successfully
completed approximately 125 missions. So
reliable were the “Zia 720th” as they were
dubbed, they were chosen to train their
incoming replacement security convoy teams
in Kuwait, Gonzales said.
Gonzales closed with a heartfelt statement
to his company, “There are none [other units]
that I will love more, because I knew them
well. I can report; mission accomplished!”
Many of the Soldiers from New Mexico that
comprise the two units have been through all
of this before. For some have had multiple
deployments.
A young troop, Spc. Joseph M. Wafer,
1115th Transportation Company, deployed
once before as a military policeman. He compared
the two deployments saying this one
was very different as he performed the duties
of a gunner traveling with the convoys. During
the past deployment, Wafer conducted
detainee operations inside the wire. Wafer
said the interaction with the Iraqi people contrasted
greatly within the two roles.
One thing that remained the same
between the two tours of duty is the things
he missed; mainly his parents, sisters and
New Mexican food. All longings he intends
to quickly alleviate with visits to family and
festively decorated dinner tables.
Deployments are without a doubt a time of
change for the individual deployed and those
left behind. Governor Richardson reminded
those in attendance during his speech that
New Mexico was the fi rst state in the nation
to assist service members with life insurance.
All veterans are eligible for discounts on hunting
and fi shing licenses as well as a plethora
of educational benefi ts. Governor Richardson
encouraged the troops to take full advantage
of the benefi ts they have rightfully earned.
As the ceremony came to a close, another
chapter in the New Mexico National Guard
history also came to an end. But, make no
mistake, the veterans of the 720th and 1115th
are always ready, always there at home and
abroad. Their legacy will live on alongside the
others who went before and will come after.
After all, New Mexico National Guard troops
steadfastly adhere to and live their motto of
Beyond of Standard.
Summer 2010 / NEW MEXICO National Guard 9

Members of the 64 th Civil Support Team interact with participants of the annual Military
Appreciation Weekend during which servicemembers of all military branches are
recognized for their service.
Ruidoso hosts MAW
Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Anna Doo, 200th Public Affairs Detachment, NMARNG
Several New Mexico Army National Guard units participated May 8, 2010, in
the annual Military Appreciation Weekend in Ruidoso, N.M. Military Appreciation
Weekend recognizes servicemembers of all military branches. Some of the
units participating this year were the 44th Army Band, 64th Civil Support Team,
Las Cruces area recruiters, 126th Military Police and 171st General Support
Aviation Battalion.
10 NEW MEXICO Minuteman / Summer 2010
Sgt. Jonathon Attcity, left, and Sgt. Ron Benavidez,
both members of the 171 st General Support Aviation
Battalion, perform a live hoist demonstration out of a
UH-60 Black Hawk during the second annual Military
Appreciation Weekend in Ruidoso, N.M. Benavidez
and Attcity, both fl ight medics, are trained to perform
these hoists with injured patients, rescued persons,
and any other time when landing the helicopter is
not feasible.
GUARDSMEN
DONATE MORE
THAN SERVICE
Owners of the Bad Ass Coffee
shop accept a plaque from Lt.
Col. John Sedillo, Recruiting and
Retention commander, at the
Bad Ass café March 14, 2010,
for donating over 600 pounds of
coffee to Soldiers deployed in
Iraq and Afghanistan. Servicemembers
in uniform can take
advantage of the 20 percent
servicemember discount at the
Bad Ass Coffee shop.
Photo: Sgt. Suzanna Dominguez,
State Public Affairs, JFHQ

New Mexico National Guard 2010-2011 Marathon Team earns plaudits
By Chief Warrant Offi cer Jesse Espinoza, Offi cer Personnel Manager, NMARNG
The New Mexico National Guard 2010-
2011 Marathon Team earned congratulations
and kudos for fi nishing a respectable
13th out of 38 National Guard teams in the
2010 Lincoln National Guard Marathon in
Lincoln, Neb. on May 2, 2010.
Members of the team were Col. Brian
Baca, coach; Chief Warrant Offi cer Jesse
Espinoza, team captain; Capt. George
Kraehe, Senior Master Sgt. Tanya Pinkerton,
Sgt. 1st Class Darrick Coriz and Pfc. Jacob
Hernandez. Everyone on the team ran
strong and completed the 26.2 mile course.
Individually, Hernandez, who is 19
years old, completed the race in three
hours and 28 minutes. He was the fi rst
ever National Guard runner to compete in
his 15-19 age group in his fi rst marathon
and win the age group.
Pinkerton also earned some hardware
by taking third place in her age group, running
a personal record of four hours and
two minutes. Espinoza ran the marathon
in three hours and nine minutes, which
earned him a spot on the “All Guard”
marathon team for the second year in a
row. The All Guard team travels across the
country to participate in marathons and
Senior Master Sgt. Tanya Pinkerton and Pfc. Jacob
Hernandez after receiving their age-group trophies.
promote the National Guard and excellence
in physical fi tness.
Membership on the New Mexico
National Guard Marathon Team is open to
members of both the Air and Army Guard.
Guardmembers who wish to compete on
the team in 2011-2012 must complete a full
marathon before Feb.28, 2011, and submit
their qualifying times to Espinoza at jesse.
espinoza@us.army.mil. Qualifying times
are as follows:
• Men under age 40: four hours or less
• Men age 40 and over: four hours and 15 minutes
• Women of all ages: four hours and 30 minutes
Qualifying times submitted by the deadline
will be verifi ed by online race results,
and the fastest seven marathon times are
eligible for the team. Persons with the
fi ve fastest times may be selected for the
team, and the remaining runners may be
selected as alternates. Contact Chief Warrant
Offi cer 3 Jesse Espinoza at jesse.
espinoza@us.army.mil or (505) 474-1253
for more information.
Summer 2010 / NEW MEXICO National Guard 11

12 NEW MEXICO Minuteman / Summer 2010

New Mexico National Guard
Get help for Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder
By Master Sgt. Laura Lythgoe, 150th Fighter Wing, NMANG
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression,
and anxiety are common conditions
servicemembers face when returning from
deployment, whether at home or abroad.
Some get help, but many don’t, feeling no
one will understand what they are going
through or what they have seen. Another
reason for not seeking help can be an issue
of personal pride. Many also fear they will
ruin their career by seeking professional
help through their unit.
One of the hardest things for each of
us to admit to ourselves is the feeling we
cannot accomplish something without
support from others, especially professionals.
When it comes to PTSD, it’s easy
to convince ourselves the feelings will go
away by themselves, and we can beat
it. The fact is, many of us can’t control
it, but that doesn’t mean we are weak or
less signifi cant individuals. The ability to
overcome the pride or feelings of shame
associated with seeking professional help
actually creates strength and can make
you feel better.
Members who ignore the available programs
can severely impact their quality of
life. Some experience sleepless nights and
problems at work and home, while others
commit suicide or acts of domestic violence,
sexual assault, and murder. The most
important thing to remember is that you are
not alone; others are suffering just like you.
We have many choices when it comes
to seeking guidance with personal issues
in our lives. The Family Readiness Program
of the New Mexico Air National Guard
provides a variety of outreach services to
Guardsmen and their families. According
to Therese Sanchez, State Family Program
director, “We are a one-stop shop
and referral for all servicemembers and
their families.”
The Yellow Ribbon Program offers
mobile support to members of the New
Mexico National Guard and their families
before, during and after deployments.
YRP services include awareness programs
which teach us to see the symptoms of
PTSD, depression, suicidal feelings, and
common relationship problems associated
with post deployment stress and the benefi
ts of seeking consultation. Sanchez also
said that the Family Readiness Program’s
focus is “quality of life for servicemembers
and their families.”
The Southwest Assistance Team is
another exceptional benefi t of the Family
Bataan Military Academy
Accepting Applications Grades 9-12
www.bataanmilitaryacademy.org
505-292-5588
Readiness Program. You can meet with
chaplains, deployment support specialists,
fi nancial management experts, transition
assistance advisors, and many other
professionals to get you back on your feet
and feeling more like yourself again.
It’s important to remember who your
family and friends are when you return from
overseas or from any assignment. Even
though your family and friends weren’t
next to you each day, they care, and they
know you better than anyone else. If they
tell you that you’ve changed and suggest
you should get help – listen and trust them.
Each of us must be able to admit we have
a problem; only then can we grow, adapt,
and transition properly.
These programs were established to
help us and keep us in shape to succeed
personally and in our military careers.
Contact Family Readiness toll-free at
(866) 460-4100 to fi nd out more information
and whom you can contact locally.
“When people talk and are listened to,
about whatever is going on with them, they
feel respected, relieved, and free to focus
on the task at hand. Consultants are here
to listen and be supportive.” – New Mexico
Guard Family Readiness Program.
www.militarybenefi t.org
1-800-336-0100
Summer 2010 / NEW MEXICO National Guard 13

14 NEW MEXICO Minuteman / Summer 2010
Story and photos by Master Sgt. Paula Aragon,
150th Public Information Offi ce, NMANG
Out in the middle of the Nevada desert,
the 150th Security Forces Squadron sent
personnel for two weeks of specialized training
called Silver Flag. The special training put
the Airmen through a series of exercise scenarios
in which they encountered everything
from classroom work to fi eld training. Most
of these Airmen are the youngest members
of the SFS. Each day gave them a particular
challenge, which led to the take- down of
a mock village located somewhere in the
“Middle East.”
“The defenders of the 150th SFS have
proven themselves in training, during deployments,
and during the 2009 Operational
Readiness Inspection,” said Maj. John Castillo.
“But this training gives them the opportunity
to build on and refi ne their ground
combat skills.”
These skills will prove valuable when
deployed, but before heading downrange,
these Airmen must receive training.
Silver Flag began at home station with
the packing of the equipment necessary
to convoy to Creech Air Force Base, Nev.
The long drive also gave them time to get
together as a team, to get to know each
other and develop a better understanding of
what makes one another tick. Once on site,
the SFS team unloaded their equipment,
received room assignments and various
other training requirement tasks.
Classroom academics began early March
25 followed by fi eld training the next day.
Instruction was provided by the New Mexico
Army National Guard Combat Arms Training
Company. Sgt. 1st Class Ernie Nevarez, Staff
Sgt. Jesse Baldwin, Sgt. 1st Class James
Busse and Staff Sgt. Ever Ochoa constituted
the instructor cadre.
These Soldiers provided all the necessary
training needed to get the Airmen through the
two-week course. One course of instruction, in
a comprehensive curriculum, is Military Operations
in Urban Terrain, defi ned as “all military
actions that are planned and conducted on a

terrain where man-made construction affects
the tactical options available to the commander.”
The terrain in this case was a mock
village set to look like a village somewhere in
the Middle East.
The squads received hands-on training
with two types of weapons, a 9 mm pistol
and an M-4 rifl e. The weapons are outfi tted
with simunition “sim” rounds, which contain
a tip of red or blue paint, also known as highspeed
paint balls. Red paint is used to distinguish
the good guys from the bad guys, who
have blue paint. The weapons are issued to
the Airmen in the morning at the armory. All
Airmen are responsible for their weapons
and must watch over them and maintain
them throughout the training. At the end of
each day, the weapons are returned to the
armory for safe keeping and accountability.
With each new day came a different type of
training. On March 29, the squads were sent
to “Area 2/ Building Searching and Clearing”
to learn how to move in groups of four to
fi ve persons in what is called a “stack.” They
learned how to move in unison in order to go
through rooms of a given building to make it
secure. They do this exercise both in close
quarters and at about an arm’s length away.
They also learn to walk in a particular way
so as to keep stability, especially in unknown
territory. This walk involves stepping very
deliberately in a heel-to-toe manner. The
feet point forward, and the knees are slightly
bent. Although awkward, the technique
helps when covering the various terrains at
the deployment site, and it came in handy
during the land navigation course.
During the daylight hours, the land navigation
course took them through very harsh
conditions in the fi eld to locate all the navigation
points in a certain time and return.
During the night, they used night vision
monocular, infrared strobes, and infrared
fl ash lights. The night portion of the instruction
posed a unique challenge. Airmen had
to get used to the fact that this equipment
works in the available light, so that everything
they saw was green and somewhat fl at
in dimension.
All of the classroom and fi eld training
prepared them to take on the grand fi nale
– the culmination of all previous scenarios.
Each squad was given intelligence about a
“terrorist cell” operation in the mock village.
The terrorists were scattered throughout
various village buildings. Geared up and
ready to strike, the fi rst squad slowly made
their way across the fi eld to the village. They
were to clear the buildings and take out the
terrorists. The clearing of the village led to a
fi re fi ght between the squad members and
the “terrorists.” Once the enemy “Opposing
Force” was captured and the casualties
accounted for, the fast-paced, yet controlled
scenario was terminated. The second and
third squads then took their turns in the mock
village. Each team completed the operation
twice. Once everyone had fi nished, the
instructors, OPFOR, and the trainees went
over what happened, discussing what could
be done to improve tactics.
Castillo, OPFOR member, said, “I believe
that this training is a great step forward for
the New Mexico National Guard. Airmen and
Soldiers, Guardsmen working together to
prepare for answering the nation’s call.”
Summer 2010 / NEW MEXICO National Guard 15

Junior Army Guard receives
medical training
By Master Sgt. Dolores Valerio, Counter Drug Support Taskforce, NMARNG
16 NEW MEXICO Minuteman / Summer 2010
Junior Army Guard 7th and 8th grade students from Espanola
Middle School spent an entire week receiving training in
Basic First Aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
The Junior Army Guard program is sponsored by the New
Mexico National Guards Counter Drug Taskforce and is an elective
class that students in EMS volunteer each year to take.
The training was held in the Junior Army Guard Classes and
consisted of recognizing and responding to an emergency,
Good Samaritan Laws, treating conscious and unconscious
victims, and learning the
skills required to perform
CPR correctly. The students
also learned to apply
dressings and splints.
Not only did the students
learn how respond
to emergencies they also
received certifi cation by
the American Red Cross.
Starbucks
donates to
deployed
troops
Melissa Tipton, Starbucks
supervisor, and Eugene
Allen, Starbucks barista,
accept a plaque from Lt. Col.
John Sedillo, Recruiting and
Retention commander, at
Starbucks in Bernalillo, N.M.
for sponsoring two separate
coffee donation events for
Guardsmen deployed in Iraq
and Afghanistan. The coffee
was donated by customers
and employees of Starbucks.
Photo: Sgt. Suzanna Dominguez,
State Public Affairs, JFHQ

Story and photos by Master Sgt. Paula Aragon, 150th Public Affairs Offi ce, NMANG
What do you do with your time off?
Two New Mexico Air National Guard F-16
pilots, Lt. Col. Joel Harris and Maj. Chuck Ferguson,
discovered a new way to fl y high – they
spend their free time fl ying a hot air balloon.
On a cold February morning, Harris and
Ferguson fl ew a red, white and blue balloon
with stars on the top during the annual Friends
and Lovers Balloon Rally held on Valentine’s
Day weekend at Rio Rancho’s balloon park.
The balloon is named the Freedom Flyer.
The Freedom Flyer is center stage, as it is
the lead balloon for this event. The balloon
lifts off as the U.S. fl ag is unfurled by two New
Mexico Air National Guard recruiters, Staff Sgt.
Bryan Judy and Staff Sgt. Ruben Esquibel. The
fl ag is draped over the edge of the basket, letting
freedom fl y as the band begins to play the
national anthem on a beautiful brisk morning.
Photo: Sgt. Suzanna Dominguez, State Public Affairs, JFHQ
Martinez promoted to colonel
Col. Severo Martinez, 111th Maneuver
Enhancement Brigade commander, is pinned
by his wife Amy Martinez to the rank of colonel
at the Rio Rancho Armory June 5, 2010.
The lead-off event is then followed by balloon
action from other enthusiasts and onlookers.
As you look over the crowd, you see wildly
colored balloons come to life. One by one the
sea of color slowly lifts to the skies.
Both Harris and Ferguson have taken up
this new hobby with great pleasure. Since
acquiring the balloon, they have made
several fl ights. The pilots still fl y with an
instructor pilot until they get fully qualifi ed
and eventually will fl y solo.
The next time you notice hot air balloons
fl oating in the sky, look for the
Freedom Flyer. When you see it, you can
be proud to know you have New Mexico
Air National Guardsmen fl ying with freedom
in mind.
Summer 2010 / NEW MEXICO National Guard 17

NMARNG trauma training helps Costa Rican fi rst responders
Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Anna Doo, 200th Public Affairs Detachment, NMARNG
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – More than 25 Costa Rican fi rst responders
began a four-day medical course May 17, 2010, taught by New
Mexico Army National Guard doctors and medics. The course
touched on events that could be encountered by fi rst responders
throughout Costa Rica, such as automobile accidents, fi res and
natural disasters.
Attending the training were representatives from several agencies,
including Fuerza Publica, Policia Control de Drogas, Servicio Nacional
de Guardacostas, Direccion de Salud Ocupacional, Escuela
Nacional de Policia, and Direccion Unidades Especializadas.
Participants received training on the incident command system,
triage and initial assessment of a patient and situation. In addition,
students received hands-on demonstrations of initial patient assessment
and the use of medical materials such as tourniquets, the oral
and nasopharyngeal airway apparatus and numerous bandages.
The students’ education culminated in a day of possible scenarios
created by the instructors. These scenarios covered the spectrum
of issues the fi rst responders might encounter. An automobile
accident, a drug overdose, a bomb scare at a school, construction
18 NEW MEXICO Minuteman / Summer 2010
workers falling from scaffolding and a fellow law enforcement offi -
cer shot were situations encountered by the students.
Maj. Craig Gilcrease, New Mexico Army National Guard aeromedical
physician assistant, taught the Costa Rican fi rst responders
along with his colleague Lt. Col. George Kennedy, M.D., New
Mexico Army National Guard fl ight surgeon. Sgt. Ron Benavidez,
fl ight medic, along with Staff Sgt. Oscar Esquivel, medic, provided
valuable expertise and hands-on assistance to the students in
order to emphasize vital points of instruction. The team worked
together to ensure that the students understood the concepts well
enough to perform the medical tasks when necessary.
Agent Jorge Palma, Servicio Nacional de Guardacostas, said
prior to this training, he had received only a few days of basic
medical instruction.
“This is very helpful for my job. It’s diffi cult at sea, the [medical]
techniques are tough, and if there is an emergency, it could be two
to three hours before we get medical help,” Palma said.
He added that with this medical training, he and his fellow
Coast Guardsmen are better equipped to offer initial fi rst aid to
those in need and possibly save lives.
The medical professionals from the New Mexico National
Guard teach methods similar to those U.S. Army Soldiers receive
throughout their careers. This is because military fi rst responders
encounter situations akin to those on the streets of other countries,
so the training is relevant to both groups.
“You run into similar situations; you can have a bomb blast or
something explode in a house, and you still have shrapnel, so the
methods do go hand in hand,” said Esquivel.
The students walked away from the medical course with the
knowledge and training to be better equipped to respond to medical
incidents as part of their daily jobs. Costa Rican fi rst responders
have the dual duty of performing their law enforcement jobs
and also offering medical aid when necessary. The medical
course participants were eager to implement the methods they
learned and to continue with future additional medical instruction.

State Guard Citizen-Soldiers part of National Guard family
By Maj. Ken Hacker, NMSG
The concept of Citizen-Soldier is as old
as the War of Independence. It refers to the
duty that citizens have to protect their communities
and nation. It is an optional concept
to the standing Army. The standing
Army, originally known as the Continental
Army, later became the U.S. Army.
State militias became the National
Guard, and around the time of WWI, state
defense forces were created, separate from
the National Guard. During WWII, these
forces gained more attention, as states
were concerned that they would lack state
military protection as National Guard forces
were federalized into that war. In time, state
defense forces – State Guards – were overseen
by the National Guard Bureau. Each
state’s defense force has the governor as
its commander in chief. In all cases, the
central function of a State Guard is to help
with homeland security and defense.
Today there are approximately 15,000
State Guard Soldiers in over 20 states and
Puerto Rico. These Soldiers drill once per
month and have state-dependent training
programs. Some State Guards operate
independently and work mainly with community
organizations and law enforcement
agencies. Others, like the one in New
Mexico, work with the National Guard as
reserve state forces and technical force providers.
An excellent review of State Guards
recently appeared on the United Services
Automobile Association website.
The site said “It’s a level of patriotism
beyond reproach, especially because service
in the State Defense Forces is completely
voluntary. That is, members receive
no compensation for their work.” While
State Guard Soldiers volunteer their time
for drills and some community service,
they are paid only when they are activated
for extended duty.
Until recently, the New Mexico State
Defense Force was present but barely understood
by the New Mexico Army National
Guard and most people in the state. Citizens
asked questions about the unpaid, undertrained,
and older Soldiers who showed up
in various places helping law enforcement
with parades and various civic organizations
with traffi c control and parking cars.
Carlsbad EMX, 2008. State Guard Soldiers train with fi re fi ghters and other fi rst responders on how to
rescue victims from the aftermath of a gas tank explosion.
They looked like Soldiers, but some people
wondered what Army owned them. In July
2008, this question became moot, and the
New Mexico State Defense Force became
the New Mexico State Guard.
The missions of the New Mexico Army
National Guard and the New Mexico State
Guard became consistent and part of the
same plans to improve homeland security
for the state, increase military support to
community groups, and have the State
Guard serve a technical support role for the
National Guard. In short, the State Guard
became part of the New Mexico National
Guard family.
State Guards are authorized to all of the
states by federal statute (Title 32 U.S. Code
109). These forces are not federal government
entities but rather are state militias
that are under state control. They are organized,
trained, and funded in accordance
with state laws and decisions made by
the state governor and adjutant general.
When the National Guard is mobilized for
war, peacekeeping missions, or natural
disasters, the State Guard is there to fi ll in
the gaps for state service in protecting the
citizens of their state.
The New Mexico State Guard presently
has the mission areas of radio communications,
medical, honor guard, chaplaincy,
heavy vehicle driving and maintenance,
and public affairs. In all of these areas, the
State Guard has the support of the National
Guard. While the State Guard functions
as an auxiliary military unit to the National
Guard, it also has its own missions to help
community groups and law enforcement
agencies in local communities. Despite
some degree of autonomy, all present New
Mexico State Guard missions are approved
by the National Guard before undertaken.
The State Guard provides numerous
opportunities for limited military training
and service for prior-military enlisted and
offi cers who want to continue military service
on a voluntary basis, college students
who want stateside military service only,
and professionals such as physicians, professors,
attorneys, and dentists who would
like to add military service to their professional
portfolio.
People who serve in the New Mexico
State Guard are patriotic and dedicated
to helping their nation, state, local community,
and members of the armed forces
sent abroad into harm’s way. Many of them
are prior-military. Many are mid-career professionals
like attorneys, business people,
engineers, professors, medical technicians,
truck drivers, and graphic artists. All
of them work to stay ready for their assignments
and to build a responsive state military
reserve.
Summer 2010 / NEW MEXICO National Guard 19

515th
WelcomeD Home
By Sgt. Suzanna Dominguez, State Public Affairs, JFHQ and
Sgt. 1st Class Douglas Mallary, 515th, Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, NMARNG
The New Mexico National Guard 515th Combat
Sustainment Support Battalion returned from a
one-year deployment to Iraq to Belen N.M., for a
Welcome Home Ceremony on May 5, 2010.
The 515th was the headquarters element for
more than 700 Soldiers from around the country
assigned to conduct combat sustainment
and support operations (transportation, supply,
security, medical) in Iraq.
“The 515th witnessed the dawn of a new era
in Iraq over the last year. Their actions had a
positive impact and outcome on the Global War
on terror and the transitioning of operations to
the government of Iraq,” said Command Sergeant
Major Kenneth Adair.
Soldiers with the 515th were reunited with their
families May 4, 2010, when they arrived at Fort
Bliss, Texas, and awaited transportation to Belen.
Sgt. Dalene Marsh, Battalion Legal NCO, said
she was overwhelmed with the support the unit
20 NEW MEXICO Minuteman / Summer 2010
received throughout the deployment and at the
homecoming.
The 515th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion
was the last New Mexico National Guard
unit to return from combat deployments this
spring for a total of 500 Guardsmen and women
returning from combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan
in 2010.
Spc. Joseph West,
a medic with the 515th
CSSB, said, “It takes a
while to grasp the expanse
of freedom that we enjoy
here in America after serving
your country.”
This is the fi rst time
since Sept. 11 the New
Mexico National Guard has
not had a unit deployed in
combat.

By Senior Master Sgt. Scott Adair, 150th Civil Engineer Squadron, NMANG
The 150th Civil Engineer Squadron attended the Regional
Training Site, March Air Force Base, in Riverside, Calif., April
18-24, 2010, as part of their ongoing Prime Base Engineer
Emergency Force training requirements.
As civil engineers in the modern era, CE members must
be ready to deploy in direct and indirect combat support
roles, while meeting ever increasing levels of profi ciency,
expertise, and readiness. The RTS is one of many on-site
training scenarios which facilitate the CE mission.
Thirty-two members of the 150th CES with CE’s seven
critical AFSCs deployed to the RTS, along with the support
of Master Sgt. Keith Gum and his service team. Accompanying
this crew to capture the effort on fi lm was the everpresent
lens of Staff Sgt. Roberto Bilbao.
To those unschooled in the ways of CE, picture a deployment
to a bare base, without those conveniences we take
for granted daily – sleeping quarters, heat, air conditioning,
hot and cold water, and the electricity to cook meals.
Without the efforts of trained CE personnel, these amenities
would not exist. However, these pleasantries are merely
window dressing compared to the real story behind the
warfi ghting efforts of CE.
At the RTS, engineers survey plots of land to site an
entire base and its infrastructure. The utilities shop begins
the arduous and essential process of making drinkable
water from local and often contaminated sources, laying an
entire water distribution system, and establishing portable
latrines and showers.
The power production shop operates and maintains
dozens of generators which produce tens of thousands of
kilowatts for the electrical shop to lay miles of cable and
establish electrical distribution points, providing power for
lights, computers and the host of electrical devices we’ve
come to depend on, all the while providing power for the
HVAC shop to install heating and cooling systems.
Structures assembles tents, and other semi-permanent
facilities to house critical assets and personnel, while the
dirt boys – heavy equipment operators – trench, fi ll, and
transport thousands of metric tons of earth, all working
toward the common goal of creating a viable and working
Air Force base from which to launch and recover aircraft.
So the next time you consider CE only as the source of
solutions to your requests to “fi x my heat, fi x my toilet” …
please remember that we are the ultimate foundation upon
which all other Air Force jobs depend.
Photo captions
1. Capt. Dennis Gallegos, of the 150th Civil Engineering Squadron,
checks conductivity on a telephone line.
2. Master Sgt. Brendt Hoffman, of the 150th Civil Engineering
Squadron, drives the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle
while instructor Tech Sgt. Eversole gives pointers.
3. Master Sgt. Shawn Benoit, of the 150th Civil Engineering Squadron,
reads over a check list on the Mobile Aircraft Arresting System.
4. Capt. Dennis Gallegos and Capt. Joseph Trujillo, of the 150th
Civil Engineering Squadron, oversee operations at the Regional
Training Site.
5. Senior Airman Curtis Craig, of the 150th Civil Engineering
Squadron, maneuvers the crane. Photos: Staff Sgt. Roberto Bilbao
22 NEW MEXICO Minuteman / Summer 2010
1 2

150th Civil Engineering Squadron
members fi nalize training April 22 at
the Regional Training Site on March
Air Force Base, Riverside, Calif.
Summer 2010 / NEW MEXICO National Guard 23
3 4 5

Guardsmen go down range
“ A National Guardsman is a civilian some of the time, a soldier part of the time,
and a patriot all of the time.” - Brig. Gen. James Drain, U.S. National Guard, 1928
By Staff Sgt. Katherine Mullins, 150th Fighter Wing, NMANG
The stands are full of onlookers straining
against the brightness of the sun as
they stare into the cloudless, crisp blue
sky above the Melrose Bombing Range.
The wind carries sounds of the Joint Terminal
Attack Patroller as he radios enemy
positions to the fi ghter pilots in F-16s fl ying
over the crowd.
This scene is one that has happened in
the past for employers of New Mexico Air
National Guardsmen, but not for the Guard
men themselves. For many of these weapons
troops, this is the fi rst time to actually
see what their weekend handiwork can
and does accomplish.
The 150th Fighter Wing Air National
Guard unit took two busloads of Guardsmen
to the Melrose Bombing Range on
Cannon Air Force Base near Clovis May
1, 2010, to watch as JTAC on the ground
gave intelligence to 150th Fighter Wing
pilots in the air about enemy locations and
weather conditions while those pilots then
“dropped the bomb.”
Chief Warrant Offi cer Todd Sweeney,
commander of the deck at Cannon Air
Force Base, said, “This exercise is a good
24 NEW MEXICO Minuteman / Summer 2010
operability for us. We enjoy working with
the ‘Tacos.’ We don’t always have our own
guys for air support, so we work with other
Air Combat Command units. Some might
say it is just a Guard unit, but that is not
how it is…the Guard is an important part,
a critical link to supporting Special Operations
on a daily basis.”
Sgt. 1st Class Michael Murphy, a 12-year
veteran, said their job was to watch the
approach of aircraft for trajectory, explain
tactical and situational ground issues
and the sense of urgency of the mission.
Murphy manned radio contact with the
pilots while Sweeney answered questions
from Guardsmen.
Master Sgt. David Christian, Tech. Sgt.
Rob Mason and Senior Airman Josh Claw,
assigned to the 150th Aircraft Generations
Squadron, travel from Arizona. They all
agreed that the exhibition gave them a different
perspective of their Guard mission,
something they’d never been able to see
before, and that it was nice to see how it all
comes together.
Tech. Sgt. Stephen West and Staff Sgts.
Keith Mynk and Lyle Elliot are technicians
with the 150th and participated with loading
the weapons the previous day. Mynk
said he was anxious to see if they (bombs)
all went off.
“After doing this for so long, it is great to
see the actual mission in play,” said West
as he turned to watch for the next run.
The “Taco” pilots made several runs,
bombing range targets and showing off
their expertise for their fellow Guardsmen.
The day’s exercise was not only a chance
for the Airmen in weapons to see actual
bombing at the range, but accomplished
needed fl ight training hours for the pilots.
The experience was a wonderful chance for
everyone to train and learn other aspects
of their weekend duty.
One of the Joint Terminal Attack Patrollers radios enemy positions to the fi ghter pilots fl ying
overhead. The JTAC’s job is to give intelligence information to the F-16 pilots about enemy
locations and weather conditions so the pilots have an understanding of the area where they
have to drop ordnance.
(Left) An F-16 from the NM Air National Guard completes a dry strafi ng run at the Melrose
Bombing Range. This maneuver is accomplished by a low-fl low-fl ying aircraft on a ground target or
to to assault an enemy position.

Middle schoolers show off military skills
By Master Sgt. Dolores Valerio, Counter Drug Support Taskforce, NMARNG
Four middle schools from the Albuquerque area and one
school from Espanola showed off their drill and ceremonies skills,
leadership skills and military knowledge at the 2nd Annual Sgt.
Marshall A. Westbrook Military Skills Meet.
Westbrook was the fi rst New Mexico National Guardsman
killed during combat in Iraq with the 126th Military Police
of events to included Academic testing, personnel inspection,
unarmed regulating drill, Color Guard inspection, physical fi tness,
Tug–of–War, and a new event added this year was Archery.
The award ceremony was the highlight for the participants
when the top fi ve students for each event received individual
awards and the top school in each category taking home team
trophies.
Middle schoolers show off military skills
Company. The competition is held in his honor and is comprised
Photo: Master Sgt. Paula Aragon, 150th Public Information Offi ce
Col. Fredrick Hartwick, 150th Fighter Wing
commander, passes Col. Tim Harmeson the
150th Mission Support Group guidon during
the Change of Command Ceremony June 6,
2010, at the New Mexico Air National Guard
complex.
Summer 2010 / NEW MEXICO National Guard 25

WW II fl yer receives award 60 years later
Story and photos by Master Sgt. Paula Aragon, 150th Public Information Offi ce, NMANG
26 NEW MEXICO Minuteman / Summer 2010
Over 60 years ago, a young Air Force
lieutenant faced a harrowing situation in
his crashing airplane, acted heroically
though injured, and lived to tell his story.
On April 18, 1944, 2nd Lt. Robert L.
Giles was conducting his fi fth bombing
mission during World War II to Berlin,
Germany, when his aircraft was shot
down by enemy forces. Before bailing
out, Giles injured one arm, but despite his
injury, Giles managed to take life-saving
actions to save the aircraft’s bombardier,
Lt. Quentin Brown.
Brown was severely wounded in
both knees and one arm. Giles helped
his bombardier to the nose escape
hatch, fastened a parachute on him and
helped him to bail out. Giles then fastened his own parachute with
one arm and bailed out. Giles’ actions ensured that Brown escaped
the crashing aircraft. Both lieutenants became prisoners of war and
were liberated from Stalag Luft III in June 1945.
Although the award was delayed by 60-plus years, Giles was recognized
for his heroic act by the Airmen in the New Mexico National
Guard on April 6, 2010. Col. Frederik Hartwig presented the Air
Reserve Medal to Giles.

By Staff Sgt. Katherine Mullins, 150th Fighter Wing, NMANG
Someone in the crowd points north
and yells, “There they are!” All eyes turn
to the north as the crowd rises to their feet.
Four small dark shapes appear, eventually
taking the shape of four F-16 Fighting Falcons
as they move in closer. The four-plane
formation quickly approaches the Melrose
Bomb Range viewing stands, then each
plane rolls off, circling around to begin the
air-to-ground attack so the rescue team
can go in for the downed pilot.
This demonstration was for employers
from around the state to see what their
Guardsmen and women do one weekend
a month and two weeks a year. Employer
Support of the Guard and Reserve hosted
the fi nal Boss Lift for the F-16s from the
150th Fighter Wing stationed at Kirtland
Air Force Base – this was a special Boss
Lift for the Airmen and Soldiers of the New
Mexico National Guard!
The fi rst group gathered at Kirtland, took
a tour of the 150th compound, attended
briefi ngs about the old and new missions
and posed one last time in front of the F-16
with the traditional “Dickie Bird,” which lets
everyone know this jet is from New Mexico.
The group then boarded a KC-135 to fl y
out to the Melrose Bomb Range to join with
employers from the southern part of the
state. While en route to Melrose, the KC-135
F-16s take to the air
for their last Boss Lift
did a refueling mission with two of the F-16s,
making quite an impression on the employers
and Guardsmen.
When the group arrived at Cannon Air
Force Base, they were quickly shuttled
to Melrose and out to the bomb range
for a quick show with four F-16s attacking
a national enemy air base. Col. Joel
“Gus” Harris gave a brief overview of the
capabilities of the F-16, and the history
of unit and mission requirements. Harris
told the group that Melrose Bomb Range
has full electronic capabilities. Harris
answered questions, then it was off to
the Days Inn in Clovis to prepare for the
evening’s events.
The ESGR awards banquet was held
at the Clovis Civic Center, with Maj. Gen.
Kenny C. Montoya, the Adjutant General
for the New Mexico National Guard, as
guest speaker.
“I’m going to brag about my Guard,
your Guard. They can do anything…your
Guard is on the border, helping [Hurricane]
Katrina victims, the fi rst to head off
to Louisiana. We’ve deployed, and everybody
came back alive after defending their
fellow Americans,” said Montoya to the
diners, which included Col. James Cardoso,
wing vice commander for Cannon
Air Force Base, Clovis Mayor Gayla
Brumfi eld, Curry County Commissioner
and former Guardsman, Robert “Bobby”
Sandoval, and Curry County Sheriff Matt
Murphy.
Montoya told the group about Spc.
Fabian Martinez and his courage after
losing his foot to a war injury during a recent
deployment to Afghanistan, and how the
Soldier was eager to get back to work in
spite of his injury.
“These are the greatest Soldiers and
Airmen in the world, and the families that
support them to do what they do, and their
employers. They do great things, but they
couldn’t do those great things without you,
the employers,” Montoya told the group.
Another Roswell resident, Esther Lopez,
who manages the Hampton Inn and Suites,
said that four spouses of her employees
are in the National Guard, and she sees
fi rst-hand the effects deployments have on
families. She said it was nice to see fi rsthand
now what Guard members did.
Many of the employers had great
things to say about the weekend experience
and of the Guard members who
accompanied them. It was a chance for
employers to actually see the results of
the sacrifi ces they make when they allow
their Guard members to serve and defend
their fellow Americans without worrying
about their jobs.
Santos Tapia from Shorty’s Barbeque
in Moriarity said, “It is really
neat, realizing and seeing what the
Guard really does.”
ESGR supports and educates
both employer and employee
(Guardsmen). For more information
about ESGR or future
Boss Lifts, please contact Lt.
Col. Bill Shuert, Gary Kiser,
Tom Lancaster or Francis
McCalmont at (505) 371-7122
or the Wyoming Amory.
Summer 2010 / NEW MEXICO National Guard 27

Mysterious package
keeps 67-year secret
By Spc. Charles Martinez, 200th Public Affairs Detachment, NMANG
What is it? A shirt? A sweater? A nondescript,
unimposing package in the Bataan
Memorial Museum in Santa Fe, N.M., continues
to hold on to the secret it has kept
for the past 67 years.
Wrapped in brown paper and securely
tied with string, its contents don’t appear
to be unraveling anytime soon. In the top
left hand corner is the sender’s name and
address: Haldane Stover, Belen, N.M.
In the center is the recipient’s name and
address: Charles W. Oles, Battery H, 200th
Coast Artillery, Fort Stotsenberg, Philippine
Islands. The package is postmarked
May 28, 1942. Prominent on the package
are reddish-purple capital letters: RETURN
TO SENDER. SERVICE SUSPENDED.
Oles, perhaps feeling a desire to serve
his country and community, enlisted in
1941 in Santa Fe, N.M. He was assigned
to Battery “H,” 200th Coast Artillery Regiment,
New Mexico National Guard, with
the rank of private.
In May 1942, Miss Stover, a close friend
of Oles, took the time to place her gift in
a box, wrap it with decorative paper, and
place a bow on it. She then wrapped the
gift box in brown paper, addressed it, tied
A mysterious package was uncovered during the renovation of the Bataan Military
Museum. The contents of the brown paper wrapped box are unknown, but the recipient
is a New Mexico grown WWII hero who shared numerous correspondence with
his family during his deployment. Photos: Staff Sgt. Anna Doo, 200th PAD
28 NEW MEXICO Minuteman / Summer 2010
it with string, and placed it in the mail May
28, to begin its journey to the Philippine
Islands. Had delivery been accomplished,
the package would surely have brightened
Oles’ day and may have included a note of
friendship or perhaps amorous intentions.
Shortly after she mailed the package,
word was received in the United States
about the fall of Bataan and Corregidor.
The package sent by Stover was returned
to her and stamped with “RETURN TO
SENDER. SERVICE SUSPENDED.” At that
time, Stover placed the package in a trunk
with other items. After her death, the trunk
was passed on to her niece, Ramona
Coleman, who lived in Springfi eld, Miss.
After Ramona died, her widower, Don,
kept the trunk.
Don re-married and his new wife, Jean,
met Janice Sanders and happened to mention
the trunk to her. Sanders offered to
buy it. After inspecting the trunk and fi nding
the package inside, Sanders attempted
to return it to the Colemans. They refused
and suggested that Sanders should make
her own decision about what should be
done with it. She speculated on what to
do, refusing to sell it on eBay, but deciding
to have it X-rayed. The X-ray revealed only
the wrapping and not the contents of the
gift box. Sanders decided the box should
be put on display for a few weeks at the
Air and Military Museum of the Ozarks in
Springfi eld, Miss.
Later, Sanders decided to donate the
package to the Bataan Memorial Military
Museum where visitors today can guess
about what it contains. Perhaps it evokes
thoughts of Charles Wilford Oles, whose
choice to serve his country ended with his
death at age 25. Or perhaps, they think
of Haldane Stover. Was she heartbroken
upon hearing of his death? Would she be
pleased to know that her request to preserve
the package and its contents would
continue to be honored so many years
after her death? Or do they simply think of
the package as a symbol of hope and a
touch of home for a soldier far away?
________
Sources for the above piece were the package
itself and a story entitled, “Unopened Package
Guards Legacy of Wartime Friendship,”
published Aug. 17, 2003, in the Valencia County
News-Bulletin.
A mysterious package was uncovered during the renovation of the Bataan Military
Museum. The contents of the brown paper wrapped box are unknown, but the letters
surrounding it give clues as to the relationships a New Mexico grown WWII hero held
dear to his heart.