The Gem State Guardian - Spring 2012

Volume 19 No. 1
IN THIS ISSUE
Black Hawks deploy for
Afghanistan mission
Gowen Field street re-named
116th Cav Brigade
in Cambodia
266th Range Squadron
saves DoD big bucks
Fire Dept. again named “best”

NEWS
IDAHO AIR GUARD LEADERS DISCUSS
FUTURE MISSION POSSIBILITIES 2
FORMER IDAHO ADJUTANT GENERAL
HONORED AT GOWEN FIELD 5
FORMER ORCHARD TRAINING AREA
IS NOW THE ORCHARD COMBAT
TRAINING CENTER 6
FLORIDA TRIP READIES ENGINEERS
FOR AFGHANISTAN DEPLOYMENT 7
124TH FIRE DEPARTMENT NAMED
ANG BEST FOR 4TH TIME IN 7 YEARS 8
ADTS HOLD KEY TO AFGHAN
TRANSITION 10
IDAHO ARMY NATIONAL GUARD
PARTNERS WITH ROYAL CAMBODIAN
ARMED FORCES DURING ANGKOR
SENTINEL 2012 EXERCISE 12
Contact Information:
(866) 562-9300
www.AQPpublishing.com
NationalGuardSales@AQPpublishing.com
IDAHO SOLDIERS AND CAMBODIAN
ARMY GIVE MEDICAL CARE TO
THOUSANDS OF CAMBODIANS 14
WING MARKSMEN HOST LOCAL VETS
FOR SHOOTING, CAMARADERIE 16
KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE –
HELP PREVENT SEXUAL ASSAULT 18
IDNG PHOTO ESSAY 18
CES, MDG TEAM TACKLE
DIRTY JOBS 20
Bob Ulin
Publisher
Justin Ritter
Graphic Designer
ON THE COVER:
Co. A, 1-168 GSAB Soldiers
work their way through the
sendoff line, which included
Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter
and Maj. Gen. Gary Sayler.
Photo: George Johnson
Col. Anthony Wickham, G9 for the Idaho Army National Guard, received the 2012 Community
Partners, Public Policy and Legislation Award from the Idaho Counseling Association during their
annual meeting on Jan. 28, 2012, for his efforts in developing partnerships with the Veterans
Administration, Vet Centers, and Northwest Nazarene University to better assist Soldiers and families.
Picture with Wickham are, from left, Dr. Michael Pitts, professor in the Counselor Education
Department at NNU; NNU graduate student Ryan Newby who developed the children’s programs
for the Idaho Yellow Ribbon and Youth Camp programs; Idaho Army National Guard director of
psychological health Penelope Hansen; NNU graduate student Chandra Salisbury who organized
counselor support for the Idaho Yellow Ribbon program; and ICA President Heather Tustison.
Photo: Courtesy of Col. Wickham
266 RANS SAVES DOD MORE THAN
$870,000 22
TOWERS NEED LIGHTS, PAINT,
GUY-WIRE VISIBILITY 23
FARMERS INSURANCE DONATES
$10,000 TO IDAHO NATIONAL GUARD
YOUTH CHALLENGE PROGRAM 24
Darrell George
Advertising Sales
Marie Lundstrom
Editor
Volume 19 No. 1 Spring 2012
Guardian Staff
Maj. Gen. Gary Sayler
Commanding General
Col. Tim Marsano
Editor
Capt. Tony Vincelli
Assistant Editor
The Gem State Guardian
4040 W. Guard Street
Boise, Idaho 83705
The Gem State Guardian is the offi cial
newsletter of the Idaho National Guard. It is
published quarterly with a circulation of 5,000
copies. Opinions expressed herein are not
necessarily those of the Army, Air Force, Army
National Guard, Air National Guard or the
Department of Defense.
Published by AQP Publishing, Inc., a private
fi rm in no way connected with the State of Idaho
Military Division, or the Idaho National Guard,
under written contract with the State of Idaho Military
Division. This State of Idaho Military Division
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unless otherwise indicated.
All submissions should pertain to the Idaho
National Guard and are subject to editing. Contributions
and reader comments should be sent to:
timothy.marsano@us.army.mil.
spring 2012 1

Idaho Air Guard leaders discuss
future mission possibilities
As many as eight additional missions in the works
By Capt. Tony Vincelli
124th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Under a cloud of looming budget cuts,
manpower reductions and aging aircraft,
Idaho Air National Guard leaders shared
eight initiatives they are working on to bring
new missions to Gowen Field March 17.
Assistant Adjutant General, Air, Brig.
Gen. William Shawver and A-3 director of
operations Col. Alan Clarke listed the initiatives
and answered questions to an audience
of more than 100 offi cers and senior
enlisted leaders at an Air Guard breakout
during a leadership training event hosted
by Idaho Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Gary
L. Sayler.
“I think we should all be excited that we
are not limited in the missions that we could
perform. We have a phenomenal capability
in terms of the infrastructure and airspace.
This represents our best opportunities for
new and enhanced missions,” said Shawver,
referring to the list of possible missions.
Topping the list was creating an A-10
active association here at Gowen Field.
Under two scenarios dubbed the “4 and
40” or “8 and 80” plan, the Air Force would
station four junior pilots and 40 support
personnel (or eight and 80) at Gowen
Field. Clarke said the reason ANG/Air Force
associations are becoming more prevalent
is to give inexperienced pilots valuable
fl ying time in a noncombat setting. Once
they accumulate 500 hours – usually within
three years – pilots are considered to be
experienced by the Air Force. Once that
milestone is reached, pilots and support
personnel would rotate out and a new crop
would come in.
The problem with similar associations in
the past, according to Clarke and others,
is that the addition of active-duty personnel
often reduces traditional Guard manpower.
Idaho is proposing leaving Guard
manpower numbers where they are while
2 The guardian
Brig. Gen. Willam Shawver, assistant adjutant general, Air, right,, talks to Idaho Airmen about eight
future mission initiatives currently in the works by A-3 director of operations Col. Alan Clarke, left, and
other Idaho Air National Guard leaders. Photo: Tech. Sgt. Becky Vanshur.
adding active duty Airmen, which may
strengthen the case for adding additional
aircraft at Gowen Field.
In addition to the continuation of the A-10
mission, its eventual replacement, the F-35A
Joint Strike Fighter, was discussed. Talk of a
training mission at Gowen Field is nothing
new – a proposal that would station three
squadrons here as part of a training mission
has been in the works for quite some
time. Opponents of the proposal believe
increased noise levels from 72 F-35s taking
off would adversely impact nearly 10,000
residents who live north and west of the air-
port. It is the noise, along with politics, some
say, that has Gowen Field ranked behind
Luke Air Force Base near Phoenix as the Air
Force’s preferred alternative location for the
training mission.
The idea of bringing in one F-35 operational
squadron and working with the Boise
Airport to fi nish off a third runway is gaining
support. Currently, the proposed runway
that is on the Boise Airport’s master plan
is a 500-foot paved assault strip located
southeast of the fi eld. Completing that
runway and taxiing F-35 aircraft to take off
in a southeasterly direction would alleviate

many of the noise issues of the proposed
training mission plan. The Air Guard has
partnered with the airport and the city of
Boise to look at future operations on a third
runway, including the F-35 mission.
The general stressed that the possibility
of an F-35 operational mission is being pursued
alongside the current training mission
proposal, not in place of it.
Creating an association between the Air
Guard and Mountain Home Air Force Base
to allow Air National Guard pilots to fl y the
F-15E Strike Eagle is also being considered,
along with missions that leverage Idaho’s
location, infrastructure and great fl ying conditions:
a C-130 fi refi ghting mission because
of our close proximity to the National Interagency
Fire Center; adding additional cyber
missions around the 212th Command and
Control Squadron; and a mission to train
young pilots on the fundamentals of fl ying
fi ghter aircraft in the eventual replacement
for the current T-38C.
Additional training possibilities include
a schoolhouse for tactical air control party
and a training course similar to the A-10
intelligence formal training unit designed for
ASOS intelligence personnel.
Clarke has been working hard at the
national level with counterparts in the Air
Education and Training Command to educate
them on Idaho’s capabilities.
“When you look at what Idaho has – our
weather, ranges, airspace, low levels – no
one can touch us. It is my job to let AETC
know what we bring to the table so that we
can hopefully get to the top of AETC’s list
for training missions like we are with (Air
Combat Command),” Clarke said.
Clarke, Col. Michael Nolan, Lt. Col. Jeffrey
Aebischer and others are working hard
to identify our strengths, build a strong business
case and line them up with mission
requirements.
“The way we used to do business is
we would wait for the phone to ring to tell
us what our future mission may be. Those
times have certainly changed. We have to
present our best opportunities, our best
courses of action. We have to capitalize on
a requirement. If we go back to the way we
used to do business, we won’t be in business,”
Shawver said.
spring 2012 3

4 The guardian

FORMER IDAHO ADJUTANT GENERAL
HONORED AT GOWEN FIELD
Story and photo by Col. Tim Marsano
With Idaho Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter and
Maj. Gen. Gary Sayler looking on, retired
Maj. Gen. Darrell V. Manning addressed a
crowd of those gathered March 27 to pay
tribute on the occasion of a Gowen Field
street being re-named for him.
Manning served 41 years in uniform, retiring
as Idaho Adjutant General in 1995. He
also served the state of Idaho in a number
of key leadership positions at agencies
including the Idaho Aeronautics Department,
State Board of Education, Idaho
Department of Health and Welfare, Division
of Financial Management, Idaho Transportation
Department and as state director of
Selective Service. He also served one term
in the Idaho Senate and four terms in the
Idaho House of Representatives.
Gov. Otter has said, “Few people in Idaho
history have had public service careers of
the length, breadth, quality or impact of
Gen. Manning’s. He is a state treasure, and
one that I and generations of our citizens
have appreciated and revered.”
“I appreciate this, and I’m overwhelmed”
by the honor of the street re-naming,
Manning said. “Public service is its own
reward.”
spring 2012 5

Former Orchard Training Area is now the
Orchard Combat Training Center
It will take some getting used to for the
many men and women who have used the
facility over the decades it’s been operating,
but a new page has been turned. The
Orchard Combat Training Center upgrades
have been in the planning stages for several
years, and with the opening of the
13,000-square-foot headquarters building
in January, the plans have been realized.
“The vision behind this activity is simple
and along the lines of “Field of Dreams,”
(“build it and they will come”) said Col.
Michael Woods, OCTC commander. “This
new facility will signifi cantly enhance the
quality of training already being accomplished
and will help ensure that all units
who train here receive the best training
experience possible.”
The new facility, with its brand-new railhead,
will allow units who train there from
out-of-state to bring their own equipment.
When the project is completed a few years
from now, they’ll be able to stage, sleep at
the OCTC and have immediate access to
the state-of-the-art training facilities now in
operation or soon to be built. When the project
is complete, there will be 800 beds and
a fi re station on site, Woods said.
About 75 percent of the OCTC operation
formerly located on Gowen Field is now at
the new headquarters building on the OCTC,
according to director of plans, mobilization
and operations offi cer Maj. Charles Moore.
His role is to focus on training units, ensuring
that they’re able to meet their training
objectives at the 143,307-acre facility. He
works at the new facility along with deputy
commander Lt. Col. Matthew Hengel and
several other full-time staff members. When
many staff functions were previously handled
at Gowen Field, the range control offi -
cers had to saddle up each day and drive to
the OCTC. Now they are based there.
The OCTC now comprises – among other
things – small arms ranges, tank training
ranges with moving targets, a shoot house,
6 The guardian
By Col. Tim Marsano
The new railhead will accommodate
the heavy equipment
that will soon be rolling in and
out of the facility.
urban assault course, counter-IED
lanes, helicopter facilities
developed to accommodate
the Apache Longbow,
a ‘bridge to nowhere’ and
some simulated villages.
“The Combined Arms
Collective Training Facility is
a mini city with several multistory
buildings,” said Moore.
When it’s done, “units will be
able to go and train in an urban environment.
Everything is taped, so they can then go into
an after-action review room and see what
they did.” That includes a live-fi re breaching
facility where units can mount C-4 explosive
on doors and actually blow them up to gain
access to buildings.
Units across the nation can use the
Range Facility Maintenance Scheduling
System, or RFMSS, to schedule times for
Photos: Col. Tim Marsano
Maj. Charles Moore points out on a map of the range some of the
new facilities available for training.
training. This year, more than a dozen Idaho
Army National Guard and other domestic
and Canadian units will use the ranges at
this world-class facility.
According to Woods, the new upgrades
at the OCTC will “signifi cantly enhance the
quality of training and will help ensure that
all units training here, both from within and
outside of Idaho, receive the best training
experience possible.”

Florida trip readies engineers
for Afghanistan deployment
By Lt. Col. Gary A. Daniel
Presented with a wartime environment,
austere conditions, and numerous combat
civil engineering tasks, the 124th Civil Engineer
Squadron successfully dealt with all the
challenges of their 2012 version of Silver Flag
at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., in February.
The exercise was an important warm-up
for the squadron, which will send the majority
of its personnel to Afghanistan for a sixmonth
deployment this summer.
“Many of us are repeat visitors,” said
Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Keelin, 124th
CES superintendent, “and some experienced
their fi rst CE fi ght.”
The seven-day fi eld exercise demanded
craftsmanship and expertise from dozens of
civil engineer and services disciplines as 52
CES Airmen and eight more from the 124th
Force Support Squadron’s services fl ight
demonstrated their ability to operate in a
combat zone.
With a majority of fi rst-time Silver Flag
participants, the 124th CES water, fuels and
maintenance fl ight garnered accolades from
the permanent-party training staff during the
post exercise outbrief, just hours before the
squadron’s return to Gowen Field at the end
of February UTA. During the outbrief, evaluators
declared Idaho’s WFM as the best
they’ve observed in the past two years of
Silver Flag.
WFM fl ight focused on the tasks required
to create a bare base in a forward operating
location (known as bed down) and then sustain
a war fi ghting posture in theater using
Basic Expeditionary Airfi eld Resources.
“It was eye-opening and worth the effort”
said Staff Sgt. Johnnie Jarnagin, an entomology
specialist from WFM who completed
his fi rst Silver Flag.
Alongside the civil engineers, services
fl ight performed food service, lodging, fuel
fi red equipment, search and recovery operations,
and limited recreation opportunities
during Silver Flag.
“CE touches every aspect of the peacetime
and wartime operations of our wing,”
124th Civil Engineer Squadron power production specialists construct a mobile aircraft arresting
system during their weeklong Silver Flag exercise in February at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
Photo: Courtesy of 124th CES
said Maj. Ken Williams, deputy base civil
engineer. “Less than every four years, they
ask us to prove our ability in the forward
operating environment,” he said.
During Silver Flag, 124th CES personnel
had to coordinate their war fi ghting with civil
engineer specialists from active duty units
throughout the weeklong exercise—a prac-
tice they see whenever members deploy to
current forward operating bases.
“We demonstrated combat skills while
we repaired damage to runways and taxiways,
erected shelters and base facilities
and stayed ready to respond to any emergency,”
Keelin said.
spring 2012 7

124th Fire Department
named ANG best for
4th time in seven years
Staff Sgt. Miguel Sandoval and Staff Sgt. Matthew Logue, fi refi ghters with the Idaho Air
National Guard’s 124th Fire Department based at Gowen Field in Boise, conduct a radio
check as part of a routine inspection March 13. The 124th was recently named winner
of the Greg O. Winjum Award, given annually to the Air National Guard’s best small fi re
department (less than 30 full-time fi refi ghters). This is the fourth time since 2005 that the
124th has received the award, besting more than 30 other eligible fi rehouses nationwide.
Photo: Master Sgt. Tom Gloeckle, 124th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
8 The guardian

The Idaho Air National Guard’s 124th
Fire Department based at Gowen Field
in Boise, was recently named winner of
the Greg O. Winjum Award, given annually
to the Air National Guard’s best
small fi re department (less than 30 fulltime
fi refi ghters). This is the fourth time
since 2005 that the 124th has received
the award, besting more than 30 other
eligible fi rehouses nationwide.
spring 2012 9

ADTs hold key to Afghan transition
Idaho Soldiers to deploy in support
of agriculture mission
Commentary by Capt. Tony Vincelli
124th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Idaho National Guardsmen may soon
deploy to Afghanistan with the unique and
challenging mission of helping Afghans build
sustainable development through farming.
It is not only an admirable goal, it is the
closest thing to an exit strategy that will bring
the lion’s share of our troops home within
the next two years in time to meet President
Obama’s withdrawal deadline.
I recently returned from serving in an
area where agriculture determined everything
from economic and social conditions
to the number of improvised explosive
devices that were buried in the roads. A
busy growing season meant less available
“$10 Taliban” – easily recruited men and
boys who were hired by the Taliban and
other insurgent groups to emplace IEDs in
the road for $10 a day. They didn’t necessarily
hold any philosophical ill will toward
the coalition forces; they were just trying to
feed their families.
I and about 90 other Airmen, Soldiers
and civilians of the Laghman Provincial
Reconstruction Team worked to take the
security, governance and development of
Laghman Province in Eastern Afghanistan
away from coalition forces and put control
into Afghan hands. Coalition forces – long
termed “Occupiers” by the Taliban’s propaganda
machine – were more than willing
to surrender control. The question became
whether or not the Afghans were ready, willing
and able to take it on.
Called transition, this transfer of control
was the offi cial buzzword around which
every decision and dollar revolved. Don’t
bother spending millions of dollars on building
a bridge unless there was some way of
10 The guardian
The Laghman Empowerment Agricultural Facility houses tons of surplus dry goods and produce
like these yellow onions. Prior to the LEAF’s construction, produce rotted in the fi elds when supply
outpaced demand. Today, a year around supply of produce is possible through the work of the Agribusiness
and Provincial Reconstruction Teams. Photo: Staff Sgt. Ryan Crane, U.S. Air Force
showing that it would improve the reach of
the legitimate government of Afghanistan
and that the Afghans were capable of ensuring
the bridge’s long-term viability.
Improving agricultural infrastructure and
practices was one of the primary ways of
building sustainable Afghan development, a
key to a successful transition. That is where
the missions of the PRT and the closely
related Agribusiness Development Team
– the unit to which our Idaho Soldiers will
soon deploy – often merged.
ADTs and PRTs are very similar in size,
structure and mission. Both are battalionlevel
organizations commanded by an O-5.
The PRTs are commanded by active duty Air
Force or Navy O-5s (mine was Air Force),
while ADTs are all (to my knowledge) Army
National Guard units. There is a sergeant
major who works closely with the commander,
along with a handful of company
and fi eld grade offi cers. Soldiers staff an
Afghan agricultural experts answer questions from
Afghan citizens through a weekly call-in show
broadcast each Monday morning from Forward
Operating Base Mehtar Lam in Laghman Province,
Afghanistan. The Agribusiness Development
Team on the FOB conceived, funded and broadcast
the show, which became the most widely listened
to radio broadcast in the entire province.
assortment of support functions, including
communications, medical and public affairs.
There is also a platoon-size security element
that handles all of the outside-the-wire
movement and mission planning.

During my tour, we saw Army National
Guardsmen from Kansas and later Oklahoma
serve in the ADT.
I had a chance to work alongside the
ADT on a number of projects and even had
the opportunity to travel in some of their
convoys. While the PRTs handled most vertical
(buildings) and horizontal (roads) construction
in the province, the ADT worked
closely to improve agricultural education
and infrastructure.
In Laghman, where more than 80 percent
of working age (and fi ghting age) men work in
the agriculture industry in some capacity, the
ADT was quite busy, going out on missions
daily. During the heat of the summer, multiple
ADT missions left our Forward Operating
Base each day. They conducted assessments
on the Laghman Empowerment Agricultural
Facilities in our province. I suspect
all provinces have similar facilities that house
surplus produce and reduce spoilage before
it can be sold at the local markets.
On the FOB, the ADT connected to
Afghans using the Radio-in-a-Box, a
small radio studio that was stood up to
broadcast pro-GIRoA (Government of the
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan) messages
to counter the effective propaganda
messaging by the Taliban. Each Monday,
graduate-level educated professors and
agricultural experts from the nearby university
would host a call-in show to answer
agriculture-related questions from people
all over the province. It was estimated that
as many as 100,000 people —roughly 25
percent of the entire province — tuned into
the hourlong broadcast. It was by far the
ADTs most successful and far-reaching
radio program.
The future of the ADT and PRT construct
is changing right now. In fact, I came
home after nine months rather than a year
because of a presidential drawdown that
reduced the size of the PRT by more than
25 percent. There was talk of a blended
PRT-ADT with a greater level of civilian
leadership in the future. Due to the frequent
overlap in mission, it would seem that this
move to further reduce the size of both the
PRT and the ADT makes a fair amount of
sense. Well-educated and highly motivated
civilians from the U.S. Department of Agriculture
and the U.S. Agency for International
Development should be taking the
lead in helping the Afghans build capacity
with the military assisting in a security and
logistics support role.
From my perspective, the men and
women serving outside the wire in these
Afghan cities and villages are doing the
tough yet rewarding work of trying to help
the locals connect to their government and
get the support necessary to live a better
life. It is a mission that will provide those
who are called to perform it a valuable perspective
of how good life in the Gem State
really is.
Former PJ turned A-10 pilot teaches tactics to deploying TACPs
1st Lt. Jason Attinger, a 10-year active duty Air Force pararescueman who is now an Idaho Air National Guard A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot, teaches
small unit tactics to members of a deploying tactical air control party at Gowen Field in Boise March 13. Attinger spent a week with four members of
the 124th Air Support Operations Squadron who are preparing for a deployment to Afghanistan teaching the combat lifesaver course, long-range
fi ring techniques and other skills that will help them in the fi eld. Photo: Capt. Tony Vincelli
spring 2012 11

Pfc. Georgia Goodwin, of the 145th Brigade Support Battalion, 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team, uses an interpreter to explain proper splinting techniques
to a Cambodian Gendarmerie police offi cer during a Medical First Responder course at Kampot province, Cambodia, March 16. Idaho National
Guard soldiers exchanged medical knowledge with Royal Cambodian Armed Forces during Angkor Sentinel 2012, an annual bilateral military exercise
sponsored by U.S. Army Pacifi c and hosted by Cambodian forces.
Idaho Army National Guard partners with
Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
during Angkor Sentinel 2012 exercise
By Staff Sgt. April Davis, Public Affairs, 116th CBCT
KAMPONG SPEU PROVINCE,
Cambodia – Soldiers of the 116th Cavalry
Brigade Combat Team, Idaho Army National
Guard, traveled to the Peacekeeping Operations
School in Kampong Speu Province,
Cambodia, to participate in the Angkor Sentinel
2012 exercise March 13-23.
Angkor Sentinel is an annual bilateral
military exercise sponsored by U.S. Army
Pacific and the Royal Cambodian Armed
Forces to further strengthen military-tomilitary
relationships and improve peace-
12 The guardian
keeping capabilities. This year marked
the third iteration of the Angkor Sentinel
exercise.
Lt. Gen. Sem Sovanny, director-general
of the National Center for Peacekeeping
Force, Mine and Explosive Remnants of
War Clearance – NPMEC – welcomed the
116th and U.S. Army Pacifi c participants as
he declared the opening of Angkor Sentinel
2012 in a March 13 ceremony.
“This exercise has mirrored a better and
deeper relationship, friendship, and coop-
eration between Cambodia and the United
States,” he said. “It focuses on exchanging
knowledge, respecting, loving, and unifying
among other forces regardless of who we
are, our languages, religions, cultures and
traditions and with a purpose to establish a
sense of unity and good cooperation among
one another.”
Nearly 500 Royal Cambodian Armed
Forces, including 35 Gendarmerie, and
nearly 85 U.S. military, including 60 from
the Idaho Army National Guard, worked

cooperatively exchanging tactics, techniques
and sharing expertise.
The exercise featured several events
including battalion-level staff and command
post exercises focused on peacekeeping
operations, stability operations, humanitarian
assistance and disaster response. It also
encompassed a Medical First Responder
course, a Counter-Improvised Explosive
Device exercise, Engineer Subject Matter
Expert Exchange, and a Medical Civic
Action Program.
The staff exercise and command post
exercise consisted of in-depth academics
for battalion headquarters staff in managing
peacekeeping operations and fi ne-tuning
staff processes. A combined U.S. and RCAF
headquarters was formed based on United
Nations structure. Offi cers from three subordinate
battalions – two RCAF battalions and
northern Idaho’s 145th Brigade Support
Battalion – responded to simulated scenarios
to resolve complex security missions
and synchronize humanitarian efforts.
“The intent of this exercise was to
enhance both RCAF and U.S. staff offi cer
abilities to function in a UN environment,”
said Col. Don Blunck, brigade commander
of the 116th CBCT. “I think we met that
intent, and we were able to learn from the
Cambodians as much as we were able to
enhance our own staff offi cer abilities.”
Maj. Alex Shaffer, of the 116th CBCT, used
his previous peacekeeping experience in
Bosnia working in the combined 116th and
RCAF headquarters element during the staff
and command post exercises. He said the
exercise helped increase inter-operability
between forces of different nations.
“We are working through the military
decision making process together with the
RCAF, learning to manage humanitarian
resources and operate simultaneously in
a simulated peacekeeping environment,”
said Shaffer. “Learning about cultural differences
and working through the language
barrier is benefi cial to our 116th staff
because you can’t simulate those things
when training at home.”
NPMEC used the experience to prepare
for potential United Nations missions.
“This exercise will help prepare us for
future missions with the UN,” said Lt. Col.
Ra Phirun, 225th Battalion commander.
“This training is benefi cial not only to us but
to the U.S. also because we all learn something
new every day.”
Lt. Col. Bill Spence (center), of the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team, mentors members of the
Royal Cambodian Armed Forces during the staff and command post exercises at the Peacekeeping
Operations School in Kampong Speu province, March 15. Idaho Army National Guard Soldiers
partnered with RCAF during Angkor Sentinel 2012, an annual bilateral military exercise sponsored by
U.S. Army Pacifi c and hosted by Cambodian forces.
Soldiers of Idaho’s 145th BSB, 116th
CBCT, conducted two Medical First
Responder courses with RCAF personnel.
The fi rst course was held at the Gendarmerie
military police headquarters in
Kampot Province and included nearly 40
participants. The second course was held
at the Peacekeeping Operations School
in Kampong Speu Province and included
nearly 25 participants from NPMEC.
Soldiers accustomed to combat lifesaver
classes had to adjust their techniques
to meet the situations that the Cambodian
military police face on a daily basis. With
a lack of emergency medical teams, the
Gendarmerie is relied upon to handle emergency
situations.
“We are practicing emergency medical
procedures and fi rst aid,” said Sgt. Ryan
Lohmiller, a medic with the 145th BSB, 116th
CBCT. “This has been a great opportunity
to learn a new culture that I’ve never seen
before. I think we’ve all learned something
new from this experience.”
The Idaho Soldiers worked together with
the Cambodian forces to formulate techniques
on how to improvise treatment with
limited medical supplies and equipment.
“It’s been a challenge to think outside
the box, using whatever is on hand to make
splints and dressings,” said Pfc. Georgia
Goodwin.
Soldiers from the 130th Engineer Brigade
and the Asia-Pacifi c C-IED Center facilitated
situational training exercises focused on
identifying and responding to IEDs in order to
preserve lives and prevent disruption to military
operations. Two RCAF brigades preparing
for upcoming UN missions participated
in the exercise, which consisted of academics,
rehearsals and Soldier evaluations.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers worked
with RCAF engineers to exchange knowledge
on construction, building assessments,
bridge assessments, and global positioning
systems, as well as an equipment demonstration.
“The RCAF engineers have done an outstanding
job; they are eager to learn and a
pleasure to work with,” said Capt. Chuck
Koppernolle, of USACE.
Angkor Sentinel 2012 was not all work
and no play. RCAF and U.S. Soldiers challenged
each other in games of soccer and
volleyball during the evenings. Many 116th
Soldiers took the time to learn about Cambodia’s
history, culture and even learned to
speak some of the Khmer language.
Maj. Scott Sheridan, of the 116th CBCT,
bonded with his RCAF counterparts in the
225th Battalion throughout the exercise. He
commended their work ethic and motivation.
“Working with the Cambodians has been
incredible,” said Sheridan. “I’ve made some
life-long friendships here; it’s been an unforgettable
experience.”
spring 2012 13

Sgt. Ted Henscheid, of the 145th Brigade Support Battalion, fi lls prescriptions for local Cambodian citizens in Kampot province, March 16. Idaho National
Guard soldiers participated in a Medical Civic Action Program with Royal Cambodian Armed Forces during Angkor Sentinel 2012, an annual bilateral
military exercise sponsored by U.S. Army Pacifi c and hosted by Cambodian forces.
KAMPOT PROVINCE, Cambodia –
Idaho Army National Guard Soldiers from
Charlie Company, 145th Brigade Support
Battalion, helped medically treat more than
5,000 Cambodian citizens in a joint Medical
Civic Action Program during the Angkor
Sentinel 2012 exercise, March 13-23, in
Kampot Province, Cambodia.
Angkor Sentinel is an annual bilateral
military exercise sponsored by United States
Army Pacifi c Command and the Royal Cambodian
Armed Forces.
The MEDCAP included 16 U.S. Army
medical personnel, 15 delegates from
14 The guardian
Idaho Soldiers and Cambodian Army give
medical care to thousands of Cambodians
By Spc. Nicolette Eberline, Spc. Kate Smith and Staff Sgt. April Davis, 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team
the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, 17
interpreters, and a medical team from
the Children’s Surgical Center in Phnom
Penh, Cambodia. Through the combined
effort of the RCAF, U.S. Army, and the Children’s
Surgical Center, thousands of Cambodians
were provided with medical care
that is otherwise difficult for rural people
to receive.
“The experience we’ve had here in Cambodia
is incredible, and I cherish this opportunity
to work side by side with our RCAF
partners to help people,” said 1st Lt. Casey
Seckel, of Charlie Company, 145th BSB.
The MEDCAP provided care to Cambodian
locals in two different locations: the
Kampong Kes Primary School and the Hun
Sen Ro Lous School. Men, women and
children of all ages received medical care,
dental care, and ophthalmic treatments and
surgeries, as well as health care education.
The general medicine team saw the largest
majority of patients with common ailments
ranging from minor wounds, muscular-skeletal
issues, gastrointestinal issues,
and high-blood pressure to diseases not
often seen in the U.S. including typhoid and
tuberculosis.

Spc. Nicolette Eberline (left), of the 145th Brigade Support Battalion, holds a patient steady for a
Cambodian medical provider to diagnose the cause of an ear infection while Maj. Ryan Robinson
(center), 145th BSB commander, and a Cambodian soldier observe, March 16 at Kampot province.
Idaho National Guard soldiers participated in a Medical Civic Action Program with Royal Cambodian
Armed Forces during Angkor Sentinel 2012, an annual bilateral military exercise sponsored by U.S.
Army Pacific and hosted by Cambodian forces.
Maj. Heidi Munro, commander of Charlie
Company, 145th BSB, said this experience
is unlike any training that could be replicated
at home for her Soldiers.
“Our training is usually focused on treating
combat injuries; this is much more complex
because the Soldiers have to diagnose
actual patients with different illnesses and
diseases,” she said.
The Children’s Surgical Center performed
ophthalmic surgeries, including cataract
removal, and prescribed many pairs of eyeglasses.
Capt. Andrew Schug, of the Idaho Army
National Guard Medical Detachment, was
enthusiastic about the mission; “It is definitely
a rewarding experience. You hear
stories about what it’s going to be like, but
it’s not until you get a patient standing in
front of you, blind in one eye with glaucoma,
that you can really understand what we are
doing here. That isn’t something anyone
can prepare you for.”
Patients also sought dental care, mainly
extractions. Dental technicians with the
Idaho Army National Guard received hands-
on experience in extracting teeth, a skill
reserved only for dentists at home.
“The ability to help the Cambodians
who cannot afford dental care, to give them
some pain relief is very rewarding,” said
Spc. Sara McDonald, a dental technician
with the Idaho Army National Guard.
The RCAF medical team said the
MEDCAP program benefited both nations
involved, as well as the ancillary organizations
that supported it, as they worked
together to help improve the health of the
Cambodian population.
Um Oeun, an RCAF medical officer,
expressed his thoughts on working with the
U.S. military, “We all get more experience
when we are able to train together, and the
American military is very helpful in assisting
with this mission in Cambodia. We are so
happy we have the best cooperation with
the American military.”
The RCAF has conducted several
MEDCAP humanitarian missions with U.S.
forces in the past.
“I have done missions often with the Air
Force, Navy, and Army,” said Commander
Ky Yadeth, of the Royal Cambodian Navy.
“I like doing them because I like to see the
cooperation between the Cambodian military
and the American military.”
Interpreters working with the medical team
said patients were grateful to receive free
health care because many families in rural
Cambodia can’t afford medical treatment.
“I think what the Soldiers will take away
from this experience is an appreciation for
everything we have at home, especially
health care,” said Munro.
spring 2012 15

Rite in
the Rain
662412
16 The guardian
Staff Sgt. Brant Clouss of Kuna, Idaho, a member of
the Idaho Air National Guard’s 124th Fighter Wing
Marksmanship Team, reloads U.S. Navy veteran
Richard Nelson’s .22-caliber rifle Feb. 29 at the Boise
Rifle and Pistol Club. Clouss, a security policeman
from the 124th Security Forces Squadron, was one
of several young marksmen who took time away from
his family to support the event. “It’s fun to do this and
give back to them for their service,” Clouss said.
Photo: Capt. Tony Vincelli, 124th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

Wing marksmen host local vets for
shooting, camaraderie
By Capt. Tony Vincelli
124 th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Richard Nelson’s fondness for accuracy
and precision goes back nearly 70 years to
when he used to send messages in Morse
code as a young radioman serving in the
U.S. Navy.
Just as he still remembers Morse code
today, he still finds ways to use his penchant
for accuracy by taking aim with a .22-caliber
target rifle a few times a year with the help of
the Airmen of the 124th Fighter Wing Marksmanship
Team.
Nelson and other residents of the Boise
Veterans Home were the team’s honored
guests Feb. 29 for some fun and friendly
competition at the Boise Rifle and Pistol
Club.
“It’s our way of giving back and thanking
them for their sacrifice,” said Chief Master
Sgt. William Mattravers, the team’s captain
and longtime veterans supporter.
Wednesdays are normally reserved for
team practices. The team practices year
around, outdoors at the Black’s Creek
Range during the summer and indoors at
the Boise Rifle and Pistol Club in the winter.
The team gladly took a week off from target
practice to host the veterans.
The rifles were ready. Boxes of bullets
were available at each station for the veterans
to fire as much as they wanted. There
were even high-visibility targets that, when
hit, revealed fluorescent pink and green
spots that, even for aging Korean War vets
like Nelson, can easily be seen from 25
yards away – the distance from firing line
to target. Chief Mattravers tried to avoid
answering questions of where the money
came from to buy the special targets and
other equipment only made available for
these veterans. It was obvious he didn’t
want any credit or acclaim for buying them
out of his own pocket.
“If it wasn’t for these veterans ahead
of us doing what they did, we wouldn’t be
here,” he said.
The crack in his voice made it obvious
that the evening with the veterans gave him
as much enjoyment as it did the veterans
who got away from the veterans home for
an evening of target shooting. For many of
these wheelchair-bound patriots, it was a
rare night out.
The experience was not lost on the
younger generation of target shooters,
either. Among them was Staff Sgt. Brant
Clouss, a security policeman for the 124th
Security Forces Squadron, a husband and
father with a wife and young children at
home who gladly took time away to support
the cause.
“They don’t need much help shooting. I
just reload the gun for them and swap stories
– it’s a lot of fun,” he said.
As Nelson was wheeled away from the
shooting line and into the reception area
to enjoy some soda, popcorn and other
snacks provided by the team, he holds his
target high. Dotted with tightly grouped fluorescent
green and pink holes, he proudly
smiles and simply says “Not too bad at all.”
spring 2012 17

When we raised our hands and put on
a uniform, we enlarged our family. Whether
we call it a “band of brothers and sisters”
or by some other name, we are family, and
as with all families we need to protect our
brothers and sisters. We all know what the
written policies are; we all know that there
is a zero tolerance policy when it comes to
sexual assault and sexual harassment and
that the offenders will be dealt with quickly
and severely. However, when a sexual
assault or harassment occurs, a victim’s life
is changed forever.
18 The guardian
Keep your family safe –
help prevent sexual assault
By Mr. Terry Williams, Assistant Sexual Assault Response Coordinator
The majority of sexual assaults and
harassments are the result of a few perpetrators
who have found their way into our
extended family. As a family we need to put
those individuals on notice that we will not
tolerate or facilitate their behavior. A military
study shows that when a unit allows questionable
behavior in the workplace, the unit
has a 90 percent greater chance of having
an incident of sexual assault. This list of
behaviors is not all-inclusive but includes
unsolicited touching of any kind, comments
about a person’s body, centerfold
ldaho Air
Staff Sgt. Christopher Gaff, left, and Airman 1st Class Matthew Rogers, members of a tactical air control party assigned to
the 124th Air Support Operations Squadron, Idaho Air National Guard, go room by room to clear a building as part of a training
scenario March 13 at Gowen Field in Boise. The weeklong tactics course, taught by former Air Force pararescueman
turned pilot 1st Lt. Jason Attinger, prepared Idaho TACPs for an upcoming deployment in support of Operation Enduring
Freedom. Photo: Capt. Tony Vincelli
pictures of people in bikinis, skimpy outfi ts
or lingerie—and this includes both men and
women—and probably the most common,
calling people derogatory names.
As we look at unacceptable behaviors,
we need to visualize someone either doing
these things or exposing these things to our
mothers, daughters, sons or someone who
depends on us for their security. Now think
about what your reaction would be, and let
us assume that ultimately the lesser behaviors
could lead to that loved one being sexually
assaulted. Thought-provoking, right? So
National Guard
TACPs learn
from former
pararescueman

why do we allow these behaviors to happen
within our extended family?
Now is the time to change our philosophy.
The Idaho National Guard, is a place
where business is conducted and is a professional
military organization that outsiders
look up to, a place where future leaders are
born, a place where our Soldiers and Airmen,
our extended family, should be safe.
Families come in all shapes and sizes
with mixed races, nationalities, religious
backgrounds, different upbringing and different
values. But one thing that all families
share is the desire to keep our loved
ones safe. Our brothers and sisters in uniform
need and deserve the same safety
and respect that our loved ones at home
receive. We need to ensure that our work
environment is a safe and professional
environment to work in and that our band
of brothers and sisters do not fall victim to
the minority.
Some of the eight UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters
taxi in front of the sendoff crowd as they prepare
to depart Gowen Field.
As this article was being prepared, April
was the target month for a number of activities
designed to create an understanding
of what some have endured. The Sexual
Assault Prevention and Response Offi ce
planned to coordinate several events to
show support for our band of brothers and
sisters and put sexual predators on notice
that we will no longer tolerate their behavior.
Events planned include:
• Walk a Mile in Her Shoes
• Sexual Assault Awareness and Self
Defense Techniques
• Health Fair
• Safe Dating for Teens
• Teen Dating Violence
• Bystander Intervention for Families
S.O.S. Take a stand with me, Stamp Out
Sexual assault. Don’t be a facilitator. Intervene
and be part of our family, the United
States Military and the Idaho National Guard.
On April 7, some 60 members of the Idaho Army Guard’s Company A, 1-168
General Support Aviation Battalion shipped off to Fort Hood, Texas, as part of
a yearlong mobilization and deployment to Afghanistan. The unit has previously
deployed twice to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, but this
is their fi rst Operation Enduring Freedom deployment. Using their UH-60 Black
Hawk helicopters, Alpha Company will provide support transporting troops and
supplies where they’re needed in Afghanistan. Photo: George Johnson
If you have been a victim or know of a
victim of sexual assault, please contact your
JFHQ SARC or the DoD Safe Helpline so
that we may help you or them to become
a survivor.
Safe Helpline
Internet: www.safehelpline.org
Landline: 877-995-5247
Text: 55-247 (CONUS) or
(202) 470-5546 (OCONUS)
JFHQ SARC
Capt. Colleen Walker
Offi ce: (208) 272-8400
Cell: (208) 447-6166
Assistant JFHQ SARC
Mr. Terry Williams
Offi ce: (208) 272-4306
Cell: (208) 949-7583
Sgt. 1st Class Dennis Zuchelkowski, 1st Battalion, 204th Regional
Training Institute, instructs a group of Soldiers training to become
M-1A2 armor crewmembers. Here, he’s showing them techniques
of maintaining the barrel at the business end of the tank’s
120 mm gun. 1-204th RTI (Armor) instructors teach students
from National Guard, Reserve and the U.S. Army in the technical
and tactical aspects of armor and scout operations. In 2011, the
battalion provided training to approximately 350 Soldiers from
nearly every state and component.
spring 2012 19

20 The guardian
Senior Airman Heidi Caye, environmental protection specialist for the 124th Civil Engineer
Squadron, and Master Sgt. Robert McGarvie, bioenvironmental engineer from the 124th
Medical Group, sift through trash Feb. 28 looking for recyclable materials like aluminum
cans in an effort to improve the 124th Fighter Wing's recycling program at Gowen Field.

Dumpster inspections to assess, improve wing recycling efforts
Story and photos by Capt. Tony Vincelli, 124th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Offi cer
Nothing will give you a better idea of how
good your base recycling efforts are than a
good old-fashioned dumpster dive.
That is exactly what Senior Airman Heidi
Caye and Master Sgt. Robert McGarvie did
Feb. 28 as they donned white suits, protective
eyewear and blue latex gloves and
jumped into the large green dumpster behind
Bldg. 400. The bold move was the fi rst step
in what Caye, who works full-time as an environmental
protection specialist for the joint
Air-Army environmental offi ce, describes as
“a process” of evaluating and improving the
Air Guard’s recycling program.
She and McGarvie, a bioenvironmental
engineer from the 124th Medical Group,
sifted through trash bags looking for aluminum
cans, cardboard, plastic water bottles
and other recyclable materials mixed in with
trash rather than in the familiar blue recycling
bins. Using a grid fabricated by the civil engineer
squadron and placed on top of the trash,
they were able to establish a percentage of
how much of it was actually recyclable.
“It was surprising to see that more than
half of the material we inspected was recyclable,”
said Caye.
Even more surprising, she said, was that
much of the material was obvious items like
plastic bottles, shredded paper and aluminum
cans.
According to Caye, initial inspections will
establish a baseline to determine how much
of the material we throw away is actually
recyclable. It will also be a launch pad for
education, process improvement and enduser
acceptance – all leading up to the Environmental,
Safety, and Occupational Health
Compliance Assessment Management Program
inspection scheduled for September,
and beyond.
Once a baseline is established and
process improvements are made over the
next several months, follow-on inspections
conducted quarterly will hopefully show
improvement over time, Caye said.
According to McGarvie, with buy-in
from wing members, improvements to the
wing’s recycling efforts will be made easier
because of the quality of Gowen Field’s
recycling program.
“We have to change our culture out here
when it comes to recycling. It’s not like we
have to start from scratch. The base already
has a good recycling program in place; we
just have to get everyone working together
as a team to improve. One or two people isn’t
going to make a difference,” McGarvie said.
According to Caye, wing work centers
have always shown an eagerness to work
on environmental efforts like this in the past,
and she expects the recycling program to
be no different.
“They are very engaged; they want to
do the right thing,” Caye said. “We need to
educate them, fi nd out what we can do to
make it easier for them, and I think it will go
very smoothly.”
124th Fighter Wing bioenvironmental
engineer Master Sgt. Robert McGarvie
tosses a newspaper he found in the
trash into a blue recycling bin Feb.
28 at Gowen Field in Boise. This is
the fi rst step in a wing-wide effort to
improve recycling.
spring 2012 21

266 RANS saves DoD more than $870,000
by Senior Airman Benjamin Sutton
366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho – Personnel from
the 266th Range Squadron have the unique and challenging mission
of operating and maintaining the Joint Threat Emitter – an advanced
electronic warfare training system.
Recently, 266th RANS Airmen conducted a joint-service training
exercise with personnel from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island,
Wash.
"Basically, we operate surface-to-air missile simulators," said
Tech. Sgt. Steven Jones, 266th RANS radar technician. "This training
helps test the aircrew's ability to recognize the threat, then identify
and react correctly according to the specific situation presented."
By assisting Navy personnel with this two-week training, the
266th RANS helped save the Department of Defense approximately
$872,000.
"Typically, the pilots fly the aircraft all the way to Mountain Home
AFB from NAS Whidbey Island," said Master Sgt. Warren Davis,
266th RANS joint threat emitter work center assistant. "This time,
leadership decided to see if it would be more cost-effective and save
Members of the 266th Range Squadron pose in front of the Joint Threat Emitter Unit Feb. 16, 2012, at Pacific Beach, Wash. The 266th RANS personnel
stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, operate surface-to-air missile simulators to help test an aircrew’s ability to recognize a threat then
identify and react correctly according to the specific situation presented. Courtesy photo
22 The guardian
some taxpayer money by having us drive out there."
According to Jones, it would have cost the DoD approximately
$400,000 a week to fly here and back every week.
"Otherwise the pilots are flying from NAS Whidbey Island to
MHAFB, participating in the training, then flying all the way back,
and are doing this every day for two weeks," said Jones.
The 266th RANS personnel were excited about the opportunity to
assist a sister service as well as get out and do some field training.
"We are taking our equipment to a foreign area and dealing with
any adversity as it comes," said Davis. "Our threat system worked
great by tracking the aircraft from the ground then giving off electronic
signatures which, inside the aircraft, are viewed as hostile
enemy targets they can then react to."
This training exercise was praised by 266th RANS radar experts.
"This exercise went exceptionally well," said Jones. "When you
head into this type of an exercise, we really have no idea what to
expect. We had the right team in place, and things went extremely
well."

Story and photo by Col. Tim Marsano
Idaho Army National Guard aviator Chief Warrant Offi cer 4 Brian Fox testifi ed before the
Idaho House Transportation and Defense Committee on House Bill Number 511 on Feb. 16.
The bill, which was passed by both Idaho Legislative bodies and will soon go into effect, will
require permanent and temporary towers higher than 50 feet and affi xed with guy wires to
be made more visible to aviators.
During his testimony, which included a PowerPoint presentation, Fox made it clear
that such unmarked structures pose a clear danger to low-flying aircraft, including helicopters
and small airplanes. Without requirements for them to be painted in easily seen
colors and to have plentiful lighting, towers can easily appear as if out of nowhere.
Towers like these are used in Idaho and elsewhere for wind power generation, gathering
and transmitting meteorological data and general communications.
But there are many different types of aircraft that are authorized to operate under 200
feet – military aircraft with both fi xed and rotary wings, Fish and Game aircraft, cropdusters,
loggers, Life Flight helicopters and others.
“These towers are extremely diffi cult to see, and we often operate in areas under 200
feet,” said Fox. “What we want is for the towers to be marked so we can see them, and we
can go home at night. We want them to be painted and have lights on top of the towers. The
guy wires (which hold the towers down) are also extremely diffi cult to see.”
Under this bill, the guy wires would be required to have highly visible marker balls affi xed
to them. These wires often stretch out about 200 feet in all directions from the towers and
often are made with half-inch steel. “Nothing on the aircraft will cut that,” Fox said.
Aviator Chief Warrant Offi cer 4
Brian Fox testifi es in support of
greater visibility for towers.
Towers need lights, paint, guy-wire visibility
spring 2012 23

The Idaho National Guard Youth ChalleNGe
program received a major boost in
its development efforts in March as Farmers
Insurance Group presented a check for
$10,000 to Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter and Maj.
Gen. Gary Sayler, Idaho Adjutant General.
“We are pleased to support the Idaho
National Guard Youth ChalleNGe national
program because it mentors at-risk youth
and gives them a chance to become productive
citizens and make a good life for themselves
and their families,” said Kris Pacey,
Farmers Insurance Idaho state executive
director. “We thank Gov. Otter and Gens.
Sayler and Turner for their roles in making
the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program
a reality in Idaho.”
“Farmers Insurance has my sincere
appreciation for stepping up to help support
this program and the great opportunity it will
give Idaho’s at-risk youth. The residents of
Pierce and Clearwater County are excited
about the prospect of hosting a program
24 The guardian
Farmers Insurance donates $10,000 to
Idaho National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program
devoted to helping get these young folks
back on the right track in life,” Otter said.
“I would encourage other companies to join
Farmers and other generous donors in helping
the Idaho National Guard put this important
and innovative program in place.”
Youth ChalleNGe officials said the funds
will be used to help get the program started
in Pierce – a small and remote community
in northern Idaho – especially for the repair
and renovation of the program’s residential
training facility. When completed, the facility
will serve over 200 high school dropouts
from all parts of Idaho as they progress
through the Youth ChalleNGe’s nationally
proven program.
The Idaho National Guard Youth ChalleNGe
program’s mission is “To intervene in
and reclaim the lives of 16- to 18-year-old high
school dropouts, producing program graduates
with the values, life skills, education, and
self-discipline necessary to succeed as productive
citizens.” It is a preventive rather than
a remedial program for at-risk youth, focusing
on participants who are unemployed,
drug-free high school dropouts who are not
in trouble with the law.
The program includes a 22-week residential
phase in which cadets learn the program’s
eight core components of Responsible
Citizenship, Academic Excellence,
Life-Coping Skills, Service to Community,
Health and Hygiene, Job Skills Training,
Leadership/Followership, and Physical Fitness
while earning a state-approved educational
credential.
The residential phase is followed by a
yearlong mentoring relationship with a specially
trained member from each youth’s
community, one who works to reinforce the
lessons learned in the residential phase and
assists the student in pursuing further education,
employment or civic service.
Learn more at www.youthchallengeidaho.org
or contact youthchallengeidaho@gmail.com.