Ripley Reporter - Minnesota National Guard

The Ripley
Reporter
Safety First
With the end of fiscal 2012 in sight, The Army is on track to sustain
the near-record lows in accidental fatalities achieved during the past
three years. We here at Camp Ripley have positively impacted these total
numbers. Congratulations on a job well done!
Although Camp Ripley Training Center (CRTC) has done remarkably
well regarding accidents during duty hours, Active Duty has not fared as
well. Currently, fatalities are up 29 percent and 36 percent for aviation
and ground, respectively. With Camp Ripley being a full time force in
our own right, it is prudent to recognize the trends and issues of our
active component brethren and apply the lessons learned.
Off Duty Safety
State-wide, we had three off duty fatalities this last year, none of which
were motorcycle related. Regardless, spring and summer are historically
the most difficult time of year for privately owned motorcycle (POM) losses; with the risk involved, we must
remain vigilant.
The biggest factors associated with rider indiscipline have traditionally been speed, nonuse of personal
protective equipment and alcohol. A new trend has made its way onto that list — reckless riding, specifically
improper passing.
More than half of all rider fatalities this fiscal year have been Soldiers at the rank of E5 or above. As Soldiers
and Airmen return from deployments, it’s easy to fall for the adrenaline rush a motorcycle can provide. The
deadly combination of the lack of protection and disproportionately large engines
outfitted on modern bikes is a concern for all leaders to address and mitigate. It’s our
duty to intervene before tragedy strikes. There is simply no excuse for any Soldier to
deliberately place himself or herself in harm’s way.
On Duty Ground Safety
Our on-duty ground safety has seen excellent improvement from last year. The
planned addition of the MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles here at
Ripley to our robust inventory of rolling stock, reinforces the importance of mitigating
risks. Leaders must ensure their Soldiers are fully trained and constantly aware of
their surroundings and ready for every contingency. Leaders and Soldiers alike must
maintain standards at every level to prevent accidents.
Range Safety
Arms, ammunition, and explosives are always a safety concern. We have excellent
full spectrum range services at CRTC with a highly regarded Range Operations
element whose priority is safe, relevant training for the fighting force. We must
Camp Ripley, Minnesota
From the Desk of the Post Commander
In This Issue
Safety Message Continued
Page 2
Gone with the Wind
July 2012
Page 3
Camp Ripley Happenings
Page 4
Camp Ripley Golf Tournament
Page 5-6
Defending the Blue Line
Page 7
MN Military Teen Summit
Page 8

The Ripley Reporter Page 2
continue to inculcate vigilance and attention to detail on all personnel heading downrange. Our first major
incident of the year transpired this month involving Soldiers and a M2 .50 caliber machine gun. Although the
soldier was treated and released back to duty, the results could have been fatal. This incident illuminates a
growing concern; “familiarity breeds complacency.” Leaders and Soldiers alike must maintain attention to detail
and keep the appropriate safety controls in place. When conducting your risk management process, recognize
complacency as a hazard and ensure appropriate controls are in place.
On Duty Air
Minnesota has had no Class A, B, or C aviation incidents this year. This translates to no deaths, major injuries,
or large fiscal losses. With an active airstrip and
multiple landing zones on CRTC, this is great
news! Regardless, all of the Army’s 2012 Class A
accidents have been attributed to human error. Our
in-state safety record is as good as it is because
three areas stand above all others as most critical:
command climate, the three step mission approval
process, and mission briefing officer/final mission
approval authority training. Commanders must
continue to reinforce a climate of accountability.
Communication is key to the mission approval
process.
In the active component, breakdowns in step
two, mission planning and briefing, have affected crews both in theater and in garrison. Direct command
involvement and oversight are crucial to countering poor or incomplete mission planning and preserving our
aviation assets. Continue to ensure that mission briefing officers are trained to standard. As the eyes and ears
on the flight line, their informed and involved interaction with pilots and crews is simply too crucial to take for
granted.
In Conclusion
Leaders at all levels must emphasize and actively participate in their safety programs. We’re all busy and
demands are as great as ever, but safety is too important to fall by the wayside. Be sure to leverage the expertise
of the safety professionals in your formations; use their expertise and capabilities to enhance your safety
programs. Stay involved and talk regularly with your leaders and Soldiers to gauge the safety climate in your
unit; Soldiers know you care if you ask; you’ll be surprised at the frank and enthusiastic responses you’re likely
to get.
Warriors Choice!
Col. Scott St. Sauver
Minn. Army National Guard
Camp Ripley Post Commander
The Ripley Reporter is a publication of the Camp
Ripley Public Affairs Office. The views and opinions
expressed in this publication do not necessarily
express or reflect the views and opinions of
the State of Minnesota, the Minnesota National
Guard, The Adjutant General or the Camp Ripley
Post Commander.
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DA photos can be scheduled with
1LT Blake St. sauver
Camp Ripley Public Affiars
blake.stsauver@us.army.mil
or 320-616-3122
Camp Ripley, Minnesota July 2012

The Ripley Reporter
Operation Gone with the Wind trains Minnesota’s first responders
by: 1st Lt. Blake St. Sauver
Page 3
CAMP RIPLEY, Minn. – More than 100 organizations from 22 counties converged on Camp Ripley
June 20-21, 2012 to conduct a multi-agency training exercise sponsored by the Central Minnesota Healthcare
System Preparedness Program.
Operation Gone with the Wind was designed to train medical
personnel, law enforcement, Soldiers and emergency managers in
the coordination of multiple agencies for mass casualty incidents,
according to Joe Hellie, Director of Emergency and Ambulatory
Services at St. Cloud Hospital.
Throughout the scenario, approximately 350 participants
worked to extract over 100 patients from a 26 building facility
called the Combined Arms Collective Training Facility after a
simulated tornado hits the city of Twin Oaks.
“Our partnerships
are one of our strongest allies in times of crisis.” said
Camp Ripley Post Commander, Col. Scott St. Sauver. “Training
scenarios like this ensure that when disasters strike, our emergency
management personnel are prepared to coordinate with
one another to act efficiently and effectively.”
Within the scenario; emergency medical services, hospital
and nursing home personnel, and law enforcement agencies
were directed by an Emergency Operations Center made up of
emergency managers from a variety of agencies.
The simulation also included the evacuation of a critical
access hospital and nursing home to a neighboring facility. Additionally, an alternate medical care site was
utilized by the Medical Reserve Corp. and the Minnesota Mobile Medical Team.
The exercise was made possible by a federal grant from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness
and Response and allocated by the Minnesota Department of Health/Office of Emergency Preparedness.
Camp Ripley, Minnesota July 2012

The Ripley Reporter Page 4
Camp Ripley Hunts
Disabled Veterans Deer Hunt 2-4 October
Deployed Soldiers Deer Hunt 3-4 October
Youth Archery Hunt 5-7 October
DNR Archery Hunt 18-19 October
SPREAD THE NEWS
Would you like to contribute to The Ripley Reporter?
Units are encouraged to contact 1st Lt. Blake St. Sauver at
blake.stsauver@us.army.mil to pass on ideas for future
articles.
Minnesota National Guard
Youth/Teen Camps at CRTC
Week 1:
July 22 to July 28, 2012
Week 2:
July 29 to August 4, 2012
Find out more:
Camp Ripley, Minnesota July 2012

The Ripley Reporter
47th Annual Camp Ripley Golf Tournament
Cragun’s Legacy Courses, Brainerd, September 24, 2012
Camp Ripley, Minnesota July 2012
Page 5
The 47th Annual Camp Ripley Golf Tournament will be on Monday, September 24, 2012 at Cragun’s Legacy
Courses, 11496 East Gull Lake Drive, Brainerd, Minnesota. All full-time, part-time, temporary Camp Ripley
employees, retirees, and friends of Camp Ripley are invited to participate.
Tournament format is a foursome, 18-hole scramble. All teams will tee off at 12:00 pm as a shotgun start. Cost
per player for 18-holes of golf, with an electric cart and dinner is $50.
For those who wish to participate in a singles 18 hole format, you may play Bobby’s Course. Tee times for this
individual tournament will start at 12:20 pm. Recognition will go to the men’s low gross and women’s low
gross. Cost per player for 18-holes of golf, with an electric cart and dinner is $50.
Dinner will be served at 6 pm. The dinner is a 2-meat buffet served in the Cragun’s Legacy Courses Dining
Room.
Event Schedule:
9:00 am to 11:30 am Registration at Cragun’s Legacy Clubhouse
9:00 am to 11:30 am Putting Contest
11:30 am to 11:45 am Load carts
11:45 am to 11:55 am Rules brief
12:00 pm Shotgun Start all foursomes, 18-hole scramble
12:20 pm Individual competition starts
5:00 pm Social Time
6:00 pm Dinner Served
Golf is a non-duty event. All participants must be in a non-duty or leave/vacation status to participate.
Everyone is encouraged to continue our tournament tradition of extending courtesy to other players and
respecting the rules of the golf course. Please don’t drive carts or place bags on greens, keep carts on paved
paths where provided, only two people per cart, repair divots with the provided sand mixture, and repair ball
marks on greens.
Appropriate attire for men includes a collared shirt and shorts or slacks. Cutoffs, short shorts, halter tops and
tank tops are not acceptable for women.
Please turn in your registration as a foursome. Single contestants for Bobby’s may turn in an individual
registration form. We will assign tee times for individual contestants. Please indicate by name if you want to
golf with other golfers.
Please complete the registration form and return it to the Camp Ripley Visitor Bureau, Attention: Golf
Tournament Committee, 15000 HWY 115, Building 11-001, Little Falls, MN 56345, no later than September 7,
2012. Make checks payable to Training Site Employee Fund and submit with your registration form. A single
check from a foursome is appreciated.

The Ripley Reporter Page 6
47 th Annual Camp Ripley Golf Tournament
Cragun’s Legacy Courses, Brainerd, September 24, 2012
2012 Registration Form
18-hole Scramble Competition Team
NAME PHONE Organization
Enclose $50 per player for 18-hole scramble golf, cart and dinner
POC for this foursome: (Name/phone)
18 Hole Single Competition
NAME PHONE Organization
Enclose $50 per player for 18-hole individual tournament golf, cart, and dinner
TOTAL ENCLOSED $______________________________________________________________
Please make check payable to Training Site Employee Fund. Send in the completed form to save your spot
today.
DEADLINE – Friday, September 7 th , 2012
Send to: Camp Ripley Visitors Bureau, Building 11-001, Attention: Golf Tournament Committee
15000 HWY 115 Little Falls, MN 56345
Direct your questions/special requests to SGT Tim Krouth, timothy.c.krouth@us.army.mil, or 320-616-2714.
Camp Ripley, Minnesota July 2012

The Ripley Reporter Page 7
Defending The Blue Line
Current and former members of the NHL visited Camp Ripley on Friday, June 22nd to learn about what
soldiers do and say thanks. Soldiers and families were able to get autographs and learn more about what the
Defending the Blue Line is all about.
Vet Uses Hockey to Give Back to Military Families
by: Sarah Spain (Reprinted with permission)
Earlier this year at the White House, Shane Hudella was "coined" by General Martin E. Dempsey, the
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. And Hudella, a sergeant in the Minnesota National Guard, was rewarded
not just for 23 years of military service, but because of the service he's doing for other military families.
In 2009, Hudella founded Defending The Blue Line (DTBL) with the goal of giving help to military families
who love the sport of hockey. Since its inception, the nonprofit organization has provided more than 3,000
families across the country with hockey equipment, game tickets and assistance in paying for camps and
leagues.
DTBL has gone from a small idea to a pretty big deal over the past few years. Big enough to draw significant
attention and funds from the NHLPA. Big enough to be profiled on "NBC Nightly News." Big enough, even, to
get Hudella to the White House.
DTBL was one of five winners of the Joining Forces Community Challenge, a White House initiative
designed "to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary efforts of citizens and organizations across the country
that are working to improve the lives of military families."
Hudella has four hockey-playing sons of his own: Patton, 18;
Joseph, 10; Zachary, 7; and Cooper, 3. Watching them out on the
ice is a constant reminder of how important hockey can be in a
kid's life, particularly a kid whose parent is deployed or has died in
service to their country.
A kid like Riley Richards, Riley's dad, Army Sgt. Timothy M.
Smith was killed by an IED in 2008. Smith's wife, Shayna Richards,
was left to care for their baby boy, who she would raise to share her
love for the sport of hockey. Riley is able to skate four days a week,
thanks to assistance from DTBL.
"Boy, we were just honored to be able to give her a grant," said
Hudella. "It was tear-jerking when she was telling us how important
it is for Riley to get out to the rink, where his coaches are like father
figures to him now. That's why we do this."
A die-hard San Jose Sharks fan, Richards learned of DTBL
through Sharks defenseman Brent Burns. A former member of the
Minnesota Wild, Burns shared his desire to help military families
with Hudella back in 2009, helping inspire the creation of DTBL.
Burns is joined by many current and former NHL players who give
their time and effort to the charity
Despite the growth in awareness, Hudella said the organization
still must get bigger. Last year DTBL was $20,000 short of its goal
during the last grant cycle and had to turn away deserving families.
He's determined to serve everyone in need this time around. To that end, he's going to retire from the service at
the end of the month to spend more time running the organization.
Camp Ripley, Minnesota July 2012

The Ripley Reporter Page 8
Military teens share experiences at state summit
by:1st Lt. Blake E. St. Sauver
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Teens ages 13-18 converged on St. Cloud for the Minnesota Military Teen Summit
June 25, 2012; an event designed to help military children connect with other teens that share similar experiences.
Children attended workshops; participated in team building
exercises, as well as the completion of a service project for military
veterans at the Veterans Administration Hospital.
“Teenagers have the hardest time when a parent is deployed,”
says Minnesota National Guard Senior Enlisted Advisor Command
Sgt. Maj. Cynthia Kallberg. Kallberg reflected on her experiences
with her two daughters while she and her husband were deployed
6 times since 2001 saying, “Many kids don’t feel recognized or appreciated
for their sacrifices while a parent is deployed.”
The Teen Summit is open to all children with family ties to a
Servicemember of any branch. Children sign up for the Teen Summit
through Operation Military Kids and receive a 2-night hotel
stay and all meals paid for with a twenty-dollar fee. The small fee for the event is used to offset fees not
covered by the Operation Military Kids grant program but can be
waived if requested.
“Building the confidence of these young ambassadors will allow
them to go back to their schools and help mentor other military
children with similar backgrounds,” says Minnesota National
Guard Chief of Deployment Cycle Support Maj. Aaron Krenz.
Krenz also spoke on the importance of events such as this saying,
“This is a great event because it helps to build the resiliency of our
military youth.”
Nine teens that sit on the Minnesota Military Teen Panel attended
and helped organize the Teen Summit. The Minnesota Military
Teen Panel works with fellow teens to develop innovative programs and opportunities. They also help to
inform military leadership about the issues confronting military teens.
Camp Ripley, Minnesota July 2012