Skiing with wounded veterans Deployed airman continues studies

24 Pages·2015·1.31 MB·English

Deployed airman
continues studies
UW supports military
Skiing with
wounded veterans
WyNG biathletes train Paralympians
Published for the Wyoming Military Department Community
Dance strengthens father/daughter bond
The Wyoming National Guard Child and Youth do something fun together,” Ozekin said. “I remem-
Program sponsored its first-ever Father/Daughter ber the times with my dad when I was younger, and
Winterland Dance Dec. 19, at the Holiday Inn in we wanted to do something for the girls to remem-
Cheyenne. ber—and the dads too.”
Military fathers and their daughters, ranging from Capt. Rodney Rogers and his daughter Tanner, 11,
ages 1 to 32, furthered their bond while enjoying ice of Laramie, had fun.
breaking activities, desserts, and for some, dancing. “It was a good opportunity to teach her proper
“It was awesome,” said Sgt. Maj. Steven Stough- two-step and swing dancing techniques and eti-
ton, who attended with his 5-year-old daughter quette,” he said. “We danced back in our younger
Soleah. “It was our first time going to a dance. My days at 4-H dances and Jubilee Days, but we’d
daughter loved it. It will be interesting to get the never been to anything like this.”
word out and watch this event grow each year. It’s a
great experience.”
Child and Youth Program Coordinator Corissa Oze-
kin said she thought it might be a success when she
proposed the idea. She and her team got inspiration
from the Nevada National Guard, which hosted a
mother/daughter tea. On the cover: Lt. Col. Henry Cudney
“We wanted to do something around the holidays dances with his daughter Alyssa at the
Wyoming National Guard Child and
and this seemed like a great chance for the girls to
Youth Program’s Father/Daughter Win-
get dressed up and the dads to get dressed up and ter Wonderland Dance.
INDEX CONTACT INFORMATION
Generals leave lasting legacy ..................................... 4 Public Affairs Office 307-772-5253
Skiing alongside wounded warriors ........................... 6 Military Records 307-772-5239
Swanson brings outsider’s view to wing .................... 9 Wyoming Veterans Commission 307-777-8152
Commission makes veterans No. 1 ......................... 10 Joint Operations Center 307-772-5112
Grunstad leaves ........................................................ 12 Camp Guernsey Joint Training Center 307-836-7810
Heroes recognized at annual event ......................... 14 Human Resources Office 307-772-5134
Vet treatment court provides second chances ....... 16 Wyo. Army Guard retirement services 307-772-5422
History corner............................................................. 22 Wyo. Air Guard retirement services 307-772-6321
Cowboy Guard, a Wyoming National Guard newspaper publication, is produced quarterly by the Wyoming National Guard Public
Affairs Office, Cheyenne, Wyo., in accordance with AR 360-1 and AFI 35-101.
Contents of Cowboy Guard are not necessarily the official view of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of
Defense, Department of the Air Force, Department of the Army, National Guard Bureau or the State of Wyoming. Submissions are
accepted via email at [email protected]. All submissions will be edited.
Wyoming’s Adjutant General Historian 197th Public Affairs Detachment:
Maj. Gen. Luke Reiner Staff Sgt. Dan Molineaux Capt. Christian Venhuizen
Staff Sgt. Meredith Vincent
Director of the Joint Staff 153rd Air Wing Public Affairs: Sgt. Amanda Preddice
Col. Gregory Porter Capt. Cody Hawkins Sgt. Trisha Pinczes
Master Sgt. Charles Delano Sgt. Christopher Kirk
State Public Affairs Officer Master Sgt. Leisa Grant Sgt. Ashley Smith
Ms. Deidre Forster Staff Sgt. John Galvin
Staff Sgt. Charron Vedan Visual Information
Cowboy Guard Deputy Public Affairs Officer Senior Airman Nichole Grady Staff Sgt. Natashia Crocker
Public Affairs Office Capt. Tom Blackburn
5410 Bishop Blvd. Wyo. Army National Guard PAO
Cheyenne, WY 82009 Joint Public Affairs Office staff Maj. Rebecca Walsh
307-772-5253 Capt. Megan Hoffman
Sgt. 1st Class James McGuire Wyoming Joint Task Force PAO
Mr. David Crane Capt. Tim Lockwood
2
A year of homecomings leads us into 2015
Ih ope everyone had a joyous, restful holiday and is Specifically at last fall’s Town Hall I was pleased to see
reinvigorated going into the new year. our message is getting out through social media. It was
Last year was an extremely Generally Speaking just a couple years ago, I couldn’t spell Flickr, Twitter, or
busy year, again. We wel- Facebook, now it seems every day I see a picture online
comed home the 187th AES , highlighting something a member of our force has done.
30th AS, 133rd EN, and Det. We polled the audience at the meetings: why do you
53. Hundreds of airmen and like working for the Wyoming Military Department. The
soldiers prevented floods overwhelming feedback was the camaraderie and the
across the state. Another people. I think this reflects what SCSM Allan, Chief
great year by our Wyoming Whipple and I have thought for our more than 100 years
Guard. of combined service: people join the military for a myriad
Currently, we have the of reasons, but what keeps people in is the camaraderie
153rd Airlift Wing deployed to and their fellow service members.
Southwest Asia. The major concern raised during the meetings was
For many members of the Maj. Gen. Luke Reiner that we have too many mandatory briefings which cut
153rd it was another holiday Adjutant General - Wyoming into the time we can conduct Army and Air Force training.
spent away from their fami- I hear you loud and clear. But, we must improve our out-
lies. We thank the airmen and their families for their comes before we can eliminate all mandatory briefings.
sacrifice and selfless service. We’ve previously told For instance, once sexual assaults stop, big Army will
the families, but just to remind everyone, we are just a cease the requirement for SHARP classes. That being
phone call away if someone needs our assistance. said, I want commanders and noncommissioned officers
Last fall, we conducted numerous TAG/Employee Town to ensure we conduct valuable, challenging and demand-
Halls, where I had the good fortune of interacting with ing training at drill weekend.
the force and getting an azimuth check on our organiza- I thank you all for your service. I’m extremely proud to
tion. These are very important meetings to me and the serve with you and look for another great year protecting
staff. We learn what we are doing well and we also learn Wyoming at home and abroad.
where we can improve. Ride for the Brand!
UW professors allow student to study abroad
Airman continues studies at UW Nelson, who initially joined the Wyoming Air Na-
tional Guard in 2010 to take advantage of the tu-
during Qatar deployment
ition assistance program, has received much more
than she initially bargained for.
By Capt. Megan Hoffmann
As a staff sergeant in the 187th Airlift Squadron,
Public Affairs Specialist
Wyoming National Guard at the 153rd Airlift Wing in Cheyenne, Nelson is fully
qualified to perform aircrew life support and was
There is something comforting about growing up notified that there was a possibility that she might
in Wyoming. Although the state sprawls over thou- deploy to Qatar in October with more than 150
sands of square miles, it hosts a plethora of small- personnel from the 153rd Airlift Wing, in support of
towns that are so close-knit residents consider one Operation Enduring Freedom.
another family rather than neighbors or acquain- Nelson, who is also a University of Wyoming stu-
tances. With this family-feel comes a generosity dent, was alerted five weeks prior to the scheduled
that’s unusual in today’s culture. departure that she would be deploying. She quickly
Chelsea Nelson, a Laramie resident, has personal- realized that in order to maintain her planned
ly felt the generosity of the Cowboy State, especially graduation timeline of spring 2015, she would need
when it comes to the local community supporting to stay in her classes while deployed for more than
members of the Wyoming National Guard. 90 days. See SUPPORT page 17
3
Generals leave lasting legacy for WyNG
By Staff Sgt. Dan Molineaux “I think our mission with the C-121 Constellation
Historian
when we were flying passengers and cargo were the
Wyoming National Guard
happiest days of the Wyoming Air National Guard,
we had an important part in the medical evacuation
Two retired Wyoming National Guard generals
of the wounded and that gave us a feeling of being
passed away this year, leaving a legacy of nearly 60
needed and wanted.”
combined years of service. Wyoming Air National
Baldeshwiler would also have a series of flying
Guard retirees Brig. Gen. Roy “Bud” Cooper, former
adventures prior to joining the WyANG, including
acting adjutant general, and Brig. Gen. Vernon E.
dropping 55-gallon drums filled with emergency sup-
Baldeshwiler, former assistant adjutant general,
plies to trapped scientists on the lip of Mt. Fuji in
both rose through the officer ranks of the active
Japan, and working for several years as a test pilot
duty military prior to joining the Wyoming Air Guard.
at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Aberdeen, Maryland.
Both generals would go on to become highly influ-
Cooper joined the WyANG in 1946, an initial
ential and important one-star generals in the Wyo-
member in the newly formed Wyoming Air National
ming National Guard. After
Guard. He moved from the wing-level to command
their service to the Guard,
the Wyoming Air National Guard, as assistant ad-
both men continued to involve
jutant general, from November 1964 – July 1965.
themselves heavily in the af-
During that time he also served as acting adjutant
fairs of the local community
general.
and military operations.
Baldeshwiler joined the Wyoming unit in 1965.
The two generals both
He became Air Guard commander when he was
entered into military service
named as the assistant adjutant general in 1984.
at young ages with Cooper at-
He served in that role for six
tending Army Air Corps train-
Brig. Gen. Roy (Bud) Cooper
years.
ing in 1942 at 21. He would
The wealth of knowledge
earn his commission in 1944 after attending basic
that these two early fliers
and advanced training, and as a second lieutenant
brought to the WyANG is
flew P-51 Mustangs with the Eighth Air Force in the
immeasurable. They flew a
European Theater of Operations during World War
wide variety of aircraft in all
II. He would compile more than 200 combat flying
manner of situations; both
hours.
in combat and the civilian
Baldeshwiler would follow Cooper nearly 10 years
airline sector. Both Cooper
later, earning his wings after attending primary, ba-
Brig. Gen. and Baldeshwiler shared
sic and advanced pilot training in 1954, and would
Vern Baldeshwiler
this knowledge and passion
spend the next two years flying a variety of missions
with their fellow guardsman during their careers in
in and around the various airfields of Japan and
Wyoming.
Southeast Asia.
When asked about the lives and careers of these
Cooper and Baldeshwiler had impressive careers,
two early pilots and former one-star generals, cur-
both on active duty in the Army Air Corps and Air
rent Wyoming Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. K. Luke
Force, and during their time with the Wyoming Air
Reiner remarked, “These two men were giants in
National Guard.
the history of the guard, we stand on the shoulders
Flying during World War II would be just the begin-
of these pilots and will always be appreciative of
ning for Cooper. Throughout his career, he would be
their sacrifices.”
a combat pilot during the Korean War and would fly
Not only were these two gentlemen outstanding
numerous support missions throughout Southeast
representatives of their branch of service, they were
Asia during the Vietnam War in a C-121 Constella-
tion. Regarding his time in Asia, Cooper once said both respected and ad-
See GENERALS page 21
4
New year, new NCOERs Find financial success
I’m going to be talking about the new NCOER. What Is it time to get your financial house in order? Do
you need to know is the new software is called EES you live from paycheck to paycheck? Do you have
(Evaluation Entry System). problems meeting your
From My Foxhole The Chief’s Corner
As you know, more and
financial obligations?
more the Army is using digital
If you answered yes to
formatting for training and
just one of those ques-
evaluation. In some ways this
tions then you probably
will make our jobs easier,
should take a serious look
but the computer program
at your finances.
can be challenging to learn
at first. As always, I know you Most people who are
will be able to figure this out, having financial difficulties
because I have ultimate faith just don’t know where or
in the innovative nature of how to begin to get their
Wyoming NCOs. The best way Command Sgt. Maj. Tom Allan Chief Master Sgt. Bill Whipple finances in order.
to defeat this monkey is to do State Command State Command Chief My advice: start by cre-
the online 45-minute train- Sergeant Major Master Sergeant
ating a budget.
ing session. This has been verified by the officers who
I know many people look at creating, and sticking
already use this program on their OER process.
to a budget as something extremely difficult to do,
The new NCOER is in line with current leadership doc-
but most financial advisors consider a good practi-
trine ADP 6-22, Army Leadership. It encourages coun-
cal budget to be the first step, and your best friend
seling through a new support form. I’ve always believed
when we improve counseling we build better leaders. when getting your financial house in order.
There are actually three new forms, one for sergeants, A budget is a great way to get a grasp on your
one for E6-E8, and one for E9s. spending and to make sure you’re meeting your
The E5 form focuses on developmental skills, the next short-term as well as your long-term financial objec-
focuses on organizational items and the E9 form is more tives.
strategically focused. The assessment format seeks rat-
As a general rule, creating a budget requires three
er comments differently, as well. E5-E8 includes bullet
steps:
comments; the E9 forms use narrative comments. How-
1: Figure out where you’re spending your money
ever, the senior rater provides narratives for all NCOs.
now.
The rater assesses performance and the senior rater
2: Assess your current spending habits and set
assesses potential, and must counsel a minimum of
financial goals that take into account your long-term
twice during the rating period.
As of right now I have sent a Power Point to all SGM/ objectives.
CSMs to begin the education process. I expect them to 3: Track your spending to make sure it stays
ensure all NCOs get this training. within your short and long term financial objectives.
As soon as the training link becomes hot, the G-3 will Once you have a budget in place and have tracked
send it out via the FragOrd system. Currently this is due your actual spending habits for a couple of months
to go live first quarter of FY 2016. There is a move afoot
you probably want to review your budget and fine
to delay this for a year, but do not count on that, train
tune it. Often times it takes multiple reviews and
this year!
fine tuning to get a good budget that suits your
We will have two slots at the Professional Education
lifestyle.
Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. The course will be a
If you need help setting up a budget, the Wyoming
“train the trainer” course, so they can return and make
Military Department has a couple of options. You
us smart. The G-1, G-3, and I will decide who goes to
this coveted course. can use Military OneSource or you can contact our
Let me close by saying I hope you enjoyed this holiday financial advisor Glenn Lyons at S-FERST office at
season, and don’t let a day go by without telling the 307-772-5362.
people you love how much you care about them, life is
short! Your professionalism never ceases to amaze me.
5
S
k
i
i
n
g
Story and photos by Maj. Rebecca Walsh
Public Affairs Officer
Wyoming Army National Guard with wounded warriors
Army veteran Bryan Price
glides gracefully across the snow on Casper Mountain.
His ski poles dig into the deep powder and then, using nothing but his upper body strength, he quickly
lifts them out of the snow and plants them firmly into the ground again. He repeats this cycle, building mo-
mentum as he flies down the cross-country ski trails at the Casper Mountain Nordic Center.
Price is an elite athlete of world-class caliber.
But, Price cannot use his legs.
The retired Army staff sergeant was wounded in Iraq in 2006 after being hit by a roadside bomb on a
routine patrol. A broken back left him paralyzed, but not defeated.
On the ski trails Price is strapped into a seat that is attached to two cross-country skis. On his sit-ski Price
represented Team USA at the Winter Paralympic Games last held in Socchi, Russia.
Price said he didn’t expect to make the Paralympic team.
“It really surprised me,” he said. “I was just going out there to learn as much as I could about racing and
after the races the coaches came up to me and told me that I had made the team.”
Price epitomizes the Warrior Ethos, “I will never accept defeat. I will never quit.” He has his sights set on
Above: Marine veteran Jataya Taylor moves her sit-ski into position and takes aim
during a training session on Casper Mountain, in November.
Left: Members of the Wyoming National Guard Biathlon Team pose with Paralyp-
ians and trainers during a joint training on Casper Mountain, Nov. 20.
6
competing in the next Paralympic Games sched-
uled to be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in
2018.
Recently members of the Wyoming National
Guard Biathlon Team had the opportunity to train
with Price and other athletes on the U.S. Para-
lympic Biathlon Team during a training camp in
Casper, Wyoming.
Biathlon has been called the most challenging of
all Olympic sports.
with wounded warriors Even for an able-bodied athlete it’s difficult to
combine the strength, speed and endurance of
cross-country skiing with the quiet, Zen-like focus
of rifle marksmanship.
Bryan Price, a member of the Paralympic biathlon team, charges his way
But adaptive athletes on the Paralympic team, up a hill, propelling his body with his upper body strength during a train-
ing camp on Casper Mountain, Nov. 20.
like Price, don’t seem to mind the challenge.
“I absolutely love biathlon, it’s really changed my life,” he said.
Of the 13 adaptive athletes at the training camp, 12 of them were military veterans.
According to Wyoming National Guard Biathlon team member 1st Lt. Ken Miech, the experience of work-
ing with athletes who were missing an arm, paralyzed from the chest down, or blind, hit home, especially
those who were wounded in combat.
“As a medevac pilot it helps to be able to see these guys after we’ve taken care of them,” he said. “We
see them in their darkest hour and it’s nice to see them again.”
Just the fact that the team is able to call Casper Mountain home is significant. In many ways that can be
attributed to retired Col. Harry Brubaker who skied on the Wyoming National Guard biathlon team from
1978 to 1996.
Thirty years ago he had a vision to work with the community to build a world-class Nordic ski and biathlon
facility on the mountain.
According to Brubaker, having the Paralympic team on the mountain
with able-bodied athletes skiing alongside adaptive athletes is really
the essence of the sport.
Wyoming National Guard biathlete Chief Warrant Officer 4 David
Roberts agrees.
“This week skiing with the Paralympic team has changed my life,” he
said. “Each one of them is determined not to let their disabilities stop
them.”
A unique partnership has formed between the Paralympic team and
coaching staff, as well as athletes on the Wyoming National Guard
Biathlon Team. A partnership where National Guard members are able
to give back to the wounded warrior community and in return are able
to learn more about the sport from their adaptive biathlon counter-
parts.
“We hope to be able to get out to more of these training camps and
support athletes like Price in their quest to make the next Paralympic
team,” said Roberts.
Above: Marine veteran Jataya Taylor moves her sit-ski into position and takes aim
during a training session on Casper Mountain, in November.
Left: Members of the Wyoming National Guard Biathlon Team pose with Paralyp-
ians and trainers during a joint training on Casper Mountain, Nov. 20.
7
IG keeps Wyo. Guard on the up & up
Story by Sgt. Trisha Pinczes “If the chain cannot get it resolved, then what you
Public Affairs Specialist
need to bring to the IG is supporting documentation,”
197th Public Affairs Detachment
he said. “The more information you can provide, the
simpler it is to come to a resolution.”
Lt. Col. Bob Fisk realizes his job comes with a cer-
Sometimes an issue is simply an unfamiliar situa-
tain stigma.
tion. When the chain of command itself does not know
As the acting command inspector general for the
where to begin looking for answers, the IG is always a
Wyoming National Guard, he is used to his presence
viable option.
making people uncomfortable.
“A commander for example, may have an issue that
Therefore, Fisk’s goal is to help members under-
he or she doesn’t know or doesn’t have the time to
stand what his role actually is while making it less
chase down what regulation or process to follow,” Fisk
awkward to be in the same room with him.
said. “They can then come and ask the IG and we will
“The purpose of the inspector general is to be the
give them advice.”
standard bearer,” said Fisk. “We ensure that every-
The IG is able to conduct investigations and make
body follows regulatory guidance, whether it is the
recommendations, but the decision always falls back
leader or the subordinate, and everybody does things
on the chain of command to find a resolution and fol-
right per Army (and Air) regulations.”
low through.
Part of the IG’s responsibilities include reviewing
Of course, not all issues can be solved or worked
policies the adjutant general releases and guarantee-
through with the IG. Some issues do not require the IG
ing everyone understands the guidance.
at all, but he is able to provide guidance.
“We are the eyes and ears of the adjutant general
“We can’t take care of everything,” said Sgt. 1st
and we are really upholding his policies,” Fisk said.
Class Joe Buckholz Jr., the assistant inspector general.
“That is our primary role, to ensure that everyone is
“There are certain processes for some of the issues,
following those policies.”
and other ones where if you come to us with a prob-
Fisk encourages anyone looking for information or
lem, we will tell you regulatory guidance.”
advice to utilize the IG’s open door policy, saying he is
Resolutions to problems will always fall in line with
available and willing to help soldiers at any time.
policy regardless of who presents the issue.
Guard members often have questions on how to ap-
“We will give you what
proach a situation, Fisk said. Unfortunately, many fear
the regulation says,”
seeking out the IG because they are concerned about
Buckholz said. “You
possible repercussions, but he assures them there are
may or may not like it.”
more options than they realize when coming to him for
Helping anyone look-
guidance.
ing for guidance and
“Just because you ask the IG a question, that does
resolutions to unsolved
not constitute an IG investigation,” clarified Fisk. “We
problems is why the
are here to assist everybody from the lowest ranking Sgt. 1st Class Joe Buckholz Jr.
inspector general posi- Assistant Inspector General
soldier all the way to the TAG.”
tion was created. Fisk
However, before involving the IG, it is important to
said asking questions before a problem presents is
work a situation with one’s unit. Fisk advised that
more productive than waiting until a problem is cre-
when units work together, issues can often be solved
ated and then trying to fix it.
before they go as far as an investigation.
“If everybody would do the right thing by regulation,
“At any point, I do say that if you have an issue, you
we would not have any work as the IG,” Fisk said. “So
need to utilize your chain of command first,” Fisk said.
if you have questions, come to the IG and ask, don’t
“Give your commander the chance to work the issue
shoot from the hip.
at his or her level and if the commander has challeng-
“Don’t assume you know the right answer. Make
es then you can utilize the IG for assistance.”
sure you look in the regulation, get the right answer,
Having the correct information and documents sup-
and don’t put personal feelings into action you’re tak-
porting the claim can also help them find a solution in
ing against someone. Go by regulation.”
a timely manner.
8
Swanson brings an outsider’s view to wing
By Meredith Vincent ence versus C-130s, Swanson believes at the heart
Public Affairs Intern
of every command is the people. While the mission
Wyoming National Guard
changes, Swanson says, the people do not.
“I think in the end, the position is all about people,”
Col. Bradley Swanson’s career has taken him not
he said. “And people aren’t that much different.
only all around the country, but around the world.
Whether it’s an airlift wing, tanker wing, fighter wing,
From Oklahoma to England to Washington, D.C. to
reconnaissance wing, intel wing – we all put our uni-
Saudi Arabia, he has flown in every hemisphere of the
form on every day wanting to serve our country.”
globe. And considering that, he is still trepidatious
The colonel does admit there are differences in the
about his new home’s notorious weather. A new Wyo-
mission, but says the subtleties are miniscule when
ming transplant, Swanson says his experience here
compared with the larger picture.
has been very positive and welcoming, but added in
“There are cultural differences, and a lot of that is
October, “The winter’s not here yet.”
because the missions are so different,” he explained.
By the time this story runs, the winter weather will
“And what it takes to prepare for that mission is differ-
have indeed moved in and Swanson, the new com-
ent. In the end, all the responsibilities are the same...
mander for the Wyoming Air National Guard’s 153rd
your primary job as an aviator is to be ready to deploy,
Airlift Wing, will have experienced a new culture shock
is to be ready to do the mission, in whatever shape
to add to his growing repertoire. Thankfully, new sur-
that takes.”
roundings are nothing new to the well-versed pilot.
Wing Command Chief, Chief Master Sgt. Mike Ab-
Swanson’s career as a pilot and officer for the U.S.
bott, met Swanson before the colonel was selected
Air Force began in his home state of Oklahoma in
to become the new wing commander, when Swanson
1989, when he commissioned out of Oklahoma State
was still with the National Guard Bureau. Abbott says
University and went on to pilot training at Vance Air
Swanson brings a new, proactive way of thinking to the
Force Base. For the last 25 years, he served in the
wing.
Air Force in one way or another. He was a reservist
“He understands the big strategic picture that’s out
while living in California, but following Sept. 11, 2001,
there,” Abbott said. “Not only from a wing standpoint
Swanson decided he wanted to get back into flying
but from an NGB standpoint and a National Guard
and joined the Oklahoma National Guard. Eventually,
standpoint, he brings that kind of experience here to
he would work for the National Guard Bureau in Wash-
the wing.”
ington, D.C., an assignment that ultimately led to his
Swanson’s main focus for the wing is mission readi-
appointment in Cheyenne as wing commander.
ness for deployments. The wing’s primary mission is
Although his background is tinged with fighter experi-
supporting the state and the nation in the event of
any emergencies, so ensuring his airmen are ready for
possible deployments is a priority.
“We just sent four aircraft out the door recently, so
we’re actually deploying,” he said. “We’re doing that
mission. I think that’s always been a strength about
the 153rd Airlift Wing – being able to deploy combat
airlift. That’s a strength, that our Airmen step up to
the job and when they get in theater, they do the job
right.”
The deployment sent more than 100 airmen to Al
Udeid Air Base, Qatar, to support U.S. and coalition
forces in Afghanistan and Iraq by providing tactical air
missions.
Swanson took command in July, back when the
Photo by Master Sgt. Charles Delano
Col. Bradley Swanson, 153rd Airlift Wing commander, addresses skies were blue and
See COMMANDER page 18
deploying members of the unit and their families on Oct. 28. the sun was abun-
9
WVC outposts make veterans
priority #
1
Story and photos by Sgt. 1st Class Jimmy McGuire spread throughout the state’s rural areas, in addi-
Public Affairs Specialist
tion to a primary office in Cheyenne.
Wyoming National Guard
Bob Stall, state veterans service officer with the
Wyoming Veterans Commission, can be found in
Wyoming is home to a lot of military veterans, and
Guernsey, Torrington or Wheatland on any given day.
many of them live in places far from the cities. A lot
His counterparts provide the same service
of veterans do not know they are entitled to benefits
throughout many of the state’s other small towns.
related to their military service and or maladies that
Their service is free and confidential to all veterans
may have originated from that service.
seeking assistance.
In some cases, veterans feel they don’t deserve
“The rural nature of Wyoming may make it difficult
for veterans in the smaller com-
munities to make it to the bigger
cities, and (veterans) don’t really
know what’s available for them,”
Stall said. “So we take the opera-
tion on the road. That’s our job,
to let them know what’s available
and to seek them out.”
While he encourages vets to
address issues early and, for the
younger ones, as they occur, Stall
said a lot of veterans balk at in-
vestigating their benefits because
they feel they didn’t have it as bad
as someone else “over there,”
or they have kept secret, some-
times for decades, what they went
through, or they just don’t trust
the system.
Capt. Tyler Schiele, walks with his daughter upon returning to Laramie in February, from a “But as time passes on, they
deployment to Bahrain, where he commanded the 133rd Engineer Company.
may come to realize they should
look into it, and that’s where the Wyoming Veterans
entitlements; others never thought about checking
Commission comes in and makes its services avail-
on benefits until a friend or family member urged
able to those vets,” he explained. “Sometimes in the
them to do so; and still others determine years later
rural communities, there is a trust factor. They have
to revisit their benefits.
been holding onto things for a long time and never
This is why the Wyoming Veterans Commission
shared it with anyone. They may feel the need to
and the Wyoming Military Department make it
visit a few times and get to know us, and build that
simple and efficient for veterans to get answers
trust. That’s why we do outreach.”
to questions about benefits with outreach offices
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a good example
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