Washington Military Department Evergreen Magazine

MIL.WA.GOV VOL.1 // ISSUE 1 1Back to Table of Contents
LAST FLIGHT OF THE C-23
The Washington Army National Guard Waves Good-Bye to the “Sherpa”
WASHINGTON YOUTH ACADEMY
GRADUATES ITS 1000TH CADET pg.7
WASHINGTON AIR
GUARD INDUCTS
HONORARY
AIRMAN
pg. 14
pg. 8
pg. 13
VOL I, ISSUE I

2 EVERGREEN MAGAZINE VOL.1 // ISSUE 1 Back to Table of Contents
Commander in Chief
Washington Governor
Jay Inslee
The Adjutant General
Maj. Gen. Bret D. Daugherty
State Public Affairs Officer
Cpt. Joseph F. Siemandel
Chief Editor
Sgt. Peter G. Christian
Contributors
2nd Lt. Justin Patterson
Chief Master Sgt. Timothy Tyvan
Master Sgt. Mike Stewart
Master Sgt. Brian Murphy
Sgt. Peter Christian
Sgt. Lisa Laughlin
Spc. Samantha Ciaramitaro
Christopher Acuña
Gary Lott
Laura Drybread
Mark Clemens
Shar Hawley
Susan Miles
Julie Pederson
NOTABLES:
From the Head Shed....................................................
Interagency Operability...............................................
LEAN Information.......................................................
Page 4
Page 10
Page 17
June 22, 2013 kicked off
Operation Evergreen
Ember at Yakima Training
Center in Yakima, Wash.
and Hammer Training Fa-
cility, in Richland, Wash.
Pg. 28
Sgt. First Class Stan-
ley Hudson, 66th
Theater Aviation
Command (TAC)
performs a series
of pre-flight checks
to ensure his
C-23B+ or “Sherpa”
is in proper operat-
ing condition prior
to it’s final flight as
a peice of Washing-
ton National Guard
inventory. The
“Sherpa’s” are be-
ing phased out this
year after seven-
teen years of service for Washington. (Washington
National Guard photo by: Sgt. Peter G. Christian,
JFHQ Public Affairs Office)
ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS
Contributions to the Evergreen Magazine are welcome! Send arti-
cles, photos, questions and art to Washington National Guard Public
Affairs Office at: pao@washingtonguard.org
Communications Director
Karina Shagren
ON THE COVER

T BLE of CONTENTS
Get ready to shake out the cob-
webs this October as the state
of Washington plans to hold a
drill that aims to prepare Wash-
ingtonians to prepare for and
react to an earthquake.
Page 8
14
13
8
18
The Washington National
Guard bids farewell to the last
of its manned fixed wing air-
craft, the C-23B+, “Sherpa” as
it is phased out of inventory.
Page 13
Into the Fold
The Washington Air National
Guard honor two young men
for their exceptionalism by
inducting one as an honorary
Airmen, and another as a pilot
for a day.
Page 14
The National Football League
and the Washington National
Guard team up to motivate lo-
cal high school athletes to go
above and beyond through the
NFL’s High School Player De-
velopment program.
Page 18
Rattle & Roll AcrosstheSky Gridiron Grit
Bomb technicians from mul-
tiple countries and agencies
converge in Elma, Wash., for
the ATF’s 7th Annual Raven’s
Challenge.
Page 10
Here Comes the Boom
A long forgotten tradition has
been revived in Tacoma Wash.,
where the first “military pa-
rade” in 50 years was held to
honor military service person-
nel new and old.
Page 16
I Love a Parade
Military and civilian institu-
tions from across Washington
come together to train in con-
cert on how to respond to a
state wide emergency such as
wildland fires and toxic expo-
sure on a grand scale.
Page 28
FIght Fire with Fire
Soldiers from the 286th Engi-
neers Company utilize thier an-
nual training to improve forest
service roads near their local
community in the Wenatchee
National Forest.
Page 12
The Road Less Traveled

WASHINGTON NATIONAL GUARD
THE ADJUTANT GENERAL
Major General Bret Daugherty
THE
TAG
LINE
Colleagues:
I can’t say it enough. With our budgets continually shrinking, integrating our resources with-
in the Washington Military Department is necessary to provide the public and our employees with the
services they need and deserve.
I’m pleased to introduce the revamped Evergreen Magazine as our latest example of col-
laboration – and proof that we can tear down our “silos of excellence” and work across Washington
Military Department divisions to not only combine our resources, but improve our work. The Ever-
green Magazine, which will replace the now-retired TagLine, is a joint effort by both state and federal
employees and will serve as a tool to communicate the work and announcements of the entire Wash-
ington Military Department – including the Emergency Management Division, Washington Youth
Academy and the Washington National Guard. Look for issues to arrive on a bi-monthly basis.
It’s this type of collaboration that will make the Washington Military Department successful
in meeting Gov. Inslee’s goal of creating a more efficient state government. In September, Gov.
Inslee announced his “Results Washington” initiative, which relies on Lean principles to max-
imize our resources. He has outlined a series of goals to track progress, and measure success.
For a lack of better words, we’ve created our own “Results Military Department” that aligns
with the governor’s initiative. As a department – we have our own unique goals that will
require efficiency and accountability. We need to increase emergency preparedness. We
need to enhance our capability to mitigate and respond to domestic disasters. We need to
modernize our equipment. We need to expand our Washington YouthAcademy. The list goes
on. And we need to do it all with less.
Of course Lean will help us achieve our goals, and I am fully committed to using Lean pro-
cesses to make better use of our limited resources. I will explain even further how I envision
Lean to benefit our agency during an all-employee town hall forum later this month.
We’ve set the bar high. But I’m confident that the Washington Military Depart-
ment will move forward with a stronger spirit of integration and
collaboration to enable us to meet our benchmarks. Working
together, we’ll continue to improve our outcomes and abil-
ities, and achieve success.
The Evergreen Magazine is proof.
The Mission is Evolving
Maj. Gen Bret Daugherty
The Adjutant General
Washington National Guard

Since 1636 the National Guard has shaped many amazing soldiers/airmen, leaders, and war-
riors. However the individual has developed themselves into incredible leaders through their devel-
opment and intrinsic beliefs. When describing these leaders we use terms like inspiring, committed,
competent, high levels of moral courage and integrity. While no two leaders are exactly alike, they
have developed their leadership style by those who led them, their experiences, and putting their own
perspective on leadership. The foundational areas of a good leader are character, competence, and
commitment. In coming issues I would like to share with you my perspective on leadership and what
makes a leader.
We are defined and judged by our character, and our character is defined by our core values.
Each value being as important as the next, and cannot be compromised. The Air Force and Air Na-
tional Guard have three core values (integrity – service – excellence), while the Army and Army
National Guard have seven (Loyalty – Duty – Respect – Selfless Service – Honor – Integrity –
Courage), and it is necessary for us to adhere to these values as leaders.
As we are developed through Structured Self – Development (SSD) and professional
military education (PME), we are taught about our meaning of core values and the importance
of their impact on our leadership ability. Following the core values will enable us to make
difficult decisions at critical moments, create an environment for many to follow, and define
you as a leader. We compromise ourselves when we choose to diverge from our core values
and make decisions based on relationships, biased thought, and egocentric behaviors. To be
a leader you cannot compromise your character for any reason.
“Even with the gifts of human understanding and of profes-
sional competence arising from careful training, our military
leader will not be complete without character, character
which reflects inner strength and justified confidence in one-
self.”

GEN Maxwell Taylor
Leadership - Character
FEATURED
GUEST
EDITOR
WASHINGTON NATIONAL GUARD
SENIOR ENLISTED ADVISOR
Command Chief MasterSergeantTimothyTyvan
Command Chief Master Sgt. Timothy Tyvan
Senior Enlisted Advisor
Washington National Guard

JOINT FORCES HEADQUARTERS
Public Affairs Office - Publications NCO
Sergeant Peter Christian
FROM THE DESK
OF THE CHIEF
EDITOR
Welcome to the inaugural issue of the Washington Military Department Evergreen Maga-
zine. What’s this “inaugural” business, you ask? Hasn’t the Evergreen Magazine (EM) been around
in one form or another since 1971?
Well, yes. The first issue of the publication on record was released in 1971 under the title
“O.D.” It touted itself as “not your typical military publication.” Its aim was to not only purvey the
messages that the National Guard wished to be spread through its ranks, but also to allow its Soldiers
and Airmen a place to sound off about things that concerned them as well as report on those topics.
The EM has been through many external and internal evolutions since its initial inception
but none quite as encompassing as what you see in the following (and preceding) pages of this issue.
To start with, until this issue the EM has been a Washington National Guard publication. Meaning it
was produced by and intended solely for the Soldiers and Airmen of the Washington National Guard.
That is no longer the case.
In the developing mission of modern state military agencies and the necessity of interagency
interoperability it was decided that the magazine needed to evolve. The National Guard in the state
of Washington belongs to a parent organization called the Washington Military Department (WMD).
This department encompasses the Washington Army and Air National Guard, the Washington State
Guard, the Washington Emergency Management Division, the Washington Youth Academy and Ev-
ergreen Starbase.
Because of the mission commonality of these agencies and how often we work
hand-in-hand with each other, the Washington National Guard Evergreen Magazine has
become the Washington Military Department Evergreen Magazine and will now include
input from departments within the state-civilian components of the WMD as well. This
means periodic articles reporting on important state related status information and re-
sources as well as exciting organizational and personnel driven stories.
One of the regular features I am personally excited about is the Unit Pub-
lic Affairs Representative (UPAR) feature. Soon, each unit will have a unit level
assigned UPAR who is responsible for documenting the training and events of their
unit for the Joint Forces Headquarters PublicAffairs Office to share through various
social media sites along with federal media outlets as well. Each issue we will pick
our favorite UPAR submission for publication in the EM. You can see this issues
selectee on page 23.
Of course, you don’t have to be a UPAR or work in the PAO to submit
photos or articles to the EM. If you have a story, photo or an idea for a feature, send
an email to: pao@washingtonguard.org and we will give you information about
what format and file type is most helpful for publication.
Sgt. Peter G. Christian
EM Chief Editor
From Out of the Flames - The Phoenix

Washington Youth Academy Millenial Graduate
The Washington Youth Academy completed its ninth
cycle since its beginning as a National Guard Youth Challenge
Program in January 2009. The commencement ceremony was
filled with highlights.
Among them were cadet speeches that moved all in atten-
dance, scholarship awards from the Washington Youth Academy
Foundation, Maj. Gen. Bret Daugherty administering the oath of
enlistment to one of the cadet graduates who enlisted in the Wash-
ington Army National Gaurd, and of course, proud staff members
and parents.
To add to the occasion, Cadet Belem Rodriguez was rec-
ognized as the 1000th cadet graduate of the Washington Youth
Academy.
This achievement is a significant milestone in a journey
that began a mere five years ago. The Washington Youth Academy,
with the support of the Washington Military Department, recog-
nizes that this achievement has only begun to fulfill the growth po-
tential of the program and its mission to reduce the number of high
school drop outs and serve the citizens of the state of Washington.
Cadet Belem Rodriguez was recognized as the 1000th cadet graduate of the
Washington Youth Academy on June 15th, 2013 in Bremerton Wash.
Maj. Gen. Bret Daugherty administering the oath of enlistment to one of the
cadet graduates who enlisted in the Washington Army National National Guard
at the Washington Youth Academy on June 15th, 2013 in Bremerton Wash.
NGAW AWARDS CEREMONY AT CAMP MURRAY
During the 2013 annual Enlisted Association of the Na-
tional Guard (EANGUS) Conference, NGAW received the award
for highest increase in membership for Region VII. This region is
comprised of Washington, Oregon, California, Guam, Hawaii and
Alaska.
“We are proud that our membership has nearly doubled
in 2013”, said Trish Almond, president of NGAW said after receiv-
ing the award.
NGAW works on behalf of the soldiers and airmen of
the National Guard to protect their benefits and advocate on their
behalf. Most recently the associations across the country fought
to reduce the number of furlough days that had been imposed on
technicians due to sequestration.
Story by: Christopher Acuña
Story by: Gary Lott
National Guard Association of Washington
American Lake Credit Union
Building #16, Camp Murray
Tacoma, WA 98430
253-584-5411
NGAW@ngaw.org
www.ngaw.org

What the heck
is the...
Back to Table of Contents

Washington state is earthquake country. Even though most people are aware of that, the opening
seconds of a big quake can be startling. It can sound like a big train coming, quake veterans tell us, and then it’s
here. If you’re outdoors, the ground moves, making it hard to keep your feet. If you’re inside, the floor shakes
and walls sway, sometimes violently.

That’s the main reason the state is conducting the second annual Great Washington ShakeOut on Oct.
17 – to get Washingtonians better prepared for the next earthquake, starting with those first movements . For
people in the state’s coastal communities, ShakeOut aims at getting them better prepared for both earthquakes
and tsunamis. The ShakeOut Drill is scheduled for 10:17 a.m. on Oct. 17. Wherever you are at that time—at
home, at work, at school, anywhere—you should Drop, Cover, and Hold On as if there were a major earthquake
occurring at that very moment. You should stay in this position for at least 60 seconds.

Last year, more than 700,000 people participated in the state’s first ShakeOut drill. The goal for 2013 is
to have 1 million Washingtonians, or more, join in.

You need to register at www.shakeout.org/washington/register to practice earthquake safety on Oct. 17

While practicing the Drop, Cover, and Hold On procedure is the main focus of the Oct. 17 drill, Wash-
ingtonians are encouraged to learn what to do before, during and after an earthquake.

• Coastal communities in Pacific, Grays Harbor, Clallam and Jefferson counties will participate

in a tsunami siren test. The tsunami sirens will broadcast the real warning tone for three minutes,

giving residents in low-lying coastal areas an opportunity to practice drop, cover, hold on as well

as how to evacuate to high ground.

• Some people–even whole organizations—will hold more extensive drills as part of larger

exercises. How to participate is your choice.

• After the brief drill on Oct. 17, you’ll have a chance to do at least one more thing to get better

prepared, such as:

o Put together a family disaster plan

o Establish an out of area contact

o Create an emergency kit with at least 3-days worth of food, water and other

supplies

• Also, you can look around your home or office after the drill to see what can be done to secure your

space, like anchoring bookshelves, televisions or filing cabinets.

Although most quakes that affect the state are too small to be felt, we get more than 2,700
of them every year. Knock wood, you won’t feel a quake during the ShakeOut Drill on Oct. 17, but working
the drop, cover, and hold on procedure into your muscle memory will help keep you safe and secure when an
earthquake really does occur.
For more information
Mark Clemens, public information officer, 253-512-7005, mark.clemens@mil.wa.gov
John Schelling, earthquake program manager, 253-512-7084, john.schelling@mil.wa.gov
Story by: Mark Clemens
October 17,
2013!
Shake Out the Rattle!

Elma, Wash. – Explosions, screams for family, the haze of
an uncertain and dangerous environment. The chaos of both dif-
fusing and reacting to catastrophic explosions are what explosive
ordnance disposal teams and bomb squads are trained for.
Soldiers from the Washington National Guard’s 741st Ex-
plosive Ordnance Disposal Battalion have been part of a massive
training exercise hosted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Fire-
arms and Explosives. Organizations within the active duty military
and other local agencies also took part in the exercise to conduct
joint bomb disposal training.
The training event, known as Raven’s Challenge, is the
seventh annual exercise in Washington that brings in explosive
ordnance disposal experts from various backgrounds to share their
knowledge and experience and learn strategies from each other.
The Raven’s Challenge goes to great lengths to
simulate realism. Dramatic lighting, rapidly
developing environments and film-quality
makeup are used to simulate the stress and
chaos of a catastrophic explosive event.
By forcing the differing agencies’
explosive disposal experts to
work together, they learn from
each other to see what works
best in different scenarios.
“The goal is to bring our state and local part-
ners in law enforcement together with our military partners
[and] allow them to interact with each other to see the dif-
ferences and commonalities they have in the way they do
their mission.”, said ATF Agent Phil Whitley.
Story by
2nd Lt. Justin Patterson
Photos by Sgt. Daniel Lybeck

The Raven’s Challenge also aims to raise the level of knowledge and experience in safety procedures, field assessment of evidence
and safe recovery of evidence for forensic analysis.
“Our military partners come in here with experience from Afghanistan and Iraq, working very complex IEDs in a very fast
operational tempo,” Whitley said. “Our law enforcement partners come into the scenario with a more deliberate methodology - they are
used to working crime scenes where security on scene and time are not taken into factor.”
Between the two different types of experience on the civilian and military side, the Washington National Guard is able to share
helpful experience with civilian counterparts to make everyone better at saving lives. This valuable training experience with local agen-
cies also prepares the explosive disposal technicians in the Washington Guard to be able to more efficiently respond domestically.
“When any real incident happens, the last thing you want to do is go on scene and not know who you are working for, who you
are working with. This gives them a chance to meet first hand, face to face and interact in a training environment - interact socially. They
create these bonds, so when the real events happen they can roll in and they can work together.” said Whitley.
Members of the Marysville State patrol Bomb Squad and the 319 Company (EOD)
help suit up a bomb technician before checking out a bus that exploded, which
may contain a second unexploded ordnance in a scenerio during Raven’s Chal-
lenge VII, held at the SATSOP Business Park in Elma, WA Aug 16. (Washington Na-
tional Guard photo by: Sgt. Daniel Lybeck, 122d Public Affairs Operations Center)
Sgt Harlan Jackson of the Marysville State Patrol Bomb Squad collects and shares
evidence from a locked cabinent they blasted open with 1st Lieutenant Bowen
of the 319th Company (EOD) during a training exercise at SATSOP Business Park
in Elma WA, on August 16. (Washington National Guard photo by: Sgt. Daniel
Lybeck, 122d Public Affairs Operations Center)

THEROADLESSTRAVELEDSoldiers from the 286th Engineer Company give back to their local community by repairing forest
service roads in the Wenatchee National Forest.
Story and photos by Spc. Samantha Ciaramitaro
Joint Forces Headquarters Public Affairs Office
The 286th Engineer Company (horizontal) spent their an-
nual training at the Wenatchee National Forest helping out their
local community by repairing service roads as well as assisting
with other projects.

The citizen-soldiers from the 286th Engineers, out of Ya-
kima, Wash., are trained to build roads, move earth and provide
other engineer support.
“We need to be able to change the area, we need to be
able to build, we need to do all kinds of stuff,” said 286th member,
SSG Jonathan Craigen. “That kind of work is not what you want
to contract out, you want to be able to do it internally. So it’s very
important that we have engineers that can build things, move earth
and build things vertically.”
The 286th have been working with the United States For-
est Service over the last few years to help better the conditions for
tourists in the Wenatchee National Forest.
“The rock we are breaking up is going to be used to put
into the rivers to keep the banks from eroding and is also being
used to repair the roads,” said Craigen.
“We work really close together, I mean everybody has to
know their part and it’s kind of like an orchestra; working one spot
and the other truck knows its job,” said Specialist Adam Smith, “So
they have to pull in and do their job.”

“This has been a great experience for my first annual
training in Washington. It’s been a good real world experience for
when a natural disaster occurs, the 286th engineers will be able to
respond with proper timing and proficient training,” said Specialist
Andrew Johnson.“I am glad that we are able to use our experience
and training to help with the Wenatchee National Forest. I have
been out working on the 1600 road making all of the gravel, bring-
ing it in and flattening out the roads and making sure the crowns
have proper drainage.”
The 286th Engineer Company (horizontal) train on their equipment during their
annual training while helping out their local community at the Wenatchee Nation-
al Forest, Aug. 19, 2013. The training and experience they recieve is important to
prepare them for the scenario of a a natural disaster occurring and they need to
be moving earth.
The 286th Engineer Company (horizontal) broke up rock to help with river beds
and to fix service roads at Wenatchee National Forest, Aug. 19, 2013. The citi-
zen-soldiers from the 286th out of Yakima are trained to build roads, move earth
and provide other engineer support.

LASTFLIGHTOFTHESHERPASoldiers from the Washington Army National Guard, 66th Theater Aviation Command (TAC) say
goodbye to the last fixed wing aircraft in the unit’s inventory.
Story by 2nd Lt. Justin Patterson with photos by Sgt. Peter Christian
Joint Forces Headquarters Public Affairs Office
JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. - The C-23B+
Sherpa airplane has served an interesting role in the modern mil-
itary. As the only currently used fixed-wing aircraft in the Wash-
ington Army National Guard, it has served an integral role in
Washington military operations both domestically and overseas.
Those days came to an end Aug. 13, when the last Sherpa
in the WashingtonArmy Guard took its final flight away from Gray
Army Airfield on Joint Base Lewis McChord.
1st Sgt. Mark Logan, Sgt. 1st Class Stanley Hudson and
Staff Sgt. Brian Brazell, all of Headquarters Company, 1-168 Gen-
eral Support Aviation Battalion, have been flight engineers for this
aircraft since it was brought to the Washington Guard in 1996.
“These aircraft were originally a [commercial] airline version
called the Shorts 330, but they were converted for military use.
The Army had 44 of them at one time but now that we’re turning
them all in, those numbers are dwindling” Logan said.
This Sherpa, a C-23B+ model, has been used for the movement of
more than 50 million pounds of cargo, 30 thousand passengers in
theater and has been all over the world with the Washington Army
Guard. Serving as a cargo aircraft stateside and overseas, a vessel
for Special Operations missions and a platform for paradrops of
both personnel and equipment, this Sherpa has served in many dif-
ferent facets in the Washington Army Guard.
Chief Warrant Officer Wayne Sparks, a pilot for the Sher-
pa, has been around for some of the more interesting uses of the
aircraft, including piloting for military free-fall parachuting opera-
tions. ”I hate seeing the aircraft go,” he said. ”I’ve enjoyed flying it.
I have probably over half of my flight hours in this airframe.”
Hudson, one of the original flight engineers on this air-
craft in 1996, just wrapped up his 40th year in the Guard and will
be retiring in the coming months. He said it was a good time to
retire, “...going out with a bang, with the plane.”
The plane had also served as a ”Sherpa Shuttle,” moving
Guard personnel to and from western and central Washington at
scheduled times to shuttle troops for training while simultaneously
maintaining flight hours on the aircraft.
After the aircraft fired up its twin engines and took off for the last
time on Washington soil, the pilots of the C-23 took a circle around
the airfield, coming down low over the airstrip and waved its wings’
goodbye, a symbolic gesture of farewell. While the Sherpa is fading
out of service with the Washington Guard, it will forever be a part
of its legacy.
Soldiers from 66th Theater Aviation Command (TAC) have completed a pre-flight
check and wait for word to take flight at Grey Army Airfield, Wash.
Sgt. First Class Stanley Hudson, a flight engineer assigned to 66th Theater Aviation
Command, conducts a pre-flight prior to the final voyage of his aircraft at Grey
Army Airfield, Wash.

Imagine the thoughts running through one’s head as they
lie hidden, on the side of a ditch slowly dying for nearly 90 minutes.
That was the scenario for 16-year old Justin Carey, a sophomore at
Battle Ground High School sophomore.
Constantly involved in school and a member of the Battle
Ground Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, Justin
has always had goals and dreams of joining the military.
But if not for a tow truck driver hearing Justin’s faint pleas
for help and calling 9-1-1 after a car struck Justin while he waited
for a school bus, he would not be here today.
With his entire life still in front of him, Justin found him-
self sitting in a hospital being told if he didn’t have his leg removed
he would die.
He chose life.
One may be wondering – why did the Air National Guard
select Justin to become an honorary member?
“For as long as Justin can remember he has had a dream
to join the Air Force and serve as a flight simulation software en-
gineer,” said the event narrator, Washington Air National Guard
Command Chief of the Western Air Defense Sector, Chief Master
Sgt. Trisha Almond. “He wanted to be part of our team, wear the
blue and fight for the freedoms we as military members fight for
every day.”
That’s just one of many reasons why the decision for the
Washington Air National Guard to make Justin an honorary mem-
ber of the Air Guard is such an important one.
Although the military won’t currently allow paraplegics to
fully enlist, Justin will still be very much involved with the military
and hopes that those rules in place will change.
Justin was sworn in by Col Bryan Witeof, State Headquar-
ters, Washington Air National Guard with Adjutant General Maj
Gen Bret Daugherty and Col Brian Brown (ret), Commander of
the AFJROTC at BattleGround High School.

HEART
OF STEEL
After his honorary enlistment, Justin attended the 194th
Air Force Unit Picnic/Family Day and the Washington National
Guard Militia Ball on September 14th at the Hilton Seattle Airport.
Justin hopes to one day be able to fully enlist and serve
in the military and is currently hoping to be able to purchase a
$60,000 prosthetic leg.
“Justin’s will to live brought us to where we are today and
is the reason we are making him an honorary member of the Wash-
ington Air National Guard, ” Almond said. “In this capacity, Justin
and his family will be invited to join us for special events….because
as we always say… ‘we never leave a wingman behind’….and Justin
you are now a ‘wingman’. “
The courage of an individual to let no injury affect the
heart, mind and goals is something that reigns familiar for those
brave, dedicated service members that protect the freedoms of this
nation every day.
“As a retired combat veteran, I know what it takes to be a
fighter,” said Brown. “I worked alongside many in battle, and Jus-
tin’s will to live shows his strong ‘fighter’ character.”
Justin’s courage and will to live is something to truly be
astounded by and thanks in part to that will, Justin will now always
proudly stand amongst the members of the Washington National
Guard, no matter what his physical abilities may be.
Story by Gary Lott
Photos by Maj. Lisa Dowling

This July, the 141st Air Refueling Wing was proud to pin
wings on 4-year old Tito Tinajero, call sign: Ranger, and induct
him into its ranks as an official Pilot-For-A-Day. The 141st ARW
of the Washington Air National Guard and members of Team Fair-
child began partnering with the Make-A-Wish Foundation in 2004
to afford local children with serious or chronic medical conditions
their chance to become a Pilot-For-A-Day in the United States Mil-
itary.
Tito has been coping with type one neurofibromatosis or
NF1 for much of his short life, but it hasn’t slowed him down or
diminished his youthful enthusiasm. Just ask the two 116th Air
Refueling Squadron pilots that had the honor of escorting young
Tito and his family on his Fairchild AFB tour. Maj. Jeremy Higgins
is the current administrator of the Pilot-For-A-Day program for
the wing and on this day he was assisted by Capt. Miguel Fernan-
dez. Both pilots universally exalted Tito’s boundless energy, said
Fernandez, “He was just eager to explore anything and everything
he saw.”
When Tito arrived at the 141st Civil Engineering Squad-
ron, dressed smartly in his own custom-made flight suit, he was
presented with the wide array of large equipment vehicles in the
squadron’s inventory. While there Tito was given a ride in a four-
wheeled ATV gator called a Ranger. “He loved it,” said Fernandez
“and that’s how he was, when he saw something he took off towards
it and that’s how we thought of his call sign.”
On top of getting his own flight suit and the chance to
sit behind some of the 141 CES big rigs, Tito was given hands on
access to the cockpit of a KC-135 Stratotanker, a UH-60 Blackhawk
helicopter, a tour of the base fire department and the chance to “fly”
a KC-135 flight simulator.
At the end of an exhausting day (for our pilots, not for
Tito), the 141st Air Refueling Wing Commander, Colonel Daniel
Swain, presided over a ceremony to officially give Tito his honorary
wings as a Pilot-For-A-Day and read Tito his own oath of office,
“Tito Tinajero, having been appointed as an honorary pilot in the
141st Air Refueling Wing, we ask that you solemnly swear to faith-
fully discharge the duties of office upon which you about to enter,
and promise to smile and have as much fun as military regulations
allow.” To which, little Tito said, “I will.”
PILOT
FOR A DAY Tito Tinajero becomes familiar with an aircraft cockpit as part of his “pilot for a
day” activities.
Tito Tinajero tests the directional controls of an ATV “Ranger” which for which he
earned his call-sign, “Ranger.”
Col. Damiel Swain presents Tito with his “wings” at a special ceremony at the con-
slusion of his “pilot for a day” training.
Story and photos by
Master Sgt. Mike Stewart

On
Parade
The Daffodil Festival hosted the first annual all-mil-
itary parade in five decades on Aug. 24 in Tacoma. The parade
featured active duty military, National Guard, reserves and
retired military. Out of 70 plus parade entries, 25 were mili-
tary related, including heavy machinery and marching units.

“My understanding is that it’s been many years since
they have had a parade like this and I think it’s great to rein-
force all of the military’s involvement in this country. This is
a good opportunity to say thanks and to see the things that
folks have done to help make this country as great as it is,”
said Lieutenant Colonel Scott Humphrey, Commander of
the Washington National Guard’s 10th Civil Support Team.
“I think it’s a very good idea,” Humphrey said,
on bringing back the Celebrating Military Service Parade.
“We were talking about wanting to do something to hon-
or our military active duty, veterans and their family as well,” Mari-
lyn Strickland, mayor of Tacoma said. “We wanted to remind all of
our military community that Tacoma is a city that embraces them
and welcomes them, but to also remind the people in Tacoma who
are civilians of the contributions that our military families make.”
“This is a really great opportunity for us to get out there,
show our stuff and to bond with the community. We are part of the
community, the National Guard is the community and this is going
to be a great effort to solidify those bonds,” said Colonel Jeffrey Sa-
batine,personneldirectoroftheWashingtonArmyNationalGuard.
“I am really excited to be here because we have en-
joyed great support from the city of Tacoma and the entire Puget
Sound region.” Sabatine continued. The Washington National
Guard was represented by seven entries in the parade including
the 10th Civil Support Team, 420th Chemical Battalion and the
Washington National Guard Museum located on Camp Murray.
TACOMA
MILITARY
PARADEStory by Spc. Samantha Ciaramitaro
Photos by Lt. Col. Curt Simonson

Recruits from WarHammer
RSP, in Spokane participate in
the March of the Fallen on Sep-
tember 14th in Spokane, WA.
To allow Lean to grow organically throughout the agency,
our implementation approach will be Model Area Deployment.
Facilitators will guide work teams through the use of Lean
concepts and tools as a method of daily goal management and pro-
cess improvement. Other teams within the agency will see the
benefits of Lean based on the changes within the model areas. As
a result, enthusiasm will spread throughout the agency and other
teams will want to get involved.
Teams will be guided through the following:
• Education on Lean concepts and tools
• Team-level goal setting
• Developing visual management
• Begin measuring processes to identify gaps between
process outcomes and goals
• A series of team-level process improvement events
• Education on sustaining improvement
Goal: At the end of the kick-off the team will understand
how to apply Lean concepts and tools to their everyday process-
es, understand how to sustain improvements, understand how to
manage improvements visually and align improvements to agency
strategic goals.
State HRO kicked off on August 20th and has already
made improvements. They implemented morning “huddles,” a
structured 15 minute daily meeting. They discovered the huddle
saves them time and interruptions throughout the day. The day’s
issues are discussed at the beginning of the day and management
is made aware of roadblocks. To determine gaps, data is being col-
lected on the types and frequency of telephone calls received. This
will help the team to determine where gaps in their processes are
and find solutions to bridge those gaps.
If you visit HR you will notice they have additional space
in their conference room. Using the concepts of 6S they were able
to create additional space and remove the waste of needing to move
chairs and furniture almost daily.
For more information, please contact Shar Hawley at 253-
512-8158 or Becca Cole at 253-512-8852.
LEANWhat is Model
Area Deployment?
by Shar Hawley, Process Improvement Coordinator, JFHQ
Soldiers from the 56th Informa-
tion Operations Group showcase
the Guard’s flood response capa-
bilities at the Thurston County
Emergency Preparedness Expo
on September 7th at St. Martin’s
University in Lacey, WA.
Soldiers from the 81st Brigade,
Washington Army National-
Guard, join Blitz the Seahawk
for the U.S. Flag ceremony be-
fore the Seahawks vs. Denver
Broncos game on August 17th.
MSG John Wood, Washington
Air National Guard, throws out
the first pitch at Safeco Field
for the Seattle Mariners vs.
Houston Astros game on Sep-
tember 11th.
A young spectator runs through
the 790th Chemical’s decon-
tamination tent at the Leaven-
worth Emergency Prepardness
Expo on August 9th.
SERVING
COMMUNITY
THE

GRIDIRON
GRIT
AWARRIOR
ONTHEFIELD
Story by Spc. Samantha Ciaramitaro
Additional photos by Ellen Hawley
The National Football League
teamed up with the National Guard in
2009 through the High School Player
Development Program to bring light to
aspiring athletes throughout the United
States. The program, which started in
2001 in New York, addresses challenges
that face the high school football pro-
grams and focuses on underserved com-
munities. It has now grown to over 150
locations nationwide.
H.S.P.D. is a free program for
players and their coaches which emphasiz-
es safety, concussion awareness, life skills,
football fundamentals and character de-
velopment.
“Character is huge. Character is
something that you can use on and off the
field, early in life or late in life. It is some-
thing you will always have,” said Golden
Tate, wide receiver for the Seattle Sea-
hawks.
“It’s a lot of hard work,” Tate says
on becoming a professional football play-
er. “I wish I could say every person in
this camp is going to play NFL Football but
that’s not the truth. I mean that’s just real-
ity.”
The Washington National Guard
is newer to the H.S.P.D. program with this
last year being its second year participating.
The members of the Washington National
Guard didn’t just show up and speak, they
went out on the field and helped run drills
during the camp.
“I think the involvement by the
Guard has been great, the kids love the in-
teraction with them and I like getting to
know them,” said Kapena Wong, H.S.P.D.
Camp Director, Glacier Peak High School.
“Every kid is 100% ready for this
and it’s amazing that we can come out and
make contact with each kid and be able to
talk to them. It’s just been awesome to be
able to deal with every single kid and all of
the coaches out there,” said Master Sergeant
Gereld Frazier, NCOIC Recruit Retention
Battalion. “The overall best part is that
we originally tripled our numbers
from last year. We started with
130 and this year we have 350.”

“ T h i s
year we had
three successful camps, the larg-
est camp having over 300 young men at the
camp. This coming up year we have been
authorized eight and we are requesting 10
with each camp having 300 to 400 people
in them,” said Lieutenant Colonel Antho-
ny Lieggi, Commander of the Recruit Re-
tention Battalion, Washington National
Guard. “This is sponsored by the National
Guard and NFL, it is free to the students
and the coaches and is designed to train
them in fundamental of offensive line posi-
tions, defensive line positions, quarterback
and running back positions so it’s a funda-
mentals camp.”
“If I could give these kids any
advice it would be, it’s worth asking your
parents [sic] if they have a financial plan
for you. If there is no financial plan for
you, don’t be one of the people we see on
Yahoo news that has $125,000 in student
loan debts and getting yourself a $40,000 a
year job, it doesn’t equate. Become guards-
men and we have the opportunity to pay
off those debts and to get you to where you
want to be without the financial debt at the
end of the road. Work and serve your com-
munity with the National Guard.” Lieggi
adds.
Seattle Seahawk Golden Tate pumps up the players
during the HSPD camp this year. (Washington Naiton-
al Guard photo by: Spc. Samantha Ciaramitaro, JFHQ
Public Affairs Office)

MIL.WA.GOV VOL.1 // ISSUE 1 19Back to Table of ContentsBack to Table of Contents

I want to thank everyone who joined us for the annual
employee recognition event that was held on August 22nd. Those
who attended can attest that it was an incredible event that includ-
ed a lot of fun!
I want to reflect on the last year of events and the stan-
dard we have developed for recognition events. First and foremost,
we are holding an ALL AGENCY recognition or celebration event
each quarter. We started our quarterly events last November with
the celebration of Veteran’s Day where we honored all of our Mili-
tary Service employees and their families, along with the employ-
ees here at the Military Department who work in support of the
National Guard everyday when we come to work to do our job.
At our event in February, we honored all of the service
milestones in the agency. In May, we thanked employees with a
pancake breakfast. We culminated a full year of events this past
August with a new and revised recognition program developed in
concert with management and the Employee Recognition Com-
mittee. With the cooperative efforts of state and federal Human
Resource Offices, the August event was incredible!
For this past event, we celebrated synergy and teamwork.
General Wallace Turner provided the key note introduction to the
program and with the assistance of management staff, presented
several Leadership Awards, an Extra Mile Award, LEAN Success
Awards, Sustained Superior Performance Awards, Outstanding
Customer Service Awards and a Synergy Award. We recognized
two recent retirees – Bill Price from the Installation Management
Team and Carol Losey from the Emergency Management Division.
A new addition to the program was the presentation of
FUN Awards! A brainchild of the Recognition Committee, the
FUN awards allowed employees the opportunity to nominate their
co-workers for positive working attributes that contribute to a
happy and healthy workplace. This year, the theme was cartoon
characters. The Tweety Award was given to employees who had
cheerful and friendly personalities that inspired their co-workers.
The Marvin Martian Award was presented to employees who are
constantly reviewing business practices and generating new ideas
and seeking ways to improve processes. The Wile E. Coyote Award
was presented to determined risk takers who keep going and never
give up despite minor set-backs.
The Tasmanian Devil Award was presented to the folks
who always take on projects and successfully complete them in
record time. And the Bugs Bunny Award was presented to folks
who make the workplace fun by lightening the mood and provid-
ing staff with uplifting moments when they are needed most. A
different theme will be established next year, and once again all
employees will have the opportunity to submit names for awards!
Following the award ceremony, a hot dog BBQ was served
on the parade field where staff had the opportunity to mingle and
socialize while playing some fun games and getting to know one
another. People were engaged and having a lot of fun! Besides
enjoying the food, staff enjoyed volleyball, Frisbee, and a water-
melon eating contest. As a matter of fact, your state HR Director
and EMD Manager, Bill Peters are the reigning watermelon contest
champs!
Blindfolded, I was able to feed Bill the most melon the
fastest. I look forward to challengers next year! Thank you to EMD
Staff who were in charge of the fun, as well as the Air Force staff
who were in charge of the cooking.

In closing, we are working very hard to improve morale
and increase participation at these fun events where we are focus-
ing on integrating both our state and federal workforce. I hope you
will all watch for notifications of the events and participate in the
future. Our next event will be in November!
EMPLOYEE
APPRECIATIONby Laura Drybread

Many of the basic safety rules that apply
to most tools also apply to the safe use of a
ladder:
If you feel tired or dizzy, or are prone to
losing your balance, stay off the ladder.
Do not use ladders in high winds or
storms.
Wear clean slip-resistant shoes
Only one person at a time is permitted
on a ladder unless the ladder is specifically
designed for more than one climber (such
as a Trestle Ladder.)
Before using a ladder, inspect it to con-
firm it is in good working condition and
right for the job as follows:
Ladders with loose, rusty, damaged or
missing parts should not be used .
Rickety ladders that sway or Lean to the
side must be rejected. Rungs, cleats, or steps
are not bent, broken, or missing.
Side rails are not bent, broken, or split .
All bolts and rivets are in place and se-
cure.
Hardware, fittings and accessories are
securely attached and working properly.
Ropes are not frayed or badly worn.
Moveable parts operate freely without
binding or excessive play.
Safety feet (base) and other auxiliary
equipment are not excessively worn.
Make sure wood ladders are not paint-
ed except for the minimum amount neces-
sary for identification and warning infor-
mation which may be placed on one face
only of a side rail.
The ladder you select must be the right
size for the job.
The Duty Rating of the ladder must be
greater than the total weight of the climb-
er, tools, supplies, and other objects placed
upon the ladder.
The length of the ladder must be suf-
ficient so that the climber does not have to
stand on the top two rungs or step. (Ladders
are usually labeled for safe working height.)
When the ladder is set-up for use,
it must be placed on firm level ground and
without any type of slippery condition pres-
ent at either the base or top support points.
Ladders must not be placed in front
of closed doors that can open toward the
ladder.
The door must be blocked open, locked,
or guarded Use ladders only for their in-
tended purpose.
Read the safety information sheet and
labels on the ladder. Never jump or slide
down from a ladder or climb more than one
rung/step at a time.
TYPES OF LADDERS
Your work environment including phys-
ical size/weight restrictions, safe working
space to place a ladder, and work being per-
formed help determine the type of ladder
to use. In an effort to assist in familiarizing
yourself with the standard ladder types that
are available, consider the following:
Stepladder - a self-supporting ladder that is
designed for use where there is no safe sup-
port for a ladder and can provide a surface
to store tools or paint.
Single Ladder or Flat Ladder - a ladder that
is placed against a structure or fixed object.
Extension Ladder - a ladder that is in mul-
tiple parts that can be extended to reach
high areas not accessible by smaller ladders
such as a high walls, roofs, or storage loft
opening.
LADDERS ARE TOOLS
Specialized Ladders - such as an Articulat-
ed Ladder, Combination Ladder and Ex-
tension Trestle Ladder.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT LADDER
Ladders are built from one of 3 basic ma-
terials: wood, fiberglass, and metal (alumi-
num).
The environment of your work site is the
first factor in choosing the material from
which your ladder is constructed. For ex-
ample, if you are working near sources of
electricity, a metal ladder should be rejected
since aluminum is an electrical conductor.
Your body can complete an electrical cir-
cuitbetweentheelectricalpowersource,the
ladder, and then to the ground in the event
of a live wire contact incident. An electri-
cal shock while working from a ladder can
trigger a fall or cause other serious injury
or death. On the other hand, if there are no
electrical power sources in your work area,
the aluminum ladder is the lightest weight
when compared to fiberglass or wood.
Consider the area you are working in:
Will the ladder be resting on an uneven
surface?
Is the work area crowded with people
and/or materials?
What obstructions are in the path of the
climb?
How high do you need to reach?
Does the ladder have a surface to Lean
against or is it freestanding?
The proper ladder length must be select-
ed. When using a Step Ladder, standing on
the top cap or the step below the top cap
is not permitted due to the increased like-
lihood of losing your balance. Likewise,
when using an Extension Ladder, the top
three rungs are not to be used for climbing.
A Straight Ladder is too long if ceiling
height prohibits the ladder from being set
up at the proper angle. An Extension Lad-
der is too long if the ladder extends more
than 3 feet beyond the upper support point
because it can act like a lever and cause the
base of the ladder to move or slide out.
(continued on page. 27)
L DDER
S FETYby Susan Miles, HRO

Story by Sgt. Peter G. Christian, photoS by Spc. John T. Taylor
The M1-A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank is a powerful weapon on the battlefield, but even with its sophisticated targeting systems it still
requires a highly skilled crew. In the United States there is no longer a large compliment of tanks being used in its active components.
Most have been moved to reserve and National Guard elements.
Charlie Company, 1st Battalion of the 161st Infantry Regiment is such a unit, maintaining a compliment of M1A1’s and this
past June they were at Yakima Training Center, Wash. for annual training. Annual Training, also known as “AT,” provides valuable
teaching scenarios that allows the tank crews to operate at a level that they might not be able to at their home stations.
“In the tank it’s all about controlled chaos.” said Sgt. 1st Class Nick Holmes, a tank commander with C Company, 1st Battalion of the
161st Infantry Regiment. “When everything is going sideways and you have malfunctions, stoppages or any other issues inside the tank,
the crew all has to work together.”

As any seasoned soldier will tell you, the best laid plans often go
awry when you come into contact with the enemy. Today’s evalu-
ation was no exception.
“We had a couple breaches, a couple misfires [and] things like that
[but] crew duties worked out exceptionally well.” said Holmes.
“Everybody knew what they were supposed to do which just goes
back to the original training.”
Practice, situational awareness and attention to detail truly pays
off when you see results like those seen from Holmes’ team. “It
proves that we did it right and we did it to standard.” Holmes con-
tinued.
They did more than just meet the standard, they exceeded it.
Sgt. 1st Class Holmes and his team earned a coveted title amongst
Abrams crews.
“We’re ‘Battalion Top Gun’ right now.” said Holmes, a glint of
pride in his eye for his crew. “All of the training and patience and
effort that we put in to doing this right paid off in the end.”
“Crew duties came together, the crew melded, targets popped
up.” said Holmes of the team. “From the tower down to the driver,
everything worked out. Preparation and skills combined and we
were successful.”
“From the tower down to the
driver, everything worked
out. Preparation and skills
combined and we were suc-
cessful.”
UPARbi-monthly
winning photoMaster Sgt. Brian L. Murphy
Cavalry Scout, Joint Forces Headquarters, Camp Murray, Wash.

stress (strĕs’) n, a physical, chemical or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease
causation. stress•ful adj, stress’ful•ly adv, stress’ful•ness n. During the demanding times when experiencing heavier workloads, fewer staff
to do the work, challenges at home, increased traffic, and more bills - most of us feel stress.
SYMPTOMS
Headaches, backaches, neck tension
Excessive eating, drinking, smoking
Anxiety, irritability, depression
Elevated blood pressure
Sleep disturbances
Not all stress is negative and it can actually be an opportunity to adapt to adversity and become more resilient. However, pro-
longed periods of unrelieved stress can be detrimental to your mental, emotional, or physical well-being. (continued on pg. 27)
MANAGING
STRESSBy Julie Pederson, HRO

WASHINGTON YOUTH ACADEMY CADETS
ATTEND A 9/11 MEMORIAL COMMEMORATION CEREMONY
The Washington Youth Academy Cadets were in at-
tendance at the commemoration ceremony for the 9/11 Memorial
held at Evergreen Park. The event was attended by members of
the military, law enforcement, firefighters, and the community. The
evening was filled with emotion as guest speakers recounted the
terrible tragedy when terrorists attacked our nation. There was a
united sense of sorrow and pride among those in attendance.
The event marked the completion of a project that began
in September 2009 when members of the Central Kitsap Fire &
Rescue teamed up with Leadership Kitsap team Serendipitous to
design a memorial that incorporated the steel beams from the
World Trade Center and a piece of limestone from the Pentagon.
The committee raised funds and relied on the generous support
of countless volunteers to make their vision become a reality.
The Washington Youth Academy Cadets contributed more than
500 man hours of service to the project by helping to beautify the
surrounding landscape. Their efforts were recognized by keynote
speaker, executive chairman of the Kitsap 9/11 Memorial commit-
tee, and former chief of Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue, Roy Lusk.
Information and photos about the Kitsap 9/11 Memorial
can be found on the web at: www.kitsap911memorial.org
Story by: Christopher Acuña

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
1st Lt. Shaun Neil
253-512-8921

It is important to manage stress as much as possible. We all know that we need to be physically active, eat well, get enough sleep,
and visit our healthcare professional regularly but is that enough to help us survive in our changing world? The Washington State Depart-
ment of Health gives the following coping strategies for stressful times:
Make appropriate changes when you can
Accept the things you cannot change
Take a deep breath before you speak
Engage in daily physical activity
Talk with family and friends
Give up the bad habits
Practice giving back
Get enough sleep
Get organized
Slow down
Laugh
Additionally, it may be beneficial to seek help from your healthcare provider or spiritual leader.
Although there are many situations we cannot change, we can change how we respond to those situations. Resil-
ience is the process of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, and it is the most important
defense we have against stress. By practicing the strategies listed above and taking time to nurture ourselves in
positive ways, we can increase our capacity to “bounce back” and thrive, even in our present circumstances. Visit
your Employee Assistance Program today!
Managing Stress (continued from pg. 24)
(continued from page. 21)
Consider the Duty Rating of the lad-
der. This is an indication of the maximum
weight capacity the ladder can safely carry.
To figure out the total amount of weight
your ladder will be supporting, add your
weigh including what you are wearing; plus
tools and supplies carried or stored on the
ladder. Read the label on the ladder to de-
termine the right weight carrying capabili-
ty. Do not assume that a longer ladder has
a higher weight capacity. There is no rela-
tionship between ladder length and weight
capacity.
PROPER LADDER SETUP
Self supporting ladders “Step ladders”
have the foot distance pre-determined by
their open structure
lock. Open the lad-
der completely, and
do not try to make
the ladder fit into a
smaller area. Ensure
that the footing is on
a level and solid sur-
face. Ladders to enter
an upper work area
such as a roof or stor-
age loft should exceed
the entry point by 3
feet. This extra ladder space allows a safer
entry. The standard extension ladders sec-
tions (up to 36 feet) need to overlap. They
should have the two sections overlap by a
minimum of 3 feet. Ensure that the ladder
extension is securely locked into place. Flat
or Extension ladder needs to be at a safe
angle. The ladder is set at the proper angle
when the horizontal distance from the top
support to the foot of the ladder is approx-
imately one-quarter the working length of
the ladder
THREE POINT-OF-CONTACT CLIMB
When climbing a ladder, it is safest to
utilize Three Points-of-Contact because it
minimizes the chances of slipping and fall-
ing from the ladder. At all times during as-
cent or descent, the climber must face the
ladder and have two hands and one foot,
or two feet and one
hand in contact with
the ladder cleats and/
or side rails. With
this, the climber is
not likely to become
unstable in the event
one limb slips during
the climb. It is im-
portant to not carry
any objects in either
hand that can inter-
fere with a firm grip
on the ladder.
Reduce your chances of falling:
Wear slip-resistant shoes with heavy
soles to prevent foot fatigue.
Use towlines, a tool belt or an assistant
to convey materials so that the climbers
hands are free when climbing.
Climb slowly and deliberately while
avoiding sudden movements.
Keep the center of your belt buckle
(stomach) between the ladder side rails
when climbing and while working.
Do not overreach, stand on tip toes, or
Lean while working so that you don’t fall.
(Ref: WA Dept L&I; LadderSafety.org)
BE
SMART
USE
LADDERS
SAFELY

HOLDING
THE LINE
Soldiers with HHT and C Troop, 1st and 303rd cavalry squadron, 81st Armored Brigade Combat Team conducts entry level wildland firefighter train-
ing as part of Operation Evergreen Ember at Yakima Training Center, Yakima, Wa. June 17, 2013. Operation Evergreen Ember will simulate a wildfire
scenario and test the effectiveness and performance of the Washington National Guard units during a wildfire situation. It will also assess the Guard’s
alert systems, readiness and ability to support civilian authorities during natural disasters. (Washington Army National Guard photo by: Sgt. Christo-
pher Marinsik, 122D PAOC)
The Washington National Guard
held training exercise Operation Evergreen
Ember June 14-20, 2013 at Yakima Train-
ing Center in an effort to prepare Guard
Soldiers and Airmen to assist the citizens
of Washington in the event of a wildfire.
Evergreen Ember was a simulat-
ed wildfire scenario to test the effective-
ness and performance of the Washington
National Guard units during a wildfire
situation. It was also an assessment of the
Guard’s alert systems, readiness and ability
to support civilian authorities during natu-
ral disasters.
Additionally, the exercise was
used to train Gov. Jay Inslee’s staff and
cabinet directors on their roles during a
significant emergency.
More than 30 state leaders joined
Maj. Gen Bret Daugherty during Evergreen
Ember for a tour of the state’s Emergency
Operations Center, a tabletop exercise and
a ride on a CH-47 “Chinook” helicopter to
Yakima and the Tri-Cities to further under-
stand the capabilities of the Washington
Military Department.
Capt. Krystian D. Derda, an op-
erations officer and battle captain for Joint
Forces Headquarters, said the exercise has
been in planning since July 2012. Derda, a
resident of Kent, Wash., said he began his
planning by researching and reaching out
to other states with experience fighting
wildfires, such as California and Idaho.
Derda said he also received significant sup-
port from members of the Washington Na-
tional Guard with both Guard and civilian
experience fighting wildfires.
Overall Derda said the exercise
accomplished the goals set forth by the
Guard.
“We got the forces trained,” said
Derda. “We got the command and control
worked out between the different locations,
we also had the Homeland Response Force
conduct their training. There was a lot
of lessons learned throughout the whole
thing, but that is why we do the exercises,
to identify the gaps or points during the re-
sponse where we can get better.”
Derda said Operation Evergreen
Ember is the first in a planned series of
training exercises designed to prepare the
Guard to respond to different natural di-
sasters in
support of the citizens of Washington.
“Activating the National Guard in
response to a natural disaster, in this case
wildfires, we plan on doing that every year,
whether it is a full scale exercise or table
top,” said Derda. “We will focus on some
of the major seasonal disasters, so the wild
land fires, floods, winter storms, and we are
also looking at earthquake response.”
Story by Sgt. Lisa Laughlin and Karina Shagren
Photos by Sgt. Christopher Marinsik, Sgt. Bryce T.
Wright, Sgt. Daniel Lybeck and Sgt. Peter Christian
Washington National Guard Soldiers
Train to Repond to Statewide Emergencies
During Operation Evergreen Ember

(Left to right) State Command Chief Master Sgt. Timothy Tyvan, Senior Enlisted
Advisor of the Washington National Guard and John Batiste, Chief of the Washing-
ton State Patrol listen to a brief about a mobile command vehicle during VIP Day
at Hammer Training Center in Richland, Wash. for Operation Evergreen Ember.
Evergreen Ember is a state-level emergency preparedness exercise. (Washington
National Guard photo by: Sgt. Peter Christian)
Soldiers with the 792nd Chemical Company demonstrate decontamination proce-
dures for Washington State agency directors and other VIPs at HAMMER Training
Facility on VIP Day, Richmond, Wash., June 18, 2013. VIP Day is part of Operation
Evergreen Ember. (U.S. Army photo by: Sgt. Christopher Marinsik, 122D PAOC)
(Above and opposite) A UH-60 Blackhawk from C Company 1-140 Avi-
ation, 66th TAC, drops a 660 gallon bucket of water from the Columbia
River to a spot close by in support of Operation Evergreen Ember, a state-
wide training exercise to prepare Soldiers for statewide emergencies,
June 14-21.
US Army Photo by: Sgt. Daniel Lybeck, 122d PAOC
(Above) Sgt. 1st Class Kelvin L. Gaut, of Dallas, Texas, with the 420th
Chemical Battalion oversees traffic entering the training area as the
Chemical, Biological, Radilogical/Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) En-
hanced Response Force Package sets up a decontamination area for a
training exercise at the Volpentest HAMMER Training and Education Cen-
ter in Richland, Wash., June 19, 2013. The exercise simulated a chemi-
cal explosion and was part of Operation Evergreen Ember, a state-wide
training event focused on emergency response skills. (Washington Army
National Guard photo by: Sgt. Bryce T. Wright, 122nd Public Affairs Op-
erations Center)

WANGYWANGYWashington National Guard Youth Camp
The Washington Air & Army National Guard Youth
(WANGY) program’s mission is to continue to develop resilient
National Guard connected youth.
Through a variety of summer activities, youth have had
the opportunity to expand their life skills, network with other
military youth and improve their overall ability towards becoming
more resilient.
Survival Day Camp was held in Spokane this past July.
Youth attendees learned different skills to survive in the outdoors
and the training was facilitated by the Survival, Evasion, Resis-
tance and Escape (SERE) School in Spokane.
Science Day Camp was held at Camp Murray and gave
youth a chance to test their scientific skills with wind turbines,
candy science, and changing the physical properties of liquids to
solids to effectively make “goop”.
WANGY Summer Camp East and West were both held
during the month of August.
More than 350 campers (with the support of 120 volun-
teers) got to enjoy this year’s summer camps. Campers had the
opportunity to go swimming, boating, enjoy an archery course,
ride horses, learn how to golf, embark on a ropes course and
everyone got to meet new friends, all while enjoying the summer
sun.
The Washington National Guard Youth Program is
already beginning to prepare for the next fiscal year of events
Currently WANGY is accepting youth council applica-
tions. Youth council applications are open to youth in grades 8-12
and will represent the WANGY program across the state during
the upcoming year.
This month also marks the annual WANGY Halloween event,
Trunk or Treat. Trunk or Treat provides a safe environment for
families to bring their children and enjoy safe trick-or-treating,
carnival games and more. This event will take place in Marysville,
Vancouver, Camp Murray, and (pending) Spokane on 26 October.
You can decorate your car to hand out candy or just bring the
entire family to enjoy the many activities. Make sure to register
so your unit gets entered into the Family Programs Spirit Award
contest.
A variety of other events are in the works, so if you are interested
in learning more, please contact your Child & Youth Coordinator
for more information.
You can also be added to the distribution list to receive our
monthly newsletter -WANGY Weekender.
We are always seeking volunteers who might be interested in help-
ing out during the year with our many youth events. Interested
participants can contact:
Robbin, 253-512-7985 robbin.a.seeberger.ctr@mail.mil
Summer Fun, Science, and Survival - The 3 focus areas for the Washington National Guard Youth Program this past summer.
Story and photos by Gary Lott

The Washington State Learning Management System (LMS)
is an internet-hosted tool powered by SumTotal Systems. LMS cen-
tralizes and automates the learning management process, making
the administration of learning and development both effective and
efficient. Each agency can customize its employee interface, pro-
vide agency-specific training options, and streamline the registra-
tion process. The Washington Military Department has recently
rolled out this program for state employees.
LMS provides the ability to efficiently assign, deliver, track, man-
age, and measure the state’s training investment. Agencies can use
the system to reduce risk; create and maintain workforce compe-
tency. DES can use the system to leverage workforce planning.

• Assess organizational and individual competencies,
deficiencies and training needs using a variety of
powerful tools, including online testing and survey in
struments.
• Deliver required training initiatives to address
identified performance and learning needs using the
most appropriate method (e-learning, classroom, self-
study webcast, mentoring, blended, etc.).
• Measure learning effectiveness, impact on productivity,
business results and return on investment.
Enables all stakeholders to manage the training process based
on their needs.

• Employees are better able to assess their own skills and
take charge of their learning.
• Managers can access training histories to guide team
development and ensure compliance.
• Training Managers have complete control of the
process, resources, and costs.
• HR professionals use training access to attract, retain
employees, and manage succession.
• Executives use training data to assess knowledge and
skill gaps to develop workforce capability when and
where it is needed.
Agencies benefit from an enterprise-wide Learning Manage-
ment System.
• A single system for training activities
• eLearning delivery and tracking
• Self-registration for agency instructor-led
training and tracking
• Extensive reporting
• Monthly feature enhancements
• 24x7 system support
• Zero development costs (initial or going)
• Zero hardware costs
THE LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMStory by: Laura Drybread
As the holiday season approaches, you or your agency may be
gearing up to help those in need by adopting a family or needy
child. While this outpouring of generosity is a wonderful testament
to your thoughtful and caring spirit, there are some ethical issues
that you need to be aware of to make sure that your actions do not
violate the Ethics in Public Service Act:

1. Can you use state resources to support charities? The
limited use of state resources to support charities may be allowed
if an agency head or his/her designee approves the activity as one
that promotes organizational effectiveness. Such uses shall be spe-
cifically authorized in writing and any use shall strictly conform to
specific agency guidance. (See WAC 292-110-010(2))
2. What is meant by “Organizational effectiveness?” Or-
ganizational effectiveness relates to an agency’s mission and en-
compasses activities that enhance or augment the agency’s abili-
ty to perform its mission. State agencies may allow employees to
participate in activities that are not offical state duties but promote
organizational effectiveness by supporting a collegial work envi-
ronment, so long as the employees who participate in the activity
limit their use of state resources. While the Ethics Act normally
prohibits the use of state resources to support outside organiza-
tions or groups, including charities, unless the support is part of
the agency’s official duties, WAC 292-110-010(2) allows agency
heads to nevertheless approve a de minimis use of state resources
for activity that promotes organizational effectiveness even if that
activity may incidentally support a private organization. Agency
heads are cautioned, however, that activity allowed under this rule
may not involve a state agency’s endorsement or promotion of a
commercial activity such as advertising or selling products.
3. Can you solicit donations for charitable events from
outside businesses? The Ethics Act contains a very strong persump-
tion against solicitation by you for any purpose, including charita-
ble events. Solicitation by state employees can create the appear-
ance that a donation might result in favorable treatment from the
state and a failure to donate might result in unfavorable treatment.
Therefore, you may not use your official state positions to solicit
goods and services from private organization and businesses.
4. Are there any other considerations I should take into
account when conduting charitable solicitiations? Yes, avoid direct
personal solicitations of your coworkers and colleagues and opt for
voluntary participation. Managers and supervisors should always
avoid direct personal soliciations of employees who work under
their supervision.
LENDING A HELPING HAND – ETHICS IN PUBLIC SERVICE
Story by: Laura Drybread

• Federal Legislative Accomplishments and Initiatives
• Reduction of Technician Furloughs
• Cyber Warrior Act of 2013
• Restored Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Overturned Air National Guard Cuts
• State legislative Actions and Initiatives
• Supported Veterans Preference in Hiring
• Introducing Legislation Dental coverage for E-5’s and below
Become a Member of NGAW
Or
Donate to the MEAF (Minuteman
Emergency Assistance Fund)
Gotongaw.orgorcall253.584.5411
for more info
NATIONAL GUARD ASSOCIATION
OF WASHINGTON
ngawngawPROTECTING AND ADVOCATING FOR
SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN
Chief Warrant Officer Steven Denham strikes the Heisman pose while running the 5K NFL Fun Run held September 18, 2013 at Camp Murray to raise money for the
Minuteman Fund. The Minuteman Emergency Assistance Fund (MEAF) is funded totally by personal donations and through the Combined Federal Campaign. Dona-
tions help soldiers and airmen of the Washington National Guard in times of financial crisis and personal challenges. (Washington National Guard photo by: Sgt. Peter
G. Christian, Joint Forces Headquarters Public Affairs Office)

Washington Military Department Evergreen Magazine

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