1. Foreword This past year marked the 10th
anniversary of 9/11 – an anniversary
their growing role as a supplementary
force to the Georgia National Guard.
The Georgia Guard traces its that finds us still at war, yet, a better Notable was their quick response to
history back through the militia trained and experienced force more community needs for disaster relief
maintained by the colony of Georgia, ready than ever to serve our state and and search and rescue operations
to the first formal militias established nation. following local tornados – and the
in the New World in 1636, to a much January 2011 also marked the professionalism and competence they
older tradition of militia in England. ninth deployment of the 165th Airlift bring to the fight.
We come from all walks of life. Wing out of Savannah. In its largest Major joint operations this year
Some of us are full-time, but most of deployment ever, six C-130 Hercules included successful Counterdrug
us maintain entirely separate civilian aircraft and more than 100 flight operations, validation of Marietta’s
careers. operations and maintenance personnel 78th Homeland Response Force, and
But we Georgia Guardsmen all deployed for three months to Bagram the graduation of the 10,000th Youth
have one thing in common: our job is Air Base in Afghanistan. Later in ChalleNGe Academy graduate.
to serve our state anywhere, anytime the year, the 116th Air Control Wing 2011 was also a year of great
we’re needed – and to serve our (flying the E-8C JSTARS) deployed change for the National Guard, with
Nation anywhere in the world. in support of NATO operations in the retirement of Major Generals
Because of our backgrounds as Libya – adding a unique capability William T. Nesbitt and Maria Britt,
civilians, because of the depth of for coordinating air and ground and the subsequent appointment
experience we bring to our military operations in a hostile environment. of Maj. Gen. Jim Butterworth and
mission, we have a unique approach Other Airmen from the 116th Civil Brig. Gen. Joe Jarrard as Georgia’s
to everything we do – whether in the Engineering Squadron made a brief Adjutant General and Commander of
skies over Afghanistan, or down on deployment stateside to help build an the Georgia Army National Guard,
the ground in its deserts, or right here education center at a Navajo Nation respectively. Over 700 civilian
at home responding to a domestic reservation in Arizona. dignitaries and members of the
emergency. The year also found Georgia military attended a ceremony marking
This Annual Report provides a Army National Guard Soldiers in the transition of responsibility.
representative sample of the great combat in both Afghanistan and Iraq, Here in the Annual Report, you can
work done by the Georgia Department with Marietta’s Company C, 1-111th learn more about some of these events,
of Defense in 2011. We think of this General Support Aviation Battalion, as well as the units themselves, and
report as more of an introduction to flying medical evacuation missions some specifics about the economic
the organization… an annual prologue right up to the very end of the mission and educational effects the Ga. DoD
that builds on our long and storied there. Georgia Army Guardsmen also has on Georgia. Taken holistically, it
past. trained and lived alongside Soldiers is clear that the operations we conduct,
The year opened with an almost from the Uganda Peoples Defense the assistance we provide, the chances
immediate opportunity to serve our Forces for a major exercise sponsored we have to learn and to lead – all allow
communities when Georgia was hit by U.S. Army Africa. And, even as the us to live the organization’s values
by the worst winter storm in decades. war in Iraq was winding down, Soldiers and truly realize our own potential in
Guardsmen across the affected areas of the 648th Maneuver Enhancement service to the state and nation.
stepped in to lend a hand to GEMA Brigade Headquarters were preparing We Guardsmen are proud of our
and other state agencies, providing to deploy to Afghanistan, where they mission, and proud of the role we play
emergency transportation to medical would serve as Kabul Base Cluster both at home and abroad. We look
personnel as well as assisting the Command. forward to continuing to serve, and
Georgia State Patrol with stranded Happily, the year also included the to continuously seek ways to improve
motorists. return from combat of units including our service through the Georgia
Later in the year, Army Guard the 190th Military Police Company, Department of Defense.
helicopters and Air Guard bulldozers 877th Engineer Company, and the
worked side-by-side with the Forestry 1-171st General Support Aviation Maj. John H. Alderman IV
Commission to widen fire breaks and Battalion. State Public Affairs Officer
drop water on wildfires raging on the Volunteers of the State Defense Georgia Department of Defense
opposite side of the state. Force were equally active this year in
5 | Georgia Department of Defense