Story and photo by Sgt. Courtney Selig

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md.- With the number of soldiers decreasing overseas, the mission has shifted and welcomed a new type of team to ensure a seamless transition.

Team Bluetick, a Security Force Assistant Adviser Team from First Army Division East, and Occupational Coordination Center - Provincial Nuristan staff recently conducted a site survey of the Nuristan Provincial Capital, Parun.

During this visit, they assessed the current and planned infrastructure to determine the feasibility of co-locating Nuristan with the provincial headquarters in Parun.

Nuristan, known as the "Land of the Light," is treacherous with its sheer cliffs sheltered by the spurs of the Eastern Hindu Kush. Its terrain, comprised of nearly 99 percent mountains, leaves only the most minimal amount of flat land.

"Our mission is to train and advise our Afghanistan counterparts of Nuristan on how to coordinate both air and ground operations with all elements of the Afghanistan National Army, Afghanistan Border Police, Afghanistan National Police and their National Directorate of Security," said MAJ Lucas Morales, Team Operations and Communications Officer, First Army Division East, a native of Kellogg, Idaho.

Team Bluetick and other SFA ATs mentor and assist Afghan National Security Forces as they take the lead in conducting security operations. The SFA ATs are a key step in continuing efforts to improve ANSF capability and to help them assume responsibility for the security of Afghanistan.

"One of our significant challenges is assisting the OCC-P to overcome the significant geographical challenges of this province and improve their communications with the Provincial Capital of Parun," Morales said. All parties continue to explore options for a combined facility.

Morales said the relationship between Team Bluetick and OCC-P Nuristan is strong. He went on to say the OCC-P not only understands the SFA AT member's mission, but they welcome it since they have not had the assistance of an Advisor Team in the past.

"As with all good relationships, it helps both teams learn and expand to improve their capabilities," said Morales. "The biggest advantage is that the OCC-P wants to learn and wants to help their province and country."

The SFA ATs, teams of highly trained officers and noncommissioned officers, mentor and advise Afghan Army and Police units as they conduct security operations. SFA ATs began training in mid-January 2012 and deployed in Spring, 2012. A second iteration is planned this fall.

First Army Division East is responsible for the overall mission of mobilizing, training, validating, and deploying Reserve Component Soldiers around the globe and demobilizing them upon their return home. Last year, First Army Division East mobilized more than 20,000 Soldiers and demobilized almost 26,000.

URBANA, IL (09/26/2012)(readMedia)-- The Illinois National Guard and nearly a dozen other emergency response organizations participated in the Illinois Emergency Management Agency's (IEMA) emergency response drill Sept. 24 to 26 at Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System in Urbana.

The drill focused on the reception, staging, onward movement and integration (RSOI) process for deploying response assets to a notional tornado disaster in Muscatatuck, Ind.

In Illinois, the exercise tested the RSOI process of preparing, deploying, tracking and redeploying assets to and from another state to provide relief efforts during a major disaster.

Any resources deployed to support the operation will go through the RSOI process to be accounted for and credentialed, said Trent Thompson of Chatham, the chief of operations with IEMA. This is to ensure they are mission-capable and can properly support the response effort.

Thompson said IEMA has used other means of tracking assets in the past, but this is the first exercise that will test the RSOI's efficiency for joint civilian and military agency response efforts.

"We spent the last couple months developing the concept to a standard operating guide and this is our first effort to exercise it," said Thompson.

The exercise integrates several relief organizations to include the Illinois National Guard, and state and local law enforcement, fire rescue and other emergency response organizations and support assets said Thompson. He said with so many organizations supporting the incident, it is critical IEMA is able to process them all through one system at one centralized location versus one location for each agency.

For this operation, representatives from the major commands in the Illinois National Guard were assisting with the in-processing of personnel going through the RSOI site, said Sgt. 1st Class Mark Ballard of Athens, with the Illinois National Guard's Joint Force Headquarters in Springfield.

"This is the Guard's proof of concept, that we can work with the civilian agencies to manage that process of accounting for and pushing assets forward," said Ballard.

During the three-day exercise the Illinois National Guard worked with its civilian counterparts providing JRSOI support. The Illinois National Guard uses the RSOI process and was able to share and receive ideas and lessons learned with IEMA and other agencies during the exercise.

The Illinois National Guard is capable of assisting the in-processing, briefing and preparation of personnel and equipment prior to its deployment to an incident site or area of operation, said Col. Thomas Purple Jr., of Springfield, with the Illinois National Guard's Joint Force Headquarters in Springfield.

Purple said the RSOI process is key to the mission readiness of civilian and military assets in the case of a major emergency and the need for relief efforts.

"We have to go through this process before we send state personnel, civilian personnel or Soldiers to the incident site so we have good accountability," said Purple. "If we don't have this task done, there's the potential for losing sight of personnel or not knowing their capabilities."

Purple said this exercise better prepared military and civilian relief agencies how to effectively deploy in a joint effort in the case of a real world emergency.

"This is a unity of effort to make sure we're ready when the next disaster comes," said Purple.

SPRINGFIELD, IL (09/17/2012)(readMedia)-- Approximately 25 Soldiers from units throughout Illinois competed in the Illinois Army National Guard's third annual Adjutant General's Combatives Tournament at Camp Lincoln in Springfield, Sept. 16.

The tournament was open to all Illinois National Guard Soldiers regardless of combatives experience.

"I didn't know what to expect," said Sgt. Zechariah Johnson of Oregon, a cavalry scout with Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment in Dixon. "It was a smaller tournament, but the Soldiers who showed up were motivated and made it a good competition."

Fighters competed individually in brackets based on weight class, while team points were awarded based on individual placement. The 33rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion received the overall team award.

The tournament was double elimination. The preliminary rounds were fought under Modern Army Combatives standard rules, which allows takedowns, joint locks and choke submissions. The championship bouts were fought under intermediate rules, which added open hand strikes to the head, punches to the body, and head to toe kicks.

Just before the end of the 10-minute light heavyweight championship round, Johnson defeated his opponent 1st Lt. Jarod Thomas of Decatur, with the 766th Engineer Battalion in Decatur, by a collar choke submission. Johnson said this was his first combatives tournament.

"He put up a really good fight and it was close," said Johnson. "I look forward to next year's competition."

Overall individual winners included: Bantamweight division (110 pounds and under): Spc. Ashley Hicks of Pickneyville, Company C, 33rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion in Carbondale

Flyweight division (110.1 to 125 pounds): Spc. Ricardo Brambila of Berwyn, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment in Aurora

Lightweight division (125.1 to 140 pounds): Spc. Jacob Bultmann of Petersburg, Company B, 33rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion in Bloomington

Welterweight division (140.1 to 155 pounds): Sgt. Jacob Trigleth of Altamont, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment in Marion

Middleweight division (155.1 to 170 pounds): Spc. Allen Simmerman of Chillicothe, Company A, 33rd Brigades Special Troops Battalion in Marseilles

Cruiserweight division (170.1 to 185 pounds): Sgt. Ardel Buchanan of Cicero, 766th Engineer Battalion in Decatur

Light heavyweight division (185.1 to 205 pounds): Sgt. Zechariah Johnson of Oregon, Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment in Dixon

Heavyweight division (over 205.1 pounds): Spc. Jason Pilman of Johnsburg, Company A, 33rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion in Marseilles

Hicks was the only female competitor in this year's tournament. No other Soldiers weighed in at the bantamweight class, so she competed with Soldiers in the flyweight division.

"I liked the challenge of being the only female," said Hicks.

She recently completed the Tactical Combatives Course (Level 2) and decided to enter the tournament after hearing about it at the class.

The Modern Army Combative Program (MACP) uses competitions as a tool to motivate soldiers to train, build esprit de corps and to build confidence by testing techniques against a fully resistant opponent. MACP Instructors with the Illinois Army National Guard administered this year's tournament.

"I was really impressed by the raw determination I saw in many of today's Soldiers," said Staff Sgt. Nick Grant of Caseyville, tournament noncommissioned officer in charge and Combatives Course Manager for the 129th Regional Training Institute. "Even those that fell short certainly displayed a strong will to win. It was also very satisfying to see Soldiers I've personally trained in the past comeback and employ potentially live saving techniques they learned months or years ago."

Top tournament finishers will be considered to join the Illinois Army National Guard Combatives Team at future national competitions such as the All-National Guard and All-Army Combatives Championships.

For more information on Illinois' Combatives Program and updates on future competitions, please visit the Illinois Army National Guard Combatives Team's Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Illinois-Army-National-Guard-Combatives-Team/224254734272195

High resolution photos of all the winners are available. Contact the Illinois National Guard Public Affairs Office at ngilstaffpao@ng.army.mil.

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack today joined the USO for a care package stuffing event to honor and thank members of our military on this National Day of Service.  Operation USO Care Package was initiated by the USO in 2001 as a response to 9/11 to provide our troops deployed overseas with much needed toiletries and entertainment items and international calling cards so they can stay in touch with loved ones here at home.

"I am honored to join the USO to give back to our troops who are protecting our freedom overseas, especially on this day as we participate in service activities to remember the victims of the 9/11 attack and honor the men and women who are serving our nation,"  said Loebsack.  "Our servicemembers devote themselves to our country each and every day with honor and distinction. Providing them with a care package is a simple but meaningful way we can thank them for their service and lift their spirits."