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© 2013 KentuckyGuard
By Staff Sgt. Scott Raymond, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs
Chief Warrant Officer James Taylor (center) is named Kentucky’s Warrant Officer of the Year by Brig. Gen. Stephen Hogan (left) and State Command Chief Warrant Officer Dean Stoops (right) during a ceremony in Frankfort, Ky., Feb. 17, 2016. Taylor serves as the property book officer for the 201st Engineer Battalion and the 103rd Chemical Battalion.(U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Scott Raymond)
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Annually the Kentucky Guard selects the most outstanding warrant officer. For the second year in a row, that Soldier came from the 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade. Chief Warrant Officer James Taylor, with the 201st Engineer Battalion earned the title for 2015.
“It is a humbling experience to be accepting this award. Nothing in my experience has prepared me for an honor like this - especially to be recognized for doing something that I so love to do,” said Taylor. “When one works in a field where every warrant officer regularly extend themselves above and beyond their duties, it is difficult to consider anything that one does as outstanding. I am blessed to have the opportunity to work with such a professional cohort of warrant officers that we have here in Kentucky. I share this award with them.”
Chief Warrant Officer James Taylor discusses inventory with Staff Sgt. Danny Ison with the 201st Engineer Battalion in Richmond, Ky. Dec. 29, 2015. Taylor has served in uniform for 27 years and is known as a constant mentor and teacher, sharing his knowledge of supply with officers and enlisted Soldiers. (Courtesy photo)
Taylor serves as the property book officer for the 201st as well as for the 103rd Chemical Battalion, overseeing the inventory of nine companies and three detachments. In true warrant officer fashion, through his knowledge and work ethic, Taylor has earned the respect of many across the Kentucky Guard.
“Chief Taylor’s leadership and expertise delivers incredible results to the logistical readiness of the 201st Engineer Battalion,” said Lt. Col. Douglas Clay, commander of the 201st. “He is a proven leader and sets an excellent example through his consistent and steady performance.”
Enlisting in 1989, Taylor began his career as a combat engineer. In 2003, he switched fields into unit supply and by 2009 was the unit property book NCO. It was in 2009 that Taylor decided to become a warrant officer.
“I made the decision to become a warrant officer to expand my audience,” he said. “I wanted to share my knowledge with commanders and staff officers while continuing to lead enlisted personnel.”
And lead he does. Taylor is credited with with providing a smooth transition for force structure re-alignments with the brigade and becoming a subject matter expert on the Global Combat Support System, the Army’s newest supply standards. He singlehandedly directs and coordinates the management and control of unit equipment worth more than $150 million.
Chief Warrant Officer Buddy Barcus (right) presents the Kentucky Warrant Officer of the Year trophy to Chief Warrant Officer James Taylor in Frankfort, Ky., Feb. 17, 2015. Taylor followed Barcus as the top warrant officer in Kentucky, both from the 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Scott Raymond)
“We all have success and failures,” he said. “In relation to my own experience I regularly refer to the book of Philippians 4:13 ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me,’ to overcome those tough assignments. I have found that over my 27 years of service the best way to influence other Soldiers to do their best is to know the standard, lead by example, and never give up. Always take the hard right over the easy wrong. The standards that we set as leaders will be the one that they use while making critical decisions.”
Taylor’s dedication extends beyond the uniform. A devout Christian, Taylor is an active member of two local churches where he has ministered for the past six years. He regularly coordinates and participates in food drives and various community service activities.
“Chief Taylor desire to serve others is continually inspiring,” said Command Chief Warrant Officer Dean Stoops. “He is always willing to travel and assist other Soldiers overwhelmed with tasks at hand. He is also adamant about inspiring others to go the extra mile.”
“He is the embodiment of the quiet professional,” said Stoops.
Story and photos by John Crosby, Atterbury-Muscatatuck Public Affairs
Kentucky National Guard Soldiers of the 103rd Chemical Battalion practice chemical decontamination during a simulated chemical weapons attack at Camp Atterbury, near Edinburgh, Ind., July 25. The battalion wide exercise was the culmination of two weeks of annual training. (Photo by John Crosby, Atterbury-Muscatatuck Public Affairs)
EDINBURGH, Ind. — The Kentucky National Guard’s 103rd Chemical Battalion conducted decontamination training at Camp Atterbury, near Edinburgh, Ind., July 25.
This culminating event, involving search and extraction, reconnaissance and decontamination teams, is the result of two weeks of annual training held here.
Kentucky National Guard Soldiers of the 103rd Chemical Battalion dismount their Humvees during a chemical decontamination exercise at Camp Atterbury, near Edinburgh, Ind., July 25. The battalion wide exercise was the culmination of two weeks of annual training. (Photo by John Crosby, Atterbury-Muscatatuck Public Affairs)
These troops conducted traditional Soldier skills training including weapons ranges and room clearing, as well as occupational specific training. Additionally, they conducted drivers familiarization training on the M113 Armored Personal Carrier equipped with an M58 Wolf Smoke Generator System. This system creates large plumes of smoke to provide concealment to Soldiers on the battlefield.
“We’ve been doing a lot of training this past year on the vehicle, but this is the first time we’ve been able to really get some hands on driving time, seeing what the vehicle can and can’t do and how it handles the terrain,” said Spc. Chris Mocabee, Chemical Specialist with the 301st Chemical Company. “Basically, if you’ve got a unit coming across the hot zone, we can provide smoke to limit the enemies visibility and make sure our guys don’t take any hits.”
This annual training period is the unit’s first since 2008. The unit deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2009-2010. In 2011 and 2012, the battalion trained to become part of the Kentucky Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High Yield Explosive Enhanced Response Force Package.
Kentucky National Guard Pfc. Kathrine Hix, Richmond, Ky., chemical specialist in Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 103rd Chemical Battalion inspects the chamber of an M249 Squad Automatic Weapon at Camp Atterbury, near Edinburgh, Ind., July 17. The battalion trained a variety of Soldier skills including the weapons ranges and room clearing operations, as well as occupational specialty specific training. (Photo by John Crosby, Atterbury-Muscatatuck Public Affairs)
“It’s been about five years since we’ve been out here as a unit in this capacity, training our traditional National Guard mission,” said 299th Chemical Company 1st Sgt. William Thompson Jr. “We’ve got so many new Soldiers in the unit, which is a plus when it comes to training because these younger guys have the fresh and latest techniques to share.”
The culminating event began with a simulated chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear related incident, in which Soldiers were contaminated. The M113 tracked vehicles rushed to the scene and deployed smoke. Reconnaissance forces donning gas masks and full chemical suits took out to search for casualties. Search and extraction teams helped gather casualties and guided them and their vehicles to the decontamination area where they were methodically filtered and cleaned of the attack.
“The day has been good, they’re operating smoothly now,” said Thompson of his Soldiers. “They’ve come a long way since the beginning of the week.”
Thompson added he hopes to return to Atterbury for annual training next year.
Story and photos by Pfc. Lerone Simmons, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
Soldiers with the Kentucky National Guard Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear high - yield Explosives team(CBRNE) transport a mock casualty as part of their CBRNE Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) training at Muscatatuck Urban Training Facility, North Vernon, Ind. Kentucky Guardsmen were rated the best in the nation based upon the training exercise.(Kentucky National Guard photo by Pfc. Lerone Simmons, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment/Released).
MUSCATATUCK URBAN TRAINING CENTER, Butlerville, Ind. - Kentucky National Guardsmen assigned to Kentucky’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High Yield Explosive (CBRNE) Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) can call themselves the nation’s best after an evaluation May 24 at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center in Butlerville, Ind.
“This is our culmination event and we wanted to be the best CERFP in the country,” said Lt. Col. Joseph H. Gardner, commander of the Richmond-based 103rd Chemical Battalion.
A joint-effort between Airmen from the 123rd Airlift Wing, Louisville, Ky., and Army Guardsmen from the 301st Chemical Company, Morehead Ky., 299th Chemical Company, Maysville, Ky., and 103rd Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, Richmond, Ky., the CERFP is a high-speed team that must be ready to deploy within six hours of a CBRNE attack, with a mission to locate and extract victims, perform mass patient or casualty decontamination and treat and stabilize patients for evacuation.
The team was validated on its ability to perform those tasks by observer controller trainers from the Joint InterAgency Training and Education Center.
“When real-world events happen, we want them to safely and efficiently get people out,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jared Lane, Observer Controller Trainer, JITEC.
In the event of an attack on the Commonwealth – or one of the eight Southeastern states Kentucky would respond to – CERFP Soldiers and Airmen must prioritize and quickly react.
“We want them to have the skills necessary to correctly assess the situation, then safely rescue and transport all casualties,” said Staff Sgt. Matthew Park, Observer Controller Trainer, JITEC.
According to Maj. Joseph Whitt, deputy commander of the CERFP, the team received a “T” rating, for trained in 16 collective tasks required to validate a CERFP mission.
“The raters said ‘we shattered all the CERFP records,’” he said.
“We had multiple best practices that the OCTs said would be taught to all CERFPs nationwide,” he said. “We beat all the records for the site set up, decontamination throughput, search operations and medical set-ups and treatment throughput.
“We are the best CERFP in the national CBRNE enterprise,” he said.
The training and validation of Kentucky’s CERFP proves that Kentucky’s Citizen Soldiers and Airmen stand always ready to support the Commonwealth.
For Spc. Jason Woodruff, litter bearer, 299th Chemical Co., said the CERFP team opened the door for joint-training with his Air Guard counterparts, something he wasn’t able to do before CERFP.
“The more training exercises like this, the better we can react,” he said.
Maj. Pirom Srinual, Joint Collective Training branch, National Guard Bureau, Maj. Paul A. Best, J39-Combatting Weapons Of Mass Destruction, NGB and Mark Honeycutt, NGB, observe Kentucky National Guardsmen transport a casualty during a training exercise May 23 at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, Butlerville, Ind. The Guardsmen are assigned to the Kentucky Chemical Radiological Nuclear High-Yield Explosives Enhanced Response Force Package which validated its mission May 24 at MUTC. (Kentucky National Guard Photo by Pfc. Lerone Simmons, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment/Released)
Kentucky’s top senior enlisted advisors said they are proud of the joint-efforts and the hard work the CERFP put into its validation. Command Sgt. Maj. David P. Munden, senior enlisted advisor Joint Forces Headquarters, said the certification is a big deal, and State Command Sgt. Maj. Gregory D. Armstrong agreed.
“This is one of Kentucky’s greatest assets that we will greatly benefit from in the years to come,” said Armstrong.
By David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs
Col. Charlie Jones presents Sgt. Christopher Pesut with the Kentucky Distinguished Service Medal. Pesut was recognized for rendering assistance to the injured driver of an overturned tractor trailer last June. (Photo by Freddie Maggard, National Guard Outreach)
Frankfort, Ky. (November 2, 2010) – The Soldier ideal is often summed up in the words “Be, Know, Do.” It can also be summed up with the name of Sgt. Christopher Pesut.
It was during his daily commute along I-64 in Clark County last June that Pesut saw a tractor trailer rig run off the road and overturn. Pesut immediately stopped to render assistance along with two civilians.
“I started running for the vehicle and saw the whole bottom was ripped out,” said Pesut. “I could see the driver’s legs, so I ran around to the other side and started yelling through the top because it was also ripped out. There was blood all over the place and the driver seemed pretty much out of it.”
Pesut assessed the situation and conferred with one of the civilians who identified herself as a nurse. The decision was made to extract the driver from the vehicle and render first aid. Pesut stayed long enough to brief paramedics on what happened and hand the injured man off for treatment.
“Then I got in my car and came on to work,” he said.
Pesut credits his combat lifesaver training and experience as a Soldier with the way he handled the situation.
“My first instinct was that I had to do something,” he said. “I was really nervous, but I went up there and automatically did my thing. I never hesitated.”
“I know for a fact that if I hadn’t been in the Guard I wouldn’t have reacted the way I did.”
For his actions Pesut received the Kentucky Distinguished Service Medal in a ceremony held last week at the Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort.
“The thing that touches me about what Sgt. Pesut did was that he responded, he did his job and then he walked off without seeking recognition,” said Col. Charlie Jones, who presented the award. “He didn’t even bother to hang around and take credit for what he did.”
Pesut’s actions came to the command’s attention only when he called to say why he was late to work.
“To him this was just a battle reaction drill,” Jones said. “He didn’t even think about it. He just did what he was trained to do and that was it. That is really impressive.”
A resident of Mount Sterling, Pesut works as a human resources specialist at Boone Center. He’s also a member of the 103rd Chemical Battalion.
His mother, Elizabeth Peters, is also a resident of Mount Sterling.
Pesut comes from a military background. His father and his uncle were both fighter pilots with the Navy and his grandfather flew in Vietnam with the Air Force. Their service inspired him to join the military.
“I just had to do the Army thing,” he said.
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MJO
By Sgt. Dale Elliott, 75th Troop Command, Unit Public Affairs Representative
Kentucky Guardsman Lt. Col. Jeffrey Stevens outgoing commander of the 103rd Chemical Battalion accepts the unit Gideon from Command Sgt. Maj. Todd Pack 103rd Chemical Battalion command sergeant major at Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center Oct. 02.
GREENVILLE, Ky. - The Dragon Warriors of the 103rd Chemical Battalion welcomed a new battalion commander during a change of command ceremony Oct. 2, at the Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center.
Maj. Joseph H. Gardner II assumed command from Lt. Col. Jeffrey Stevens who has accepted a position with the Office of the Inspector General.
Gardner said he looks forward to serving with the Soldiers of the 103rd.
“The 103rd Chemical Battalion has a rich and proud history,” he said. “I am honored and privileged to receive such an honor.”
Both his wife, Michelle Gardner, and daughter Grace were there to witness the ceremony.
The new first lady of the 103rd, also expressed her pride in both her husband’s new command and for the Guardsmen throughout the state.
“He has worked so hard and I am glad to see him receive such a great reward for all he has accomplished,” she said. “I believe in the people of the Kentucky National Guard and I respect all that the military does. I support him and his service.”
Kentucky Guardsman Maj. Joseph Gardner the incoming commander of 103rd Chemical Battalion accepts the unit Gideon from Colonel Wayne Burd, Commander of the 75th Troop Command at Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center Oct. 02
Gardner’s previous assignment was under the 75th Troop Command as deputy training officer.
Photos by Air Force Staff Sgt. Jason Ketterer
LEBANON, KY.—Funeral services were held for Kentucky Army National Guard Sgt. Randy A. Sigley Jr. April 25 at the Lebanon Baptist Church in Lebanon, Ky.
Sigley, 28, of Lebanon, died April 18, 2010 while on duty with the Kentucky Army National Guard’s 2123rd Transportation Company at the Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan. A member of the Kentucky Army National Guard since 2006, Sigley was in the United States Marine Corps from 2000 to 2004. He served a tour of duty in Afghanistan with the Marines.
Comments at the funeral service were given by Sigley’s battalion commander, Lt. Col. Jeff Stevens of the 103rd Chemical Battalion based out of Richmond, Ky. Stevens reflected on his own observations of Sigley saying he knew he was a professional Soldier after meeting him the first time.
“You could tell just by looking at him and talking to him that he was proud to be a Soldier,” Stevens said.
Stevens also read remarks by Sigley’s company commander, Capt. John Moore, and platoon leader, 2nd Lt. Hershel Anglin, in Afghanistan who both said Sigley was an outstanding Soldier who was well-respected by his peers and other members of the unit.
Interment was held at the Lebanon National Cemetery with full military honors.
