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© 2013 KentuckyGuard
By Staff Sgt. Scott Raymond, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs, with contributions by Kentucky State Police Public Affairs
The Kentucky State Police Academy presented diplomas to 45 new troopers at ceremonies held in Frankfort on Oct. 29. Among the new Troopers were three Kentucky Guardsmen. (Photo courtesy of Kentucky State Police)
FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Kentucky State Police Academy presented diplomas to 45 new troopers at ceremonies held in Frankfort, Oct.29. Their addition to the force brings the agency’s strength to a total of 880 troopers serving the citizens of the Commonwealth.
Of those 45 new troopers three are all too familiar with wearing a common uniform and standing for something bigger than themselves. They are also Kentucky National Guardsmen.
Staff Sgt. Jordan Carter with the 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery graduated from the Kentucky State Police Academy Oct. 29, 2015. (Photo courtesy of Kentucky State Police)
Staff Sgt. Jordan Carter with the 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery, 1st Lt. Jacobe Farmer with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry and Sgt. Michael Jacobs from the 2123rd Transportation Company each accepted a new role and responsibility to the commonwealth.
“The National Guard had taught me numerous skills and values that helped me as a soldier,” said Jacobs. “However, I wanted a new challenge with similar interests that would help me adapt to a civilian career that I would enjoy.”
“I always wanted to be a Trooper. I figured that joining the Guard would help me obtain that goal,” said Carter. “Plus I like helping people so it provided a great opportunity.”
The new troopers are part of the agency’s 93rd cadet class. They reported for duty on May 24, 2015 in a class that consisted of 70 cadets.
The training included more than 1,000 hours of classroom and field study in subjects such as constitutional law, juvenile and traffic law, use of force, weapons training, defensive tactics, first aid, high speed vehicle pursuit, criminal investigation, computer literacy, hostage negotiations, evidence collection, radio procedures, search and seizure, crash investigation, drug identification, traffic control, crowd control, armed robbery response, land navigation, electronic crimes, sex crimes, hate crimes, domestic violence, bomb threats and hazardous materials.
1st Lt. Jacobe Farmer with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry graduated from the Kentucky State Police Academy Oct. 29, 2015. (Photo courtesy of Kentucky State Police)
Each Guardsman expressed a true desire to help others, the same thought that inspired them to join the military.
All three also are grateful for the training they have received in the Guard, which helped them through the Kentucky State Police Academy.
“Joining the guard prepared me in numerous ways and instilled in me the seven Army values which should be something that everyone lives by,” said Carter. “Being a Trooper involves so much and the seven Army values aren’t just “valued” by the Army. They are incorporated in the daily life of a Trooper as well.”
“Multi-tasking and attention to detail go hand and hand with what I have picked up from being in the Guard and my military training towards my career field in law enforcement,” said Farmer. “As a Trooper I will deal with a variety of events and at times they will be one after another and/or all together and for me to be able to handle many tasks at once while not leaving out important details is essential in my field.”
Lt. Col. L. Allen Joiner, commander of the 1/623rd said the unit is proud of Carter and their decisions of selfless service in multiple uniforms, a benefit he has seen first hand.
“Serving both on the State Police force and in the Kentucky National Guard, these individuals are able to acquire knowledge and experience that saves lives during Kentucky natural disasters and emergencies when these organizations are working side by side,” said Joiner. “An example is during the 2009 ice storm, one of our Soldiers, who was also a State Police officer was able to use his civilian position resources to provide current road conditions to our military units across Western Kentucky.”
Sgt. Michael Jacobs from the 2123rd Transportation Company graduated from the Kentucky State Police Academy Oct. 29, 2015. (Photo courtesy of Kentucky State Police)
Carter will be assigned to Post 3 in Bowling Green and Jacobs Post 16 in Henderson. Farmer joins Post 4 in Elizabethtown alongside Indiana National Guardsman Brad Holloman.
“Joining the KSP is not for the weak-hearted or weak-minded and it takes a special person to be a Kentucky State Trooper,” said Farmer “The training academy to many people would be the most physically enduring thing they have done, but in the end you are a part of the KSP family and the honor, respect, and tradition that it has and upholds.”
“Being a Trooper will benefit my military career in regards to maintaining discipline, staying vigilant, and performing at a higher standard,” said Jacobs. “I look forward to learning in both roles as a Soldier and Trooper to be the best I can be for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.”
Story by Sgt. Brandy Mort, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
2nd Lt. Cassandra Mullins salutes her husband, Master Sgt. Tim Mullins during a commissioning ceremony in Frankfort, Ky., Sept. 27, 2014. Mullins, like her husband, also serves as a trooper with the Kentucky State Police. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Scott Raymond)
FRANKFORT Ky. – Led by an unwavering passion to strive to always be a better person, one female Citizen, Soldier and Police Officer, continues to dedicate herself to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, to the Kentucky National Guard, and the Kentucky State Police.
Newly commissioned 2nd Lt. Cassandra Jo Mullins graduated Officer Candidate School at the State Capitol in Frankfort, Sept. 27, becoming one of 30 new leaders for the Kentucky Guard.
Kentucky National Guard 2nd Lt. and Kentucky State Police Detective Cassandra Mullins received the Kentucky State Police Citation for Bravery in Frankfort, Ky., May 14th. (photo submitted)
Mullins protects the Commonwealth of Kentucky in more than one way; as a Guardsman and as a trooper assigned to the KSP’s Training Academy. She has served in the Kentucky National Guard since 2012 and is a 5-year veteran of the KSP.
“Being an officer in the Kentucky Guard and a trooper go hand in hand,” said Mullins. “I try to look around to see how I can make a difference by making the world a better place. I think that one person can make a big difference, no matter how small you may think you are and no matter how many hats they wear. No matter what uniform you wear, you can make a difference.”
Mullins has various inspirations in her life, to include her mother and her husband. Both people have played key roles in the woman she has become today. Her mother taught her what kind of woman she wanted to be.
“My mother was a little woman,” said Mullins. “ She was a little over 5 feet tall and a little more than 100 lbs. But the impact she had on the woman I’ve become today has changed my life forever. My goal in life is to have the same drive and determination she had during her life.”
Her husband is also a trooper with the KSP and a Guardsmen. He has always been one of her biggest motivators and he has always been her number one supporter.
Master Sgt. Tim Mullins and his wife, 2nd Lt. Cassandra Mullins now share the same two occupations, as both serve the commonwealth as troopers with the state police and as Soldiers in the Kentucky National Guard. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. David Bolton)
“I am one hundred percent supportive of my wife’s decision to join the military and her choice of being an officer,” said Master Sgt. Tim Mullins. “Cassandra is a natural born leader. Her personality and attitude sets her up to be a perfect military leader. She is one of the hardest working and most driven people I have ever met. She is also very kind and compassionate and humble, all of which are great aspects of a military leader.”
Mullins hopes within the first year to motivate and shape female soldiers, as well as junior enlisted Soldiers, and help them reflect on what they’ve accomplished and ask what is next for them. She wishes they will always strive to reach forward in the same way she has, in order to make their communities, their state, their country and their world a better place.
Story and photos by Sgt. David Bolton, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs Office
Kentucky Guardsman Spc. Austin Kirk, a security specialist at Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort,Ky., plays the role of a terrorist during a training exercise designed to simulate a suicide bomb attack August 15, 2012. Ginger Starrett and Brady Murphy, also security specialists at BNGC were on scene to apprehend Kirk as he attempted to detonate a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device. (photo by Sgt. David Bolton, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs Office)
FRANKFORT, Ky.— An unassuming vehicle pulls up to the front gate of the Boone National Guard Center August 15, 2012 in Frankfort, Ky. It’s a typical Wednesday afternoon. The driver is motioned forward by Ginger Starrett, a security specialist assigned to BNGC. White-knuckled with a stone-cold face, the driver pulls up to the entry control point. Noticing his stern demeanor, Starrett begins to inspect the vehicle with a discerning eye. An instant later, the driver has pulled out a homemade detonator and attempts to set off a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED).What happened next was part of a carefully designed and choreographed series of events that was meant to diminish any further threat to service members and civilians working at BNGC.
“We have a plan for Boone Center”, said Eldern Riley, State Anti-terrorism Program Manager. “Protect the assets and resources of the Kentucky National Guard including personnel and facilities.”
Col. Charlie Harris, State Security Manager, said that in addition to exercising the plan to keep the people of BNGC safe, the coordination with other agencies like the Kentucky State Police Bomb Squad and the Frankfort Police Department was important.
Despite the intensity of this event, it is not the first rigorous training exercise that has taken place at BNGC. Other scenarios have included an active shooter situation in which the security forces had to respond to a shooter on post.
“Our security force has done a lot,” said Larry McCord, Security Operations Chief at BNGC. “J2 (which deals with physical, personnel, and intelligence security) writes the plans and someone must implement it, we can do that.”
Jennifer Chilton, an Interim Security Specialist at Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, Ky., directs traffic away from the front gates after a Vehicle-Bourne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) was detected as part of a bomb threat exercise scenario at BNGCC in Frankfort, Ky., Aug. 15, 2012. (Photo by Sgt. David Bolton, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs Office)
The hard work of the BNGC officers has not gone unnoticed. Over the past few years the BNGC has been presented the Army Security Award as well as the Department of the Army’s Best Antiterrorism Program Unit for 2011.The process of responding and adjusting to these kinds of threats is continually revamped based on prior exercises and training simulations.
“We learned some things and we’ll use what we learned to update future plans,” said Harris.
McCord noted that the exercise was a huge success saying, “It’s a big feather in our cap for the Kentucky State Police to give us credit for our part in the exercise.
The true benefit of conducting this kind of life-like training is the payoff that it brings.
Riley said that the training exercises helped the younger officers to prepare for real world events.
“There’s a lot more than most people think,” said McCord. “Someday, someone is going to make a move and I hope that we’re there to catch it. It’s not a matter of if, but when.”
The Kentucky Guard Command Staff directed August as Antiterrorism Awareness Month to bring a heightened sense to the potential threats against personnel and facilities throughout Kentucky.
Story by David Altom, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs
Floyd Hunsaker is a former Kentucky State Trooper who brings his experience and expertise to help Soldiers who have suffered post-traumatic stress injuries. (Photo by David Altom, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs)
FRANKFORT, Ky. – Ten years of war has transformed the Kentucky National Guard in ways that haven’t been evident since the days of Vietnam and even World War II. After mobilizing more than 14,000 Soldiers and Airmen on two fronts, with missions as diverse as aviation and airlift support, force protection, convoy security and special operations, this organization has developed a history of service that is second to none.
There is price for fighting wars, however. And it is always paid by the individual man or woman in uniform. Physical injuries, mental stress, months away from home in austere conditions under a constant threat of attack, all of these elements shape a Soldier’s behavior and their perspective on the world. The challenge comes when it’s time to head home; switching from the battlefield to “Fort Living Room” isn’t an instant process. In many cases the transition is never addressed in proper fashion … and that’s when problems at home arise.
It’s the job of professionals like Floyd Hunsaker to help Kentucky’s Citizen Soldiers make that much needed transition. Hunsaker is the Director of Psychological Health for the Kentucky Army National Guard. A licensed therapist, it’s his job to identify and assess problems with Soldiers, and then find help for those who need it.
Separating the battlefield from the home field — Troops oftentimes bring the stress of war home with them and that’s not always properly addressed, says Hunsaker. (File photo)
“We’re here to help Soldiers any way we can. If we can’t help them we’ll find the right person that can,” said Hunsaker. “Just give me a chance, that’s all I’m asking.”
Hunsaker is an expert on what he calls “post-traumatic stress injuries.” Early in his 26 year career in law enforcement he was involved in a shootout and suffered multiple gunshot wounds. He emerged victorious in the gunfight, but that didn’t make his recovery easy. Based on that experience he went on to establish a program for the Kentucky State Police that addressed the needs of troopers who suffered physical and mental injuries in the line of duty.
“I know what it’s like to get shot, I know what it’s like to undergo physical therapy,” he said. “That helps me identify with Soldiers who’ve been deployed.”
“I want to make sure they don’t have to go through what I did,” he said.
Hunsaker said the personalities of police officers and Soldiers who’ve been under fire are similar.
“They can be distrustful and think they don’t need any help and they don’t like to show any sign of weakness,” he said.
That’s all right on the battlefield, but not necessarily on the homefield. He compares a behavior injury with a physical one.
“If you break your arm you need to get it fixed. The same goes for your mental health.”
Hunsaker is very protective of the Soldiers he works with. Referrals and counseling are strictly confidential. No one from a Soldier’s unit is ever contacted and the commanding officer is not informed if a Soldier seeks out help.
“This has no impact on the Soldier’s career,” he said. “We want to help them recover so they can go on to productive lives and as military professionals.”
If you need help or you know some who does, contact Hunsaker at [email protected] or call him at 502-330-2041 or 502-607-1939.
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Jerry Rains, Regional Response Manager for Kentucky Emergency Management, talks with members of the Kentucky National Guard about the flooding situation in the Grand Rivers area on May 5, 2011. KYEM personnel and Guardsmen are currently deployed to multiple locations across Western Kentucky. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Dennis Flora, Kentucky Air National Guard)
FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 6, 2011) — Here are some photos and video shot by Kentucky National Guard photographers of the flood relief effort in Western Kentucky.
Click here for more Kentucky National Guard images.
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Staff Sgt. Jedadiah Cossel and McCracken County Emergency Management member, John Colson, assess the current water level on a McCracken County highway that serves as a major artery for the county. (Photo by Sgt. Chad Massingale, Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery)
Kentucky National Guard Soldiers in humvees assist Kentucky Emergency Management officials in flood damage assessment surveys in McCracken County. (Photo by Pfc. Justin Lindsey, Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion 623rd Field Artillery)
On May 5, 2011, the Army Corps of Engineers detonated a levee located on the Mississippi River near Hickman, Ky. to relieve stress that was causing additional flooding to surrounding communities. (Photo by Sgt. Bryan Ploughe, 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery Unit Public Affairs Historian Representative.)
Spc. John Wilson with A Battery, 1st Battalion, 623d Field Artillery, carefully plots road blockages in Livingston Co.(Grand Rivers) Ky. while helping support flood relief efforts with Kentucky Division of Emergency Management in the mobile emergency response center. (Photo by Sgt. Bryan Ploughe, 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery Unit Public Affairs/Historian Representative.)
Pfc. Jacob Manning, 1123rd Sapper Company, Kentucky National Guard out of Leitchfield, Ky, stops traffic at an entry control point leading into the city of Smithland, Ky. on May 5, 2011. The entry control points help protect the community from looting and unauthorized entry from non-residents. Guardsmen are currently deployed to six counties locations across Western Kentucky. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Dennis Flora, Kentucky Air National Guard)
Pvt. Dustin Girten and Pfc. Chad Frank of the 1123rd Sapper Company patrol by foot along the levee in Smithland, Kentucky on May 5, 2011. Guardsmen are currently deployed to multiple locations across Western Kentucky, including Hickman and Smithland. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Dennis Flora, Kentucky Air National Guard)
Story and photos by David Altom, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs Office
email: [email protected]
October 8, 2010
Part three of a three-part series
"I think I won the lottery!" The Kenai Peninsula Experimental Aircraft Association treated Kentucky's wounded warriors to a unique tour over Alaskan glaciers. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
Gratitude is the other defining characteristic of the warriors. The most commonly heard phrase – “I think I won the lottery!” – is repeated over and over again when the Kentuckians are invited to fly over some local glaciers. The Kenai Peninsula Chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association break out a variety of bush planes, float planes and other small aircraft to take them on the tour of a lifetime. The veterans fly for nearly two hours, winding among mountain tops and through glacial valleys unlike anything they have seen back home. Beaming faces and excited talk are plentiful as they egress from their rides.
Spc. Henry James gets a world class view of Alaskan glaciers thanks to the Kenai Peninsula Experimental Aircraft Association. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
Sgt. Casey Cooper takes a glacier tour in an Alaskan bush plane courtesy the Kenai Peninsula Experimental Aircraft Association. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
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A glacier tour via float plane was just one of several adventures the Kentucky troops enjoyed as part of Operation Wounded Warrior Alaska. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
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During quiet moments waiting for aircraft, or around the campfire, stories are told and notes are compared. Anger and frustration with the system are met with compassion and brotherly support. James, who was in the gunner position when an IED hit his hummer in 2005, talks of the difficulties he has gone through following major surgeries on his face and spine.
Despite his injuries Staff Sgt. Ken Wininger still trains troops for the Kentucky Army National Guard. The Alaska trip allowed him to connect with other wounded warriors. "We only met each other a few days ago, but we are probably one of the tightest crews you'll ever meet." (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
Wininger can identify with his brother Soldier. Back during his 2007 tour in Afghanistan a double-stacked anti-tank landmine IED crushed his foot. Now he listens to James, silent at first, then responds.
“You better stop now, brother. I’m about ready to go back and kick some ass.”
Nightly sessions around the fire pit cemented the bond between the troops. Salmon Catcher Lodge provided accommodations for Operation Wounded Warrior Alaska. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
Such support prevails throughout the mission. There are no posers here, no pretenders, no whiners. Everyone has the proverbial “t-shirt” and mutual respect is the name of the game. Commiseration evolves into problem solving and long-term planning. The fishing trip turns into a series of mini-summits on the plight of Kentucky’s wounded warriors.
“At home I’m not able to do a whole lot,” says James. “This has been great to get outdoors to see the moose and nature, seeing the countryside. This has been great for me, really wonderful for me. I miss the guys, above the fishing. I miss the troops, the people I was with. I miss talking to them, how they’re doing, how their families are doing. When you’re hurt you turn to each other.”
Staff Sgt. Ken Wininger and Spc. Henry James, half a world away from the battlefields that changed their lives. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
Spc. Henry James fighting an Alaskan halibut. James was in the gunner's seat when his hummer was hit by an IED in 2005, severely injuring his face and spine. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs)
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Hightower sees a lot of value in the discussion and wants to keep up the momentum for the wounded troops.
“We believe as a group we have good ideas that can help other wounded Soldiers and future wounded Soldiers,” he says. “Every individual Soldier is different in their experience. Collectively there is a lot of information, a lot of pointers that we can provide to assist others in their process.”
The trip is not without its challenges, but determination and teamwork can move mountains apparently. In addition to the Kentucky Army and Air National Guard staffers working out the trip details, the Mississippi Air Guard provides space on a C-17 transport to the 49th state and the Nebraska Air Guard gives up some seats on a KC-135 tanker for the return leg. Private donations come in from sources as diverse as members of Governor Beshear’s office staff, the Kentucky State Police Professional Association, along with dozens of friends, family and members of the Kentucky Guard who are touched by the Soldiers’ stories.
The members of Operation Wounded Warrior Alaska after a hard day's work. Terry Johnson, owner of Salmon Catcher Lodge, donated accommodations for the mission. "Giving something like this away is a little thing compared to what these guys have gone through. If I could I’d do it for every Soldier in the darned Army," says Johnson. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
One of the biggest contributors is Terry Johnson, owner of the Salmon Catcher Lodge where the troops stay for most of their Alaskan visit. Johnson turned the entire lodge over to the team for an entire week. A retired pilot for UPS and former Louisville resident, he has a habit of contributing to worthy causes. He has given up rooms at his lodge for several charitable causes, the IPA Children’s Hospital and the Dream Foundation to name a couple. Stricken by kidney disease himself, he identifies with the troops and their individual struggles with their health.
“I was touched by the sense of duty our troops showed following 911,” Johnson says. “About eighty percent of the pilots I work with are in the military, so I have great respect for what they do. I told my family that if I wasn’t a pilot I’d be a Soldier or a cop or a fireman.”
Johnson says he would like to host more trips for Kentucky’s wounded warriors and has invited them to come back next year.
“I came to realize that life isn’t about what’s in it for me. Giving something like this away is a little thing compared to what these guys have gone through. I’m in the fortunate position where I can do this for others. If I could I’d do it for every Soldier in the darned Army.”
Reed echoes the desire for a repeat mission.
“We have about 34 wounded warriors in the Kentucky Guard,” he says. “I’d like to get every one of those guys involved and get them up here. “I consider anybody who’s been to Iraq or Afghanistan, who’s been wounded or hurt, they’re national treasures, because they know what it means, they know what dedication is, they know what service is.
“We need to listen to these guys, get their input on a lot of things we do in the Kentucky National Guard and the Department of Defense as a whole. They know what they’re talking about when it comes to their situation. They love their country. They stepped up to the plate and it cost them.”
The members of Operation Wounded Warrior Alaska prepare to board a Nebraska Air National Guard KC-135 headed for "the lower 48." “I consider anybody who’s been to Iraq or Afghanistan, who’s been wounded or hurt, they’re national treasures" says Reed. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
The return flight on the refueling tanker is quiet and uneventful. The troops mentally prepare to see their families and reminisce about their adventure.
Wininger talks about the special joy he found in traveling with his team. “You could do all this by yourself, but it wouldn’t be as much fun. We only met each other a few days ago, but we are probably one of the tightest crews you’ll ever meet. In just a week we’ve become really close.”
Austin, the trip’s practical joker and commentator, is especially poignant about leaving his team mates.
“I’m having a hard time thinking about going back home,” he says. “I’m starting to think I’m gonna get back in this again, and I’m gonna miss it even more.
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Story and photos by David Altom, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs Office
email: [email protected]
October 7, 2010
Part two of a three part series
Staff Sgt. Bart Greenwood and Master Sgt. Brett Hightower have a close encounter with an Alaskan native. Hightower holds a miniature version, a gift from his children that accompanied him during his wartime deployments. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
As anyone who has “been there, done that” can attest, humor is a great stress reliever as well as part of the teambuilding process. Friendly jibes are passed between the warriors and the resulting comebacks invariably trigger a back blast of laughter among the team. On the water Hightower gets the reputation of having the worst luck catching fish until the very last minute. That is when he pulls in one of the largest catches of the day.
Master Sgt. Brett Hightower loves being in Alaska with his brothers in uniform. "This trip meant the opportunity to spend time with Kentucky National Guard Soldiers. The fellowship, the kinship, you kind of miss that." (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
Master Sgt. Brett Hightower with the catch of a lifetime. Hightower is one of six injured Kentucky Army National Guard Soldiers who took part in Operation Wounded Warrior Alaska. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
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“Way to go, master sergeant!” someone hollers. Hightower’s grin reveals an impish pleasure. Eyes alight, he takes the kidding, refines it and tosses it back, igniting a secondary burst of laughter. He’s just glad to be with the troops and they’re glad he’s with them.
“For me this trip meant the opportunity to spend time with Kentucky National Guard Soldiers,” says Hightower. “It’s the first time since my injury that I’ve been with a group of Guard guys who have been deployed, who have a whole lot in common, who have been injured. These are guys who have been deployed and served our state and our nation honorably.”
His smile is emphasized by a dimple on his cheek, a subtle reminder of his 2008 encounter with a grenade and small arms fire.
“The fellowship, the kinship, you kind of miss that.”
Jaremy Austin was wounded in a IED blast during his 2005 deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. "This is way beyond what I expected," he says of Operation Wounded Warrior Alaska. (photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
Austin’s humor pushes the envelope, but the team understands. He lost an eye when a car bomb exploded on him in Iraq. He now has a Chevrolet insignia printed on the side of his glass replacement and he isn’t shy about showing it to the guides or anyone else who is standing within range. A moment of disbelief is followed by guffaws and laughter, and an instant bond is formed.
“I’m here, but I ain’t all there,” Austin says with a boyish smile that belies his injuries.
Getting in and out of the boats is not easy for the 28 year old war veteran, but he carries on like he is still wearing the uniform. Not once during the expedition does he complain. Like the others, he feels like he has won the lottery.
“This is way beyond what I expected,” he says. “I love the outdoors. I like fishing back home, but this is Alaska.”
Chatter between catches gets the troops talking about their experiences. Austin talks about his year in Walter Reed. The others let him go on, and then someone gets a bite and the rhythm changes completely.
Austin smiles in the ensuing chaos. “I love this. The best thing about this has been the camaraderie with the guys. I think it’s more because I’m with Kentucky guys.”
Jaremy Austin, Sgt. Casey Cooper and Ricky Brooks band together to bring in a halibut. "This best thing about this has been the camaraderie with the guys," says Austin. "I think it's because I'm with the Kentucky guys." (photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
"W" for "wounded warrior": Jaremy Austin, Sgt. Casey Cooper and Ricky Brooks display the spoils of battle. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
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The concept of comradeship may seem cliché in today’s media saturated society, but here on the Kenai Peninsula it defines this team. At one point Austin fights to bring in a halibut, his injured arm giving out after an epic fight. Brooks and Cooper pitch in and all three have hands on the rod as the fish is drug into the net. Beaming with pride, they pose with their trophy, Austin giving the “W” sign – “wounded warrior.”
The warriors’ stories are like their injuries, similar, but different. Hit by a VBIED (vehicle born improvised explosive device) in 2005, Brooks found his wounds compounded by the death of his brother-in-law, Eric Lee Toth, who was killed in the blast. Out of the Guard now, Brooks currently serves as a Kentucky State Trooper. He looks at the trip as a way to reconnect with his military past and share his experiences with new friends.
“When I got the call to go to Alaska it caught me completely off guard,” he says. “This is a trip I always wanted to do. It’s a dream come true. I’ve got a new network of friends, some good times and stories I’ll tell when I get back home.”
He pauses for a moment. “I’ll never forget being wounded. And I’ll never forget Alaska. This is something I’ll remember the rest of my life.”
Hit by a vehicle-born IED in 2005, Brooks' found his injuires compounded by the loss of his brother-in-law, Eric Lee Toth, who was killed in the same blast. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
Brooks and Austin working together in search of halibut on Cooks Inlet, Alaska. "I'll never forget being wounded," says Brooks. "And I'll never forget Alaska. This is something I'll remember the rest of my life." (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
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Brooks’ energy contrasts with that of Cooper, who was injured during the March 20, 2005 firefight at Salman Pak, Iraq. Cooper does not talk much about the war, focusing more on his family and friends and duties as a full-time Guardsman. Looking younger than his battlefield experience – he is “carded” at least once in a restaurant – his quiet reserve is broken during moments like the fight to bring in the halibut.
A great day to be in the Kentucky National Guard! Sgt. Casey Cooper enjoys a day of halibut fishing on Cooks Inlet, Alaska. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
“I felt obviously honored and privileged,” the military police NCO says of his invitation to go on the trip. “I felt a sense of ‘why me’, as opposed to those who are more deserving. Some of these guys continue to fight their battles on a daily basis. These are the ones who really deserve this.”
Cooper served a second tour of duty in Iraq since his injuries and continues to help train Soldiers. He is also married to a Guard member, Staff Sgt. Emily Cooper. His professional and private lives intertwined, he is thoughtful about what trips like this mean to his fellow troops.
A long way from Iraq. Sgt. Casey Cooper has served a second tour of duty since the 2005 Battle of Salman Pak. "I felt obviously honored and privileged," he says of being invited to Alaska. "Some of these guys continue to fight their battles on a daily basis." (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
“Any show of faith from the military and private sponsors is a great morale boost for these guys. This shows that the support we get from the Kentucky National Guard is more than lip service. They really provide the kind of support these guys need.”
(Tomorrow: Gratitude, reflections and home)
Story and photos by David Altom, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs Office
email: [email protected]
October 6, 2010
Part one of a three part series
The scenario is familiar. Getting up at oh-dark-early, the gathering together of Soldiers and gear on a quiet airfield. The smell of aviation fuel and the call of “Load up, gentlemen.” The hurry up and wait. The long flight. And finally, in country.
Six Kentucky Citizen-Soldiers, all wounded warriors, offload their gear from their ride, an Air National Guard C-17. They smile and laugh. They have plenty of reason to be happy. This time their destination is not the streets of Baghdad or some lonely outpost in Afghanistan. This time it’s the wilderness of Alaska. Their assignment: a few days of adventure, fun, and – most importantly – comradeship.
A joint effort between the Kentucky National Guard and dozens of generous individuals, Operation Wounded Warrior Alaska has a single focus – take a small group of battered war veterans who put their lives on the line for their fellow Soldiers and their nation, remove them from their daily grind and give them a chance to rejuvenate, recreate and reconnect.
And what better backdrop than the last great American frontier?
Hurry up and wait: Master Sgt. Brett Hightower enjoys the spacious accommodations of a Mississippi Air National Guard C-17 en route to a week of healing and adventure. Hightower was one of six injured Kentucky Army National Guard Soldiers who took part in Operation Wounded Warrior Alaska. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
Kentucky Army National Guard Sgt. First Class Chuck Reed came up with the idea for the trip. A retired Kentucky State Trooper and a member of the Guard for 37 years, Reed is a frequent visitor to the 49th state and a part-time employee at the Salmon Catcher Lodge where the troops will stay during their visit.
“I thought, what a great way, if we could work out a trip for some of our wounded warriors,” Reed says. “I talked with Terry Johnson, the owner of the lodge, and he was extremely supportive. It took a little while but we worked things out.”
Reed’s expectations are simple. “I just want the guys to experience Alaska because they have paid so much and given so much. It is just one way to help reinvigorate their fighting spirit and to possibly pay back a little.”
The wounded warriors include Master Sgt. Brett Hightower, Staff Sgt. Ricky Brooks, Staff Sgt. Ken Wininger, Sgt. Casey Cooper, Spc. Henry James and Spc. Jaremy Austin. Staff Sgt. Bart Greenwood, an Iraqi War veteran, serves as their escort and support staff. They are all met by Reed upon their arrival at Elmendorf Air Force Base, just outside the city of Anchorage, following a chain of flights courtesy of a Kentucky National Guard C-23 Sherpa and a Mississippi Air National Guard C-17.
Spc. Henry James, Spc. Jaremy Austin and Staff Sgt. Bart Greenwood share a moment at an arts fair in Anchorage before heading out for the Kenai Peninsula. Camaraderie between the troops was strong throughout Operation Wounded Warrior Alaska. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
The schedule begins with a visit to the city of Anchorage, then a leisurely drive to the Kenai Peninsula for several days of fishing and taking in the Alaskan countryside.
Alaskan hospitality is evident everywhere the warriors travel. Seventy-four year old Ron Fike welcomes the Kentuckians to his home, an aircraft hangar adjacent to a lonely gravel airstrip. Fike, the archetype Alaskan, smiles modestly as he shows off his experimental plane and workshop. The troops are fascinated as he tells of chasing a bear off his property just a few days before.
“I’m a disabled veteran, too, from Korea, so I can identify with them,” says Fike. “I’m glad to see men like that come and visit.”
Korean War veteran Ron Fike (center) shows off his pride and joy to the Kentucky Guard wounded warriors. Surrounding Fike are Chuck Reed, Jaremy Austin, Casey Cooper, Ricky Brooks, Brett Hightower, Ken Winninger, Henry James and Chad Carroll. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
Airplanes in Alaska are like pickup trucks in Kentucky. It seems that just about everybody has one. Johnny Evans, an Alaskan state park ranger and friend of Reed, flies as part of his ranger duties. Unlike Fike, who lives in an apartment in his hangar, Evans built one on the front of his house. The Kentuckians feel privileged when they are told they have full run of the house during a dinner held in their honor.
Sgt. 1st Class Chuck Reed and Alaskan Park Ranger Johnny Evans discuss their favorite subject: Alaska. "I just want the guys to experience Alaska because they have paid so much and given so much," says Reed. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
“Alaskans love the veterans,” Evans says. “When I told everyone the wounded warriors were coming to visit, there was an outpouring of food and money to help them out on this trip. People appreciate what these guys have done for our country. I am honored. I respect these guys and love’m. I’d do this all the time if I could.”
Despite being told “take it easy and have fun, guys,” the troops pitch in wherever the need comes up. During the cookout at Evans’ home Brooks and Wininger take over grilling duties, freeing the host to entertain his guests. When Evans jumps in his airplane – in t-shirt and flip-flops, no less – and takes off to run an errand, he showers gravel into his newly constructed hangar. Hightower, ever the NCO, puts down his Alaskan beer, picks up a broom and starts sweeping. A few minutes later and the hangar looks brand new and ready for inspection.
“Now that’s a Soldier,” someone says. Everyone smiles and nods.
Old habits die hard.
(Tomorrow: Humor, adventure and brotherhood. Oh, and some fishing, too!)
Spc. Jaremy Austin and Staff Sgt. Ricky Brooks give their approval. Both were severely injured by improvised explosive devices while serving in Iraq with the Kentucky Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
ACH
Story by Capt. Andi Hahn/KYNG Public Affairs Office
Photos courtesy of Kentucky State Police Media Relations
Kentucky State Police Commissioner Rodney Brewer (left) and Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary J. Michael Brown (right) presented Tpr. Timothy Mullins (second from left), of KSP Post 13 in Hazard, and retired Tpr. Richard Miller (second from right), of Hazard, with the Governor’s Medal of Valor in Louisville on May 5.
FRANKFORT, Ky.- The Kentucky State Police announced the 2009 Trooper of the Year, the Commercial Vehicle Officer of the Year, two Governor’s Medal of Valor recipients and 46 other awards for acts of bravery, life-saving, professionalism and dedication to duty today at the Holiday Inn Hurstborne Lane in Louisville.
Trooper 1st Class and Sgt. Maj. Timothy Mullins of Post 13 in Hazard and the Kentucky Army National Guard’s 198th Military Police Battalion, along with retired Trooper Richard Miller, a former Kentucky Guardsman, received the Governor’s Medal of Valor, the highest honor that can be bestowed upon an officer of the agency for conspicuous heroism in the line of duty under circumstances of extreme personal hazard. It is awarded only by order of the Governor of the Commonwealth.
Mullins and Miller, also a former Kentucky Guardsmen, received the honor for an incident that occured in June 2006 where they entered a burning building and rescued a stranded man.
More recently on Jan 27, 2010, Mullins was the trooper on location of an overturned vehicle where a woman was trapped. 2nd Lt. John L. McMahan, a Kentucky Guardsman in the same MP Battalion as Mullins, stood in the freezing water rendering aid to the woman for more than half an hour until firefighters arrived to extricate her from her automobile. Mullins notified the battalion of McMahan’s quick reaction in saving the woman’s life. McMahan was honored with the Medal of Valor earlier this year.
Mullins, who has been with the Kentucky State Police for 19 years and the Kentucky National Guard for 23 years, said he was honored to receive this award but said he did nothing that any of the other Troopers wouldn’t have done if they had been there.
“I was just at the right place at the right time and did what I was trained to do,” Mullins said.
