Missouri Guardsmen volunteer to fight flood

Throughout northwest Missouri it’s common to stumble upon people helping people during this time of distress. Not because they have to, but because they want to lend a hand. Two Citizen-Soldiers with the Missouri Army National Guard on flood duty are doing just that.

Sgt. Clint Bain, of Blythdale, and Spc. David Baker, of Albany, volunteered to be a part of the flood fight.

“We usually volunteer every time,” said Bain. “That’s just part of the Guard duty.”

These Soldiers have been working a security detail at Big Lake, Mo., this week, posted at checkpoints around the area. Though this is their first flood duty with the National Guard, they both have served in other state emergency situations, including the blizzard that hit Missouri earlier this year.

“That’s what we signed up to do,” said Baker. “I know if it were my Family that was in a disaster, we’d hope and pray somebody would come to our aid.”

“I joined to protect my Family and Families that live around me,” said Bain. “That’s part of our duty to come out here and help out as much as we can.”

The Citizen-Soldiers drill with Battery A, 1-129th Field Artillery in Albany. Bain and Baker, along with other fellow artillerymen, are working in Holt County supporting local authorities, such as the sheriff’s department.

While on mission, Soldiers are in constant communication with the Tactical Operations Center in Maryville, calling in reports every hour.

Bain has served in the National Guard for five years. He is a correctional officer at Crossroads Correctional Center in Cameron.

Baker has served three years in the National Guard and also farms row crop and raises cattle in Albany.

The Missouri National Guard is mobilized under the authority of Gov. Jay Nixon and reports to local civil authorities. The Missouri National Guard will remain on duty until released by the Governor and local civil authorities.

Citizen-Soldiers sacrifice Father’s Day to fight floods

On any given day, it’s easy to find a dad willing to do without for the sake of their Family. Father’s Day is a time to pause and thank dads everywhere for what they do all year long.

This Father’s Day there are some dads in northwest Missouri who are spending their special day on flood duty with the Missouri Army National Guard.

Citizen-Soldiers with the 1-129th Field Artillery headquartered in Maryville have been tapped to assist the flood fight along the Missouri River. A tactical operations center run out of the Maryville armory requires many dads to be away from home—even on Father’s Day.

Though being separated from Family is not always easy, it is not unfamiliar territory when serving in the military.

During his 14-year military career, Lt. Joshua Wilmes, of Maryville, said he has only been able to be with his three children for a handful of Father’s Days.

In 2007, while deployed to Afghanistan, Wilmes even missed the birth of his youngest child, Tucker, while serving his country. It was nearly a month before he saw his first photo of his only son and two months before he was able to meet him in person.

“Sometimes you have to make sacrifices,” said Wilmes. “It’s not a huge sacrifice that you have to make, it’s a small sacrifice, but some people are more willing to make those sacrifices than others. It’s not a big deal, that’s just how it is.”

Wilmes said that his wife, Rachelle, and children miss him when he’s gone, but they adjust to it.

“She [Rachelle] probably has the hardest job out of anyone to be honest with you,” said Wilmes. “My job is easy. She takes care of everything so I don’t have to have any distractions about what’s going on at home and I can focus on the mission.”

Another father of three, Staff Sgt. Allen Godsey, has also given up a lot as a father during his 13 years of service. He too was unable to be at the birth of his first child in 2004 while deployed on a stateside mission in Fort Lewis, Wa.

A few days after his son, Gage, was born, Godsey was able to spend a couple days with him before returning to his mission. He did not get to see Gage again for three months.

“That was really tough,” said Godsey.

When it is all said and done, Godsey said it is still worth it to service his country.

“There’s a since of satisfaction that you’re doing some good,” said Godsey. “When you put on the uniform you have a sense of pride.”

Since he lives in Maryville, Godsey does hope to be able to see his Family sometime on Father’s Day.

Another fellow artilleryman, Sgt. 1st Class Troy Shipley of Platte City, will be separated from his two children. Shipley did have the opportunity earlier in the week to spend time with his Family, but will not be able to see them on Father’s Day.

“I was supposed to be on vacation all this week,” said Shipley as a matter of fact and without complaint.

Even if such natural disasters don’t happen during a holiday, it’s safe to say those called up for duty, fathers or not, had other plans. Routinely, Guardsmen receive little notice and asked to drop what they are doing to help when needed staying true to their motto, always ready, always there.

Wilmes drills with Battery B, 1-129th FA in Chillicothe, and Godsey and Shipley drill with Headquarters, Headquarters Batallion, 1-129th FA in Maryville.

This is the fifth state emergency mission of the year. It is also the second flood mission the Missouri National Guard has taken on in 2011 and the seventh flood response since 2007.

For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please visit www.moguard.com and our social media sites:
www.facebook.com/Missouri.National.Guard; www.twitter.com/Missouri_NG; www.youtube.com/MoNationalGuard; www.myspace.com/missouri_ng; www.flickr.com/photos/missouriguard; www.blog.moguard.com

129th to be Honored August 24th

The Missouri Army National Guardsmen of Battery A and Headquarters Battalion, 1-129th Field Artillery, will be honored at a Freedom Salute ceremony honoring their contributions to Operation Enduring Freedom.
About 20 Citizen-Soldiers from units in Albany and Maryville will take part in the ceremony at Albany High School at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 24. The public is encouraged to attend and show their support.
These troops were mobilized to support Operation Enduring Freedom from Oct. 12, 2006 through March 15, 2008. While stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan, the Soldiers conducted security force missions including personnel security detail and force protection. The unit provided multiple mobile convoys for each shift and performed a variety of strategic missions outside the compound.
The Soldiers served alongside over 160 Missouri Guardsmen from across the battalion. Capt. Timothy Strohman, of Greenwood, and 1st Sgt. Charles Gardener, of Brookfield, commanded the company during the deployment.
For more information about this event, please contact Staff Sgt. Jonathan Clark at 660-726-5815.

129th Undergoes Weapons Training

Missouri Army National Guardsman Sgt. Kevin Ackley, of Grant City, is nearing the end of training at Camp Atterbury and looking forward to his next phase of training in Germany to support the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.
Ackley and his fellow Soldiers with Battery A, 1-129th Field Artillery recently started operating on a 24-hour cycle. As the noncommissioned officer in charge of the night shift, Ackley has had to make adjustments to the new schedule. Once in Kosovo, he will remain on the night shift. As training gets more intense, Ackley sees a lot of improvement in the way his team operates.
"It seems like the squads have come together a whole lot better, especially after getting maced," said Ackley.
Ackley makes light of the effects of being doused with pepper spray and tazered, but acknowledges that it is a vital part of his training.
"If you use non-lethal weapons, you have to have them used on you," said Ackley. "You need to know the side effects."
Instructors hook up the tazer to the Soldiers’ boots, they lock arms with their buddy and then receive 50,000 volts. It last for only a few seconds, but Ackley said the memories linger for a lifetime.
"I would rather get tazed a hundred times than sprayed with pepper spray though," said Ackley.
During training, Soldiers receive a squirt of pepper spray across the forehead to experience the effects. They then must complete some soldiering tasks while under the disorienting spray to fulfill the exercise. They have to show they are able to still function if they come in contact with the non-lethal liquid.
"If a cop ever threatens to mace you, go ahead and lay on the ground," said Ackley. "Six hours after the fact, you’re still feeling the effects."
After Atterbury, the Soldiers will finish their training in Hohenfels, Germany before heading to Kosovo.
For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please call 1-800-GoGuard or visit www.moguard.com.

Contant Promoted to Sergeant

ALBANY – Jeffrey Constant, of Springfield, was recently promoted to the rank of sergeant in the Missouri Army National Guard.
Constant is a member of Battery A, 1st Battalion 129th Field Artillery in Albany where he is a field artillery automated tactical data system specialist.
Constant is also one of more than 1,000 Citizen-Soldiers deploying as part of the NATO-led Kosovo Force 10 mission. He is currently training at Camp Atterbury in Indiana.
Constant has been in the Missouri Army National Guard for six years. He is a 2000 graduate of Worth County R-III High School, in Grant City. Constant is supported by his wife, Laura, and his son, Blayne. He is the son of Tracy and Lisa Constant, of Sheridan.

Over 200 flags to be flown over Kosovo

Lt. Governor Peter Kinder today presented over 200 American and Missouri state flags to officials from the Missouri Veterans Commission. These flags will be distributed to various bases throughout Kosovo housing Missouri’s most recent National Guard deployment.
"It is my hope that these flags will serve as a constant reminder to our men and women in Kosovo of our continued gratitude and support back home in Missouri," Kinder said. "After flying in Kosovo, these flags will be sent to schools and supporters across Missouri as a gift of appreciation from our soldiers."
The deployment, nicknamed "Kosovo Force 10," is the largest deployment of Missouri National Guard soldiers since World War 1. Over 1,000 Missouri soldiers are now at Camp Atterbury in Indiana training for their pending deployment to Kosovo. The troops will begin service in Kosovo this summer and are expected to be deployed until March 2009.
Lt. Governor Kinder asked members of the Missouri Senate and the Missouri House of Representatives to join him in donating an American and Missouri state flag as a token of gratitude for the service of Missouri National Guard members.
"I am thankful for the support of my friends in the general assembly," said Kinder. "Legislators, regardless of party affiliation, have joined together in this effort to thank our men and women protecting freedom’s cause overseas."
Lt. Governor Kinder serves as chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Council for Veterans Affairs.