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

Governor Declares State of Emergency, Mobilizes National Guard

Gov. Jay Nixon has declared a state of emergency in Missouri and activated the Missouri National Guard in preparation for a severe winter storm that is moving into the region. The Governor and state emergency officials began monitoring the storm over the weekend, when the Governor ordered that emergency generators be deployed to staging locations across the state.

Earlier this afternoon, Gov. Nixon signed Executive Order 11-03 to declare a state of emergency in Missouri. The executive order activates the Missouri State Emergency Operations Plan, which allows state agencies to assist local jurisdictions with their emergency preparation and response. The Governor also signed Executive Order 11-04, which activates the Missouri National Guard in response to the storm. Under the Governor’s orders, Citizen-Soldiers from the Guard will be deployed to support local emergency agencies.

“Most of Missouri is expected to be affected by this severe winter storm, which is predicted to cause treacherous road conditions and possibly widespread power outages,” Gov. Nixon said. “My chief concern is the safety of Missourians, and these orders make state agency resources and the Citizen-Soldiers of the Missouri National Guard available to help communities respond. As state emergency officials continued to track the storm over the weekend, we worked closely with local agencies and faith and community groups to ensure that Missouri is as prepared as possible.”

Before signing these orders, Gov. Nixon received an updated briefing from his emergency management team, including senior officials from the Missouri Department of Public Safety, Missouri National Guard, Missouri State Highway Patrol and State Emergency Management Agency to assess the current weather situation and review the latest forecasts.

Under Gov. Nixon’s orders, the State Emergency Operations Center is now operating 24 hours a day. Liaison officers from the National Guard will begin working with county and local officials to determine where the Guard’s help is needed.

National Weather Service forecasts call for significant ice in some areas, widespread heavy snowfall of a foot or more, and sustained winds. These extreme conditions create a strong possibility of power outages. The Governor also cautions Missourians who see downed power lines to report them immediately to their electric utility; to stay away from the downed lines; and to warn others to do so as well.

The forecast also calls for temperatures to drop into the single digits or below in parts of Missouri later in the week. Gov. Nixon encourages Missourians to take steps to protect themselves and their families, including:

· Listen to radio, television, or NOAA Weather Radio for weather reports and emergency information, or visit the state’s Web site – MO.gov – for comprehensive emergency information.

· If you must drive, check MO.gov for road conditions before departing. Dial the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s emergency line – *55 from a cellular phone – if you encounter an accident while driving.

· Check on the elderly and neighbors who may be in need of additional assistance. For information about emergency services and resources, visit MO.gov.

Missourians who need disaster information, shelter information, and referrals are urged to call 211. The 211 service is now available for most areas of Missouri. In areas where the 211 service is not operational, citizens may call 800-427-4626.

In addition to the National Guard, state agencies that can be activated for duty under the order include: Missouri Department of Public Safety, State Emergency Management Agency, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Division of Fire Safety, Department of Agriculture, Department of Conservation, Department of Corrections, Department of Health and Senior Services, Department of Mental Health, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Social Services, Department of Transportation and the Office of Administration.

Non-government and volunteer working with the State Emergency Operations Center include the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, AmeriCorps, and the Governor’s Faith-Based and Community Service Partnership for Disaster Recovery.

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.