FORGING THE

JRTC & FORT POLK GUARDIANTHE

Home of Heroes @ Fort Polk, LA Aug. 21, 2020Vol. 47, No. 34

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Inside the Guardian

WARRIOR SPIRIT

Empowering spouses ... 3

Army resilience .......... 6

‘Put me in coach’ ....... 8

BOSS winners ........... 10

Why we should vote .. 11

Fore! ....................... 13

Strike: Air assaultScreaming Eagles soar into JRTC Rotation 20-09

FORT POLK, La. — Joint Readi-ness Training Center Rotation 20-09got off to a flying start as CH-47Chinook and UH-60 Blackhawk hel-icopters inserted elements andequipment of the 2nd Brigade Com-bat Team, 101st Airborne Division(Air Assault) into the JRTC box inthe early morning hours of Aug. 17.

Thirty-eight Soldiers with the 1stBattalion, 320th Field Artillery Regi-ment, 2nd BCT, 101st Abn Div, es-tablished a gun emplacement withM119 howitzers to provide coverfire for an air assault operation.

That operation took place be-tween 11:30 p.m. Aug. 18 and about6:30 a.m. Aug. 19, and consisted of372 Soldiers with equipment from1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regi-ment, 2nd BCT, 101st Abn Div do-ing battle with JRTC’s world-fa-mous Opposing Forces — 1st Battal-ion, 509th Infantry Regiment Geron-imos.

Lt. Col. John Britton, an Observer,Controller/Trainer with JRTC Oper-ations Group Task Force Aviation,said the first night’s plan called for1/320 FA to get its batteries in placeto provide support for the next

night’s air assault, which Brittonsaid was a complex operation.

“It gave the unit an opportunityto come down and train at a levelthey can’t do at home station, whichis integrating a true, dedicatedground force with a complementingaviation task force,” Britton said.“Because of COVID restrictionsback home, they haven’t been ableto do this type of training for thepast four or five months, so comingdown to JRTC has provided them amedium to do that.”

Britton said the air assault opera-tion on the second night consistedof UH-60 Blackhawks, CH-47 Chi-nooks, attack helicopters, un-manned aerial systems and CAS(close air support).

“There was every (aviation) facetyou can imagine that you can’t getback at home station,” he said.“Having to coordinate those issomething units aren’t able to do,like having heavy PZ (pickup zone)operations, where they’re having tomove vehicles, equipment and wa-ter buffaloes — all the things need-ed to ensure sustainment forground forces. It’s an amazing op-portunity to be able to come downhere and do it self-contained.”

To complicate matters even more,

Britton said the operations wereconducted using night vision gog-gles.

“That is probably the hardestmedium you can choose for avia-tion operations, and to top it off, itwas 0% illumination,” he said. “It

was impressive. Their ability tofight through multiple challenges,delays and air space coordinationwas good.”

The environmental conditions

By CHUCK CANNONCommand information officer

Soldiers with 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division(Air Assault) practice sling load operations at Fort Polk’s Self ArmyAirfield prior to air assault operations Aug. 17.

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VViieewwppooiinnttIn our view

Guardian staff asked the JRTC and Fort Polk community, "Who is your favorite superhero and why?"

Here are their responses:

The Guardian, is an authorizedpublication for members of the U.S.Army. Contents of the Guardian arenot necessarily official views of, orendorsed by, the U.S. Government,Department of Defense, Departmentof the Army or Fort Polk.

The Guardian is published weeklyby the Public Affairs Office, JointReadiness Training Center and FortPolk.

The Guardian can be found on theJRTC and Fort Polk web site athome.army.mil.polk and the JRTCand Fort Polk Facebook page at@JRTCandFortPolk/. Guardianarchives can also be found on theJRTC and Fort Polk website.

Links to the Guardian are alsoincluded in all-users emails to govern-ment email users and by request tonon-military units. To be included onall-users messages emailkimberly.k.reischling.civ@mail.mil.

All editorial content of theGuardian is prepared, edited, provid-ed and approved by the Public AffairsOffice, Joint Readiness TrainingCenter and Fort Polk.

For more information on Fort Polkunits and happenings visit the follow-ing Facebook pages: @JRTCOperationsGrp,@BayneJonesACH or @fort-polkmwr.

GuardianEditorial Staff

Brig. Gen. Patrick D. Frank

Joint Readiness Training Centerand Fort Polk commanding general

Col. Ryan K. Roseberry

Garrison commander

Kim ReischlingPublic affairs officer

Chuck CannonCommand information officer

Christy GrahamEditor

Angie Thorne

T.C. Bradford

Keith Houin

Staff writers

Editorial Offices

Building 4919, Magnolia Street

Fort Polk, LA 71459-5060

Voice (337) 531-4033

Fax (337) 531-1401

Email: Kimberly.K.Reischling.civ@mail.mil

Fort Polk Homepage

home.army.mil/polk/

Troy Boudreaux: “Captain Amer-ica is patriotic, he’s Army andcombat arms. After 23 years in theArmy, it’s only fitting that he’s theone I would like.”

Susan Cawley: “My husband,Jared. He is an amazing father,husband and service member. Heserved in the United States AirForce. I am truly impressed withwho he is and how much he doesfor our family.”

Marc LeMere: “I have to gowith the Punisher. He's ex-mili-tary, he takes vengeance intohis own hands against evil andunderstands that unjust lawsmust be broken.”

Tara Lott : “I’d pick my daugh-ter, who has served in the AirForce for 8 years; she is also thefirst female in our family to join.I also pick my son, who hasbeen in the Army for 4 years —he is going through the JointReadiness Training Center train-ing right now. They have beengreat kids and have alwayshelped when they could. Theycome from generations of mili-tary heroes. Joining was a wayto help others and carry on ourfamily’s tradition.”

Lynn Anderson: “My he-roes are my three sons. Thetwo on the left of the pictureare Army and the one on theright is Navy.”

Virginia Lippert Hol-loway: “My hero is my son.He is brave, courageous andI'm so proud of him.”

Andrea Kirk : “My hero is myson! He is the first in our immedi-ate family to join the Army, and Icouldn’t be more proud of him!”

/3GuardianAug. 21, 2020

DG appThe Army’s new Digital Garrison mobile

app is now available for Fort Polk. The DGapp, which can be downloaded on An-droid and Apple devices, gives users ac-cess to resources about their local ex-change, Morale, Welfare and Recreationprograms, facility information, direct linksto on-post housing entities and other serv-ices. The app is portable among numerousinstallations.

Users can customize the app to meettheir needs, and it is set to receive improve-ments through daily updates.

Current local app solutions will cease

ACP 1 lane 1 closureTravel lane 1 at access control point 1

(Entrance Road) will be closed beginningAug. 27 at 9:30 a.m. to perform concretepavement repairs.

Lane 1 repairs are expected to take fourdays and will be be operational by Aug. 31.Lane 2 and 3 at ACP 1 will operational dur-ing this effort. However, during peak entrytimes, motorists should anticipate a delayin gate access.

Hiring eventFort Polk is hosting a Hiring and Law

Enforcement event to help transitioningSoldiers, eligible Spouses and Veteranswithin the Fort Polk community prepareand connect with employers and serviceproviders.

Pre-workshops will be held on Sept. 15from 1 - 4:30 p.m. The Hiring and Law En-forcement event will be Sept. 17 from 10a.m. - 1 p.m.

The workshops and the event will be lo-cated at 1321 Corps Road.

Contact Soldier for Life- Transition As-sistance Program at 531-1591 for details.

Suicide preventionThere will be Ask, Care and Escort Sui-

cide Intervention skills training Sept. 4, 11,18 and 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in bldg 4275on Polk Army Airfield.

The course teaches participants to recog-nize when someone may have thoughts ofsuicide and how to properly address thesituation. Masks will be mandatory.

For more information, contact John Pil-grim at 531-6187.

e-Guardian email listIf you’re interested in receiving the

weekly e-Guardian to your inbox, thenplease send your personal email address tokimberly.k.reischling.civ@mail.mil, andyou’ll be placed on the distribution list.

Briefs

FORT POLK, La. — Unfortunately, COVID-19has negatively affected unemployment rates, andmilitary spouses haven’t been immune from itsimpact.

In addition to the pandemic's hurdles, militaryspouses often face uphill battles stemming fromfrequent moves and varying state license reci-procity regulations.

With this in mind, the Department of Defensechose to empower military spouses through avirtual career exposition.

On Sept. 9, Fort Polk will have the honor ofbeing the first to host this DoD roadshow — thefree Virtual Military Spouse Career Empower-ment Expo. The event, which will be held be-tween 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., is exclusively for FortPolk spouses of active duty, Guard and Reserveservice members.

Spouses will have access to Spouse Educationand Career Opportunities career coaches, Mili-tary OneSource consultants, Military Spouse Em-ployment Partnership companies and employ-ment readiness personnel.

These experts will help with resumes, jobsearching, navigating education options andmore.

Informative sessions will cover the federal hir-ing process, networking guidance, self-employ-ment, remote work opportunities, salary negotia-tion tips, career changes and even key points ofself-care.

Some of the event speakers include Brig. Gen.Patrick D. Frank, commander, Joint ReadinessTraining Center and Fort Polk; Leah Esper,spouse, United States Secretary of Defense; Anne

Kimberley Joiner, deputy assistant Secretary ofDefense for Military Community and Family Pol-icy; Lee Kelley, director, Military CommunitySupport Programs; Alyson Lilley, health andwellness coach, Military OneSource contractor;Patti J. Larney, city administrator, City ofLeesville, and Cheryl L. Mason, chairman, Boardof Veterans’ Appeals.

For the full list of speakers and expo agendavisit the event registration website, which alsolists various expo materials including a partici-pant guide, a LinkedIn Premium upgrade, Mili-tary OneSource Specialty Consultation fact sheet,new SECO resources, SECO career coach factsheet and more.

If you're an interested Fort Polk spouse, pleasefollow the below steps to register for the virtualevent:

• Visit the event website. • Click on the “register” button, which will

lead to the registration form. • Complete all of the required fields on the

registration tab, including the sessions tab.• Agree to the end user and privacy terms.• Select the “register” button at the bottom

once all of the previous steps are complete. • A page will confirm that the registration

process was successful. To contact a SECO coach, call Military One-

Source at (800) 342-9647.

Fort Polk hosts DoD Military Spouse Career Expo

NNeewwSSccooppee

PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE

4/GuardianAug. 21, 2020

AArrmmyy nneewwss

WASHINGTON — The Army is one step clos-er to improving its air and missile defense capa-bilities after a successful live-fire evaluation in-tercepted two low-altitude targets flying at closeproximity Aug. 13.

The intercept test is part of the larger Integrat-ed Air and Missile Defense Battle Command Sys-tem, or IBCS, limited user test, said Gen. John M.Murray, commander of Army Futures Com-mand.

"This is a major milestone, not only for the airdefense community but for the Army as awhole," Murray said Aug. 13 during a mediaevent.

"I'm fully confident that we're on the road to asuccessful (initial operational test and evalua-tion) in about a year's time."

More than 500 Soldiers from 3rd Battalion,43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, have beeninvolved with the user evaluation since July, saidCol. Philip Rottenborn, a project manager withthe Program Executive Office of Missiles andSpace.

The IBCS is the Army’s contribution to theJoint All-Domain Command and Control system,capable of blending current and future sensorsand weapon systems under one unified network.The limited user test out of White Sands MissileRange, New Mexico, is slated to end in Septem-ber.

All personnel within the 3-43 ADA, a Patriotmissile unit, supported the live-fire intercept — afirst for this LUT, said Brig. Gen. Brian Gibson,the Air and Missile Defense Cross-FunctionalTeam director.

During the test, Soldiers relied on the IBCS tointerconnect two Patriot radars, two AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radars, three Patriot launchers, andseveral battalion and battery engagement centersto take down the pair of targets, Rottenborn said.

"The interceptors were (Patriot Advanced Ca-pability-3)cost reduction initiative interceptorslaunched from separate launchers at the samebattery site," he said.

"They were against two MQM-178 cruise mis-sile surrogate targets, flying challenging maneu-vers."

The sensor-to-shooter system also provided areal-time communication capability across sevendifferent network relays to multiple echelons,Rottenborn said.

Simulated opposing forces also jammed one ofthe network relays to test the system's ability toseamlessly transition data to another node. Test-

ing and evaluation officials will review informa-tion collected during the intercept to ensure theIBCS handled this process correctly.

The live-fire test is the second time the Armyhas used the IBCS to successfully intercept a setof targets. In December, the Army proved the ca-pability after launching a pair of Patriot Ad-vanced Capability-2 missiles to take out twocruise missile surrogates.

Moving forward, the Army will continue tomake improvements to the IBCS capability. The3-43 ADA will become the first unit equippedwith the initial operational capability, slated forfiscal year 2022, Gibson said.

The battalion first received the new system inAugust 2019, said Col. Anthony Behrens, theArmy capability manager and director of ArmyAir and Missile Defense Command.

"They created their own tactics, techniquesand procedures, (which are) vastly different thanhow we operate today at the crew, battery andbattalion levels," Behrens said.

Current units are typically limited to Patriotradar technology to discern a missile's flight path— a system that is restricted in both range andcapability, when compared to an IBCS-enablednetwork, he added.

"Normally, (the Army) would probably firetwo interceptors at each of these targets," Behrens

said. "We were able to integrate Sentinel radarsfar from the launchers. By adding those addition-al sensors to a network … we add several min-utes to the decision cycle."

In turn, prolonging an engagement createsmore time for leaders to make an informed deci-sion and allows for more effective and efficientuse of Army assets and capabilities.

The Army is slated to conduct a third intercepttest next week. Air and missile defense programleads will continue to learn from the 3-43 ADAand plan to use that knowledge to shape futureair defense doctrine, Behrens said.

CID's Defense Forensic Science Center frontline fighters against COVID-19QUANTICO, Va. — In the middle of March, as

the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the Unit-ed States, the Army made mission adjustments tofocus on protecting the force, posturing for glob-al operational readiness and supporting the na-tional effort to fight the novel coronavirus.

"Army researchers were critical during the Se-vere Acute Respiratory Syndrome epidemic, theZika virus and the Ebola outbreak as they helpeddevelop antivirals and vaccines," said Ryan Mc-Carthy, Secretary of the Army, in an April 1 pressrelease. "They've done it before, and they will doit again."

During this timeframe, a team from the Army

Criminal Investigation Command’s DefenseForensic Science Center’s (DFSC) Forensic Ex-ploitation Directorate (FXD) collectively identi-fied the required skills, training and equipmentneeded to conduct COVID-19 testing.

“At the early onset of the COVID-19 pandem-

Army system successfully completes second missile intercept testBy DEVON SUITSArmy news service

CID

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The Army is one step closerto improving its air and missiledefense capabilities after a suc-cessful live-fire evaluation inter-cepted two low-altitude targetsflying at close proximity at theWhite Sands Missile Range, NewMexico, Aug. 13.

Soldiersconduct asuccessfullive-fireevaluationinterceptingtwo low-alti-tude targetsAug. 13.

and the complexity of the plan are what make aunit’s rotation to JRTC so important, Britton said.

“I think JRTC provides the medium to do that,and allows leaders to make mistakes,” he said.“It’s in a controlled environment that you canlearn from. That, in turn, makes them betterwhen they leave the box. It provides them anamazing training opportunity they get in feed-back and on-the-spot coaching with observer,coach/trainers.”

The air assault was fully contested by OPFORGeronimos.

“The brigade combat team did some boldplanning and tried to get the air assault force be-hind the OPFOR, maximizing their ability tomass upon the objective and try and surprise theOPFOR,” Britton said. “It was a bold and auda-cious plan throughout.”

Capt. Ryan Hunt, an OC/T with Task Force 3,was on the ground with the 1st Bn, 26th Inf Regduring the air assault.

He said the unit’s primary mission was to dis-rupt enemy (OPFOR) movement from east towest, to keep them out of the area where thebrigade combat team fight was centered. He saidthat even though Geronimo was disruptive, itwas not enough to cause the mission to fail.

“It was a brief skirmish that only lasted about15 minutes,” Hunt said. “Geronimo destroyed acouple of vehicles and inflicted 14 (notional) ca-sualties, but it was not enough to cause the mis-sion to fail.”

Hunt added no Soldiers were injured duringthe operation.

As of the evening of Aug. 19, Hunt said themajority of the 2nd BCT, 101st Abn Div was nowin the disruption zone, with 1st/26th protectingthe northern flank in preparation for an attack onthe southern flank.

“This was a complex operation,” said Hunt,echoing Britton.

“Once the Soldiers were on the ground, theyachieved their purpose and mission relativelywell with minimal casualties and loss of equip-ment.”

Britton, who flew during both operations, saidTask Force Aviation OC/Ts were pleased withhow things unfolded.

“It provided an opportunity to get young avi-ators out into a contested air assault environ-ment, and allowed them to train doing thingsthey are not able to do back home,” he said.“Having the multiple levels of complexity, notonly with ground forces, aviation task force, airspace coordination and OPFOR, it gave them abasis to learn from.”

While the operation wasn’t “perfect,” Brittonsaid the unit conducted extensive after action re-views where they identified issues and how tocapitalize on gains as they go forward.

“The beauty of being at JRTC is they will havethe opportunity two or three more times to gothrough and apply what they learned,” he said.“It might not be to the same scale, but it’s thesame planning process with the same groundforces and contested environment.”

As a member of the Aviation Task Force, Brit-ton said the training received at JRTC by helicop-ter pilots in the 82nd Airborne Division — whoare providing the air support for the 101st — isinvaluable.

“The difference we’re seeing now with avia-tion task forces coming to JRTC is their experi-

ence level,” he said. “You don’t have your 2,000-hour pilots that you once had. You’re gettingguys fresh out of flight school, who only have alittle bit of time in the unit, that get to comedown to places like JRTC to exercise the mostcomplex and dynamic mission sets they’ve everseen.”

Britton gave as an example the sling load op-erations.

“You’ve got young Soldiers sitting on top ofthose vehicles having to hook those loads up,”he said. “The complexity of identifying whichhook they have to put that on, configuring themproperly, it’s huge.

“Brig. Gen. (Patrick D.) Frank (commander,JRTC and Fort Polk) highlighted it when wewent into this: It’s all about risk. How you miti-gate that risk is the environment; having OC/Ts

in the right places at the right time; followingCOVID-19 protocols and mitigations, which theydid; and truly giving that unit the opportunity totrain, identify mistakes or strengths and capital-ize on them.”

Maj. Josh Lazzarini and Maj. Josh Naillon,Task Force Aviation OC/Ts, were at the PZ onFort Polk’s Self Army Airfield during the opera-tions. Lazzarini said among the equipment andpersonnel moved Aug. 17-18 were 410 Soldiers,16 vehicles and three trailers.

Four Chinooks and 11 Blackhawks were usedas transports with a total of 80.1 flight hours dur-ing the two missions.

Naillon said the operation at Self went well.“Both heavy and light PZs went off with few

problems,” he said. “Except for starting a littlelate on the second night, it went really smooth.”

/5GuardianAug. 21, 2020

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Soldiers with 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)are briefed prior to an air assault operation Aug. 17 at Fort Polk’s Self Army Airfield.

Heli-copters of-fload 2ndBCT, 101stAbn Div (AirAssault) Sol-diers in theJoint Readi-ness Train-ing Center‘box’ duringair assaultoperationsAug. 18.

6/ GuardianAug. 21, 2020

Soldiers receive reprimands, separations after UCMJ violations

FORT POLK, La. — At the Joint ReadinessTraining Center and Fort Polk, the commandinggeneral and subordinate commanders take goodorder and discipline seriously. However, certaindisciplinary issues continue to be prevalentacross Fort Polk, such as breaking quarantine orisolation orders; violating General Order No. 1;driving under the influence of alcohol; wrongfuluse or possession of controlled substances; frater-nization; and sexual assault. Below are recent ex-amples of adverse legal actions for units withinthe Fort Polk jurisdiction.

• A first lieutenant, assigned to 1st Battalion,5th Aviation Regiment, was issued a General Of-ficer Memorandum of Reprimand for engagingin a romantic relationship with a noncommis-sioned officer, in violation of Article 134, UniformCode of Military Justice.

• A sergeant first class, assigned to 1st Bn, 5thAvn Reg, was issued a GOMOR for engaging in aromantic relationship with a commissioned offi-cer, in violation of Article 134, UCMJ.

• A sergeant, assigned to 1st Battalion(Airborne), 509th Infantry Regiment,was punished under Article 15 for be-ing disrespectful to a first sergeant bydisplaying a disruptive attitude andlackadaisical demeanor, in violationof Article 91, UCMJ. The Soldierwas sentenced to forfeiture of $852 payfor one month; and extra-duty for 14 days.

• A specialist, assigned to 46th EngineerBattalion, was punished under Article 15 for con-suming an alcoholic beverage during his post asthe Charge of Quarters, in violation of Article134, UCMJ.

The Soldier was sentenced to a reduction to E-2; forfeiture of $971 pay for two months; extra

duty for 45 days; and restriction for 45 days.• A private, assigned to 519th Military Police

Battalion, was separated under Chapter 14-12c(2)(Commission of a Serious Offense) and issued a

General under Honorable Conditions char-acterization of service for wrongfullyusing cocaine, a Schedule II controlled

substance. Generally, this characteri-zation of service results in the loss ofa service member’s educationalbenefits.

• A private, assigned to 519th MP Bn,was separated under Chapter 14-12c(Commission of a Serious Offense) and is-

sued an Under Other Than Honorable Condi-tions characterization of service for making afalse official statement to an investigator andstrangling his spouse. Generally, this characteri-zation of service results in the loss of a majorityof a service member’s VA benefits.

Army Resilience director urges Soldiers to report incidents of misconduct

WASHINGTON — The lead official for theArmy’s Resilience Directorate emphasized theuse of reporting procedures Aug. 11 for incidentsof sexual harassment and assault to ensure theservice is a safe environment for all.

While the chain of command and other Armyagencies exist to maintain the safety and well be-ing of the force, the Sexual Harassment/AssaultResponse and Prevention program has specificmeasures in place to assist victims, said Dr. JamesHelis, Army Resilience Directorate director.

Reaching out for support will help stop mis-conduct, he added, and allow the Army to holdperpetrators accountable for their actions.

Sexual harassmentHarassing behavior can be a precursor to sexu-

al assault, according to SHARP officials, andshould be immediately addressed to deter escala-tion.

“The first step is to take care of the victim,”Helis said. “The second step is to make the ha-rassment stop.”

Individuals subject to sexual harassment canlodge an informal, formal or anonymous com-plaint to a range of official reporting agencies forsupport, Helis said.

These agencies include:• The chain of command.• A victim advocate or sexual assault response

coordinator.• The inspector general.• The judge advocates general office.• A military police or a criminal investigation

division.• A health care provider.Soldiers can always reach out to a military

chaplain for support, but chaplains cannot takeformal harassment complaints, Helis explained.“The chaplain is there to support a Soldier andhelp them understand what their options are.They can help connect Soldiers with the re-sources they need.”

Outside the complaint process, individuals canalways speak to their harasser directly, Helissaid. In some cases, the harasser will stop onceconfronted.

If a Soldier or civilian is less inclined to speakto a harasser directly, they can employ an indirect

communication method by sending the harassera written message or lodging an informal com-plaint.

Submitting an informal complaint will nottrigger an official investigation, Helis said.

An individual can seek assistance before con-fronting a harasser. The informal complaintprocess enables a third party to step in on the in-dividual’s behalf to try and end the negative be-havior.

Sexual harassment victims can also submit ananonymous complaint, which will be reviewedby the applicable chain of command. Other per-sonnel who witnessed some form of sexual ha-rassment can also lodge an informal or anony-mous complaint, Helis said.

An individual’s chain of command may ormay not be able to act on the anonymous com-plaint, depending upon the information provid-

ed, he added.Formal complaintIf the informal process is unsuccessful, or if a

Soldier wants to lodge a formal complaint, theymust fill out a Department of the Army Form7746, or Sexual Harassment Complaint, and sub-mit it to an official reporting entity.

The complaint reporting process “is not a se-quence,” Helis explained. “Individuals can go di-rectly to a formal complaint if they feel comfort-able.”

Once a formal complaint is submitted, thechain of command has three calendar days to act,SHARP officials said. Soldiers who file a claimagainst an individual within that chain of com-mand must be referred to a higher authority.

The commander or appointed investigating of-

OSJA

By DEVON SUITSArmy news service

Please see Report, page 13

7/ GuardianAug. 21, 2020

2nd BCT, 101st Abn Div (Air Assault) rehearses sling load opsFORT POLK,  La.  —  Soldiers  with  the  2nd

Brigade  Combat  Team,  101st Airborne  Division(Air  Assault),  worked  on  sling  load  operationsAug.  12  using  CH-47  Chinook  helicopters  andaviators assigned to the 3rd General Support Avi-ation  Battalion,  82nd  Combat Aviation  Brigade,82nd Airborne Division, prior to Joint ReadinessTraining Center  Rotation  20-09  at  the  JRTC  andFort Polk.

The  3rd  GSAB,  82nd  CAB,  82nd Abn  Div  isproviding aviation support to the 2nd BCT, 101stAbn Div  (Air Assault) —  their  sister division  inthe XVIII Airborne Corps — during the rotation.

Rotation  20-09  kicked  off  with  an  air  assaultoperation in the early morning hours of Aug. 17in the JRTC training ‘box.’

GUARDIAN STAFF

Clockwise, from above: A CH-47 Chinookhelicopter with the 3rd General SupportAviation Battalion, 82nd Combat AviationBrigade, 82 Airborne Division, moves intoposition for sling load operations at theJoint Readiness Training Center and FortPolk Aug. 13; Soldiers with the 2nd BrigadeCombat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AirAssault) connect a pallette to the Chinook;Soldiers clear the area under the Chinookafter hooking the sling load; a CH-47 exitsafter dropping its sling loadß as anotherCH-47 moves in to take its place.

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FORT POLK, La. — As the weather warmedand the impacts of the pandemic continued topermeate society, Families had to come to termswith the lack of activities available to kids overthe spring and summer months. Luckily, for FortPolk’s Dogwood Terrace community, a 2nd Bat-talion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Com-bat Team, 10th Mountain Division Soldierstepped forward to offer a simple but invaluablesolution. Demonstrating the essence of the self-less-service Army value, Staff Sgt. JonathanArnold, platoon sergeant, volunteered to coachfootball to neighborhood kids.

“I’ve coached football for Child and YouthServices at every one of my duty stations,” saidArnold. “With the COVID-19 lockdowns, I no-ticed my own boys were getting lazy, so webought equipment and started training outside.That’s how it all began.”

As he and his kids took to grassy fields inDogwood, some of Arnold’s previous flag andtackle football players noticed and wanted tojoin, he said. “Eventually, as more kids wanted toplay, we just opened it up to the entire Dogwoodcommunity. I realized that it was a good way forthese kids to stay in shape during the pandemic.”

Arnold’s heart of selfless service illuminatedthe essence of his leadership. Not only did he ap-ply these fundamental Army values to his job,but he also brought them into his home and com-munity, emulating discipline and selflessness forthe kids he coached.

Three months later, in the thick of summer,Coach Arnold (as the kids know him) is still run-ning speed agility drills as dragonflies buzzabove the same Dogwood fields. Punctuating thehot air with his whistle, Arnold commands hisgroup to get ready for each successive drill, fromstretching to karaoke exercises.

To instill a sense of discipline through the ex-ercises, Arnold has the kids clap to demarcate thebeginning and end of each different drill. “Theyknow, if I don’t like the clap, then I’ll keep re-peating the command until they get it right. Itadds structure and discipline to our practices.”

As a true leader, Arnold also uses these prac-tices to offer words of positivity and wisdom. Hecovers important and relevant topics at eachpractice.

As the summer inches closer to the beginningof fall semester, Arnold said he focused on schoolat a recent practice. “We huddle up and talk, andI try to give them some positivity. This weekwe’ve focused on school and getting ready forthe year, keeping in mind some of the differencesthe kids might encounter, like virtual learning.”

Arnold said he encouraged kids to get into thehabit of reading now, preparing themselves fortheir upcoming academic years. “They’ve beenfocusing on keeping themselves physically fit,but now they need to focus on being mentally fitand getting smarter.”

He does all this while also adhering to themandates and recommendations for COVID-19.“When we stretch, we stay within the 6-feet miti-gation guidelines. On Saturdays we do scrim-mage, but we use spread-out formations at thosetimes also,” said Arnold. Staying within the pa-rameters of the issued general orders remains atop priority, he said. “We’ve never been over 10

kids; if we did get bigger, I would split the kidsinto separate groups, which requires anothercoach.”

Pfc. Trent Waibel, 2nd Battalion, 4th InfantryRegiment, 3rd BCT, has since joined Arnold’s en-deavor to keep Dogwood kids active and posi-tively engaged through the summer. “He’s ayoung guy, but he and his wife just started com-ing and helping,” said Arnold.

With the additional coach volunteer, Arnold isbetter able to maintain the scheduled practiceseach week. “I like the idea of having more volun-teers, so we can keep the practices going for thekids. It’s easy to get the kids to commit; it isharder to get adults to commit at the same level,”he said. “But, having others help is vital in keep-ing the practices consistent for the kids.”

“I dedicate three days a week to coaching. It’schallenging — especially when everybody’s inthe field. I’ve even had to cancel a few times,which hurts. There are a lot of times that I’ll con-duct a practice and then get right back into uni-form and go back to work,” he said.

For Arnold, however, the difficulties are wellworth the rewards. “Just seeing the differences inthe kids makes it worthwhile. There is one kidwho wasn’t coordinated at the beginning. I couldthrow a ball to him, and it would slip rightthrough his fingers. Now, he’s catching and run-ning as fast as some of the fastest kids at prac-tice,” said Arnold. “I like seeing the kids’progress.”

The kids and their parents are equally as hap-py, grateful and impressed with the experience.

“Coach is an amazing motivator and ensuresthat the kids are staying safe and having fun,”Kelsey Kelley, one of the kid’s mothers, said. “Heinvolves the parents in scrimmages and creates apositive atmosphere for everyone involved. Heteaches the players self-discipline and motivatesthem to push themselves further with each prac-tice. With many parks, pools, and gyms closed,this program allows the players to focus their en-ergy in a positive way.”

Over the course of a few months altered byCOVID-19, Coach Arnold has found a way to

mentor a group of kids and other young Soldiersvolunteering to help with practices. Arnoldstresses discipline and positive thinking with thekids and is an example of core Army values forSoldiers that know him. This simple act has cre-ated a fun, healthy outlet for Dogwood kids, butit also highlights the high caliber NCOs thatserve at Fort Polk.

Fort Polk NCO exemplifies leadership, selfless service coaching footballBy CHRISTY GRAHAMGuardian editor

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Neighborhood kids from Fort Polk's Dogwood Terrace run various speed andconditioning drills under the direction and supervision of Staff Sgt. (Coach)Jonathan Arnold, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat

Team, 10th Mountain Division.

Responding to the lack of kids’activities due to the pandemic,football coach and noncommis-sioned officer, Staff Sgt. JonathanArnold, holds football practice onAug. 10 in an open, grassy field inthe Dogwood Community Terracecommunity of Fort Polk.

GuardianAug. 21, 2020 /9

CIDContinued from page 4

ic, we (DFSC FXD) understood theseverity and global impact the viruswould have,” said Crystal Allen,chief, Forensic Exploitation Branch2, FXD, DFSC. “We knew very quickly that, giventhe organic skillset of the FXD ex-aminers, we could assist the medicalcommunity with testing. Our sup-port provided the Department ofDefense with additional resourcesacross the globe to support the in-creasing demand for COVID-19 test-ing.”

Located on the Gillem Enclave inForest Park, Georgia, the DFSC'smission is to provide full-serviceforensic and biometric support toArmy and Department of Defenseentities worldwide. This includesthe subordinate units of the ArmyCriminal Investigation Laboratory,FXD, Biometrics Operations Direc-torate and the Office of Quality Ini-tiatives and Training. The FXDhouses the capability to deploy ascalable and modular forensic ex-ploitation team to provide the jointforce commander or combatantcommand with a deployable foren-sic capability.

Five months later, a team fromFXD continues to support COVID-19 testing in support of militaryforces.

According to Allen, the initialplanning team (seven individualsformed in mid-March) was taskedearly on with concept development.

The team used their vast scientif-ic and operational expertise to learnproper medical testing proceduresand requirements in order to estab-lish a way ahead to support theDoD.

Despite not having used the Pan-ther Fusion, BioFire or Gene Expertplatforms before, the FXD examin-ers used their knowledge andskillsets in complex scientific instru-mentation and sample handling toadapt, said Allen.

These platforms utilize poly-merase chain reaction (PCR) tech-nology, much like the FXD examin-ers utilize to conduct forensic DNAtesting.

“FXD's support to COVID pro-cessing improved the military'sreadiness and provided enhancedvalue to the government,” saidAllen.

“The FXD's support helped toidentify service members testingpositive within basic training for-mations, deploying units, mobilizedNational Guard units, Navy shipsand Marine Expeditionary Forces socommanders could isolate those in-fected personnel in order to pre-serve the readiness of the remainderof the Joint Forces.”

Since March, dozens of FXDForensic DNA examiners, latentprint examiners and explosive/drugchemists have deployed to work inmilitary medical treatment facilitiesat Fort Gordon, Georgia, and Camp

Humphreys, Korea, in support ofArmy Medical Command (US-AMEDCOM).

They have also deployed toCamp Ripley, Minnesota, in supportof a mobile medical lab set up tohandle COVID-19 specimen testingin remote locations.

Allen said CID’s FXD team trans-formed their current forensic instru-mentation and software into a viraltesting capability and also modifiedfive mobile forensic laboratories tomeet the needs of medical testingfacilities for rapid deployment intoaustere locations.

The mobile forensic labs haveaided in expedited testing and al-lowed military personnel to be test-ed without having to mail tests toanother medical location.

The transformation from a foren-sic science capability into a medicaltesting capability required exhaus-tive research, planning, contractmodifications and countless hoursof coordination with the DFSC staff,CID staff, USAMEDCOM, numer-ous scientific vendors, the Centerfor Disease Control and the U.S.Food and Drug Administration,Allen stated.

The FXD has significantly im-pacted the fight during the COVID-19 pandemic with noticeable resultsby providing more than 8,100 hoursof support and processing morethan 47,530 DoD COVID-19 samplesas of Aug. 11. In addition to the sig-

nificant number of samples the FXDteam was able to process, they werealso able to provide their USAMED-COM partners with novel testingconcepts and efficient processingmechanisms based on their experi-ence working in high operationaltempo forensic laboratories.

The team has processed samplessubmitted from Basic Training for-mations at Fort Benning, Georgia;deploying units from Fort Camp-bell, Kentucky; mobilized NationalGuard units preparing for rotationsat the Combat Training Centers; for-ward deployed military units alongthe Demilitarized Zone in South Ko-rea; and Marine ExpeditionaryForces in Okinawa, Japan.

“Our FXD Teams continue a highlevel of support to USAMEDCOMwith COVID-19 testing,” said Col.Jeremy Willingham, executive direc-tor, DFSC, after processing 8,000swabs in one week alone. “In a sin-gle day, the FXD team accessioned,packaged and shipped 2,820 speci-mens from

the USS America, USS RonaldReagan, USS New Orleans, U.S.Naval Hospital in Okinawa andCamp Humphreys.”

The primary mission for FXD isglobal forensic exploitation support;however, innovative thinking led toFXD supporting a full range of mili-tary operations, including the globalfight against this novel threat, saidAllen.

AAFES offers Fort Polk Soldiers, Families weekly workout videosFORT POLK, La. — Fort Polk Sol-

diers and military Families needingsome Monday motivation can uselive BE FIT workouts on the Armyand Air Force Exchange Service’sFacebook page at 11 a.m. everyMonday.

Each week, BE FIT ambassadorsRoy Montez and Air Force SeniorMaster Sgt. Sonja Berry host theselive Facebook events over thecourse of 20-minute workout ses-sions. In addition, Soldiers, Airmen,retirees, Veterans and military Fami-ly members can watch the series onthe Exchange Facebook page, al-lowing users to review previousworkouts.

The live workouts, which includeinterval training, core workouts,strength exercises and more, grewfrom a desire to promote wellnessduring the COVID-19 pandemic.

“These BE FIT workouts remindFort Polk Soldiers that staying fit iscritical —especially during the pan-

demic,” said Fort Polk GeneralManager Ronald McDuffie. “Joiningthe Exchange workouts throughFacebook fosters a sense of commu-nity and resiliency.”

Each video begins with a shortintroduction, and then Montez de-scribes each exercise before he andBerry lead viewers through stretch-ing exercises. During the workout,Montez pauses to rest, provides ad-vice and answers questions from theonline audience.

“It’s like having a free trainer,”said Berry, the Exchange’s assistantdirector for public health and foodsafety.

“It demonstrates the Exchange’scommitment to fitness and healthylifestyles.”

The Exchange’s BE FIT initiativehighlights better-for-you dining,grab-and-go options and providesan assortment of fitness gear andwellness services.

The program empowers militarycustomers, their Families and thebroader military community to

make healthy lifestyle choices. The community is encouraged to

visit the Exchange’s community hubfor more BE FIT choices.

AAFES PUBLIC AFFAIRSBE FIT ambassador Roy Mon-

tez demonstrates a side-plank ex-ercise while hosting a Facebookworkout video available at 11 a.m.every Monday.

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BOSS Soldier wins Soldier Showdown Tournament week

FORT POLK, La. — Who said allthose years of playing video gameswouldn’t pay off? Pfc. TimothyCleghorn, 3rd Squadron, 89th CavalryRegiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team,10th Mountain Division, used hishard-earned gaming skills to perfec-tion as he took first place in the Sol-dier Showdown Fortnite Video Tour-nament’s fourth week ending July 25for this region of the country.

The Soldier Showdown online tour-naments showcase a multi title/multiplatform tournament held over a peri-od of 12 weeks from July 4 throughSept. 19. Some of the games Soldierscan compete in include Madden,Rocket League, Call of Duty, Fortniteand more.

Cpl. Bianca Ortiz, BOSS president,said the feedback on the tournamentand the games being played by singleSoldiers has been positive.

“The Soldiers like the games theyget to play in the tournament becausethey are recent games they are famil-iar with and play every day,” she said.

Cleghorn said he was familiar withsome of the games, but not all ofthem, so he didn’t sign up for those.

“I’ve only played Fort-nite and Call ofDuty, but I planto continueplaying to try towin again.”

The ArmyNationalGuard, ArmyEntertainment,Better Opportu-nities for Single Soldiersand Complexity Gaming worked to-gether to offer and promote the freeevent.

Ortiz said the BOSS program, FortPolk Morale, Welfare and Recreationand leadership is really proud ofCleghorn.

“When I sent the MWR Facebookposting of the winners for that weekto Command Sergeant Major Christo-pher Ausbun, garrison command ser-geant major, he was impressed,” shesaid.

The purpose of the video competi-tion in the middle of a pandemic is togive single Soldiers a chance to havefun doing something they would nor-

mally do anyway — play video gamesin the barracks while maintaining so-cial distance. It also added a layer ofcompetitiveness by having Soldiersfrom all over the world play againstand interact with each other whilegiving them a chance to win prizes fortheir efforts.

Cleghorn said with quarantine,there wasn’t a lot to do, so this oppor-tunity to play and compete with otherSoldiers online was great.

“I enjoyed communicating andplaying against other Sol-

diers from differentbases. It was pretty

cool,” he said. “Iappreciate the op-portunity to takepart in the tourna-

ment. It’s awesome —I love it.”

Playing game after game duringthe tournament was intense, saidCleghorn.

“I played five games and it tookabout two and a half hours,” he said.“The game play was set up so that itwas always two versus one. It wasfrustrating and challenging.”

Cleghorn said for him, gaming isall about using your imagination andstrategy to win.

“A lot of people don’t understandhow much thinking goes into a gamelike Fortnite. Players that can thinkfast have the advantage,” he said.

Cleghorn said if you are good at the

game, you are going to probably winquickly.

“If your competition is good andyou are good, it’s going to take longerto win,” he said.

Each week, the winner of each timezone receives a gaming package thatincludes a tactical backpack and a topof the line gaming mouse — these arethe items Cleghorn, a BOSS Soldier,won.

“I have a nice mouse already, butthe one I won will be my backup ifmine breaks. The backpack is great. Ireally like it,” he said.

At first, Cleghorn said he didn’t be-lieve he had won.

“I didn’t expect to win, but it feltgood. I kept repeating, ‘I won this; Iwon.’ Everyone online started con-gratulating me,” he said.

If Cleghorn continues to play andwin in the Soldier Showdown VideoTournament, he could garner enoughpoints to find himself at the leader-board.

The three Soldiers at the top willwin a 24-inch gaming monitor and aVIP experience at Complexity’s head-quarters in Frisco, Texas, where theywill enjoy a day in the life of a gamer.

Cleghorn said he’s pretty confidentthat he has a chance to win futuregames as well.

“The tournament is based on apoint system, so if I win more thanone week, I might make to the top ofthe board at the end,” he said.

By ANGIE THORNEPublic affairs specialist

Pfc. Timothy Cleghorn, 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 3rdBrigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, shows off his Fortniteplaying skills at the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers headquar-ters inside the Home of Heroes Recreation Center Aug. 13.

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Women celebrate100 years of making progress at polls

FORT POLK, La. — It sometimes seemslike the year 2020 is trying to see just howmuch we can take. Personally, I was readyto yell “uncle” months ago, but that wouldbe the easy way out, and my parents did-n’t raise a quitter. So I have continued tonavigate COVID-19, a tanking economy,protests, politics, masks, murder hornetsand more. I’ve tried to keep my spirits up,but it’s been a challenge.

Thankfully, there have been small goodnews stories that have made me smile.Those tiny victories keep me going.

One such celebratory moment is the factthat 2020 also marks the 100th anniversaryof the 19th amendment to the U.S. Consti-tution. The amendment was passed byCongress on June 4, 1919 and ratified (tomake it officially valid) Aug. 18, 1920,granting women the Constitutional rightto vote.

The fight for that right took decades.Women called suffragettes utilizedprotests, marches, lobbying and civil dis-obedience to make it happen. I can’t helpbut admire these women who never gaveup and passed their passion for change totheir daughters and following generations.Their efforts allow women like you andme to vote, serve as mayors, state repre-sentatives, U.S. Senators and, possibly thisyear, vice president.

The fight for the right to vote began inthe early 1800s. The movement evolvedfrom small groups scattered all over thecountry to a more unified organizationthat fell under the banner of the women’ssuffrage movement. Suffrage literallymeans the right to vote in political elec-tions.

Along the way, men who ridiculed themopposed their efforts, going so far as tocreate their own national association to op-pose women’s suffrage. Believe it or not,they weren’t alone. The Women’s Suffragemovement also had to fight their own gen-der to be heard and taken seriously. Likemen of the time, these anti-suffrage groupsbelieved a woman’s place was in the home— taking care of the kids and being sub-missive to their husband’s needs.

They even questioned the mental capa-bilities andintelligenceof womenwho wantedto vote andhave theirvoices heard. Wow, it’s amazing that peo-ple are still trying to do that today. Somethings don’t change and history does re-peat itself.

A pivotal leader in the women’s suf-

frage movement, Susan B. Anthony,worked for 50 years traveling the country,giving speeches and demanding thatwomen should be given the right to vote.Sadly, she died in 1906, before accomplish-ing her goal of having the 19th amend-ment ratified.

On the 100th anniversary of the amend-ment’s ratification, we have to continuecelebrating that accomplishment for her.

Since women have fought for and wonthe right to vote, wehave continued to growand strive for equality,but it sometimes seemsthe further we get fromthe accomplishment of

gaining that right, the more it appears wetake it for granted by not using it.

But it’s not just women who fall intothat trap. Across the board, only 60% ofregistered voters tend to vote during presi-

dential elections. That number goes downto about 40% during midterm elections.

Those numbers frustrate me. Though,since 1980, women have had slightly high-er voter turnout rates than men, accordingto the Pew Research website.

I want to shake people that sit at homewhen they can’t bother themselves to casta ballot and tell them that voting is funda-mental to a healthy democracy, accordingto the Fair Vote website. They also men-tion on their website that voter turnout inthe U.S. is much lower than most estab-lished democracies. That makes me think,one of the greatest democracies in theworld — that’s the U.S. if you weren’tkeeping track — seems to feel like, “meh,maybe I’ll vote and maybe I won’t.” What?

Where has that sense of wonder and thegoal that all those suffragettes fought for

By ANGIE THORNEPublic affairs officer

Suffrage picketers marching along Pennsylvania Avenue on March 4, 1917.

Please see Polls, page 12

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PollsContinued from page 11gone? The U.S. seems to have lost it some-where along the long years of toil. Youwould think voting to implement changemight make people eager to be heard via acheck on the ballot box, but it seems that’snot so.

From what I’ve seen myself, manyAmericans tend to believe that the right tovote will always be there, but that’s notnecessarily the case. A democracy, in myopinion is a living thing; if it is neglected itcan die. Instead, people must continue tofight and care for it while believing in itspurpose.

I know several people who don’t votefor various reasons such as they don’tcare, it doesn’t really affect them and, theone I hear the most, their vote won’tchange anything.

I want to somehow help them under-stand they are throwing away the best andmost important tool they were ever givenas free and independent citizens of thisgreat nation. In a way, they turn theirbacks on a responsibility to continue mak-ing sure the inalienable rights (we haveenjoyed for more than 200 years) won’t betorn away. It’s a person’s best chance tomake a difference; it’s a chance to maketheir lives and those of their neighbor’slives better.

However, if you do vote, I would en-courage you to take the time to make aninformed decision, regaurdless of the issueor candidate. Going to the polling site andchecking boxes without any real under-standing of the choices you are makingcould be just as harmful as not voting atall.

This brings us to a potentially historic2020 presidential election Nov. 3.

Do I have an opinion about which can-didate to vote for? Of course I do, as domany of you. I’ve done my research; andI’m thankful I’m allowed to have thatopinion, as well as the right to vote —thanks again Susan!

Now, though I might not agree withyour choices, thanks to the good fortune ofliving in America, we are able to agree todisagree. I try my best to respect othersideals and choices as long as they do thesame for me.

Even with the added obstacles COVID-19 has put in our way this election year,we can’t let it stop us from performing thissacred duty to democracy.

If you are a woman of voting age, doyour research, make your decision and getout there and make those suffragettesproud by validating everything theyworked and fought for 100 years ago.

Just think, you can celebrate the an-niversary of their success by metaphorical-ly pulling that lever on their behalf.

However, it’s not just about women vot-ing. It’s about all Americans — no mattertheir gender or race — standing up forwhat they believe in.

We should all take seriously the right tostate our beliefs in the form of casting avote. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a graveduty afforded to all too few in the worldand one that our military service members(including the Soldiers right here at FortPolk’s Home of Heroes) fight for everyday.

Regardless of how you plan to vote, justmake sure that you do:

• Registration — if you aren’t regis-tered, it’s a pretty simple process to com-plete. The deadline to register in Louisianais Oct. 13. You can register to vote online atthe Louisiana Secretary of State website.Be sure to confirm your registration for theupcoming presidential election by check-ing your registration status on the samewebsite.

• Mail-in ballots — you can vote bymail for specific reasons, but not for fear ofcoronavirus. The deadline to request amail ballot is 4:30 p.m. Oct. 30, and thedeadline for it to reach the registrar is 4:30p.m. Nov. 2. Waiting that long to vote cutsit a little close in these uncertain times. So,if you need to request a mail ballot, do soas soon as possible. Once you receive it,complete the form and mail it right back.You want your vote to count.

• Early voting — this is a great optionand one that I have used myself. It tendsto reduce long lines and masses of peoplestanding inside a building less than 6 feet

apart. Early voting for the presidentialelection in Louisiana takes place at theRegistrar of Voters office from Oct. 20-27.The DeRidder Registrar of Voters office islocated at 204 South Stewart St; its phonenumber is (337) 463-7955. The LeesvilleRegistrar of Voters office is located at 301East Courthouse St; its phone number is(337) 239-3690.

• Vote on Election Day — In person vot-ing takes place Nov. 3. Including today,that is 75 days away. Polls are open from 6a.m.-8 p.m. An ID may be requested. Dueto COVID-19, nobody is sure how longyou will have to wait or how safe you maybe, but in order to vote, I’ll wrap myself inprotective gear from head to toe and waitin line for hours.

This brings us back to the importance ofthe 19th amendment and its impact on his-tory. The consequences have been pro-found and, in my humble opinion, I be-lieve its ripple effect continues to spreadand grow.

But you must understand, I’ve taken al-most a 100 years of history and com-pressed it into a few paragraphs to giveyou the crux of the struggles that tookplace, but there’s no doubt I’ve left muchout. I encourage you to check out the web-sites I’ve listed below to learn more aboutthis essential and profound piece of histo-ry.

Editor’s note: Information for this storywas found at www.crusadeforthevote.org,www.ourdocuments.gov,www.history.com, www.fairvote.org andwww.sos.la.gov.

Men looking at materials presented by the NationalAssociation Opposed to Woman Suffrage.

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ReportContinued from page 6ficer will then have 14 calendar days to investi-gate the allegations. After this, they will meetwith the victim to discuss the outcome and re-sults.

Once the findings are released, the com-plainant will have seven calendar days to appealthe decision, officials said.

If a higher authority within the chain of com-mand is dissatisfied with the investigation resultsor disciplinary actions, they can launch a new in-vestigation. They have 14 calendar days to com-plete this process.

Final decisions on complaints rest with thegeneral court-martial convening authority, offi-cials said.

Sexual assault reportingAnyone who is a victim of sexual assault or

suspects an assault should not be afraid to seekimmediate care, Helis said.

However, these individuals should under-stand the difference between restricted and unre-stricted reporting, he added.

Individuals looking to file a restricted reportcan only do so through a sexual assault responsecoordinator, victim advocate or health careprovider, Helis said. A victim can confidentiallydisclose a sexual assault to a health care providerwhile still retaining the option to file a restrictedreport with a SARC or victim advocate. Then

they will have access to medical treatments, ad-vocacy services, counseling and the option for aforensic exam.

Communication between these entities is con-sidered confidential and will not trigger an inves-tigation.

Communication with a chaplain is also consid-ered privileged and confidential. Soldiers canreach out to a chaplain for support, but not to re-port an incident, SHARP officials said.

In addition to the chaplain, personnel can callthe Department of Defense Safe Helpline at (877)995-5247 or go to their website for confidentialand anonymous services. The helpline is avail-able worldwide and at any time.

CATCH programAn individual will also have the option to en-

ter their restricted report information into theDoD Catch a Serial Offender program, Helis said.

Soldiers can enter as much information thatthey can remember or feel comfortable sharing inthe CATCH database, he added. Information caninclude names, ranks or other distinguishing fac-tors such as height or tattoos.

If the program identifies a serial offender, allvictims connected to the perpetrator will receivea notification from a SARC. An investigation willbe launched if the victims agree to change theirreports to unrestricted.

“Sexual assault is a crime, and punishable un-der the Uniform Code of Military Justice,” Helissaid. “If a Soldier files a restricted report, theycan change it to an unrestricted report at anytime … (once) they feel ready to participate in aninvestigation.”

Unrestricted reportingSoldiers who choose to file an unrestricted re-

port can seek assistance through their chain ofcommand, CID, judge advocate general,SARC/victim advocate or through their healthcare provider, Helis said.

If a Soldier reaches out to their chain of com-mand or through a law enforcement agency, theywaive their option to file a restricted report.Upon reporting, victims will receive the neces-sary care and support, along with the option fora protective order against the other party, SHARPofficials said.

“First-line supervisors and junior leaders areat the tip of the spear when it comes to prevent-ing sexual assault and sexual harassment,” Helissaid. “They are responsible for building cohesiveteams that do not tolerate behaviors that areharmful to other Soldiers.

“If a Soldier approaches them and says ‘I’mhaving an issue with a sexual assault or sexualharassment,’ they need to listen and take appro-priate action.”

Forty golfers, including Darren Hopes (above left) and MichaelDonohoe (top right) took to the links Aug. 14 at the monthly Gar-rison Commander's Golf Tournament on Warrior Hills Golf

Course. This month's winning team (bottom right) is Tom James(not pictured), Carl Simone (left), Jim Doulin (center) and JamieDoulin (right).

Monthly Garrison Commander’s Golf Tournament

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MWR Special Events team hosts back -to-school event

FORT POLK, La. — Going back to school islooking a lot different this year, as some studentsare returning in-person and others are learningremotely. Either way, an exciting chapter in kids’lives is about to begin.

To celebrate the start of another school year,the Fort Polk Directorate of Family Morale, Wel-fare and Recreation Special Events team hosted aspecial drive-through to forge the Warrior Spiriton Aug. 15.

Between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m., the DFMWR Spe-cial Events team handed out goody bags withschool supplies, a hot dog lunch and a cookie tostudents of all ages.

“This year brought a lot of changes to how westructure events,” said Shelby Waryas, Chief ofthe DFMWR Marketing and Special Events. “But,it challenges us to think outside the box to con-tinuously create new and exciting events in a safeenvironment for our Families and community.”

Not only did MWR prepare plenty of surprisesfor the Fort Polk community, but also Benoit Mo-tors (a Leesville native car dealership and aDFMWR sponsor) came out to support and handout school-themed sets.

Unlike previous drives, volunteers from theSergeant Audie Murphy Club, a private nonprof-it organization dedicated to serve the military

community, supported this drive-through event. Noncommissioned officers who have proved

they are excellent leaders may be candidates tothis exclusive organization. SAMC President Ja-cob Kelly and volunteers enjoyed the opportuni-ty to support the MWR Marketing and SpecialEvents team, helping with event setup, executionand tear down.

“This drive-through event is great to get the

kids out for snacks and goody bags and to bearound other people,” said Kelly. “It feels great togive back to the community.”

Every season of the year offers opportunitiesfor the community to actively engage.

For more information on things to do, events,contests and challenges, follow the Fort PolkFamily and MWR Facebook page or visit theMWR website.

By ANNABELLE ARCANDMWR illustrator

Sergeant Audie Murphy Club President Jacob Kelly (left), volunteer Ryan Fack-lam (middle) and SAMC contender Ronald Jackson (right) assist during the Fort PolkDirectorate of Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation Special Events team's back-to-

school event.

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SULPHUR, La. — Retired Maj. Gen. ErbonWise, 99, passed away on Aug. 12 at his home inSulphur. He was born on Aug. 14, 1920, in a loghouse in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana and grewup in Leesville.

Wise earned a bachelor's degree in 1941 fromwhat is now Northwestern State University,where he met and married Natchitoches native,Marie Norris in July 1942. They were married for74 years until her passing in 2016.

Upon the bombing of Pearl Harbor in Decem-ber of 1941, Wise entered the Army and complet-ed the Army Finance School at Indianapolis, In-diana, and was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant inthe Army Air Force.

In later years he graduated from the U.S. Com-mand and General Staff College at Fort Leaven-worth, Kansas, and attended the United StatesWar College. He was awarded an Honorary Doc-torate of Humane Letters from NorthwesternState University in 2004.

During World War II, he served as an officer inthe Army Air Corps in England, France and Ger-many. In his two years in England he served inthe 12th, 8th, and 9th Air Forces, and was earlystationed with the 91st B-17 Heavy BomberGroup, that of "Memphis Belle" fame, the secondB-17 group to be sent overseas.

In June 1944 he was serving with an Air ForceSupport Unit selected for the Utah Beach Land-ing of the Normandy Invasion. He went ashorein an assault landing craft and helped clear a dirtlanding strip near the beachhead for a P-47 Fight-er Group, the first planes sent into France. Afterthe breakout from the beach area at St. Lo,France, Wise's unit followed closely behind the

forces of Gen. George Patton's 2nd Armor Divi-sion’s drive across France and Germany. He wasamong the first Americans to arrive in Paris at itsliberation. He was awarded meritorious ribbonsfor four campaigns and honorably discharged in1946.

Wise returned home and entered military re-serve status. In 1949 he organized the 372nd Fi-nancing Disbursing, an Army Reserve unit thathe commanded for many years. Later when theArmy Reserve Armory was built in Lake Charles,Louisiana, he commanded troops at its dedica-tion and later commanded a Quartermaster Bat-talion there.

From 1964 to 1968 Wise returned to active mil-itary service as a major general and AdjutantGeneral of Louisiana, with duties as commanderof the Louisiana Army and Air National Guard,and as State Director of Selective Service, andState Director of Civil Defense.

From his headquarters at Jackson Barracks inNew Orleans, he lead during the turbulent yearsof the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights marches inLouisiana, and through two disastrous hurri-canes. He secured legislative funding to rebuildthe long-neglected, historic buildings of JacksonBarracks, new National Guard armories in thestate. He retired from the Army in 1969 as a ma-jor general, after 29 years of active and reserveservice.

Upon his return from WWII, Erbon and MarieWise began establishing and purchased newspublications across Louisiana and southeastTexas. He built the small Fort Polk military week-ly into a large, modern twice-weekly and prize-winning newspaper, the Fort Polk Guardian. Heand Marie retired in 1998 from 52 years of pub-lishing newspapers.

Wise authored 21 books on history, genealogy,travel, hunting and fishing, including some auto-biographies of his military and newspaper ca-reers.

Funeral services were held Aug. 18 at Hixson-Sulphur Memorial Funeral Home, followed by aprivate burial.

World War II vet, former Louisiana adjutant general passesGUARDIAN STAFF

Wise