Photo By John Hughel | Oregon Governor Tina Kotek (center) and Maj. Gen. Michael Stencel, Adjutant General,...... read more read more
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Travel, training, and transition. Throughout 2023, Oregon National Guard members were active both at home and abroad. Whether it was being mobilized for an overseas deployment, training for wildland firefighting, conducting Search and Rescue Operations, or assisting the State Partnership Program – Oregon Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen continued to make a significant impact on missions around the globe.
Having been deployed in January of 2022, more than 120 members of Charlie Company, 1st Squadron, 82nd Cavalry Regiment were nearing the end of their mobilization in Poland and were welcomed home during a formal demobilization ceremony by Oregon’s new Governor Tina Kotek on February 4, 2023. The unit played a vital role in contributing support to U.S. and NATO Allies in Eastern Europe.
A month later, 75 members assigned to Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment returned from nearly a yearlong deployment supporting overseas contingency operations as part of Operation Spartan Shield in the Middle East. They took part in the Eager Lion Multinational Exercise and involved service members from Italy, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, as well as the host nation.
While many Soldiers were returning home, Governor Kotek hosted a mobilization ceremony at the State Capital for 10 members of the Oregon National Guard’s 641st Aviation on July 14, 2023. The unit mission is to provide fixed-wing air capabilities in support of the Combined Joint Task Force–Horn of Africa and AFRICOM from Djibouti and throughout the AFRICOM Theater of operations.
Traveling overseas and working with numerous countries played a big part in the entire year.
In July, ‘Oregon’s Own,’ 234th Army Band spent over two weeks in Germany to backfill the United States Army Europe and Africa Band. The band played at venues large and small around Germany, showcasing their wide range of music styles.
The National Guard’s State Partnership Program celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2023, which began after the breakup of the Soviet Union. It is now paired with over 100 nations with Soldiers and Airmen from every state and U.S. territory, to build partner capacity, increase interoperability, and enhance U.S. access and influence.
Speaking at the 30th anniversary ceremony during the Department of Defense and National Guard State Partnership Program Conference held in National Harbor, Maryland in July, Chief of the National Guard, General Daniel Hokanson spoke of the critical need for enduring partnerships.
“The strategy is clear in this respect – mutually beneficial alliances and partnerships, like the State Partnership Program, are an enduring strength and they will be more critical in the years ahead.”
Oregon National Guard Soldiers took part in Exercise Tiger Lightning ‘23 at the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Support Operations Training Center from February 26 to March 12. Soldiers assigned to Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry, together with other U.S. military members and specialty teams, worked to strengthen Bangladesh peacekeeping readiness, promote interoperability, and reinforce the partnership between both countries.
In Vietnam, Oregon National Guard members took part in two major training missions over the past year.
Held in May, the annual Disaster Management Engagement Activity was held in Hai Phong creating realistic disaster management scenarios. The state partnership between Vietnam’s National Committee for Search and Rescue and the Oregon National Guard is a continuation of the bilateral relations to further the trust, respect, and a shared commitment to regional and international security.
In August, the Pacific Partnership 2023 exercise brought Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard members was held in Tuy Hoa, Vietnam.
Mission teams worked with host and partner nations to enhance regional disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific.
Airmen from Oregon’s 142nd Wing and Washington’s 141st Refueling Wing supported a 10-day exercise in mid-September. Together both states participated in the first-ever Enduring Partners Engagement with the Royal Thai Air Force at Korat Royal Thai Air Base in Thailand.
The Enduring Partners 2023 engagement was aimed at improving combat readiness and combined operations between participants while enhancing strong defense relations with the State Partnership Program with Washington and Thailand. The Oregon Air National Guard played a vital role in the exercise providing fighter jets and personnel. This engagement included participation from approximately 230 U.S. Airmen, five F-15Cs from the ORANG’s 142nd Wing, two KC-135 Stratotankers from the WAANG’s 141st Air Refueling Wing, and 20 F-5, JAS-39, and F-16 fighters from the Royal Thai Air Force.
Closer to home, the Oregon Army National Guard's 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team spent their annual training taking part in EXportable Combat Training Capability, a major comprehensive training exercise. The Soldiers worked on fine-tuning their tactics, coordinating maneuver and fire support, optimizing intelligence and logistics, and enhancing their communication during the June training at Camp Roberts, California.
The 102nd Oregon Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear, Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP), completed and passed their first joint evaluation in mid-July at Camp Rilea near Warrenton, Oregon. Oregon Army and Air National Guardsmen conducted a collective training exercise to train and prepare for this achievement. They proved they could identify, assess, advise, and assist during a CBRN and all-hazard incident.
Also during summer annual training, the Oregon Army National Guard’s 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment sharpened their combat skills during their two weeks of training at Orchard Combat Training Center in Idaho in late July. The battalion focused on qualifying tank and Bradley Fighting Vehicle crews through intensive live-fire gunnery.
Working in the community, the 1249th Engineer Battalion spent the last two weeks of May performing Innovative Readiness Training, providing equipment and manpower for a new athletic field at Centennial High School in Gresham, Oregon. The long overdue upgrades to the old domed-style football field will provide supplementary benefits to local communities through infrastructure construction and maintenance improvements.
During the late summer months, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s office declared a “Statewide State of Emergency” in early August due to the imminent and ongoing threat of wildfires. The Oregon Army National Guard launched two CH-47 Chinook helicopters in support of the Tyee Ridge Complex, located 10 miles west of Sutherlin, in northwest Douglas County, Oregon on August 30, 2023. Earlier in the spring, nearly 200 Army and Air personnel conducted training and received their Incident Qualification Card, commonly known as a “red card.” After the training, the state had over 700 personnel qualified and ready to assist if called upon.
To help battle against the threats of illicit drugs and the damage associated with the well-being of our communities, the Oregon National Guard helps “bridge the gaps” between the Department of Defense and federal, state, and local agencies across a full range of counterdrug operations. The Counter Drug Program provides direct support to law enforcement agencies, as well as community organizations – in turn, helping disrupt and deter drug production and drug trafficking in the state and other regions.
As 2023 began to wind down, Maj. Gen. Michael Stencel, Adjutant General, Oregon National Guard retired after nearly four decades of military service in early November. Gov. Kotek announced that Brig. Gen. Alan R. Gronewold was selected as Oregon’s 32nd Adjutant General and was officially sworn in on November 28, 2023.
“I pledge to lead with a focus on readiness, cohesion, and capability,” Gronewold said during his Investiture ceremony. “I am honored to lead this remarkable organization and I look forward to working alongside each of you who strive for excellence, build winning units, and ensure that the Oregon National Guard remains a source of pride for all.”
| Date Taken: | 12.20.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 12.20.2023 10:31 |
| Story ID: | 460426 |
| Location: | SALEM, OR, US |
| Web Views: | 298 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, ‘Full Speed Ahead’ for Oregon’s Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen in 2023, by John Hughel, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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