Table of Contents
:: TAG's Message
:: GWOT Memorial Dedication
:: 50th Brigade Honored
:: CSM Message
:: 108th Passes 6,000-hour Mark / Wing Passes UCI
:: 119th CSB Update
:: Controlled Burn at Warren Grove / A Day in the Life / Airman Top Cop
:: Armor Returns from GTMO
:: HET Back from Iraq
:: News Guard Families Can Use

:: 21st CST Trains
:: Short Rounds
:: Army and Air Enlisted Promotions
:: Last Round
:: Family Assistance Centers & Family Readiness Centers
:: Guardlife Information

Guardlife - Volume 31, No. 2

Short Rounds
Compiled by the Guardlife Staff
50th Main Support Battalion Supplies Iraq

Click to enlarge

Members of Delta Company, 50th Main Support Battalion, pose for a group photograph after arriving at their base somewhere in Iraq. Since the transfer of authority between the 701st and the 50th on Feb. 5, the battalion has successfully conducted more than 200 missions and driven more than 300,000 miles. One of the most difficult operations ever planned and executed by the battalion was the 590-mile Ground Assault Convoy from Kuwait to Iraq.

The Convoy was executed under the cover of darkness, something the battalion had not trained for, and was compounded with dismal road conditions, along with awkward intersections and turns. All this was accomplished with no injuries, accidents or loss of equipment. Photo courtesy 50th Main Support Battalion.

Cookies for the Troops

The Girl Scouts of Troop 310, Service Unit Council, Camden County, delivered the highly prized Girl Scout Cookies for the troops March 6.

From left to right: adults are Evelyn Vega, Margie Seay, Kim Long, Napule Green, Marie Durling (doorway far right), Girl Scouts from left to right: are Elanna Vega, Ashlee O’Donnell and Alison Long.

To date, 1-150th General Support Aviation Battalion Family Readiness Group and New Jersey National Guard Family Programs has shipped more than 105 cases of cookies to deployed troops in Iraq. Photo courtesy 1-150th Family Readiness Group.

New Commander at 57th
Lt. Col. John DiNapoli (left) accepts the 57th Troop Command guidon from Brig. Gen. Frank Carlini (right), Deputy Commander Joint Force Headquarters - New Jersey during Troop Command's Change of Command ceremony at the National Guard Armory in Lawrenceville March 6. During the same ceremony Lt. Col. DiNapoli was promoted to colonel. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Robert Stephenson, NJDMAVA/PAO
Mail Call
One of the most holy of military duties is the collecting and disbursing of mail. Performing that duty is (left to right) Capt. Eric Rautenberg, Sgt. Donald Gregorowicz, and 1st Sgt. Jack Cipolla of the 150th General Aviation Support Battalion. Photo by Lt. Col. Mark Preston, 150th GSAB.
Financier Recieves Purple Heart
Sgt. David Michaels, 150th Finance Detachment, received the Purple Heart from Maj. Gen. Joseph Taluto, Commander, 42nd Infantry Division. Sgt. Michaels was also presented a commanders coin by Brig. Gen. Thomas Sullivan. Michaels is the first NJARNG finance Soldier to receive the Purple Heart as the result of wounds for duty in Iraq. Photo courtesy 350th Finance Detachment.
Chiefs Inducted

Six Chief Master Sergeants were inducted in a ceremony at the McGuire Officers’ Club April 2. (L-R) Chief Master Sergeants' Carl Howard, Dominick Galione, Jean Perry, Robert McCarty and Robert Hare of the 177th Fighter Wing. Not pictured is Chief Master Sgt. Edward Rockhill, 108th Air Refueling Wing. Photo by Chief Master Sgt. James Leopardi. 177th Fighter Wing.

250th Meets 150th

At an undisclosed location in Iraq, members of the 250th Signal Battalion and 1-150th General Aviation Support Battalion pose for a group photograph. Back row, l-r, Capt. Joe Pipas, 2nd Lt. Wasyel Danysh, Cpl. Jeff Hiles and Sgt. Steven Felmey. Front row, l-r, Sergeants' First Class Bert Panfile and Sgt. 1st Class James Mannino.

All are former full time employees of the J6 (Information Technologies) deployed to Iraq. All are members of the 250th except for 2nd Lt. Danysh who is a member of the 1-150th. Photo courtesy of the 250th Signal Battalion.

State Collects Vests for Troops
On April 11, Acting Governor Richard J. Codey joined Brig Gen Maria Falca-Dodson, Deputy Adjutant General, law enforcement officials and other National Guard members at the West Orange National Guard Armory to assist in packing approximately 1,750 used bulletproof vests that were collected as part of the Acting Governor’s Body Armor Initiative. The vests are being shipped to troops in Iraq to strengthen military vehicles against bombs. Acting Governor Codey launched the initiative in January and established drop off points for the vests at several of the state’s National Guard armories. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Mark Olsen.
Freedom Salute Honors 253rd
Members of the 253rd Transportation Company were honored March 19 at the Army National Guard’s Freedom Salute Campaign held at the Wildwood Convention Center. The troops were honored at a breakfast and given various awards (see photo) for their service. Command Sgt. Maj. (Ret.) Michael Hughes received special recognition for his groundbreaking work in setting up the New Jersey National Guard's first Family Assistance Center. The Freedom Salute Campaign is designed
to recognize Army National Guard soldiers, their families, employers and others who have supported them as they answered the call to duty in fighting the Global War on Terrorism – both at home and abroad. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Mark Olsen,
NJDMAVA/PA.