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www.ri.ng.mil
Rhode Island National Guard
The Ocean State Guardian
Words of farewell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Spring 2012
Future Force Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Back to basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Brig. Gen. Brian Goodwin set to retire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
RINGRA completes Guard memorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
The Governor of Rhode Island and the
Captain General of the Rhode Island National Guard
Drill Sergeant Barbeiro – Rhode Island’s first . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
The Honorable Lincoln D. Chafee
The Adjutant General of the State of Rhode Island and
Commanding General of the Rhode Island National Guard
Maj. Gen. Kevin McBride
Assistant Adjutant General for Army and
Deputy Commanding General of the
Rhode Island National Guard
Pg. 7
Pg. 8
Pg. 12
Pg. 18
Brig. Gen. Brian W. Goodwin
Four Rhode Island Air National Guard members to receive awards
for heroism, meritorious service in Afghanistan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Commander, Joint Force Headquarters,
Rhode Island National Guard
182nd deployed to Afghanistan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Brig. Gen. Marcus Jannitto
Strength at Home: programs fact sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Assistant Adjutant General for Air
Rhode Island National Guard
Accomplishing the mission through versatility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Brig. Gen. Donald Lagor
Managing Editor
State Public Affairs Officer
Lt. Col. Denis Riel
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Hero 2 Hired helps job hunt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE • (401) 275-4038 • [email protected]
Public Affairs Specialists
Sgt. Megan Burmeister
Sgt. Peter Ramaglia
ON THE COVER
Public Affairs Office
(401) 275-4038
Drill Sergeant Barbeiro
Cover photo by
Sgt. Peter Ramaglia
Feedback on The OSG content, please e-mail:
[email protected]
Bob Ulin
Publisher
Justin Ritter
Graphic Designer
Marie Lundstrom
Editor
Chris Kersbergen
Darrell George
Advertising Sales
Contact Information:
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[email protected]
The Ocean State Guardian is published by AQP
Publishing, Inc., a private firm in no way connected
with the Rhode Island National Guard, under
written contract with the Rhode Island National
Guard. This Rhode Island National Guard magazine is an authorized publication for employees
and military members of the Rhode Island National
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of Rhode Island, the U.S. Government, Department
of Defense, or the Rhode Island National Guard.
The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not
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Editorial content is edited, prepared, and
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and graphic devices are copyrighted to the Rhode
Island National Guard unless otherwise indicated.
Spring 2012 / Rhode Island National Guard
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Words of farewell
As I write this, it is extremely difficult for me to put into
words the feelings and respect that I have for the men and
women of the Rhode Island National Guard, Rhode Island
Emergency Management Agency, state employees, and
Rhode Island’s Historic Militia.
As I reflect back on my 40-year career in the Rhode
Island National Guard, I have witnessed a tremendous
transformation that has seen the Guard grow into a highly
professional, proficient, relevant and reliable force. When
I joined the Rhode Island National Guard in 1972, some
personnel wore wigs to hide their long hair; weekend drills
were mostly card games, soccer or baseball; and annual
training periods were 15 days of work during the day and
parties at night.
As we moved from a strategic reserve to an operational
force, the changes were dramatic and challenging. The
equipment we were operating was antiquated and not operationally sound, creating a huge void between the active
component and the Guard. These discrepancies became
extremely evident during deployments in support of Desert
Shield and Desert Storm. Following these deployments, it
was recognized that the Guard needed to modernize if it
was expected to support its active counterparts in future
conflicts. We have moved into a joint environment further
ensuring our relevancy in operational planning and support.
The education and training of our personnel has increased
tremendously, ensuring that everyone is well prepared to
handle any and all contingencies that may arise.
On Sept. 11, 2001, our world changed forever. The
Rhode Island National Guard and the Emergency Management Agency found themselves facing new and difficult
challenges, but all were handled professionally and
proficiently. We immediately mobilized Soldiers and Airmen
in support of contingency operations and prepared units
for deployment in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and
Enduring Freedom. The OPTEMPO of the National Guard
was at an all-time high. The Rhode Island National Guard
has deployed more than 5,500 Soldiers and Airmen, and all
have performed magnificently, conducting themselves with
honor, courage and integrity, and exhibiting the Army and
Air Force Values daily. The Rhode Island National Guard
has also paid a very dear price during these conflicts:
Staff Sgt. Christopher Potts, Staff Sgt. Joseph Camera,
Sgt. Charles Caldwell and Spc. Michael Andrade paid the
ultimate sacrifice in support of their country. Please, let’s
never forget them and always keep them and their families
in our thoughts and prayers.
While all this is going on, let us not forget the home
front. The Rhode Island National Guard and the Emergency Management Agency have handled numerous state
emergencies—major snow storms, hurricanes, level orange
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Ocean State Guardian / Spring 2012
threats, and severe floods. We also
deployed Soldiers and Airmen in
support of Hurricane Katrina, the
Southwest Border and numerous
other contingencies throughout the
world. Through it all, the performance and dedication of the
men and women of both agencies never wavered. Each
was handled exceptionally, ensuring that the citizens of this
great state were protected, and minimal property loss was
experienced.
There will always be challenges and developments to
test the intestinal fortitude of all who serve. I know that
these challenges will be met head on and successfully
dealt with, further ensuring that the Rhode Island National
Guard and the Emergency Management Agency will remain
a well-led, well-trained and well-equipped force ready to
answer the nation’s and state’s calls to duty.
As I come to a close on my career, there are several
people I would like to thank for taking the time to mentor
me, ensuring that I had the tools necessary to succeed.
As I grew in the engineers, officers such as Brig. Gen.
Jim Dunn, Col. Bill Tuttle and Col. Norm Lamothe played
an extremely key role in my development as an officer.
They taught me that the Soldier and their family were
paramount—without them, no mission could be accomplished. NCOs such as Command Sgt. Maj. Jean Vanti and
Command Sgt. Maj. Steve Topp, Sgt. Maj. Ray Laprad,
Master Sgt. Jack McCoy and numerous others made sure
I did not forget who I was, where I came from, and that
officers were not always right. As I progressed through the
ranks, individuals such as retired Lt. Gen. (RI) Reginald
Centracchio, Brig. Gen. Rick Baccus, Col. Ray Donnelly,
Col. Steve Kelley, and Col. Terry Parker mentored me,
again ensuring that I stayed on the path required to
succeed in an organization experiencing tremendous
growth and changes.
I have had the privilege to work with and alongside
some of the best and brightest Soldiers and Airmen ever to
have served. Key staff officers such as Col. Charlie Walsh,
Col. Ginny Barham, Col. Don Lagor, Col. Mark Habershaw, Col. Joe Rooney, Col. Paul Leveillee, Col. Lynn
Hague, Col. Denise Rooney, Col. Marty Lafferty, Col. Chris
Callahan, Col. John Packhem, Lt. Col. Denis Riel, Lt. Col.
Vivian Caruolo, Command Sgt. Maj. John McDonough, Ms
Tonia Kaplan and numerous others made my life and job
an exceptional joy. Their dedication, devotion, knowledge
and care for the Soldiers and Airmen is unsurpassed. I
want to thank each of you for your hard work, support and
friendship.
I would also like to thank Maj. Gen. Robert Bray and his
wife Donna. You gave me the opportunity to serve at the
highest level, trusting me to manage
the finest organization in the world.
You stuck by my side through the good
and the bad and never once wavered
in your support for me and my family.
Your mentorship of me proved to be
invaluable, and I will be forever grateful
for your support and friendship.
Finally, to my family—your support
for me throughout these past 40 years
has been tremendous. To my wife
Cheryl, sons Jonathan and his wife
Jen, and Brian Jr. (currently deployed
to Afghanistan), my love for you is
unwavering, and I appreciate all that
you have sacrificed over the years. I
am very proud of all of you, and I look
forward to spending more time with
each of you.
Thank you all, Soldiers, Airmen,
family and supporters. It has been my
honor and privilege to serve with and
alongside each and every one of you
throughout the years. My memories of
the Rhode Island National Guard will
be extremely fond, and I will cherish
them for the rest of my life. Cheryl
and I will always have you in our
thoughts and prayers. I want to wish
everyone God speed. God bless the
United States of America, the state of
Rhode Island and the members of the
Rhode Island National Guard, Emergency Management Agency, and the
Historic Militia.
Brig. Gen. Brian Goodwin
Assistant Adjutant General for Army and
Deputy Commanding General, Rhode Island National Guard
Future Force Development
Brig. Gen. Donald Lagor, Assistant Adjutant General for Air Rhode Island National Guard
Future Force Development is
something that should be considered
at all levels of military life, particularly
in light of the recent national defense
strategy announcement and pending
force structure changes that will impact
all the service components as we
reshape and retool for future threats
to our national security. Are we, as
a National Guard, doing everything
possible to shape our Soldiers and
Airmen to meet future challenges and
to produce military leaders who will be
adaptive and responsive to our nation’s
needs? The best possible course of
action to prepare our junior personnel
for an uncertain future is to develop
a solid mentorship program to groom
up-and-coming Soldiers and Airmen
deemed to have the potential to move
up into leadership roles. We do this by
pairing the Soldier/Airman protégé with
a senior level leader (or leaders) for a
series of career-coaching interactions.
Another method of high-potential
mentoring is to place the Soldier/
Airman in a series of jobs in disparate
areas of the organization, all for small
periods of time, in anticipation of
learning the organization’s structure,
culture, and methods. For the mentor, it
means some personal involvement and
sacrifice of time because this process
always involves communication and
must be relationship-based in order to
be effective. Mentoring is a process for
the informal transmission of knowledge,
social capital, and the psychological
support perceived by the mentee as
relevant to their career field or professional development. The Air National
Guard’s Strategic Planning System, in
particular, has begun the process of
codifying all of the requirements for the
development of our future leaders.
Without adapting to this model,
which includes higher education,
joint service, deployment credit, and
professional military education, the
ANG officer corps will not advance
or compete for senior officer corps
positions in the very near future. Our
enlisted force will need to adapt as well
so that we remain and retain the best
NCO corps in the world. Collectively,
we need to seek out our future leaders
and begin the long and arduous path
of future force development through a
solid mentorship program. We need to
start now so that we can develop the
bench for the future!
Spring 2012 / Rhode Island National Guard
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Back to basics
By Command Sgt. Maj. John J. McDonough IV, 5th State Command Sergeant Major, RIARNG
Over the last several months I have
witnessed trends that have become a
concern to me as your senior noncommissioned officer. Some very basic
skills we, as Soldiers, should know and
live by, are ignored and not enforced.
I continue to witness flaws in military
bearing. I see enlisted Soldiers not
rendering hand salutes to officers. I
see junior officers not saluting senior
officers. I listen to Soldiers refer to each
other by first name regardless of grade.
I watch leaders witness the same and
not take corrective action. There are
protocols established within the military
to ensure that all we do is based on
professionalism.
Physical appearance and military
bearing is a category by which we are
measured each rating period on our
noncommissioned officer evaluation
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Ocean State Guardian / Spring 2012
report. There are prescribed standards
regarding both, which every Soldier
learns at the lowest military education
level—basic combat training. Physical
appearance and military bearing is
representative of an organization’s
discipline. Professionalism permeates
units that are well disciplined. Leaders
will promote good discipline by
enforcing standards, making on-thespot corrections and holding Soldiers
accountable. We are in the “profession
of arms.” Our customs and courtesies
are rich in history and what separates
us from every other profession.
As we continue the drawdown of our
forces in Southwest Asia, we, the leadership, will ensure that units transition
from combat area policies to the proper
protocol of the garrison environment. In
garrison, uniform standards are dictated
by Army
Regulation
670-1. There
is no authority designating “no-hat
areas while outside” or “no-salute
zones.” These are examples of exceptions to policy necessitated by combat
operations, but which do not transfer to
garrison life.
We, the leaders, will re-engage with
basic Soldier responsibilities. We will
vigorously enforce proper protocol.
Field Manual 7-21.13, “The Soldier’s
Guide,” outlines customs and courtesies, the traditions and history behind
them, and why they remain vitally
important to unit discipline. Customs
and courtesies will be addressed as
part of the unit’s noncommissioned
officer development program. It is time
to get “back to basics.”
Brig. Gen. Brian Goodwin set to retire
Story and photo by Army Sgt. Peter Ramaglia
After nearly 40 years of dedicated
service to the Rhode Island Army
National Guard, Brigadier General
Brian Goodwin is retiring.
Goodwin enlisted in the Rhode Island
Army National Guard in May 1972
where he served in the 1118th Engineer
Company as a Dump Truck Operator.
In April 1978, Goodwin attended the
Officer Candidate School at the Rhode
Brig. Gen. Brian Goodwin, Assistant Adjutant General for Army and Deputy Commanding General of the Rhode Island
National Guard, speaks at a 9/11 memorial ceremony at the Bristol Fire Department Sept. 11, 2011.
Island Military Academy where he
graduated with honors and received his
commission as a 2nd Lieutenant.
“Graduating OCS had to be one of
my greatest accomplishments,” said
Goodwin. “It set my path in becoming a
general officer.”
Following graduation from OCS,
Goodwin’s first assignment was with
the 861st Engineer Company as a
Heavy Equipment Platoon Leader.
During his time with the 861st he
remembers a number of rewarding
experiences when he and his unit
would help complete community projects such as baseball fields and sports
complexes.
Goodwin later transferred to the
243rd Engineer Battalion where he
served in numerous staff positions
culminating as the Battalion Executive
Officer.
Following his assignment within the
243rd, Goodwin served in numerous
staff positions within the Rhode Island
Army National Guard culminating as
the Chief of Staff for the Rhode Island
Army National Guard
Some of Goodwin’s shining
moments in the Rhode Island National
Guard were his hand in the establishment of various programs that continue
on strong today such as the Family
Assistance Program, Employer Support
for the Guard and Reserve and the
Counter Drug Program.
Goodwin said that he was proud of
these programs and proud to have a
helping hand in establishing programs
such as these that were never available
to service members years ago.
Brigadier General Goodwin may be
retiring from the Rhode Island National
Guard, but his presence will always be
felt, through the relationships he forged,
Soldiers he mentored; programs he
helped develop, and leadership he
displayed.
There is no doubt that Brigadier
General Goodwin is leaving the Rhode
Island National Guard a better place
than when he joined.
Spring 2012 / Rhode Island National Guard
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Ocean State Guardian / Spring 2012
RINGRA completes Guard memorial
The Rhode Island National Guard Retirees Association
has completed the only memorial to the National Guard in the
state of Rhode Island. The seven-person committee contains
males and females, enlisted and commissioned, Army and
Air Guard former members. Started in February, 2008, the
memorial was completed with the installation of the bronze
statue on Aug. 28, 2011, only 42 months since the committee
first toured the empty site at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery
in Exeter, R.I. The committee was chaired by retired Lt. Col.
Bob Urquhart. The former Adjutant General, retired Lt. Gen.
Reginald Centracchio, served as honorary chair.
The memorial consists of three large granite slabs
containing text for the R.I. Army Guard, the R.I. Air Guard
and portions of the “I am The Guard” poem. In addition, the
center pedestal holds the 6-foot, 4-inch statue of the Guard’s
Minuteman. The granite, including six benches, weighs more
than 30 tons. More than 600 of the 2,400 bricks that form the
“floor” of the site are engraved with unit and individual texts
and images. There is still plenty of space for more engraved
bricks, which will be added in the fall of each year. In all, the
living memorial represents a quarter of a million dollars in
purchases and donated labor and materials.
Photos of the construction, dedication and installation, as
well as details of how to order bricks, can be found on the
association’s website at:
http://ringretirees.homestead.com.
February 2009 • A sign goes up at the site
explaining to the public what we’re doing.
Real-world OJT for the 861st Engineer Company
(RIARNG) begins the fill process to bring the final
grade up to the tops of the concrete slabs. Another
weekend drill in June will finish the fill.
May 2009 • U.S. Senator Jack Reed opens the speaking
program with remarks on the importance of the National
Guard to the nation’s security.
Spring 2012 / Rhode Island National Guard
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Ocean State Guardian / Spring 2012
Drill Sergeant Barbeiro—
Rhode Island’s first
By Army Sgt. Peter Ramaglia
Early mornings and long days are
the story of every drill sergeant candidate’s life during their nine weeks at
the United States Army Drill Sergeant
School.
It was no different for Sgt. Carlos
Barbeiro, recruiter for the Rhode
Island National Guard Recruiting and
Retention Battalion, and now drill
sergeant for the Recruit Sustainment
Program where he prepares civilian
recruits for basic combat training.
Graduating from the United States
Army Drill Sergeant School in Fort
Jackson, S.C., in November 2011,
Barbeiro is the first Rhode Island Army
National Guardsmen ever to become
a certified drill sergeant.
Becoming a drill sergeant has
always been something Barbeiro
aspired to since he joined the active
duty Army in 1996, but failed to
achieve then.
After his initial enlistment, and a
two-year break in service, Barbeiro
joined the Rhode Island National guard
in 2006.
A few short years later while
assigned to the Recruit Sustainment
Program, Barbeiro had his chance to
become something he’d always wanted.
“In the back of my head, I’ve always
wanted to become a drill sergeant,”
Barbeiro said. “When this opportunity
presented itself, I had to take advantage of it.”
Rhode Island has had a number of
certified drill sergeants over the years
who’ve graduated from Drill Sergeant
School while on active duty, but what
makes Barbeiro significant is that he is
the first National Guardsman to be sent
to the school from Rhode Island.
“I felt a lot of pressure being the
first from Rhode Island to attend the
school,” Barbeiro said. “I didn’t want to
let anyone down.”
Of the 89 drill sergeant candidates in
Barbeiro’s class, approximately 46 went
on to graduate, Barbeiro among them.
Barbeiro said that one of the more
challenging aspects of the school was
its training modules.
“You needed to be able to recite a lot
of things word for word,” Barbeiro said.
“You also needed to find the correct
way to do things—by the book.”
To know the right way to do things,
candidates went by the motto, “If it’s in
black and white, then it’s right!”
One of Barbeiro’s personal accomplishments was to graduate from the
school with a 299 PT score.
Maj. Dennis Pineault, commander of
the RSP, said that candidates are prescreened thoroughly by the National
Guard Bureau before a Soldier is sent
to the school.
Therefore, Rhode Island is very
selective about who they send to drill
sergeant school, said Pineault.
“Sgt. Barbeiro fit the bill for this
school,” he said. “He is physically fit,
tactically proficient and passionate
about training Soldiers.”
From the commander’s perspective,
Barbeiro is an important asset to the
RSP, Pineault said. Having graduated from the school and needing to
recertify each year, Barbeiro keeps the
RSP up to date regularly with the best
practices to better help new recruits
succeed when they ship off to basic
combat training.
“My job is not to yell at you 24/7,
but to transform you,” said Barbeiro. “A
drill sergeant’s mission is to transform
civilians into Soldiers.”
Spring 2012 / Rhode Island National Guard
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Lt. Col. Thomas Hannon • The Bronze Star Medal
Senior Airman Yanick Koenig • The Air Force Achievement Medal
Four Rhode Island Air National Guard
members to receive awards for heroism,
meritorious service in Afghanistan
Four Air National Guard members from the 143rd
Security Forces Squadron who were deployed as part
of the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron,
Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, from March through
October 2010, were presented with awards for their
service.
Senior Airman Yanick Koenig received the Air Force
Achievement Medal with “V” device for valor Jan. 7,
2012, for his heroic actions credited in saving the life
of a fellow Airman. As a member of Quick Reaction
Force, 455th Expeditionary Security Forces, Koenig,
a heavy machine-gun operator, was part of a mission
sent to investigate insurgent activity in the Bagram
area when a fellow team member triggered an antipersonnel mine. Koenig, without hesitation or regard for
his personal safety, entered the mine field and initiated
life-saving casualty care before determining an egress
route and quickly evacuating the wounded Airman. His
heroic and selfless actions played a pivotal role in the
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Ocean State Guardian / Spring 2012
extraction and survival of his teammate.
Senior Airman Eric Fontes received the Purple Heart
award Jan. 7, 2012, for injuries sustained from a rocket
attack on Sept. 10, 2010, while manning an entry
control point outside of Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan.
The attack claimed the lives of two Afghan National
Army comrades and injured another Air Force Security Forces member. Fontes received concussive and
shrapnel wounds but was eventually returned to duty
and finished his tour.
Lt. Col. Thomas Hannon, operations officer of the
143rd Security Forces Squadron, will receive the
Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service as operations officer of the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces
Squadron in Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan.
Master Sgt. Steven Croce will receive the Meritorious Service Medal for his role as the first sergeant
of the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron
while deployed to Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan.
Master Sgt. Steven Croce • Meritorious Service Medal
Senior Airman Eric Fontes • Purple Heart Award
Spring 2012 / Rhode Island National Guard
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182nd deployed
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Ocean State Guardian / Spring 2012
to Afghanistan
Spring 2012 / Rhode Island National Guard
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Ocean State Guardian / Spring 2012
Programs Fact Sheet
www.StrengthAtHome.com
12 Session Strength at Home Men’s Program
1) Who the group is for: Veterans (of any era) struggling with anger, who have used aggression against their
intimate partner within the past year.
2) What we do in the group: This is a 12 session intervention to stop intimate partner aggression. Group
material focuses on developing a better understanding of problems with anger, learning to de-escalate
situations that may lead to arguments and conflict, learning to manage anger and stress more effectively,
and learning to communicate in more assertive ways.
3) Other key points:
A. Our groups are confidential.
B. We offer $300 compensation per person to cover costs of gas and child care.
C. Groups are offered on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
D. We would like all participants to sign releases of information if they are seeing other providers to help
coordinate care.
4) For more information or to make a referral: Call 857-364-4173 or email
[email protected]. Our staff will talk to the veteran in more detail about the group and
schedule their first appointment to come in.
10 Session Strength At Home Couple’s Program
1) Who the group is for: Couples in a committed relationship where the male partner is an OEF/OIF veteran.
2) What we do in the group: This is a 10 session relationship strengthening couples group. The goals are to
help couples transition from deployment to civilian life, increase feelings of closeness and happiness, and
to prevent arguments, aggression, and conflict in the relationship. Group material focuses on developing
a better understanding of deployment stress and its impact on the relationship, learning to de-escalate
situations that may lead to arguments and conflict, and learning to communicate in more positive and
effective ways.
3) Other key points:
a. Our groups are confidential.
b. We offer $300 compensation per person ($600 per couple) to cover costs of gas and child care.
c. Groups are offered on Monday and Wednesday evenings.
d. We would like all participants to sign releases of information if they are seeing other providers to help
coordinate care.
4) For more information or to make a referral: Call 857-364-4173 or email strengthathomeoutreah@gmail.
com. Our staff will talk to the veteran or partner in more detail about the group and schedule their first
appointment to come in.
Spring 2012 / Rhode Island National Guard
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Accomplishing the
mission through versatility:
The 88th Army Band has a mission to provide
music that promotes troop morale and unit esprit de
corps, and supports civil and military operations and
ceremonies.
The problem is that many events request support
from the band on a monthly basis, but not every event
requires the whole band.
The solution to this is the band’s modular structure.
The unit is organized into music performance teams.
Versatile and capable, MPTs can operate and perform
independently for specified periods. There are generally five different MPTs. Each focuses on a specific
form of music such as popular music, brass chamber
music, ceremonial, and woodwind chamber music.
With this structure, the band is able to cover
multiple events at the same time and tailor their music
to match each event’s theme. This allows for a wider
impact on both civilian and military audiences.
Spring 2012 / Rhode Island National Guard
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Rhode Island state delegates, Pearl Harbor survivors, current
service members and various veteran organizations gathered
on Dec. 7, 2011, at the Rhode Island State House on the
70th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Six native
Rhode Islanders, who were stationed at Pearl Harbor during
the attacks of Dec. 7, 1941, were honored guests during the
remembrance ceremony. For actions during the attacks, one
survivor was awarded the Rhode Island Cross; the others
were awarded the Rhode Island Star Medal.
December 7, 1941
December 7, 2011
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Ocean State Guardian / Spring 2012
Photo: Army Sgt. Peter Ramaglia
Pearl Harbor survivior Raymond J. Haerry Sr., of East Greenwich, R.I., was awarded the
Rhode Island Cross for heroic action on Dec. 7, 1941, in the face of enemy action while
assigned to the USS Arizona. Haerry was one of only 354 survivors of the USS Arizona.
Photos: Army Sgt. Peter Ramaglia
By Sgt. Megan Burmeister
“Let them not be forgotten for they
have shown the world that freedom is
not free.”
Members of the Rhode Island
National Guard, military retiree organizations and state government gathered in
the Rhode Island State House on Dec.
7, 2011, to honor the 70th anniversary of
the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
As part of the ceremony, six native
Rhode Islanders were given awards for
their service during the attack. Bernard
Creswick, retired, U.S. Army Air Corps;
Ralph N. Churchwell, retired, U.S.
Navy; Daniel Hunter, retired, U.S. Navy;
Wilmer Stevens, retired, U.S. Army;
Gilbert Hawkens, retired, U.S. Navy,
and Raymond J. Haerry Sr., retired,
U.S. Navy, shared their experiences
of that day with the audience. Several
family members recounted the service
members’ experiences for those who
could not tell it themselves.
Following a reading of the top
essays for a Rhode Island High School
Presented by Maj. Gen. Kevin McBride, Adjutant General of Rhode Island and Commanding
General of the Rhode Island National Guard, Pearl Harbor survivor Bernard Creswick of
Warwick, R.I., is awarded the Rhode Island Star Medal on Dec. 7, 2011, during the Pearl
Harbor Remembrance Ceremony at the Rhode Island State House. Creswick was a member
of the U.S. Army Air Corps stationed at Pearl Harbor during the attacks.
Pearl Harbor Essay Contest, the
survivors were awarded state medals
for their actions on that day.
At Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Dec.
7, 1941, the Japanese launched a
surprise attack on U.S. military bases.
More than 300 planes dropped the first
bombs on Pearl Harbor in the morning
of Dec. 7. In the harbor were eight
American battleships and more than
90 other naval vessels. By the end of
the attack, 21 ships were destroyed
or severely damaged, as were 300
planes. The battleship USS Arizona
was the biggest loss, accounting for
more than half the fatalities. By the end
of the raid, more than 2,300 people
had been killed and about half as many
were wounded.
The attack on Pearl Harbor caused
the involvement of the United States of
America in World War II.
Spring 2012 / Rhode Island National Guard
19
HERO 2 HIRED
helps job hunt
ESGR was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between reserve component members
and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee’s military commitment.
However, lack of employment upon return from deployment also affects service members. The ESGR program
teamed up with The Yellow Ribbon Program to introduce Hero 2 Hired, a job site created to make it easy for reserve
component service members to connect to and find jobs with military-friendly companies who are looking for
employees.
Searching for a new job is a big undertaking. H2H was created to make it easy for the Guard and reserve
component service members. The site offers several services to make the job hunt easier. Following are some job
search tools that the website has to offer:
* Military Skills Translator — search for jobs based on your MOS/AFSC
H2H.job
s is
* Mobile app – your cell phone will receive a message when you’re in the
FREE fo
r all
job see
vicinity of a job opening that matches your online profile
kers!
* Virtual career fairs
* Hiring events
* Social Media integration — market yourself with information about your abilities and experience,
and letters of recommendation, laid out on an attractive interactive digital portfolio.
20
Ocean State Guardian / Spring 2012