Joint Services Team to Test and Evaluate Close Air Support at the NTC

ARMOR — “Rainbow Twister” — assistance for tornadoes in upstate New York — saw thousands of 42nd Division soldiers activated to help local communities overcome natural disasters. The coordination required with civilian authorities sharpened commanders’ skills and exercised staff planning under short timelines and in harsh conditions.

The successful command post exercise was a validation of the division’s ability to command and control large-scale operations. The scale of the divisional mission for Warfighter exceeded that of any state emergency relief mission in the division’s history. From operations to intelligence to logistics, Rainbow commanders and staff at all levels displayed an ability to coordinate and communicate.

Caring

Another important contribution the Rainbow Division made to local communities is found in New York’s implementation of the guardHELP Program. The initiative, developed to unite Guard soldiers with the communities throughout the state, invites local leaders and non-profit organizations to work jointly with the Rainbow Division to address threats in New York’s hometowns. Getting the division involved locally incorporates all the elements of guardHELP — Hearing local needs and identifying threats, Educating communities about divisional capabilities, Linking assets to needs to provide training opportunities, and Partnering by local National Guard armories with local communities.

The program encourages a central aspect of the National Guard role: citizen soldiers lending assistance to other citizens. In the few months since introduction, Rainbow soldiers have assisted local communities with education, engineer construction, beach and park cleanup, counter-drug youth programs, and resources and training for law enforcement. The success of guardHELP in New York State has led to the Rainbow Division adopting community partnership objectives for units throughout the division.

“We are redefining national defense at the local level (and) the National Guard is uniquely configured because it is community-based, and this is where citizens at large perceive the greatest threat.” — Brigadier General Bill Martin, New York Deputy Adjutant General On a large scale, the assistance to New York’s North Country during the devastating ice storm of January, and the tornado response to the upstate New York town of Stillwater in June, provided Rainbow soldiers a true perspective on National Guard partnerships with local relief and government agencies. The adoption of the New York State guardHELP initiative by the 42nd Division empowers local commanders and soldiers in every Rainbow State to make the same linkages without the drama of a federal disaster. The impact of the Rainbow Division on the daily lives of thousands of residents of Rainbow states grows with every new training opportunity and every new partnership in Rainbow communities throughout the division.

“The response from the Guard members is hard to describe. There are plenty of tears as a result of their generosity. My children, who have always been a little intimidated by the green uniforms, now see National Guard members as everyday people who really care about the community.” — Patti Hemendinger, tornado storm victim, Stillwater, New York

Editor’s Note: LTC Pete Kutschera, LTC Paul Fanning, CPT Stephen Mueller, HQNYARNG, and SFC Jim Fillio, HQ 42nd ID (M) contributed to this story.