The Ripley Reporter Camp Ripley Welcomes its New Senior Enlisted Advisor Sgt. Maj. Michael Worden recently joined the command team at Camp Ripley as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Camp Commander, Col. Scott St. Sauver. I m excited to be a member of the Camp Ripley team. I have spent a good portion of my military career at Camp Ripley in training or preparing for deployment, said Worden. I look forward to the opportunity to assist the full-time staff here in the mission of providing the best possible support facilities and resources for training, while maintaining positive community relations with our partners in the Little Falls and Brainerd areas. Sgt. Maj. Worden currently lives in the Brainerd area. He holds a bachelors degree from the University of Minnesota Duluth and is currently working on a master s degree from St. Cloud State University. His previous military assignments include: Operations Sergeant Major for the 1st Brigade Combat Team, Operations Sergeant for the 175th Regional Training Institute and Master Gunner for the 1-194 Armor. Sgt. Maj. Worden is an excellent Non-Commissioned Officer and we are lucky to have him here supporting the training on this installation, said Col. Scott St. Sauver. With his operations and combat-arms background he makes a great addition to the command team. In This Issue Like us on http://www.facebook.com/campripley Domestic Viokence SARC Page 2 Page 3 Do You need a DA Photo? DA photos can be scheduled with 1LT Blake St. sauver Camp Ripley Public Affiars blake.stsauver@us.army.mil or 320-616-3122 SPREAD THE NEWS Would you like to contribute to The Ripley Reporter? Units are encouraged to contact 1st Lt. Blake St. Sauver at blake.stsauver@us.army.mil to pass on ideas for future articles. Camp Ripley Golf Photographs Page 4 Undersecretary of the Army Visit Page 5-6 UAS in the Media WOC Infromation Page 7 Page 8
The Ripley Reporter Page 2 The Ripley Reporter Page 3 October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month! Here are some startling facts about Domestic Violence: 1. A woman is battered every 9 seconds in the U.S. 2. 1 out of 4 women has been assaulted by an intimate partner. 3. 1 out of every 5 female high school students reports being physically or sexually abused by a dating partner. 4. Women are more likely to be victims of homicide when they separate from their batterers. Sometimes it is hard to tell when a behavior crosses the line from healthy to unhealthy or even abuse. Here are a few warning signs of an unhealthy relationship: Constantly putting you down, extreme jealousy, explosive temper, isolating you from family/friends, possessiveness, telling you what to do and physically hurting you in any way. Domestic Violence often escalates from threats and verbal abuse to physical violence. Children who witness domestic violence have increased feelings of shame, guilt, fear, anger and depression. They also can have physical effects such as headaches, stomachaches, short attention spans, lethargic, and are often sick. Boys who witness domestic violence are twice as likely to abuse their own partners and children when they become adults. This month let us all commit to making every home in Minnesota safe and free from violence all year long. Minnesota National Guard leaders at every level have a vital role in the coordinated community response to domestic violence. Commanders shall respond to reports of domestic violence as they would to any credible report of any other crime and ensure the victim(s) are informed of services available. Minnesota National Guard leaders will contact the JFHQ SARC immediately upon receiving a Domestic Violence report and follow regulation guidelines outlined in DoDI 6400.06 for responding to allegations of Domestic Violence. If you have become a victim of Domestic Violence, or have additional questions pertaining to Domestic Violence and/or Sexual Violence, please contact the JFHQs SAPR Office at 651-282-4078, or 651-282-4052. You can also visit our website at www.minnesotanationalguard.org/sarc for resources and information. Violence is never the answer! If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, seek help immediately. Service Members are encouraged to utilize the Battle Buddy System on and off Post!
The Ripley Reporter Page 4 47 th Annual Camp Ripley Golf Event The Ripley Reporter Page 5 Under Secretary of the Army visits Camp Ripley 1st Lt. Blake St. Sauver Camp Ripley Public Affairs Sep. 22, 2012 CAMP RIPLEY, Minn. - Undersecretary of the Army Dr. Joseph Westphal and Gen. John Vessey, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff toured Camp Ripley Sep. 22, 2012. The visit was the first for Dr. Westphal and gave him time to meet soldiers and receive a background of the Minnesota National Guard. The tour began with Dr. Westphal meeting with the leaders of the Minnesota National Guard, officials of the Army Reserves, and Gen. Vessey on the topics of working towards optimal force structures and the importance of accountability within a fiscally constrained environment. I came here because I am really trying to get greater footing and understanding of what you bring to the fight, and how we need to support, said Dr. Westphal. The undersecretary took time to meet soldiers of the 34th Brigade Special Troops Battalion and 1st Squadron 94th Cavalry as they conducted 90 day reintegration events including container operations, supply inventories and periodic health assessments. The two battalions have recently returned from a deployment as as a part of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Red Bull Infantry Division, who spent time in Kuwait in 2011-2012 providing base management, regional security and convoy security during the drawdown phase of Operation New Dawn in Iraq. To see the kind of skill, talent and professionalism we find in our forces is important to me, said Dr. Westphal. Meeting soldiers is a great thing that this job allows me to do, the second thing this job allows me to do is to recognize our soldiers especially in their times of valor.
The Ripley Reporter Page 6 Three soldiers of the 1st Squadron 94th Cavalry were recognized by the Under Secretary and Col. Eric Kerska, former commander of the 1/34th BCT, with one of the highest awards a soldier can receive. The Soldiers Medal is awarded to those that conduct valorous acts involving personal hazard or danger and the voluntary risk of life under conditions not involving conflict with an armed enemy. The award was presented to Staff Sgt. Nicholas Purkat, Sgt. Shawn Schmidt and Spc. Christopher Edwards who pulled Iraqi civilians from the burning wreckage of two vehicles after they had collided and additionally helped the wounded receive care and transportation to a local hospital. The soldiers performed the heroic acts Nov. 11, 2011 while deployed in support of Operation New Dawn. To them, acting quickly like that as sort of a natural reaction that comes only from people whose values and norms and training have been such that they were willing to do that, said Dr. Westphal. That says a lot about our country, in addition to what it says about these three individuals soldiers. After the awards ceremony, a press conference was held with Dr. Westphal and members of the local media. The visit concluded with Col. Kerska giving the Under Secretary an overview of the 1/34th BCT deployment. It was an honor to have the Under Secretary at Camp Ripley, said Camp Ripley Post Commander Col. Scott St. Sauver. His interaction with the Minnesota National Guard soldiers and interest in the National Guard and Reserve is critical to current discussions affecting the future of our Army. The Ripley Reporter Page 7 UAS in the Media Col. Scott St. Sauver Post Commander MNNG The topic of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), commonly referred to as drones, has been in the local media recently. I would like to comment on the topic and offer some points for consideration. At Camp Ripley, our military units strictly focus on a military application of the UAS technology. The UAS we fly are equipped only with cameras and not weapons systems. Our military UAS teams provide critical battlefield intelligence in a deployed environment. Units at Camp Ripley train on the UAS in order to learn how to observe an enemy or potential threat in real time. This application of UAS ultimately saves tax- payer money and saves service members lives. Flying a remotely piloted UAS, which weighs about four pounds into an area to discover enemy movement or concentrations, is significantly less expensive than flying a UH 60 Blackhawk helicopter or an F-16 Fighting Falcon jet. Moreover, because the UAS is remotely piloted, we don t put lives at risk in trying to obtain this information. Some in our community are concerned about UAS conducting warrantless surveillance. This is a concern, but a concern for civilian authorities at the national level. Under Section 1385 of Title 18, Unites States Code military units are strictly prohibited from acting as agents of law enforcement. This is commonly referred to as the Posse Comitatus Act. This prohibition has been further clarified in Department of Defense Directive 5525.5, which precludes members of the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corps from direct participation in a search, seizure, arrest, or other similar activity unless participation in such activity by such member is authorized by law. There are those who have argued that any use of UAS whether for military or civilian application in our community is a danger. This is one viewpoint, but consider the following: Unmanned aircraft may be used to increase efficiency, save money, enhance safety and even save lives. For example, a large portion of the Midwest is currently under drought conditions. UAS may be used by civilian agencies to watch for forest fires, thereby increasing response time and reducing the potential loss of valuable forest land. Another example of potential UAS use is the annual spring flooding that takes place along the Red River. Civilian use of the UAS could aid in the observation of flood conditions, aid in search and rescue missions or to monitor the integrity of an earthen levee system. There are those in our community who are concerned about the use of UAS as an offensive weapon. It is a fact that Predator UAS have been used extensively in the war in Afghanistan. However, it is also a fact that Camp Ripley units do not have the Predator UAS, nor does the Minnesota National Guard have the Predator UAS in its inventory. As a soldier, I have taken an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States. As a protector of the Constitution I defend the First Amendment which guarantees the right of free speech and freedom of assembly. As a citizen, I also know to take my concerns to the people who have the ability to do something about them. Raising concerns about warrantless surveillance or the lawful use of Predator UAS are worthy causes best addressed by our national lawmakers.
The Ripley Reporter Page 8 Become a Warrant Officer! Currently seeking the best of the best NCO s & Officers to join the Warrant Officer Corp. WO MOS: 350G Imagery Intelligence Feeder MOS(s): 35G Vacancies: 1 WO MOS: 350F All Source Intelligence Feeder MOS(s): 35F Vacancies: 5 WO MOS: 740A - CBRN Feeder MOS(s): 74D Vacancies: 2 WO MOS: 922A Food Service Feeder MOS(s): 92G, 68M, or civilian exp. Vacancies: 3 WO MOS: 351L - Counterintelligence Feeder MOS(s): 35L Vacancies: 2 Review both the Regulatory & Proponent requirements at: http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/warrant/wogeninfo_mos.shtml http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/careers/warrant For More Information Contact the MNNG Warrant Officer Recruiting Team to advance your career! CW2 James Juntunen WO Strength Manager Office: 651-268-8149 Cell: 651-775-9451 james.juntunen@us.army.mil CW2 Jennifer Diaz WO Recruiter Office: 651-281-3812 Cell: 651-252-8461 jennifer.a.diaz@us.army.mil The Ripley Reporter is a publication of the Camp Ripley Public Affairs Office. The views and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily express or reflect the views and opinions of The Department of Defense, the State of Minnesota, the Minnesota National Guard, The Adjutant General or the Camp Ripley Post Commander.