Guard platoon assists with hurricane relief efforts

Infantry Magazine,  July-August, 2006  by Paolo Sica

• E-mail
• Print
• Link

My intent is to provide a narrative and analysis of my platoon's operations in Louisiana in support of Hurricane Katrina and Rita relief activities during September 2005. At the time, I was serving as the platoon leader for the Reconnaissance Platoon, HHC, 2nd Battalion, 112th Infantry, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

Background

Expediency and some similarities encourage the equivocation of reservist and full-time Soldiers. However, guardsmen, both officer and enlisted, join and remain at their home stations for reasons readily distinguishable from the typical Regular Army (RA) enlistee or academy graduate. Phrases and concepts such as a "standing army" and "(Constitutional) militia" don't frequently enter into Army banter, but are germane to the comparison. To mistake guardsmen for being RA Soldiers of a different tempo or caliber would be a grave error. For example, until recently, we held the reasonable and popular expectation of accomplishing far different tasks than the RA; peace-enforcement and brief disaster relief come to mind, missions at which reservists are naturally proficient and best-suited.

For 36 nonconsecutive days out of an average year, I am directly responsible for the training and welfare of the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team's Reconnaissance Platoon (Pennsylvania Army National Guard). There's a milk crate packed with loose-leafed FMs and a duffel bag stenciled "DRILL" in my trunk for the "one weekend a month" I get to go train. It's an ideal arrangement since I relish life as an American civilian, yet admire our country's military tradition and am proud of my forebears' service.

Task organization

My platoon sergeant, Sergeant 1st Class Randall Diehl, is a Vietnam veteran and retired police officer. He was the Recon platoon sergeant when it was the Scout platoon and before it moved from Tyrone, Pa., to the Lewistown armory, which makes him at once the senior NCO and platoon historian. Our muster includes a plumber, a photographer/meteorologist, corrections officers, and assorted wage-workers; most were born and raised within 50 miles of the armory. This diversity of skill constitutes a transparent attachment to the platoon in that almost every Soldier has a civilian skill.

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

In September 2005, the platoon was missing six of its best men, all of whom volunteered to accompany the 55th Brigade to OFF when the opportunity arose in February. This left us with 18 scouts, our individual equipment, and sufficient crew-served weapons to mount on however many turtleback HMMWVs are available for training in a given month.

Timeline

On Thursday morning, Sept. 1, 2005, I was four days into law school at Widener University, when 1st Sergeant Michael Carper called me and told me to be at the armory the following morning. I explained things to Dean of Students Elizabeth G. Simcox, who promised I would be welcome back next year, and my academic scholarship would carry over. (It is very important that guardsmen select a university that is military-friendly.) At home, my wife, Sue, was ready to assist with a quick pre-combat inspection (PCI) of my rucksack and duffle bag as I double-checked the lock on the gun cabinet, the locks on the windows, and backed up my laptop to DVD+R, much the same routine as leaving for vacation. The following morning at 0700, the armory at Lewistown was alive with excitement; a series of Emergency Management Assistance Contracts (EMACs) had been triggered by Hurricane Katrina's Aug. 29 landfall, and we were to send troops and equipment south to the area of relief operations (ARO). All junior officers were expected to deploy, although there was no stoploss in effect, and Soldiers enrolled in academic programs could be exempted on a case-by-case basis.

Situational awareness

Having completed 16.5 continuing education credits of distance learning through the Emergency Management Institute, I was able to explain to my peers and subordinates what was occurring, in terms of how the ARNG fit into the National Response Plan and emergency management protocols. As per the brigade warning order, Task Force Paxton (2nd Battalion, 112th Infantry) of Task Force Griffin (56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team), would conduct relief operations of an unknown nature in the vicinity of New Orleans.

First Lieutenant Luke Shinskie, our S2 and an aspiring minister, began the Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) and used various commercial computerized mapping services to generate maps for the trip. Forecast threats to the force included roving hooligans and the more realistic threat of disease and spilled industrial toxins. First Lieutenant Cara Walters provided me with a summary of chemical and biological threats likely to be encountered, which I relayed to 1LT Shinskie, aiding in the IPB. The medics scrounged for as many vaccination doses as were available to catch everyone up before entering New Orleans, which they eventually succeeded in doing. We were fortunate to have Sergeant Edward Corcelius, an ordained minister in the "real world," as the chaplain's assistant. Absent a permanently assigned chaplain, he provided consistent and effective support to our Soldiers, as two substitute chaplains did consecutive stints with us.