An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Oct. 26, 2007

Brigade leadership takes higher vantage point to complete mission

By Staff Sgt. Jessica Inigo 40th IBCT PAO

SAN DIEGO, Ca. - As the sun broke over the eastern mountains near Gillespie Field and a soft breeze replaced the harsh winds of days prior, California National Guard leadership took to the ash-filled sky Thursday to get a bird's eye view of how to execute the next mission.

Lt. Col. Keith Lochner, the deputy commander for the Task Force San Diego and the 40th Infantry Brigade Combat Team executive officer, surveyed the highways and roads from a UH-60L Blackhawk in preparation of establishing an additional 40 traffic control points.

California National Guard troops of the 1st Squadron, 18th Cavalry Regiment out of Azusa, Calif., are working with local law enforcement to enforce blocking points, according to Lochner.

He said it was important to not only survey a map, but actually see the layout of the land from the Blackhawk's vantage point for many reasons. "Not only was it important for the traffic control point," Lochner said, "but it was important to also get a better assessment of where the fires were. I could tell how things were going by where the smoke was and gained a better understanding of what type of risk-level the soldiers are facing while out there."

Troops kept many people at bay when fires started dying down, since it was still not safe for evacuees to reenter many communities.

"Though people were upset that they were not able to go check on their homes, it was important to keep them out of the area because local law enforcement maintained it was not yet safe," Lochner said.

Safety concerns, according to Capt. Katrina Seale, the 40th IBCT medical operations officer, go far beyond smoke inhalation and poor air-quality issues. Personal safety from both the environment and from looters is a risk, as well as the possibility of unsafe drinking water, unsanitary conditions from a lack of electricity, and the emotional strain of possibly seeing homes with fire or smoke damage.

Also, Seale said, California National Guard troops are not immune to these same safety concerns and should take proper precautions when necessary.

 

 

Related Articles
Soldiers stand in formation during a mobilization ceremony for the 634th Brigade Support Battalion Forward Logistics Element Jan. 20, 2025, at the Illinois Army National Guard's Readiness Center in Sullivan. The unit, with just over a dozen Soldiers, will support logistics for U.S. Army Europe and Africa.
Illinois Guard Unit to Support U.S. Army Europe and Africa
By Lt. Col. Bradford Leighton, | Jan. 21, 2025
SULLIVAN, Ill. - The Illinois Army National Guard’s 634th Brigade Support Battalion Forward Logistics Element was activated Jan. 20 for deployment to Africa and Europe.A forward logistics element is a diverse team comprising...

U.S. Army Sgt. Bryce Carter, an infantryman with C Company, 1st Battalion, 160th Infantry Regiment, California Army National Guard, sharpens the blade of a hoe to clear brush and other debris as part of remediation efforts along the Mulholland Trail near Tarzana, California, in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire, Jan. 18, 2025. Carter and other members of his unit were assisting CALFIRE in mop-up efforts, which included clearing brush and backfilling firebreaks and other areas to prevent mudslides and reduce the impact of firefighting efforts.
National Guard Members Continue LA Wildfire Response
By Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy, | Jan. 21, 2025
LOS ANGELES – U.S. Army Sgt. Ricardo Hernandez watched from a cross street as sporadic traffic passed on the Pacific Coast Highway near Pacific Palisades. The late afternoon sun glinted off his sunglasses as a man on a...

Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief, National Guard Bureau, Army Senior Enlisted Advisor John Raines, SEA to the CNGB, and Army Lt. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs, director, Army National Guard, visit National Guardsmen on duty to support the 60th Presidential Inauguration as part of Joint Task Force – District of Columbia (JTF-DC), Washington, D.C., Jan. 19, 2025. JTF-DC is a scalable and tailorable entity that supports presidential inaugurations every four years and is led by the commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard. JTF-DC supports civilian authorities, such as the U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Secret Service and D.C. Metropolitan Police by providing support like crowd management, traffic control points, CBRN response, civil disturbance response and sustainment operations.
National Guard Bureau Leaders Meet With Guardsmen Supporting 60th Presidential Inauguration
By Master Sgt. Zach Sheely, | Jan. 20, 2025
WASHINGTON – About 7,800 National Guard troops are on duty here as part of a large interagency presence to ensure the peaceful transition of power during the 60th Presidential Inauguration Monday, continuing a legacy that...