NEW YORK CITY, - Leaders of the Army National Guard's eight division headquarters met here in lower Manhattan June 5 to discuss future roles and missions of their Citizen Soldiers in homeland security and overseas contingency operations.
Hosted by New York's 42nd Infantry Division, the conference provided an opportunity to share best practices, insight and build greater inter-state cooperation for the Army National Guard's most senior combat headquarters.
"We've each come together with really different situations from division to division," said Brig. Gen. Steven Wickstrom, commander of the 42nd Infantry Division, "but there are many things we share."
"Defending America is our recognized home game and our away games are those missions in theaters overseas," Wickstrom said. "With regard to the home game, this weekend can provide a good appreciation of the complex terrain here in New York City, comparable to the major cities in the home states of each of these division headquarters."
During the conference, Brig. Gen. Patrick Murphy, the adjutant general of New York, stressed the important role that Army National Guard divisions play in defense support to civil authorities.
"We put a lot of emphasis on domestic operations in New York state, and the 42nd Infantry Division is a big part of that," he said. "The division has always been a key player in our response."
"One thing we are united on as TAGs (adjutants general), we are advocating for the division structure - to have relevance, meaning and purpose. The division headquarters' leadership and staff bring order to chaos," Murphy said.
Part of that role for Army National Guard division headquarters is the new Domestic All-Hazards Response Team (DART) mission. The DART mission designates two Guard divisions, every two years, as planners and command and control in the event of an emergency in the United States.
DART planning helps Guard leaders know what military resources are available in one state to assist with emergency relief in another. Most importantly, National Guard resources are provided only at the request of, in support of and under the command of the governor of the state where the emergency exists.
The 42nd Infantry Division will assume the mission for the Domestic All Hazards Response Team on the east coast in October and command and control the response force for the next two years. The 40th Division from California will also take the mission for the west coast this fall.
"We needed this a long time ago," said Maj. Gen. Wayne Pierson, commander of the 35th Infantry Division from Kansas.
The Guard's 28th and 35th Infantry Divisions have built the initial standards and joint mission tasks for the response headquarters this year. The two units have also been travelling through their supported states to provide information about the mission to their respective Adjutants General and state leaders.
"The states have been very receptive and the momentum is there for the success of this mission," said Maj. Gen. Randall Marchi from Pennsylvania's 28th Infantry Division.
Key to the daylong conference was a discussion of the way ahead for overseas contingency operations in which both the 42nd Infantry Division and 34th Infantry Division Headquarters have successfully deployed for combat tours in Iraq.
Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick, commander of the 18th Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg since November 2009. spoke to the division commanders about the National Guard's role as an operational force and as full partners in the warfight since 2001.
"There are more similarities than differences between us now than in 2001," he said. "Today the Army truly is a single team."
"There is no stronger bond than we have today between our two components, active and Guard," Hemick said. "We've been together in sustained combat operations for eight years, the longest time in our nation's history."
Helmick said there was a time when active Army leaders questioned the relevance or reliability of Army National Guard combat forces.
Not anymore, he said. "You provide the link, the bridge between the American people and the Army. You haven't missed a beat, you haven't failed in any mission given to the Guard."
"You routinely mobilize and deploy brigade combat teams, separate battalions and even smaller organizations for the fight. As leaders, we must ensure that they are manned, trained equipped and led properly," he said.
Helmick provided similar praise for the individual Army National Guard Soldiers he has led.
"When I walked into the armory this morning and saw Soldiers on the drill floor, I had to go join these new recruits and just talk to them," he said. "As I talked to the recruits, I asked them what they did in their civilian careers and let me tell you, the men and women who join our force today have very, very impressive credentials."
"It is amazing the kind of people we're bringing into our force."
Helmick stressed that Army leaders do not distinguish which component, Active, Army Reserve or Army National Guard that Soldiers come from when deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan or other contingencies.
Performance is what matters most. "I want you to know how much I admire you guys in the Army National Guard. It's important for me to listen to what you are talking about here," Helmick said. "We don't have the luxury of not working together anymore. There's just not enough money and not enough force structure for that."
The leaders from all eight Guard divisions agreed that the conference is a great benefit and agreed to support continuing conferences.
"We've been able to get better definition of our roles in the homeland defense and warfighter roles, and we need to have those assigned roles and responsibilities," Wickstrom said. "This conference benefits not just our Guard leaders, but the Soldiers back in the home states of all of the brigade combat teams are aligned for training with the eight division headquarters.
"We're better able to do our jobs as leaders when we come together."