213th Regional Support Group

Congratulations are in order for SGT David Thomson.
The 109th Mobile Public Affairs Det. had the honor to award an Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM) and promote SGT Thomson to E5. Welcome to the backbone of the army! ,

Congratulations are in order!

The following Soldiers were promoted to their current rank before a formation of their peers, Saturday, September 7th, 2024:

Sergeant Ana Janjalia
Sergeant Marion Crenshaw
Staff Sergeant Justin Sample
Master Sergeant Christian Tarbell

Congratulations to former 213th Regional Support Group commander and 28th Infantry Division commanding general, Major General Mark McCormack on his newest position. HONOR FIRST!

That about wraps up annual training. Soldiers of the 213th completed the Army Combat Fitness Test; driver training on the Humvee and LMTV; and qualified with their individual and crew served weapons - M17, M4, M249, M240, M2, and M19. We familiarized ourselves with land navigation skills and our CBRNE equipment. Simultaneously, our staff produced courses of action and orders for major upcoming exercises.

It was a busy couple weeks with a lot of moving pieces that have advanced our skills, proficiency, and readiness for the Pennsylvania National Guard and you, our friends and neighbors.

Enjoy this final photo dump highlighting our 2024 Annual Training.

U.S. Army | Fort Indiantown Gap

Our weekend was spent on the ranges of Fort Indiantown Gap training with our assigned weapons systems. The M17 is the U.S. Army current 9mm sidearm while the M4, a 5.56 caliber carbine rifle, is the primary weapon system for most service members.

Our Soldiers are required to qualify with their assigned weapons annually to increase proficiency.

See more 📷!
M17, Sgt. 1st Class Brandon Nelson, 109th MPAD
https://www.dvidshub.net/image/8550498/213th-hhc-m17-range-qualification

M17, Spc. Annie Riley, 109th MPAD
https://www.dvidshub.net/image/8554195/weapon-qualifications-fort-indiantown-gap

M4, Sgt. 1st Class Brandon Nelson, 109th MPAD
https://www.dvidshub.net/image/8556096/213th-hhc-zeros

Pennsylvania National Guard

Kickball for PT this morning was a great morale booster to kick off a new week... pun intended.

GAS! GAS! GAS!

Today our Soldiers donned their protective masks for a trip to the gas chamber. The chamber has two primary objectives: (1) it reinforces proper fitment and use of the mask - putting it on incorrectly becomes apparent very quickly, and (2) the Soldiers gain increased appreciation for their equipment as part of the training consists of removing the mask to feel the effects of the gas. Traditionally, Soldiers may try to do some sort of task such as pushups or reciting their name. This increases the need to inhale which brings on the effects almost instantly.

Sound like fun? The U.S. Army uses a tear gas called chlorobenzylidene malononitrile (CS gas) for its training. The gas causes tearing, burning in the lungs and of the face and eyes, blurred vision, runny nose, a choking sensation, as well as a host of other symptoms. The effects come on quickly once exposed and usually resolve within 30 minutes with the introduction of fresh air.

Pennsylvania National Guard | Fort Indiantown Gap

IED IED IED!!! 💥

The 213th Personnel Company conducted some explosive training during their annual training.

The Counter Improvised Explosive Device (IED) lanes, force Soldiers to react to IEDs, small arms fire, and other obstacles.


Pennsylvania National Guard
Fort Indiantown Gap

More 📸 here: https://dvidshub.net/r/86jrup

We had a few awards and recognitions today. During annual training there are increased opportunities to shine and these Soldiers have stepped up their game.

2LT Emmanuel Okyere received the Army Achievement Medal (AAM) for superb S6 duties in the RSG. He is currently assigned to the 728th CSSB S6 as the OIC.

Specialist Cailey Iudicello received a coin from RSG Commander Colonel Frank Montgomery for her work ethic and dedication in the supply section. Iudicello serves in the S4 supply section as a 92Y (Unit Suppl Specialist). 92Y's are responsible for managing supplies and equipment, ensuring that everything needed for operations is available when and where its needed.

Specialist Brandon Losey, a 68W, combat medic, received a coin for his outstanding medical performance over the fiscal year. He is a great learner and also goes out of his way to teach his peers about medical processes. He is overall an outstanding Soldier and an integral part of the team.

Drivers training has concluded and, as promised, Specialist Annie Riley of our very own 109th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment brings you an in-depth article on what all goes into licensing our Soldiers on the Humvee and LMTV and how that aides readiness.

Safety first: 213th RSG trains on heavy vehicles 213th RSG Soldiers trained to properly operate and maintain military vehicles such as LMTVs.

DAY 4: ANNUAL TRAINING 2024

Vehicles allow us to move troops and equipment quickly. Today and tomorrow our Soldiers train on, arguably, our most famous piece of equipment: the Humvee. They will also learn about the light, medium, tactical vehicle, or LMTV.

Yet another group of Soldiers familiarized themselves with the light capability, rough terrain forklift (LCRTF), which makes moving pallets and heavy equipment a lot easier in some of our less forgiving theaters of operation.

Look for a full story tomorrow that will go in-depth on why licensing our troops on these critical pieces of equipment is both different than your civilian license and essential for our readiness.

Pennsylvania National Guard | Fort Indiantown Gap

DAY 3: ANNUAL TRAINING 2024

We started our morning with a morale-boosting game of ultimate Frisbee for physical training. Scores were close, but bonds grew closer.

The major event for the day was land navigation. Our Soldiers revisited the basics of map reading and plotting waypoints. Using a compass, a map and the terrain, they made there way from point to point across the mountains that frame the backdrop of Fort Indiantown Gap .

The 108th Area Support Medical Company also returned to basics with intravenous training.

The day concluded with a chemical, biological, radiological, and explosives (CBRNE) class where Soldiers learned the proper usage of their protective masks and procedures for operating in a compromised environment.

Pennsylvania National Guard

U.S. Army Captain Michael Murphy assumes command as the commander of the 28th Finance Battalion, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Pennsylvania National Guard in a ceremony at Fort Indiantown Gap, July 21, 2024.

Read more at:
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/476741/28th-finance-battalion-hhc-assumption-command-ceremony

This weekend the HHC 213th Regional Support Group prepared for their upcoming Annual training. Three Soldiers also received promotions. Private Luz Riveracedeno advanced from Private to Private First Class. Pvt. 1st Class Angelina Graden advanced from Pvt 1st Class to Specialist. 2nd Lieutenant Charles Lockner was promoted from 2nd Lieutenant to 1st Lieutenant and awarded the MOS 42B (Human Resources Officer).

The 109th MPAD Soldiers use photos, videos, news and feature writing to tell the stories of the 4000 Soldiers from 16 different countries participating in the recurring multinational exercise held by 7th Army Training Command at JMRC, Hohenfels Germany.

Read the full story here: https://dvidshub.net/r/vukt4t

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – Command Sgt. Maj. John B. Ramos took over as senior enlisted advisor of the 213th Regional Support Group from Command Sgt. Maj. Marc E. Weiss during a change of responsibility ceremony at Fitzpatrick Hall here, May 18, 2024.

Read more at:
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/471652/ramos-takes-crown-213th-rsg

Pennsylvania National Guard | 28th Infantry Division

Soldiers with the Pennsylvania National Guard's 131st Transportation Company, 228th Transportation Battalion, 213th Regional Support Group, participated in the Army Materiel Command's Operation Patriot Press, an annual nationwide ammunition redistribution mission supports the Army’s strategic positioning goals.

The M915 served as the primary workhorse in the convoy, transporting essential supplies and equipment to our destinations, equipped with a robust 450-horsepower engine and a payload capacity of up to 60,000 pounds.

Full article: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/470986/soldiers-perspective-m915-moves-army

Command Sgt. Maj. Marc Weiss, assigned to the 213th Regional Support Group, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, was honored during a retirement ceremony held at the Keystone Conference Center here, April 6, 2024.

Weiss served as the 213th RSG’s command sergeant major for the past two and a half years.

Read the full article here:
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/467994/35-year-veteran-calls-career

Pennsylvania National Guard | 28th Infantry Division

Join us in congratulating two of our officers on their promotions to 1st Lieutenant!

1st Lt. Dean Cahill serves in the S2 section of our Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 213th Regional Support Group. They provide the commander with detailed information about the battlefield or area of operations.

1st Lt. Kyle Homschek, S6, HHC, 213th RSG, is taking his skills to the 109th Infantry Regiment under the mighty 28th Infantry Division - the oldest continuously serving division in the U.S. Army. The S6 enables communication, maintains our computer systems, networks, and is also in charge of our cybersecurity.

This February drill Soldiers were recognized and promoted amongst the formation.

December 7th marks National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, and is the 82nd anniversary since the attack in Hawaii that began the U.S.'s involvement in World War II.

On Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese military made a surprise attack on the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of service members and civilians, over a thousand injuries, the sinking of American ships and destruction of aircrafts. The next day, the U.S. declared war on Japan and entered World War II.

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is observed on Dec. 7 every year, the anniversary of the attack by the Japanese military on the naval base in Hawaii.

Commemorations are held every year in Hawaii and across the country to mark the day, and American flags will be flown at half-staff.

The Japanese military attacked Pearl Harbor with no warning on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941.At the time of the attack, Hawaii was still a territory and not yet a U.S. state. President Dwight D. Eisenhower- would later sign a proclamation in 1959, officially admitting Hawaii as the 50th state.

According to the National Park Service, 2,403 service members and civilians were killed and another 1,178 people were injured in the attack. Two U.S. Navy battleships – the USS Arizona and the USS Utah – were also permanently sunk, and 188 aircraft were destroyed.

The U.S., under President Franklin Roosevelt, declared war with Japan the next day and officially entered World War II. Roosevelt would famously call the date of the attack "a date which will live in infamy."

Pearl Harbor is a naval base, located on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. It is still an active military base and is the headquarters of the Pacific Fleet.

It is also the location of a National Historic Landmark which commemorates the attack on Pearl Harbor, the war in the Pacific and the eventual surrender of the Japanese on the deck of the USS Missouri in 1945.

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Congratulations to our 213th RSG Chaplain Christopher Butera!

Bath Pastor Invested as Deputy Chaplain in Order of Malta Father Christopher Butera was invested as a Deputy Chaplain for the Sovereign Military Order of Malta at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York.

As we celebrate those who have served in defense of our great Nation, let us consider safety in all our planned activities. Whether enjoying a hometown parade or visiting friends and family, please have fun but also keep the safety and wellbeing of everyone in mind this weekend.

This past drill weekend Soldiers of the 213th Regional Support Group conducted their annual Army Combat Physical Fitness (ACFT) at Strickler Field. The six test events include the 3 repetition maximum dead lift, standing power throw, hand-release push-up, sprint-drag-carry, plank, and 2 mile run.

Soldiers also conducted crew served weapons training on the M2 .50 Caliber, M240, and M249 machine guns.

Every year, September 11th is formally recognized as Patriot Day. It’s a poignant time where we as a country collectively honor the memory of the nearly 3,000 souls lost during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. This shared experience links the nation together, and is woven into the fiber that binds Soldiers, civilians, families, and the American people. The lives lost in New York City, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, Penn., will never be forgotten. Because of them, our Army remains vigilant and ready to meet any future challenge in the pursuit of freedom.

213th Soldiers hit the PT field during annual training for a game of freeze tag.

Hit the link below to view the rest of the photo gallery on DVIDS!

213th Soldiers Conduct Morale PT Session U.S. Soldiers with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 213th Regional Support Group, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, play a game of freeze tag while conducting physical fitness training July 31, 2023, at Fort Stewart. Non-traditional workouts can help Soldiers stay motivated while boosting unit...