Hometown Military News for March 14, 2016:
Fewer accidents in Illinois National Guard, units awarded
SPRINGFIELD – Four Illinois Army National Guard units earned the Army Safety Excellence Award during the 20th Annual State Safety and Occupational Health Workshop March 5-6 at the Illinois Military Academy in Springfield.
Maj. Jayson Coble, the state safety and occupational health manager, said the awards were important to recognize the concerted effort commanders and additional duty safety officers (ADSOs), who manage the safety programs, have put toward safety in fiscal year 2015 (FY15), which runs from Oct. 1, 2014 to Sept. 30, 2015.
Between 2013 and 2014, the Illinois Army National Guard saw a 10 percent reduction in accidents and, between 2014 and 2015, there was a 50 percent reduction in accidents, as well as a 35 percent reduction during annual training.
Despite these opportunistic numbers, accidents in FY16 are on the rise across the force.
“Maintaining a safe work and training environment comes with its challenges because other aspects of planning and executing our training can take priority,” Coble said. “But most accidents are preventable if Soldiers just take a few moments to think about safety before acting. If we do that, I know we can turn this trend around.”
Chief Warrant Officer 4 John Karmine III, the National Guard Bureau (NGB) Aviation and Ground Safety Officer, was the keynote speaker at the workshop and he attributed the number of preventable accidents to “undisciplined” service members. Karmine referenced NGB statistics that showed 66 of the 95 National Guard fatalities in FY15 were preventable and were a result of service members not doing the “right thing.” It has also resulted in $624 million in loss property.
Karmine said soldiers need to go further than just stating “everyone’s a safety officer” and said there has to be a culture of change when it comes to Soldiers’ view on safety.
“You need to empower your soldiers,” Karmine said, speaking to the ADSOs attending the workshop. “We need to give our lower enlisted the confidence to step-up and speak out against all unsafe behavior, regardless of rank, but it starts with the leadership to show them what is ‘correct’.”
Karmine emphasized the fact that being safety conscious does not end when a Soldier is off-duty.
“You are your brother’s or sister’s keeper, on and off duty,” Karmine said. “We must treat everyone under our charge like our children.”
The Assistant Adjutant General – Illinois Army National Guard, Brig. Gen. Michael Zerbonia, presided over the awards ceremony. He said leadership, and their ability to lead by example, is imperative to a successful safety program.
“It does not matter how good a training period a unit might have, if they can’t do their mission safely or if they lose one Soldier due to a lack of safety, that mission is a failure,” Zerbonia said.
Nearly 60 ADSOs attended the two-day workshop that focused on such areas as accident reporting, off-duty motor vehicle safety, radiation safety, maintenance safety, risk management analysis, safety program management and domestic civil response. It was the intent of the workshop to have the ADSOs learn best-practices from each lesson that they can take back to their assigned unit to incorporate into their own unit’s safety program.
Awarded units included 2nd Battalion, 123rd Field Artillery Regiment, of Milan; Illinois, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment, of Chicago, Illinois; 44th Chemical Battalion, of Macomb, Illinois; and the 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment, of Kewanee, Illinois.
The battalion-level award recognizes units that operated an effective commander’s safety program in FY15. Awarded units must have had no recordable accidents that resulted in a more than $200,000 in damage or disability of a service member, must have completed 100 percent of the Risk Management training and must have completed the Army Readiness Assessment Program in the past two years. Each battalion received a green award streamer it, and all subordinate units within the battalion, may display on their guidons for one year.
In addition, 67 units and directorates across Illinois received The Adjutant General Unit Safety Certification Award and 131 received the Army Accident Prevention Award.
Illinois unit honored for service in Afghanistan with Polish brigade
WHEATON – Members of Illinois’ Bilateral Embedded Staff Team A15 were recognized for their service in Afghanistan during a Freedom Salute ceremony at the First Division Museum at Cantigny Park in Wheaton, Illinois, Mar. 5.
Gov. Bruce Rauner spoke to those in attendance of the importance of the ongoing mission in Afghanistan and the important partnership Illinois has with the Polish forces. He said BEST A15 played a vital role in that partnership.
“The deployments in Afghanistan are critically important to America’s safety and the safety of the world, the ongoing campaign in Afghanistan is critical and our partnership with the military in Poland is one of the most important partnerships America has,” said Rauner.
Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti and Congressman Peter Roskam, 6th Congressional District, echoed the governor’s sentiments praising the Soldiers for their service and welcoming them home.
Lt. Col. Michael Beierman of Monee led the six-man team, which mobilized in May 2015. The team was comprised of Maj. Brice Graber of Morton Grove, Illinois; Capt. Kenneth Allison of Pekin, Illinois; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Gordon Goodwin of Chicago and Sgt 1st Class Robert Brogdon of Chatham, Illinois.
Brogdon, a 24-year veteran of the military, has served and deployed with the U.S. Navy and the Illinois Army National Guard and said there have been a lot of changes over the years during deployments, one significant change being communication with families.
“Being deployed in the ’80s, communication was limited to phone calls and letter writing,” said Brogdon. “Now we are able to talk almost every day through e-mail and video chat.”
Brogdon and his wife, Jenny, said that reintegration was not as difficult as previous deployments because of the continuous, daily communication.
Prior to their deployment, Beierman spoke to his team about the page in history they were about to write. He concluded that the First Division Museum which houses exhibits from not only World War I and World War II, but later U.S. wars as well, was very fitting for their ceremony.
“Here at Cantigny, in the midst of some of the great soldiers of the world, your page is written in that book as well,” said Beierman.
Former Adjutant General dies
SPRINGFIELD – Story by Staff Sgt. Robert R. Adams, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs
Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Harold Holesinger of Springfield, former Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard and Korean War Veteran, died on March 7. Holesinger served as the Adjutant General (TAG) from 1983 to 1991 and was the first and only Air National Guard General to ever serve as the Adjutant General of the ILNG to date.
“Most of the senior leaders in the Illinois National Guard today began their careers under the leadership of Major General Harold Holesinger, including me when I came to Illinois in 1989,” said Maj. Gen. Richard J. Hayes Jr., the Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard. “He cared very deeply about the Airmen and Soldiers he led, and his influence continues to shape the success and achievement of the Illinois National Guard today.”
Holesinger was born on October 4, 1929 in Morrison, Illinois where he graduated from Morrison Illinois High School in 1948.
Holesinger’s military service began in 1948 when he enlisted as a private in the 33rd Division of the Illinois Army National Guard. He enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1950 and entered Aviation Cadet Training in the fall of 1951.
Holesinger received his pilot wings and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force at Laredo Air Force Base, Texas in September 1952. After completing Advanced Fighter Gunnery Training he was assigned to the 8th Fighter Bomber Squadron at Taegu Air Base in Korea. During his time there he flew a combat tour in the F-84 aircraft. In December of 1953, he was transferred to the 364th Combat Crew Training Squadron at Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas where he served as a gunnery instructor pilot and flight commander until his release from active duty in September 1955.
From there Holesinger entered Northern Illinois University and joined the 108th Fighter Interceptor Squadron of the Illinois Air National Guard. He transferred to the 170th Fighter Interceptor Squadron in 1956 and began full time Federal Military Technician employment with the Illinois Air National Guard.
While with the 170th Tactical Fighter Squadron he served as Flight Commander, Squadron Operations Officer and assumed command of the Squadron in 1957.
Holesinger served in the command position from 1957 to 1962 including the period during 1961-62 when the unit was called to active duty during the Berlin crisis.
In 1962, he became Director of Operations of the 183rd Tactical Fighter Group upon its formation and assumed command of the group in January of 1976.
Col. (ret.) Donald Kunzweiller, former Director of Public Affairs of the Illinois Air National Guard said Holesinger was his commander at the 183rd.
“General Holesinger was a demanding leader that wanted perfection, but was always professional and very well respected,” said Kunzweiller.
Kunzweiller said he also knew Holesinger while he served as the Adjutant General.
“I had a lot of respect for him as a leader and he was one of the best bosses I’ve ever had,” said Kunzweiller. “He was very well educated on the inner workings of the Air and Army National Guard and was always striving to make the Illinois National Guard the best it could be.”
Holesinger went on to command the 126th Air Refueling Wing from June 1978 to Sept. 1983.
“During the time period that Holesinger served as commander of these fighter units they achieved a reputation of being among the top units in the Air National Guard,” said Adriana Schroeder, Command Historian of the Illinois National Guard. “His unit participated in numerous special field exercises and deployments outside the continental United States.”
Holesinger was appointed the Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard on Sept. 15, 1983.
Brig. Gen. (ret.) Jay Sheedy, former Assistant Adjutant General – Air, said he worked for Holesinger on many different levels throughout his career starting at the wings and then on the state level staff while Holesinger served as TAG.
“I always looked up to him as a mentor and always said his greatest quality in terms of leadership was his honesty,” said Sheedy. “His integrity was superb, he was a demanding leader, but never asked anyone to do something that he wouldn’t do himself.”
Sheedy said Holesinger was a military officer first and his thoughts were always about the National Guard.
Col. Drew D. Dukett, Logistic Management Officer of the Illinois National Guard said he was a staff sergeant in the Illinois Army National Guard while Holesinger was TAG.
“He was always very proud of his service as a combat pilot,” said Dukett. “He was a very approachable leader and took an interest in Soldiers of all ranks.”
Holesinger flew more than 6,000 hours during his career.
Col. Shiela Perry, the Deputy Human Resources Officer of the Illinois National Guard, also knew Holesinger early in her career when she was working in communications.
“No matter who you were, regardless of rank he was always so caring and it was a true pleasure to know him,” said Perry.
During his military career Holesinger was awarded the Combat Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service medal and the Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon along with many other awards and decorations.
Holesinger was also a part of the Air Force Association, National Guard Association of the United States and Illinois, the Reserve Officers Association and Rotary International (O’Hare Club).
“On behalf of the 13,000 Army and Air National Guardsmen of the Illinois National Guard, our thoughts and prayers go out to Major General Holesinger’s friends and family,” said Hayes.
Funeral and visitation services will be at Staab Funeral Home at 1109 S. 5th St, Springfield, Illinois 62703 in Springfield, Illinois. The visitation will be Thursday from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. The funeral will be Friday at 9 a.m.
The burial service was held on Friday at 10 a.m. at Camp Butler in Springfield, Illinois. There will also be a celebration of life ceremony held at Concordia Village 4101 W Iles Ave, Springfield, IL 62711 immediately following the burial ceremony.
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