Command Information

Command Information: Week of March 5-9

Florida National Guard and Dept. of Military Affairs Personnel:

The following information is part of the command information program and is
intended for maximum distribution to keep the troops, families, veterans,
employers and support personnel informed. Please see the following news
briefs and scroll down for more information on each. Also, visit the Florida
Guardsman Online at www.floridaguard.army.mil/news for additional news and
photos.

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1) IRS Offers Free Tax Assistance for Troops, Families. With income tax
deadlines quickly approaching, the Internal Revenue Service is reminding
troops and their families that free assistance is available to them at
military tax centers worldwide.

2) A grateful crowd applauds 153rd soldiers. “Thank you.” Those two words
were what Third Judicial Circuit Court Judge Leandra Johnson, other elected
officials and area residents said over and over Saturday morning to the 153rd
Engineering Company of the Florida National Guard. The guardsmen assembled at
their armory for a belated welcome-home ceremony.

3) Air Guard contemplates 'Heritage to Horizons.’ Recently former National
Guard Bureau, Air Guard and active duty senior leaders met with Lt. Gen.
Craig R. McKinley, the Air Guard's director, to offer unblinking advice
during the second of a series of meetings regarding key strategic issues
affecting the Air Guard.

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1) IRS Offers Free Tax Assistance for Troops, Families

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, (March 6, 2007) - With income tax deadlines quickly approaching,
the Internal Revenue Service is reminding troops and their families that free
assistance is available to them at military tax centers worldwide.
The IRS has provided the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program to
servicemembers for more than 25 years.
Bill Cressman, an IRS spokesman, said the revenue service wants to help lift
the burden of tax filing from members of the military who often run into
complicated tax exemptions.
"The IRS offers volunteer income tax assistance to both military
servicemembers and civilians," Cressman said. "We want to make tax compliance
easier."
Commanders throughout the services have supported the program by providing
personnel, space and equipment for tax centers. The IRS provides tax software
and training.
The program, overseen by the Armed Forces Tax Council, works to train
military volunteers on installations through a series of intensive training
sessions so they can understand current laws and offer tax advice,
preparation, return filing and other tax assistance, Cressman said.
IRS tax laws provide special benefits to active-duty servicemembers,
particularly those in combat zones. For federal tax purposes, "armed forces"
includes officers and enlisted members in regular and reserve units
controlled by the secretaries of Defense, Army, Navy and Air Force, in
addition to the Coast Guard.
According to the IRS Web site, three combat zones have been designated by
executive order from the president in areas where armed forces are or have
engaged in combat, this includes the air space above those areas. These are
the Arabian Peninsula, Kosovo and Afghanistan.
The Defense Department also has certified locations for combat zone tax
benefits due to the direct support of military operations during operations
Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. A listing of these locations can be found at
www.irs.gov/newsroom by clicking on the "Armed Forces" tab.
Those who qualify for combat zone provisions can apply for military pay
exclusions, deadline extensions and miscellaneous provisions by writing
"combat zone" and their deployment date in red ink on the top of tax returns.
Qualifying taxpayers may directly notify the IRS of their exclusion status by
e-mailing combatzone@irs.gov. Servicemembers should provide name, stateside
address, date of birth, and date of deployment to the combat zone. They
should not include social security numbers in an e-mail. This notification
may be made by the taxpayer, spouse, or authorized agent or representative.
Enlisted members and warrant officers serving in a combat zone for any part
of a month qualify to have all military pay for that month excluded from
gross income tax. Officers' monthly exclusions are capped at the highest
enlisted pay rate, plus hostile fire or imminent danger pay received.
Deadline extensions are not confined to those serving in combat zones. They
also apply to civilian personnel acting under direction of the armed forces
and spouses who are stateside.
Telephone calls originating in combat zones by members of the armed forces
are also exempt from federal excise tax and must be certified for exemption
by the telephone company. If servicemembers already have filed, they can
still apply for a refund.
Recent law changes also have allowed military members to count tax-free
combat pay when determining contributions to Roth and traditional individual
retirement accounts. This also can apply to taxes filed since 2004. Troops
are allowed to go back and make contributions for those years.

Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=3279

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2) A grateful crowd applauds soldiers

By Karen Voyles
Gainesville Sun staff writer

LAKE CITY (March 4, 2007) -- Thank you. Those two words were what Third
Judicial Circuit Court Judge Leandra Johnson, other elected officials and
area residents said over and over Saturday morning to the 153rd Engineering
Company of the Florida National Guard. The guardsmen assembled at their
armory for a belated welcome-home ceremony.
While Johnson went from reservist to reservist shaking hands and saying thank
you, other community leaders were showing their appreciation in different
ways. Columbia County spokesman Harvey Campbell helped arrange for a donated
lunch, delighting the children of reservists by including Blue Bell ice
cream. Others showed their appreciation by just being there to applaud the
unit during a brief ceremony.
Bob Moodie, an Army veteran of Korea and Vietnam, had a front-row seat and a
lot of pride at being able to attend a ceremony that would have been rare
following his tours of duty.
“When I came back from Vietnam, I took off my uniform so no one could see
it,” Moodie said. “I'm glad we are able to say thanks to these fellows.”
Reservist Ken North said he and his fellow soldiers are aware of the growing
political debate surrounding the deployment of U.S. troops overseas.
“But I don't get involved in the politics,” North said. “We did our job. We
did our duty.”
Columbia County commissioner Dewey Weaver said Saturday's ceremony was a
continuation of support that began when the unit was called to active duty
two years ago.
The unit was activated in March 2005 and provided security at various
locations in Afghanistan during a 15-month tour that ended in July.
Although a few minor injuries were reported, the unit had no fatalities.
“We still have a few people over there. Four or five who volunteered to stay
on after us,” said Lt. Terell Webb. He attributed the unit having returned
without suffering any fatalities to “good preparation and training,
discipline and sheer luck.”
Weaver said that one thing that people back home did to let the unit members
know they were being thought of often was sending needed items, like electric
griddles for cooking and international phone cards to help the troops stay in
touch with their families in Florida.
“We wanted to let them know that we were supporting them while they were
oversees and we are letting them know they are appreciated now that they are
back here at home,” Weaver said.

Web:
http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070304/LOCAL/70304027/-1/news

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3) Air Guard contemplates 'Heritage to Horizons'

By Lt. Col. Nahaku McFadden
National Guard Bureau

ARLINGTON, Va. (March 7,2007) – Charles Darwin once observed that "It is not
the strongest of the species that survives, or the most intelligent, but the
one most responsive to change." The father of the Theory of Evolution knew
something about survival, and it was this concept that brought together some
of the best and brightest former and current military minds to discuss the
future of the Air National Guard.
Many former National Guard Bureau, Air Guard and active duty senior leaders
met with Lt. Gen. Craig R. McKinley, the Air Guard's director, to offer
unblinking advice during the second of a series of meetings regarding key
strategic issues affecting the Air Guard. Dubbed "Minuteman Heritage to
Horizons," or MH2H, the summit was held at Conaway Hall on Andrews Air Force
Base, Md., Feb. 23.
Retired Lt. Gen. John Conaway, the first Air Guard general to be chief of the
National Guard Bureau (1990-93) and the building's namesake, was among many
military luminaries to offer their insights. He was joined by retired Gen.
Ronald Fogelman, former Air Force chief of staff; retired Gen. Chuck Wald,
the U.S. European Command's former deputy commander; and Gen. Duncan McNabb,
who runs the Air Mobility Command.
"The graybeards have seen the changes the Air National Guard and Air Force
have gone through," observed Conaway. "With this Heritage to Horizons
concept, we are discussing 'where do we go from here' with legacy missions.
"I see evolutionary versus revolutionary changes as the Air Force reinvents
itself," he continued. "Perhaps the Air National Guard should transition from
manned fighter aircraft-type missions into other missions such as
reconnaissance. With new technology, we can do much more."
With the Air Guard facing a $13.8 billion deficit in funding, those in
attendance said it was imperative the ANG secure its future by redefining its
roles and missions. Conaway emphasized that the ANG needs to be relevant in
its federal overseas mission as well as "essential" with its domestic roles.
Throughout the MH2H summit, the discussion focused on possible ways to ensure
the ANG remains a viable service by continuing its dual state and federal
missions as a reserve force for the Air Force and be essential to the
governors of the 54 states and territories.
LTG H Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau, recognized that the
ANG leadership will have to make some hard decisions. He stated that it's a
far different time now than before, and different capabilities are needed in
the ANG.
"The National Guard is being asked to deliver capabilities and be on call
24/7, 365 in ways we have never before," Blum stated. "I don't see the world
getting safer. This is the least stable time in the planet in the last 70
years, and it's more dangerous now with weapons of mass destruction."
McKinley understands the Air Guard has a lot at stake and has set his top
three priorities. They are: develop adaptable airmen; secure the home front
while defending the nation; and transform to a capabilities-based force. The
MH2H summit was one avenue to garner advocates to assist in carrying the
message.
Retired Lt. Gen. Daniel James III, McKinley's predecessor, is no stranger to
such dialogue. He broke bread with the greybeards when he launched the
VanGuard program.
"During those meetings we began to look at how many flying assets and new
missions the ANG needs to migrate to in order to replace legacy aircraft,"
James explained. "It was a beginning.
"As for Heritage to Horizons, this is a great idea and the right way to go,"
he added. "I wish I had expanded my meetings to include personnel of this
stature, such as Generals Fogelman, Wald and McNabb. They are truly
supportive of a collaboration to integrate us into a total force."
James noted that changing to "alternative missions is not easy," but he
insisted the transition is necessary.
Retired Maj. Gen. Michael Haugen, the former adjutant general for North
Dakota who served for 39 years, cautioned the group about holding on to the
past. "We have to ensure that our memories don't become greater than our
dreams," he remarked.
Wald, who was responsible for the U.S. forces operating across 91 countries
in Europe, Africa, Russia, parts of Asia and the Middle East, and most of the
Atlantic Ocean, echoed similar sentiments. "History is something to be proud
of and not repeat," he warned. "It has nothing to do with the future."
As the summit drew to a close, McKinley thanked those who are currently
serving and those who paved the way. As blue-suiters past and present exited
Conaway Hall, one thing was certain: The Air Guard's horizon had become much
clearer.

Web: http://www.ngb.army.mil/news/archives/2007/03/030707-ANG_Heritage.aspx

Florida National Guard consults with Native Americans

By Lt. Col. Ron Tittle
Florida National Guard Public Affairs

TAMPA – The Florida National Guard takes pride in its ongoing relationship with the Native American community. This pride was evident as key Guard environmental, archaeological and engineer specialists met with five federally-recognized tribe representatives March 28-30, as supported by Panamerican Consultants, Inc.

The meeting with tribe representatives is an important way to consult with Native Americans who have a significant interest in cultural and historical resources. Because of active participation of tribes - mostly the preservation officers - proper respect and protection of these significant and important resources are at the forefront of federal government planning.

The National Historic Preservation Act requires federal agencies to consult with federally recognized American Indian tribes. There are also Department of Defense and respective state and local government requirements as well.

While consultations are approached differently, the Florida Army National Guard chooses to assemble with the consulting tribes at least every five years but maintains contact with them on a regular basis.

Many in the Guard may not have a good understanding of the requirements for ongoing coordination and discussion with consulting tribes, and many are not familiar with the various tribes and their sovereign governments.

There were five consulting tribes represented at the meeting in Tampa as they represented their respective tribes and governments - Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Seminole Tribe of Florida and Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.

Assistant Chief Larry Harrison, from the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, agreed that the meetings and discussion are "needful and critical." "Sometimes we are treated as corporations,” he said. “We are sovereign governments and have to follow the same bureaucratic process."

The meeting was an opportunity to consult with tribes to discuss the Florida Army National Guard's Integrated Cultural Resources Management Plan (ICRMP) and to gather comments to ensure laws and regulations are upheld. The Guard not only wants to do what is required by laws and regulations but what is right to show respect to our Native Americans, while balancing the ongoing construction and training requirements of the military.

National Guard representatives from Alabama and Georgia showed their interest in the tribal consultation by attending and are considering making a tri-state consultation in the future. Beth Erickson, Cultural Resource Specialist from the National Guard Bureau, was on hand to provide guidance and to receive input from the consultation. She also stressed the importance of the consultation process.

Col. Richard Gallant, the Florida Army National Guard's Construction and Facility Management Officer, welcomed participants and expressed the support from the senior leadership of the Florida National Guard. He reiterated that a lot of people are learning and observing the Native American consultation process and that's the way it should be to make it work. Other states also share their experiences.

Gallant, also former commander of the Florida Army National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment, of the 53rd Infantry Brigade, shared about his battalion being named the “Seminoles.” His battalion was one of the initial units entering Iraq as Operation Iraqi Freedom commenced.

Gallant expressed his pride in carrying the Seminole name and said: "I respect the history of our Native Americans."

Previous ICRMP consultations were conducted in 2001 and 2003. The five-year plan implements the Florida Army National Guard's program and gives instructions to the cultural resource management personnel at individual installations.

Cultural resources management is required to be integrated with military training, testing and operations.

The ICRMP outlines how the Florida Army National Guard will achieve regulatory compliance and stewardship responsibilities.

The key purposes of this 2006 consultation meeting were to present a draft revision of the ICRMP, allow for comments, seek consensus, provide a status report on recent cultural resource management actions on Florida National Guard lands, discuss the potential for future memorandums of agreement or understanding, and especially continue to foster effective partnerships while meeting regulatory requirements.

Besides the law and regulations outlined in the ICRMP, it also has standard operating procedures (SOP) for cultural awareness training to instruct various personnel, whether they are troops, government employees or civilians using Florida National Guard or Florida Department of Military Affairs resources.

The Guard's operating procedures incorporate areas such as maintenance and care for historic buildings and structures, disposal and demolition of excess property, mission training of military and tenant personnel, emergency actions, and inadvertent discovery.

What would a Guardsman do if he or she is digging a foxhole during a training exercise and discovers an item of potential cultural or historical significance? There are specific requirements that must be taken and those not meeting these requirements are subject to disciplinary action.

Personnel making an inadvertent discovery must:

- Cease the ground-disturbing activity

- Report immediately to the unit commander or facility manager

- Secure the discovery location

Each level of reporting has unique requirements outlined in the Guard's operating procedures, including notification of the consulting tribes as outlined in the ICRMP.

While the consultation process will continue in the future, the key is to ensure laws and regulations are followed as well as respecting America's Native Americans and their respective governments.

"We want to continue building on our good relationships," stated Gallant.