Alaska Army National Guard holds transformation ceremony

SPC. MARGARET J. MOONIN

April 25, 2008 at 9:55AM AKST

For Alaska Newspapers

The Alaska Army National Guard transformation ceremony from the 207th Infantry Group (Scout) to the 297th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade (Scout) and 38th Troop Command took place Sunday, April 13, at Buckner Physical Fitness Center on Fort Richardson.

The ceremony marked the historic transformation from an infantry company to a battlefield surveillance brigade and troop command.

"This will change the units from an infantry-focused force structure to a more diverse force structure encompassing not only infantry but cavalry scouts, military intelligence, support personnel, military police and signal technicians," said Brig. Gen. Thomas Katkus, commander, Alaska Army National Guard.

The transformation is also part of the Alaska Army National Guard move from a Cold War-era infantry scout group to a battlefield surveillance brigade and troop command.

"The 207th Infantry Group (Scout) was originally constituted in early 1964 when the Soviet Union was the largest threat to Alaska," Katkus said.

The Alaska Guard will transform to a new force structure and equipment to stay in line with changes throughout the National Guard.

"This is the future of the AKARNG, and it will bring the relevancy back to the Guard," said Maj. Gen. Craig E. Campbell, adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard.

Nearly 300 troops gathered to watch or take part in ceremony in which Brig. Gen. J. Randy Banez, 207th Infantry Group (Scout) commander cased his unit colors, and Lt. Col. David W. Osborn, 297th BFSB (Scout) commander and Col. Antonio C. Shumate unfurled their unit colors.

"This ceremony signifies that we are moving from an organization that was essentially a post-World War II unit to a network-centric force relevant to national defense and state missions," Osborn said.

The surveillance bridge will focus on counterintelligence, long-range surveillance and tactical exploitation of national capabilities.

The troop command will include a public affairs detachment and teams for civil support and contingency contracting.

It will also encompass a regional training institute, midcourse missile defense battalion, military police battalion, aviation battalion, recruiting and retention command, medical command and an airborne infantry company.

"This is a new beginning and a new opportunity for soldiers within the Alaska Army National Guard," Shumate said. "We’re reconfiguring and consolidating into these units in order to make ourselves more relevant and ready to support our minutemen mission within the state and nation."

With nearly 2,000 citizen soldiers, equipment, resources and supplies within the Alaska Guard transferring into the 297th BFSB (Scout) or the 38th Troop Command, Katkus expects it will meet national defense requirements, protect Alaska from threat and disaster and enhance state mission capabilities by 2012.

"We have timelines to meet and standards to achieve, but I am confident that we will be ready to move out relevant and responsive units fully capable of completing any state and national missions we are tasked with in the future," Katkus said.

Spc. Margaret J. Moonin is an information officer with the 134th Public Affairs Detachment.