December 17, 2020

 

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 IN THIS EDITION:

Tarheel Homecoming 2020, Virtual NCNGA 
2020 Cannot Quell Claus DVIDS 
Veterans help communities, mentor next generation through Civil Air Patrol VA 
National Guard Support for COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Ramps Up AF Mag 
2021 National Defense Authorization Update NCNGA 
December 17th — Today in Guard History National Guard 

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Tarheel Homecoming 2020, Virtual NCNGA 

Fellow Retirees,

Thank you for registering, submitting questions, and participating in the 2020 Tarheel Homecoming, Virtual Edition. Congratulations to our drawing winners. If you didn’t get a chance to participate, you can view the full event as well as the NCNG 2020 Year in Review on the North Carolina National Guard Association YouTube page and you can view the slide presentation at https://www.ncnga.org/events.php . Feel free to let us know your thoughts and we look forward to seeing you IN PERSON next year.

Larry Coleman
Executive Director
North Carolina National Guard Association
7410 Chapel Hill Road
Raleigh, NC 27607
984-664-0308
http://ncnga.org/
https://www.facebook.com/NCNGA/
Larry@ncnga.org

2020 Cannot Quell Claus DVIDS 

Although it may look a little different this year, the people of the North Carolina Air National Guard gather at Oakboro Elementary School in Stanly County, N.C. to hand out food baskets and presents to students and their families of the elementary school during an annual Operation Santa Claus Celebration put on by the Chapter 7 organization, Saturday, Dec. 13th, 2020.

In order for Operation Santa Claus to take place, the Chapter 7 organization holds an annual fundraiser in the Fall. This Fall, Chapter 7 sold 96 smoked or, uncooked by request, Boston Butts totaling 923 pounds of food and in doing so, raised $2,200 for Operation Santa Claus.

The $2,200 allowed for Chapter 7 and volunteers within the North Carolina Air National Guard to purchase 50 presents for designated students at Oakboro Elementary School as well as assist with 100 boxes of food donation supplies from the local Food Lion.

For some volunteers, it’s their first time helping out during Operation Santa Claus.

“This is my first event and it’s great,” stated Senior Airman Matthew Miller, C-17 Crew Chief with the 145th Maintenance Squadron. “At first I was nervous, I wasn’t sure how the process would work, but it’s very streamlined and I’m really excited to do more Chapter 7 events and humanitarian work in Charlotte.”

This year, Operation Santa Claus looks different with less activities and a drive-thru pick-up of food and presents due to Covid-19 precautions.

“Humanity work is something I’ve always wanted to do; Covid-19 didn’t really trigger me wanting to help out but it did accelerate the process,” said Senior Airman Miller. “We’re seeing it on a global level, people losing their jobs etc., so it really sped up the process for me to come out and start volunteering.”

Read More…

Veterans help communities, mentor next generation through Civil Air Patrol VA 

Veterans looking to use their military background while helping the community and mentoring young people have an opportunity through the Civil Air Patrol.

Created Dec. 1, 1941, the Civil Air Patrol carries out emergency services and disaster relief missions nationwide.

The Civil Air Patrol, or CAP, is the auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. The organization is made up of citizen volunteers who are there to search for and find the lost, provide comfort in times of disaster and work to keep the homeland safe. There’s about 60,000 members nationwide. They promote aviation and related fields through aerospace education and help to shape future leaders through CAP’s cadet program.

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, CAP’s contribution is critical. Members work local food banks, deliver personal protective equipment, assist in disaster relief, and deliver blood supplies to remote areas.

Read More…

National Guard Support for COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Ramps Up AF Mag 

As America’s first approved coronavirus vaccine is shipped across the country and frontline workers are getting their first jabs this week, National Guardsmen have been activated to assist with transportation. Military airlifters are standing by to support commercial shipping networks as well.

Governors in 26 states are planning to use the National Guard in some capacity to help with distributing the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine that the Food and Drug Administration authorized Dec. 11 for emergency use. In Ohio and West Virginia, for example, Guardsmen are working at a state warehouse where they break down large shipments of the vaccine to send to smaller distribution centers. In Oklahoma, the Guard itself is transporting the vaccine from a main hub to satellite sites, the adjutants general of the states told reporters.

“We are a surge force for our state,” Ohio Adjutant General Maj. Gen. John C. Harris Jr. said. “We bring a wide variety of not only capacity to augment the size of the workforce, but also specialized skills within that workforce. … This is exactly what the Guard does.”

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2021 National Defense Authorization Update NCNGA 

Our friends at the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS) put together a quick read on key items.

Click here to take a look.

December 17th — Today in Guard History National Guard 

December 16, 1944
Ardennes Forest, Luxemburg – The German Army launches its last great offensive in the West in what has become known as the “Battle of the Bulge.” Among the first units attacked is the 28th Infantry Division (PA) which, while giving ground, put up a stiff resistance buying time for other Allied units to move to block the enemy assault. Other Guard divisions involved in the month-long battle include the 26th (MA) and the 30th (NC, SC, TN) and 35th (KS, MO, NE) infantry divisions.

Read More…