Georgia National Guard, Georgia Air National Guard, 116th Air Control Wing, JSTARS

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Axel Fiksman, from the 116th Civil Engineering Squadron (CES) based out of Robins Air Force Base, Ga., Georgia Air National Guard, takes a measurement during the construction of a wall during Silver Flag training at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., April 15, 2014. During the weeklong course, Guardsmen from the 116th CES and more than 30 other U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard units trained on building and maintaining bare-base operations at a forward-deployed location. In addition, they honed their combat and survival skills and repaired simulated bomb-damaged runways, set up base facilities and established various critical base operating support capabilities. More than 30 Airmen from the 116th CES attended the exercise that consisted of extensive classroom and hands-on training culminating in an evaluation of learned skills on the last day of class. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Roger Parsons/Released)

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Georgia National Guard, Georgia Air National Guard, 116th Air Control Wing, JSTARS

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jasmine Mitchell, left, 116th Medical Group, Georgia Air National Guard, prepares to enter the rubble pile to assist in a simulated search and extraction during the Region 4 Homeland Response Force (HRF) external evaluation at Pelham Range, Anniston, Ala., Dec. 12, 2013. The medical group from the 116th Air Control Wing, stationed at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is a key component of the Region 4 HRF whose mission is to respond during disasters in the Southeast U.S. region. During the evaluation, the task force comprised of Air and Army National Guardsmen, responded to various scenarios that tested their ability to save lives and mitigate suffering in order to ensure their preparedness in the event of an incident or catastrophic event. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Roger Parsons/Released)

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‘Always ready, always there’

Published June 27, 2014
By Tech. Sgt. Regina Young
116th Air Control Wing Public Affairs

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- "The Georgia National Guard's Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen remain equipped and trained to assist their community and state, any time," said Chief Master Sgt. David Fite, a senior enlisted manager with the 116th Air Control Wing.

The wing's active duty missions in response to last year's Boston Marathon bombings and 2005's Hurricane Katrina are among the more prominent missions that served community requests, protected property and potentially saved lives.

The 116th has about 140 Airmen in the wing who are trained in specific skills for all hazard situations.

The Mission Support Group uses personnel from security forces, logistics, civil engineering, explosive ordnance disposal and emergency management who train to provide defense support to civilian authorities in emergency responses.

Formed in a specialized team, "The 116th Medical Group's chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, high-yield explosive, enhanced response force package, or CERFP team, are 100 percent trained and dedicated to meet the needs and expectations of any DSCA mission," said Chief Master Sgt. Frank Bulin, Medical Group superintendent.

CERFPs are a joint National Guard response element made up of Army and Air National Guard members who search for, extract and decontaminate disaster victims, and who assess, treat and help transport causalities to medical centers. They are located in every Federal Emergency Management Agency region, including Georgia's FEMA Region IV.

Air National Guard members work closely with Army counterparts through the state's joint operations center, which supports the Georgia Bureau of Investigation; FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and other civilian agencies who respond to state and national threats.

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Georgia National Guard, Georgia Air National Guard, 116th Air Control Wing, JSTARS

Georgia National Guard, Georgia Air National Guard, 116th Air Control Wing, JSTARS