Arkansas Army National Guard and the Global War on Terrorism

The history of the Arkansas Army National Guard and the Global War on Terrorism begins with the expanded use of the National Guard for overseas duties as the United States reduced the size of the active army in an attempt to realize a "Peace Dividend" at the close of the "Cold War". Beginning in the 1990s Arkansas National Guard unit's experience increased Operations Temp and overseas training opportunities. In the late 1990s Arkansas National Guard units began deploying as part of peace keeping operations in the Balkans and in support of ongoing operations in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Following the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, the National Guard became deeply involved in the Global War on Terrorism, with units deploying to guard infrastructure such as Arkansas Nuclear One and airports as part of Operation Noble Eagle. The Guard initially replaced regular army units on missions such as Middle East peace keeping in order to free these units for combat operations. With the 2003 Invasion of Iraq, the Arkansas National Guard began deploying for combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

Overseas training opportunities


39th Brigade units conducted numerous overseas training rotations throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.


 * 1981, Company A, 2nd Battalion, 153rd Infantry (Walnut Ridge and Piggott) conducts Annual Training in Great Britain with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers as part of the Volunteer Warrior/Hard Charger Exercise.


 * 1986, Company B, 1st Battalion, 153rd Infantry conducts Annual Training in Honduras.


 * 1988, two batteries of the 5th Battalion, 206th Field Artillery conduct annual training in Honduras, Companies B and C, 2-153 IN conduct Annual Training in Great Britain as a part of Operation "Glo Worm/Rattlesnake", at Camp Crickhowell, Wales, hosted by members of the 5th Light Infantry English Citizen Soldiers.


 * 1990, Company A, 1–153rd and Company C, 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry, along with the entire 5–206th Field Artillery conducted Annual Training in Honduras as part of the National Guard Bureau's Overseas Training Program. Company C, 1–153rd IN conducted Annual Training in the United Kingdom.


 * 1991, 1–153rd Infantry deployed with selected members of 2–153rd on a SOUTHCOM rotation to the Jungle Operations Training Center (JOTO) at Fort Sherman, Panama.


 * 1992, Companies A, B and C, 2–153rd Infantry conduct Annual Training in Honduras in three separate rotations.

Reorganization of 1996
The Arkansas National Guard was directed to reorganize, consolidate and restation units effective 30 September 1996 as follows:

SFOR 9
In March 2001, Company D, 1–153rd and Company D, 3–153rd deployed to Bosnia as part of the Multinational Stabilization Force (SFOR), Security Force Nine in order to assist with the enforcement of the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH). The companies were attached to 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division for the deployment as part of Task Force Eagle. They performed presence patrols outside Forward Operating Base Morgan and Camp McGovern, and participated in the consolidation of weapon storage sites. The soldiers also guarded the sites.

Operation Southern Watch
Company B, 2nd Battalion, 153 Infantry, and B Company, 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry of the 39th BCT were activated for Operation Southern Watch, May through September 1999. B/2-153 deployed to Kuwait while Company B, 3-153 deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia. 39th Brigade soldiers provided security at Patriot Missile Batteries during these deployments. The mission lasted a total of seven months, and was the first "pure" National Guard effort in the region. Company C, 1st Battalion, 153rd Infantry carried on the 39th's role in Operation Southern Watch when they replaced B/2-153 IN in September 1999.

Operation Jump Start
In December 2006, the Arkansas National Guard deployed two 70 man companies for service on the southwest border in support of Operation Jump Start. The operation was a joint operation between the Arkansas Army National Guard and the Arkansas Air National Guard. The primary army troop providers were the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and the 35th Aviation Brigade. The 39th IBCT supplied to 70 man companies for service near Deming, New Mexico. The 35th Aviation Brigade supplies pilots and crews from the 1st Battalion, 114th Aviation to fly surveillance missions along the border area between Texas and Mexico.

Organization of the Aviation Brigade
The Arkansas Army National Guard was authorized by National Guard Bureau in Memo NGB-ARF-T Organizational Authority Number 203-03 to create the Headquarters and Headquarters Company Aviation Brigade of the 35th Aviation Brigade in order to provide command and control to the state's aviation assets. Later, in 2006 the HHC Aviation Brigade, 35th Infantry Division was reorganized as the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 77th Theater Aviation Brigade by NGB Memo NGB-ARF-T Organizational Authority Number 26-06.

Reorganization of 2005–2006
In 2005 and 2006, as a part of the United States Army's transition to a new modular force, which focused on shifting from a division centric force to a brigade centric force, the Arkansas Army National Guard once again underwent a re-organization. This redesign of the army was intended to make the force more easily deployable by making brigades more self contained and less dependent on support organizations at the division level. Major changes in each Major Subordinate Command included:

39th Brigade Combat Team:


 * Transition of the 39th Infantry Brigade Commander from a Brigadier General to a Colonel
 * Deactivation of 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry Regiment
 * Deactivation of Troop E, 151 Cavalry Regiment
 * Deactivation of Battery C, 1st Battalion, 206th Field Artillery Regiment
 * Activation of 1st Squadron, 151st Cavalry Regiment, with headquarters at Warren, Arkansas
 * Activation of 39th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, with headquarters at Conway, Arkansas
 * Activation of four new Forward Support Companies, D, E, F and G under the 39th Brigade Support Battalion
 * Reorganization of 239 MI Company as Company B, 39th BSTB
 * Reorganization of 239th Engineer Company as Company A, 39th BSTB
 * Activation of Company C (Signal), 39th BSTB
 * Deactivation of the 212th Signal Battalion.

142nd Field Artillery:


 * Activation of the 217th Support Battalion.
 * Activation of Battery F, (Target Acquisition)

87th Troop Command:


 * Deactivation of the 212th Signal Battalion.

Along with this reorganization came a significant re-stationing of several units within the state of Arkansas.

Significant state missions
The 39th BCT, 142nd Fires Brigade and the 87th Troop Command activated 50 man County Recovery Teams under state control in order to support Ice Storm Recovery Operations in northern Arkansas, in Sharp County, Arkansas, between 30 January to 6 February 2009.

Operation Katrina
After Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana in August 2005, elements of the Arkansas National Guard deployed to New Orleans by C-130s from the Little Rock Air Force Base to support the relief and recovery efforts as part of Operation Katrina. Under tactical control of the Louisiana National Guard, Arkansas soldiers were given the mission of providing security and food and water to an estimated 20,000 people at the New Orleans Convention Center on 2 September. By the afternoon of 3 September, all individuals staying in and around the Convention Center had been evacuated. The mission of the Arkansas Soldiers in Louisiana grew to the point that at one time the State Task Force was responsible for working with local officials in 14 parishes. Elements of the Arkansas National Guard stayed deployed in Louisiana until February 2006.

Arkansas National Guard Fallen Soldiers
This list is intended to include those Arkansas National Guardsmen who died while on duty in support of combat operations during the Global War on Terrorism. This list may be shorter than the lists included in various unit histories because those lists include soldiers who were not Arkansas National Guardsmen prior to mobilization, but may have been attached or assigned later. Arkansas' 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team suffered a total of 33 casualties during its 2004–2005 deployment, however only 15 of these soldiers were Arkansas National Guardsmen.

Operation Iraqi Freedom 2004

 * Sergeant First Class William W. Labadie Jr. of Bauxite, Age 45. Killed in Action, 7 April 2004


 * Captain Arthur L. Felder of Lewisville, Age 36. Killed in Action, 24 April 2004


 * Chief Warrant Officer Patrick W. Kordsmeier of North Little Rock, Age 49. Killed in Action, 24 April 2004


 * Staff Sergeant Billy J. Orton of Carlisle, Age 41. Killed in Action, 24 April 2004


 * Staff Sergeant Stacey C. Brandon of Hazen, Age 35. Killed in Action, 24 April 2004


 * Specialist Kenneth Melton of Batesville, Age 30. Killed in Action, 25 April 2004


 * Staff Sergeant Hesley Box of Nashville, Age 24. Killed in Action, 6 May 2004


 * Sergeant First Class Troy Leon Miranda of Wickes, Age 44. Killed in Action, 20 May 2004


 * Sergeant Russell L. Collier of Harrison, Age 48. Killed in Action, 3 October 2004


 * Sergeant Ronald Wayne Baker of Cabot, Age 34. Killed in Action, 13 October 2004


 * Sergeant Michael A. Smith of Camden, Age 24. Died of Wounds, 26 November 2004

Operation Iraqi Freedom 2005

 * Specialist Jimmy D. Buie of Floral, Age 44. Killed in Action, 4 January 2005


 * Specialist Joshua S. Marcum of Evening Shade, Age 33. Killed in Action, 4 January 2005


 * Specialist Jeremy W. McHalffey of Mabelvale, Age 28. Killed in Action, 4 January 2005


 * Staff Sergeant William T. Robbins of Beebe, AR, HHC, 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Died at Camp Taji, Iraq, on 10 February 2005, of non-combat related injuries.

Operation Iraqi Freedom 2006
Died of non-combat related injuries on 20 July 2006 in Baghdad, Iraq.
 * Specialist Derek James Plowman of Everton, AR, Battery C, 1st Battalion, 142nd Fires Brigade.

Operation Iraqi Freedom 2007

 * Sergeant First Class John G. Brown, 43, of Little Rock, Ark., 1st Battalion, 185th Aviation Regiment (Air Assault), 77th Aviation Brigade, Camp Robinson, Ark.


 * Major Michael V. Taylor, 40, of North Little Rock, Ark., 1st Battalion, 185th Aviation Regiment (Air Assault), 77th Aviation Brigade, Camp Robinson, Ark.


 * First Sergeant William T. Warren, 48, of North Little Rock, Ark., 1st Battalion, 185th Aviation Regiment (Air Assault), 77th Aviation Brigade, Camp Robinson, Ark.


 * Sergeant John R. Massey, 29, of Searcy, Ark., C Battery, 142 Fires Brigade, Ozark Ark.


 * Sergeant Erich Scott Smallwood, 23, of Truman, Ark., 1st Platoon, Company A, 875th Engineer Battalion, Jonesboro, Ark.

Operation Iraqi Freedom 2008

 * Sergeant First Class Anthony Lynn Woodham, Age 37, of Rogers, Ark., Heber Springs, Ark., died 5 July, at Camp Adder, Tallil, Iraq, from non-combat related injuries.


 * Specialist James M. Clay, Age 25, of Mountain Home, Ark.; Little Rock, Ark.; died 13 November 2008 in Anbar province, Iraq, of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident.