JANUARY 2018 VOLUME 18 ISSUE 1

THE VOLUNTEER STATE

guard

magazine

FIRST CLASS GRADUATES VOLUNTEER CHALLENGE ACADEMY

TENNESSEE GUARDSMEN IN WWI:

MEDAL OF HONOR
2 VOLUNTEER STATE GUARD VOL. 18 / ISSUE 1

ON THE COVER

The Medal of Honor (current Army version 

shown here) is the highest military decoration that may be awarded by the United 

States government. It is presented by the 

President of the United States, in the name 

of Congress, for risking ones life above and 

beyond the call of duty.

08

Tennessee 

Guardsmen in 

WWI: Medal of 

Honor.

28

Volunteer 

ChalleNGe 

Academy 

graduates its 

first class.

22

Local park 

named for 

former TN 

General.

32

Combat 

Hammer.

THE VOLUNTEER STATE GUARD MAGAZINE
3

The Volunteer State Guard Magazine is published to provide command and public information about Tennessee 

Guard Soldiers and Airmen throughout the world. Views 

expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official view of and it is not endorsed by 

the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the 

Departments of the Army and the Air Force. This publication does not supersede any information presented in any 

other official Air or Army publication. Articles, photos, artwork and letters are invited and should be addressed to: 

Editor, The Volunteer State Guard, 3041 Sidco Dr., Attn: 

TNPAO, Nashville, TN 37204.

For more information, the staff can be reached by telephone (615) 313-0633, or by email to tnpao@live.com. 

The Volunteer State Guard reserves the right to edit all 

material. Published works may be reprinted, except 

where copyrighted, provided credit is given to The Volunteer State Guard and the authors. Distribution of the The 

Volunteer State Guard is electronic and can be downloaded at: http://www.tnmilitary.org.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ART DIRECTION

SENIOR EDITORS

PHOTOGRAPHY 

WRITERS

Maj. (Ret) Randy Harris

Rob Pennington

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Nick Atwood

Maj. Darrin Haas 

Master Sgt. Robin Brown

Sgt. 1st Class William Jones

Rob Pennington

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Nick Atwood

Master Sgt. Robin Brown

Senior Master Sgt. Robert Shepherd

1st Lt. Erik D. Anthony

Staff Sgt. William C. Eichenberger

Staff Sgt. Mathieu Perry

Maj. (Ret) Randy Harris 

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Nick Atwood

Maj. Darrin Haas

Master Sgt. Robin Brown

Senior Master Sgt. Robert Shepherd

Sgt. 1st Class Ben Navratil

Staff Sgt. Mathieu Perry

Glenn Tanner

VOLUME 18 ISSUE 1

CONTENTS VSG

8 MEDAL OF HONOR

The Tennessee National Guardsmen who earned the Medal of Honor for 

Bravery in World War I.

19 GLASS NAMED NEW ATAG

Col. Glass Named Tenn. Assistant Adjutant General-Air.

20 AUTHORITY TRANSFER

Support Battalions transfer authority in Afghanistan.

21 MUSIC CITY WARRIORS

Tennessee Wounded Warriors honored at the Music City Bowl.

22 NAMED FOR A TENNESSEE HERO

Park in Jackson, Tenn., named for former Tennessee National Guard 

Maj. Gen. Robert Frankland.

24 RIBBON FOR VALOR

Four Tennessee National Guard Soldiers receive the Adjutant General’s 

Ribbon for Valor.

26 LIFE SAVING ACTION

Retired Tennessee Guardsman honored for helping to save motorists life 

while headed to training.

28 EARNING A FRESH START

First class of cadets graduate from Tennessee National Guard Volunteer 

ChalleNGe Academy.

32 COMBAT HAMMER

Multiple Air National Guard units from several states strike hard in first 

“Combat Hammer” exercise.

34 HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Tennessee’s Home for the Holidays open house 

event at the Tennessee Residence honors “Tennessee Heroes.”

35 BOOK REVIEW

Maj. Darrin Haas Gives his Review of 

TO CONQUER HELL: 

THE MEUSE-ARGONNE, 1918.

tnmilitary.org

JANUARY, 2018
4

TNVCA GRADUATION

Dec. 16, 2017 - Governor Bill Haslam addresses cadets at the Tennessee Volunteer 

ChalleNGe Academy’s first graduation. Candidates completed the 22-week course, 

which is designed to intervene in and reclaim the lives of at-risk youth.

PHOTO BY: CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER 4 NICK ATWOOD

T E N N E S S E E 

SNAPSHOT
5 VOLUNTEER STATE GUARD VOL. 18 / ISSUE 1

TN NATIONAL GUARD’S NEW IG

Oct. 30, 2017 - Brig. Gen. Don Johnson, (left), the assistant Adjutant General – Air, 

shakes hands with Col. Jason Mercer, the State Inspector General for the Tennessee 

National Guard, during Mercer’s promotion ceremony at Joint Force Headquarters. 

PHOTO BY: MASTER SGT. ROBIN BROWN

T E N N E S S E E 

SNAPSHOT
6 VOLUNTEER STATE GUARD VOL. 18 / ISSUE 1

BEST WARRIOR COMPETITION

Nov. 19, 2017 - Spc. Glass moves on to compete at the state level of the Best Warrior 

Competition. Spc. Kason Glass won the Regimental level for the 278th Armored Calvary Regiment at the Volunteer Training Site in Catoosa, Ga.

PHOTO BY: 278TH ARMORED CALVARY REGIMENT

T E N N E S S E E 

SNAPSHOT
7

REFUELING NEW TECHNOLOGY

Dec. 6, 2017 - An Israeli F-35 “Adir” jet receives fuel from a Tennessee Air National 

Guard KC-135 as the aircraft flies across the Atlantic. The new F-35 promises to create system-wide change in the Israeli Air Force (IAF).

PHOTO BY: 1ST LT. ERIK D. ANTHONY

T E N N E S S E E 

SNAPSHOT
8 VOLUNTEER STATE GUARD VOL. 18 / ISSUE 1

TENNESSEE GUARDSMEN IN WWI:

MEDAL O
9

The Medal of Honor (current Army version shown 

here) is the highest military decoration that may 

be awarded by the United States government. It is 

presented by the President of the United States, in 

the name of Congress, for risking ones life above 

and beyond the call of duty.

STORY BY MAJ. DARRIN HAAS

F HONOR
10 VOLUNTEER STATE GUARD VOL. 18 / ISSUE 1

Most Tennesseans know the story of Sgt. Alvin York, the 

conscientious objector from Pall Mall, Tenn., who was 

drafted into the 82nd “All-American” Division and 

then earned the Medal of Honor during World War 

I. Killing 25 Germans and capturing 132 enemy Soldiers during the 

Meuse-Argonne Offensive, York became the most celebrated Soldier 

of the war, eventually immortalized with a Hollywood film in 1941 

and a statue on the grounds of the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville. But he wasn’t the only Tennessean to earn the Medal of Honor during the Great War. Five other Soldiers and one Sailor also had 

the distinction of earing the nation’s highest military honor by distinguishing themselves “conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at 

the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.” Interestingly, the 

five Soldiers that earned the award (Joseph Adkinson, James Karnes, 

Milo Lemert, Edward Talley, and Calvin Ward), were all volunteers in 

the Tennessee National Guard. Each one risked his life to eliminate an 

enemy machine gun nest and, in doing so, saved the lives of his fellow 

Soldiers.

After Congress declared war against Germany on April 6, 1917, these 

men did not wait to be drafted. They joined a local National Guard 

unit in order to fight alongside fellow Tennesseans and “to go with 

those you know.” It was publicly known that National Guard divisions were going to be some of the first units to sail for France. Each 

of Tennessee’s five future Medal of Honor recipients enlisted in a local infantry regiment in the summer of 1917 and began training for 

combat. The 1st and 3rd Tennessee Infantry had just returned from 

service along the U.S.-Mexico border while Tennessee established the 

2nd Infantry and the 1st Tennessee Field Artillery Regiment to meet 

wartime quotas. By October, every Tennessee National Guard unit 

was federalized and posted in mobilization camps across the United 

States. They were all renamed and re-designated, most as part of the 

30th Division comprised of Southern Soldiers from Tennessee, North 

and South Carolina. 

MEDAL OF HONOR

Sgt. Alvin York
11

Nicknamed the “Old Hickory” Division after General Andrew Jackson, the 30th Division sailed for Europe in 

May of 1918 and was assigned to the U.S. II Corps. Once in France and after more hands-on training, the division 

was assigned to the British 2nd Army along with New York’s 27th Infantry Division. From July to October 1918, 

the 30th took part in major combat operations in the Ypres-Lys and Somme offensive, during which it was one of 

the two American divisions to break the Hindenburg Line in the Battle of St. Quentin Canal. The combat along 

the Hindenburg Line was severe, and it was during these offensives that the five Tennessee Guardsmen earned 

their Medal of Honor. 

The division, in nearly three months, sustained more than 1,200 men killed in action with more than 7,100 Soldiers wounded or missing. After the Armistice on November 11, the division spent a few more months in Europe 

as part of the Army of Occupation before returning home to Tennessee for parades, dinners, and honors. One 

Medal of Honor recipient, Milo Lemert, was killed while attacking the machine gun nest for which he was honored. The four others were all discharged from the U.S. Army upon returning home. 
12 VOLUNTEER STATE GUARD VOL. 18 / ISSUE 1

The Gillespie Medal of Honor.

THE GILLESPIE MEDAL OF HONOR

During World War I, U.S. Army Soldiers earning the Medal of 

Honor were awarded what is now referred to as the Gillespie 

Medal. Designed in 1904 by George Lewis Gillespie, the U.S. 

Army’s version of the Medal of Honor had replaced the original Army design from 1862 which was often mistaken for the 

membership badge of the Grand Army of the Republic—a union 

veteran organization for the Civil War. 

The award’s designer, George Gillespie, was an American Soldier born on October 7, 1841, in Kingston, Tenn. He graduated 

second in the 1862 class at the United States Military Academy 

and was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. A Southerner who remained loyal to the Union, Gillespie 

joined the Army of the Potomac and entered service from Chattanooga, Tenn. On May 31, 1864, as a first lieutenant with the 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during the Battle of Cold Harbor, 

Gillespie volunteered to carry dispatches through enemy lines. 

While near Bethesda Church in Virginia, Gillespie would place 

himself in great danger. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for 

his actions and his citation reads that he, “Exposed himself to 

great danger by voluntarily making his way through the enemy’s 

lines to communicate with Gen. Sheridan. While rendering this 

service he was captured, but escaped; again came in contact 

with the enemy, was again ordered to surrender, but escaped 

by dashing away under fire.” He didn’t receive his award until 

October 27, 1897. Gillespie would continue to serve in the U.S. 

Army after the Civil War, rising to the rank of Major General with 

his final assignment as the Assistant Chief of Staff of the United 

States Army from 1904 to 1905. 

The new medal Gillespie developed had a few changes. First, 

the words “United States of America” were added, replacing 

a ring of 34 stars. Also, the “Minerva Repelling Discord” was 

changed to display the helmeted Goddess of War. An open 

wreath was created enameled in green and an eagle once 

perched on a cannon with a saber in its talons, was now sitting 

on a “VALOR” bar clutching arrows. The ribbon suspending the 

medal was also changed. The previous ribbon had red, white, 

and blue vertical stripes, but that was changed to a distinct, solid light blue color with thirteen embroidered stars. The back of 

the medal was blank to allow for the recipients information to be 

added, with the words “The Congress To,” moved to the back 

side of the “VALOR” bar. 

The Gillespie Medal would be awarded to all Army recipients 

from 1904 to 1942. 
13

MEDAL OF HONOR

Above: Patent for the design of 

the Gillespie Medal of Honor.

Right: Photo of Brig. Gen. 

George Lewis Gillespie, Jr., the 

designer of the Gillespie Medal 

of Honor. Gillespie was also a 

native of Tennessee.

George Lewis Gillespie Jr.
14 VOLUNTEER STATE GUARD VOL. 18 / ISSUE 1

MEDAL OF HONOR

Sergeant Joseph B. Adkinson, 

Company C, 119th Infantry, 

30th Division

Born in: Atoka, Tennessee

Hometown: Memphis

Enlisted: June 23, 1917 in Memphis’ Company L, 

2nd Tennessee Infantry

Age: 24

Citation: 

Near Bellicourt, France - September 29, 1918

When murderous machinegun fire at a range of 

50 yards had made it impossible for his platoon 

to advance, and had caused the platoon to take 

cover Sergeant Adkison alone, with the greatest intrepidity, rushed across the 50 yards of 

open ground directly into the face of the hostile 

machinegun kicked the gun from the parapet 

into the enemy trench, and at the point of the 

bayonet captured the 3 men manning the gun. 

The gallantry and quick decision of this soldier 

enabled the platoon to resume its advance.

*severely wounded in action

Tanks and Troops going forward near Bellicourt on 29th 

September 1918. Imperial War Museum © IWM (Q 9371).
15

Private Calvin John Ward, 

Company D, 117th Infantry, 

30th 

Born in: Green County, Tennessee 

Hometown: Morristown

Enlisted: July 14, 1917 and assigned to Knoxville’s Company D, 3rd Tennessee Infantry

Age: 20

Citation: 

Near Estrees, France - October 8, 1918

During an advance, Private Ward’s company was 

held up by a machinegun, which was enfilading 

the line. Accompanied by a noncommissioned 

officer, he advanced against this post and succeeded in reducing the nest by killing 3 and 

capturing 7 of the enemy and their guns.

WWI era map of France courtesy Australian 

War Memorial.
16 VOLUNTEER STATE GUARD VOL. 18 / ISSUE 1

First Sergeant Milo Lemert, 

Company G, 119th Infantry, 

30th Division 

Born in: Marshaltown, Iowa

Hometown: Crossville

Enlisted: June 16, 1917 in Crossville’s Company 

D, 2nd Tennessee Infantry as a Sergeant

Age: 28

Citation: 

Near Bellicourt, France - September 29, 1918

Seeing that the left flank of his company was 

held up, he located the enemy machinegun 

emplacement, which had been causing heavy 

casualties. In the face of heavy fire he rushed it 

single-handed, killing the entire crew with grenades. Continuing along the enemy trench in 

advance of the company, he reached another 

emplacement, which he also charged, silencing 

the gun with grenades. A third machinegun emplacement opened up on him from the left and 

with similar skill and bravery he destroyed this 

also. Later, in company with another sergeant, 

he attacked a fourth machinegun nest, being 

killed as he reached the parapet of the emplacement. His courageous action in destroying 

in turn 4 enemy machinegun nests prevented 

many casualties among his company and very 

materially aided in achieving the objective.

Lemert’s Medal Courtesy the Tennessee State Museum
17

MEDAL OF HONOR

Sergeant James E. Karnes, 

Company D, 117th Infantry, 

30th Division

Born in: Arlington, Tennessee

Hometown: Knoxville

Enlisted: July 10, 1917 in Knoxville’s Machine 

Gun Company, 3rd Tennessee Infantry

Age: 29

Citation: 

Near Estrees, France - October 8, 1918

During an advance, his company was held up 

by a machinegun, which was enfilading the 

line. Accompanied by another soldier, he advanced against this position and succeeded in 

reducing the nest by killing 3 and capturing 7 

of the enemy and their guns.

Sgt. Karnes meeting President Kennedy at a 

Medal of Honor reception in 1962.
18 VOLUNTEER STATE GUARD VOL. 18 / ISSUE 1

MEDAL OF HONOR

Sergeant Edward R. Talley, 

Company L, 117th Infantry, 

30th Division

Born in: Russellville, Tennessee

Hometown: Russellville

Enlisted: June 2, 1909 in Morristown’s Company L, 3rd Tennessee Infantry, for three years

Age: 27

Citation: 

Near Ponchaux, France - October 7, 1918

Undeterred by seeing several comrades killed 

in attempting to put a hostile machinegun 

nest out of action, Sgt. Talley attacked the 

position single-handed. Armed only with a 

rifle, he rushed the nest in the face of intense 

enemy fire, killed or wounded at least 6 of the 

crew, and silenced the gun. When the enemy 

attempted to bring forward another gun and 

ammunition he drove them back by effective 

fire from his rifle.

Troops of the 30th Infantry 

Division - France, 1918.
19

Col. Glass Named Tenn. Assistant Adjutant General-Air.

GLASS NAMED 

NEW ATAG-AIR 

PROMOTION

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - In a Change of Command Ceremony held on Sunday, January 7th at National Guard Headquarters in 

Nashville, Governor Bill Haslam and Major General Max Haston, Tennessee’s Adjutant General, named Colonel Jason Glass as 

the new Assistant Adjutant General for the 

Tennessee Air National Guard. Col. Glass 

previously served as the Commander of the 

218th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group (ISRG), Tennessee Air National Guard at Joint Base Berry Field, Nashville.

 Col. Glass enlisted as a traditional guardsman in the Tennessee Air National Guard 

in March 1989 with the 241st Engineering 

Installation Squadron in Chattanooga. He 

was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Course (ROTC) at the University of Memphis in May 1993 and entered 

the Active Duty Air Force in January 1994. 

While on active duty, Col. Glass held numerous jobs and deployed in support of Operations Northern Watch, Noble Anvil, and 

Allied Force. 

 In 2000, Col. Glass left the Active Duty 

Air Force and once again became a traditional guardsman in the 241st Engineering 

Installation Squadron. While employed in 

his civilian job as a Central Office Manager 

for Bellsouth, he was mobilized in September 2001 for Operation Enduring Freedom 

serving at Al Udeid, Qatar; Ali Al Salem, 

Kuwait; Ali Al Jaber, Kuwait; and Shaw Air 

Force Base in South Carolina. He was released from active duty in 2002 and became 

a full-time technician 

with the 228th Combat Communications 

Squadron where he 

was selected as 228th 

Detachment Commander in 2003.

 From Aug. 2004 to 

Jan. 2005, Col. Glass 

was again called to 

Active Duty in support of Operation 

Enduring Freedom, 

Operation Iraqi Freedom and Joint Task 

Force Horn of Africa 

at Al Dhafra Airbase, 

UAE; Balad Airbase and 

Bagdad International 

Airport, Iraq. In 2005, 

he deployed in the aftermath of Hurricane Rita to aid in the recovery of southern Louisiana. In May 2006, Col. 

Glass was selected to command the 228TH 

Combat Communications Squadron until 

June 2008 when he was selected as the first 

Air Force, Deputy Chief of Staff, Information Management (J6) at Joint Force Headquarters, Tennessee. 

 In 2016, Col. Glass was selected as the first 

commander of the newly formed 218th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance 

Group, Tennessee Air National Guard. 

 He is a graduate of the University of Memphis, cum laude, with a Bachelor of Science 

degree in Electronics Engineering Technology. He also earned two associate’s degrees, 

one in Robotics and the other in Computer 

Science, from the Chattanooga State Technical Community College.

 “Col. Glass brings a great deal of professionalism and experience to the job at 

both the state and national level,” Maj. Gen. 

Haston said. “Jason clearly understands the 

complexity of global threats and the National and State requirements to lead the Tennessee Air National Guard into the future.” 

 Col. Glass replaces retiring Brigadier 

General Donald Johnson who has served 

as the Assistant Adjutant General-Air since 

February 2011.

- MASTER SGT. ROBIN BROWN

Maj. Gen. Max Haston, (left), passes the guidon to Col. 

Jason Glass (right), symbolizing his assumption of command as the newly assigned Assistant Adjutant General 

for the Tennessee Air National Guard on Jan. 7. (Photo by 

Master Sgt. Robin Brown)
20 VOLUNTEER STATE GUARD VOL. 18 / ISSUE 1

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan 

– The Soldiers of the 746th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, formally transferred their authority and responsibilities to 

the 30th CSSB in a ceremony on Kandahar 

Airfield Nov. 28.

 Combat sustainment support battalions 

are tasked with acquiring and distributing 

supplies like food, water, fuel and ammunition throughout the battlefield to the US and 

Coalition service members that need them. 

There are only two such battalions supplying the troops throughout Afghanistan, and 

both fall under the 3rd Infantry Division 

Resolute Support Sustainment Brigade.

 “There’s planning and hard work that goes 

into sustaining a unit,” said Col. Jeffrey Britton, commander of the 3rd Inf. Div. “It is a 

complicated, multifaceted faceted mission, 

and the requirements are constantly changing.”

 During their nine-month tour, the 746th 

CSSB “Cavaliers” managed the storage and 

distribution of more than 1.6 million cases 

of bottled water, 6.3 million gallons of fuel 

and 1,800 tons of ammunition. They had 

troops spread across eight different locations 

throughout the country. 

 The Cavaliers created more efficient methods of safely storing food for longer amounts 

of time, constructed a new helicopter landing zone, and initiated a fuel savings program that saved 3,000 gallons of fuel.

 During the ceremony, the outgoing National Guardsmen ceremoniously cased 

their battalion colors, in preparation to be 

brought back to their home state of California, and the incoming unit, the 30th CSSB 

of the Tennessee National Guard, uncased 

theirs.

 The new commander, Lt. Col. Brooke C. 

Grubb, acknowledged the legacy the 746th 

was leaving behind.

 “To the Cavaliers, we say thank you for 

setting such a high bar for us to meet,” said 

Grubb, “and we look forward to meeting and 

exceeding the standard you set.” 

- SGT. 1ST CLASS BEN NAVRATIL

Support Battalions Transfer Authority in Afghanistan.

AUTHORITY

TRANSFER

Lt. Col. Brooke C. Grubb, 

commander of the 30th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, unfurls his unit colors 

with the help of his senior enlisted advisor, Command Sgt. 

Maj. Michael Warren, during a 

Transfer of Authority Ceremony at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Nov. 28. (Photo by 

Sgt. 1st Class Ben K. Navratil)

30TH CSSB
21

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Humana, Delta Dental of Tennessee 

and Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl worked 

together in hosting wounded warriors from all over Tennessee. The experience culminated in attending the 2017 

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. This year, 

nearly 20 Wounded Warriors and their families were able 

to visit Nashville for the event. 

 The Tennessee National Guard Military and Family 

Readiness directorate, otherwise known as J9, partners with 

corporate sponsors throughout the year to help current and 

former Tennessee National Guardsmen and women. The 

Tennessee National Guard has worked with the Music City 

Bowl several times in past years to recognize wounded warriors.

 This year featured the University of Kentucky, who fell 

to Northwestern 24-23. The Music City Bowl began in 1998 

and is held at Nisson Stadium in Nashville. 

- STAFF SGT. MATHIEU PERRY

Tennessee Wounded Warriors Honored at Music City Bowl.

MUSIC CITY 

WARRIORS

MUSIC CITY BOWL

Above: Wounded Warriors from Tennessee along with members of 

the Tennessee National Guard Military and Family Readiness Directorate stand for the National Anthem at the 2017 Franklin American 

Music City Bowl on Dec. 29, 2017.

Below: Attendees meet Nashville Mayor Megan Barry (right).

(Photos by Staff Sgt. Mathieu Perry)
22 VOLUNTEER STATE GUARD VOL. 18 / ISSUE 1

Park in Jackson, Tenn. Named for Former Tennessee 

National Guard Maj. Gen. Robert Frankland. 

NAMED FOR A 

TENNESSEE HERO

Story by MASTER SGT. ROBIN BROWN

 In a small and quiet ceremony, a small 

park in the middle of downtown Jackson, 

Tenn., was dedicated in honor of former 

Tennessee National Guard Maj. Gen. Robert 

Frankland on December 1.

 “The site used to be home to the Frankland building, but it was destroyed by a tornado in 2003,” said Donna Frankland, granddaughter-in-law to the general. The family 

owned property became General Frankland 

Park in 2005, but it was never officially dedicated.

 During the ceremony, Ernest Brooks, the 

vice mayor of the city, read a proclamation 

naming the day in honor of Gen. Frankland and the Soldiers of the 1st Battalion of 

the 117th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry 

Division that he led into battle during the 

D-Day Invasion.

 “Today, we rise to honor a great man,” 

said Brooks. “A man who meant so much to 

so many—who was part of the history and 

development of Jackson.”

 A “great man” and quiet ceremony barely 

scratches the surface of the history created 

by Frankland and his Soldiers.

Family members of former Tennessee National Guard Maj. Gen. Robert Frankland 

stand next to the new sign, Dec. 1, designating a small park in Jackson, Tenn., in 

the General’s honor. Left to right: William Nichols, great grandson; Leila Frankland, granddaughter; Frank Lawrence, grandson; Donna Frankland, granddaughter-in-law; Robert E. Frankland III, grandson; and Luke Nichols, great grandson.
23

FRANKLAND PARK DEDICATION

Herbert Alexander, a local historical author, 

also spoke during the ceremony. He quoted 

a letter written by one of the General’s Soldiers during the war: “Col. Frankland is always out in front of his men. He is a Soldier’s 

Soldier.”

 Alexander also told of an event that took 

place in which Frankland killed an entire 

tank crew with his pistol. The then Lt. Col. 

Frankland was the commanding officer of 

the 1st Battalion, 117th Infantry and was using a house as an observation post. 

 “He noticed a tank pull up next to the 

building and saw two of his men being led 

out the door with their hands up,” Alexander 

said. “He pulled out his pistol and shot the 

two Germans. Then he went after the tank 

crew, killing all inside.”

 “According to one of his men, Frankland not only shot the tank commander, he 

jumped up on the tank and started blasting 

away down the hatch with his.45. He got the 

whole crew,” said John McManus, author of 

The Americans at Normandy: the Summer 

of 1944 – The American War from the Normandy Beaches to Falaise.

 This incident is also mentioned by Warren 

Giles on the 30th Infantry website.

 “Col. Frankland received orders from Division to hold at all costs because virtually 

nothing existed past the First Battalion to 

stop the Germans from advancing directly 

to the sea,” said Giles.

 Frankland joined the 117th Infantry in 

1925 and rose through the enlisted ranks. 

He even spent four years as a first sergeant 

before being commissioned as a second 

lieutenant in 1930. He was promoted to first 

lieutenant before being activated to fight 

the Germans in the 1940s. It was during 

this time of activation that he would earn 

the Distinguished Service Cross, two Silver Star Medals, three Bronze Star Medals, 

the French Crois de Guerre with palm, the 

Belgian Fourriege and two Presidential Citations.

 “He earned his second Silver Star Medal in 1944 for his actions in Germany,” said 

Maj. Darrin Haas, historian for the Tennessee National Guard. “His battalion was given 

the mission of attacking the Siegfried Line 

for US forces to break-through and penetrate 

in the Nazi-controlled country.” Haas then 

echoed the General’s story in that Frankland 

was always known for being in the front line 

with his troops.

 “Unmindful of the hazards involved, he 

personally directed and coordinated the attack by his battalion, storming pillbox after 

pillbox, until a break-through was made. 

His personal bravery inspired his Soldiers to 

give their maximum effort during the difficult mission that ended with a brilliant victory,” read the citation that accompanied his 

medal.

 After serving five years on active duty, 

he would come back the Tennessee National Guard as a Lieutenant Colonel. He was 

ultimately appointed as Major General of 

the Line and assigned as the Division Commander of the Tennessee National Guard’s 

30th Armored Division in May 1957.

 During his time with the Tennessee National Guard, he served in the following 

campaigns: Northern France, Central Europe, Ardennes and Rhineland. He was a 

member of the First Methodist Church and 

the National Guard Association of the United States, as well as the National Guard Association of Tennessee. The General was also 

very active in his community as a member 

of the Forrest Critters, Jackson Chamber 

of Commerce, Lions Club, VFW and the 

American Legion.

 “Robert Frankland represented everything 

that was right about the National Guard at 

mid-twentieth century,” said McManus. “He 

had risen from private to lieutenant colonel 

through sheer dedication and determination.”

Maj. Gen. Robert Frankland

Ernest Brooks, vice mayor 

of Jackson, Tenn., (right) 

reads a proclamation 

naming December 1, 2017, 

Major General Robert 

Frankland day during an 

official ceremony to dedicate the park to the former 

Tennessee National Guard 

General. Family and friends 

gathered at the location 

for the official dedication 

ceremony.
24 VOLUNTEER STATE GUARD VOL. 18 / ISSUE 1

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Four Soldiers assigned to Headquarters, Headquarters Detachment, 117th Military Police Battalion 

based in Athens, Tenn., were presented the 

Adjutant General’s Ribbon for Valor October 21 at the National Guard Armory there. 

Spc. Charles Woods, of Chickamauga, Ga.; 

Spc. Nakita Huffman, of Lenoir City, Tenn.; 

Spc. Matthew Long, of Chattanooga, Tenn.; 

and Sgt. Chris Galyon, of Kingston, Tenn., 

were presented the award by Maj. General 

Max Haston, the Adjutant General for the 

Tennessee National Guard.

 “I am very proud of our Soldiers and the 

actions they took at the scene of the accident to assist members of our community,” 

said Lt. Col. John Gobel, Commander, 117th 

Military Police Battalion. “They upheld our 

Army Core Values and represented the 117th 

MP Battalion and the Tennessee National 

Guard well. I am glad they were able to be 

recognized by leadership for their service.”

 The Soldiers received the award for their 

response efforts during a vehicle accident on 

the highway on their way to training for the 

National Guard.

 On November 4, 2016, while traveling 

Four Tennessee National Guard Soldiers Receive the 

Adjutant General’s Ribbon for Valor.

RIBBON 

FOR VALOR

RECOGNITION

Photo by Staff Sgt. William C. Eichenberger
25

to the Volunteer Training Site in Tullahoma, 

Tenn., the group of Soldiers witnessed a vehicle crash along I-24 and were the first to 

respond to the incident. The Soldiers directed other vehicles away from the crash site. 

They kept the injured occupants calm while 

waiting for emergency responders to arrive. 

They also assisted the emergency responders 

with removing the victims from the vehicle, 

placing them on stretchers and into the ambulance. 

 “The accident was pretty bad. A semi hit a 

smaller passenger vehicle,” said Long. “I am 

proud to have been in the right place at the 

right time and able to help.”

- MASTER SGT. ROBIN BROWN

RIBBON OF VALOR 

The Tennessee National Guard Adjutant General’s Ribbon for Valor is awarded by 

the Adjutant General to any member of the U.S. Armed Forces associated with the 

Tennessee National Guard who distinguished themselves in an act of saving or 

attempting to save another person’s life. The award can be earned regardless if the 

individual was on duty with the Guard or not, or whether or not the individual was in 

personal danger. Performance should be clearly an unselfish reaction to an emergency.

Soldiers from the 117th Military Police Battalion based in Athens, Tenn. (Photo by Staff 

Sgt. William C. Eichenberger)
26 VOLUNTEER STATE GUARD VOL. 18 / ISSUE 1

By Glenn Tanner / Post-Intelligencer

A now retired Tennessee National Guardsman was 

honored for his role in helping to save the life of another driver as he attended guard training in 2017. 

 Retired Staff Sgt. Tony Lane, of the 212th Engineer Co., was recognized during a promotions and reward 

ceremony at the McGarity National Guard Armory on County 

Home Road.

 Lane was awarded the Adjutant General’s Ribbon for Valor. 

It was presented on behalf of Maj. Gen. Terry Haston by Capt. 

Christian Yoder, commander of the 212th Engineer Co.

 According to the text of the award, the ribbon was presented 

for “extraordinary valor displayed after stopping to assist a victim of a single vehicle accident. He was instrumental in providing life saving measures to the civilian involved in the accident 

prior to the arrival of emergency medical services on the scene.

“His selfless service reflects great credit upon him, the 212th Engineer Company, the 230th Engineer Battalion, the 194th Engineer Brigade, and the Tennessee Army National Guard.”

 Lane was also presented with the Tennessee National Guard 

Distinguished Service Medal for his 27 years with the Tennessee 

National Guard and the Meritorious Service Medal for his more 

than 33 years with the U.S. Army and the Tennessee National 

Guard. Both of those awards were presented by Yoder.

 Following the ceremony, Lane said the events leading to the 

ribbon of valor happened in June as he was heading to the unit’s 

annual training in Tullahoma, Tenn.

 As he was on the interstate nearing Tullahoma, he saw the 

woman’s car hit something, then cross into the median. “If there 

hadn’t been a ditch there, she would have come out right where 

I was at,” he said. Lane stopped and ran to the woman’s vehicle to 

Retired Tennessee Guardsman honored for helping 

to save motorist life while headed to training.

LIFE SAVING

ACTION

g RECOGNITION
27

see if she was hurt. While he didn’t see any obvious injuries, he noticed 

the woman could barely speak. The first thing he did was make sure 

the vehicle’s engine was shut off.

 “About that time, another individual came up that had a lot more 

medical experience than I had and realized off the bat that the lady 

had a stroke. About that time, she went into cardiac arrest,” Lane said.

 The two got the woman out of the car and began performing CPR.

Shortly after that, a local sheriff ’s deputy arrived with a portable defibrillator.

 “We got that on her and got her shocked,” Lane remembered. “Her 

heart started beating again, and they loaded her up in the ambulance.”

To this day, he doesn’t know what became of the woman whose life he 

helped to save.

 “They wouldn’t tell me anything after that because of HIPPA (the 

Heath Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996),” he said. 

“We tried to find out.”

 Also honored Sunday was retired Staff Sgt. David Hinton. Hinton 

was awarded the Guard’s Distinguished Service Medal for his 39 years 

with the Tennessee National Guard and the Meritorious Service Medal for his more than 39 years with the guard and U.S. Army.

 About 230 servicemen and women, as well as their families, attended the ceremony, which included the unit’s Christmas party. The event 

also included the promotion of Pfc. Samson Lanade to Specialist; Spc. 

Christopher Smith to Corporal; and Cpl. Lindsay Sanders to Sergeant. 

The ceremony also included several other awards and recognitions.

 Retired local veterinarian Robert “Buddy” Gardner, a Vietnam War 

Veteran and former Mississippi Air National Guardsman, was the 

guest speaker.

Capt. Christian Yoder (left), commander of the 212th Engineer Co., returns a salute from retired Staff Sgt. Tony Lane 

inside the McGarity National Guard Armory on County Home 

Road Sunday. Lane received the guard’s Ribbon of Valor for 

helping to save the life of a motorist in June.
28 VOLUNTEER STATE GUARD VOL. 18 / ISSUE 1

FIRST CLASS OF CADETS GRADUATES 

FROM TENNESSEE NATIONAL GUARD

VOLUNTEER CHALLENGE ACADEMY.

EARNING A

STORY AND PHOTOS BY CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER 4 NICK ATWOOD
29

The first class of the Tennessee Volunteer ChalleNGe 

Academy prepares for Graduation. Twenty-three candidates completed the 22-week course and achieved 

their high school diploma, their HiSet certificate, or 

sufficient credits to go back and finish high school. 
30 VOLUNTEER STATE GUARD VOL. 18 / ISSUE 1

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - In a landmark event 

for the Tennessee National Guard, Tennessee’s new Volunteer ChalleNGe Academy 

graduated its inaugural class on December 

16, 2017.

 The ceremony, held on the TNVCA campus in Nashville, honored 23 cadets who 

earned their high school diploma, their 

HiSet certificate, or sufficient credits to go 

back and finish high school. 

 Governor Bill Haslam gave the commencement remarks, complementing the cadets on 

their achievement and encouraging them to 

take what they gained while at the academy 

and build for the future. The cadets represent 16 counties in Tennessee, from Shelby 

in the west to Sevier in the east.

 The TNVCA is a program for Tennessee 

youth, administered by the National Guard 

Youth Challenge Program and the state of 

Tennessee, for 16-18 year olds who have 

dropped out of school or are at risk of becoming a dropout. The program gives them 

the opportunity to succeed outside of a traditional school setting by learning self-discipline, leadership and responsibility.

 “I believe that this program has changed 

the life course of these students who were 

potentially headed down the wrong path,” 

said Maj. Gen. Max Haston, Tennessee’s Adjutant General. “We are extremely proud of 

each one of these young Tennesseans.”

 While the National Guard Youth Challenge Program was established in 1993, 

Tennessee didn’t start the program here until this year, with the first class starting last 

summer. 

 Following the 22-week school program, 

graduates are then paired with a personal 

mentor for one year to help with the transition into adulthood. All 23 cadets successfully completed the tasks and subtasks 

supporting the eight Core Components of 

the Academy; life coping skills, academic excellence, leadership/followership, jobs skills, 

physical fitness, responsible citizenship, service to the community and health and hyThe first class of the Tennessee 

Volunteer ChalleNGe Academy 

prepares for graduation. Twenty-three candidates completed the 

22-week course.

VOLUNTEER CHALLENGE
31

giene. Also while at the Academy, six cadets 

took the ACT on Campus, and were registered for the TN Hope Scholarship. All 23 

cadets took the ASVAB. One cadet plans to 

enlist in the Army and one is enlisting in the 

National Guard.

 The program is free and voluntary. It is 

not boot camp or juvenile detention. Funding is provided by both the Federal and the 

State governments and is executed via a cooperative agreement between the Military 

Department of Tennessee and the National 

Guard Bureau.

 The TNVCA is currently accepting applications for its next class, which begins January 14. For more information, visit www.

tn.gov/tnvolunteerchallenge, email TNVCA@tn.gov, or call 629-888-5868.

Academy Director Gary Ensminger congratulates Lauren Jones 

of LaVergne during graduation ceremonies for the first class at 

Tennessee Volunteer ChalleNGe Academy in Nashville.

Governor Bill Haslam addresses the Cadets at Tennessee Volunteer ChalleNGe 

Academy’s first graduation. 

TENNESSEE

VOLUNTEER 

CHALLENGE 

ACADEMY

BEGAN: 2017

LOCATION: NASHVILLE, TN

2017 GRADUATING CLASS: 23
32 VOLUNTEER STATE GUARD VOL. 18 / ISSUE 1

DUKE FIELD, Fla. - Airmen from multiple Air National Guard units of Texas, New 

York, Iowa, Ohio, California, Tennessee, 

Pennsylvania, Arkansas, and North Dakota 

supported and flew MQ-9 Reaper aircraft 

during Operation Combat Hammer, the 

first operational air-to-ground weapons 

evaluation for the Air National Guard to be 

a part of as the sole MQ-9 Reaper mission 

set.

 The Combat Hammer exercise takes place 

twice each year at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. 

and twice annually at Hill Air Force Base, 

Utah. It is part of the Weapon System Evaluation Program (WSEP). WSEP has two 

parts: Combat Hammer evaluates all U.S. 

Air Force air-to-ground weapons, mostly 

bombs, while Combat Archer evaluates all 

the air-to-air weapons, mostly missiles.

 “WSEP is an opportunity for the Air National Guard to provide our war fighters 

with ‘as real as it gets’ combat training outside of the combat zone, said 1st Lieutenant 

Josh, WSEP Project Officer for 132d Wing, 

Des Moines Iowa.”

 The 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group, out 

of Eglin, Air Force Base, conducted a maritime Weapons System Evaluation Program 

in the Gulf of Mexico and in Choctawhatchee 

Bay, Nov. 1-3 and Nov. 6-8. Within the 53rd 

WEG, the 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron 

is the lead for Combat Hammer, an annual 

exercise conducted to evaluate weapons systems.

 “As a whole, Combat Hammer has to do 

that on a much larger scale since we have 

three to four units here each WSEP...A lot 

of hours by a lot of people goes into making 

this happen and it couldn’t be done without 

a whole team effort,” Maj. Marcus said, Assistant Director of Operations for WSEP at 

the 86th FWS, Eglin AFB, Florida.

 Participating this year were F-22s from 

the 94th Fighter Squadron of Langley, AFB, 

F-16s from the 55th Fighter Squadron of 

Shaw AFB, A-10s from the 75th Fighter 

Multiple Air National Guard units from several states strike 

hard in first ‘Combat Hammer’ exercise.

COMBAT 

HAMMER

Behind the controls of a MQ-9 

Reaper. (Photo by Senior Master 

Sgt. Robert Shepherd)

WEAPONS

“A lot of hours 

by a lot of people goes into 

making this 

happen and it 

couldn’t be done 

without a whole 

team effort.”
33

Squadron of Moody AFB, and MQ-9s from 

multiple Air National Guard units of Texas, 

New York, Iowa, Ohio, California, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, and North Dakota and the 2nd Special Operations Squadron of Hurlburt Field, Fla.

 Approximately 30 boats simulated realistic swarm attack formation maneuvers 

in the Choctawhatchee Bay while military 

aircraft target them from above to practice 

simulated “real time kills” and evaluate the 

precision of guided munitions.

 The 96th Range Control Squadron gathered data from the aircraft, weapons, targets, 

and a multitude of other range sensors. This 

combined information will provide full situational awareness to the WSEP engineers, 

allowing them to make real-time decisions 

on the performance of the various weapons 

systems.

 The exercise also marked the first time an 

MQ-9 Reaper across multiple states back to 

its home unit instead of being shipped back. 

The 171st Attack Wing in Syracuse, New 

York flew its MQ-9 over 1,200 miles from 

Duke Field, Fla.

 Combat Hammer ensures that the employment of weapons work as intended, thus 

enabling the warfighter to accomplish the 

mission downrange. 

- SENIOR MASTER SGT. ROBERT SHEPHERD

Airmen from multiple Air National 

Guard units of Texas, New York, Iowa, 

Ohio, California, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, and North Dakota 

supported and flew MQ-9 Reaper 

aircraft during Operation Combat Hammer, the first operational air-to-ground 

weapons evaluation for the Air National 

Guard to be a part of as the sole MQ-9 

Reaper mission set. (Photo by Senior 

Master Sgt. Robert Shepherd)

Manufacturer

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. 

Service

USAF

Armament

Combination of AGM-114 

Hellfire missiles, GBU-12 

Paveway II and GBU-38 

JDAM

Propulsion

Honeywell TPE331-10GD 

turboprop engine

Speed

230 mph 

Range

1,150 miles

Crew

Two (pilot and sensor operator)

(www.military.com)

MQ-9

REAPER
34 VOLUNTEER STATE GUARD VOL. 18 / ISSUE 1

Tennessee’s Home for the Holidays open house event at the 

Tennessee Residence honors “Tennessee Heroes.” 

HOME FOR 

THE HOLIDAYS

HOLIDAY TOUR

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The 7th annual open house holiday event at the Tennessee Residence was held throughout 

December. Governor Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy 

Haslam host the special event in the executive residence.

 This year, the holiday decorations honored “Tennessee 

Heroes.” The trees and mantels showcased memorabilia and 

articles depicting the work of brave men and women who 

serve our communities in the Tennessee Department of 

Military, Department of Safety, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Department of Transportation, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, as well as Veterans, 

local law enforcement, and first responders. 

 In Conservation Hall, the trees were decorated with ornaments created by military connected youth and families. 

- STAFF SGT. MATHIEU PERRY

Visitors tour the Tennessee Residence during the open house. 

(Photos by Staff Sgt. Mathieu Perry)
35

 Nearing the end of World War I, the United 

States would engage in the largest and bloodiest battle in American history, the six-week 

long Meuse-Argonne offensive. For 47 days 

from September 26 to November 11, 1918, 

nearly 1.2 million U.S. Soldiers would fight in 

the Argonne, resulting in the death of more 

than 26,000 U.S. Soldiers and the wounding of 

nearly 96,000. This accounted for almost half 

of all U.S. casualties for the entire war. Shockingly, within 20 years after the guns went silent 

in the Argonne, “hardly anyone could name, 

much less describe, America’s greatest battle in 

the late war.” 

 Even today, most Americans still know little 

about the United States’ largest battle. According to Edward Lengel, the current chief historian for the White House Historical Association, 

the battle “gets nothing like the attention it deserves as one of the largest and most critical 

military engagements in the nation’s history.” 

Lengel, while serving as a history professor at 

the University of Virginia, sets out to remedy 

this national amnesia with his book, To Conquer Hell: The Meuse-Argonne, 1918. 

 Published in 2008 and using numerous 

primary sources, secondary sources, and oral 

history interviews, Lengel crafts a unique and 

sweeping narrative that delivers a raw look 

into World War I combat. Focusing primarily 

on the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) 

during those 47 days in France, he does not 

try to write a full-scale operational history or 

a top-down study of AEF generalship. Instead, 

he looks at how various U.S. Soldiers experienced the carnage and how it all interrelated. 

He chronicles the history of this battle through 

their stories. Concentrating his research on 

first-person accounts from the Soldiers that 

participated, he thoroughly examines diaries, 

letters, memoirs, veteran questionnaires, as 

well as small unit histories in order to illustrate 

the experiences of the common Soldier in the 

trenches. 

 Lengel does this by dividing his book into three 

main sections with a total of 25 chapters. The first 

two parts set the stage for the battle and how the AEF 

mobilized and assembled in France. Done in just 

seven quick chapters, it briefly looks at the raising of 

the AEF, its first taste of combat, the struggles of creating a cohesive and independent American Army, 

and then the AEF’s first unified fight at the St. Mihiel 

Salient. The third phase is the meat of Lengel’s work. 

He uses 19 chapters to follow the four battles, ending with the Armistice on November 11, 1918 and 

the Soldiers return home. This is where he does his 

best work by explaining a long and complicated battle where 22 American divisions with more than 840 

airplanes and 320 tanks battled German forces. 

 The organization and colorful writing results in a 

dense narrative and a detailed account of combat experiences from Soldiers that are not as well-known as 

more famous veterans that have been written about. 

There is mention of Alvin York and the Lost Battalion, but the work’s greatest strength is that it highlights stories that have not been heard or were forgotten. Lengel writes that “for each man who found 

fame during or after the battle, there are thousands 

whose tale of valor, cowardice, death, and survival 

have been largely forgotten.” He attempts to remedy some of this through is work by focusing on the 

heroism, tragedy, and transformation that occurred 

during those six weeks in France. 

 Overall, Edward Lengel skillfully tells the story of 

a long and complex battle, giving the reader a clear 

understanding of what Soldiers went through and 

why it is important to understand it. I highly recommend this work to anyone wanting a sense of what 

Americans endured during World War I or looking 

for an understanding of what U.S. Soldiers experienced in the world’s first modern war during the industrial age. It is also a highly recommended read 

because it helps celebrate the centennial of the war 

and honor all those that served and fought during 

the war to end all wars. 

- MAJ. DARRIN HAAS

TO CONQUER HELL:

THE MEUSE-ARGONNE, 1918

To Conquer Hell: 

The Meuse-Argonne, 

1918

By Edward G. Lengel. 

New York: Henry Holt and 

Company, 2008. 

BOOK REVIEW

Maj. Darrin Haas Gives his Review of:

* Maj. Darrin Haas is the Historian for the Tennessee Military Dept.
Produced in collaboration with the Tennessee Military Department 

and the Tennessee National Guard