Team Sheppard welcomes Texas State Guard

  • Published
  • By Lieutenant Colonel Ron Soejoto
  • 482nd Air Support Group
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  The 4th Air Wing, Texas State Guard and Sheppard Air Force Base signed a memorandum of agreement Nov. 17, and stood up a new unit at Sheppard designated as the 482nd Air Support Group, which will be under the command of Lt. Col. Ron Soejoto.

The 482nd ASG is currently on a recruiting campaign to fill 26 positions. In addition to Communications and Security, the unit is looking to fill positions in Legal, Administration, Public Affairs, Training, Recruiting, Supply and other key positions. There are both officer and enlisted billets to fill.

The unit initially stood up with three key personnel, Soejoto the commander, Senior Master Sgt. Tom Phillips, Communications NCO in charge and Master Sgt. Terry Madison, Security Forces NCO in charge.

Since the beginning of the recruiting campaign, nine potential recruits have applied for membership of which one has been approved. The first recruit, Airman First Class Clara Truley was sworn in by Soejoto during the first Unit Training Assembly (UTA) Dec. 10, 2011.

Individuals between the ages of 17 and 60 years of age who are in relatively good health may apply. All applicants must pass a criminal back ground check. Prior military service is not required, however, prior military service requires an Honorable discharge and any Federal Service Retirement will not be affected.

The primary mission of the 482nd ASG is to provide a mission-ready trained force, as a force multiplier for the Texas Air National Guard, Homeland Security through Defense Support to Civil Authority (DSCA) and to meet the tasks assigned by Headquarters, Air Division in support of local and state needs in the areas of Communications and Security.

Members are normally required to serve one weekend per month and be available for deployment anywhere in Texas by direction of the Governor. Additionally, members will not deploy overseas or outside of the Texas State boundaries.

The Texas State Guard (TXSG) is the oldest of the three branches of the Texas Military Forces (TXMF) reporting to the Governor of Texas and Adjutant General, located at Texas Military Forces, Camp Mabry, Texas, the other two branches are the Army and Air Guard.

The Commander in Chief of the Texas Military Forces is the Governor of Texas. The Texas State Guard is a state military force made up of "Citizen Soldiers" which assists and augment the Texas military community and civil authorities in times of state emergencies, and in on-going support of National Guard Units and local Communities. It is a trained and ready force of competent volunteers with certain skills and abilities which have proven to be useful throughout the State of Texas with authority by Title 32, USC and Chapter 431 Texas Government Code.

For additional volunteer information and benefit information, contact Soejoto at djoko.soejoto@txsg.state.tx.us , Madison at terry.madison@txsg.state.tx.us or visit the Texas State Guard web site at www.gotxsg.com .