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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 18,
2007 No. 07-200 Leadership Announced to Head up Great Plains Joint
Regional Training Center in Salina Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, the Kansas adjutant general, announced today the
leadership chosen to command the Great Plains Joint Regional Training
Center (GPJRTC) in Salina. The GPJRTC, which has received state and federal
funding to expand its capabilities, provides inter-agency training for
state and local government agencies and the Kansas National Guard allowing
them to all train together for state emergency responses. It also provides
in-state pre-mobilization military training making Kansas among the first
states in the nation to do this. Col. Randy Roebuck will serve as the first Garrison Commander/Director
of the GPJRTC. Roebuck is currently the commander of the 184th Intelligence
Wing in Wichita and has a successful leadership track record. He has extensive
experience in standing up new organizations and converting existing structure
to accomplish new missions which will be his role as director. Lt. Col. J.J. Jordan will serve as the commander of the 284th Air Support
Operations Squadron (ASOS). Jordan's experiences in Iraq and his vision
of a better way to train for war formulated the vision of the GPJRTC.
The squadron will provide advice and liaison support to U.S. Combatant
Commanders on how to best employ U.S. and Coalition airpower for Close
Air Support (CAS), Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR),
Electronic Warfare (EW), and airlift. Lt. Col. David Lee is heading up the Pre-Mobilization Training Assistance
and Evaluation Team, which allows Kansas National Guard soldiers to train
in state to prepare for war, and reduces the amount of time required for
them to train away from home. The 1st Battalion, 161st Field Artillery,
was the first unit to undergo pre-mobilization at the GPJRTC allowing
the Guardsmen to be closer to home for holiday travel at Thanksgiving
this year. "I'm proud to have such a strong leadership team to head up the
Great Plains Joint Regional Training Center in Salina," said Bunting.
"This facility is on track to be among the finest in the nation to
train both civilian responders and military for homeland security needs
and to provide national defense war fighting training. I'm honored to
have such a well-qualified staff to help shape this center's future." GPJRTC will also include Crisis City, a multi-use homeland security training
facility; and it currently includes the Smoky Hill Range Complex and the
Kansas Regional Training Institute (KSRTI) which both provide military
training. The Salina Airport Authority, Chamber of Commerce, emergency workers
and managers, and city and county governments have been instrumental in
the expansion of this training center in Salina. -30- |
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